The Daily Reveille — February 12, 2010

Check Inside For:

fashion trends and ways to stay warm at parades during Mardi Gras break, page 6.

NEWS Drunken driving fines may increase, page 4.

READY TO GO

Softball team begins season against North Carolina, page 7.

THE DAILY REVEILLE WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM

Volume 114, Issue 90

Friday, February 12, 2010

ACCIDENT

Student flips car

By Adam Duvernay News Editor

A University student flipped her car and suffered minor injuries after crashing into an Easy Streets gate arm Thursday night.

Meghan McElwee, kinesiology senior, was returning to campus on North Stadium Drive from West Stadium parking lot at 8:32 p.m. when she momentarily lost attention to the road, said Chirag Patel, a kinesiology freshman who had been studying in Middleton Library with McElwee and was driving ahead of her.

Patel said he heard a loud thud and lost sight of the lights from McElwee’s 2008 Ford Fusion after he passed the gate arms.

McElwee, the vehicle’s only passenger, was seemingly uninjured except a cut lip, Patel said. The car flipped, but the airbags did not deploy.

A concrete pylon, the wooden gate arms and the electrical mechanisms that operate the arms were all damaged.

Sgt. Blake Tabor, LSU Police Department spokesman, said no charges are pending against McElwee.

Following the accident, another University student was taken into temporary custody for disobeying officers’ orders while taking pictures of the accident.

He “passively resisted” officers telling him to move from the immediate scene, Tabor said.

LSUPD released the student and did not charge him, Tabor said.

Contact Adam Duvernay at aduvernay@lsureveille.com

SARA SICONA / The Daily Reveille

A parade rolls through downtown Baton Rouge on Sunday.

Mardi Gras Mambo Festival benefits New Orleans with direct economic impact of $145.7M

By Mary Walker Baus Contributing Writer

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

An LSUPD officer interviews Meghan McElwee, kinesiology senior, right, after she flipped her car late Thursday night.

Black and gold will morph into purple, green and gold as the celebrations continue in Louisiana for Mardi Gras.

A study on the economic impact of the 2009 Mardi Gras season found the celebration resulted in a $145.7 million direct economic impact and an indirect economic impact of $322 million for the city of New Orleans.

The study was conducted by Tulane University professors Toni Weiss and Paul Spindt and was commissioned by the

Carnival Krewe Civic Fund. Weiss and Spindt gathered information on Mardi Gras-related spending during the 12-day parading period and throughout the year. “[Mardi Gras] attracts tourists year round,” said Weiss, Tulane University economics professor. “It creates an ambiance and a culture and a personality that brings people to New Orleans. It’s a 12day festival that generates an economic impact 365 days a year.”

Weiss and Spindt gathered information from alcohol distributors, grocers, jewelers and different carnival krewe organizations to compile how much money

WEATHER

each source generates during Mardi Gras.

Thomas Westfeldt, Rex Organization official, said Rex members spend about $600,000 on carnival throws.

“The monarchs of Rex are considered the kings and queens of carnival,” Westfeldt said. “We’re a bigger parade, and we have a lot more positions.”

Weiss said most studies on Mardi Gras’ economic impact only factor in tourist spending, but this study examined local residents’ spending as well as the brand value Mardi Gras generates year MARDI GRAS, see page 15

ECONOMY

Classes scheduled to proceed Governor to release No snow expected initial fiscal budget to accumulate

By Lindsey Meaux Contributing Writer

Strange things are happening in South Louisiana this week. The Saints won the Super Bowl, and now Baton Rouge residents could awaken to a blanket of snow.

The National Weather Service forecast a 100 percent chance of rain, sleet and possibly snow last night into early this morning and an

80 percent chance of snow throughout today.

No snow is expected to accumulate, according to NWS. As of 4:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, classes were scheduled to proceed as normal today despite the anticipated inclement weather.

“Based on the current information available, the University will remain open [tomorrow],” D’Ann Morris, interim director of the Emergency Operations Center, said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille.

“If the weather conditions warrant a closure, the decision would change.

LSU uses the Web site and broadcast e-mail for the purpose of communicating to the campus.”

Louisiana State Climatologist Barry Keim said just a few degrees can dictate the difference between rain, sleet and snow.

“I’m clearly stated on record as saying there would be no accumulation [in December 2008],” Keim said. “These forecasts, especially in these kinds of conditions, are probably the most difficult to make.”

Drivers begin to experience WEATHER, see page 15

By Xerxes A. Wilson Senior Staff Writer

Higher education will be spared any further cuts in Gov. Bobby Jindal’s budget proposal today, Jindal‘s Chief of Staff Timmy Teepell told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Jindal’s 2010-2011 spending proposal, which will be released today, will propose cutting the university system management boards by

30 percent, about $5 million, Teepell said.

Higher education and health care were predicted to be on the chopping block because of a lack of constitutional protections.

Chancellor Michael Martin said earlier Thursday he was hopeful Jindal’s proposal would not include any further cuts.

“I am anticipating the budget BUDGET, see page 15

THE DAILY REVEILLE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

Nation & World

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

Iran marks revolution with crackdown on protests

Ex-President Bill Clinton undergoes heart procedure

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The Iranian security forces unleashed a crushing sweep against opposition protesters on Thursday as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad used the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution to defy the West and boast his country was now a “nuclear state.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton had two stents inserted Thursday to prop open a clogged heart artery after being hospitalized with chest pains, an adviser said.

Clinton, 63, “is in good spirits and will continue to focus on the work of his foundation and Haiti’s relief and long-term recovery efforts,” said adviser Douglas Band.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton left Washington and headed to New York to be with her husband.

Shootout in Rio de Janero slum ahead of Carnival; 8 dead RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Gunfire erupted Thursday in a Rio de Janeiro slum, killing at least seven suspected drug traffickers and a policeman a day before Carnival celebrations kick off.

A police spokesman said the gunbattle in the Jacarezinho slum started while police were on a routine patrol. He declined to be quoted by name, citing standard department policy.

Army discharging single mom who refused deployment SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A singlemom soldier who says she refused to deploy to Afghanistan because she had no family able to care for her young son will be discharged from the military instead of facing a courtmartial, the Army said Thursday.

Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, an Army cook stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, was arrested in November after skipping her unit’s deployment flight. Hutchinson, 21, said she couldn’t leave her son because her mother had backed out of plans to keep the child a few days before the soldier’s scheduled departure.

Woman convicted of burning bikini dancer at LA club LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California woman who doused a bikini dancer with gasoline and set her on fire has been found guilty of aggravated mayhem and torture.

A Los Angeles jury convicted 28-year-old Rianne TheriaultOdom on Thursday on two counts but acquitted her of attempted murder. The Tarzana resident faces a possible life sentence.

The victim, Roberta Dos Santos Busby, wept as the verdict was read.

PAGE 2

STATE/LOCAL

Rising Mississippi worries levee officials

Shaw Group awarded 5-year envrionmental contract

LAKE PROVIDENCE (AP) — The Mississippi River is high, and that worries the president of the levee district that protects Louisiana’s eastern border.

Reynold Minsky of Lake Providence says crews have already put sandbags around two sand boils in Waterproof to equalize pressure between the high river and the inner side of the levee. He says the 5th Louisiana Levee District is watching 10 other sand boils — water moving underground, undermining the levee and pushing up sand inside the protected area.

Minsky says there are two sand boils north of Lake Providence, two miles from the levee.

He says that’s very abnormal.

Minsky has been on the levee district since 1983. He said he can’t remember the river ever being this high, this long, this time of year.

(AP) — The Shaw Group Inc. has been awarded a five-year, worldwide environmental services contract with the federal government.

Baton Rouge-based Shaw said it will provide munitions removal and environmental compliance services for the Defense Department.

New Orleans mayor-elect Mitch Landrieu begins transition NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, the mayor-elect of New Orleans, said Thursday he hoped to have a new police chief picked by the time he is sworn into office in May. At a news conference, he said picking a new chief would be a top priority for him as he builds up his staff during a three-month period before he takes over from Mayor Ray Nagin.

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Mr. & Miss Imani Pageant February 18, 2010 LSU Student Union Ballroom, 7:00pm ERIN ARLEDGE / The Daily Reveille

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Gamma Beta Phi Society Charity Event 911 Style & Fashion Model Selections.

