Students visit Washington, experience inauguration

The t-shirts being sold at the Obama Inaugural Celebration concert on the Washington D.C. mall summed up our reasons for being there. The shirts read things like: “historic moment,” “first black President,” “my future starts now,” and “back in the house that we [i.e. African American slaves] built.” The images on them ranged from simple […]

A day in the life of a parrot

On Wednesday, scientist Irene Pepperberg spoke about the rewards and trials of a thirty-year relationship with her subject Alex, an African Grey Parrot famous for its communicative abilities. As part of the Office of Communication’s “Meet the Author” series, Dr. Pepperberg discussed her recently published memoir “Alex and Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot […]

The Brandeis Brief

Students came together in support of Israel at the Pro Peace Rally–Solidarity with Southern Israel on Sunday in the Shapiro Campus Center in reaction to the latest Israeli-Palestinian crisis. The event was sponsored by the Brandeis Zionist Alliance in an effort to raise awareness about the effects of the violence in Israel. At the event, […]

Brandeis stuns ninth ranked Amherst on the road, 73-58

It is easy to write off the Brandeis Judges men’s squad after their early season struggles, especially when the Judges hit the road on a Tuesday night to take on the team that ended their season last year, Amherst College. However, as noted by The Spinners – there’s always a chance a tiny spark remains, […]

Complaining about jersey faux pas

In life, we encounter a number of unwritten codes for life and guidance in general situations, and nowhere is it more prevalent than in the clothes we wear for special events. For instance, white socks with dark shoes are a big no-no. Winged collar tuxedos belong in 1987, as does anything day glo, neon or […]

Swimmers Swamp Clark

The Brandeis swim team honored their senior class Wednesday night with a clean sweep over hosts Clark University with the men claiming a 133-104 win and the women taking the event 129-114. Robert Morse ’09 was among the multiple winners on the men’s side. Morse took the 200 and the 500 yard freestyle with season-best […]

Anat Ben Nun wins UAA Athlete of the Week

Anat Ben Nun ’09 earned UAA Athlete of the Week honors in track and field after provisionally qualifying for the NCAA’s in the triple jump. Ben Nun hopped, skipped, and jumped to a first place distance of 11.66 meters (38 feet, 3¼ inches) at the Bowdoin College invitational. Her jump was 3.5 inches short of […]

King’s dream lives on in students’ passion

Most college students have heard at least excerpts of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which was delivered during the famous 1963 March on Washington. But how many can say they’ve felt the spirit of King’s words truly embodied in the actions of modern youths? As part of the […]

Why cover songs deserve our respect

Pulp’s song “Bad Cover Version” dismisses Jarvis Cocker’s ex-girlfriend’s replacement relationship as “a bad cover version of love,” like “the Stones since the 80s” and the “later Tom and Jerry, when the two of them could talk.” Best of all, though, the video is a bad cover of “Bad Cover Version”; celebrity impersonators each perform […]

Television provides apt substitute for school football team

Brandeis University is a great institution for higher learning (I wish I was being paid to say that). Here at Brandeis the students are treated to some of the finest professors and classes for which any undergraduate could hope. Unfortunately, the students who attend this fine university are missing one vital aspect integral to the […]

Inside Crash Commando

Crash Commando, a Playstation Network game, offers the quick pick-up-and-play style that works perfectly in downloadable form. Developer EPOS created a no-thrills game with great gameplay. There is no fluffy storyline to worry about; your goal — kill the enemy. This simple game is a 2D shooter with a zoomed out viewpoint. The camera makes […]

Hell Week or, Why Auditions Aren’t for Me

It’s weeks like these which make me question my choice of profession. The stress, the disappointment, the sleepless nights. I’m referring of course, to the period of auditions for the Undergraduate Theatre Collective, which I participate in at the beginning of each semester. In leading up to this, I spend a good amount of time […]

Heart and soul of the Chaplaincy

Walking the halls of the Chaplaincy is like walking into biting winter air. Jackets and gloves are required in this chilly corner of campus, but one soul warms up the whole department: Department Administrator Ellen Afienko. Everyone calls her Ellie. This jovial mix of Italian and Irish heritage is the fireplace of the chaplaincy and […]

Students create a united Phront

Maybe you noticed members of Voices of Soul, Brandeis’ a cappella group, strutting around in their bathing suits in the freezing cold one night late last semester soliciting money. Or perhaps you saw members of Tron, Brandeis’ men’s ultimate Frisbee team gliding door to door, dressed in full game garb requesting donations. No? Well maybe […]

New weight room finished but incomplete

Student reaction to the newly renovated weight room in the Gosman gym has been mixed, as students are both thankful for the new machines and space, but aggravated by the lack of machines some consider weight room essentials. The renovated weight room, which opened last week just in time for the beginning of the Spring […]

Faculty give salaries, save jobs

Approximately a third of the Arts and Sciences faculty and donated $90,000 to a charitable fund in an effort to limit staff layoffs made necessary by the university’s fiscal year 2009 and predicted fiscal year 2010 budget deficit, Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe explained. Originally, during informal talks with the Faculty Senate, Senate […]

Middle East violence discussed at panel Wednesday

Shai Feldman, the Judy and Sidney Swartz Director’s Chair of the Crown Center for Middle East studies and professor of politics at Brandeis University argued that Israel needs a more political approach to resolve the conflicts in Gaza at the Crown Center for Middle East studies panel discussion Wednesday. “In my opinion, there is no […]

Pipe bursts in Rosenthal East over break, nothing harmed

All Rosenthal East suites suffered minor water damage on Saturday, Jan. 3, when a main pipe burst in the building’s fourth floor stairwell and triggered the sprinkler system and fire alarm, according to a police log from that day. Pressure incurred from an open window in the stairwell may be to blame for the bursting […]

Swimmers sweep at Wheaton

The Brandeis swimming and diving teams went down in defeat on Wednesday, losing very close meets at Wheaton College. The Wheaton Lyons defeated the Judges by a score of 118-113 in the men’s meet and 125-118 in the women’s meet. The Brandeis men started very strongly with a solid victory in the opening 400-yard medley […]