Columns

Columns

Olympic Torch: The Scoop on race walking

By Arnav Sacheti | March 16

“Who wants to work this hard to look this funny?”

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Columns

A Fantastic Voyage: 'Solve Everything' Part 2

By Drew Weisberg | March 16

Welcome back to the column, friends! Last week we had what may be a Tufts Daily first, a story recap and review so massive it requires two parts to do it justice. In light of this, make sure you catch up with last week’s installment so you won't get lost. 

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Column

Hot Take: ‘Saturday Night Live’ isn’t funny anymore

By Derin Savasan | March 15

I’m not going to talk more about the golden age of SNL. I wasn’t born until 2002, so it’s not my area of knowledge. What I can do is talk about SNL's "silver age," led by people like Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, Rachel Dratch, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis and Andy Samberg in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

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Columns

Power to the Players: The NBA bubble and the questions it raised

By Isaac Karp | March 15

With basketball gone, many NBA players spent their time campaigning for racial equality during the summer's Black Lives Matter protests. Meanwhile, NBA executives were devising a way to finish the season in the hopes of saving some of the lost revenue.

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Columns

The Honeymoon Period: President Joe Manchin

By Matt Rice | March 15

It has become increasingly clear in the first 50 days of his presidency that Joe Biden may not even be the most important “Joe” in Washington. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who has consistently inhabited the vanishing political center, has had and will continue to have the final say over what President Biden can get through Congress. 

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Column

Soundtrack to the end of the world: In case of emergency

By Jessica Blough and Myshko Chumak | March 12

I like nervous music, music that’s unsettled and unsettling, even when it’s in a major key, and this seems somewhere between pablum and dread. Over the last 12 months, I’ve found myself falling into repetitive music and listening loops. Maybe read this as my way of rocking back and forth, my sonic self-care at best or anesthetic at worst.

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Columns

Wonder Women: Deja Young

By Nicole Setow | March 12

How does one cope when the very thing that brings them joy becomes a source of stress? Paralympic track star Deja Young’s story is one incredible example of overcoming adversity, prioritizing mental health and rediscovering joy in competition.  

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Columns

Democracy in The Daily: Democratize elections

By Brendan Hartnett | March 11

Two pieces of legislation needed to maintain U.S. democracy face grim fates in the Senate: the For the People Act (H.R.1) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 

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Column

Beyond the Underneath: 'White Cube' gallery and its 'Color Cube' cafe

By Ramona Meng Xi | March 11

I can't remember the exact time I got to know about the term"white cube," a style of contemporary gallery with a rectangular space, unadorned white walls and neutral lighting. “White cube” would automatically jump in my mind whenever I walked into a white cube gallery. There were plenty. 

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Columns

Tales from the T: Big Dig Pt. 2: Electric Boogaloo

By Kevin Zhang | March 11

In last week’s column we discussed the history of the Lowell Line that runs by Tufts, so perhaps it’s fitting to now discuss a plan proposed for its future. It’s a plan that could bring modern electric commuter trains from Tufts through downtown Boston to Allston, Wellesley and even Providence, via a true regional transportation network. But first, some context. 

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Columns

Off the Gridiron: Palcic's Revenge

By Henry Gorelik | March 10

It is clear that women are becoming increasingly involved in the NFL. While others have captured the national headlines recently, one very talented woman in the NFL has flown completely under the radar. On Friday, Feb. 22, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they had hired Amy Palcic to lead their public relations department.

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Columns

Coffee Talk: Carmichael Dining Center

By Casey Cummings | March 10

There’s a heated debate over which dining hall is better: Dewick or Carm. In all honesty, both dining halls are like my children; I can’t pick a favorite. However, today we are going to be talking about Carm: where the dining staff members are always happy, smoothies occasionally make it on the breakfast menu and, of course, fresh berries are served almost every morning. 

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Columns

Comfort Cartoons: Neo-noir and gothic 'Batman: The Animated Series'

By Christopher Panella | March 10

Following the episodic adventures of Batman, Robin and Batgirl, the series takes on a darker tone that feels inspired by both Tim Burton’s two Batman films and the ‘70s and '80s comic books. Those interpretations are seen in every detail: Gotham City’s skies are dark even during the day, the buildings are tall and gothic and gangsters sneak around in alleys and side streets.

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Columns

The Strike Zone: US, China and Taiwan

By Eli Striker | March 10

The United States has pledged to defend Taiwan for moral reasons, as the U.S. sees itself as a standard-bearer for democracy worldwide. However, the U.S. government often fails to walk the proverbial walk when it places human rights-based ultimatums on other countries, and it has a history of neglecting democracy when it benefits America economically.

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Columns

Building Blocks: Tabula rasa

By Elizabeth Buehl | March 9

In Locke’s "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1689), he presented the idea that we are all born a blank slate, a tabula rasa, ready to be painted with acquired knowledge. His philosophy laid the foundations for the secular education system that seeks to paint millions of K–12 students’ blank slates today.

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Columns

Power to the Players: Protesting the 2022 Beijing Olympics

By Isaac Karp | March 9

This week, the World Uyghur Congress filed a complaint demanding that the International Olympic Committee cancel the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The objection comes amid ongoing reports of human rights abuses by the Chinese government against Uyghur Muslims.

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Columns

Long Shot: Ryan Mundy and Alkeme Health

By Samuel Charlton | March 9

This edition of “Long Shot,” which explores athletes’ ventures off the field, is about former NFL player Ryan Mundy. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008, he helped the team win the Super Bowl in his rookie season. During his successful eight-year NFL career, Mundy established himself as one of the best and hardest-hitting safeties in the league. 

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Column

A Fantastic Voyage: 'Solve Everything' Part 1

By Drew Weisberg | March 9

It always impresses me when a writer can find a novel concept in long-running series with decades of lore and a tried and true premise like “Fantastic Four” (1961–). I chuckle even harder when that novel idea is both literal and figurative. The secret behind that riddle is the subject of today’s story arc, “Solve Everything” (2009). 

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Columns

The Honeymoon Period: America's prime minister

By Matt Rice | March 8

McConnell’s blatant obstructionism and norm breaking were the defining characteristics of his tenure as majority leader from 2015 to 2021. Had he retained his Senate majority following the 2020 elections, McConnell likely would have killed nearly all of President Biden’s proposals by the time they reached the Senate.

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Column

Hot Take: ‘Twilight’ is a comedic masterpiece

By Derin Savasan | March 8

OK, hear me out — I don’t think "Twilight" (2008) is that bad. No, I mean it. Is it a good movie? No. Does it have Oscar-level acting? Absolutely not. But does it deserve to be pop culture’s cinematic punching bag? I don’t think so.

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