Daily Reveille — Feb. 5, 2009

NEWS Popular college gossip Web site JuicyCampus shuts down, page 3.

ENTERTAINMENT A professor does his part to help the environment by not using air conditioning, page 15.

SNAPSHOT

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Log on to see photos of Mardi Gras beads.

THE DAILY REVEILLE WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM

Volume 113, Issue 85

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Cuts may force layoffs, decrease course offerings Main campus could see up to $71.9M cut

By Kyle Bove Chief Staff Writer

About 2,000 LSU System employees may lose their jobs if the budget cuts higher education faces next year are as drastic as Gov. Bobby Jindal has projected.

Larger class sizes and fewer course offerings — among other bleak scenarios — are also possible.

POLITICS

Vitter gets vocal, readies base for ‘10

The LSU System responded Wednesday to the Division of Administration’s “budget reduction exercise,” in which the DOA told System officials to outline a plan as if cuts in state funding occurred between about 18 and 30 percent next year.

University administrators have met with faculty to develop plans during the past two weeks.

While the actual amount of the cut won’t be known until later this spring, officials are predicting dramatic changes to the System’s 11 in-

stitutions on any budget cut level.

“It would be a blow not only to all of us who are associated with the campus but a major loss to the state, Log on to see since LSU provides the chancellor such a significant explain the contribution to the budget cuts. state and regional economic development,” said John Lombardi, LSU System president, in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille. “We would also see many programs of high quality seri-

ously compromised, and some might have to be eliminated altogether.”

Including the now permanent $10.3 million in midyear budget cuts, LSU’s main campus in Baton Rouge would see a total budget reduction of about $71.9 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1 if state funds were cut by 30 percent, said Bob Kuhn, associate vice chancellor of Budget and Planning. The

lsureveille.com

LSU System as a whole would see about $208.8 million in cuts under a 30 percent reduction.

Jindal, whose administration ordered a $55 million mid-year reduction for higher education, told colleges to prepare for possible cuts between $212 million and $382 million next year. The Jindal administration is predicting a $2 billion shortfall for the 2009-2010 fiscal year beginning July 1.

“The Governor and the Legislature SYSTEM, see page 10

‘This is the style of class that competes for championships’

By Nate Monroe Contributing Writer

Index

Sports ...................... 11 Entertainment ....... 15 Opinion ................... 20 Classifieds ............... 22

7:20 a.m.

8:20 a.m.

Noon 3:20 p.m.

4:20 p.m.

5:20 p.m.

Weather

VITTER, see page 10

T

EMMETT BROWN / The Daily Reveille

hough it’s only February, it felt like football season around Baton Rouge on Wednesday.

National Signing Day, arguably college football’s version of the NFL draft, had football fans buzzing And at the end of the day, the Tigers were sitting pretty with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes.

See page 11 for complete coverage of everything recruiting.

Broadcasts

Though the notably long and tiresome 2008 national election concluded just more than two weeks ago with the inauguration of Barack Obama, candidates are already racing on another campaign trail — the 2010 election season.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter has DAVID VITTER emerged as a U.S. Senator leading critic of the Obama administration’s cabinet nominations and major policy objectives — an indication he’s already laying groundwork for the 2010 election, according to some political observers.

Vitter introduced a defeated U.S. Senate resolution Jan. 15 that would have prevented the U.S. Treasury from releasing the remaining $350 billion under the Troubled Asset Relief Program to the incoming

TODAY SUNNY

59

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FRIDAY SUNNY

38

70

Log on to see video and photos of fans enjoying the Bayou Bash on National Signing Day. Also visit our interactive map to check out where the recruits are from and read more about them.

SATURDAY PARTLY CLOUDY

49

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THE DAILY REVEILLE

Nation & World

PAGE 2

on the web

LSUREVEILLE.COM

WORLD NEWS

Russia says it wants to help US in Afghanistan

TODAY’S QUESTION:

Are you concerned about your future at LSU because of the upcoming budget cuts?

The Daily Reveille’s administrative server was reset and is causing issues with poll results.

We are working to resolve the problem, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Contact The Daily Reveille at editor@lsureveille.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

Hamas police seize UN food aid in Gaza warehouse

JERUSALEM (AP) — Armed Hamas police broke into a Gaza warehouse packed with U.N. humanitarian supplies and seized thousands of blankets and food packages, officials said Wednesday. It was a rare public clash between the international agency that feeds much of the territory and the militant group that rules it. And the incident highlighted difficulties facing donors seeking to bypass Hamas while helping Gazans survive and rebuild after Israel’s punishing military operation.

MOSCOW (AP) — President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that Russia and its ex-Soviet allies wanted to cooperate with the United States on stabilizing Afghanistan but he appeared to link any help to changes in Western policy. Saying Moscow and its allies “are ready for full-fledged, comprehensive cooperation,” the Russian leader seemed to imply that Moscow’s help on Afghanistan was contingent on a broader list of changes it wants from the new U.S. administration. These include a halt to NATO enlargement in Europe and the cancellation of plans for a U.S. missile-defense system on Russia’s western borders.

GO TO LSUREVEILLE.COM TO CAST YOUR VOTE

NATION, STATE AND CITY BRIEFS

Obama caps executive pay ties to bailout money

TODAY

thursday, february 5, 2009 bcm dinner & tnt worship Every Thursday night. Dinner (free) at 7:15pm.

TNT Worship Service at 8:00pm. The BCM is at the corner of Highland & Chimes. All LSU students invited! lsubcm.org spring fraternity recruitment Atchafalaya Room- LSU Union February 5, 2009 5:00-9:00pm Register for free at www.lsu.edu/greeks send a valentine’s shout-out The Daily Reveille is printing Valentine messages on Friday Feb. 13 log on to www.lsureveille.com and click on the link to print your form. Deadline to place you shout-out is Feb. 11 at noon. Prices start at $5.

Legacy dancers’ hip hop workshop Hatcher Hall basement Sat. Feb. 7, 11:30am-1pm Registration $5 Contact Emmanual or Tamika, ewashi6@lsu.edu or tjett2@lsu.edu

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday imposed a $500,000 cap on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving taxpayer bailout money and promised new steps to end a system of “executives being rewarded for failure.” Obama announced the unusual government intervention into corporate America at the White House, with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at his side. The president said the executive-pay limits are a first step, to be followed by the unveiling next week of a sweeping new framework for spending what remains of the $700 billion financial industry bailout that Congress created last year.

President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner walk to the Grand Foyer of the White House on Wednesday.

Katrina lessons put to use in Kentucky

Better body armor means more weight for troops

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

THE DAILY REVEILLE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Wednesday that lessons the department learned from its disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina are being put to use as Kentucky digs out from a deadly winter storm. In a phone interview with The Associated Press, FEMA director Nancy Ward said the agency started coordinating with state officials early in the crisis instead of waiting for local officials to be overwhelmed.

The Daily Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards.This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes which may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or e-mail editor@lsureveille.com.

POLICIES AND 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. A single issue of The Daily Reveille is free.

To purchase additional copies for 25 cents, please contact the Office of Student Media in B-16 Hodges Hall. The Daily Reveille is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and semiweekly during the summer semester, except during holidays and final exams. Second-class copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, La., 70803. Annual mail subscriptions are $115. Non-mailed student rates are $4 each regular semester, $2 during the summer; one copy per person, additional copies 25 cents each. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Daily Reveille, B-16 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, La.,70803.

CHARLES DHARAPAK / The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) Concerned that U.S. troops are already saddled with too much heavy gear, military officials will not require them to wear improved body armor until manufacturers cut the weight of the new protective plates. The Army plans to buy 120,000 sets of the advanced bullet-blocking plates this year. This initial purchase of the plates, known as “XSAPI,“ will be stocked in Kuwait and be available if commanders need them, service officials said at a congressional hearing Wednesday.

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TECHNOLOGY

JuicyCampus to discontinue operations today Online ad revenue dropped from site

By Leslie Presnall Staff Writer

Students who ignore lectures to read about the biggest sluts on campus and engage in anonymous free speech will have to find another online forum to discuss these topics.

JuicyCampus, a gossip Web site

with content generated by college students, announced Wednesday the site will shut down because of lack of revenue generated from advertisers.

Since October 2007, JuicyCampus had 20 million monthly views and expanded to more than 500 college campuses nationwide.

Matt Ivester, CEO and founder of JuicyCampus, said in an e-mail the Web site had more than 2,600 views a day, but a business can’t survive

and grow without a steady stream of revenue to support it. JuicyCampus’ online ad revenue plummeted, and venture capital funding dissolved.

No charges were ever brought against JuicyCampus, but as online ad spending dropped across the board, the Web site’s leadership made the decision to shut down Monday.

“JuicyCampus’ exponential growth outpaced our ability to muster the resources needed to survive this economic downturn,” Ivester

said.

All other options were considered for keeping the Web site open, according to JuicyCampus’ blog.

As of now, JuicyCampus doesn’t have any plans to return.

Ivester said he will be consulting with some start-ups in the Los Angeles area, and he is already brainstorming his next big Web site, according to the blog.

“JuicyCampus has raised issues that have passionate advocates on

both sides, and I hope that dialogue will continue,” he said. “While there are parts of JuicyCampus that none of us will miss — the mean-spirited posts and personal attacks — it has also been a place for the fun, lighthearted gossip of college life. I hope that is how it is remembered.”

Contact Leslie Presnall at lpresnall@lsureveille.com

GREEK AFFAIRS

Kappa Delta unveils plans for gateway sign as centennial gift Oldest sorority celebrates 100th year

By Mary Walker Baus Contributing Writer

With a pearl white and olive green cake, the sisters of Kappa Delta hosted a birthday party for their sorority, celebrating 100 years of the Epsilon chapter’s presence on campus.

The 90 members, alumnae and University Officials arrived at 7 p.m., with more than birthday wishes on their minds. They came to see the big birthday gift, but it wasn’t a present for the women.

The Epsilon chapter of Kappa Delta unveiled their plans to help fund a centennial gift for the University — a $100,000 gateway sign welcoming the community into fraternity and sorority rows.

“It’s tradition for Kappa Delta to give a gift to the University when we reach a big anniversary,” said Chapter President Me‘For any lissa Gandolfi. organization to “We approached the University be on campus and asked what for 100 years they needed that speaks volumes would be useful, and they about their told us about the commitment to campus gateway project.” the University.’

K a p p a Delta, in coorK.C. White dination with dean of students the Forever LSU campaign, hopes to raise $100,000 in donations to put toward a gateway sign at the intersection of Dalrymple and West Lakeshore Drives, across from the Sigma Chi house. The gateway sign is part of the Wayfinding Project, an orderly structuring of information to help people find their way on the University’s campus, said Assistant Director of Facility Development Jason Soileau.

“It recognizes Kappa Delta’s involvement on the LSU campus,” said Elise Blewster, a member of Kappa Delta’s 1973 pledge class.

“We’ve been an enthusiastic group of women who have contributed to the University for many years.”

The Epsilon chapter of Kappa Delta was established on the University’s campus on Feb. 4, 1909.

The members in the organization’s infant years bought the first sorority house affiliated with the University

in 1911, a tiny house in downtown Baton Rouge near the State Capitol grounds.

“For any organization to be on campus for 100 years speaks volumes about their commitment to the University,” said K.C. White, dean of students.

Kappa Delta is the oldest sorority on campus, and its members feel the tradition of paving the way

for others.

“We hope to set a standard because [the Wayfinding Project] will need a lot of money to reach these goals,” said Gandolfi. “We’re the first sorority to reach 100 years, so we’re setting the bar. We feel the University will use this gift as an example of ways [organizations] can give back.”

The chapter will host more

BENJAMIN OLIVER HICKS / The Daily Reveille

Asst. Director of Facility Development Jason Soileau presents the plans for the Wayfinding Project to the Epsilon Chapter of Kappa Delta. KD is working with Forever LSU to raise money for a gateway sign at the intersection of Dalrymple and W. Lakeshore Drives.

parties in celebration of their centennial anniversary in March, where they will kick off fund-raising for the centennial gift and try to raise money from the alumnae. Kappa Delta hopes

to raise the money for the project in 12 to 15 months.

