Nov 27 2012

Feminist Feelings - Calm down, there is no ‘war on men’

There are very few words to describe all the emotions we felt when reading Suzanne Venker’s piece on Fox News’ website titled “The war on men.”

“Women aren’t women anymore,” wrote Venker.

Well then. Let’s delve deeper into her article and see how she explains herself.

“In a nutshell, women are angry,” wrote Venker. “They’re also defensive, though often unknowingly.”

Is “confusion” an emotion? We definitely felt that when we started reading. Follow along as we find other words to label our emotions other than “angry” or “defensive!”

Thank you, Venker, for showing women in a positive light. Finally, someone is brave enough to call out the shortcomings of an entire gender by using generalizations. Just kidding. That was an example of us feeling “sarcastically bewildered.”

How in the world could a woman write an entire article that blames modern women for not getting married even though they want to while claiming that we’re leading a war on men?

Read More

#editorial#opinion#the alligator#war on men#Suzanne Venker#Fox News#journalism#feminism
Nov 13 2012

Don’t Call Him “General Betray-Us” - Why his affair matters

Here are some quick facts that you need to know in order to make real conversation this week:

One: Gen. David Petraeus, (yes, that Petraeus) stepped down from his position as director of the CIA on Friday.

Two: He resigned, rather abruptly, due to an extramarital affair that was discovered by an FBI probe.

Three: His affair was with one of the people writing his biography, Paula Broadwell.

Four: His resignation came about a week or so before a trial before Congress about the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

Five: The title of his biography is “All In.”

Read More

#the alligator#editorial#opinion#politics#affair#General Petraeus#Paula Broadwell
Nov 07 2012

Hope and Change - How Obama won our hearts

Twas November the seventh, day after elections,

America was represented, all of the sections!

The votes had been cast in the system with care

In hopes that Obama soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their classes,

While visions of binders scared all the lasses.

And mom in her apron, and I in my suit

Had just settled down to look at our Halloween loot.

When out on North Lawn, there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the window, I threw open the blinds

To see tons of people standing in lines!

First Sandy stole gas from the Jersey Shore,

Then people who voted found it quite a chore.

When, what to my wondering ears should appear,

Tons of Americans who gave quite a cheer!

They were led by Obama, jumpin’ and jivin’,

Next to him smiling sat good ol’ Joe Biden.

Led by two eagles, and that cute dog Bo,

On all their shirts was a big, giant ‘O.’

Away they all walked, headed north to Washington

Where they knew they wouldn’t be greeted with stones.

So up to D.C., they all took a walk,

To hard work or a challenge, they did not balk.

From health care to human rights, Obama took a stand.

For that we’re very grateful — give him a hand!

Sasha and Malia must both be so proud;

If he was our dad, we’d announce it aloud!

From Twitter to Facebook, the youth won the vote.

We earned it, dear reader, take a moment to gloat.

No need to be scared of the almost nightmare

Of the man who’s a robot that dyes its hair.

We’re saved from the possible Romney curse;

Obama is better and definitely not worse.

He’ll give us better Pell grants and health care to boot,

He’ll provide us with hurricane supplies, so we don’t have to loot.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to work,

And filed all the bills, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the White House chimney he rose!

He sprang to Air Force One, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew without even launching a missile.

But we heard him exclaim before they had left,

“Many thanks, all you young people! Especially UF!”

#the alligator#editorial#opinion#UF#university of florida#barack obama#politics#election 2012
Nov 02 2012
There’s no way Sami Main wrote this personally, it shows a vague familiarity with journalistic fundamentals. I don’t buy it.
- a real Internet commenter on my Nate Silver editorial
#the alligator#editorial#opinion#uf#university of florida#nate silver#fivethirtyeight#politics#news
Oct 18 2012

Debate Debacle - Have binder sales increased this week?

Here’s a problem with Mitt Romney: He sees people as numbers and commodities.

He said during the debate this week that he ran businesses for about 25 years — that either means he’s good at running businesses, or he’s good at starting and closing businesses.

Either way, he might be good at simply looking at numbers.

Romney is trying to claim credit for a women’s group. What else is new?

Read More

#editorial#opinion#the alligator#UF#university of florida#mitt romney#binders full of women#politics#2012 election
Sep 25 2012

Viral Volunteer - Be careful who you talk to in El Paso

We love a good viral video.

Cat sitting on a bench? Classic.

Compilation of dudes trying to extreme skateboard or bike ride? Always awesome.

The latest video taking the Internet by storm comes from El Paso County in Colorado.

Someone in a Safeway recorded a video on her cellphone when she noticed something funny about a volunteer who was registering voters outside of the store. She saw that the volunteer had begun asking people which presidential candidate they would vote for before offering to register them to vote.

Read More

#the alligator#editorial#opinion#politics#video#El Paso#voter registration
11:58 AM

Ramblin’ Romney

Are you part of the 47 percent?

You might not matter to Mitt Romney.

Read More

#opinion#editorial#the alligator#UF#university of florida#Mitt Romney#47%#47 percent#politics
11:55 AM

Secret Scouts

You know how the Boy Scouts of America officially excludes gay people from joining its organization? Yeah, that’s not super.

You know what’s worse?

Read More

#opinion#Boy Scouts#BSA#the alligator#UF#university of florida#editorial
Aug 30 2012

Republican’t: Check Ann’s facts first

You know how Shark Week feels like it lasts for at least a month?

Well, Tuesday night was only the first night of the Republican National Convention.

Read More

#the alligator#UF#university of florida#editorial#opinion#romney#ann romney#RNC#republican national convention
Aug 28 2012

Health Help: Women should take care of themselves

There are so many threats against women in America today.

Between trying to earn our reproductive freedom and explaining that we deserve equal pay, it can be difficult to remember that we’re not second-class citizens.

We have to take care of ourselves, because it seems like our government and our companies aren’t going to help.

Because there are so many things that can go wrong in our bodies, we need to monitor them and take the best care of ourselves possible.

About 42 million women are living with some kind of cardiovascular disease. About 200,000 women die each year from heart attacks, which is five times the number of women who die from breast cancer.

Two weeks ago, Rosie O’Donnell, one of TV’s favorite lesbians, suffered a heart attack.

Read More

#the alligator#opinion#editorial#UF#university of florida#women's health