Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Netflix: Why net neutrality matters

Jan. 30, 2014

They say that when we landed on the moon, the scientists who got us there used computers with less processing power than what’s in an iPhone. This implies that everyone who has a computer today has an opportunity to do something awesome. It also implies they’re probably wasting that opportunity, consuming massive quantities of porn or binge watching series on Netflix — or a weird combination of the two.

OPINION | COLUMNS

UF gun policies promote campus security

Jan. 29, 2014

If you haven’t heard about it yet, UF is being sued by a gun-rights group for not allowing on-campus residents to keep guns in their dorm rooms.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Relax, Weatherford: Florida won’t become ‘Coloradoized’

Jan. 29, 2014

On Monday, the Florida Supreme Court approved a medicinal marijuana bill that will be included on the November 2014 general election ballot. Overall, the Orlando Sentinel reported, the marijuana issue is “broadly popular with Florida voters.” The news is a cause for celebration with groups in the state who have been tirelessly petitioning to add medical marijuana to the ballot — including the ever-present pack of petitioners outside the Alachua County Library.

OPINION | COLUMNS

America must end gun-control taboo

Jan. 28, 2014

Last week in Virginia, a group of gun-control activists planned to hold a rally at the Virginia State Capitol. The protesters were turned away by Capitol Police, who informed them that the sticks on the American flags that they carried were forbidden inside the building because they could be considered weapons.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Football and the concussion paradox

Jan. 28, 2014

Right now, the big buzzword for the NFL is “concussion.” It’s hard not to hear about it. Ever since the book and documentary “League of Denial” entered into the sports media arena, concerns for player safety and head-related injuries intensified. The word is in the back of every fan’s, coach’s and player’s mind. I challenge you to find a game where the word “concussion” has not been brought up by the play-by-play or color commentator.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Money talks: Americans want female leads

Jan. 28, 2014

In 2013, female-driven films killed in the box office. TIME magazine reported that movies released last year passing the Bechdel test made $1.55 billion more than movies that didn’t. The Bechdel test, for those of you who aren’t fans of the “Dykes to Watch Out For” comic strip, is a standard that works of fiction are held to in order to determine gender bias. Films, books, TV shows and other forms of entertainment pass the Bechdel test if they contain two or more named female characters, the female characters speak to one another, and their conversations are about something other than men or relationships.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UF students deserve an on-campus early voting location

By Kevin Gerson | Jan. 27, 2014

Voting isn’t just a necessary part of democracy. Voting is democracy. And, as the Supreme Court ruled in a 1979 landmark case, students establishing residency have the right to vote in the communities where they attend college. Students pay state sales tax. They are subject to the jurisdiction of the court system where they attend school. Most importantly, students are directly impacted by the decisions made by elected officials in the city, county and state governments where they attend college. Yet, at UF, the status quo prevents far too many students from exercising their fundamental voting rights.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Gov. Scott threw Florida under the rail

Jan. 27, 2014

Driving across Florida is expensive. With gas prices rising, commuting is getting costlier each semester, and unless you’re game for the God-awful shuttle buses, you’re out of luck.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Double standards are really just sexism

Jan. 27, 2014

Unfortunately, it’s become quite acceptable to use the term “double standards.” Double standards, of course, refer to the things socially acceptable for a certain type of person to do while the same things remain completely socially unacceptable for another type of person. Overwhelmingly, the term is used for all things related to gender. The phrase is used by an astounding number of people, partially joking and partially serious. But let’s get something straight here: Double standards are just a way of holding prejudices without actually saying out loud, “I’m sexist.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

HuffPost, stop telling women how to dress

Jan. 27, 2014

If women dressed for the stereotypical generalization of men’s desires, we would just wear tight jeans and low-cut tank tops. Or, to paraphrase fashion designer Betsey Johnson, we would just go around naked.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Trigger happy: Guns shouldn’t be allowed in dorms

Jan. 27, 2014

As all the Preview skits would have you believe, freshman year of college is a stressful time. While the course load is the easiest during those first few months of college, the amount of mental and emotional turmoil can be taxing on 18- and 19-year-olds who are adjusting to adult life — or, at least, a practice run for adult life. The newfound freedom and access to alcohol, drugs and casual sex contributes chaos to the freshman experience, especially for the many first-year students who choose to live in residence halls.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

There's an app for that: Alligator mobile app now available

Jan. 27, 2014

You use apps to order pizza, check bus routes and view singles in your area — now, you can use one to read the Alligator on the go.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Slate for Swamp Party

By Agassy Rodriguez | Jan. 26, 2014

Dear University of Florida students,

OPINION | COLUMNS

President Obama’s NSA reforms don’t go far enough

Jan. 26, 2014

After months of criticism regarding the National Security Agency’s data collection program, last week, President Barack Obama announced changes to the program. No longer will the NSA be allowed to collect phone records of average citizens as it currently does in its never-ending quest to seek out the bad guys who threaten the United States.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Temps decrease, masturbation increases

Jan. 26, 2014

Temperatures have dropped and so have our pants, apparently. With the cold weather, one method of staying warm has increased: masturbation.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Online quizzes often reveal personal truths

Jan. 23, 2014

Quiz. The four-letter word alone is enough to fill a classroom with panic. But flash “quiz” across the screen anytime I’m on the Internet, and my eyes light up.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels 1/24/14

Jan. 23, 2014

Another arctic week in Gainesville has come and gone, and our resolves are being tested. The initial thrill of finally getting the chance to break out those dusty boots and moth-eaten gloves has worn off, and now we’d give anything to return to frat tanks and flip-flops. Our tropical temperaments simply aren’t suited for 30-degree nights. And remember: It’s not too late to get a flu shot from the Student Health Care Center. Seriously! It takes, like, five minutes, and the nurses are very nice.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Nearly a year later, no resolution for Syria

Jan. 23, 2014

On Wednesday, delegates from 30 countries met in Switzerland for the Geneva II conference in a desperate effort to create a solution for the chaos in Syria.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Death penalty is rife with inconsistencies

Jan. 22, 2014

Dennis McGuire took 25 minutes to die on an execution table in Ohio on Thursday.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Couples speak: Florida needs marriage equality

Jan. 22, 2014

Whether you’re conservative or liberal, you have to agree the country is warming up to the idea of marriage equality. In its latest poll, the Pew Research Center reported that 51 percent of Americans support marriage equality, and with the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, pressure is being shifted back to states to legalize marriage equality.