Contact Mary Walker Baus at mbaus@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

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thursday, february 5, 2009

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SG holds ‘straight talk’ with students in Free Speech Alley Robertson takes questions, complaints

By Adam Duvernay Staff Writer

As students passed in front of the Student Union on Wednesday afternoon, some were lured to the side of Free Speech Alley by free pens, blue books, scantrons and their Student Government representatives.

As part of the continuing “Straight Talk with Student Government” initiative, members of the SG executive staff set up outside the Union on Wednesday to answer student questions and hear suggestions.

The initiative, which began with three similar sessions last semester, was designed to offer students greater exposure to SG executives.

“We feel this has promoted a more positive view of SG and opened lines of communication with students,” said Katie Cicardo, director of student involvement.

Cicardo said last semester’s sessions were beneficial for clearing up student misconceptions of SG and explaining some of the aspects of their campaign platform.

Though SG held a “Straight Talk” session earlier this semester at the Student Organization Fair

on Jan. 21, the two-hour session Wednesday was the first official episode for 2009. It was also the first time this semester SG President Colorado Robertson made himself directly available to student passersby.

“The biggest part of this is promotional,” Robertson said. “There are a lot of services available on campus, and a lot of what we do is letting students know about them.”

Robertson said he established the “Straight Talk” sessions to give students direct answers to their questions without confusion or double-talk.

“We’ll tell you what’s up; we won’t try to sugar coat it,” Robertson said.

When students posed tough questions, if SG couldn’t answer them directly, they took down their contact information and promised to send follow up information.

Those tough questions often involved issues like unfulfilled SG programs, parking and transportation.

“I wanted to ask them about the farmer’s market they proposed last semester,” said Carrie O’Connor, French doctoral student. “It was one of their projects that struck me as unique and important and having them here was really convenient.”

Though Robertson could honestly tell students concerned with

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Senate debates changing rules committee members Consolidated power worries some

By Adam Duvernay Staff Writer

The Student Government Senate convened Wednesday night in the fourth legislative session of the semester where they debated legislation to reorganize the Senate Committee on Rules.

The bill, presented by Speaker Pro Tempore Drew Prestridge, proposed restructuring the SG Senate Committee on Rules to include only the Speaker Pro Tempore and the chairs of the other senatorial committees.

The bill, which was passed after almost 45 minutes of debate, was proposed because of the problems presented when junior senators who sit on the committee are unfamiliar with how senatorial proceedings have traditionally functioned.

“They are just unaware of how the rules operate,” Prestridge said.

“This change would be beneficial to the Senate because so many pieces of legislation do come to the rules committee, and younger senators are often unsure how to proceed.”

Prestridge said he and the other authors of the bill were inspired by the SG Senate at the University of

South Carolina who operate their rules committee with the most senior senators.

Freshman Sen. Curtis Elmore, University Center for Freshman Year, who serves on the Committee on Rules, said he agreed with the proposal because he often feels confused during his committee meetings. Sen. Elmore said he would prefer to serve where he could be better able to affect change.

When the bill passed to the floor for debate, some senators were unsure about putting so much power into the hands of the Senate’s old guard.

“This is dangerous,” said Sen. Parker Wishik, Manship School of Mass Communication. “By putting the most senior senators in charge of the rules, it gives them the power to keep things they way they are most comfortable with.”

Co-author of the bill Sen. Amanda Gammon, College of Arts and Sciences, promised the senate chamber they were not trying to consolidate power.

“We’re not trying to force anyone out or do anything shady,” Gammon said. “Everyone is welcome to attend and can come learn the rules.”

Contact Adam Duvernay at aduvernay@lsureveille.com

the continuing bus system problems that change was coming in the fall semester, complaints about campus parking were met with uncertainty.

“We’re pretty much stuck on what we can do for parking,” Robertson said. “Anyone with ideas should let us know.”

While SG set up shop in one of the most well-traveled parts of campus, feedback from students passing between classes was minimal. A few students walked up to Robertson quickly with comments, but most had to be coaxed by free school supplies.

Robertson said he was used to seeing two kinds of students during events like “Straight Talk” — students who demand things and come directly up to SG, and students who have to be coerced into talking about campus problems.

GRANT GUTIERREZ / The Daily Reveille

Student Government President Colorado Robertson speaks Wednesday with Jason Lynch, business management senior, in Free Speech Alley about concerns students have.

To increase participation during “Straight Talk” last semester, SG handed out Freezie-pops to students. Though it was too cold for Freezie-pops Wednesday, Robertson said he plans to have king cake and

a Zydeco band for the next one.

Contact Adam Duvernay at aduvernay@lsureveille.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 5

FACULTY SENATE

Memorial Day could be next official University holiday Staff Senate opposes changes to calendar

By Ryan Buxton Contributing Writer

A resolution sponsored by the Faculty Senate seeks to make Memorial Day, celebrated the last Monday of each May, an official University holiday.

But the creation of this holiday would require the loss of one of the current 14 annual holidays allowed by the state, and that possible change has drawn a negative response from the Staff Senate.

Faculty Senate Resolution 0816, sponsored by Senator Edward Laws of the School of the Coast and Environment, cites the military service of University faculty, staff and

students as reason to officially observe the holiday.

“As a public institution heavily dependent on state and federal tax dollars, LSU should observe Memorial Day fully and annually,” the resolution explains.

But the Staff Senate disagrees with this idea because of the logistical problems it would cause.

University employees are allowed 14 holidays per year. The designation of Memorial Day as an official holiday would require one of the other holidays to become a regular work day.

“Our holidays are locked in.

We have a mandated number from the state,” said Patricia Beste, Staff Senate president.

Beste stressed the staff isn’t against the celebration of Memorial Day but rather the choice that would

have to be made regarding giving up a holiday.

“We’re all in favor of paying tribute to our men and women in uniform,” Beste said. “But there’s not an easy way to make this choice with the locked in days that we have.”

As both senior associate registrar and Staff Senate President, Beste has a unique perspective on the situation. She said a calendar change would be a serious decision and a hard choice to make.

“The initial idea was that it would come from one of the Christmas holidays,” said Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope.

University employees get seven days off for Christmas and the New Year. But Beste said there is not much leeway with those days, and giving up one of them would be

difficult.

Cope acknowledges it would be a tough decision and said the resolution has been revised.

“The new version, after discussion, says that it would be up to the University to decide which day [would be given up],” Cope said.

The resolution now directs the administration and registrar to consider what holiday would be appropriate to sacrifice, Cope said.

Beste said it is appropriate that the staff be involved in exploring this idea because a Memorial Day holiday would affect all staff members but few faculty members, as it would take place during spring intersession when many faculty members are not on campus.

“I’m very pleased that they recognized the role the staff plays in this decision-making process,”

she said.

To make time for discussion between the senates, the resolution was tabled at the faculty’s last meeting.

“I think the faculty has decided, by tabling the motion, not to do anything at all until the conversation with the staff occurs,” Cope said.

“The faculty is hesitant to make a bold move without consulting staff.”

Cope said if talks between faculty and staff go well, the resolution will have its second formal reading and be held to a vote at the faculty meeting in February. If it passes, University administrators would then decide whether or not to implement the policy.

Contact Ryan Buxton at rbuxton@lsureveille.com

TRANSPORTATION

More than 23,000 red light citations issued since Feb. ‘08 21 cameras in place in Baton Rouge

By Joy Luckachick Staff Writer

Hollis Carter now thinks twice before pressing the gas pedal harder to drive through an intersection after the light turns yellow.

When the biology sophomore was caught on camera running a red light at the Nicholson and Burbank Drives intersection, a ticket was mailed to her home address.

“I didn’t remember [running the light]” Carter said. “I thought it was sneaky as hell.”

The Baton Rouge Police Department has issued nearly 23,000 citations since the Red Light Safety Program installed the first camera last February on Sherwood Forest Boulevard at Coursey Boulevard.

The Traffic Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works put 21 red light cameras in place at 14 intersections within the city limits, said traffic engineer Sarah Paul-Edel.

Paul-Edel said the video cameras monitor 24 hours a day, and when a driver runs a red light the video flashes and freezes the image.

The cameras were installed as a safety measure at high volume traffic intersections, Paul-Edel said.

“I took the crash records for the parish from 2005 through 2007,” she said. “[I] analyzed and looked for locations that had the highest percentage of crashes.”

One of the biggest traffic violations is from drivers turning right before stopping at the red light, PaulEdel said. The camera is triggered when a driver crosses the white stop bar.

But the department doesn’t know if the program has decreased the amount of traffic accidents. PaulEdel said they are tracking the accidents but have to wait until a full year has passed to prove any success.

Some of the cameras came online in

August, she said.

Plummer, Mayor-President Kip The 24-hour cameras are in Holden’s assistant chief administraplace only to monitor drivers, but on tive officer. occasion, the police have asked to “We will be reporting them to see the surveillance, Paul-Edel said. the Credit Bureau,” Plummer said.

Only once were Baton Rouge police The city does not pay anything able to use evidence for the program, from a camera to Plummer said. ATS find a hit and run on provides all the College Drive. cameras and is paid A first-time vifrom their percentolation for the civil age of the revenue. offense is $117, and Red light cama second offense eras have raised Bonnie Sesolak within 12 months is controversy, and development director, $167. The offense states including does not go on a National Motorists Association South Carolina driver’s record, she have shut down said. their programs after Sixty-five percent of the rev- problems arose, said Bonnie Sesoenue generated from tickets goes lak, National Motorists Association back to the Traffic Engineering Divi- development director. sion, and the other 35 percent goes “We are staunchly against [the to American Traffic Solutions, Paul- cameras]” Sesolak said, explaining it Edel said. would be more beneficial for states But the city has only collected to reduce accidents by extending money from 40 percent of the driv- the yellow light and improving the ers who received tickets, said Irma light’s brightness.

‘‘

‘We are staunchly against [the cameras].’

Sesolak said states are speeding up the yellow lights to increase the state’s revenue. A yellow light should never be fewer than three seconds, she said.

The time for Baton Rouge cameras is set by a formula, Paul-Edel said. “[Intersections] are all different.” Paul-Edel said. “It’s a formula based on the speed-limit and the width of the intersection.”

Josh Weiss, ATS director of communications, said the camera

company looks at three different shots before sending the ticket to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. The three pictures show the car before it enters the red light intersection, as the vehicle is under the light and a picture of the license plate.

“We don’t issue any citations,” Weiss said. “Local officers get to review and decide,” Contact Joy Luckachick at jluckachick@lsureveille.com

PAGE 6

THE DAILY REVEILLE

thursday, february 5, 2009

CURRICULUM

General studies, biology among most popular majors Career Services: Preparation is key

By Lindsey Meaux Staff Writer

Michael Yoches is a freshman majoring in computer engineering and, with years of undergraduate classes to look forward to, he’s starting to wonder about the job market that will meet him upon graduation.

“I’m actually worried about finding a job right now,” Yoches said. “It’s hard to find a job with all the job layoffs.”

General studies, biological sciences and mass communication were the most popular majors for the 2007-08 graduating class, according to data from Office of Budget and Planning— but, according to Assistant Director of Communications for Career Services Sara Crow, a student’s major holds little weight over the job market they will meet upon graduation.

“Sometimes students don’t really know what they want to do, and you kind of need to figure out what you want to do before you can find a job and be happy with it,” Crow said. “You need to be networking throughout college,

‘I started researching [petroleum engineering], and I liked it.’

‘I just wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.’

Jacob Bourgeois

Bliss Maginnis

petroleum engineering sophomore

communication studies senior

and you need to be getting job experience throughout college.”

Within recent years, Crow said survey has indicated 99 percent of University graduates have a “definitive plan.” Crow defined a definitive plan as either having a full-time job, having offers of a full-time job or being in graduate school.

“Collectively, our graduates are not having trouble finding jobs,” Crow said of data collected from the graduating students survey administered to graduates within six months of graduation. “I don’t know that there’s a particular field that’s having a whole lot of trouble.”

Business administration and management/commerce, psychology and nursing are among the “Top 10 College Majors” according to data from The Princeton Review.

According to Stacia Haynie, vice provost of Academic Affairs,

while biological sciences is among the most common majors students graduate from, it is also one of the majors most frequently changed. “[Freshmen] come in with the hopes of pursuing a medical career, and then those students face curriculum that involve mathematics and sciences, and I think they are not as interested in that curriculum,” Haynie said.

