CSUN chemistry professor Gagik Melikyan has authored a new book hoping to dispel the common misconceptions that products labeled “natural” are inherently benign and exposure to antioxidants, supplements and cosmetics cannot harm the body, despite the lack of scientific evidence to support these claims. “I wanted to create a product that would save lives,” Melikyan said.  “I thought I needed to share this knowledge so people would not continue to hurt themselves unknowingly.” The book, “Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Antioxidants,… Read more

CHABAD, a Jewish student-run organization at CSUN, received a $2,000 allocation from A.S. for the completion of a Torah, a scroll that has the five books of Moses handwritten on parchment paper. Jessica Krotin, 23, psychology major, addressed Senate members Tuesday during A.S. open forum and said it would be an honor for A.S. to provide money toward the completion of the Torah. “The Torah represents the soul of Judaism,” Krotin said. “A.S. represents the students on campus, so them… Read more

Unified We Serve concluded its second annual clothing and food drive Wednesday. The organization collected food, clothing and books for underprivileged families in the San Fernando Valley and displayed the items on the steps in front of the Oviatt Library. “We want to show the campus the power we have, as a campus, when we come together,” said Justin Weiss, activities coordinator for Unified We Serve. Before the event concluded, Unified We Serve had collected over 3,000 food items, more… Read more

Inside the Oviatt Library, rests a one-of-a-kind storage and retrieval system with a mix of different archival materials ranging from medieval European manuscripts to a 4,000-year-old stone containing Sumerian cuneiform. The Special Collections and Archives are located in the Tseng Wing, on the second floor of the Oviatt Library and were first created in 1973 by Norman Tanis, library dean. “One of the main differences between our special collection archives and other ones is our size,” said David Sigler, reading… Read more

The Golden State has lost its luster with its improvising ways and a fundamental reason why California remains a disorganized and disheveled state. Journalist Joe Mathews and award-winning writer Mark Paul spoke to an audience about their new book, “California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It.” They discussed California’s problems Tuesday in a lecture presented by the Southern California Studies in the Whitsett Room. “Unless you have been living under a rock, you… Read more

The advent of wireless Internet connection has been both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it’s allowed people the ability to work more efficiently and remain consistently accessible. On the other, it’s allowed people the ability to work too efficiently and remain consistently too accessible. The time when a person could shut off their technology and be left with their thoughts is slowly disappearing. Currently, airlines are moving quickly to make their flights Wi-Fi friendly. During a six-hour… Read more

The “two-state solution” seems like a fair way to solve the problem in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestine. The Israel Lobby (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), President Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas all back it so what could be the problem? Israel gets their state and Palestinians get Palestine. Problem solved, right? Unfortunately, a fair “solution” for a Palestinian state has never and will never be offered by Israel. There… Read more

Walking across campus on Tuesday, students were crowding around the sorority and fraternity tables. Diligent efforts to raise money and get students to join their organizations were in full swing while people laughed and conversed with a sense of joy. Something was missing. Concern.  To my dismay there wasn’t any concern about what is happening to our education and around the world. I mean do the students of CSUN really care? Some faculty members and students reacted with anger over… Read more