About 4,000 birds were killed by the BP oil disaster last year. That’s a lot of turkey salad gone to waste. Considering 4,000 birds according to the Deepwater Horizon response’s Consolidated Fish & Wildlife Collection Report, it may look like British Petroleum is responsible for one of the greatest avian disasters of the decade, at least. But it was far from the biggest threat to the birds. Collisions with buildings cause 100 million to one billion bird deaths per year…. Read more

As of their final meeting of the academic year, the Associate Students senate had $12,729 in their unassigned contingency fund and $21,905 in their academic related resource fund and will see their budget increase next semester. Director of Finance Vahan Khodanian said that although the fiscal year does not end until the last day of June, the senate is safe in its finances. “We’ve been pretty consistent,” he said.  “I’ve allocated  a lot but they’ll be fine to finish the… Read more

CSUN President Jolene Koester will retire by the end of Fall 2011. Koester sent out an email earlier today announcing her plan to faculty and students. Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Harry Hellenbrand who has worked with Koester said she will be missed. “It’s a big loss to us all – personally and collectively,” Hellenbrand said. He said Koester’s “legacy” would be the philosophy she has established on campus. “It will carry us through,” Hellenbrand said. He added… Read more

If you don’t like the terms going “green,” eco-friendly, environmentally-friendly, earth-friendly or any other way you spin it, it’s simply judt about taking care of the environment and ourselves. It’s not about money, even though the rest of the world is. Because of this frugal and money-savvy mentality, many are against the movement of organic-made products and environmental-friendly ways. It cost more money to be green and save green. But this should be a way of life and not an… Read more

Although the spring election drew a historically high voter turn-out, several student leadership positions remain unfilled. Elections, held on campus and online during April 13 – 14, garnered 2,509 votes for the presidential candidates and 2,220 votes for the constitutional amendment changing bi-yearly elections to annually. The following positions are still available, according to the A.S. elections website: -          Graduate Senator II -          Education Senator II -          Humanities Senator II -          Science and Math Senator II -          Director of Finance… Read more

I visited coffee roasting company Larry’s Beans, in Raleigh, North Carolina two months ago and was surprised at their recycling initiatives. The staff already recycled, but what surprised me was their urge to know how efficient they actually are in recycling. To find out they dumped all their trash onto the pavement and went over it. They found out that very little of their trash could be recycled. Then, I heard of businesses and even households doing the same, to… Read more

It’s that time of year again! Spring in the Midwest, prairie lands, Deep South and east coast means tornado season is here. So far this season, record outbreaks have already taken place totally more than 100 in just the past week alone and more on the way. So just how do these forces of nature form and why? Well scientists have been racking their brains over for years on why exactly do tornadoes form in some storms and not in… Read more

CSUN’s Vex Robotics Team placed 14 of 35 their first time competing in the international tournament that pits robots from universities in Mexico, Brazil, China, New Zealand and the United States against one another. CSUN sent four representatives to the Vex Robotics World Championship in Kissimmee, Fla., in April, where they battled their way into the playoffs, losing to an undefeated team. “It’s okay, because we will win next year,” said Aflie Gil, 25. The mechanical engineering graduate student said… Read more