Jacob Bourgeois, sophomore, said he has changed his major twice because did not like the required classes.

“I live around it, and I grew up around it,” Bourgeois said of his newly discovered petroleum engineering major. “I started researching it, and I like it.”

Haynie partially attributed students changing majors to the general education curriculum required by the University.

“They have been exposed to that curriculum and find that they have a really significant passion

ENVIRONMENT

RecycleMania begins at LSU University competes with 10 SEC schools

By Peter Hubbs Contributing Writer

The University gained a new form of SEC competition last week — recycling.

The University joined 509 other schools, including 10 other Southeastern Conference members, as part of the 2009 RecycleMania Competition, which measures schools’ recycling rates, amounts of recyclables per person and amounts of solid waste per person, according to the RecycleMania Web site.

“LSU is competing in the SEC division,” said Andres Harris, Facility Services manager. “We are in the Per Capita Classic, which measures the amount of recyclables per person, including students and staff.”

The University can’t measure the amount of non-recycled trash it produces, so it can’t enter the other categories requiring this statistic, Harris said.

“The company that collects our recyclables weighs the total for us,” Harris said. “But we have no way of measuring all of the different collections of our trash throughout the week.”

Harris said this competition is one more step to a cleaner campus.

“Recycling is going up,” Harris said. “The University has gone from 45 recycling bins to 71 since 2006.”

A new recycling company helped this trend by allowing the University to “co-mingle” recyclables — mixed paper, aluminum, cardboard and plastic Harris said.

During the first week of the competition, the University collected 57,750 pounds — 26.25 tons — of recyclables for 35,347 people, according to Harris.

“Residential life helped out on this by placing bins in all of the lobbies and on every floor of the residence halls,” Harris said.

Students have helped RecycleMania’s efforts through service learning projects in environmental management systems courses, according to Lina Kruth, environmental management systems senior and member of the Environmental Conservation Organization.

“RecycleMania will hopefully have a significant impact on campus,” Kruth said. “According to recyclemania.org, 80 percent of RECYCLING, see page 8

or interest in it,” Haynie said. “I think most of them are a convergence of a students’ talents and passions.”

Mitch Malone, general studies sophomore, said he has changed his major once because his initial instinct was for the sake of having “something to put on the application.”

Every student — regardless of their major — is required to take general education core classes by state statute. The statute distributes 39 general education hours over six major areas, Haynie said.

“We have a very broad-based curriculum so they can be exposed

to all they would be exposed to in a lifetime,” Haynie said.

Bliss Maginnis, communication studies senior, has changed her major three times. The list of majors she’s tried her hand at includes art history, her present minor.

“I just wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” Maginnis said. “I took a communication class, and I figured out that [it] was the perfect fit.”

Contact Lindsey Meaux at lmeaux@lsureveille.com

thursday, february 5, 2009

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thursday, february 5, 2009

VET SCHOOL

Mike the Tiger to make appearance at open house Event scheduled for Sat., open to public

By Matthew Barnidge Contributing Writer

Just as the School of Veterinary Medicine’s annual open house will showcase the school’s latest technologies, it will also be a chance to display its most prized patient, Mike VI, for the first time.

The School of Veterinary Medicine will hold its 27th annual open house Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Veterinary Medicine Building. The event is open to the public and admission is free.

Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the various features and events. Some of the features at the open house include a petting zoo, a “parade of breeds” showcasing adoptable pets from local shelters, a cancer treatment unit, a raptor rehab unit that cares for wild birds of prey and an equine treadmill.

This year’s theme is “Where’s Mike?,” which stands as a metaphor for the ever-present spirit of the University and the prevalent role that veterinarians play in the community.

“The spirit of Mike just stays with you,” Lauren Orvin, third-year vet student and student event cochair, said.

Just as Mike defines the spirit of the University, the Vet School wants to show a spirit of community that defines their profession. “[Veterinarians] impact so many areas of our life that many people aren’t even aware of,” Gretchen Morgan, Public Programs Coordinator, said.

The open house will raise public awareness of veterinary medicine, draw attention to issues concerning animals and showcase the recent developments and technologies of the field.

Perhaps the most prominent feature will be the vet school’s new mobile diagnostic and treatment unit, which enables vet students to

study in rural areas and serve outlying communities. One of the most popular features with children is the teddy bear repair center, where vet students operate on and repair stuffed animals.

Mike VI will be in front of the Veterinary Medicine Building from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Erin Daniels, third-year vet student and student event co-chair, said the event also serves to maintain ties with alumni and to attract vet students from the University as potential employees. She said she partly based her decision to attend vet school on her experience at a previous open house.

“I had been to the open house before I was a vet student,” she said.

“I was really amazed by everything the vet school did,” David Senior, Vet School Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, said that the open house provides more than just family entertainment.

“It’s a wonderful educational

photos courtesy of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

Visitors watch a demonstration of the equine treadmill March 3 at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine at its 2008 open house.

experience for people and families really enjoy it,” he said. “It helps people connect with animals.”

Morgan said donations from animal food and pharmaceutical companies provide most of the funding for the event.

“The overall purpose of the open house is to let people see what

STATE

Legislature debates insuring HPV vaccine Some argue it may increase promiscuity

By Nichole Oden Staff Writer

Louisiana legislators are debating whether insurance companies should be forced to cover the Human Papilloma Virus vaccine because some feel it may promote youth promiscuity. But advocates champion the vaccine’s health benefits.

The state has the right to require everyone with health care to be covered for certain vaccines.

Many companies currently cover the HPV vaccine even though it’s not required.

Though health insurance is sometimes covered by private employers, some government health plans, such as Medicare and Medicaid, are partially funded through taxes.

The vaccine, commonly known as Gardasil, protects against four types of HPV, according to Hope McPhatter, Student Health Center wellness education coordinator.

Only about 30 percent of HPV types are not protected against by the vaccine, McPhatter said.

She said the most common

RECYCLING, from page 6

participating schools have noted an increase in recycling.”

The RecycleMania Web site has not yet ranked competing schools because each school uses the first two weeks as trial runs.

“Hopefully we will use our rivalry against other SEC schools, especially Auburn, who has one of the top recycling programs, to help accelerate and increase recycling ton-

types of HPV could cause genital warts, but more severe strains could cause cervical cancer.

McPhatter said the vaccine is most effective in girls ages 11 to 12 and is no longer effective for women over age 26.

“The whole target of the vaccine was to have parents get their children vaccinated because it’s more effective when they’re young,” said Lauren Drugiz, international diplomacy sophomore.

Richard Nelson, mass communication professor and ethics expert, said there are two important sides of this issue. On one side, people need to consider that U.S. taxpayers would be paying for the insurance.

The other side of the issue is concerned with the health consequences of not receiving the vaccine. Julie Mickelberry, planned parenthood representative, said no evidence shows that girls who received the vaccine became more sexually active.

“The vaccine should be accessible to everyone,” Mickelberry said. “We have an opportunity to fight against cervical cancer, so we should take advantage of it by insuring the vaccine.”

Mickelberry said statistics show about 50 percent of girls be-

come sexually active before graduating from high school. This is why it is important for girls to receive the vaccine at a young age.

“Parents should make sure that their daughters are vaccinated before they become sexually active,” Mickelberry said.

Nelson said some people believe it’s best to make sure children are protected from HPV because parents can’t completely control their children’s decisions.

Jeanne Parr, communications studies senior, agrees with Nelson.

“If people want to have sex, they’re going to do it anyways,” Parr said. “It’s better to be protected.”

McPhatter said the disease is spread through genital contact — usually sex.

Some people morally feel the vaccine isn’t appropriate to insure.

“I agree with the fact that it promotes underage sex,” said Kayla Kron, child and family studies freshman. “If girls get the vaccine, they can sleep with whoever they want and at least not have to worry about [HPV].”

Nelson said although girls who receive the vaccine may not be concerned with contracting HPV, contracting STDs is still a concerning issue.

nage,” Kruth said.

The University has not added any special collection centers in addition to the new one placed in the residence halls, according to Harris.

“We are just showing our regular numbers,” Harris said.

Collection continues for the next eight weeks and includes items recycled at University sporting events, Harris said.

RecycleMania started in 2001, but the University entered for the

first time this year, according to RecycleMania’s records.

Winning universities do not receive a physical prize. The competition intends to “increase recycling participation by students and staff” through “a fair and friendly recycling competition,” the RecycleMania Web site said.

Contact Peter Hubbs at phubbs@lsureveille.com

“A vaccine isn’t going to change the way somebody behaves completely,” Nelson said.

Mickelberry said doctors who give the vaccine can teach girls about protecting themselves against STDs. “The vaccine gives teens the tools to protect themselves before they ever become sexually active,” Mickelberry said.

Contact Nichole Oden at noden@lsureveille.com

we do every day,” Orvin said. “It actually brings people in the community into our educational environment.”

Contact Matthew Barnidge at mbarnidge@lsureveille.com

thursday, february 5, 2009

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 9

PAGE 10 VITTER, from page 1

Obama administration.

Six days later, Vitter was one of only two U.S. Senators to vote against Hillary Clinton’s confirmation as secretary of state.

Vitter has also voted against confirming other key Obama administration cabinet members, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Attorney General Eric Holder, both Democrats.

And Vitter has made media appearances playing opposition to Obama’s proposed stimulus package and other major legislation — even making a high-profile trip Monday with fellow Republican U.S. Senators to Guantanamo Bay to protest Obama’s executive order closing the detention facility.

To Bob Mann, political communication professor, Vitter’s recent actions — a stark contrast to the oncelow-key senator in the aftermath of the D.C. Madam prostitution scandal — make it “abundantly clear” he is positioning himself with his base in Louisiana in preparation for the 2010 election.

“Vitter’s in this period right now where he can’t rest,” Mann said.

Mann said Vitter’s conservative opposition provides “red meat” for his Republican base in Louisiana, crowds out potential challengers for the Republican nomination and, most importantly, keeps his involvement with the D.C. Madam prostitu-

SYSTEM, from page 1

have been strong in their support of higher education, and we know that they will find these consequences outlined in the budget reduction scenario unacceptable,” Lombardi said.

“Nonetheless, we were required to demonstrate how such reductions would impact our institutions, and that is what the document provides.”

The document does not list in what specific departments layoffs would occur because the document presents a “what if” scenario, said Chancellor Michael Martin. Until the state budget is finalized by the Legislature, no decisions will be made regarding where, or how many, layoffs will occur.

About 650 System faculty and more than 1,250 support employees

THE DAILY REVEILLE

tion scandal out of headlines.

Political communication professor Regina Lawrence said while such a partisan strategy would be politically “disastrous” in many other parts of the country, Louisiana was one of the few places where the Republican Party made gains in the 2008 elections, so Vitter’s strategy makes sense.

“He can win most Republicanleaning voters by running against Obama and the Democratic majority.

And who cares ­— from his perspective — what the other consequences may be?” Lawrence said.

Kirby Goidel, director of public policy research for the Manship School of Mass Communication, said Vitter has little to lose by “opposing things that are going to happen anyway,” like Clinton’s confirmation as secretary of state.

Vitter also has a formidable election war chest, Goidel said, which leaves potential challengers for the Republican nomination already at a disadvantage, but Vitter still needs to convince “moneyed” potential supporters who are hanging back to see if a stronger conservative leader emerges.

“He needs to show his value to the state,” Goidel said.

Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, are two frequently mentioned potential challengers for the Republican nomination.

Mann said focusing on Obama also benefits Vitter because it keeps questions about his involvement in the D.C. Madam scandal out of the political conversation.

“He keeps kicking the can down the road,” Mann said.

Whether the scandal will play a major role in 2010 is still unknown, but reports about an effort to draft a pornographic actress and Baton Rouge native, Stormy Daniels, to run against Vitter in the Republican primary have reintroduced Vitter’s past troubles into headlines.

The group’s Web site — DraftStormy.com — has a disclaimer stating the site is “not authorized

by Stormy Daniels or Wicked Pictures.”

The origins of the groups and those behind it are still unknown.

“These are challenging times, and Louisiana needs serious leadership. The voters in Louisiana are concerned with issues that affect their everyday lives, not political stunts,” said Republican Party spokesman Aaron Baer in response to the Stormy Daniels movement.

