Opinion
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Stickers encourage voters
By Ryan Weiss | Sep. 27, 2009Friday's Alligator contained a four-paragraph diatribe concerning the distribution of "I Voted" stickers during Student Government elections. How can one be so petty? We have students trying to ensure the safety of the community, to save language programs and to allocate money to student groups, and you go after stickers? Those of us in Greek houses know that it is not "coercion" that goes on, but rather encouragement to vote in SG elections. With such a small percentage of students voting in these elections, it is shameful that you resent Greek participation. Sen. Gary Benedix, you seem pleased with yourself that you "have it all figured out."
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Obama to decide fate of Afghan War
Sep. 27, 2009Former Secretary of State and retired four-star Gen. Colin Powell met with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office in mid-September to discuss the looming question of what to do about Afghanistan. While no one can be certain of what the two discussed, questions from the so-called Powell Doctrine probably floated around the room.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Pastor plans protest at parade
By Terry Jones | Sep. 27, 2009We believe that it's time for Christians to stop hiding behind a message sugar-coated with love, peace and prosperity.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pizza place will be expensive
By Ahmed Jorge | Sep. 27, 2009Aramark opened new food facilities recently in the Reitz Union, one of which tripled sales records from the one it replaced. They knew the novelty of these new places was going to attract people, even though the prices were comparatively high. They knew this, but they didn't lower their prices to the state's standards until people started complaining. Why did they agree to lower their prices so fast and easy? Is it because they know they were charging too much? Now Aramark seems to be keeping up with its business strategy. Aramark is advertising that it is going to open a new pizza place, which there are none of right now in the food court. One must wait and see how high the prices for the first couple of weeks are going to be. I wouldn't doubt they are going to take advantage of the absence of a pizza place around the food court and start with higher prices until customers start noticing again.
OPINION
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EDITORIALS
Board supports Progress Party, ban on stickers
By The Alligator Editorial Board | Sep. 27, 2009As the sun set over a paper-littered Turlington Plaza last night, the Editorial Board was faced with a decision.
OPINION
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EDITORIALS
Darts & Laurels
By The Alligator Editorial Board | Sep. 24, 2009The Department of Darts & Laurels is starting to feel a bit fatigued. We're realizing we haven't attended enough class to actually pass our first exams, we've officially lost all of our school supplies and our back-to-school haircuts have morphed from shaggy-chic to somewhere in between mullet, puffball or worse. Basically, we miss our moms. If our hectic schedules allowed us to jet home for the weekend, we'd run into the arms of the women who would point us to scrapbooks of our previous academic achievements, take us to Target and buy us some Dixon Ticonderogas and remind us that we're not feral, despite our disheveled appearances.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Students should vote to nix "I Voted" stickers
By Gary Benedix | Sep. 24, 2009During next week's election, voters will have the chance to put an end to wasteful spending in Student Government and prevent students from being coerced into voting. The "I Voted" stickers initiative petition campaign I ran this summer collected 1,211 signatures from students who were appalled after learning SG spent close to $1,900 on unnecessary "I Voted" stickers for the Spring 2009 election, even though there were about 50,000 unused stickers left over from previous SG elections.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Expenditures prove irresponsibility
By Ryan Sappenfield | Sep. 24, 2009Last campaign the Unite Party promised that it would build a new parking garage. This campaign the Unite Party promises to build a new Reitz Union. What's next, a pyramid on Turlington Plaza?
OPINION
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EDITORIALS
PSA no more risqué than video game, beer ads
By The Alligator Editorial Board | Sep. 23, 2009Rethink Breast Cancer is rethinking its newest advertising campaign after critics say it focuses too much on sex and too little on the dangers of the disease.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Senators failed to support human rights
By Fernando Figueroa | Sep. 23, 2009As a Hispanic student, I am very disappointed that Student Government senators couldn't find it in them to pass a simple resolution supporting human rights and dignity for farm workers in Immokalee, Fla., especially since most of the workers affected are also minorities.
OPINION
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COLUMNS
Video disses pimps, proves gullibility
Sep. 23, 2009I have enjoyed the hectic media buzz surrounding the widespread condemnation of ACORN - the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now - workers over the last few weeks. The travesty against pimping that transpired in these videos should forever place shame on the houses of every pimp in the country, if not the world.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Students do care about The New York Times
By Jake Pease | Sep. 23, 2009Fransisco Sotomayor: Students like me care about The New York Times.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
SG turned a blind eye to workers' rights
By Ryan Bird | Sep. 23, 2009When the UF administration signed a no-bid contract with Aramark last year, many students at UF were disconcerted with the lack of research into the options available for food services on campus.
OPINION
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EDITORIALS
Machen should give full support to DREAM Act
By The Alligator Editorial Board | Sep. 23, 2009Although President Bernie Machen said it was "time for action," outside of Tigert Hall on Wednesday, his decision not to give UF's official support for the DREAM Act - The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act - is slightly contradictory.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Newspapers not worth the cost
By Francisco Sotomayor | Sep. 22, 2009Let me let the hardcore political party members in on a little secret: The average student does not care about The New York Times.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
UF should consider minorities as new hires
By Bradford Hall | Sep. 22, 2009UF has continued to make known its desire to become one of the top 10 national institutions of higher learning. I commend the university for desiring to achieve this level of distinction. However, UF's administration seems to have eradicated the university's low number of minority faculty members. In 2008, less than 10 percent of our faculty body was black or Hispanic. While seeking to employ faculty members at the top of their fields at this institution, racial diversity must become a component.
