Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Florida's policy against text and driving lacks spine

By The Alligator Editoral Board | July 27, 2009

Texting while driving is a scenario that is familiar to most students at UF, and the concept of cell-phone-addicted-screaming-girl is a trope that is ubiquitous in our current pop culture. (We recently saw it in an episode of the Jonas Brothers/ TV show, so like, even babies know about it. Don/t ask.)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Pill will not ensure immortality

By BEN JONES | July 27, 2009

Want to live longer? As it turns out, we may have the answer. A report in the July 10 issue of Science showed a dramatic difference between the lifespan of two different sets of Rhesus monkeys in a 20-year study. The results were so shocking that scientists already began seeking additional funding for another 20 years of research.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Amazon should allow buyers to own books

By THEREALJERRY | July 22, 2009

In response to Tuesday's editorial

OPINION | COLUMNS

Sales tax unfairly burdens Americans

By BRIAN MILLER | July 22, 2009

One hundred years ago on July 17, 1909, Sen. William E. Borah (R-Idaho) wrote, " The income tax is the fairest and most equitable of the taxes. It is the one tax which approaches us in the hour of prosperity and departs in the hour of adversity. Certainly, it will be conceded by all that the great expense of government is in the protection of property and wealth. There is no possible argument founded in law or in morals why these protected interests should not bear their proportionate burden of government."

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels

By The Alligator Editoral Board | July 22, 2009

Things are not looking good at the Department of Darts & Laurels right now. The weekend hasn't even started yet (and it won't until this white space has been filled), and a deadly mixture of beer and Mario Kart Wii (we call it Beerio Kart) has already destroyed our apartments, bodies and minds.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Community colleges need support

By The Michigan Daily | July 22, 2009

Community colleges are colleges, too.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Congress should take time to pass bills

By RAINDOGGATOR | July 22, 2009

In response Matthew Christ's Tuesday column

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Machen/s ‘threat/ ludicrous

By Allen DeLaney | July 20, 2009

UF President Bernie Machen has asked the city of Jacksonville to cut down the number of alcohol vendor licenses it issues, curb the ability of private businesses with legally obtained liquor licenses to serve and create more safety zones for students… and foot the bill for all of it.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Doctors shouldn/t work for drug companies

By The Alligator Editorial Board | July 20, 2009

Ritalin. Concerta. Vyvanse. Adderall. The Editorial Board is willing to bet that you know at least one person who has been prescribed one of them.

OPINION | COLUMNS

America lacks vision after moonwalk

July 20, 2009

Walter Cronkite died Friday evening. He was 92. I think it/s fitting that the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moonwalk Monday is so close to Cronkite/s death. Out of all the clips of Cronkite/s broadcasts shown over the past few days, the veteran journalist seems least inhibited during the now famed broadcast of the lunar landing. Cronkite had even remarked that the Apollo 11 landing was the high point in his career because he was certain it would be the most important event of his lifetime. Unfortunately, it seems he was correct.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Moments of clarity make dreams fun

By ERIC CHIANESE | July 20, 2009

Dreams are probably one of my favorite things in the world. And, boy, have I had some doozies.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Deletion of e-books has Orwellian implications

By The Alligator Editorial Board | July 20, 2009

In George Orwell/s "1984," the three slogans of the ruling party are "War is Peace," "Freedom is Slavery" and "Ignorance is Strength." Amazon.com might as well change its slogan to "Downloading is Deletion" after this weekend.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Student Body president questions Machen’s meddling

By Jordan Johnson | July 15, 2009

This fall many UF students will take the hour-and-a-half trek up to Jacksonville for the yearly tradition of the UF-Georgia football game. But if President Machen has his way, students will find a very different situation awaiting them in Jacksonville.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Best health care reform strategy is unclear

By The Alligator Editorial Board | July 15, 2009

The wide-sweeping health insurance reform that President Barack Obama has promised is finally on its way to being delivered, and the Editorial Board is not sure how to feel about it.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Alligator editorial fails to justify Sotomayor support with facts

By Benjamin Camenker | July 15, 2009

Tuesday's editorial regarding Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was filled with much of the same "empathy" we expect Sotomayor to rule with, but little fact.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Columnist ignored Obama critics

By Hubbard Harvey | July 15, 2009

Soon-to-be-former Gov. Sarah Palin has been kicked around mercilessly by those who oppose her political views. Everything from her family to her wardrobe has been endlessly criticized.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Politics without Palin lacks hilarity

By ERIC CHIANESE | July 13, 2009

So I refuse to be the only one who doesn/t give my two cents about this Palin resignation.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Population issues must be addressed

By THORAYA OBAID | July 13, 2009

None of the crises we face today - whether it is the food crisis, the water crisis, the financial crisis or the crisis of climate change - can be managed unless greater attention is paid to population issues.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Race doesn/t affect Sotomayor/s decisions

By The Alligator Editorial Board | July 13, 2009

When a judge is nominated for the Supreme Court, the nitpicking invariably begins.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Web site scams students unaware of free credit report law

July 13, 2009

FreeCreditReport.com, the credit-reporting service owned by Experian, recently released its latest TV commercial in its ubiquitous "guy sings about his bad credit" ad campaign, which raises an important question: How the hell are these ads still on TV?