Most of the wood they use is the Brazilian Peroba Rosa because they can usually obtain it from decrepit or abandoned buildings instead of cutting down trees. They usually combine this wood with traditional mahogany and oak to build the pieces. Being a member of the Tropical Forest Trust ensures that these traditional woods are being responsibly obtained. It’s a non-profit organization that works globally to promote eco-friendly forestry.

So it’s no secret that this company is a model for green enterprise. But when it comes down to the bottom line – would you buy it? We can all applaud them for their efforts but a store is a store and needs customers. I’m wondering how many L.A. residents are buying these collections. Also, are these customers buying because they’re supporting green business or because they simply love the style of wood pieces? So what do you think? Are you willing to leave your Ikea shopping days in the past and shell out a few more dollars on this eco-friendly furniture?

Here’s the problem: those trials are going to expire and ask you to plant a few more dollars in that graveyard called your computer. Never fear, here are four free applications that will make your computer (and you) happier and healthier.

1. Windows Security Essentials: Go to Microsoft’s Web site and download Windows Security Essentials. It’s a lightweight anti-virus with a user-friendly user interface (UI) that requires little setup. It updates automatically and stays out of the way.

2. Malware Bytes: Sometimes, an anti-virus isn’t enough to catch all the spyware and malware that passes through your inbox. For that, download Malware Bytes, software specifically designed to catch and contain those nasty bits. In April 2009, the program received CNET’s Editor’s Choice Award. The site does offer a premium package, but the free version should be more than enough.

3. PC-Decrapifier: Have you ever bought a computer only to have the desktop loaded with icons for free-trials or picture programs you never plan on using? Rather than going to Windows’ stock uninstaller to manually remove each one, let this program do it all for you. Simply run the program, select what you don’t want, and let it take care of the rest.

4. CCleaner: Windows Temporary Files, Cookies, Registry clutter, this program handles it all. This app analyzes the data on your computer and lets you know what it thinks you should delete. CCleaner is a great way to clear out browser data all in one spot. The program also searches the Windows Registry for redundant entries. Caution: Take care when deleting the registry and always follow the CCleaner’s on-screen prompt for a backup of registry data.

The law barred religious Jews from wearing yarmulkes, Sikhs from wearing turbans, and religious Muslim women from wearing headscarves and burqas. According to The Oregonian newspaper, the ban was originally designated to prevent priests and nuns from wearing their attire and habits in the classroom. (It’s also interesting to note that this same bill also barred Japanese-Americans from owning property in Oregon, just to put it in perspective).

Oregon has removed itself from the glaring minority of states that ban religious dress in the public school arena. Nebraska and Pennsylvania are the only two remaining states with this law.

What I do find surprising, though, is that the Oregon ACLU actually supports the ban. Their position is that allowing religious clothing might strongly influence children and might “endanger the religious neutrality” of public schools.

I appreciate the efforts by the state and local governments, interest groups and individuals to keep the separation of church and state. I can understand the fine line that sometimes exists within these efforts.

Where clothing choice is concerned, however, it seems that society underestimates children’s ability to look past appearances. It is my experience that more often than not, children see their teachers for what they teach them, not how they look.

I’ve mentioned in a previous commentary that it does take a village to raise children. It can’t be argued, though, that parents have the strongest influence over adolescents.

If a child announces at the dinner table of their Protestant family that they are interested in becoming Jewish because their favorite teacher wears a yarmulke, I can only assume that a conversation about different religions and freedom of choice would ensue.

If a child is being raised to feel that a single ideology reigns supreme and that people are not entitled to their own beliefs and opinions, then a bigger problem exists over how a schoolteacher chooses to dress.

A quality teacher knows their mission in the classroom is to instruct and foster growth and that teaching their personal gospel in a public forum is not appropriate. A good teacher establishes solid boundaries between their lesson plans and their young, impressionable students.

Religious affiliation is not like a contagious virus, one sneeze and you’re doomed with infection. It is a choice, usually an educated one.

A wardrobe choice can make an initial statement to society, but with regard to religious dress, it can be defined as one of commitment and not advertisement for conversion to the wearer’s beliefs.

All religious sectors are present in society. Children will cross paths with people from completely different lifestyles as they make their way in life. A public ban of personal differences fosters confusion, hate and disparagement of “the other.”

Intolerance is based on fear, which stems from a lack of information. The answer to this problem, like so many fears, is education.

While I previously had no judgment over those who dressed based on personal and religious preferences, I did get clarity on the subject. I took an international communications course taught by CSUN professor William Kelly a couple of years ago and expanded my understanding of a burqas, headscarves and other dress items associated with religion.

