Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMay 28, 2015

I love the movie Contact about a scientist played by Jodie Foster, who has an extraordinary experience traveling through space. In the end, when she could not explain the experience, she ended up finding her faith in something unexplainable. The movie has always reminded me that there is something bigger than us, but that sometimes […]

Guest AuthorMay 21, 2015

As a creative writing instructor who assigns a lot of reading, I have at least a few introductory students each semester who complain about the material. It’s not that it’s too difficult or too dense. It’s that it’s too depressing. “Can’t we read something happy?” someone will invariably ask. And, invariably, I will shake my […]

Guest AuthorMarch 18, 2015

When I was an undergrad in the middle of the Material Girl 80s, I don’t remember anyone – a professor, a parent, or even a random guy on the street (or in the career counseling center) – ever telling me to “do what I love and the money will follow.” And while author Marsha Sinetar […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 21, 2015

Abraham Lincoln, Ernest Hemingway, Robin Williams and Michelangelo are a few examples of brilliantly inspiring individuals who shaped our culture, artistry and society. Looking at this list of names, it is hard to see a connection between these unique individuals. The sad truth is that each one suffered from mental illness, a debilitating disease that […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 14, 2015

My husband wanted to go to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest last summer as we traveled in Germany. We were planning our itinerary for our time in Munich and I responded as if he’d just admitted to buying tickets for “The Jerry Springer Show.” Why would I want to go to the Alps retreat where Hitler hung […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 7, 2015

I love to travel because it is always a wonderful, life-changing experience – whether embarking on a road trip or flying overseas to a foreign country. No matter where you go, you will likely meet new people and learn something new, which is always my goal. Over the recent holiday break, I traveled to Sweden […]

Guest AuthorDecember 28, 2014

Everybody has a perception about what the image of art should say – or not say – but few have an informed opinion. The power of the communicative arts transcends the mere power to inform. That power is used in film, television, newspapers, radio, art, magazines, music, theatre and the new social media network as […]

Guest AuthorDecember 17, 2014

You may have read in early December that 61 people were arrested across Florida in a four-day human-trafficking sting operation. If you haven’t followed the dramatic increase in stories about human trafficking in the United States, this news may have caught you by surprise. We need to understand that human trafficking exists in all 50 […]

Guest AuthorDecember 3, 2014

It’s final-exam week at the University of Central Florida — and at many other Florida colleges and universities. Students have returned to campus after the Thanksgiving break, bellies full of turkey and trimmings, heads full of anxiety as big tests loom and grades hang in the balance. For faculty, there’s a heady rush of knowing […]

Guest AuthorNovember 20, 2014

We’ve probably all had the song It’s a Small World stuck in our heads after visiting Fantasyland at Walt Disney World. This simple song highlights how we all are connected, and was created to promote the message of international peace and inclusion of diversity. Walt Disney sped up the tempo from the original version and […]

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Alaina Bernard: This is our home — so please help care for it

Laurie Uttich: In defense of 'depressing' books

Laurie Uttich: Do what you love (and the money MIGHT follow)

Alaina Bernard: Failure to deal with mental illness debilitates 60 million

Laurie Uttich: Bearing witness even when it seems too much to bear

Vu Tran: From St. Pete Beach to Da Nang, lure is adventure and learning

Anthony Major: Negative stereotypes in film spark society’s unrest

Richard Lapchick: We can’t close our eyes to human trafficking

Rick Brunson: Listen up – this is the most meaningful part of my job

Alaina Bernard: It’s a small world after all – and we’re all connected