Jonathan Friedland: Fewer stops would increase Santa Monica Big Blue Bus ridership

Taking the bus to Santa Monica from UCLA can take upward of 45 minutes, not including the walk to the Westwood bus stop. When students have the option of saving time while paying slightly more for an UberPool, it’s no wonder Santa Monica Big Blue Bus ridership has dropped 12 percent in the last fiscal […]

Jonathan Friedland: Independent USAC election candidates can bring new, broader perspectives

This year’s undergraduate student government elections will feature 10 independent candidates, which could supersede the embarrassment of a presidential candidate running unopposed for next year’s council. For years, the Undergraduate Students Association Council has been dominated by a two-slate system. Most recently, the prevailing slates have been Bruins United and the remnants of LET’S ACT!. […]

Jonathan Friedland: Jesse Creed better city council member for cyclists than Paul Koretz

It seems as though Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz hasn’t ridden a bike on Westwood Boulevard, but that doesn’t stop him from acting like he understands cyclists’ problems from the safe space of his car. For years, bike lane advocates have supported an engineering study to test whether Westwood Boulevard has the capacity to […]

Jonathan Friedland: City councils should allow Westwood to achieve potential as college town

Think of a typical college town: bars and dispensaries galore, miles of bike lanes and stores that appeal to students. Now think of Westwood: two bars, virtually no bike lanes and full of niche stores like Sur La Table and Paper Source with almost no use for students. The blame falls on the Westwood Neighborhood […]

Jonathan Friedland: Measure M provides LA residents opportunity to drive forward

Imagine Bruins riding a connected rail from Westwood to downtown Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and LAX by paying just four more cents than for a handle of the finest Prestige Vodka. LA county voters might be able to make that fantasy a reality at the polling places next week by approving Measure M. […]

Jonathan Friedland: Selling tickets to Bruin Bash would allow more students to attend

Once I entered Pauley Pavilion for Bruin Bash, the plethora of empty seats disheartened me. What I expected to be a crowded, congested, ultra-packed venue betrayed me. Seats remained empty, despite the amped-up lineup planned for the evening. It seemed as if no one was sitting, or standing for that matter, in the number of […]

Jonathan Friedland: Republicans should be consistent in their small-government principles

Time and time again, the Republican party has contradicted its own small-government philosophy. When most Republicans look at their party, they envision smaller government, which supposedly means fewer regulations and more individual liberty. Unless, of course, you’re attempting to marry someone of the same gender, looking to end your own life through assisted suicide or […]