Not only did I learn about the different social systems that use specific dress within their belief system, but in some circles, it is a choice to wear these items and not a mandate. For example, many women choose to wear a burqa for religious or personal reasons.
Simply put, this type of clothing is for the person who puts it on in the morning, not for you or me.

The Oregon bill is now in the hands of Gov. Ted Kulongoski for his signature, but there is every reason to believe that he will give his approval. Bravo, Oregon. It’s about time. And not about appearance.

Members of the Cal State Northridge swim team protest on the steps of the Oviatt library during Thursday’s schoolwide walkouts. The swim team members held up a jar with a sign that said “Help Save CSUN’s Swim Team,” in response to being discontinued due to budget cuts. Christianna Triolo / staff photographer

I saw a “Store Closing,” sign at a major shoe store, so I decided to check it out. I handed my keys to a valet and wandered in to see what they had. The giant warehouse housed maybe 35 pairs of size 11 ½ shoes with a couple single stragglers on each shelf. It was pathetic and I never even came to a complete stop.

I walked over to the clerk and asked him to validate my ticket. He said, “Upon purchase only.” I told him to show me something I could purchase. He said, “relax” and I said validate my ticket. After four uncomfortable minutes he validated my ticket.

Shouldn’t there be a common sense code that all people must abide by? So I go into a store, only to find they don’t have anything for me and now I have to pay the price? That just isn’t right and this was surely a common sense matter.

This is precisely what happened to CSUN’s men’s and women’s swim teams. Last Monday the team was told of their demise. Team members’ options are to leave the school and for many, their scholarships, or stay and forget about their lives as competing swimmers and all they had invested.
Back in mid-December the Director of Athletics Rick Mazzuto was asked by the CFO Tom McCain to come up with a plan to try and help reduce the school deficit. CSUN has 20 sports teams, 15 of which are protected by the Big West Constitution. Meaning if the school wanted to cut them they couldn’t. So, it came down to Men’s Volleyball and in case you didn’t hear, we’re in the top five in the country, so that’s not going to happen. The other options were men’s and women’s indoor track and field or men’s and women’s swimming. Bye bye swim team.

On February 17 at the President’s Town Hall meeting in which President Jolene Koester was asked by Opinions Editor William Herbe, “Have you considered

or will you consider cutting any athletic programs?” She responded with an emphatic “No.”

With Athletic Director Mazzuto asked to start reviewing this back in December by the CFO, it seems very unlikely this would have been going on under the nose of the president of the university. If it was let me be the first to blow the whistle and if it wasn’t let me also be the first to

blow the whistle.

I understand desperate times call for desperate measures and yes I guess some sports teams had to be cut, but in the middle of the year? They should have cut future enrollment and kept their promise to the athletes at least until they all graduate.

Let me throw out an idea to help reinstate the swim program: the chancellor made over $420,000 and the president more than $310,000 last year. If they took a pay cut of 10 percent just like all the other administration and faculty in the Cal State system and just like the students enrollment costs that have risen 16.7 percent in one year, this would be a great start to the $300,000 the swim team will have to recover.

Shouldn’t there be a common sense code that all people must all abide by. So, the athletes came here only to find out that they no longer have the program they came for and now have to pay the price. That just isn’t right.

Just as I should not have been expected to buy size 11 ½ shoes when I’m an 8 ½, swimmers shouldn’t be expected to remain at school where they came to swim when they can no longer swim. Now, they’re being forced to fit and they just don’t fit.

Jacek Ratajczak (17) recorded a career-high 30 kills against Hawai'i on Friday night.

Jacek Ratajczak career night on Friday helped the Matadors split a pair of weekend matches against No. 8 Hawai’i 3-2 and 0-3. In game one the senior middle blocker from Warsaw, Poland had a career-high 30 kills, while hitting an impressive .732 on 41 swings against the Warriors.

“He had a career night,” head coach Jeff Campbell said. “They were double and triple committing on him and he was hitting over them… so anytime a middle can hit what he did, over .700 on 41 attempts is phenomenal and a big time night.”

Three other Matadors finished with double figure kills on Friday, redshirt freshman John Baker had 15, while seniors Kevin McNiff and Mike Gaudino added 13 and 11 a piece. Senior libero Ali’i Keohohou played a key role defensively posting a match-high 13 digs.

The match began well for the Matadors by winning the first set but then dropped the next two.

The Warriors looked poised to win the match in four after being up 18-16 midway through the frame. The Matadors began cutting in to the lead the next couple of points until they tied it at 22 on a kill by junior Tanner Nua and went ahead on the next point on a combined block from McKniff and Baker. CSUN outscored the Warriors 7-3 the rest of the frame to tie the match at two.