Democratic Party spokesman Scott Jordan said the Louisiana Democratic Party has no involvement with the Web site.

Mann said the movement is more likely to create a backlash.

“It’s not a respectable way to challenge him,” Mann said.

Goidel and Mann concluded, though, that Vitter emerged from the

could be terminated or laid off under budget cuts, Lombardi said. Nearly 78 percent of the University’s operating budget is associated with payroll and employee benefits.

Lombardi said if the budget cuts are put into effect, the results could be damaging. “[The LSU System] will no longer be capable of competing among America’s significant public university systems, its flagship will lose its place in the competition among American flagship institutions, and its campuses and medical enterprises will find themselves dramatically behind the rest of the South, let alone more prosperous and economically vibrant areas of the country,” Lombardi said.

Martin said students and faculty need to know the document is only a

projection.

“We went through an exercise to say, ‘Under the gloomiest of scenarios, are there ways we believe we can retain the core integrity of this university?’” Martin said. “The answer to that is probably — but not certainly.”

Martin said he hopes President Obama’s stimulus package is passed in the Senate. The stimulus package could relieve some of the stress on higher education in Louisiana.

Contact Kyle Bove at kbove@lsureveille.com

scandal remarkably untainted — and both pointed to former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned in the wake of a prostitution scandal in March, as an example of what could have happened to Vitter.

“He counted on the press not doing its job, and he won that bet,” Mann said.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S TOUGH ROAD Nate Silver, polling analyst and owner of the nationally-known FiveThirtyEight.com, ranked Vitter 19th out of 35 on his Senate rankings list, a list ranked in the order of the likelihood the incumbent loses.

Silver wrote he’s skeptical of the Democratic Party’s chances of taking Vitter’s seat.

“This is also one of those states that is trending away from the Democrats, with Barack Obama having

thursday, february 5, 2009 lost badly on Election Day and Mary Landrieu having a somewhat closer call than the polling anticipated. [It is] worth exploratory efforts on the part of the Democrats but, unless they find a compelling candidate somewhere, unlikely to be a top-tier race,” Silver said.

Goidel agreed the seat will be tough for Democrats to take in a state where “even Democrats have to show conservative credentials.”

But he added that Democrats do have some reasons to be hopeful.

Scandals, Goidel said, are the No. 1 reason incumbents lose their seats. He added that a Democrat can win statewide — using Landrieu as an example — and the important issue is finding the right Democrat to run.

Contact Nate Monroe at nmonroe@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Sports

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

A Sign of the Times

PAGE 11

photo courtesy of Leesville Daily Leader

JIM HUDELSON / The Shreveport Times

KITA WRIGHT / The Associated Press

Rueben Randle of Bastrop High School signs a national letter of intent Wednesday to play at LSU. Twenty five players signed letters of intent for LSU.

LSU’s 25 high school commitments rank recruiting class in top-10 again

By Tyler Harvey Sports contributor

As another National Signing Day comes and goes, LSU football coach Les Miles can celebrate.

The Tigers have once again locked up one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, rated as the No. 2 class by Rivals.com and No. 3 by Scout.com.

“Coach Miles and his staff have done

a great job of going out and getting the best players in the country,” said LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva.

Fans didn’t have to wait long for some Signing Day surprises, as LSU lost two long-time wide receiver commits in Kenny Bell and DeAngelo Benton.

Benton was a member of the 2007 LSU recruiting class but has been

academically ineligible the last two years.

He signed with Auburn early Wednesday morning.

Miles said Benton did not have a scholarship offer.

“I thought about DeAngelo and made some hard-pressed decisions with him, and I wish him the very best for him to go on and get his degree and have a great career,”

photo courtesy of The Index Journal

[Top to Bottom] Michael Ford, running back from Leesville High School, is one of two running backs who signed letters of intent Wednesday to play at LSU. Fair Park High School’s Morris Clairborne signed his letter of intent Wednesday with his mother, Opal, by his side. Clairborne is listed as an “athlete.” Sam Montgomery of Greenwood High School was the second to last player to sign a letter of intent for LSU.

RECRUIT, see page 19

RECRUITING

Tiger faithful flock to 2009 Bayou Bash

By Michael Lambert Sports Contributor

More than 3,000 excited and hopeful Tiger fans celebrated the future of LSU football at the 14th annual Bayou Bash, watching LSU lock up high-profile recruits like Rueben Randle, Russell Shepard and Craig Loston.

Fans watched highlights of the prospects, looking forward to the day the recruits will trade their high

lsureveille.com

Log on to see fans from Wednesday’s Bayou Bash.

school colors for purple and gold.

“A lot of these players see themselves wearing purple and gold long BASH, see page 19

EMMETT BROWN / The Daily Reveille

Fans at the Bayou Bash on Wednesday celebrate the top-5 recruting class. The incoming class is ranked No. 2 by Rivals.com

PAGE 12

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thursday, february 5, 2009

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Mitchell, Thornton score 57 in 18-point win at Georgia Tigers wear down Dawgs in second half

By David Helman Sports Writer

Senior guard Marcus Thornton and junior forward Tasmin Mitchell continued a month-long trend Wednesday night, leading the LSU men’s basketball team to an 80-62 win against Georgia (9-13, 0-7).

The pair combined for 57 of LSU’s 80 points. Thornton led all scorers, continuing a month-long shooting streak by hitting 11-of18 shots from the field for 30 points. Mitchell added 27 points and nine rebounds.

“I don’t know if superb is the performance you would say, but offensively two guys did carry us,” said LSU basketball coach Trent Johnson in a postgame radio interview. “The most important thing is that you find ways

JOHN CURRY / The Associated Press

Georgia’s Chris Barnes (top) fights LSU forward Tasmin Mitchell (lower right) for a rebound during the second half of Wednesday’s game at Georgia.

to win, and I thought we did ...

I just think that from the standpoint of us coming in here, on the

road, and being able to methodically wear a team down and win a game at this level is good.”

The win caps a high-scoring month for LSU (18-4, 6-1). The Tigers own a six-game conference winning streak since dropping the conference opener at Alabama. LSU is averaging 81.2 points per game since Jan. 14, an offensive outburst largely fueled

by Mitchell and Thornton.

Mitchell has averaged 19.2 points and eight rebounds since the loss to the Crimson Tide, while Thornton is averaging 23 points per game. The win against Georgia marks Thornton’s third 30-point outing in the past five games and his fourth 29-point game in the same span.

“They’re a handful,” Johnson said. “And the thing I like about them both is that Marcus made three really good decisions in turning down some shots in transition that he usually would have shot a week or two weeks ago ... Uncharacteristically, Taz at times took a couple of bad shots, but their light is green, and they’ve earned my trust. When

they get it going like that they can take a couple of bad ones.”

Georgia fired head coach Dennis Felton after an 0-5 start to conference play, but interim head coach Pete Herrmann has not improved the Bulldogs’ fortunes.

The loss to LSU puts Georgia on a nine-game losing streak, and the Bulldogs have yet to win a game in 2009.

“I liked how they were in the locker room immediately after the game,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t a bunch celebration, it was like we expected to win. But also they know that they didn’t play well and certain guys need to get in the gym and work hard.

We’re getting there, and we took another step in terms of improving every game.”

Contact David Helman at dhelman@lsureveille.com

WOMEN’S BAKETBALL

Graham expected to start tonight against Arkansas Chancellor: team ‘through being young’

By Rachel Whittaker Sports Writer

The LSU women’s basketball team has had a slew of lineup changes in the couple of weeks, with senior Kristen Morris and junior Andrea Kelly consistently seeing more playing time.

But a familiar face from early in the season will provide some stability in the starting lineup tonight against Arkansas.

LSU sophomore guard Katherine Graham, who suffered a knee injury Jan. 14 and missed three conference games, is scheduled to start tonight for the first time since returning from injury. She said the team needs a new attitude if it wants to come away with another win against the Razorbacks.

“We need to step it up and come into each game more assertive and more aggressive,” Graham said. “I felt we were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. Arkansas has gotten a lot better. We need to understand that — take advantage of every possession.”

LSU women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor said his team is “through being young,” and will need a more mature mind set if the Lady Tigers want to walk away with its second win against the Razorbacks this season. LSU (11-8, 4-3) beat Arkansas, 62-42, in Fayetteville, Ark., in January.

“Arkansas is playing ungodly well — I mean really well,” Chancellor said. “Their record might not show it, but they have played Auburn, Tennessee and Vanderbilt tooth and nail. They won at Mississippi State, who is a very good basketball team.

This will be a tough test because we are playing an entirely different team [since we last faced them].”

Chancellor said the Lady Tigers need to avoid repeating costly mistakes they’ve made on the court.

“I would like for this team somehow to quit making the same mistakes over and over,” he said.

“Bounce pass the ball to a post player on the break, and in 3-on-2 get a layup, not a 15-footer. We’re at a period in time right now when I don’t think we should be making these same mistakes we’ve been making.”

And Chancellor hopes adding more experience to the lineup will help limit those mistakes. He said the Lady Tigers’ lone senior, forward Kristen Morris, has been a valuable force in practice for the Lady Tigers.

“I thought Kristen Morris was outstanding today,” Chancellor said Wednesday. “She had a phenomenal practice.”

Morris had her first significant action of the season when she came off the bench Jan. 25 against Kentucky. She scored eight points, 10 rebounds and a career-high four blocks in 23 minutes.

She was LSU’s leading scorer with 14 points, one shy of her career high, on 6-of-12 shooting in Sunday’s loss to Auburn. She also had two blocks, seven rebounds and a career-high four steals.

Morris said she is “just trying to leave a mark” on the team in her last season, and the Arkansas squad will make for a tough task in the teams’ second matchup this year.

“We blew them out in their house,” Morris said. “But they’re playing a whole lot better than they were before. We can’t have another dropoff — Mississippi State was a loss we really didn’t want to take. We want to make sure we don’t have any more losses like that.”

Morris acknowledged the team

has sometimes struggled to play as one unit this season.

“As a team, we’re not on the same page — I can admit that,” Morris said. “We all have to be determined when somebody makes a mistake or misses a block to get [the ball] back, get an offensive rebound or whatever to make up for a mishap we had.”

Freshman forward LaSondra Barrett, who was named SEC

Freshman of the Week, said older players like sophomore guard Katherine Graham and junior guard Allison Hightower have taken the team under their wing and encouraged them to stay together.

“At certain times we are on the same page — when things are going [well], we are,” Barrett said. “Some of us may not realize [LSU women’s basketball] is a legacy here, so we have to keep playing and finish the

season strong. We know what we’re capable of doing with the talent and people we have.”

Barrett scored a career-high 27 points in LSU’s first game against Arkansas, a record for an LSU freshman in SEC play.

Contact Rachel Whittacker at rwhittacker@lsureveille.com

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

SOCCER

PAGE 13

SOFTBALL

LSU adds Tigers open 2009 season 4,000 miles away ‘Everything ... right five new LSU to face No. 5 now is a whirlwind. team in the nation We leave for Hawaii players to ... with 18 girls on the team — nine are roster new players.’

By David Helman Sports Writer

By David Helman Sports Writer

As LSU fans awaited the next batch of football stars, the LSU soccer team signed a few of its own.

Wednesday was also National Signing Day for NCAA soccer, and LSU coach Brian Lee added another international player to his 2009 team.

Sophomore defender Allysha Chapman joined LSU after spending the 2008 season with the Canadian international team at the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. Chapman is the second player the Tigers received from Canada, after learning sophomore midfielder Taryne Boudreau would rejoin the Tigers after attending the U-20 Women’s World Cup. “It all kind of starts with [Chapman] and Taryne Boudreau,” Lee said. “And then also Courtney Alexander who came here last year but couldn’t play because she transferred.”

Alexander was the 2007 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year.

“Those are three All-SEC types coming in,” Lee said.

With a roster that will lose 10 seniors after this season, the Tigers also signed a sizable freshman class, with five of seven signees coming from Louisiana.

“It’s a big group in-state — in the time we’ve been here it’s probably the best crop with the best chance to earn playing time early,” Lee said.

Among those vying for playing time is forward Reyna Lubin of LaPlace.

