opinion - The Independent Florida Alligator

Opinion

2009: Year of distractions, scandals

Dec. 6, 2009

2009 hasn’t left us yet, but it’s not too soon to look back on the last of what Time Magazine recently dubbed “The Decade from Hell.”

Opinion

Pedestrians must look out for cyclists

By Lily Bruns | Dec. 6, 2009

It’s about that time for another complaint from the beleaguered Gainesville cyclist. I come to you with scabby palms and bruised shins. The cause of my pain? This time around, an innocent pedestrian crossing the street.

Opinion

Humor column lacks humor

By Ryan Scheb | Dec. 6, 2009

I would like to express my disgust at Erik Voss’ Avenue column, “Killing Christmas spirit.” Not only was it lacking humor, but it was simply revolting. If the Alligator must resort to publishing stories about the intentional public embarrassment of another human being for its “humor” column, it needs a new comedian.

Opinion

Reader fails to detect sarcasm

By Caitlin Niblick | Dec. 6, 2009

Thank you, Mr. Maple, for bringing Tiger Woods’ affair to light for everyone who had unfortunately missed out on the “media sleaze machine” coverage. I’d have to say that yours was by far worse. Not only did you cite the same news sources you bashed, but you also managed to do so in a way far more offensive than the mainstream media. You refuted the media’s attack on Woods’ affair with a cocktail waitress by saying his actions were only really wrong because he didn’t choose the right type of woman to sleep with.

Sports

Here is what you want if you desire a playoff

Dec. 3, 2009

Do you want a college football playoff?

Sports

Picks Column: Alabama

Dec. 3, 2009

There’s a lot at stake this week in the alligatorSports Brand Picks Column this week, as the pickers are doing their final jockeying for the crown and trying to avoid embarrassment. Only two — Bobby Callovi and Kyle Maistri — are still actually picking for glory.

Opinion

Darts & Laurels

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Dec. 3, 2009

So you’re finally ready to dump all the knowledge you (hopefully) absorbed over the semester in a cathartic flurry of finals, term papers and unnecessarily harsh “Rate My Professors” rants?

Opinion

Obama is right to weigh options in war

By Nick Miner | Dec. 3, 2009

In a recent interview, Dick Cheney attacked the president for “agonizing” over the Afghanistan strategy, saying: “Every time [Obama] delays, defers, debates, changes his position, it begins to raise questions: Is the commander in chief really behind what [the military has] been asked to do?”

Sports

Offense will determine UF's fate

Dec. 3, 2009

The success of the Gators in the SEC Championship Game lies in the hands of Tim Tebow and the offense.

Sports

It’s really too easy being this awesome

By BEN VOLIN | Dec. 2, 2009

Editor’s Note: Graduate student, Palm Beach Post Gators beat writer and reader Ben Volin earned a guest column for winning our inaugural alligatorSports Fantasy Challenge.

Opinion

Indian Burn: American Indians need health care reform

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Dec. 2, 2009

The health care system that American Indians rely on is a patchwork of half measures and empty promises.

Opinion

Tiger’s choice of mistress was subpar

Dec. 2, 2009

True to his reputation as the hardest-hitting driver on the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods spent the majority of his Thanksgiving holiday entering a world of pain. The grimy details that are now oozing out of the celebrity guerrilla media sleaze machine only amplify the deliciousness of this sordid Tiger tale.

Opinion

Bible shouldn’t be followed selectively

By NICHOLAS SMITH | Dec. 2, 2009

Bible shouldn’t be followed selectively

Opinion

H1N1 vaccinations went smoothly

By Ginny Switt | Dec. 2, 2009

I would like to commend the UF Student Health Care Center for a very organized H1N1 flu shot procedure. The online sign-up system was very easy to find and use. I printed out the forms and had them with me. A tent was set up outside, and it took me exactly 30 seconds to check in. Arrows clearly directed me to the correct location in the infirmary, and the entire vaccination procedure took less than 5 minutes. Kudos to the staff who organized what could have been a madhouse with long lines into a very streamlined program.

Opinion

U.S. should withdraw from Afghanistan

By PAUL MURTY | Dec. 2, 2009

The decision to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan is irresponsible on the part of the administration I helped put in power. Granted, President Obama always said during the campaign that he wanted to focus on Afghanistan because it was the forgotten war during the Bush administration, but that doesn’t make this a correct decision.

Opinion