A half-decent plan A

PSU insurance overhaul good for most, but not all

The whole idea behind insurance is a bit convoluted: You shouldn’t have to suffer financial ruin if you’re sick or hurt; therefore, you should have insurance to help lessen the costs and keep you from bankruptcy when you’re forced out of work or into a hospital. In order to get this insurance, however, you’ll need to pay exorbitant amounts of money or rely on your employers or parents (or your parents’ employers).

Kony 2012: ‘Cover the Night’ pushes the envelope too far

Misguided activisim leads to property damage and loss of respect

If there’s anything college has taught me, it’s that even “well-educated” and “well-informed” people can mistake propaganda for information. Normally, I don’t care that much; people generally learn to check their sources after one or two embarrassing displays of misguided advocacy.

A miscarriage of justice in Kalama

Girl who falsely accused father of rape should be charged

Rape is bad. I don’t think anyone is going to disagree with me there. But I need to get it out of the way first before you assume I take rape lightly.

More than 10 years ago, Cassandra Kennedy, a little girl from Kalama, Wash., accused her father of sexually assaulting and abusing her. The story she gave her teachers and police was consistent with what was expected from a traumatized 11 year old. There was some physical evidence. She worried for her safety in her broken family. It didn’t take long before her father was behind bars, branded a child rapist.

Destroying women’s rights, one law at a time

Arizona legislation pushes anti-abortion, anti-women sentiments to the extreme

My friend—let’s call her Amy—hasn’t had a period in six months. It’s not unusual for her; she’s a very athletic, very strong young woman and it just happens sometimes. She never knows if or when she’ll have her next period, but until now, this has never been an issue.

Some leverage on Leverage

Film crews do not belong on college campuses

Over the past few weeks, it has been difficult not to notice the various film crews across downtown Portland. Whether it’s the crew of “Grimm” taking over the North Park Blocks or “Leverage” making the Academic and Student Rec Center all but inaccessible, it’s felt at times as though Portland has turned into the go-to spot for good cinematic sequences.

Partnering up for the good of all

New grants from the Partners in Science Program could have positive effects for all involved

On the whole, science education in the United States is sorely lacking. Between state mandates about what can and cannot be taught, disinterested teachers and a gender divide that has not been rectified despite more than 40 years of work getting women into the sciences, some would go so far as to say that science education has stagnated.

Dozing through college

Notre Dame study suggests studying before bed may optimize memory

Most college students can attest to the allure of a soft, warm bed.

Sleep is hard to come by, and with social obligations and 8 a.m. classes, getting a good 7–8 hours in every night seems nearly impossible. But a new study out of the University of Notre Dame is giving students more reason than ever to abandon the all-nighter altogether.

Focusing on the wrong things

PSU recycling programs fail to target key audience

There’s no getting around it: Portland State loves to profess its love for sustainability. It’s too bad that the school isn’t doing anything to help 90 percent of its students learn all that much about it.

Not another one…

Proposed urban renewal will fail to impact housing prices

Portland Mayor Sam Adams has a plan for the University District. Depending on whom you ask, it’s called either an “urban renewal” or a disaster in the waiting.

Would you like a beer with that?

Allowing food carts liquor licenses is a bad plan all around

Whether it’s because they appear to be the epitome of the self-owned small businesses or because of their inherent convenience, food carts are generally adored in Portland.

There’s just something to be said for the experience of walking down a city block and getting a hot meal from a man in a tin trailer. And with a wide variety of cuisines to choose from, it’s hard to get bored of food carts.