COVID-19 - The Independent Florida Alligator

Opinion

Lessons from ‘Star Wars’ on loneliness and escapism

Sep. 19, 2016

As I said last week, I will be exploring in the next few columns the effects of modern technology with our postmodern society, for good and for ill. Last week I discussed how smartphones and social media are often used as means to escape our deeper insecurities. This week I will still be discussing this theme of escaping, but in a different way. And I will be addressing not just social media, but technology as a whole: video games, the internet, binge watching on Netflix or Hulu, etc.

Tim Tebow stretches out before batting practice at the New York Mets' complex, Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback got to the complex early Monday, and started his first workout as part of their instructional league team.

Opinion

Let's talk about Tim Tebow.

Sep. 19, 2016

Dear readers, we need to have a serious talk about Tim Tebow.

Opinion

Dealing with the uncertainty of post grad life and senior year anxieties

Sep. 19, 2016

Anyone who has interacted with me on a personal level or read my columns with some sort of frequency (Hi, Mom) knows that the gaping void known as ‘post graduate life’ has terrified me for some time now. From that fateful Preview session during which I was delicately reminded to keep the job market in mind when picking a major, to those recent sleepless nights spent torturing myself with questions like “Do I really want to go to law school?” any thoughts about the not-so-distant future have resulted in more anxiety than excitement.

Metro

UF student, under influence, crashes into scooter

By Martin Vassolo | Sep. 19, 2016

After an evening of tailgating, a UF student rear-ended a scooter while drunk Saturday, Gainesville Police said.

Metro

2 killed in head-on crash near airport

By Martin Vassolo | Sep. 19, 2016

A head-on car crash Sunday evening killed two women, one from Gainesville and the other from Waldo.

Florida's Pamela Begic dribbles during UF's 3-2 win over UCF on Sept, 18, 2016, at James G. Pressly Stadium.

Sports

Florida soccer defeats UCF to close out non-conference play

By Lauren Staff | Sep. 18, 2016

Playing in front of their home crowd for the first time in five games, the Gators didn’t disappoint.

Florida athletic trainers kneel beside quarterback Luke Del Rio after Del Rio was injured during Florida's 32-0 win over North Texas on Sept. 17, 2016, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

QUESTIONS AT QUARTERBACK: Del Rio’s out, Appleby’s in

By IAN COHEN | Sep. 18, 2016

Austin Appleby wasn’t happy as he stood behind the lectern, the place where Luke Del Rio should have been standing.

Metro

Amid opening day excitement, iPhone 7 Plus sells out in GNV

By Christy Piña | Sep. 18, 2016

As Apple released its new iPhone 7 on Friday, a handful of eager students and residents circled a phone-filled table at the Archer Road Best Buy.

News

UF law students, faculty discuss controversial memo

By Paige Fry | Sep. 18, 2016

A memo addressed to administrators of UF’s Levin College of Law asking them to cut the graduate taxation program is forcing students and faculty to speak out.

Timothy De Marcken, a 20-year-old UF mechanical engineering sophomore, attends the laser tag event at the Physics Building hosted by the Astronomy and Astrophysics Society, along with the Society of Physics Students, on Friday. The purpose of the event was to raise money for a conference this November.

News

Students run, duck in laser tag tournament at Physics lobby

By Catherine Dickson | Sep. 18, 2016

Nicole Acosta leapt behind cardboard barriers in the lobby of UF’s Physics Building on Friday night, dodging opponents who aimed at her with infrared lasers.

Metro

911 Report: September 19, 2016

By Caitlin Ostroff | Sep. 18, 2016

A downtown scuffle escalated Friday after someone pulled out a rifle.

News

Obama plans to appoint UF President Fuchs to national board

By Paige Fry | Sep. 18, 2016

President Barack Obama announced his intention to appoint UF President Kent Fuchs as a member of the National Science Board and National Science Foundation.

Bryan Cox signals for a safety during Florida's 32-0 win over North Texas on Sept. 17, 2016, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

Column: Florida’s defense needs to be its savior

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | Sep. 18, 2016

Jalen Tabor spoke quietly and confidently.

Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Mike Pence addresses a crowd of more than 800 at The Villages on Saturday.

Metro

Mike Pence discusses tax cuts and immigration at rally

By Caitlin Ostroff | Sep. 18, 2016

Jason Burns drove two hours Saturday in hopes of getting his red hat signed by Mike Pence.

Metro

Midtown rejoices as Balls Bar bounces back

By Jasmine Osmond | Sep. 18, 2016

After a summer hiatus, Balls Bar looked like its old self Thursday.

Tessa Reed, 2, smiles after eating a donut on Monday morning during the “International Talk Like a Pirate Day” at Krispy Kreme. Throughout the day, anyone who dressed up like a pirate received a free box of donuts.

Metro

Annual pirate day brings free Krispy Kreme donuts to Gainesville

By Molly Donovan | Sep. 18, 2016

A line stretched from the counter to the sidewalk at Krispy Kreme on Monday afternoon as doughnut fans celebrated Talk like a Pirate Day and ate free glazed doughnuts.

News

About 250 people celebrate new outdoor RecSports facility

By Marianna Faiello | Sep. 18, 2016

The cutting of a navy-blue ribbon Friday marked the grand opening of an on-campus outdoor gear rental facility.

Opinion

Cheney-s of love: Finding the wrong election role model

Sep. 18, 2016

We all have role models. Well, all of us except for J. Cole. In his song “No Role Modelz,” Cole points out that in this day and age, no role models exist for us to look up to anymore. The desire to live a humble lifestyle has since been replaced with the obnoxious, tacky and entirely superficial placeholders. Young people used to look up to athletes who didn’t use performance-enhancing drugs, politicians who made compromises to reach success for the betterment of this country and celebrities who engaged in philanthropic causes — not celebrities who get “Made in China” breast implants (read: a Kardashian) or “Made in Thailand” lip injections (read: a Kardashian).

Opinion

Crushing gender oppression with a pair of heels

Sep. 18, 2016

I’m one of those people who wears heels on campus. You can catch me doing high-knees as I power my way up North Lawn or swinging from tree to tree as I teeter-totter across the Plaza of the Americas.

Opinion

Sing me a happy (or sad or angry) song, but nothing else

Sep. 18, 2016

Our musical tastes are unbelievably polarized. There are very few popular songs that take a middle ground when it comes to emotion. Why does our generation seem to enjoy incredibly depressing, intensely angry or extraordinarily happy music? There is likely no single answer to this, but there is one I feel is the most probable.