Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

It's greed versus the planet

Jan. 25, 2016

It’s been three weeks since the governor of California, Jerry Brown, issued a state of emergency regarding the ongoing Aliso Canyon gas leak that has spewed up to 58,000 kilograms of methane per hour since Oct. 23. Without doing too much math, that equates to about two and a half months since the natural gas well released a trove of delightful job-creating and completely harmless vapors into the atmosphere before any declaration of emergency took place.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Not enough responsibility with drones

Jan. 25, 2016

Drones are not the silver bullets we’ve made them out to be. On one hand, they facilitate our objectives by killing high-value targets without risking American lives. But on the other hand, we have to deeply consider the consequences, ranging from civilian deaths to the deception and secrecy with which our government conducts these drone strikes.

OPINION | COLUMNS

"Making a Murderer": vigilante or voyeuristic?

Jan. 25, 2016

Like so many college students with a Netflix subscription and a tendency to procrastinate, I devoured all 10 episodes of “Making a Murderer” within the course of four days. The hype surrounding the series was unavoidable, and after a fervent recommendation from a close friend, I happily shirked all responsibilities and dove in. As a courtesy spoiler alert, anyone who has exhibited the self-control to avoid the show and doesn’t want to know how it ends, avert your eyes.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Editorial: Responsibilities, drinking and the codification of decision-making

Jan. 25, 2016

On “The Perfect Kiss,” Bernard Sumner of New Order sings, “I have always thought about/Staying here and going out/Tonight I should have stayed at home… I said ‘let’s go out and have some fun.’” Besides belonging to the finest song ever released by the Manchester, England-based rock band, these seemingly nonsensical and contradictory lyrics speak to a dilemma faced by nearly all college students possessing both a taste for the nightlife and a desire to bring home a degree: staying in or going out?

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Food lobby pervades American diet

Jan. 24, 2016

More vegetables, less red meat and more low-fat dairy products: Seems like good, clear-cut dietary advice, right? These aren’t the dietary guidelines the U.S. government released recently. Rather, these are the guidelines released by the Swedish National Food Agency, which address nutrition in a more substantive fashion.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: GOP leaders have a plan for success

Jan. 24, 2016

We Floridians don’t realize how lucky we are. Not only do we live in a large and continuously growing state in our fair union, but we are also one of the swingiest of swing states. Pretty much every election is contested, and with legislative redistricting being fought out in the courts, elections are only going to prove more interesting going forward.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Mass migration is not a left vs. right issue

Jan. 24, 2016

With the sexual assault and terrorism associated with migrant flows, European values are in a clash with no solution in sight. How does one weigh hundreds of thousands of illiberal, disaffected young men against starvation in Syria, Taliban firing squads, Eritrean indefinite conscription that amounts to slavery and a Mediterranean of floating corpses?

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Editorial: The unoriginality of American film

Jan. 24, 2016

It was announced Friday that “Labyrinth,” the Jim Henson-directed and David Bowie-starring ’80s fantasy cult classic, would be receiving a remake/sequel/reboot/whatever in the near future. Ignoring the questionable taste in announcing the regurgitation of a film so closely tied to its lead actor only 12 days after his passing, the plans to resurrect “Labyrinth” are an unfortunate reminder that ingenuity remains an ever-dissipating quality in American film.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Dismal journalism: A Sean Penn story

Jan. 21, 2016

Veteran newscaster Charlie Rose let out one of his rare nervous smiles on last Sunday’s “60 Minutes” during an interview with actor Sean Penn. Rose, usually a distinctly eager, curious and captivated interviewer, recognized his interviewee had made a remark that would appear to viewers as perhaps insensitive at worst and tone-deaf at best: “My article failed.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Don't be rude about BDS movement

Jan. 21, 2016

I’ve wanted to write about the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement for a while, but I haven’t had a real reason that’d be worth the inevitable barely-coherent shouting in my direction.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor: A Letter to Congressman Yoho Regarding the MOU

Jan. 21, 2016

Congressman Yoho,

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Chronic relationship posting is exhibitionist

Jan. 21, 2016

My Facebook is a cesspool of unwanted information. Whether it’s a paragraph-long status or a link to a BuzzFeed list called “20 things every 20-something should know,” my news feed always has something new for me not to care about. If Facebook didn’t occasionally facilitate conversations with people I’ve lost touch with, I would probably delete my account.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Darts & Laurels: 01/22/2016

Jan. 21, 2016

We’re tired, Gator Nation. On top of last week’s abysmal, regrettable series of unfortunate events, the Spring semester has gone into full swing, and we’re tired. Oh so very, very tired.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Editorial: In tragedy, we should come together

Jan. 20, 2016

Last semester, we ran an editorial on struggle following the suicide of a young UF student. It does not bring us any pleasure to find ourselves doing so once again.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: The divide between Democrats and Republicans is as wide as ever

Jan. 20, 2016

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OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Rethinking the Beatles' addition to Spotify

Jan. 20, 2016

Here are some hypothetical scenarios that never actually happen:

OPINION | COLUMNS

From President Fuchs: The benefits of intentional joy

Jan. 20, 2016

The first year in a new job or as a new student is stressful. I just finished my first year. Some of my stress came from leaving friends behind and not knowing if people at UF would like me or if I would like them. Some of my anxiety came from not knowing if I would succeed at my new job.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: In remembrance of Alan Rickman

Jan. 19, 2016

I was devastated after logging onto Twitter on Thursday morning to discover what many were already talking about: Actor Alan Rickman passed away at 69 after suffering from a bout with cancer.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: English accents and the importance of /r/ sounds

Jan. 19, 2016

In the 10 minutes I could bear to watch Sunday’s Democratic debate, I was struck by Bernie Sanders’ speech – namely, his accent. Apart from his distinct pronunciation of a few vowels and his intonational and rhythmic patterns typical to New York English, Sanders’ speech mostly perked up my ears because of one feature: its lack of the sound /r/.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Editorial: Tragedy in Flint shows government at its worst

Jan. 19, 2016

The effects of the health crisis currently unfolding in Flint, Michigan, will be felt for years to come. This is not a bold, overly negative prognosis: It is a tragic reality reinforced by science — or, rather, the lack thereof.