Lubin helped the Carrollton Soccer Association to a club championship in 2007, and helped St. Charles Catholic High School to its first ever regional playoff appearance in 2008.

During her high school career she scored 100 goals in addition to winning district titles in cross country and track.

“Lubin is the most athletic player ever at LSU,” Lee said.

“She’s strong and fast. She’s a good athlete with a good build.”

Rounding out the Tigers class so far are Kelly Gautreaux and Tricia Johnson of Mandeville, Hannah Linzay of Cheneyville and Natalie Ieyoub of Lake Charles.

The Tigers also signed Amy Jah of Arlington, Texas, and Amy Porter of Knoxville, Tenn.

“This is our first class as a national name,” Lee said. “It’s always been a vision, but now we’re there, and girls are showing interest in us without us reaching out first.”

Contact David Helman at dhelman@lsureveille.com

The LSU softball team won’t open the new Tiger Park for another six days, but the Tigers are set to start their season in an equally unique circumstance.

The Tigers’ 2009 season begins today from Rainbow Wahine Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“Everything about us right now is a whirlwind,” said LSU softball coach Yvette Girouard. “We leave for Hawaii on a very adventurous first tournament with 18 girls on the team — nine are new players.”

The Tigers will travel a total of 4,142 miles to reach the Paradise Softball Classic. Their first opponent, Alabama-Birmingham, usually plays a mere 400 miles away

from Baton Rouge.

After opening against UAB, the Tigers will face No. 5 Oklahoma followed by Hawaii, which received 10 votes in the most recent ESPN/USA Collegiate Softball Top 25.

“The University of Oklahoma is a perennial top-five team in college softball,” Girouard said. “The University of Hawaii has always had a fabulous program and we’re playing on their home field.”

The Tigers’ offense may have to carry LSU through the weekend, as the team is experiencing “a couple of problems in the circle.”

Senior pitcher Dani Hofer will miss an indefinite amount of time while still recovering from a right wrist injury she suffered in April. Junior pitcher Cody Trahan will also miss time, as she is recovering from lower back surgery.

“These first couple of weeks are kind of going to be up in the air for us in the circle, as we have

‘‘

Yvette Girouard LSU softball coach

some issues there,” Girouard said.

“Kirsten Shortridge, who is a pitcher, lead-off hitter and center fielder for us, also had a little arm surgery before she came in here.”

Softball fans hoping for upto-date coverage of the tournament may be out of luck because of the four hour time difference. The Tigers’ opener against UAB begins at 8 p.m. Hawaii time — around midnight local time — and the team’s third game against Hawaii won’t begin until 3 a.m. in Baton Rouge.

“These couple of weeks will be a whirlwind for us. We come back Sunday, arrive home on a redeye at noon and we play Wednesday,” Girouard said. “We open up the new stadium, which is just flat gorgeous.

It is unbelievably beautiful.”

Girouard said she may feel out of place when LSU does make it home to the new Tiger Park. The Tigers have had very limited time in the new stadium because of ongoing construction.

“We’ve actually been allowed to practice at the new field a total of four hours,” she said. “We’ve never been able to hit. We’ve never been in our dugout. We haven’t moved into the new building. When we play McNeese, I have a feeling the Tigers will look as lost as McNeese.”

Contact David Helman at dhelman@lsureveille.com

PAGE 14

THE DAILY REVEILLE

thursday, february 5, 2009

NBA

Hornets drop fourth straight despite West’s double-double

By Brett Martel The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Derrick Rose scored 21 points and the Chicago Bulls handed the New Orleans Hornets their fourth straight loss, 107-93 on Wednesday night.

Ben Gordon added 19 points for the Bulls, who won for the fourth time in five games while the Hornets played their first full game without All-Star point guard Chris Paul this season.

David West led New Orleans with 24 points and 14 rebounds, Peja Stojakovic scored 24 points, and Devin Brown had 17. New Orleans showed some fight in the fourth quarter, getting its deficit down to 10 with 4:01 to go, but simply could not catch the Bulls, who shot 56 percent and had six players reach double digits in points.

Joakim Noah had 16 points and nine rebounds for Chicago, while Tyrus Thomas had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Luol Deng and

MLB

Bonds has five positive drug tests

By The Associated Press The court documents unsealed by a federal judge Wednesday in the government’s criminal case against Barry Bonds included the results of 26 blood and urine tests. Prosecutors contend five are positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Three of the results were seized from BALCO and did not include Bonds’ name; the government said it determined they belonged to Bonds through a Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative log. The other two were taken by Major League Baseball. One later was retested by the government, which is when it came up positive.

— Nov. 28, 2000: BALCO urine test positive for methenolone and nandrolone — Feb. 5, 2001: BALCO urine test positive for methenolone — Feb. 19, 2001: BALCO urine test positive for methenolone and nandrolone — June 4, 2003: MLB urine test originally negative; retested later by government it was positive for THG, clomiphene, exogenous testosterone — July 7, 2006: MLB urine test positive for D-amphetamine

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

Andres Nocioni each scored 13 points.

Chicago had a double-digit lead most of the way, going ahead by 18 at halftime and as much as 22 during the third quarter and again early in the fourth.

The Hornets hoped to perform better in Paul’s absence than they did when he went out with a strained right groin late in the third quarter of Monday night’s 97-89 loss to Portland. The Hornets blew a 17-point lead to the Blazers after Paul went out.

Against Chicago, however, New Orleans’ biggest problems were on defense. The Bulls, who missed their first 10 shots in a loss at Houston a night earlier, made 13 of their first 16 shots against the Hornets in racing to 29-15 lead late in the first quarter. Chicago had little trouble getting inside, scoring

on seven layups and seven dunks in the first half.

Rose and Noah put on a Harlem Globetrotters-like act on a fast break in the second quarter, with Rose feeding Noah a no-look backward bounce pass and Noah bouncing the ball back to Rose for a reverse layup. The New Orleans Arena crowd, clearly unimpressed with the Hornets’ defense, starting booing.

Chicago ended up shooting 63.4 percent for the half, with Rose and Gordon each scoring 14 points.

It all added up to a 62-44 halftime lead for the Bulls, which marked the most points the Hornets have given up in a half this season.

ALEX BRANDON / The Associated Press

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

New Orleans Hornets guards Antonio Daniels, left, and the injured Chris Paul hug before a game with the Chicago Bulls in New Orleans on Wednesday night.

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Entertainment

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

Hot for the Environment

In this day and age, many people are “going green” by recycling, keeping track of their carbon footprint and driving more environmentally friendly cars. But

just how far are people willing to go to save the world they live in?

One University professor is willing to sacrifice air conditioning, a precious commodity in this environment.

Most people in south Louisiana could never imagine going

without air conditioning during the hot summer months, but Irvin Peckham, English professor and director of the University writing program, chose to save energy by shutting his air conditioner off.

“We’ll never go into air conditioning again. We prefer this

Grammy lineup boasts big names

lifestyle,” Peckham said.

Peckham, currently on sabbatical, and his wife live without air conditioning, a decision he says isn’t as miserable as it might seem.

GREEN, see page 17

GRAMMYS, see page 17

MAGGIE BOWLES / The Daily Reveille

Professor Irvin Peckham, his wife Sarah and their dog Ali relax in their sunroom Tuesday afternoon. The Peckhams have stopped using air conditioning in their home to limit their energy consumption to protect the environment.

By Catie Vogels

MY OPINION

You may not be sure whether Lil Wayne will decide to pull out a guitar or “A Milli” at this Sunday’s Grammy Awards, but the show will definitely be worth watching.

This year, the Recording Academy is putting together a incredible lineup at the 51st Grammy Awards.

Performers include all Album of the Year nominees — Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss and Coldplay.

Radiohead, who is also nominat- BEN BOURGEOIS ed, will be mak- Entertainment Writer ing their first televised U.S. performance since 2000.

The Academy also nabbed Kid Rock, Rihanna, T.I. and Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and Jay-Z. U2, who didn’t put out any music to be nominated this year, is also performing. Hell, even Paul McCartney is playing.

As if the performers alone weren’t enough, the Academy recently announced duets among performers. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus may not be the most breathtaking performance of the evening, but it certainly provides for a certain demographic. The Academy also announced, via Twitter no less, that Kanye West will be performing with Estelle, pretty much guaranteeing a rendition of her 2008 hit “American

University professor gives up air conditioning in extreme effort to go green

Entertainment Writer

PAGE 15

MUSIC

Hip-hop artist, producer gives away music online Musicians adapt to changing industry

By Jack LeBlanc Entertainment Writer

Emerging artist and producer Mr. Ozwald thinks he may have found a solution to the music industry’s inability to sell albums the past few years — he gives songs away for free.

His newest album, “The Yearbook,” is comprised of 12 singles released over a 12-month period.

He wrote, produced and released a new track each month for one year and allowed users to immediately download them for free from his

Web site. noticing the majority of people The self-proclaimed “neo hip- only buy one or two songs off each hop” artist combines elements of album. hip-hop, rap, “Now that you pop and funk can buy songs indiwith electro vidually, people are undertones. His just going after the music has been ones they want,” he featured on said. “It’s a singlesMTV’s “Rob driven market.” & Big” and Based on Niels“Run’s House,” en’s 2008 year-end Mr. Ozwald ESPN and figures, Mr. Ozwald hip-hop artist/producer ABC, and he is right. has performed Single-track alongside artists like Lil Wayne downloads outsold albums by a and Ghostface Killah. ratio of 2.5 to 1 last year. A record Mr. Ozwald said he got the total of 1.07 billion songs were idea to release 12 singles instead downloaded in 2008, up more than of a conventional album after visOZWALD, see page 17 iting the iTunes online store and

‘‘

‘The things [major labels] are doing are archaic.’

photo courtesy of Crown Digital Records

Hip-hop recording artist and producer Mr. Ozwald put his latest album, “The Yearbook,” online for free download.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 16

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

thursday, february 5, 2009

GRAMMYS

Concert Spectacular Best album rarely for hip-hop Wayne plays to show Friday night Lil underdog in category Performance runs without pause

By Jake Clapp Entertainment Writer

Friday night, the LSU School of Music will present the 13th annual Concert Spectacular at the First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge.

The School ‘Variety, of Music is working with change EMCO Techof pace nologies to showcase the ... are the musical talents hallmarks of students and faculty from of Concert LSU and cre- Spectacular.’ ate support for graduate schol- Michael Bellinger arships. assistant to dean, The hour- School of Music long concert will be performed “without pause, without applause,” in a unique format in which as one unit finishes, another begins in a different location.

“Variety, change of pace,

kaleidoscopic styles and textures — these are the hallmarks of Concert Spectacular,” Michael Bellinger, assistant to the dean and director of operations for the School of Music, said in a press release.

The concert will feature performances by the LSU Symphony, Percussion ensemble, Schola Cantorum, Faculty Jazz Trio, Ebony Renaissance Chorale, Bassoon Ensemble and the LSU Opera.

There will also be duet performances by College of Music faculty members and a performance by the Music Theatre class.

The performance starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for children and can be purchase online at www.music.lsu.edu.

A portion of the ticket sales will go into a fund for scholarships to the LSU School of Music to bring in new talent to study in Louisiana.

Contact Jake Clapp at jclapp@lsureveille.com

By Nekesa Mumbi Moody The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Though the Grammys were slow to recognize hip-hop, rap acts have enjoyed a bevy of Grammy nominations over the past decade, often emerging as the leader when nominations are announced. This year, rap leads the way again, with the omnipresent rapper Lil Wayne receiving eight nominations.

While the bulk of Lil Wayne’s nominations come in the rap categories, he’s nominated for arguably the most coveted award of the night — Album of the Year — for “Tha Carter III.” Given that the CD was not only 2008’s best-selling album but also delivered two of the year’s biggest singles — “Lollipop” and “A Milli” — it would seem that momentum is on Lil Wayne’s side.

But if the past is any indicator, Lil Wayne may go home emptyhanded in the album category, with his wins contained in the rap categories. While rap or hip-hop albums have been nominated almost every year for a best album Grammy since 2000 (2006 was the exception), its two victories — Lauryn Hill’s “The

Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 2000 and OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below” in 2004 — have been for hip-hop albums highlighted by the artists’ musicality, not their rhyming skills.