Feb. 22, 2010. 7-9pm Cotillion Ballroom Please bring a 4x6 photo For info contact: Meiosha Sutton msutton@lsu.edu Man on Fire: Gun Safety and Prevention NAACP Week- Service Project (Members only) Boys and Girls Club, 4pm-6pm DO YOU HAVE AN OCCURRENCE? Call Isaiah at the Student Media Office 578-6090, 9AM- 5PM or E-mail: officemanager@lsureveille.com

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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 3

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SG plans to pass legislation to fund new bike fleet for UREC Original purchase deteriorated

By Catherine Threlkeld Staff Writer

The bike fleet at the UREC Student Recreation Complex will be rejuvenated if Student Government passes legislation to fund additional bikes and repair old ones.

SG President Stuart Watkins said SG purchased the original 20 bikes four years ago, but they were not maintained.

LSU University Recreation approached SG and said it was running out of bikes to offer students, he said.

“The initial bike fleet was purchased, and they didn’t buy the right bikes,” Watkins said. “They deteriorated faster than other brands.”

Watkins said he and SG Vice President Martina Scheuermann are

ERIN ARLEDGE / The Daily Reveille

UREC’s original rental bikes need maintenance and repairs. Student Government’s current legislation will allocate $5,000 to purchase bikes and equipment.

teaming with Senate members to get the money.

Tiffany Compagno, Committee on Finance chair, said legislation will hopefully move along in the next few weeks.

Compagno said she expects the Senate to pass the legislation, and the bill already specifies what the money will pay for.

The current legislation will allocate $5,000 to purchase 15 bikes,

20 bike locks, 20 bike tubes, 20 helmets and replacement parts for the old bikes.

Instead of buying more of the current bikes, the new request asks for single-speed hybrid bikes that contain aspects of mountain bikes.

These aspects make the selected model “an ideal bike for commuting in and around campus,” according to LSU University Recreation’s request The request also said LSU University Recreation is committed to the University’s green initiative and will recycle the damaged bikes and transform them into single-speed bikes.

Melissa Longino, LSU UREC associate director of recreation services, said University Recreation made plans of which bikes are preferred.

“We are down to a very limited bike fleet,” Longino said.

Students can rent a bike for free for the first two hours, and rates

increase to $5 for a half day and $10 for a full day for students, she said.

Students rented the bikes 1,100 times during the spring 2009 semester and 608 times during the fall 2009 semester.

The drop in usage during the fall was because only four good bikes were available, Longino said.

“Students are always very eager to use the bikes with all the development around the University lakes,” Watkins said. “Because of LSU’s location around such great recreational areas, it gives us more of a reason to invest.”

Watkins said 80 percent of University students utilize the UREC Student Recreation Complex, and the bike fleet is attractive to students who don’t want to go inside to work out.

Contact Catherine Threlkeld at cthrelkeld@lsureveille.com

GOVERNMENT

Nyman hand-delivers budget letters to state capitol Save LSU urges students to call Reps

By Catherine Threlkeld Staff Writer

Save LSU promoters Tania Nyman and Sharon Andrews hand-delivered letters to Gov. Bobby Jindal and to Senate and House of Representative members Thursday to rally support against higher education budget problems.

Nyman’s letter to Jindal urged to create a tax hike to provide for education. The State voted for a similar tax hike in 2002, but it was repealed by the state legislature in 2008.

“It was a nice theory — put the money back in the pockets of the people in Louisiana — but the

evidence is overwhelming that the tax cut is doing more harm than good,” Nyman’s letter said.

Andrews said this cause is important because she’s just as much a University student’s mom as a University employee.

Nyman said she convinced her daughter to transfer from a private school to LSU because the University recently became a flagship university and could offer a good education.

“We’re worried about her readiness to leave the state because she may not be able to get the right education here,” Nyman said.

Nyman spoke to the Student Government Senate on Wednesday about the importance of the campaign.

“This is not just about LSU; it’s about our state,” Nyman said.

“That’s why I’ve been motivated to work very hard.”

College of Arts and Sciences Senator Drew Prestridge said it’s necessary for people like Nyman to let students and faculty know what’s going on with budget cuts.

“It’s really noble of her as a professor to spearhead a campaign like this when you will probably receive a lot of criticism,” Prestridge said.

The most important thing students can do is get their friends and family to call Louisiana representatives to get legislative action to support higher education, she said.

“Fee hikes will not save the caliber of your degrees if we suffer these budget cuts again,” Nyman said.

MELANIE SCOTT / The Daily Reveille

Contact Catherine Threlkeld at cthrelkeld@lsureveille.com

ADMISSIONS

University enrollment up

121 more students than last spring

By Ryan Buxton Senior Staff Writer

University classrooms are slightly more full this spring than they were last year.

There are 121 more students enrolled in the University in spring 2010 than in spring 2009, according to data released Thursday by the Office of Budget and Planning, putting the University’s total at 26,261 students.

Undergraduate enrollment fell by 48 students, but graduate enrollment is up by 4 percent with 174 more graduate students enrolled than last spring. The number of professional students also fell by five.

The overall decrease in undergraduates was because of the 98-student decrease in part-time enrollment. Full-time undergraduate enrollment increased by 50 students.

There was a small decrease in total undergraduate enrollment, but the statistics for this spring bode well for retention rates because fewer new freshmen came to the University in 2009 than in 2008, said Staycia Haynie, vice provost for Academic Affairs.

“The fact that our spring numbers don’t differ much in 2010 even though we had a small entering class is good news,” Haynie said.

In fall 2009, 4,513 new freshmen enrolled at the University, down 6 percent from the 4,817 who enrolled in fall 2008.

Haynie said the fact that more students are here this spring than last year despite the smaller

entering class speaks to the effectiveness of initiatives by the University to increase the new student experience.

Mary Parker, executive director for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid, said improvements in student services are what keep retention rates up.

“We did have a significant downsize in our freshman class from 2008 to 2009; however, one of the things the University has done a tremendous job on is increasing the services provided to students,” Parker said.

Programs like the First Year Experience and Comprehensive Academic Tracking System work to make students’ adjustment to the University easier, Haynie said.

Contact Ryan Buxton at rbuxton@lsureveille.com

Tania Nyman, an English instructor at LSU, delivers letters Feb. 11 to Gov. Bobby Jindal and state representatives to rally support against higher education budget problems.

PAGE 4

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Friday, February 12, 2010

EVENT

Organization celebrates Darwin Day, discusses evolution

Other groups received invitations

By Mandy Francois Contributing Writer

While some students made last-minute plans for Mardi Gras celebrations, others celebrated a lesser known holiday — Darwin Day. Americans United for the Separation of Church and State held a forum for “The Top Ten Myths of Evolution” at the Unitarian Church on Goodwood Boulevard on Thursday night.

Chris Faulk, biological sciences doctoral student, was the key note speaker.

“Evolution is a fact and a theory, not just a theory,” Faulk said. “It is our job to inform the community of what we study.”

AU is a national group that has been around since the ’40s

with headquarters in Washington D.C. Patti Garner is the president of the Louisiana Chapter of AU, which was formed in 2008.

“Lots of people think that the only thing we want to do is take prayer out of schools,” Garner said. “There are many misconceptions about our group.”

The invitation for the forum was sent to other religious groups such as the Louisiana Family Forum. No one from that group attended the event.

AU does not consider itself either a religious organization or a non-religious organization.

“Our group consists of members of many different backgrounds, both religious and non-religious,” said Garner. “We welcome all points of view.”

The talk was an overview of the genetic, paleoanthropological and historical aspects of evolution with a bit of humor. Faulk showed a picture of Darwin’s

head placed on a monkey’s body, which was used to attack Darwin and his theories in his time.

Faulk stressed that evolution is both a fact and a theory.

“The fact is that species change,” Faulk said. “The theory is the mechanisms by which they change.”

The forum was held not only to celebrate Darwin Day, but also to raise awareness about the acceptance of evolution.

The United States ranks second to last in acceptance of evolution. Turkey is the only country with a lower acceptance rate according to Faulk’s presentation.

The event was also held as a fundraiser for AU. Donations were accepted from those who attended but were not required.

“We’re still a new group,” Garer said. “Right now we need members more than we need money. I would like to get more students — they are always highly motivated.”

MELANIE SCOTT / The Daily Reveille

Chris Faulk, doctoral student in biological sciences, gives a presentation Feb. 12 on myths about evolution. Faulk’s presentation was to celebrate Darwin Day.

Darwin’s book, “The Origin of Species” was published in 1859. Last year marked the 150th anniversary of its publishing. Darwin Day is traditionally celebrated on Feb. 12, which is

Darwin’s birthday.

Contact Mandy Francois at mfrancois@lsureveille.com

GOVERNMENT

State poses to raise penalties for drunken drivers Fines may increase for offenders

By Mallory Logan Contributing Writer

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s Task Force on Driving While Intoxicated and Vehicular Homicide will vote Feb. 22 on the decision to raise penalties for drunken drivers.

