When I was asked to pick what I thought the most memorable Life & Style story published in the last academic year was, I was stumped. Unlike the news or sports section many of the columns printed in this section aren’t really that groundbreaking, so I was really pressed to find something worth running again. The truth is, many of the pieces published in the Life & Style section are more for entertainment value, they are not hard news, but… Read more

Modern technology is amazing. It’s helped to save lives, win wars and helped major networks choose the next biggest talent in this country. But the main use for technology that we have all come to embrace and rely on is something so medieval and so commonplace that I wonder if it’s more harmful than beneficial. Communication. The idea that human connection and interaction are disappearing was brought back to my attention during a recent adventure to the busy tourist-crowded streets… Read more

Life & Style Editor Beyonce. Kanye. Jamie Foxx and T-Pain. These are just a few of the artists who had hit records over the last year, and yet as their songs were honored, they were nowhere around. Instead, the songwriters and publishers behind these hits were brought into the spotlight at the 27th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 21 at the Renaissance Hollywood hotel. ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, kicked off its three-day “I… Read more

If the thought of using fragrance-free-all-natural-rubber-tree-extract shampoo or going days without showering isn’t your idea of an effective beauty treatment then maybe the eco-friendly movement just isn’t for you. Wrong. The hippie days of sacrificing beauty to save the earth is a thing of the past and these days we can all do our part and still look good. From water conservation techniques to purchasing all-natural products and everything in between, the modern day person doesn’t have a reason to… Read more

“Once upon a time…” In any language when a story starts as so we all believe that the plot will follow a simple line.  There are two people, usually a beautiful girl and a handsome boy, who will meet, fall in love, have some obstacle presented before them (varying in the form of a demented stepmother to a mutant dragon) and they find that true love really does conquer all before riding off into the sunset to a Disney-infused highly… Read more

Every Friday morning, when most college students are looking forward to starting their weekend, Stacy Merlos is trying to figure out how she can help out. “As long as I’m at CSUN I’m gonna be apart of this program. (They’re) never getting rid of me,” Merlos, 23, said with a wide smile. Merlos joined the CSUN Blues Project three semesters ago following the suicide of one of her closest friends and fellow CSUN student, Dylan Miles. The Blues Project is… Read more

If what you’re looking for in a stage production is impeccable acting, fantastic stage settings and flawless blocking, then CSUN’s production of the “Vagina Monologues” is not for you. However, if dialogue meant to shake your core and make you reconsider any preconceived notions about the strength of a woman, then the CSUN chapter of V-Day accomplished just that. The play ran for three nights starting Thursday, Feb. 18, and ending on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Plaza Del Sol…. Read more

I am often reminded of how much things have changed in the relationship game since I was in high school.  I have to say that it’s only been about five years since I left high school, but it already feels like a generation gap is forming. On a recent visit to my old stomping grounds I ran into a student that I formally coached in volleyball.  It was the Friday before Valentine’s Day and she was proudly brandishing the spoils… Read more

For those of us counting down the days, Single Awareness Day (SAD), or more commonly referred to as Valentine’s Day, is a mere three days away.  And no matter what we call it, the name says it all. This time of year, every year, single people all over the world are reminded that there is a reason why they are not in a relationship. In theory, Valentine’s Day makes sense, setting aside an entire day out of the year to… Read more