“Lil Wayne indisputably made the best album of 2008,” said Blender’s editor-in-chief Joe Levy. “Now, are the voters going to recognize it by sending him home with a small truckload of Grammys? Hard to say.

Hip-hop still remains challenging to Grammy voters, who include guys who were making records 40 years ago.”

That’s not to say that rap has gotten a bad rap from Grammy voters. Dr. Dre has been recognized as producer of the year among his multiple Grammy wins, Jay-Z has four, Eminem has eight trophies and Kanye West owns 10.

But Eminem has lost in the best album category twice (the first was famously to Steely Dan in 2001) and Kanye West has lost the category three times.

Danyel Smith, editor-in-chief of Vibe magazine, thinks this year might be different for Lil Wayne.

“I think he does have an even better chance because a lot of his rapping is very melodic,” said Smith of Wayne, who is known as much for his gravelly singing voice as he is his frenetic rapping style.

“I also think as time goes on,

there are a lot more people on the voting committee ... who are, if not actual fans of hip-hop, understand it more, and understand the significance of hip-hop as part of pop music and not sort of its stepcousin.”

If Lil Wayne does win, he’ll have to beat back tough competition. Coldplay, who received the second-most nominations with seven, are nominated for “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends”; Radiohead, who have been nominated before in the category are again recognized for “In Rainbows”; R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo is cited for his “Year of the Gentleman”; as is “Raising Sand,” the unlikely collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Darius “Deezle” Harrison, a producer on “Tha Carter III,” said he and Lil Wayne are excited just to be nominated, and noted that dreams of Grammy trophies were on their minds when they worked on the CD. “We were talking in the studio, and he was like ‘Man, I wanna get Grammys this year,’” Harrison recalled. “I looked at him and I said, ‘We’re gonna get Grammys this year.’”

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

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

THE DAILY REVEILLE

artist to give music away to generate buzz.

80 percent versus 2007.

He based his free-single idea “I don’t really think the ma- partly on the marketing model jors have figured things out yet,” used by many well-known elecMr. Ozwald said. “I wonder if they tronic DJs who give songs away on are paying any attention to what’s their blogs or Web sites to spread going on. The things they are do- the buzz and sell tickets to their ing are archaic.” shows.

He said he thinks some indie Many hip-hop artists release labels have started to spend more mixtapes of freestyles and coltime and money laborations to creon the digital, ate hype for future singles-driven album releases and market, but the concerts. major labels are Music digitizastill spending tion has also made huge budgets reits way into the alcording whole ternative genre. albums despite British alterMr. Ozwald suffering album native rock band hip-hop artist/producer sales.

Radiohead’s sevAccording to enth studio album, Nielsen, total album sales dropped “In Rainbows,” was released as a 14 percent in 2008 and have fallen digital download in October 2007.

45 percent since 2000. Even if al- Customers could order the album bum sales are combined with track for whatever price they saw fit. A sales using a formula that counts physical album release followed in 10 track downloads as one album December, selling 3 million copsale, the total is still down 8.5 per- ies worldwide in both digital and cent from 2007 and more than 30 physical formats. percent below 2000.

Trent Reznor, frontman of “The music business is in a rock group Nine Inch Nails, restate where people will spend three leased a 36-track instrumental alor four dollars on a ring tone but bum over the Internet last March. won’t spend a dollar to download a The album, “Ghosts I-IV” was song,” Mr. Ozwald said. available in a varying range of Mr. Ozwald is not the first price packages. Reznor gave away

the first nine songs of the album for free and sold the entire digital album for $5. The album was nominated for two Grammys in the categories Best Rock Instrumental Performance and Best Box Set or Limited Edition Package.

Mr. Ozwald said artists who give songs away for free use the buzz to make money through performing, advertising, ring tones and sponsorship.

Despite releasing 12 singles, Mr. Ozwald said he feels his album still has appeal as a complete album.

“I didn’t have time to really overthink things,” Mr. Ozwald said. “Music is a vibe. If you spend too much time working on something, you might kind of lose that vibe.”

If listeners play the completed album all the way through, he thinks they will be more involved because each song sounds different from the one before it, and the album doesn’t have the same feel the whole way through.

“If people aren’t going to pay for music, then you might as well have them promoting your stuff anyway,” Mr. Ozwald. “I don’t want those people to not have my music.”

themselves pretty low-level consumers, they have friends who nothing, relatively “We have a lot of tall win- consume dows that open easily, so there is a speaking.

“If we consume more, we cross current,” Peckham said. “It’s would help the very pleasant.” economy.

But Peckham made if we consume the decision to go less, it helps the without air condienvironment,” tioning when he Peckham said. was weatherizing While he the house. isn’t a part of “It was built any environmenaround 1938, so it Irvin Peckham tal organizations, needs a lot of help, English professor one of Peckbut it was putting and conservationist ham’s daughthe new windows in that made it easier to open them,” ters is a rainforest ecologist, and he has friends who are also very Peckham said.

To help beat the heat, Peck- environmentally conscious who ham also uses fans and the pool in keep him honest.

“It’s a social imperative: his backyard.

Peckham said there are other bonuses to living with the windows open.

“There are a lot of birds that live around the house, so it’s really pleasant to hear them. We would never close the windows if we didn’t have to,” Peckham said.

In addition to not using the air conditioner at all, Peckham minimizes his use of a heater when it is cold.

He said he and his wife try to keep the temperature low in the winter and close off some parts of the house.

“We live in a fairly wooded area, and I cut a lot of wood, so we use the fireplace frequently. When it gets really cold, we camp out in the living room,” Peckham said.

Peckham said he’s also environmentally conscious in that he weatherizes his house, minimizes garbage and drives a motorcycle.

And it pays to live the way he does.

“We save $400 a month, maybe $350, just by turning off the air conditioner,” Peckham said.

While he and his wife call

Like attracts like,” Peckham said.

“People gravitate towards others who share a certain set of convictions.”

Finding people who are environmentally aware is becoming an increasing trend. People across the nation are jumping on the “going green” train.

Hundreds of Web sites, like goinggreen.com and National Geographic’s thegreenguide.com, feature green news and ways to be environmentally friendly.

Magazines printed using entirely recycled products are also devoted to the topic.

Students also feel that it’s important to be environmentally aware.

Rebecca Morales, anthropology sophomore, actively recycles

OZWALD, from page 15

‘‘

‘People will spend three or four dollars on a ring tone but won’t spend a dollar to download a song.’

GREEN, from page 15

‘‘

‘We save $400 a month ... just by turning off the air conditioner.’

Contact Jack LeBlanc at aleblanc@lsureveille.com

GRAMMYS, from page 15

Boy.” Other group performances include Adele, Chris Brown and Sugarland as well as a Four Tops tribute including Ne-Yo, Jamie Foxx and original member Duke Fakir.

With Kid Rock and Lil Wayne both up for more than one award and performing Sunday night, you have to wonder if they will meet up on stage at some point like they did at the MTV Video Music Awards and the Country Music Awards last year.

Even though this year’s lineup is completely unprecedented in star power, the Academy always features prominent performers at its music awards show. And as of recently, ratings for the show have been getting worse.

The 2006 Grammy Awards only mustered 17 million viewers, the smallest for the ceremony in 11 years. The Academy was competing with the overlapping time slot of “American Idol,” which got 28 million viewers. Things looked a little better in 2007, with the Grammys securing 21 million viewers, but the numbers dropped again last year.

But the Academy is prepared this year. I’ll take Paul McCartney, Radiohead and Lil Wayne over Sanjaya Malakar and Kelly Clarkson any day, and I’m pretty sure most people would as well. daily, purchases products made of recycled materials and used energy efficient light bulbs.

“As of now, the earth is the only place that we know of where humans can physically live,” Morales said. “We have to be knowledgeable about what we do to the environment so that down the line there can be a place that we can live.”

PAGE 17 The Grammys have always been a subject of much controversy.

Some people argue that they offer too many awards, many of which are very similar. Others refuse to watch just because they feel their favorite artists were snubbed for not being popular enough.

And the Academy recognizes this. Not concerned with the winners of all 110 award categories?

Fine. You’ll still be able to witness a lineup that can put any Coachella, Bonaroo or Voodoo Fest main stage to shame. Not bad.

I have never been one to watch the Grammys regularly. The nominations are usually predictable, and the Academy had the audacity to award flute rockers Jethro Tull for Best Metal Performance in 1989 — that tells you a little about their judgment.

But they figured out a way to pull viewers this year — stacking the lineup with the biggest performers in music and putting together duets some unlikely musicians.

You may not be concerned whether DragonForce can secure the award for Best Metal Performance or who will take home Best Hawaiian Music Album. But it is definitely worth sitting through those categories to hear the performances.

Contact Ben Bourgeois at bbourgeois@lsureveille.com Morales noted there was a social benefit to going green, as well.

“Being environmentally conscious is sexy.”

Contact Catie Vogels at cvogels@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 18

Reveille Ranks

MUSIC MOVIES BOOKS TELEVISION

New in Town Gold Circle Films

The Uninvited

Dreamworks Pictures (Paramount)

Taken 20th Century Fox

”New In Town” offers nothing original. It is a combination of every romantic comedy in existence. It features Renée Zellweger as Lucy, a Miami businesswoman whose job brings her to New Ulm, Minn., where she meets Ted (Harry Connick Jr.) and problems ensue. It is a typical “girl goes to small town, girl hates small town, small town grows on girl, girl saves small town” story. “New In Town” is predictably a boring film slightly heightened with some humorous scenes.

Elizabeth Banks stars in “The Uninvited,” a film which is stuck somewhere between a psychological thriller and a horror flick. It can be very slow and tedious at times, especially when it shows overly drawn-out scary moments every 15 minutes. It is packed full of creepy dead children and a charred mother haunting her daughter. But if viewers stick through the entire movie, the surprise ending is totally worth it.

Liam Neeson convincingly plays Bryan Mills, a divorced, retired CIA agent trying to make up for lost time with his daughter Kim. When she is kidnapped in Europe, Bryan revives his spy training and goes through extreme measures to find her. He rampages through much of Paris and kills those involved in her kidnapping, but the audience knows he is a dedicated father, only becoming a spy again to save his daughter — Neeson grabs the viewer and never lets go.

C. VOGELS

A. NORSWORTHY

B. BOURGEOIS

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

The Fray

The Von Bodies

[D-] [C] [B+]

Lonely Road Virgin Records

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ new album “Lonely Road” is nothing different from their first. The album contains a mixed group of songs that showcases their lack of songwriting ability and talent. “You Better Pray” sounds like a song Nickelback and Hawthorne Heights wrote together, which is sure to please the ears.

While some songs on the album could be popular singles, the band is better off forgetting about “Lonely Road” and focusing on making an album that doesn’t sound like every other whiney band.

J. CHENIER

The Fray

Love, Hate and Then There’s You

Epic Records

After The Fray hit it big with 2005’s “How to Save a Life,” every 16 year-old girl was blaring The Fray’s first CD from their cars. No one could escape. Well, the band is back, making more Coldplay rip-off, formula based melodies for the tween aged group. The new tracks are weak and the whole CD is just bland. Audiences can listen to the first four songs and not realize they are four different songs. Now I’m not sure if that life was worth saving.

Majordomo Records

J. CLAPP

B. LEJEUNE

The Von Bondies are known mostly for their hit “C’mon, C’mon,” which is the theme song for FX’s “Rescue Me,” and for frontman Jason Stollsteimer’s public beatdown

by Jack White. So, it makes sense that their new album “Love, Hate and Then There’s You” sounds so pissed off.

The Bondies polish their garage rock sound while maintaining their punk rock roots. “Love, Hate” manages to transform frustration into catchy punk blues.

[D-] [C-] [B-]

Editor’s Pick Diplo

Decent Work for Decent Pay Big Dada Racords

FOR FANS OF:

M.I.A., Justice, Spank Rock

Mississippi native Wesley Pentz, better known by his DJ name Diplo, is known for mixing different styles of music from around the world. He has also gained fame by way of his association with acts such as M.I.A., Santogold, Plastic Little and Spank Rock. “Decent Work for Decent Pay,” a compilation of remixes, doesn’t fully showcase Diplo’s talent, but this album contains a few gems - “Solta o Frango” and “Newsflash,” to name a few.