Jindal’s DWI task force addresses the rampant DWI issue and its components, such as refusing a Breathalyzer test and prosecuting the offenders.

Louisiana consistently had more than 800 annual car crashes

related to alcohol in last 10 years, while the average number of fatalities because of alcohol per year remains near 400, according to the University’s Highway Safety Research Group.

Other states may become the inspiration for new laws against drunken drivers.

Policy research on states with lower alcohol-related accidents is being completed by members of the task force and will be presented at the next meeting before votes are cast, said Murphy Painter, chairman of the DWI Task Force and director of the state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control.

“The amount of increase in fines and other details will be

sorted out at the meeting,” Painter said.

Sgt. Kevin Scott, LSU Police Department public information officer, is not confident higher fines will affect the level of road sobriety.

“There are many factors that play into why people drink and drive, and it’s hard to say whether higher fines will make a difference or not,” Scott said.

Enforcement of the issue is random, which also makes it hard to predict whether the fines will prove successful, Scott said.

Police can’t catch every case of impaired driving, which makes enforcement random.

The cost of a DWI violation can vary greatly, but the Louisi-

TECHNOLOGY

Teens likely to use Facebook Blogging down 14 percent since 2006

By Grace Montgomery Staff Writer

Teens are more likely to use Facebook than Twitter, according to a study released last week by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

The Pew group found 73 percent of teens are using some kind of social networking site, but only 8 percent are using Twitter.

The study also found 66 percent of teens send or receive text messages.

Nineteen percent of adults use Twitter or other services to post status updates, according to the study.

“Facebook provides more,”

said Pavica Sheldon, communication studies graduate student. “It does everything, so it is more of a social network.”

Students use Facebook more for relationship maintenance or surveillance, Sheldon said.

“With Twitter, you only see parts of the whole,” Sheldon said. “It is more of a commentary than personal information.”

Mary-Catherine Roberts, mathematics sophomore, uses both Facebook and Twitter, but for different reasons.

Roberts said she keeps in touch with friends over Facebook and views Twitter as more of an “honest forum” to share her thoughts.

“I like being able to Facebook chat, but I also like how no-nonsense Twitter is,” Roberts said. “There aren’t a thousand notifications, just

‘This is what I’m doing’ or ‘This is what I think.’”

While many of her friends use Twitter, most use Facebook, Roberts said.

High school-age girls are most likely of the groups studied to use Twitter, according to the Pew group.

The Pew study also found blogging has dropped among teens from 28 percent in 2006 to 14 percent.

But one in 10 online adults keep an online journal or blog.

“Blogs are more like diaries — it is open for you to create what you want,” Sheldon said.

Facebook’s easy to use “fill-inthe-blank” layout plays a role in its popularity, Sheldon said.

Contact Grace Montgomery at gmontgomery@lsureveille.com

ana Highway Safety Commission uses $2,000 as an average amount owed, Program Coordinator Jamie Ainsworth said in an e-mail.

This year’s DWI numbers have not changed much from last year’s, Scott said.

“There have been five alcohol-related arrests [around campus] since Jan. 1, and there were

four at this time last year,” Scott said.

Unique Mason, mass communication junior, doesn’t believe higher fines will make a difference with drunken drivers.

Contact Mallory Logan at mlogan@lsureveille.com

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The Hurt Locker A Perfect Getaway Julie & Julia Without a Paddle: Natures Calling

Friday, February 12, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 5

POLITICS

Jindal appointee resigns from top La. school board

By Melinda Deslatte The Associated Press

(AP) — One of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s appointees to Louisiana’s top school board resigned unexpectedly Thursday, saying she opposes federal education policies that are being embraced by the state.

In a letter to Jindal, Tammie McDaniel of Oak Ridge said she was stepping down from her position on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, effective immediately. Jindal announced a replacement a few hours later.

McDaniel, a former principal and teacher, was one of Jindal’s three appointees to the 11-member board. She had become one of the most outspoken members of BESE, clashing with Louisiana Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek, who is backed by Jindal.

In her letter, obtained by The Associated Press, McDaniel said she opposes federal intervention into state school systems, and her position on BESE makes her “complicit in supporting federal policies that I genuinely oppose.”

“While I believe the federal government should lead an effort to ensure equal educational opportunities for America’s children, I do not believe that Louisiana schools should be controlled by mandates from Washington,” she wrote.

BESE has supported participation in several federal education initiatives, and Pastorek is an adviser to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan on a proposed overhaul of the federal No Child Left Behind education law.

McDaniel said the revamp of No Child Left Behind would expand the federal government’s role in local school decisions, a move she doesn’t support. She said her opposition puts her at odds with Pastorek and therefore the Jindal administration.

“The governor’s office has made it clear that they stand by Paul Pastorek and expect their appointees to do likewise,” McDaniel said in an interview.

Instead of repeatedly voting against the governor who appointed her, McDaniel said she decided to resign. “I think the governor de-

HEALTH

Females donate eggs to make extra cash Program procedures not quick, easy

By Elizabeth Chamberlain Contributing Writer

Students are looking for creative means to supplement their incomes in the face of increasing tuition and living costs.

Egg donor programs offer up to $10,000 for one egg donation cycle and are one option for female students in need of extra cash.

The Cen‘It’s easier ters for Disto make ease Control Prevention an egg and noted an inthan to crease in egg donations from raise a 3,800 cycles in 1996 to more chick.’ than 10,000 in 2004.

Noah Reid An egg biological sciences donor earns Ph.D. student $4,217 on average for one donation cycle, according to the journal Fertility and Sterility.

Egg donor programs provide income to the donor and the potential for infertile couples to raise children. Age requirements for donors fall between 21 and 35.

Programs offer high compensation, but an egg donation procedure is not a quick and easy way to earn money.

Tara Pelletier, biological sciences graduate student,

considered participating in the egg donor program but was deterred by the time commitment and potential effects of hormone treatment.

“It is way more complicated than I thought,” Pelletier said.

She considered egg donation for solely financial reasons, Pelletier said.

Participating women are subjected to physical and mental screening prior to a three- to sixweek cycle of sex hormone treatments to encourage eggs to reach maturation in the body.

Ten to 15 eggs are usually extracted from the donor in outpatient surgery. Eggs are then inseminated through in vitro fertilization and implanted in the surrogate mother.

Surrogate parenting is not unique to humans. The coo-coo, cowbird and indigo bird are among species that participate in “breed parasitism,” a behavior in which birds remove eggs from the nest of another species and then leave their own eggs for that species to raise.

Noah Reid, biological sciences Ph.D. student, said birds engaging in breed parasitism try to trick another bird into mothering their chicks.

This allows the biological parents to pass along their genes without investing resources in nest-making and nurturing.

“It’s easier to make an egg than to raise a chick,” Reid said.

Contact Elizabeth Chamberlain at echamberlain@lsureveille.com

serves to have an appointed board member who supports his positions,” she said.

McDaniel’s sudden resignation was surprising, coming more than six months after she had refused a request to step down.

In July, McDaniel resisted calls by the Jindal administration to leave the post after disagreements with Pastorek on budget and management issues. The governor would not say why his top staffers asked McDaniel to leave the position but said then that he was “disappointed” McDaniel had refused to resign.

McDaniel said she didn’t speak to Jindal or his staff Thursday about her resignation before sending the letter.

The governor’s office didn’t respond to questions about McDaniel’s resignation, but Jindal did choose her replacement: Connie Bradford of Ruston, principal of a private school with nearly 700 stu-

BILL HABER / The Associated Press

Gov. Bobby Jindal addresses a news conference June 11. One of Jindal’s school board appointees unexpectedly resigned Thursday.

dents from kindergarten through 12th grade.

“She has extensive professional experience in the education community, and she supports the types of reforms we need to make in our education system so we can give our

students the opportunity to pursue their dreams right here in Louisiana,” Jindal said in a statement.

Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 6

Revelry

Today’s KLSU Specialty Shows: Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation (9 p.m. - 11 p.m.); Hardcore Punk (11 p.m - 1 p.m.) FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

Mardi Gras

fashion

TLE T A T ES TAL LE STY

Layering is essential for Mardi Gras this year, and girls will be using scarves, jackets and leggings, said Jessica Kempainen, manager of Tattle Tales boutique on Highland Road. “Girls want to stay warm but look cute,” Kempainen said. photos by ERIN ARLEDGE / The Daily Reveille

Displays at Tattle Tales boutique on Highland Road showcase current fashion trends.

Dresses in Mardi Gras colors are still a popular option, but ladies will be sporting them with tights, boots and cute jackets.

