Search Results

"Captain America: Brave New World" and the politics of power in 2025

With “Captain America: Brave New World” hitting theaters in early 2025, the Marvel Cinematic Universe once again places politics at the heart of its traditional “superhero” narrative. This latest installment is more than just an action-packed blockbuster — it serves as a reflection of contemporary anxieties about leadership, nationalism, media influence and the struggle for power in modern America.

Fun fungi with naturalist Jonathan Kranz

On Thursday, March 20, around 25 Waltham residents, a small but eclectic crowd, gathered in the lecture hall of the Waltham Public Library for guest speaker Jonathan Kranz’s presentation on mushrooms. More specifically, the process of foraging, identifying and generally appreciating the fungal life forms that appear in the state of Massachusetts. 

Brandeis community targeted in two cyberattacks

Late last week, some community members received an email containing a malicious link sent from a compromised Brandeis University address. If clicked, users were asked to provide sensitive login credentials, including their Brandeis username and password. Chief Information Security Officer David Albrecht explained in an email on March 18 that “over 5,000 fraudulent emails were sent” in this attack and 267 people clicked on the malicious links. As a result, “direct deposit pay information” was altered by the attacker for three accounts. The security department temporarily locked the accounts of those who clicked on the link.

Hold Thy Peace's "Argonautika"

This past weekend, Hold Thy Peace, the Brandeis Shakespeare and classics theater group, performed their spring semester show “Argonautika” by Mary Zimmerman. “Argonautika” is a modern adaptation of the Greek epic poem “Argonautica” written in the third century before the common era by Apollonius Rhodius. The story follows that of Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to retrieve the legendary golden fleece from Colchis and bring it back to Iolcus, Jason’s home. Set before the Trojan War, the Argonauts feature a star-studded cast of familiar heroes including Hercules, who joins the voyage in between his famous labors. 

The Debutante: dual depictions

If you’ve visited the Rose Art Museum this past semester, you may have encountered the beautifully abstract artworks of British-Mexican artist, Leonora Carrington. From her sketches to her paintings, Carrington’s surrealistic pieces transport viewers to new realms, constructing alternate realities where our world is blended with the unimaginable. 

Letter to the Editor — Ernset Rubinstein

Dear Editor,

Letter to the Editor — Jon Hochschartner

Mandate in-ovo sexing machines at hatcheries

Pilot project supplying campus with free period products expanded

In a Feb. 4 email, Period Activists at ‘Deis student club announced the “huge news” that the Pilot Program — an initiative started by PAD and Student Union — is expanding this semester. The Pilot Program originally launched in spring 2023 with the aim to provide free menstrual products in the first-year residence halls, including East Quad, North Quad and Massell Quad. There were a total of 52 dispensers installed in those dorms, each supplied with both pads and tampons. 

Is the Breezers Ball the best party in town?

Waltham Traffic Commission approves Moody Street outdoor dining

During their Feb. 20 meeting, Waltham’s Traffic Commission voted to approve Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris and Ward 9 Councilor Robert Logan’s 2025 Moody Street Outside Dining Plan. Approval of this dining plan allows restaurants on Moody Street to apply to occupy the parking spaces in front of and adjacent to their frontages, as well as use of the sidewalk, for outdoor dining purposes. 

The Russian Club talent show: A celebration of culture and heritage

On March 12 the Brandeis Russian Club and Russian Studies program performed their annual Student Talent Show as part of Brandeis’ Russian Language & Culture Week of 2025. The Student Talent Show is a tradition dating back to 2008 and all students are encouraged to participate, not just students in the Russian Club or Russian Studies Program. Before the celebrations began there was an acknowledgment of those affected by war and an explanation of the significance of International Women’s Day in post-soviet countries. International Women’s Day takes place on March 8 and after Russian women gained suffrage in 1917 the country adopted it as a national holiday. Later the date was also adopted by the United Nations in 1975. 

Brandeis' post-baccalaureate exhibition opens

On March 12, I attended the opening of the post-baccalaureate art exhibition in Dreitzer Gallery. This exhibition features four incredible artists. I was lucky enough to chat with them about their work to gain some inspiration and insight on their process and to ask them each about my favorite piece of theirs. 

