In the recent weeks, lawmakers have been debating over a seemingly transparent law on the restriction upon minors to rent or buy video games depicting serious injury to a human being that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel. The law was passed back in 2005, but didn’t gain much attention due to the fact enforcement was difficult and the content in addition to other legal challenges posed, was vague regarding First Amendment rights. In this one, presented by the unpopular… Read more

Helping: Salvatore A. Giunta Staff Sgt. Salvatore A. Giunta is an exemplary model of helping.  He is the first living soldier since the Vietnam War to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was awarded the medal for his extraordinary acts of heroism on the warfront. In October of 2007, while walking along a mountain range in Afghanistan with fellow soldiers, Staff Sgt. Salvatore A. Giunta and his unit came under fire by Taliban forces. Giunta dodged rocket-propelled grenades and… Read more

Members of the Jewish community joined in celebration at the USU Grand Salon to witness the completion of the first Torah scroll Sunday. The new Torah dedicated to the CSUN Jewish Student Center from Israel “represents our faith and support,” said freshman Tal Peled, 22, engineering major. The celebration opened at 11 a.m. with brunch, mingling and the writing of the final letters on the new Torah.  Conducted by Rabbi Eli Rivkin, Director of Chabad at Northridge completed the writings… Read more

More and more young Jewish adults in America are putting off their church and marriage for later in life.  Dr. Tobin Belzer of the University of Southern California’s Center for Religion & Civic Culture wanted to offer some perspective on this phenomenon, particularly for contemporary Jewish Americans, in her lecture Monday in Sierra Hall. “The Jewish community has totally mastered engaging young Jews from pre-school through college,” Belzer said.  “But some people leave college and say, ‘Oh, I’ll be Jewish… Read more

There has been a marked increase in burglaries in campus housing this year, the Department of Police Services reported. The Department of Police Services said four dorm burglaries were reported in 2009.  Twenty-three burglaries have been reported this year, they said, almost six times the number of burglaries as last year, and the year is not over yet. “Bottom line — it’s worse,” said Christina Villalobos, special assistant to the chief of police and community relations officer. Items typically stolen… Read more

A sixth-place finish with a 1-2 record in the 76 Classic was fine for CSUN head coach Bobby Braswell. Maybe a dominate Matador (2-4) victory over the Big East’s DePaul and Lenny Daniel’s stellar play during the Thanksgiving weekend tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center was enough to satisfy Braswell. “This tournament is fantastic. I have absolutely no negatives for our program,” Braswell said after the Matadors lost to Tulsa Sunday in the final game of the 76 Classic. “It’s… Read more

Despite solid performances by Jasmine Erving and Janelle Nomura, the CSUN women’s basketball team was unable to come up with its first win of the season over the weekend when it hosted the Holiday Inn Thanksgiving Basketball Classic 2010. Erving had a double-double in each of the two games of the tournament. The junior center had 15 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks Friday against Wichita State. Erving followed that performance with 16 points and 13 rebounds in the closing… Read more

What would you do if a lanky ex-con walked into your office, plopped down on a chair and proceeded to tell you that he had raped and murdered a high school cheerleader and that, worst of all, someone else was going to die for his sins? In “The Confession,” John Grisham’s latest legal thriller, a humble, small-town minister is vaulted into a battle against time as he seeks to clear the name of Donte Drumm, a high school football player… Read more