S. AYCOCK

thursday, february 5, 2009

thursday, february 5, 2009

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 19

RECRUITING

Around the SEC: ’Bama’s 2009 class ranks first in conference

By Tyler Harvey Sports Contributor

LSU capped off National Signing Day with the second-best recruiting class in the nation, and as it turns out, it’s also the second-best class in the Southeastern Conference, according to most recruiting services.

Rivals.com rates LSU’s class as No. 2 in the nation behind Alabama.

Scout.com rates the class as No. 3 in the nation behind Ohio State and Alabama.

“Rankings don’t really matter,” said LSU coach Les Miles. [We’ve got] 24 of the finest there is.”

Sonny Shipp, recruiting analyst for Scout.com, said there’s not much difference between a No. 1 or No. 2 rated recruiting class.

“As you go and look at the No. 1 [class] and the No. 5 or 6 [class], you’re probably looking at the

RECRUITS, from page 1

Miles said.

While the decision caught LSU fans off guard, it may have helped secure the top player on the Tigers’ board, wide receiver Rueben Randle.

Just days before signing day, rumors began to spread that Bell was thinking of switching his commitment from the Tigers to the Crimson Tide. Those rumors came to fruition when Bell decided to sign his letter of intent with Alabama early Wednesday afternoon.

Bell’s switch to Alabama, along with the signing of five-star running back Trent Richardson, was enough to make the Crimson Tide pass LSU in the overall class rankings.

“LSU filled their needs across the board,” said Sonny Shipp, recruiting analyst for Scout.com. “[LSU] may not have gotten the number of receivers that they wanted to get, but you’ve got two guys that could easily slot in there with Morris Claiborne and Drayton Calhoun.

They can play that slot position that Kenny Bell would have filled.”

BASH, from page 1 before they sign their letters,” said University alumnus Steven Wickliffe, who attended his eighth Bayou Bash. “What [LSU Coach] Les [Miles] is finishing makes LSU the elite program it is today and makes the Bayou Bash what it is today.”

Chase Hernandez, general studies senior, enjoyed going to a football event in the winter.

“It’s great to come and talk about LSU football,” Hernandez said. “Football is everything around here, and the fans are very supportive of LSU.” Hernandez was impressed with the amount of fans at the Bayou Bash.

“It’s a big reason why we can get classes like this,” Hernandez said. “They want to come to a place where fans appreciate them.”

The Bayou Bash is the only

difference of two or three more fourstar guys over three-star guys,” Shipp said. “It’s more perception than anything else. You look at recruiting lists and everyone sees the stars, but it’s a matter of filling your needs.”

Alabama jumped ahead of LSU in the rankings after the additions of former LSU wide receiver commit Kenny Bell (Rayville) and Pensacola, Fla., running back Trent Richardson.

“Trent Richardson going down to the wire with Alabama and LSU, that’s going to help Alabama’s class,” Shipp said. “But you go and look at the needs. Alabama really needed a big-time receiver and didn’t get it in Rueben Randle. Alabama got Kenny Bell, but they didn’t get that difference maker they were looking for at receiver. LSU filled their needs across the board.”

While LSU and Alabama

dominated the rest of the country in the recruiting rankings, Florida’s class (No. 21) may have been a little lower than expected. Many expected Florida’s class to get a boost after winning the 2008 BCS National Championship.

“Recruiting falls a year behind,” Shipp said. “Last year LSU won the national championship and people were wondering why they weren’t getting the four-star and five-star guys late in the game. But all that trickles down into the next year.

You’re going to see the same thing with Florida. They didn’t have the type of year that many people expected, but they bounced back this year with a BCS championship.”

Although the Tigers lost out on two receivers, Randle was able to soften the blow for LSU fans.

The Bastrop High School product announced he would sign with LSU at approximately 1 p.m. Randle is the consensus No. 1 wide receiver prospect in the nation and is rated as the No. 2 overall player in the country by Rivals.com and No. 3 overall

by Scout.com.

“There’s going to be very few difference makers in this class, but Rueben Randle’s definitely going to be one of them,” Shipp said. “He’s going to come in and play as a true freshman. He’s not going to redshirt.”

LSU fans received a nice surprise when the Tigers picked up a commitment from defensive end Sam Montgomery (Greenwood, S.C.). He chose LSU over North Carolina and Tennessee live on ESPNU. “I’m going to keep this No. 1 recruiting class going,” said Montgomery as he picked the LSU helmet on the table in front him.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 230-pound defensive end is rated as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout.

Although signing day may be over, there’s still one more name that Tiger fans are going to keep a close eye on — defensive back Janzen Jackson. Jackson reportedly decided to hold off his signing until tomorrow morning.

While it seems LSU is still the team to beat for the five-star cornerback’s signature, the Tennessee coaching staff isn’t giving up on the Barbe standout. Jackson visited Tennessee Jan. 9 after his father, Lance Guidry, became an assistant coach candidate. Guidry did not take a position with Tennessee.

Miles can not talk about recruits who have not signed a letter of intent

by NCAA rules. However, he alluded to Jackson on Wednesday afternoon.

“We’re hanging fire on a corner in the state, but we’re very confident there certainly,” Miles said. “But he’s one that we’re continuing to recruit and he’s one that’s utterly important to us.”

large recruiting party of its kind in the nation.

Schools such as Ohio State, Arkansas and Arizona State have talked to members of the Tiger Gridiron Club about modeling a recruiting party after the Bayou Bash, but the schools don’t have the support from fans or sponsors.

“This is the greatest post-signing day party in America,” Miles said in his address at the Bayou Bash.

Vince DeSalvo, president of the Tiger Gridiron Club, said the Bayou Bash ran smoothly and successfully.

“The Coke and Budweiser are flowing freely,” DeSalvo said. “Everybody’s having a great time.”

DeSalvo said the 14th annual Bayou Bash may have been the best ever.

“I think it’s absolutely a roaring success”, DeSalvo said. “This may be the best one we’ve ever had, and we’ve had some good ones.”

Former LSU defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey, cornerback Corey Webster and linebacker Lionel Turner spoke at the Bayou Bash.

“There’s no place like home,” Dorsey said.

This year’s Bayou Bash was Turner’s third time to attend. The former linebacker said the LSU fans are the best in the country.

“I guarantee you go to any college, and they don’t have anything like this where the fans come out and have a good time and see the recruiting class,” Turner said. “You got a lot of people come out that love LSU.” Even though Alabama claimed the Rivals.com No. 1 recruiting class, fans are still excited about LSU’s No. 2 class.

Contact Tyler Harvey at tharvey@lsureveille.com

Contact Tyler Harvey at tharvey@lsureveille.com

Contact Michael Lambert at mlambert@lsureveille.com

Pluckers wing bar $4 34oz Mother Plucker mugs. $3 Margaritas and PluckersLemonades. $15.99 All you can Eat wings.

If you don’t like our wings, we’ll give you the bird!

Bogie’s bar $4 Beam and Stoli The Sue Johansons 2/7 Mellow Mushroom pizza bakers No Cover! 5-10pm: 2 for 1 drafts. 10pm til: $2.50 Mexican Bottles,$3 Calls, $6 22oz Souviner Cup Shroom Teas fred’s bar Fred’s and Bud Light’s 27th Anniversary Party.

Thursday, Feb. 5th $1 Bud Light Longnecks 7-10 & $2 from 10-2. Free Jellos, Champagne & T-shirts. Giveaways include a Budweiser neon. 80’s music all night!

Rave motion pictures 02/07-02/13

Baton Rouge 15 (Mall of La) Coraline 3D PG 1:00pm, 3:45pm, 6:30pm, 9:00pm Defiance R 9:35pm

Push PG-13 1:15pm, 4:00pm, 7:45pm, 10:45pm The Reader R 1:05pm, 4:20pm, 7:20pm, 10:45pm

Gran Torino R Slumdog Millionaire R 12:50pm, 3:40pm, 6;40pm, 9:15pm 1:20pm, 4:40pm, 7:55pm, 10:50pm

He’s Just Not That Into You Taken PG-13 PG-13 12:35pm, 4:05pm, 7:30pm, 10:15pm 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:30pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, 10:00pm The Unborn PG-13 11:00pm Hotel For Dogs PG 3:50pm, 6:50pm Underworld: Rise of the Lycans R 2:00pm, 4:45pm, 7:40pm, 10:35pm New In Town PG 1:35pm, 4:35pm, 7:05pm, 9:55pm The Uninvited PG-13 1:55pm, 4:55pm, 7:35pm, 10:35pm Paul Bart: Mall Cop PG 1:45pm, 4:15pm, 6:45pm, 9:30pm The Wrestler R 2;05pm, 5:00pm, 7:50pm, 11:10pm The Pink Panther 2 PG 12:45pm, 3:15pm, 7:15pm, 9:45pm

9-10:30pm Burn After Reading 12-1:30pm Pineapple Express 3:00-3:30pm Newsbeat Live 3:30-4pm The Rundown Taped 4:30-5pm Sports Showtime Live 7-8:30pm Tropic Thunder

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Opinion

PAGE 20

Thursday, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

COMMON CENTS

Econ for idiots: Making work doesn’t make wealth A debate is waging over how — and occasionally whether — the government should react to the financial crisis. The decisions they make in the coming weeks will have profound impacts on our prosperity in the coming decades.

It is a job we elected politicians to perform — but it’s not a job they’re qualified for.

Only 6.7 percent of Congress has an economics degree, according to the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Literacy, but this statistic fails to capture the economic illiteracy found on both sides of the aisle.

In regards to Obama’s “recovery plan,” John Cochrane of the University of Chicago said a fiscal stimulus is “taught only for its fallacies” in modern economics courses.

I have laughed with many fellow economic majors at Sen. John McCain’s assertion during the Republican presidential debates that he is glad “whenever they cut interest rates. I wish interest rates were zero.”

Few things bring D.C. together more than misunderstandings of economics.

But politicians don’t read this

column, so instead of yelling at the white brick walls of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this column is the first in a four-part series directed at you, the voter.

In “The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies,” economist Bryan Caplan argues the public makes “systematic” errors when voting on economic issues.

Caplan identified four common biases in the public’s economic understanding based on the Survey of Americans and Economists on the Economy (SAEE).

The most relevant is the “makework” bias. Because economic laymen benefit individually from having a job, they associate economic growth with the creation of new jobs.

But just because something destroys jobs doesn’t mean it’s bad for economic prosperity.

In fact, the destruction of obsolete jobs drives economic progress.

To increase the amount of wealth to share, there must be a corresponding increase in the amount of wealth created per worker — called productivity.

“In 1800, it took nearly 95 of

every 100 Americans to feed the country. In 1900, it took 40. Today, it takes just 3,” according to Michael Cox and Richard Alm in “Myths of Rich and Poor: Why We’re Better Off Than We Think.”

When farming’s technology Daniel Morgan and methods improved, producColumnist tivity increased, and many Americans were put out of a job. According to economic laymen, this should be considered a tragedy.

But, through the hindsight of history, we can see that making farmers’ jobs obsolete — far from doing damage — allowed for tremendous increases in the standard of living.

Over the past two centuries, we have seen the advent of automobiles, antibiotics, microwaves, computers, televisions, telephones and the toothbrush.

When technological advances made Americans abandon agricultural jobs of yore, the result was economic progress that benefitted Americans in every social class.

When Americans gained the freedom to flee the farm, they turned their attention to the toothbrush.

Before you curse the changes of the 21st century that might make certain American jobs disappear, ask yourself if your outrage is applied universally.

If you would have wanted politicians of the past to prevent the progress of the plow, then you’re also wishing your significant other of the present would not be able to brush his or her teeth.

If your outrage cannot be applied universally, then it’s just a naive complaint disguised as a noble critique.

This destruction of obsolete jobs and the creation of more productive jobs is something that Cox and Alm refer to as “churn.”

“Through relentless turmoil, the economy re-creates itself, shifting labor resources to where they’re needed, replacing old jobs with new ones. … What we have in place of long hours in the fields is the wealth of goods and services that comes from allowing the churn to work, wherever and whenever it might occur,” Cox and Alm said.

This is why, despite the

reservations found in the public, economists are universally in favor of increased technology in the workplace, according to SAEE. Conversely, just because something creates jobs doesn’t mean it’s good.