How the Industrial Revolution Cultivated Culture in Waltham

Waltham is a vibrant city, and it can be characterized by its rich multicultural history. Once the home of the very first fully-integrated factory in the entire United States, Waltham attracted migrants from all over the world.

A weekend of laughter with Boris' Kitchen

This weekend, sketch comedy group Boris’ Kitchen performed their spring semester, or rather “New Shit Show,” in the Merrick Theater. The room was full and buzzing as BK President Josh Kiel ’25 and Vice President Trisha Roy ’26 welcomed Brandeis’ very own improv group False Advertising to open the show. At the Friday viewing, they presented the audience with a short Broadway musical “Ghosts of Radio” where two storylines connected into a beautifully sung ballad “Ghost Foursome.” The absurdity continued as Kiel and Roy returned to the stage to introduce the headlining actors. Kiel whipped open a bottle of Pepsi and began to gulp down the soda. Encouraging the stunt, the audience began to chant “chug, chug, chug!” as Kiel did his best to down the beverage. The ridiculous, though energizing, moment prepared the audience for more oddities to come. 

Waltham Police Department pioneers progressive mental health practices in law enforcement

The Waltham Police Department is at the forefront of innovative mental health-centered law enforcement practices, setting a precedent for community policing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. With the integration of certified mental health specialists — officially titled Jail Diversion Clinicians — into its ranks, the department has taken significant strides in the implementation of de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques.

City of Waltham introduce resolution for a web-based reporting system

During the March 10 Waltham City Council meeting, council members, including Ward 9 Councilor Robert G. Logan, Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris, Councilor-at-Large Carlos A. Vidal, Ward 3 Councilor William Hanley, Ward 7 Councilor Paul S. Katz, Ward 1 Councilor Anthony LaFauci, Ward 6 Councilor Sean Durkee, Councilor-at-Large Colleen Bradley-MacArthur and Ward 2 Councilor Caren Dunn introduced a resolution urging the city of Waltham to adopt a web-based reporting system. This system, which would be accessible via a mobile app, would allow residents to report non-emergency neighborhood issues such as potholes, rat sightings and streetlight outages.

AI in academia and its overlooked toll on the environment

In just a few years of artificial intelligence being introduced for public use, machine learning has grown exponentially in its accuracy, reasoning and generative capabilities. These developments have posed an unforeseen challenge for higher education institutions to keep up with these developments. Because AI has become an undeniable part of our future, educators are forced to rethink what accountability will mean as we approach that future. Now, the question has evolved from how educators should resist and prohibit the use of AI into the question of how AI should be incorporated in academia. 

The use and misuse of history: Prof. Ivan Kurilla on politics

On Monday, March 10, The Center for German and European Studies hosted Wellesley College Professor Ivan Kurilla to discuss “The Use and Misuse of History in Russia and Everywhere Else.” After departing from European University At St. Petersburg, Kurilla is serving as an International Scholar in Residence at Wellesley College for the Spring 2025 semester. While he was still in Russia, he had been outspoken against Moscow’s full-scale invasion of  Ukraine in 2022. According to Bowdoin College, where he was the Visiting Tallman Scholar in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, just before his departure, university authorities in St. Petersburg informed him that they would not approve his academic leave. Kurilla decided to leave and was fired from European University for absenteeism.

The Opinion: Issue one

Welcome Brandeisians far and wide, to the first edition of this splendid column that I will call The Opinion. Now, in a day and age when many opinions are being thrown into the public, some may find my column tactless. I mean, with so much happening in the world, how does one Jewish, non-binary history major think that their opinions about the world/school/life/everything matter to the extent that they want to write a piece in the University newspaper? I mean, come on! There are people more deserving of a platform who haven’t had the voice to speak.

Letter to the Editor — Yahn Olson

Insulin Crisis: Skyrocketing Costs, Inequitable Access, and Pharma Manipulation in Massachusetts Universities