If you're reading this, congratulations! You made it through the first week of the semester. However, just thought you should know that today is Friday the 13th, which brings us to our hope-you're-not-superstitious-but-if-you-are-you-should-probably-wear-a-shirt-with-a-shamrock-or-avoid-ladders-and-black-cats-and-stuff edition of...
Darts & Laurels
Earlier this week, one of our editorials addressed the insane occupational licensing laws that exist on the state of Florida's books. One such law required that anyone who practices interior design in Florida be licensed. The editorial claimed that all interior designers needed to obtain a license.
However, after many complaints from readers, we discovered that the licensing law only applies to commercial interior designers, not to people who do such consulting in residential areas.
For this error, I, Justin Hayes, the opinions editor of the Alligator, will be throwing a the-fact-was-wrong-but-the-point-still-stands DART at myself.
The argument we made about this issue still stands. Owners of commercial buildings should not have to get permission from the state to pay someone for consulting on interior design.
Most commercial building owners will probably go with someone with qualifications, but if they choose not to, it's none of the government's business.
As evidence that occupational licensing does little, if anything, to help the interior design industry, when the Institute for Justice compared states that regulated interior designers to states that had little to no regulation, they found that "more complaints were present in conditions of greater regulation" of the field.
Now, onto the good news.
For a move that many procrastinators should appreciate, we give an if-only-Starbucks-stayed-open-24-hours-too LAUREL to Library West, which will now remain open 24 hours Sunday through Thursday. More studying is worth the increase in caffeine addiction.
In another cause for celebration, we give a now-might-be-a-good-time-to-become-a-taxi-driver LAUREL to the City of Gainesville, who changed its alcohol laws at the end of last semester.
Because of these changes, liquor stores and bars are changing their Sunday hours so Sunday Funday will last a little longer.
Looks like someone remembered that whole Establishment Clause thing.
That's all that we have for you this week. For next week's edition, we should return to our normal dose of dart-throwing and laurel-giving.
In the meantime, have a fun and safe weekend, and be sure to check back next week.
