We the people

The Internet is a marvelous thing. A terrifying, marvelous thing. It’s full of creepy people and cat videos, yes, but it is also full of talented people trying to do…

Preparation versus paranoia

For many college students, especially new ones, massive parties are a way of life.  This makes sense given the sudden freedom from parents, especially if your parents were controlling or…

Students re-think PSU, part one

Earlier this year, Portland State allocated $3 million for the Provost’s Challenge, part of President Wim Wiewel’s reTHINK PSU initiative.  The initiative asked faculty and departments, with a few student…

Becoming me

We find ourselves in the midst of yet another term, and life (and our education) goes on. The freshmen jaunt through campus from one class to the next like the…

Seeking Antiquity

In an age deeply entangled in the cult of “now,” what place is there for “before?” Allow me to paint you a picture. On the slope of a grassy ridge,…

The post-racial lie

Solo is the nickname of Solange Knowles, who happens to be one of my favorite famous people. Not because I am an ultra-fan, but because there is something about her…

Horror’s marvelous self-awareness

At the close of recent horror release You’re Next, survivor Erin Harson confronts boyfriend Crispian and accuses him of plotting the murder of his family and Erin herself. Crispian claims…

You Don’t Know What You Got

I talk to a lot of students who don’t really know if they should feel good, bad or indifferent about the mandatory PSU health insurance. If you are carrying this…

Mutt, not purebred

So, you want a dog, huh? You think a corgi’s short legs are funny, and you think a pug’s squishy face is oddly charming? Yeah, well, so do I. The…

Beyond a televisual reality

I have this problem where I quote television without citing my sources. I stole a line from Friends to ask out my first boyfriend, lifted a sardonic Nip/Tuck jab during…