Ciao Westwood!

It's been five years since I moved to Westwood village from Newport, and circumstances have made it necessary for me to finally leave the place I have for so long considered home.

I will truly miss walking into the village, having a coffee, going to whole foods, running into random friends on the sidewalk.

I spent four great years at UCLA in Westwood. I met my husband at my favorite cafe on the corner of Gayley and Kinross. I'll miss sitting on the sidewalk and watching the traffic go by. The energy that accompanies each new quarter at UCLA, as students go from the bars during the beginning of the quarter to the cafes during midterms. I'll miss the friends I made at Borders, the people I met at Elysee. But alas, it's time to make new memories. But, it's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday...

Spring Break is Over!

Obviously the reasons I mourn the end of Spring Break have changed since last year. I'm not saddened by the prospect of returning the to routine of classes, papers and finals, rather it is the end of peace and calm that befalls westwood when the kids go away to play that I will truly miss.

Gone will be the quiet streets, easily acquired parking spots and undisturbed sleep as the rabble of thursday night parties, friday night parties and...saturday night parties will return to bring westwood back to life.

I'm not selfish, I know that the village thrives because of UCLA students. The constant ebb and flow of each incoming and graduating class make this small community what it is.

But that doesn't mean I can't delight in having it all to myself every once in awhile.

Mostafa Tabatabainejad Sues for Money, I mean Civil Rights

If you were privy to the video of Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a 23-year-old UCLA senior getting tasered last month, or heard anything about it you probably felt the same sense of shame and disapointment in the UCPD as I have-- but recent news of his filing a FEDERAL LAWSUIT against UCLA for "unspecified monetary damages" because they "violated the Americans With Disabilities Act" in regards to his "Bi-polar disorder" have left me...wait...

Hold on! PUT ON THE BRAKES! WHAT?!!?!

FEDERAL CASE? CIVIL RIGHTS?

The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990 by Bush I. The act is meant to protect people against discrimination based on disability.

I don't know about you but I think people born with disabilities which severely affect their quality of life would be pissed that Mr. Tabatabainejad is saying he was being discriminated against because of his bi-polarity.

When Tabatabainejad said that he suffered from bipolar disorder, Duren allegedly responded that he "didn't know what bipolar has to do with standing up."

Don't get me wrong I believe that excessive force was used on Mr. Tabatabainejad but do I think it requires a federal case? Do I think his civil rights were infringed upon? No, I don't.

Everybody knows that if you are going to Powell during night hours you have to have your UCLA ID or you will be removed from the library. They do this to protect students studying in the library from robbery, theft and assault. There are signs everywhere making this statement and as a SENIOR Mr. Tabatabainejad would have known this fact. The fact that he refused to produce his ID and remove himself from the library shows arrogance-- who knows, maybe his disability isn't bi-polarity, maybe he is just a jerk.

Tabatabainejad, who is of Iranian descent, was concerned that he was being singled out because of his ethnicity, so he told the guard to make the same request of any other student, the suit alleges. The guard refused.

It's shameful for Mr. Tabatabainejad to make this case about race, which it is so obviously not, at a time when middle-eastern and American relations in the U.S. are at such a fragile state. I haven't seen anything so disgusting since the O.J. Simpson case.

On top of that think about all the student loans, tuition and other funds being drained from UCLA students and Alumni that would go to this guy if he won his case. When an article says, "unspecified monetary damages" it means EXPLOITATION.

Shame on UCPD for using excessive force, you are there to protect the student body. We are not the enemy.

Shame on you Mostafa Tabatabainejad for exploiting this unfortunate situation to drain UCLA and the community of students who STOOD UP FOR YOU after the incident.