A striped scarf adds additional Mardi Gras spirit, along with a gold bangle with a purple accent.

A good pair of jeans and a cute shirt are a stylish choice, paired with purple, green and gold accessories. A BB Dakota top and ChiQle jeans get a Mardi Gras touch with a sparkly yellow scarf, a purple and gold bracelet and a green bangle. Cute sunglasses are practical for a day spent outside, along with a new trend, Room It Up coolers. The bags are disguised with pretty floral and polka-dot patterns, but are functioning coolers, which Kempainen suggested could be used both to carry drinks and serve as a purse.

Log on to lsureveille.com to see a day in the life of a University international student making a transition to American culture.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Sports

Friday, February 12, 2010

PAGE 7

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Softball team to start the season playing against two ranked teams

Lady Tigers blow out Florida

Defense allows fewest points ever

By Rachel Whittaker Chief Sports Writer

Right off the Bat

EMILY SLACK / The Daily Reveille

By Jarred LeBlanc

Sports Contributor

It might still feel like winter outside, but the spring season will officially begin today for the No. 18 LSU softball team.

The Tigers will kick off the season today at the Time Warner Invitational in Austin, Texas, with a doubleheader against No. 19 North Carolina at noon and No. 21 DePaul at 2:30 p.m.

LSU will face Texas on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and will begin bracket play at 3:30 p.m. The tournament championship will be Sunday.

“The start is a very aggressive start in Austin,” said

LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “We believe we have the team to compete with anyone that is on our schedule.”

The tournament will feature four of the 50 players who were named to the 2010 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List — LSU senior center fielder Kirsten Shortridge, LSU senior right fielder Rachel Mitchell, North Carolina senior pitcher Danielle Spaulding and DePaul senior pitcher Becca Heteniak.

Freshman pitcher Rachele Fico will earn her first collegiate start for the Tigers against the Tar Heels. The highly touted freshman ended her high school career with a national high school record 26 perfect games.

“She’s definitely stepping up as a freshman, and everyone respects her,” said LSU sophomore pitcher SOFTBALL, see page 11

No. 23 LSU allowed 30 points in almost every game entering Thursday’s matchup at Florida.

But that’s all the Lady Tigers (16-7, 5-6) allowed Florida (13-11, 6-5) in Gainesville, Fla., on Thursday — four days after allowing that output in the first 15 minutes at home against Ole Miss.

The LSU defense stole the show Thursday by surrendering the fewest point total this season since allowing 19 to Centenary in the season opener. Florida’s 30 points were also the fewest the Lady Gators have ever scored in the 32 games played between the teams.

LSU coach Van Chancellor said the dominating nature of the Lady Tigers’ win surprised him.

“I was totally shocked at this score,” Chancellor said in his postgame radio show. “[Florida] beat Mississippi State twice, Tennessee barely beat them and they beat Ole Miss in Oxford, who we can’t beat.

We rebounded, didn’t give up a ton of offensive boards and only had 10 turnovers.”

Florida was held to a seasonlow shooting percentage of 19.6 percent, and the Lady Gators finished just 1-of-19 from 3-point range. Their lone 3-pointer came on a jumper by senior guard Susan Yenser with nine minutes left in the game.

BLOWOUT, see page 11

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Tigers ‘beat up’ heading into Vanderbilt game Team has now lost 10 straight games

By Chris Branch Sports Writer

The LSU men’s basketball team is on empty.

LSU coach Trent Johnson understands why. The team has now lost 10 straight games — its last two by 25 and 26 points, respectively. Injuries to key contributors haven’t helped, either.

“Physically we’re pretty beat

up, and we’re pretty tired,” Johnson said. “Going into the game we had to hold [sophomore forward] Storm [Warren] out of practice.

He’s laboring. I think [senior forward] Tasmin [Mitchell] has hit a wall, so to speak. That’s to be expected with all teams this time of year.”

The injury plague also made its way to junior guard Bo Spencer against Arkansas on Wednesday.

An errant step from Spencer rendered him useless for the second half of the 87-52 beatdown with a sprained ankle. Spencer said he hopes to play Saturday against the

Commodores.

“I’m going to try to tough it out,” Spencer said.

Johnson had a different stance.

The coach was more cautious about Spencer’s availability.

“I don’t know if Bo will be able to go,” Johnson said. “Bo has had his share of ankle problems.

He’s always been a guy who’s needed two or three games to get back to the level we need him to play at. We’ll see.”

The Tigers will seek their ever-elusive first Southeastern SEC, see page 11

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

LSU junior guard Bo Spencer (11) tries to work around Kentucky sophomore guard Darnell Dodson (3) during the Tigers’ 81-55 loss Feb. 6 in the PMAC.

PAGE 8

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Friday, February 12, 2010

GOLF

Men’s team kicks off spring season in Gainesville Team tries to make up for slow start

By Luke Johnson Sports Contributor

The LSU men’s golf team hasn’t played as a unit in more than three months, but the players used their winter break to keep their games sharp.

They kick off the spring portion of their schedule for the Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday, Feb. 13.

Junior John Peterson said the majority of the team members stayed in Baton Rouge during the winter break to work on their games.

“Clayton Rotz stayed here for almost the entire break,” Peterson said. “I came back as early as I could. Josh Jones’ dad works for an airline, so he was flying in here a lot to play. We all got some good work in before school started.”

The team is hoping to build off the success it enjoyed in the last tournament of the fall when LSU won the David Toms Intercollegiate at the Country Club of Louisiana.

Peterson said coach Chuck Winstead wants the team to use the victory as a springboard to success in the spring season.

“Coach Winstead preaches to make success a habit,” Peterson said. “Once we start winning, we should be able to keep winning. If we don’t believe we can win, it’s

probably not going to happen.”

LSU kicked off the season as the No. 12 team in the nation and seemed poised to be a contender for the national championship.

But the Tigers stumbled out of the gates, and by the time their fall season finished, they dropped out of the top 25.

“I know the guys are looking forward to competing,” Winstead said. “I think the main thing we need to do is not get overly pumped-up. We need to ease into this and just go play golf instead of going out there with all these expectations and intensity for the first round of the spring.”

Peterson and fellow junior Andrew Loupe have spearheaded the attack for LSU thus far. But for LSU to be counted among the

nation’s elite, Winstead believes the remainder of the players need to start rounding out their respective games.

“We’re looking to improve across the board,” Winstead said.

“We want better play from the bottom half of our lineup. Obviously the weather hasn’t been great in Baton Rouge, but our guys have been working hard, and we’re looking for better, more consistent play out of our guys.”

Loupe and Peterson have combined to form a formidable duo for the Tigers. Both golfers own below-par averages this season, and each has claimed the only top-five finishes for the Tigers this season.

“They have put the work in — they’ve changed their skill

sets,” Winstead said. “[Peterson] has improved his putting [Loupe] is hitting the ball straighter. I’m looking forward to them having good springs.”

LSU will face a difficult challenge in Gainesville. Florida has won the Gator Invitational for seven consecutive years and started the spring season ranked No. 3 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings.

“LSU might not know this, but we’ve got one of the top-five talented rosters in the country,” Peterson said. “If we win here, we’ll be able to win some more tournaments this spring.”

Contact Luke Johnson at ljohnson@lsureveille.com

BASEBALL

Mainieri excited about talent of team’s middle infielders Dean adjusts from outfield to first base

By Andy Schwehm Sports Contributor

One area of hot contention last season for LSU’s baseball team was a lack of ability to turn double plays, as the Tigers only turned 35 last season.

This season may be a little different.

LSU coach Paul Mainieri is already raving about his sophomore middle infield duo of shortstop Austin Nola and second baseman Tyler Hanover.

“Our double-play combination — that’s as good as you are going to get in college baseball,” Mainieri said. “Hanover and Nola defensively can turn the double play, they have range, they have solid arms and they have consistent hands.”

Both Hanover and Nola said their chemistry throughout fall practice and the first few weeks of spring practice is noticeable.

“We’ve been practicing double plays so much I feel like I could do it with my eyes closed sometimes,” Nola said.

Hanover, who played third base last season, will return to second this year, a position said he has played since he was young.

While he is getting adjusted to life back at second — the fourth position on the scorecard — he will be in another four hole as the cleanup hitter on opening day.

“Every day you try to get better offensively,” said Hanover, a .321 hitter last season. “You hit well — you play well.”

LSU’s middle outfield will be sure-handed and experienced, but the corners may be a little shakier.

Senior Blake Dean will move from his traditional outfield position to first base for the first time in his life, which Mainieri said is a unique situation for a left-handed thrower.

