opinion - The Independent Florida Alligator

Texas running back Johnathan Gray celebrates after scoring on a 45-yard touchdown run in the first half of his team's 31-30 win against Iowa State on Oct. 3, 2013 in Ames, Iowa.

Sports

Picks Column: LSU

Oct. 10, 2013

Rapper Kanye West and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel reconciled on Wednesday’s edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and we here at the alligatorSports Brand Picks Column could not be more relieved. In fact, as the crew watched the pivotal, emotional exchange between West and Kimmel, there were some tears shed. But not a single one of us would Runaway. We considered this exchange a Good Life lesson. Even the most Heartless among us felt their love grow Stronger as we witnessed this spectacle of forgiveness and understanding.

Tyler Murphy runs the ball during Florida’s 31-17 victory against Tennessee on Sept. 21 in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

The Rally: Who will win the UF-LSU game?

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Oct. 10, 2013

Each week, two alligatorSports columnists will debate the biggest looming matchup in college football. Today, Phillip Heilman and Adam Lichtenstein preview No. 17 Florida’s showdown against No. 10 LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.

Opinion

It’s true: Engineers don’t really socialize

By Ahmed Jorge | Oct. 10, 2013

I agree that engineers don’t really socialize.

Opinion

Some nominees for Nobel Peace Prize laudable, some laughable

Oct. 10, 2013

Today, the Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded.

Opinion

Darts & Laurels 10/11/13

Oct. 10, 2013

Readers, this is not a drill: Fall is finally upon us in Gainesville. The mornings are crisper, the nights are pleasantly cool, and we’re finally switching from iced coffee to hot pumpkin lattes. Everything is beautiful and nothing hurts.

Opinion

Why you should be paying attention to Supreme Court campaign finance case McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission

Oct. 9, 2013

Obviously, there aren’t many people happy with what’s happening in Washington right now. And because we live in a democracy, citizens can actually hold the members of Congress responsible for the shutdown — but we probably won’t.

Opinion

Stop obsessing over "thigh gaps" — it's not healthy

Oct. 9, 2013

Some people have blue eyes, and some people have green eyes. Some people have innie belly buttons, and some people have outie belly buttons. Some people have narrow hips and legs that touch, and some people have wider hips with thighs that don’t touch. All these particular body parts are affected by the arbitrary genetic hand you’re dealt at birth, yet young girls have chosen to obsess over whether they have a “thigh gap.”

Opinion

Supreme Court case McCutcheon v. FEC could get rid of campaign finance restrictions, increase corruption

Oct. 8, 2013

Public opinion polls consistently show Americans are frustrated with the disproportionate influence large corporations and extremely wealthy individuals have on our government and political process.

Opinion

Silk Road shut down, but arrests are a bigger victory for the government than just drugs

Oct. 8, 2013

On Oct. 1, I began a search for the online market known as the Amazon of drugs: the Silk Road. I had heard stories about this place before from friends — and friends of friends — whose experience with drugs and technology far exceeded my own.

Opinion

Stop hating — America’s doing just fine

Oct. 8, 2013

Haters will always hate. These days, bashing politicians and journalists has become en vogue. Critics forget that our representatives uphold the world’s greatest democracy by toiling night and day to represent a helpless minority: corporate executives. Having a media subservient to the powerful is also vital to our prosperity.

Dominique Easley lies on the ground following a play during Florida’s 41-11 loss against LSU on Oct. 8, 2011 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. The Gators defeated the Tigers at home in 2012.

Sports

Loss to LSU spurred resurgence

By JOE MORGAN< | Oct. 8, 2013

Florida’s most recent trip to Tiger Stadium could have taken place in the Colosseum — yeah, the Roman one.

Opinion

To Elle UK: Feminism doesn’t need a rebrand

Oct. 8, 2013

A spread in Elle UK’s November issue aimed at “rebranding feminism” has sparked outrage among bloggers and online media outlets such as the Huffington Post, the Guardian and Buzzfeed.

Dante Fowler Jr. (6) celebrates after a play during Florida’s 30-10 victory against Arkansas on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Fowler leads the Gators with three sacks and two forced fumbles in 2013.

Sports

Sophomore linebacker becoming most fun aspect of Gators

By PHILLIP HEILMAN< | Oct. 7, 2013

One minute he is a teddy bear. The next he becomes a grizzly bear.

Opinion

Guest column: Rep. Yoho needs to help end shutdown

Oct. 7, 2013

The federal government is being held hostage by a small cabal of the Republican Party whose popularity is on the decline. Rep. Ted Yoho is one of the 80 Republicans in the House of Representatives who signed onto Rep. Mark Meadows’ memo to Speaker John Boehner calling for the Affordable Care Act to be defunded through the budget.

Opinion

Too big to fail? Not in the U.S. government’s case

Oct. 7, 2013

Amateur hour is on full display in our nation’s capital — or, to be more precise, amateur week. The government remains in shutdown mode while the president refuses to budge on Obamacare, Republicans do not have an endgame in sight and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid name-calls and refuses to negotiate with the House.

Opinion

Student Government elections are pointless

By Tyler Lares | Oct. 7, 2013

How amazing, the Swamp Party won the overwhelming majority of senate seats in this Fall’s SG elections.

Opinion

‘Sex and the City’ more than a guilty pleasure

Oct. 7, 2013

Most of us adore “Sex and the City,” but aligning ourselves with the show means characterizing ourselves as vapid, materialistic or at least naive. Why is this series viewed as nothing more than a guilty pleasure?

Opinion

Death of the album: Science of hitmaking is ruining the industry

Oct. 7, 2013

In season five of “Mad Men,” an AMC drama set in the 1960s, there’s a scene where Don Draper — a sexy, suit-wearing ad executive, as portrayed by Jon Hamm — is given a copy of the Beatles’ “Revolver” record. In his sprawling living room overlooking the Manhattan skyline, he puts the record on the player, turns up the stereo and sits in an armchair. The trippy opening bars of “Tomorrow Never Knows” play over the speakers as Draper sips a glass of scotch and listens.

Florida wide receiver Solomon Patton celebrates after a touchdown during the Gators' 30-10 win against the Razorbacks on Saturday night in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

Florida should try Patton at slot receiver

By ADAM PINCUS< | Oct. 6, 2013

Will Muschamp lingered in the South End Zone meeting room as Solomon Patton strolled in just minutes removed from a stellar night in The Swamp.

Opinion

Blame Baby Boomer parents for poorly-raised Millennials

Oct. 6, 2013

Baby boomers often call millennials lazy, entitled and narcissistic. If you believe them, then you’d think the country is going to hell in a handbasket when we’re in charge. But have boomers looked into a mirror lately?