OPINION
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COLUMNS
Find your passions while at UF
By Joe Glover | Aug. 20, 2010To: The UF Freshmen and Transfer Students
Opinion | Columns
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Take advantage of time in Gainesville
By Bryan Griffin | Aug. 20, 2010Welcome to UF. You are now a student at the flagship academic institution of the state of Florida. With a University of Florida degree, you have endless career opportunities and a promising shot at some of the nation’s top graduate programs.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
UF president: ‘You are exceptional in a number of ways’
By Bernie Machen | Aug. 20, 2010Welcome to the University of Florida and The Gator Nation!
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Limiting freedoms is justifiable at times
By Chinedu O. Ikpechukwu | Aug. 4, 2010Freedom is an addictive thing, isn’t it? Each time we get a little bit more freedom to do anything, regardless of the positive or negative impacts, we cling to it like a mother clinging to her newly born baby. It is our baby. It is our everything. But why is this so? Why do we find it so difficult to let go of any kind of freedom? I would put my hard-earned Monopoly money on the reason being a human tendency, to grasp onto anything that enables us to express ourselves. Since expression can be quasi-defined as life, the opportunity to live to one’s fullest potential, which I believe is infinite, can be equated as freedom.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Paint the roses whatever color you like
By Bryan Griffin | Aug. 4, 2010We have about 80 years to live, and about one-third of that we spend unconscious. And I don’t mean because of an accumulation of hard nights at Midtown. Throw in work, education, eating, daily household and personal hygiene chores, and the roughly five years everyone spends in a line of some sort just waiting for something like a red light to turn green.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Arizona’s law is reasonable
By Josh Mclawhorn | Aug. 2, 2010Simply being an American citizen comes with a grab bag of freedoms and benefits. Social Security, education, welfare and President Obama’s soon-to-be-implemented comprehensive health care system are only some of the fruits of our nation’s wealth - a wealth built on the social and ethnic diversity that defines America. While this diversity is our nation’s greatest strength, we cannot allow unrestrained access to America’s limited bounty. I am writing in regards to SB1070, the Arizona law causing so much uproar – the one that allows police officers to detain suspected illegal immigrants unless they are carrying immigration documents. I’ve heard the words “un-American,” “fascist,” “xenophobic” and “racist” all used to describe this legislation and its supporters, and I have never been more worried for the future of America.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
We can all relate to ‘Jersey Shore’ cast
By HILARY SHEINBAUM | Aug. 2, 2010Jersey Shore: Two words that ignite controversy, YouTube impersonations and fist pumps.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Media hurt gulf towns the most
By Crystal Reyes | July 28, 2010About two weeks ago, I took a trip to Cedar Key with my Counseling in Community Settings class and our professor, Dr. West-Olatunji. Cedar Key is a small town located on the Gulf Coast, about 50 miles southwest of Gainesville. Known for its aqua-farming, it is a big name in the clamming industry. The purpose of our trip was to talk to members of the Cedar Key community in order to gain a better understanding of how the oil spill has impacted their lives. As future counselors, we also wanted to learn how our profession could better serve the needs of communities impacted by the oil spill.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
America’s creativity enables greatness
By Bryan Griffin | July 28, 2010America heralds the banner of innovation because of the country's aptitude for creativity. Individual creativity is an essential part of the American spirit and is embodied in our country's founding documents. A government produces the most from its citizens when it allows each of them to define and pursue their own success. Using a system of limited regulation, a government should be one that allows for society to enhance its prospects by working up freely from below, instead of being determined from the top.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
UF journalism students deserve teachers with experience in field
By Jon Roosenraad | July 26, 2010Last Thursday's top story, "Faculty search raises questions" concerned the inability of the College of Journalism and Communications to even interview a professional journalist with 25 years of experience at The New York Times for a very hands-on and professional opening within the college for next year.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