“You are limited to pitcher, first base and the outfield as a left-

J. J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

LSU sophomore infielder Tyler Hanover throws to first base during practice Feb. 2.

hander,” Mainieri said. “His whole career has been as a pitcher and outfielder. So he reluctantly tried first base, almost as a favor to me.

But he’s starting to grow into it and realize that is where his future is.”

At third base, redshirt fresh-

man Wet Delatte will see his first major collegiate action and first full-time action as an infielder.

As a two-time First Team AllState selection at St. Amant High School in Prairieville, Delatte played the majority of his time as

a pitcher because he was the best player on the team.

“He was one of those guys who had the team jump on his shoulders, so he knows how to handle the spotlight,” Mainieri said. “But he needs to get a little more consistent defensively. He’s got the ability to do it, but he’s clearly the best guy we have.”

Mainieri said he will have to be more patient with the two corner infielders as they get adjusted early on in the season and make a few mistakes. He added he knows both players will get better as the season goes on.

In contrast to the relatively new-look infield behind the pitcher, the man behind the plate is someone Mainieri is referring to as the “rock” of the team: junior catcher Micah Gibbs.

“Gibbs is not spectacular defensively. He’s just as solid as can be,” Mainieri said. “He very rarely doesn’t block a ball in the dirt ...

He doesn’t have the strongest arm in the country, but he always seems

to throw guys out in the clutch.”

Gibbs may have a breakout season offensively, Mainieri said.

The Pflugerville, Texas, native had the team’s lowest average among players who started at least 40 games (.294).

“He’s worked extremely hard on his hitting, and he’s had a good preseason,” Mainieri said. “I’d be very surprised if you don’t see his numbers improve dramatically from last season.”

Mainieri admitted he will be looking at Gibbs and Nola to be standout players on the team this year.

“I’ll say this about Micah and Austin Nola: You won’t realize how good those guys are until they are gone,” Mainieri said. “I’ve had teams without a quality catcher or a quality shortstop, and it just puts a team on edge.”

Contact Andy Schwehm at aschwehm@lsureveille.com

Friday, February 12, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 9

TRACK AND FIELD

Tigers will use invitational venue to prepare for NCAAs Henning trying to beat last year’s champ

By Luke Johnson Sports Contributor

The LSU men’s and women’s track and field teams will try to continue their recent strong performances at the Tyson Invitational in the Randall Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville, Ark. The meet will serve as a viable preparation for the LSU teams because both the Southeastern Conference and NCAA championships will

be held at the venue.

The teams will face tough competition for the second consecutive week. The Tyson Invitational boasts 11 top-25 men’s teams and 10 top25 women’s teams competing in the meet.

The No. 4 Tigers will face six other top-10 teams, while the No. 3 Lady Tigers will compete against four other top-10 teams.

The Tigers will once again count on the stellar contributions of junior All-American thrower Walter Henning. Henning was the recipient of the SEC Male Field Athlete of the Week the last two weeks.

He broke his own record at the

New Balance Collegiate Invitational last week by throwing the 35-pound weight 76 feet, 6 1/2 inches. The throw topped his previous personal record which he set the week before.

Henning said he has more than enough motivation for this week’s meet.

“I really do think I throw well there,” Henning said. “And I found out the NCAA champion [in the weight throw] from last year is there, so I’m a little more pumped up for that. Hopefully I’ll get some redemption.”

Henning has become the poster boy of LSU track this season after launching an NCAA-best throw in

each of his last two events, though that title usually belongs to sprinter and football star Trindon Holliday.

Holliday has not competed yet this season in his last year of eligibility, and LSU coach Dennis Shaver said not to expect his coming-out party.

“Trindon at this point of time has — rightfully so — tried to focus on preparing himself for the NFL combine,” Shaver said. “It’s been a lifelong dream of his, and as a track and field staff we’re certainly 100 percent supportive of whatever it is that he wants to do.”

Even without Holliday competing, Shaver figures to have a com-

petitive team thanks to the unexpected efforts of some athletes this season.

Sophomore hurdler Barrett Nugent is returning to the venue that ended his indoor season last year.

Nugent lost his balance when he hit the end of his hurdles and flew into the padded wall the finishers use to slow down.

Read more

about track and field at lsureveille.com.

Contact Luke Johnson at ljohnson@lsureveille.com

UREC

Competition for intramural playoff positioning heats up Basketball regular season ended Thurs.

By Cory Boudreaux Sports Contributor

As students get ready for the Mardi Gras holiday, the competition for intramural playoff positioning is intensifying at LSU University Recreation.

The regular season for intramural basketball ended yesterday,

and playoffs will begin Sunday, Feb. 21, at the UREC Student Recreation Center.

Playoff brackets for co-rec and women’s leagues are already available and can be found on the UREC Web site.

Matt Boyer, UREC assistant director of leagues and tournaments, said teams in the men’s division will also receive advance notice of playoff scheduling.

“We’re doing the [men’s] brackets now,” Boyer said. “We’re putting them online hopefully on

Friday afternoon, so teams will have a week to know when they play.”

Boyer also said LSU UREC has reached a multi-year agreement with Powerade through which the sports drink company will provide, products such as drink mixes and bottled Powerade, for current and upcoming intramural basketball participants. The agreement will provide similar services for intramural flag football teams as well.

Flag football and soccer have fallen behind schedule because of

inclement weather, but Boyer still expects those leagues to finish on time.

“Football and soccer both have had rainouts. We have rescheduled those games and they’re online,” Boyer said. “We’ll finish those as quickly as possible and then start playoffs as soon as possible after the break.”

The ultimate frisbee tournament is scheduled to take place Feb. 21 at the UREC Sport and Adventure Complex at noon. Registration for ultimate frisbee will

conclude today.

Intramural play for basketball, flag football and soccer is scheduled to finish March 10. At the conclusion of the three sports, season play will begin for softball, indoor volleyball and dodgeball.

Read more about

intramurals at lsureveille.com.

Contact Cory Boudreaux at cboudreaux@lsureveille.com

PAGE 10

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Friday, February 12, 2010

Friday, February 12, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 11

GYMNASTICS

Tigers take a break from conference competition

came in and came out with a great score. Now we just need to keep it consistent and continue to build each week.”

The Tigers hope to top the season-high 196.475 they posted last

week, but know they still have not reached their highest potential.

“We still need to work on our consistency, improving our landings and working on our confidence,” said junior Sam Engle.

“But all around, I know last week proved to us that we can definitely compete with anyone.”

The Tigers will also boast the nation’s top ranked gymnast and reigning SEC Gymnast of the Week in senior Susan Jackson.

Jackson posted a career-high 39.725 against Alabama and has now held the No. 1 spot in the allaround rankings for four consecutive weeks.

Jackson now ranks in the top 10 in every individual event, including the No. 1 ranking on the vault. She is fifth on the floor exercise, sixth on the uneven bars and seventh on the balance beam.

The Tigers rank in the top 15 as a team in each of the four apparatuses. They are ninth on the vault, 11th on the floor exercise, 12th on uneven bars and 14th on the balance beam.

Texas Woman’s comes into the

all year.”

The holdovers from last year’s SEC champion squad have bad memories of this Vanderbilt team.

Riding a 13-game conference winning streak, LSU took on the Commodores in Baton Rouge in front of a packed house.

Then A.J. Ogilvy happened.

The senior forward from Australia exploited LSU’s interior defense to the tune of 33 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-67 win for Vanderbilt. The loss began a twogame losing streak to end the regular season.

“I hope we can go in there and do what they did to us,” said LSU

sophomore forward Zach Kinsley.

“I think we can get a win. Everybody else thinks that too. I just hope we get a win.”

Ogilvy isn’t Vanderbilt’s only weapon. Senior guard Jermaine Beal has been a steadying force for the Commodores, leading the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game.

But Beal has not gotten much love from the national media.

“I loved him last year,” Johnson said. “Nobody talks about him.

Again, that’s the same old thing because everybody wants to get caught up in the freshman phenoms. Here’s a guy who’s a senior who knows how to win. He’s

tough. He can guard you. He can pass well. He’s the glue to what they do.”

Kinsley was one of LSU’s few bright spots in the loss to Arkansas.

The Baton Rouge native fired in 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including going 3-of-4 from 3-point distance.

But Kinsley said he didn’t really care about his personal performance.

“It’s frustrating,” Kinsley said.

“I just wish I could have done more in the beginning.”

Before he gets to preparing for Vanderbilt, Johnson wanted to show some love to Mitchell. The

Denham Springs native officially became LSU’s all-time leader in minutes played against Arkansas. Mitchell’s 35 minutes played helped him eclipse former Tiger Garrett Temple’s mark of 4,432 minutes. He has now played a total of 4,446 minutes.

