Opinion | Columns

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Gamedays missing 'Florida Boy' standard

By Alex Orlando | Sep. 1, 2011

I spent my Saturdays last fall like everyone else: sweaty, jorts-clad and leaping into the arms of my buddies every time the Gators scored a touchdown. It was a great time. I mean, heck, we had to do something to get through another week of lectures. But there were times before, during and after the games when I would look around horrified - horrified at my fellow students who were stomping all over what I had previously thought was the reputation of southern universities.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Education is a right, not a privilege

By Michela Martinazzi | Aug. 31, 2011

When I was a young girl, I remember being taught that "knowledge is power" and that those who do well in school will go far in life. These days, a very different phrase resonates through the halls of academia.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Communism, capitalism both failures

By Ryan Fenton | Aug. 30, 2011

I have often heard it said that communism sounds good in theory or principle but does not succeed in reality. Stalin and Cuba serve as examples. Hayek and von Mises are quoted. On the historical examples, they are no doubt correct.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Concealed weapons could be a safe solution

By Dustin Blanton | Aug. 29, 2011

At 6 a.m. Thursday, a 68-year-old man was loading copies of the Alligator for delivery into the back of his vehicle. As he bent into the trunk, a young male approached on foot and pointed a gun at him, threatening his life in exchange for a wallet.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

More than meets the eye in constitution

By Travis Hornsby | Aug. 28, 2011

Currently, our country is in the middle of an intense debate on the nature of entitlement programs for present and future generations. This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa to see how their social programs and regulations function.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Students should enjoy life and explore surroundings in college

By Michela Martinazzi | Aug. 24, 2011

As I enter my sophomore year, I already find myself swamped with homework.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Marine submerses himself in war culture

By Suzette Cook | Aug. 24, 2011

My nephew sleeps in what we yoga doers call the "corpse" pose. He is on his back, legs straight out and hands folded to the center of his chest. As a kid, he slept in all kinds of weird positions. But during a recent visit with him in Miami, I noticed that he has drastically changed his sleeping habits.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Mayor welcomes students to city for fall semester

By Craig Lowe | Aug. 21, 2011

Welcome to Gainesville, home of the University of Florida and Santa Fe College at the heart of The Gator Nation.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The white sepulcher that is painted orange and blue

Aug. 3, 2011

Do you remember just a couple of months or years ago when you were preparing for this new, magical period of your wonderful life?

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Lost in the sauce: One last call for a swig of surrealism

By BILL O'CONNOR< | Aug. 1, 2011

"Mike, join me in a pint of Guinness."

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

When businesses suck, let them know

By Shea Ford | Aug. 1, 2011

A few days ago, I went to a McDonald's. My girlfriend and I ordered two sandwiches. The women at the window seemed, shall we say, less than thrilled to be working there.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Don't pass GOP, don't collect compromise

July 27, 2011

The news these past couple of days has been an embarrassment to American politics.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Winehouse, weirdo & warlords - Oh my!

By Shea Ford | July 25, 2011

What a busy week!

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The 'S' word: The avada kedavra of American political rhetoric

July 20, 2011

If you live in the United States, then you've become accustomed to the logic-be-damned attempts to malign politicians and public policy through the use of fear and hate.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Hard times await America's 'Tot Mom'

By Shea Ford | July 18, 2011

Casey Anthony is out and ready to party. Innocent or guilty, she had quite a favorable outcome and is free to do whatever she damn well pleases.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Lost in the sauce: guy walks into the bar

By BILL O'CONNOR< | July 11, 2011

I've been back from Vietnam for seven years. I spent the first three in a drunken New Orleans haze. The next four, I drove for Hoffa's Teamsters.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

ABC Family ad blitz: accio facepalm

By Shea Ford | July 11, 2011

For those who are living in a cave and are unaware, the final Harry Potter film debuts in U.S. theaters Friday.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Unity among Americans should last longer than one day in July

July 6, 2011

On Monday, we recognized a day of legendary bravery in an onerous battle for life, liberty and happiness. We put aside our political persuasions and forgot our delusions of enmity. For a brief moment, we all had long hair, figuratively sang "Imagine" by John Lennon and did indeed "live as one."

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Lost in the sauce: getting bug-eyed in the opium jungles

By BILL O'CONNOR< | July 4, 2011

My Thai friend Sith starts a lot of sentences with "Maybe America have, maybe America no have."

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

U.S. needs a new red-headed stepchild

By Shea Ford | July 4, 2011

I love America, and so should you.