In the fifth set the Matadors stormed out to a 6-2 lead but the Warriors did not go away and battled back to get within two twice. Up 14-12 Ratajczak finished off the Warriors with his 30th kill of the night, the most for a Matador this season.

“We played pretty well in game one and in game four we fought pretty hard and in game five we played pretty well,” Campbell said. “That team played their hearts out tonight, both teams did and certainly it could have gone either way tonight.”

The next day Ratajczak and the Matadors started right were they left off storming out 24-19 in the first set. Unfazed the Warriors battled back and after repeat attempts at tying the frame finally tied it at 29. The set went back and forth the next eight points until back to back points by the Warriors sealed the set for Hawai’i.

Ratajczak had a set-high nine kills in the first frame, and seemed poised for another big game against the Warriors.

Hawai’i made some adjustments on Ratajczak and were able to jump to an early 11-7 advantage in set 2.

“They were triple committing on me, so it was really hard to get a kill away,” Ratajczak said. “I didn’t commit many errors but they affected me a lot. I couldn’t get a kill after the first set and it was pretty disappointing for me and the team.”

Northridge battled back and tied the set at 16 on a kill from Baker and took its first lead three points later on a service ace from Gaudino. CSUN was unable to hold its slim lead and fell behind by two. They manage to tie the score late in the frame at 28 only to drop the set three points later.

“They just got a couple of plays at the end and we couldn’t capitalize,” Baker who finished with a team high 14 kills on Saturday said. “If you look at all the scores, the first two games at least, it was two extra points that cost us a win.”

After the split versus the Warriors the Matadors fell to (13-6, 10-6 MPSF) and now get ready for a mid week matchup at UC Santa Barbara Wednesday night.

Mark Hill (3) and the Matadors get crushed 66-47 by Pacific on Saturday. Photo Credit: Ryan Hecksel Staff Photographer.

On senior night the Matadors closed out the regular season by handing their conference nemesis, Pacific, a share of the Big West regular season title after getting crushed 66-47 at the Matadome on Saturday night.

“They came out aggressive and they were playing for the championship,” said Mark Hill, who was one of six senior Matadors to get honored after losing to the Tigers. “They punched us and we didn’t punch back.”

The defeat gives CSUN (11-20, 6-10 Big West) its first 20-loss season since the 1995-96 campaign, the year before Bobby Braswell was hired as head coach.

Also, by falling to the Tigers (20-10, 12-4 Big West) and with UC Irvine defeating Cal Poly in overtime on Saturday night, the Matadors will get the eighth and final seed in the Big West Tournament. On Wednesday Northridge will open the tournament against No. 5 seed Cal State Fullerton at the Anaheim Convention Center.

From the get-go the Matadors dug themselves an early hole after the Tigers started the game on a 10-0 run.

The closest Northridge came to the Tigers was at the 6:46 mark in the first period, when senior guard Kenny Daniels, who scored a team-high 17 points, made a layup to cut Pacific’s lead to 19-16.

From then on the game got out of reach for the Matadors, as the Tigers went on a 12-0 run. CSUN went into the locker room down 35-21.

In the second half the Matadors never made a run to get back into the game and at one point fell behind by 24 points.

The 47 points the Matadors scored was the second lowest output in a game this season behind the 43 they totaled at Pacific on Jan. 2.

“Pacific wanted (this win) a whole lot more than us and our guys didn’t compete,” Braswell said in a post-game interview. “That was disappointing.”

The Matadors were ice cold from the field shooting 16-of-49 (32.7%). Northridge was also dismal from three-point range going 1-of-15.

CSUN had trouble all night against junior center Sam Willard, who scored a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Terrell Smith contributed a career-high 19 points.

Even though the defending Big West champion Matadors ended the regular season on a sour note and are the last seed in the tournament, they still feel optimistic about getting by the Titans and making another run to the NCAA Tournament.

“I feel that we are good enough to match up with (Fullerton),” Hill said. “We split games this season and lost a nail biter, where we should of won in triple overtime. We feel good going up against anybody.”

Matador goalkeeper Jillian Stapf recorded three saves against Cal Lutheran on Saturday. Photo Credit: CSUN media athletics

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – CSUN’s tenth ranked women’s water polo team (14-5) played stellar defense and exploded on offense this past weekend, where it played Arizona State, Cal Lutheran, Pomona-Pizter, and Villanova at the Cal Lutheran Invitational this weekend.

CSUN defense held its opponents to 21 goals with two goalies combining for 39 saves in four games.

“We are number one in team defense this year,” said head coach Marcelo Leonardi. “We have the ability to score goals, but there will be times where we can’t so our defense really locks down the other teams.”

CSUN vs. Arizona State
After a 14-4 loss against the sixth ranked Sun Devils on Feb. 27, the Matadors looked to play for revenge this time around but came up short losing 10-8.