As Caplan wrote, “if you pay a worker to twiddle his thumbs, you could have paid him to do something socially useful instead.”

Obama brags that his spending bill disguised as a stimulus will “create” 3 to 4 million jobs. Even if this is true, how many jobs will be destroyed by the taxes to pay for the plan? And will the new jobs be more or less productive than the old ones?

We may not know the answers to these questions for decades.

In the free market, incentives encourage workers to be as productively employed as possible, but when the government acts, there is no such guarantee.

If it wasn’t for the public’s “make-work” bias, politicians would have to work harder to sell their often-misguided strategies.

Contact Daniel Morgan at dmorgan@lsureveille.com

MURDA, HE WROTE

French education seems ‘gauche’ compared to LSU AIX EN PROVENCE, FRANCE — Dealing with the bureaucratic processes or shuffling through the crowded corridors of Lockett Hall, it’s easy to curse the University system.

And while Europe has a reputation for being more progressive in many respects relative to the U.S., it would be a mistake to think the same for the higher education system — at least in France.

The ailing facilities of our fine institution are a drop in the bucket compared to the infrastructural inferiority of French education buildings.

In a town with a large student population, one massive university building has nets affixed to the façade. No, it’s not to dissuade individuals from jumping out of the window — although its likeness to a Soviet Union internment camp might give one that feeling — it’s meant to protect passersby from being hit by the crumbling building.

Poor facilities like this are symbolic of France’s struggling education system.

The facilities of my university

— which are considered advanced — are in a much more charming building with impressive architecture. Still, the stresses of decades of underfunding are apparent.

Far from the big comfort of American universities, many rooms are crammed with students sitting in narrow desks. In one class it was entertaining to see just how many people we could squeeze in — pulling up chairs and sharing spaces.

Universities here seem to have been slower to adopt the many technological components of our education which have become integrated into our daily lives. My school has failed to embrace the power of disseminating information through a Web site — I can’t seem to find one document that has all of the classes being offered on it, not to mention a system to register for classes electronically.

Need to put a DVD in for class?

This is a job for the university’s crack team of audio visual specialists, who seem to be required for even the most basic operations, like powering on the projector (which are

THE DAILY REVEILLE Editorial Board

KYLE WHITFIELD TYLER BATISTE GERRI SAX DANIEL LUMETTA MATTHEW ALBRIGHT TRAVIS ANDREWS ERIC FREEMAN JR.

Editor Managing Editor, Content Managing Editor, External Media Opinion Editor Columnist Columnist Columnist

largely absent from the classroom).

Even the concept of time has its own twist. While at LSU we have the de facto 10-minute rule, here the rule seems to be there are no rules. Not only have I noticed a steady trickle of students coming in throughout Mark Macmardo class, apparently Columnist it’s acceptable for a professor to show up 30 minutes late and then run over time by 45 minutes.

All of these annoyances may be separated from the actual quality of instruction, but they represent larger structural trends which have led to a struggling university system.

Central to France’s post revolution ideals is equality. Consequently, it’s state policy that any student who graduates from high school with their “bac” has a spot in college.

But there is no guarantee of equality in the quality of education students receive. While everyone may get a seat at a university, there

is a disparity that exists. “Grande écoles” — like the university I attend — actually have the ability to turn down students, unlike their peer institutions.

It seems the altruistic attempt to bring education to all has led to a diminished quality for most. If you are one of the few accepted into the grande écoles, there is an air of elitism that comes with it. Apparently it’s a faux pas to say you are attending “université” if you are actually studying at a grand école — kind of like those uppity kids at Tulane.

French universities are largely absent from world rankings. They also lag behind other industrialized countries’ funding for higher education. Recognizing this, French President Nicholas Sarkozy promised to reverse the nation’s dwindling higher education system. He recently pledged to increase education spending by about 20 percent.

“Why are the only attractive campuses abroad?” Sarkozy said.

“Why are our university libraries shut on Sunday? Why are there no sports or cultural spaces? Why do families who can afford it, send their

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.

children to universities abroad?”

Although the professors at my university seem very intelligent and competent, the university system is a sum of many different things. Even though the base of the education system — the educators — seem capable here, there are many facets of the university experience which the French should reform.

While the goal is clear, Sarkozy’s rhetorical questions may be much more complicated to answer.

Change in France often comes at a slow pace, especially with the active student and teachers unions.

Notorious for its frequent strikes — just this week a strike began led by professors angry at new changes to research policies France is a complicated place.

Maybe even more complicated than Louisiana.

Well, that’s doubtful.

Contact Mark Macmardo at mmacmardo@lsureveille.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Rap records don’t make you feel good no more.”

Wyclef Jean Haitian-American musician Oct.17, 1972- present

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Thursday, FEBRUARY 5, 2009

FREEMAN OF SPEECH

Opinion

PAGE 21

It’s cool, Chuck D, we don’t have to fight anymore

“1989.”

Twenty years ago, Public Enemy simultaneously altered the faces of hip-hop culture and mainstream culture with its smash hit, “Fight the Power.” The song has since evolved into the standard for musical protest, joining the ranks of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Rage Against The Machine, among countless others.

While the times have certainly a-changed for the better with the inauguration of President Obama, the song had less to do with the occupant of the White House than with much broader issues involving racism and racial discrimination.

For anyone blind enough to assume Obama’s inauguration fulfills the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King or issues a new, “post-racial” society, you are

very sorely mistaken.

Setting America’s progress during the last 20 years aside, rap culture seems to have decreased at a rate inversely proportional with mainstream society.

In 20 short years, we have gone from “Fight the Power” to “My President is Black.”

Which, by the way, is my new favorite song.

Along with a phenomenally triumphant beat, the fact that Young Jeezy can say “My President is Black” and have it be true is enough to let me ignore the shout-outs to a blue Lambo with blue rims.

What was once a movement about artistic freedom and urban altruism has morphed into a feeble, sexist, homophobic and selfish genre, using whatever means possible to perpetuate stereotypes

about rappers — in that they all like ice, rims, getting money and having sex with anything in sight.

I still listen to rap.

But much like Chris Rock, I’m tired and exhausted from defending it.

I can’t defend “If I take one more Eric Freeman, Jr. drink, I’ma Columnist end up fucking you,” the latest from Ludacris and T-Pain, the latter of which should be shot for turning the Auto-Tune into an entire genre.

I can’t defend “Wait Till You See My Dick,” even though SG’s Students on Target was good

enough to give us the Ying Yang Twins at Groovin’ on the Grounds three years ago.

I can’t even defend another track from Young Jeezy’s album “The Recession,” called “I Put On.” I can’t defend him saying, “Hundred karat bracelet, I use it like some super bait.”

It’s gross and disgusting.

The only remedy for this situation is to take the route millions have already pursued, and it has nothing to do with illegally downloading music.

It’s called Pandora.

Pandora.com has revolutionized the way millions of musiclovers listen to music. Instead of letting MTV and BET tell us what to listen to and what makes “good rap” — which increasingly resembles emo music, since you can’t tell one song apart from the

other — Pandora users create stations based on an artist or a song.

This is how Aceyalone, Roots Manuva, The Crest and The Pharcyde all came into my life.

In terms of change, Obama himself put it best while on the campaign trail, saying “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

There’s no reason why we can’t simply ignore the stale concentration of “misogofunk” emanating whenever MTV decides to actually air a video.

The last word goes to Chuck D: “We got to pump the stuff to make us tough from the heart. It’s a start, a work of art.”

Contact Eric Freeman, Jr. at efreeman@lsureveille.com

METAIRIE’S FINEST

Rap creates an accidental gateway for advertising

The difference between rappers and car insurance salesmen may be blurring.

It goes without saying that Lil’ Wayne’s influence is one of the most far reaching in today’s popular culture. He is a one-man media machine — showing up on ESPN, being interviewed by Katie Couric, pushing Gatorade through voice-over commercials and, you know, not to mention rapping to millions upon millions of teenagers.

He is one of the most valuable resources an advertising agency could ever lasso.

Lil’ Wayne made headlines last year by releasing many Internet-only mixtapes. Available for free download, the only profit Wayne received was the profit of fame. This undoubtedly helped him sell more than one million

copies of his studio release “Tha Carter III,” in its first week of release.

What is interesting about Wayne and rap in general is the fact that it almost mirrors, to a point, what Andy Warhol did when he was blurring the line between commercialism and art through his Campbell’s Soup prints, among others.

Many rappers use simile and metaphor extensively in their songs, often times as a type of boast. They will compare themselves to things as a means of showing how good they are (at their art, I suppose, though often time they are more vague).

Wayne often mentions things from the commercial world in his rap, and he doesn’t stop at boasting about having nice products (i.e. Cadillacs, Patron, Impalas,

Ralph Lauren, etc.), but he even goes on to mention things from every walk of commercial life.

At one point on his mixtape “Da Drought 3” he says, “I’ve been around / I’m still around / like the Geico caveman.” He mentions a marketing tool of a car insurance company in a free mixtape that thousands down- Travis Andrews load. And since Columnist Wayne is such an influential figure for many people whenever he mentions a brand — as he often does without any emotional connection to it such as the previous example — we hear it, process it and remember it.

It is a new form of advertising without brands having to pay for it.

And he does this constantly.

Rappers using the commercial world to explain their art is probably about as blurred as it gets. So the question is obvious and simple: Is this art? If not, what is it?

It seems like a popular culture artform, as it is the music of the people in many ways, the new form of jazz.

While no one can say for sure, it creates a world of commercialism in art that seems to be heretofore absent.

Good or bad is irrelevant.

What it means for art is an entirely different question and one I do not have an answer for.

Either way, it is changing the landscape of reactionary

music. Most times, these stories of commercialism are told by those who seem to have the most reason to revolt against the norm but instead they wish to achieve the norm (which is seen in coming from poverty to owning “nice” things).

Will Geico start paying Wayne to rap more about its caveman? Probably not, but it certainly is a distinct possibly. And that opens the floodgates.

The road is cleaving, and a fork is forming.

A choice has to be made soon.

one of the very few schools in the country to do so.

Every varsity sport except one participated in NCAA post-season competition in 2007-08, and LSU has won recent national championships in football and track and field while reaching the likes of the Final Four in both men’s and women’s basketball, the College World Series in baseball and softball and the Super Six in gymnastics in recent seasons.

An athletic department does not experience that kind of success with irresponsible fiscal management.

Brooks complains about the chartering of aircraft for certain flights.

Brooks may not be fa-

miliar with the complexity of traveling with large groups of people during certain traveling times, necessitating occasional charter travel over commercial travel.

Had he called and asked we would have gladly provided an explanation.

We also sometimes use charter travel in an effort to get our student-athletes back to campus in time for class the next day when mid-week travel is necessary, a common and important practice among SEC schools.

By the way, Brooks’ statement that “I’ve had classes with athletes, and they don’t show up anyway” is a reckless and unfounded blanket statement that is an insult to every student-athlete

on this campus.

Brooks’ statement “The $2 million they’ve spent for a gift center is ridiculous. They don’t need to spend that money” shows a careless lack of research on his part.

I know of no one in the Athletic Department who received a call from Brooks asking how much we might generate off this new gift center.

Gift center revenues will pay for construction costs in a short period of time, and we forecast considerable future revenues that will annually benefit LSU. I don’t know about Brooks, but I think that’s pretty good business.

And I think it’s up to Skip

Bertman to decide how he wants to spend his time. If he wants to come to work every day and use his skills to raise money for his University and is healthy enough to do so, then that’s his decision.

If he chooses to retire, that’s his decision, too. But it’s certainly not Brooks’ call.

All in all, Brooks’ column showed an irresponsible lack of research, and I hope next time he will place a phone call or two before writing a column based on illinformed opinion.

Contact Travis Andrews at tandrews@lsureveille.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Brooks’ column showed ‘lack of research’ I am writing in response to Johanathan Brooks’ column on Jan. 29, “Athletic Department is fiscally irresponsible.”

LSU has one of the most successful athletic programs in the nation, and it is totally self-sufficient. No state tax dollars and no student fees are used to fund the LSU athletics program.

In fact, LSU contributes millions of dollars annually back to the general fund of the University,

Herb Vincent Senior Associate Athletic Director

HELP WANTED

PAGE 22

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thursday, february 5, 2009