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Green times
Like leaves falling from trees only to disappear into nothingness, the environment has been relatively absent from major news reporting lately. While it’s true that there are bigger issues going on, nature and how we treat it should be a more important aspect of our everyday lives.
PSU’s conservation challenge
Portland State is currently competing in a national residence hall conservation challenge. The Campus Conservation Nationals started on Feb. 18 and will keep going until the start of “dead week” on March 11. Right now, the university is competing against more than 175 colleges and universities across the U.S. looking to show off their “greenness” by reducing energy and water use in campus residence halls as well as by lowering total greenhouse gas emissions on campus.
Benedict XVI’s greatest hits
I’ll get the Emperor Palpatine joke out of the way early: “Let the hate flow through you.” OK, I’m done. Moving on. It’s no secret that Pope Benedict XVI’s retirement has led to a lot of curious clicks on his Wikipedia page. Plenty of people are wondering what he did and how he’ll be remembered. The short version is this: Benedict was a complete dick, and anybody else will be an improvement.
The road to red-state serfdom
They are everywhere. More join their ranks with each passing day. You may even be one yourself. They scrub zinc countertops and wax windowpanes; they mow suburban lawns to a fine crop; they take your order at the register and then catalyze the industrial chemical reaction that transforms a pulp of corn flour and rotting cabbage leaves into a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme.
Disarming the dangerous
Recently, Sen. John McCain told NBC’s Meet the Press that legislation to increase background checks for gun purchases will get support across party lines. Members on both sides of the aisle advocate the legislation, which aims to close loopholes in the current system. During the interview, McCain said, “Obviously, we want to do everything we can to prevent guns from falling into the hands of people who are mentally unbalanced, or criminals.”
What the frack?
President Barack Obama surprised many during his second inaugural address by making a big push for advancements against climate change. It seemed as if we might see a different version of Obama in his second term.
In praise of nerd-dom
I have a confession to make: I am a nerd. This is not a bad thing. Despite the bad reputation that nerds get, we’re actually a pretty cool bunch. And there are more of us than you’d think. In fact, I had the opportunity to spend the day with more than 10,000 of my people this last Saturday at Wizard World Comic Con.
Would you like to buy cookies for equality?
It’s that time of year again, when adorable children and their parents stand outside of grocery store entrances and sweetly ask us to spend $4 a box on Girl Scout cookies. If you’re like me—lacking in self-control—you’ll often give in and buy some.
A pintful of risks
If life were like the movies, we’d all find and follow a certain trajectory during our college years. Meet the friends you’ll keep for the rest of your life, have a great dorm/roommate experience, fall in love, fall out of love, fall in love again (and again), marry your college sweetheart and, of course, party the entire time while still getting awesome grades.
An ‘F’ in common sense
Everyone says grades are important, but they’re hardly a good measure of your intelligence and common sense. In fact, a better measure of your common sense might be whether you know when to let things go.