“First, I’m going to congratulate Tasmin on the minutes record,” Johnson said. “It’s not only a tribute to him being a great basketball player, but to him being durable, caring and him wanting to play.”

Team after leading LSU in batting average (.426), hits (80) and stolen bases (26).

North Carolina’s 2009 campaign ended in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Tournament after the Tar Heels lost two games to Georgia.

But Spaulding proved to be one of the best pitchers in the country and is a two-time Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year.

Spaulding led the nation in strikeouts per seven innings in 2009, averaging 14.3 strikeouts every seven frames.

“I’m sure we’re going to get everybody’s best shot and

best pitcher because we’re the highest-ranked team in this tournament,” Girouard said.

DePaul ended its 2009 season after losses to Bradley and Missouri in the NCAA Columbia Regional Tournament.

Heteniak led the Blue Demons in pitching with a record of 26-9 and pitched 252 strikeouts, which ranked No. 30 in the nation. The two-time All-American and twotime Big East Pitcher of the Year also led the Blue Demons with 12 home runs.

Texas lost to Alabama twice in the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional Tournament to end its 2009 season.

The Longhorns’ roster features senior infielder Loryn Johnson, who led Texas in batting average (.403), hits (73), doubles (14) and RBIs (50).

This marks the second consecutive year LSU has started the season on the road. The Tigers traveled to Honolulu, to compete in the Paradise Classic last season and won three of five games in the

tournament.

“We are ready to go out and prove ourselves right off the bat,” said LSU sophomore infielder Juliana Santos. “We’re not as timid as we were last year.”

Sophomore guard Destini Hughes also got the start for LSU, her second straight.

“Destini Hughes was once again outstanding,” Chancellor said.

“This was a really big win for us on the road.”

Four Lady Tigers scored in double digits Thursday, including a season-high 11 points for sophomore forward Courtney Jones and 11 points from fellow sophomore forward LaSondra Barrett.

Senior guard Allison Hightower scored 19 points and extended her streak of consecutive games of converting at least one 3-point shot to nine games, as she went 3-for3 from beyond the arc. Freshman guard Adrienne Webb also made three 3-point baskets on her way to a career-high 13-point performance.

Hightower opened the scoring for LSU against Florida with a layup 10 seconds into the game, and Florida senior guard Lonnika Thompson answered with a layup of her own 35 seconds later.

Florida would get no closer than eight points behind LSU the rest of the night, and the Lady Tigers led by as many as 43 points in the second half.

LSU is still No. 9 in the Southeastern Conference standings, and the Lady Tigers will travel to Auburn (12-13, 3-9) for another road contest Sunday at 3 p.m. Auburn committed 20 turnovers in its 73-58 loss to Arkansas on Thursday night.

Jackson is nation’s top ranked gymnast

By Rob Landry Sports Contributor

Following two consecutive meets against top-five opponents, the LSU gymnastics team will take a break from ranked opponents and Southeastern Conference competition as well.

The No. 11 Tigers (4-3, 2-2) will face Texas Woman’s tonight at 7 p.m. in the PMAC. LSU comes into the meet with confidence riding high following its upset of then-No. 1 Alabama last weekend.

“It was a huge confidence boost for us,” said LSU senior Summer Hubbard. “We said we wanted to build each meet, and we

SEC, from page 7

Conference victory Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., against No. 24 Vanderbilt. The Commodores come into the game on a high after beating No. 12 Tennessee, 90-71, Tuesday.

“Vandy was a team going into the year I knew would be extremely good,” Johnson said. “They have very, very good balance in their classes with the balance of good players and good people. They’re very physical much like Arkansas, much like Kentucky. Seems like everybody we’re playing is playing probably as good as they’ve played

SOFTBALL, from page 7

Brittany Mack.

The Tigers will try to rebound from a disappointing two-game skid which ended the 2009 season against Arizona State in the NCAA Tempe Regional Tournament.

Shortridge and Mitchell led the Tigers in most offensive categories in 2009.

Mitchell, who led the Tigers with 11 doubles and 38 RBIs, was drafted by the Chicago Bandits with the 15th pick in Wednesday’s National Pro Fastpitch College Senior Draft.

Shortridge was named to the 2009 Easton All-American Second

BLOWOUT, from page 7

“Florida was third in the league and playing well,” Chancellor said.

“We jumped out on them and cut off everything they tried to do offensively tonight. That might have been the best defense we’ve had all year.”

Florida turned the ball over 16 times and had no players score in double figures Thursday. Senior guard Steffi Sorensen led the team with nine points.

LSU sophomore forward Swayze Black made her first career start, scoring four points, two rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes of action.

“Swayze Black did not have great stats, but her 20 minutes of post defense was really great for us,” Chancellor said.

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

LSU senior Summer Hubbard performs her routine on the floor Feb. 5 as the Tigers’ defeated then-No. 1 Alabama, 196.475-190.050, in the PMAC.

Contact Rachel Whittaker at rwhittaker@lsureveille.com

meet following a victory against Air Force, Centenary and Northern Illinois in a four-team meet.

The Pioneers’ season high score is a 193.200, which they posted on Jan. 16 against Centenary.

Despite the obvious scoring disparity between the two teams, the Tigers know they must stay focused and compete with a high level of intensity to avoid a postAlabama letdown.

“We just need to do what we did last week in practice,” Hubbard said. “We need to prepare the same way mentally and physically and just get out there and do our best.

We can only give 100 percent so that’s what we’re going to do.”

Contact Rob Landry at rlandry@lsureveille.com

Contact Chris Branch at cbranch@lsureveille.com

Contact Jarred LeBlanc at jleblanc@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Opinion

PAGE 12

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

OUR VIEW

University’s silence on Van Heerden is unacceptable Those students, faculty and staff who were personally affected

by Hurricane Katrina remember the frustration of the years that followed. Countless people across the Gulf South struggled to rebuild their lives, and figures across the spectrum of leadership pointed fingers at each other. We still aren’t exactly sure five years later what went wrong, why it went wrong or who was responsible.

One of the most high-profile — and important — battles from that time flared up again recently.

And Louisianians have a rare, short window of opportunity to get some answers.

Ivor Van Heerden, a former University professor who made national headlines for his criticisms

of the collapsed levees constructed and maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers, officially filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the University and several high-ranking administrators. Van Heerden claims he was forced out of the University because his criticisms of the Corps endangered federal funding.

The accusations in the lawsuit are a shocking summation of suspicions that have existed ever since the professor’s job was put on the line in 2006.

Chancellor Michael Martin said Wednesday most of this situation developed before his time here, and he wouldn’t speculate on it because of the pending lawsuit.

“David Constant and the department head of civil engineering

made a decision,” Martin said. “It seemed to be entirely in correspondence with our policy, and as a consequence, I have to defend their decision unless someone proves to me they were somehow rudely biased or had become criminally insane.”

Whatever the reasons, the University’s silence is deafening. If Van Heerden was fired for any reasons other than the one he claims, no one in any capacity at the University has provided them.

This is, at best, a staggeringly poorly-managed public relations foul-up. At the worst, it’s a tacit admission of overwhelming, obvious guilt on the part of the University.

One thing is obvious: This is not some minor PR headache the

As usual, the comments section of our Web site, lsureveille.com, is abuzz with controversy. Here are a few selections:

wealth as possible with as little regard for their fellow man as necessary.”

-Analogguy

column, “ESP, clairvoyance and miracles real, magic isn’t,” which poked fun at superstitions and belief in the supernatural:

Commentors had this to say about columnist Marcelo Vieira’s Monday column, “Who’s afraid of the socialist bogeyman?” which questioned the recent rhetoric invoking the distinctly American fear of socialism:

A commentor had this to say about columnist Mark Macmurdo’s Tuesday column, “‘Question Time’ should be a fixture,” which praised President Obama and the Republicans for their joint talks:

“‘Believers in the supernatural believe in things outside the domain of reason.’ That’s an empty claim. I could say that it is unreasonable to be a naturalist. Just simply saying that the natural world is the only thing that exists and saying people who believe otherwise are not using reason is not advancing much of an argument. What would contribute to the discussion would be addressing the reasons that supernaturalists have for not accepting naturalism such as the existence of objective moral truths, the existence of the mind and the soul distinct from the body, the origin of the universe, the design of the universe, and the resurrection of Jesus.

For some of the better contemporary arguments concerning supernaturalism and natural theology see William Lane Craig’s Reasonable Faith and JP Moreland’s Scaling the Secular City.”

-Jordan

“Free market Capitalism is the only system in which all individuals are truly free.”