“It gave us an opportunity to see really where we are at,” Leonardi said on playing the sixth ranked team.

Arizona State led the entire game and started the scoring with a 2-1 lead after the first period. CSUN trailed by only two at the half to make it 6-4. At the end of the third Arizona State took a three-point lead of 9-6. CSUN tried to get back in the game scoring two more goals in the fourth while the Sun Devils added one more goal.
In the game CSUN’s Whitney Delgado had a career-high six goals in the game and goalie Jillian Stapf had 10 saves.

“It’s a team collaboration, it’s not just me.” said sophomore attacker Delgado, who leads the team in scoring with 42 goals, “We are always trying to create for each other to get goals.”

CSUN vs. Cal Lutheran
After a disappointing two goal loss, CSUN came into Cal Lutheran with stronger defense and let its offense work at its best in a 10-1 win.

The Matadors took a 2-1 lead by the end of the first period and added two more goals at the half to give them a 4-1 lead. In the third CSUN broke the lead wide open with five more goals and before the game was over it added two more goals. Both goalies made appearance for the Matadors, as they combined for six saves.

CSUN vs. Pomona-Pitzer
The Matadors took a commanding 6-1 lead in the first over the Sagehens, giving them a 12-5 win. CSUN goalie Nicole Concialdi got the start and played a solid 32 minutes for the team making 15 saves. Delgado added three more goals and freshman Sabrina Anonas had two goals in the game.

CSUN jump on the board at the 6:30 mark to take the lead 1-0, but Pomona-Pitzer answered back to tie the game. After that it was all CSUN’s offense scoring seven goals before the first half was over to give them an 8-2 lead.

In the second half CSUN added four more goals and allowed only three more goals by the Sagehens.

CSUN vs. Villanova
On Sunday the Matadors cruised by the Wildcats, winning 13-6.

CSUN also played Penn State-Behrend at 5 p.m. on Sunday (scores were not available before press time).

Hundreds of CSUN students took part of a statewide Day of Action on March 4 to protest budget cuts. The protests lasted through the night and ended with police confrontation resulting in the arrests of 5 people.

Students marched towards the administration building and shared their list of demands with Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Harry Hellenbrand. Photo Credit: Yazmin Cruz / News Editor

Harry Hellenbrand, provost and vice president of student affairs, and Jose Gomez, one of the students who was held in custody, shook hands after they read their demands to the administration.Photo Credit: Jacky Guerrero / Online Editor

The five students who were arrested during the March 4 demonstrations held a press conference denouncing the force used against them by police and the misrepresentation they received in the media.

The conference was held in front of the Oviatt Library where Anthony Ratcliff, a professor of Pan African studies and Beatrice Cortez, an associate professor of Central American studies, spoke in support of the students.

More than 60 people attended in support of the students arrested and of Associate Professor of Sociology and American Indian Studies, Karren Baird-Olson, 73, who was also taken into custody and who suffered a broken arm and multiple injuries during the protest on Reseda Boulevard and Prairie Street. Baird-Olson was taken to the hospital later that evening.

“As students were faced with police brutality they united,” Cortez said. “They stuck to each other and protected each other.”

Cortez said they also wanted to express their discontent with the statements made by several media outlets calling the protesters “unruly,” “not peaceful” and “violent.”

“The media should have more responsibility in the way they represent us,” Cortez said.

One of the students who was taken into custody was senior Jonnae Thompson, 22, a senior English major, who spoke at the conference.

“Some of you might say, ‘This isn’t the way to go about it,’” Thompson said. “I don’t know of any other way. Being quiet has gotten us exactly to the point where we are right now.”

Thompson said she was upset University President Jolene Koester had released a statement stating she was “disturbed and saddened by the less responsible actions of a few.”

“I guess she’s referring to us standing here,” Thompson said.

Justin Marks, 22, a senior double majoring in Pan African Studies and English, who was also taken into custody also spoke at the event and said he was disappointed with A.S. President Abel Pacheco because he had stated the event was not organized and did not have a leader.

“A.S. President Abel Pacheco should either step up or step down,” Marks said.

After the press conference students marched to University Hall where the protesters read their demands to William Watkins, acting vice president of student affairs and Harry Hellenbrand, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Students also demanded an immediate apology from the Los Angeles Police Department and demanded justice for Baird-Olson and that no charges must be placed against her and her medical fees paid.

Along with a public forum with Koester and Pachecho, in order “for their grievances to be addressed and for actions to be taken in response.”

The CSUN administration stated that no punishment will be pursued against those that participated in the protests and those who were taken into custody, but once students step outside university jurisdiction they are faced with state and local laws, said Hellenbrand.