My mind’s made up for communist beliefs
By ANDREW PANTAZI | July 26, 2010Last Thursday's column "Make up your own mind about politics" inspired me.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Add cursing to list of bad habits to quit
By KATHRYN STOLARZ | July 26, 2010I was passing through Midtown last Tuesday evening, and I stopped to watch the live music at The Swamp for a song or two. “Cause it’s the first of May, first of May,” he sang, and I was thinking what a nice voice he had when suddenly – “Outdoor f--king starts today. Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called f--king outside” – my heart started pounding as nervous anger flooded my insides. He dropped the F-bomb in his beautiful melody. As he scanned the audience, his eyes met mine. I felt uncomfortable just witnessing this performance. Maybe I was overreacting, I thought. I decided I’d try to wait it out, hoping the next song would be swear-free and worth staying for. He had a good voice. “I’m going to make this part as vulgar as possible,” he said, and I cringed. I instantly began to change my mind about staying. He said something about “f--king everybody,” and I couldn’t stand listening anymore. I left — no applause from me tonight.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Arizona immigration law does not encourage racial profiling
By Wyatt Zinninger | July 21, 2010It is clear that Chris Moody, despite his attempts to seem educated and informed, is exactly the opposite. Like most opponents of Arizona’s new immigration law, SB1070, he has clearly never even read the actual bill.
OPINION
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Legislature defeats Crist in smackdown over oil-drilling ban
By Brittany Fox | July 21, 2010Like an episode of “Deadliest Warrior,” Florida saw its own battle between two epic foes Tuesday, this one during a special legislative session called to pass a measure that would put the question of banning oil drilling on the November ballot. In The Florida Legislature vs. Charlie Crist, I have to give this one to the Legislature, and a quick kill it was—about 55 minutes, to be exact.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Make up your own mind about politics
By Bryan Griffin | July 21, 2010For the last two weeks, I have given advice for incoming UF students to use as they acclimate themselves to university life. This week, however, I write to lend a word of advice to all university students. Whatever grade, alma mater, or status as a student, listen up: Don’t drink from the punch bowl.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Waiting to drink legally was worth it
By KATHRYN STOLARZ | July 19, 2010If you asked me why I waited until my 21st birthday to drink, I could tell you a number of reasons. For one, my big sister waited until her 21st, so that’s what I thought you were supposed to do. She has always been my role model. Two, I’m stubborn, and I had told people a while ago that I was waiting until my 21st birthday to drink. I had made up my mind, but they doubted me or told me I’d go wild once I arrived at college. This fueled my fire even more to keep my word. And three, it doesn’t sit well with me to think of doing anything illegal. I’m just one of those people who is paranoid of getting in trouble for no good reason. I’d get nervous when an officer would walk by me in the halls when I was in middle school—palms sweaty, heart racing, the whole deal—and I never did anything wrong. I guess you could say I’m a stickler for rules, and I’m OK with that.
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Senior shares advice with freshmen
By ANDREW PANTAZI | July 14, 2010Grab your Magic 8-Ball and give it a shake.
OPINION
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Ways to excel in academics, social life
By Bryan Griffin | July 12, 2010Last week, I began my list of seven important lessons for incoming UF freshmen. I mentioned the importance of living in the dorms, learning how to cook on a budget and studying with a purpose. If you missed last week's column, check out the Opinions page at alligator.org. This week, I continue with the fourth tip.
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Customers should respect people who serve them
By Caitlin Thornbrugh | July 7, 2010Baskin Robbins, Pizza Street, M. Isabella’s, Panera, University Book Shop, The Kansan, KU Catering. Over the past seven years, I have worked a part-time job at each of these companies. Some for as many as three years, and one I lasted just five hours.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Important tips for incoming freshmen
By Bryan Griffin | July 7, 2010Because entering college doesn’t come with an instruction manual like your iPad does, I thought I would impart a few quick-but-vital lessons to the newly arrived crop of UF students. Due to space limitations, I have broken this into a two-part series for this week and the next.