-Anonymous “Anonymous’s comment above should be completed: ‘Free market Capitalism is the only system in which all individuals are truly free’...to gain as much

“Maybe the laughs Obama drew from the crowd were at him, not with him. Also, there needs to be more that ‘an annual discussion with the opposition’ to accomplish any improvement of political discourse in our country and our democracy.”

-Mr. Dillon A commentor had this to say about Wednesday’s staff editorial, “Mainieri must face truth in resemblance to John McCain,” in response to Baseball coach Paul Maineri’s letter to the editor: “Maineri’s letter to The Reveille was priceless. He is the classiest coach at LSU. He knows he should be proud to be included in the Doppelganger Week-kind of like a status symbol. He takes his job seriously but he does not take his position seriously (unlike other coaches on campus). He understands ‘good fun’ and knows he is dealing with students. I salute Coach Maineri-he is the cutest coach on campus!”

-Anonymous A commentor had this to say about columnist Daniel Morgan’s

THE DAILY REVEILLE Editorial Board NICHOLAS PERSAC JERIT ROSER GERRI SAX ELLEN ZIELINSKI MATTHEW ALBRIGHT

Editor Managing Editor, Content Managing Editor, External Media Managing Editor, Production Opinion Editor

the stakes are too high for this matter to be swept under the rug. Either Van Heerden is right, and cowardly administrators silenced him out of loyalty to or fear of some political or bureaucratic machine, or there were legitimate reasons for his forced departure.

At this point, we simply want an explanation and answers.

For now, Van Heerden has presented the most persuasive argument — in that he’s actually presented an argument at all.

Contact the Editorial Board at editor@lsureveille.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

ONLINE COMMENTS

“Love your columns. And to be honest, I think there has been an unfair criticism of socialism, communism or whatever it has been called lately. The hardest hit markets during this “mini recession” are markets with a high tendency to lean towards capitalism. China, one of America’s socialist nightmare, happened to have rebound from the “mini recession” quicker than the US. One is tempted to ask themselves, “What the hell?” China and India are proving everyday that capitalism by itself doesn’t guarantee financial strength.

We shouldn’t just look at the perils of a socialist society but lets also appreciate the merits of a socialist society.”

-Nairobibound

University can weather by remaining aloof. All the people affected by this catastrophe deserve answers.

An out-of-court settlement cannot and will not suffice. If Van Heerden honestly believes the University fired him to silence him, this is not merely a matter of personal injury. It is an intolerable, outrageous affront to the thousands of dead, homeless and still-suffering victims of Katrina, and it is an almost criminal impediment to preventing such a catastrophe from being repeated.

The worst possible outcome of this confrontation for the citizens of New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast is an out-of-court settlement.

The accusations are too grave, and

What do you think? Let your opinions be known on our Web site, lsureveille.com. Every article and column you see in the print edition appears online, and all of it is open to comments. Log on today!

Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at opinion@lsureveille.com

Vegetarian ideals laudable, but can be overstated In regards to Ms. Register’s letter to the editor Wednesday about vegetarian options, I first would like to agree with her about the variety of vegetarian options at the dining halls. As free individuals, we can choose to eat or not eat what we want.

However, Ms.¸ Register seriously needs to get her facts straight in terms of “animals raised for food.” For one thing, stating that everyone should consider not eating meat because of proof she’s seen mistreatment of animals through organizations like PETA is so far from the truth. PETA only shows the most extreme cases of animal cruelty, but, in reality, most farmers raise their animals humanely.

And as to what she mentioned about “the most horrific abuses in the farming world” being the dairy industry is wrong.

Although PETA likes to show the extremes — and that is what circulates through the general public — there are laws over each industry, not just the dairy industry, that set up guidelines and standards that are followed by most farmers.

For example, the dairy farm on our own campus is well-run, and the staff who work there

EDITORIAL POLICIES & PROCEDURES The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, paper or University. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-26 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must have a contact phone number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author.

Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor-in-chief, hired every semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

know proper protocol in terms of what is best for the animals.

I ask you to pass by it one time and even take a tour of it to see how well the cows are treated.

They are not starved or cramped within their living spaces and are treated to prevent diseases at a very young age.

I wish you would open your mind to expand your horizons. I am not asking or telling you to become a meat-eater, like you tried to suggest with vegetarianism, but rather to learn a little bit about these various industries before letting someone or some group’s own opinion shape yours.

Let me ask you this: why would I want to pursue animal sciences as my major if I didn’t love and want the best in terms of welfare for them all? Please don’t make assumptions of society based on one or two organizations; back it up with some research.

Nancy Pesses animal sciences junior

Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at opinion@lsureveille.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY “The truth is more important than the facts.”

Frank Lloyd Wright American architect June 8, 1867 — April 9, 1959

THE DAILY REVEILLE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010

EAT LESS LEARN MORE

Opinion

PAGE 13

Tucker Commission recommendation a good first step Many people have heard the news of the Tucker (Postsecondary Education Review) Commission’s recommendations to state legislature.

The biggest and most notable is the suggestion to consolidate the five panels governing Louisiana’s higher education to two boards of regents.

One board would be for research universities and the other for community and technical colleges.

They must have read my column from last semester — yeah, right.

But seriously, I would like to applaud the effort and thought put into this action.

The vote was only 5 to 4, so it barely passed as a recommendation.

This slim margin is baffling — I guess some people think cluttered bureaucracy is an effective method of function — which is cause for concern because it could indicate a small potential of legislation passing through the state congress and onto Gov. Bobby Jindal’s desk.

Louisiana government has a history of failing big time on many vivid occasions — frozen money, racist or racketeering gubernatorial candidates, etc. The excellence lacking from our elected officials for the years past brings us to a point of extreme adversity in moving toward success as a state, recent athletic endeavors aside.

The Tucker Commission made its recommendations, and now our “carefully” selected legislators have the responsibility of carrying them out. “Our” congressmen have to sort through the complicated task of putting together five panels, who will certainly be stubborn. This task is not just a logistical nightmare — for the elected officials, it’s a political nightmare.

The consolidation can and should end up eliminating degree programs and entire campuses. This would eliminate jobs and collegebased communities — not always popular decisions among constituents, but the perpetuation of the

five-headed Lernaean Hydra (watch Hercules) will perpetuate the substandard academic performance of Louisiana. This lobotomy can result in a bright future for the state.

Legislators might think they’re throwing themselves in front of a political bus, but Matt Lousteau they also might be ensuring the Columnist future of Louisiana. This is a stunning idea, but “I personally believe that” Louisiana legislators should do what is right for the state, and with Herculean effort use the research provided to start lopping off the higher education monsters’ heads.

That was a fun trip down mythology lane, but some finesse work needs to be done. Whether you like it or not, LSU probably has the highest admission standard of the state colleges. This being said, what happens

when LSU falls under the jurisdiction of a board of regents in charge of maybe 10 other schools? What takes precedence: maintaining the strongest link or strengthening the weakest link? Ideally, focus should be placed on both, with the weakest rising to the level of the strongest — crazy, right?

Unfortunately, not everyone sees the long-term benefits of a better higher education, so if legislators have to lose their jobs in the process of fixing our broken state, so be it. I hope the legislators have other jobs or sources of income.

One way or another, money makes the world go ’round. Education depends on it, especially with the increase of technology and the sheer numbers of people coming through schools. Louisiana has a problem with its allocation of tax money to education. Postsecondary education is currently considered discretionary spending along with healthcare. This is the constitutional “epic fail” producing terminations of

the instructors and teachers students actually like in the wake of millions of dollars in raises for the extracurricular coaches.

The Commission did recommend: “The governor, the Louisiana Legislature and the citizens of Louisiana shall consider and approve changes to the constitution that will allow required budget cuts to be allocated across all possible state agencies and not fall disproportionately upon postsecondary education.”

Amen.

It’s not exactly how to do it, but it’s the first step. The committees in congress can figure out how, but they need to do it as soon as possible.

Matt Lousteau is a 20-year-old mechanical engineering junior from Laplace. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_mlousteau.

Contact Matt Lousteau at mlousteau@lsureveille.com

FREKE FRIDAY

‘Edge of Darkness’ best viewed as conspiracy flick Emma Craven (Bojana Novakovic) returns home to her dad Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) during a break from her internship with Northmoor, a privately operated nuclear engineering company. Emma’s nose begins to bleed at dinner, at which point her father rushes to get her to the hospital. She doesn’t make it past the front door of the house.

For a split second, we hear a masked gunman yell “Craven” before unloading a pack of hot lead into Emma with a pump-action shotgun. As she falls on the front porch, the assassin leaps into his getaway car, disappearing in the surrounding darkness.

