1 - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Syria, Afghanistan and double-back in U.S. strategy

Nov. 9, 2015

This past October, we witnessed a stark readjustment of the U.S. military agenda in the Middle East. On Oct. 30, President Obama announced the U.S. military would, in fact, be putting "boots on the ground" in Syria. Earlier on Oct. 15, the Obama administration announced an extension of the timeline for U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. Through most of next year, 9,800 troops will continue operations, and by Jan. 2017, a residual force of 5,500 troops will remain indefinitely.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor: 11/10/2015

Nov. 9, 2015

Support a living wage today

OPINION | COLUMNS

Mississippi needs to change its state flag

Nov. 9, 2015

"Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before the fall."

OPINION | COLUMNS

The Odyssey needs to rethink its approach to online journalism

Nov. 9, 2015

It’s an experience we know all too well: innocently scrolling through Facebook, attempting to stay up to date on your friends’ activities and unwillingly being drowned in a sea of useless click-bait articles. You know the type of article I’m talking about: the ones with titles like, "20 Things I Want to Tell My Little," "10 Struggles That Only Girls With Long Hair Will Understand" and "8 Thoughts Every Girl Has When Picking Out a Halloween Costume."

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF professor doesn’t horse around

By Spencer Harvey | Nov. 9, 2015

Margo Macpherson loved going to horseback-riding camps as a child.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF study: women in leadership benefit from being assertive

By Paisley Papineau | Nov. 9, 2015

A UF professor found women who are more assertive are thought to be stronger leaders.

NEWS | SFC

3,000 theater fans to gather at conference

By Gabrielle Newman | Nov. 9, 2015

Brittany Bennett has never auditioned for a panel of judges.

UF coach Becky Burleigh celebrates with her team follow a 4-0 win against Arkansas on Oct. 25, 2015, at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Florida soccer to host NCAA opener

By Ryan Summers | Nov. 9, 2015

After securing the program’s 11th Southeastern Conference Tournament title, the No. 6 Florida soccer team claimed a No. 2 seed for the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

UF football coach Jim McElwain receives the game ball following Florida's 9-7 win against Vanderbilt on Nov. 7, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Despite clinching SEC East, Gators aim to maintain intensity

By Luis Torres | Nov. 9, 2015

Fresh off of clinching the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division for the first time since 2009, Florida’s next matchup is against a team that is currently trying to find its identity: South Carolina.

Mayor Ed Braddy addresses supporters at the home of Randi Elrad and John Pastore on Nov. 9, 2015, after announcing he is running for re-election. He spoke about lowering GRU utility rates, continuing to make Gainesville business friendly, and further redeveloping east Gainesville.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Braddy files for reelection

By Hunter Williamson | Nov. 9, 2015

Gainesville Mayor Ed Braddy filed for re-election Monday morning, looking to win a second term in the upcoming March elections.

Alejandro Tosti putts during the 2015 SunTrust Gator Invitational on Feb. 14.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

With conclusion of Fall season, Gators men’s golf turns focus to Spring

By Matt Brannon | Nov. 9, 2015

The Fall season may be over, but No. 9 Florida is already looking to get back into the swing of things for Spring.

Rhamat Alhassan swings for a kill attempt during Florida's 3-0 win against Texas A&M on Oct. 9, 2015, in the O'Connell Center

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

UF volleyball focused on improving careless play

By Brian Lee | Nov. 9, 2015

It took 25 years for the Auburn volleyball team to finally beat the Gators under coach Mary Wise.

UF women's basketball coach Amanda Butler Gator Chomps after being introduced at Gators Madness on Oct. 2, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators women’s basketball hoping new assistant coaches improve recruiting

By Ethan Bauer | Nov. 9, 2015

After last year’s uninspiring 13-17 record — the worst in Amanda Butler’s tenure as head coach — the UF women’s basketball program needed a change.

UF's Eddie Garcia (157) leads the pack during the Mountain Dew Invitational on Sept. 19, 2015, at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS CROSS COUNTRY

UF cross country hoping deep roster makes impact at NCAA Regionals

By Alejandro López | Nov. 9, 2015

"Forget the (other) teams."

NEWS

Exploding glass never disappoints

By Champe Barton | Nov. 9, 2015

Few people experience science with as much joy and love and enthusiasm as Destin Sandlin. His Smarter Every Day YouTube channel is a medley of head-scratching, “huh”-inducing, brain rattling videos about science all of which, he presents with delightful ease and clarity. He’s a rocket scientist who makes rocket science, among other things, as digestible as algebra (and infinitely more fun).

NEWS

Hollywood does well with investigative journalism films

By Katherine Champione | Nov. 9, 2015

From the tone of the last two blogs in this series, you might be expecting me to point out another one of Hollywood’s flaws. While the movie industry has a long way to go, it is doing some things right and I think those deserve recognition too.

NEWS

I’m OCD with my books

By Kylie Widseth | Nov. 9, 2015

I love letting people borrow my books, but I’ve also been told that I’m quite OCD with my books.

Rodeo clowns Hollywood Harris and his son, Boogerhead, perform a skit in which Harris pulled boogerhead out of a suitcase. Now 22, Boogerhead goes by the name Brinson James the Entertainer. He has been performing with his dad since he was 2.

NEWS | FEATURES

Adventures of father-son rodeo clowns

By Brooke Baitinger | Nov. 8, 2015

The crowds can’t stop screaming for him.

UF's Austin Hardin kicks the game-winning field goal during the fourth quarter of Florida's 9-7 win against Vanderbilt on Nov. 7, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Kicker steps up, locks UF into SEC Championship

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | Nov. 8, 2015

With less than two-and-a-half minutes left to play on Saturday and No. 10 Florida trailing Vanderbilt 7-6, UF kicker Austin Hardin trots out to the field.

Standing on Mt. Everest, the group of climbers for Everest to End Duchenne, led by Tanya Dreher, post the Hope-Memory flag with the names of 750 boys and girls who had or have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a terminal, degenerative disorder without a cure.

NEWS | CAMPUS

On Everest, their voices were heard

By Martin Vassolo | Nov. 8, 2015

Timothy Bird-Lopez died in his mother’s arms.

El Caimán