Initially ruled a missed attempt on Craven’s life, the murder investigation turns labyrinthine when clues hint at possible intrigue. Senators, hit men, industrial terrorists and the federal government all feature in this elaborate plot. Only the Catholic Church and Freemasons escape without a mention in Gibson’s latest film, “Edge of Darkness.”

The conspiracy theory side of “Edge of Darkness” emerges victorious over the revenge side. This results in a film unable to reconcile several diffuse elements. For one, several better vengeance films have been made in recent years. The action scenes are irregularly paced, falling off at several points to make way for expository dialogue. That does not hold up well against lean, efficient romps like “Taken,” which unlike “Edge of Darkness” wastes no time alternating between spurts of bombast and calm. Liam Neeson zipping through Paris was fun to watch, inasmuch as one could withstand the xenophobic undertones.

Moreover, the familial

connection between Emma and Craven is lax. We understand they hadn’t seen each other for years, yet it appears they didn’t know themselves at all. This simply isn’t a case of alienation, but rather indifference — Emma could be anybody’s daughter.

Craven’s make-’em-pay Freke Ette pursuit therefore Columnist becomes obligatory, though several scenes evoke ghoulish satisfaction. Additionally, outlandish roles by Danny Huston and Ray Winstone elevate this leaden sailboat.

The film is more effective at outlining the collusion between government, business and media interests as each attempts to achieve its goals. Here, the government risks a scandal and outsources its cleanup operation to outsiders, no questions asked. Northmoor, meanwhile, obtains political assistance in concealing its own sinister operations. The news channels, which everyone seems to be watching at the same time, continue to report singular events, oblivious to “the bigger picture,” the thread tying the loose narratives together.

Any review of “Edge of Darkness” would be incomplete without a word on Gibson. That the entertainment industry realizes the importance of a celebrity’s public image is seen in the PR ecosystem flourishing around its stars. The latest faux pas produces monumental results: The problem has more often than not been when the controlled image

clashes with what turns out to be the real one. But exceptional cases do occur, as with Gibson.

Gibson was known for playing slightly kooky, vengeful characters.

Audiences had no issues with his portrayal of the distraught father in “Mad Max” and “The Patriot,” the vicious cop with unresolved wife issues in “Lethal Weapon” or the delusional loser in “Conspiracy Theory.”

His present predicament began when his inebriated monologue showed he

might really be no different from the characters in his films. It didn’t help he has a known aesthetic propensity for violence and gore as showcased in “The Passion of the Christ.” In her review of the film, Salon film critic Stephanie Zacharek ventures to ask if “Gibson — who has, at certain points in his career, been a truly marvelous actor — [is] now just playing a slightly crazier version of himself?”

While a reasonable question

to ask, it nonetheless detracts from the simple pleasures of “Edge of Darkness,” a middlebrow conspiracy thriller with unfulfilled aspirations to be a revenge flick.

Freke Ette is a political theory graduate student from Uyo, Nigeria. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_fette.

Contact Freke Ette at fette@lsureveille.com

MISS-SKETCH

LACYE BEAUREGARD / The Daily Reveille

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Classifieds

PAGE 14

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SMILING FACES NEEDED! River Road Day Care is looking for caring employees M-F 2:30 - 6:00.

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Friday, February 12, 2010 MARDI GRAS, from page 1

round.

“We’ve all seen tourists walking around the French Quarter in the middle of the summer with Mardi Gras beads,” she said.

“Those dollars are Mardi Gras dollars and generate tax revenue for the city.”

The city of New Orleans receives a $4.48 return on every public dollar it invests in Mardi Gras, according to the study’s indirect economic impact results. City investment includes overtime paid to police officers, sanitation workers and medical services during Mardi Gras.

Tourist spending — including transportation, hotel and food expenses — had the biggest impact on the study’s results, Weiss said.

Frank Zumbo, general

WEATHER, from page 1

problems traveling when the temperature on the road surfaces is right around freezing, said Bob Wagner, National Weather Service meteorologist.

“Elevated things like bridges and overpasses tend to freeze,” Wagner said. “Those are the areas

BUDGET, from page 1

will be no better than it has been in the past, but I am hopeful there will be no new cuts,” Martin said. “I think the best-case scenario is zero or minimal cuts to be introduced in this legislative session.”

Martin may be hoping against

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 15

manager for the Renaissance Pere Marquette hotel in New Orleans, said the hotel is completely booked this Friday and Saturday and has limited rooms available Sunday.

“Normally our hotel always sells out on Friday and Saturday,” Zumbo said. “But because of Valentine’s Day and the holiday on Monday, more people are off, and it’s made demand for Sunday better than years past.”

Room sales at the Pere Marquette improved each year since Katrina with last year being the best so far, Zumbo said.

“It’s in high demand,” he said.

“Over high demand times, you are able to get a higher average rate.”

Jennifer Lotz, New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau communications coordinator, said they estimated about 1 million visitors came to the 2009

Mardi Gras celebration.

There is a possibility of exceeding that number because of the excitement and continued celebration surrounding the Saints victory in the Super Bowl, she said.

“People want to be in New Orleans right now,” Lotz said. “The economy might not be as big of a factor because of the success of the Saints.”

Zumbo said the Renaissance Pere Marquette was sold out last Saturday and Sunday because of the black-and-gold Super Bowl.

Room rentals increased the night of the Saints’ victory parade as well, he said.

The Super Bowl drew Saints fans to Bourbon Street on Sunday, but the parade riders didn’t notice a lack of attendance.

“There were a lot more people than usual,” said Erin Van Geffen,

accounting sophomore. “Especially downtown. It was packed.”

Van Geffen rode in the Carrollton parade Sunday in New Orleans as the returning queen. She served as the Krewe of Carrollton’s queen in 2009.

“You can’t explain it,” she said. “When you throw beads to people and see their faces light up, it’s so fun. Everyone’s cheering and excited. It’s a different side of Mardi Gras.”

Mark Robinson, geography doctoral student, said the University’s geography and anthropology department will ride in Southdowns parade today for the third year in a row.

“We’re the only department on campus to have a float in the parade,” he said.

Their float, costumes and throws will be geography-themed,

Robinson said. He said the department’s float won an award for the most riotous krewe last year, and they’re planning to win again.

“It’s really nice being a part of the outside community and Louisiana’s culture,” said Robinson, who is from England. “What we do is study people and places, so to participate in that ... it’s nice to be with the people involved.”

Van Geffen said Mardi Gras is more than just a big party, but a family affair. She said her father has been a member of the Krewe of Carrollton since he was 14 years old, and her grandfather is also a longtime member.

“When I was queen, I felt part of old-time New Orleans,” she said.

you’d be likely to have problems.

If there are any, it would be late tonight and tomorrow morning.”

Many schools in Baton Rouge closed after the overnight snowfall in 2008, but the University remained open during final exams.

In 2008, Keim called major snowfall in Baton Rouge a “20 or 30 year event.” Assuming snow-

fall today, Baton Rouge will have seen snow in 2008, 2009 and 2010, something Keim attributed to El Niño.

“If we get some snow, it’ll be the second measurable snow event of the season,” Keim said. “One reason for the active year this year is partly because of El Niño, which creates a scenario that is conducive

to snow-like events.”

Prior to the December 2008 snowfall, Baton Rouge last received a significant amount of snow — a little more than 3 inches — on Feb. 5, 1988, Keim said last year. Baton Rouge previously received about 3 inches of snow Jan. 23, 1940.

The largest snowfall on record in Baton Rouge was in 1895 when

12 1/2 inches of snow blanketed the city, Keim said.

Prior to the 2010-09 winter, Keim said Baton Rouge most recently had two measurable snow events in winter 1973.

hope as the state has a projected budget shortfall more than $1 billion over the next fiscal year.

The Revenue Estimating Conference listens to financial forecasts from the state budget office, the legislative fiscal office.

The panel considers a myriad of factors to unanimously approve an

amount the governor can spend in his budget, said University economics professor Jim Richardson, who sits on the four-person panel.

The governor then releases his general budget, and the legislators will edit and approve the budget during the March legislative session.

“Although tomorrow is a very

important day, we have to remember the governor proposes, the legislature appropriates, so there is a long distance between whatever the governor says he would prefer and what is likely to come out of the other end of the legislature,” Martin said.

Martin said he will pursue greater authority from the legislature to

dictate fees and tuition in the school to make up for lost state revenues.

Raising tuition or fees requires a two-thirds approval of the legislature.

Contact Mary Walker Baus at mwbaus@lsureveille.com

Contact Lindsey Meaux at lmeaux@lsureveille.com

Contact Xerxes A. Wilson at xwilson@lsureveille.com

Friday, February 12, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

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