Aw yeah, kick it
NEWS Green Crawl promotes environmentally friendly businesses, page 3.
Jasper sees early kicking start with soccer, page 5.
THE DAILY REVEILLE Volume 114, Issue 37
WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM
Friday, October 16, 2009
SCHEDULING
Hip-hop poetry new to winter session By Brianna Paciorka Contributing Writer
photos by KRISTEN M’LISSA ROWLETT / The Daily Reveille
THE VISITING TEAM
President Barack Obama speaks at a town hall meeting Thursday in the University of New Orleans’ Recreation and Fitness Center about recovery in the city and country.
Obama inspires hundreds on first visit to New Orleans as president
NEW ORLEANS — On his first visit to the for the event, only several hundred were By Adam Duvernay Crescent City since taking office, President awarded tickets through a lottery. Others waitSenior Staff Writer Barack Obama spoke to throngs of Louisiana ed outside to catch a glimpse of the president. residents about the continuing recovery of both the city and the Once he took the stage, Obama often had to break his country. speech when drowned by the sound of applause and cheers. Obama spoke to the packed Recreation and Fitness Center A cast of Louisiana characters attended the event, including at the University of New Orleans Lakefront Campus on Thurs- Sen. Mary Landrieu, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Gov. day as part of a nearly four-hour tour of New Orleans. OBAMA, see page 15 Though thousands of Louisiana residents requested seats
lsureveille.com Log on to see photos of Obama in New Orleans.
An English course focusing on the poetic foundations of hip-hop is among the 46 courses offered to students during wintersession 2009. The poetry class — English 2027 — will look at the style, lyrics and beats in hip-hop music and how major movements in African-American poetry influenced hip-hop. Wintersession will be the first time the course is offered to students. “Using hip-hop is a way to draw in some people who may be intimidated by poetry as it often seems hard or scary for people,” said Sue Weinstein, assistant professor of English and course instructor. “It’s a nice way to help people to see the value in rap when it’s sung really well and a way to bring people into poetry in a way that’s not as intimidating.” Weinstein said the course will look at lyrics by artists Mos Def, Nas, Lupe Fiasco and early artists like Grandmaster Flash, as well as other student favorites. “I’m going to walk them through like, ‘Well, let’s look at this Nas lyric, and then let’s look at this poem from the 1920s and see what we notice with the overlaps,’” Weinstein said. Weinstein — whose research area is literacy studies and who works with teenagers who write poWINTERSESSION, see page 15
HOLIDAYS
University to locally purchase tree Students hoping for equality at ceremony By Kristen M’lissa Rowlett Contributing Writer
The University will purchase this year’s Candlelight Celebration “Giving Tree” from a local vendor for the first time since the celebration began in 1995,
said Nancy Little, University public affairs coordinator. The tree will be purchased from Two Roosters Tree Farm, located in Ethel, La., Little said. “We really wanted to celebrate Louisiana,” Little said. “I really wanted to focus on Louisiana vendors and companies that can help us put on the event.” Previous trees were purchased from tree farms in Washington and Oregon for about $6,000, but this year’s tree
will only cost about $500 after delivery, Little said. The hunt for the right tree was difficult because a lot of larger trees were taken by hurricanes, she said. The tree, a 15-year-old red cedar, is relatively native to Louisiana and will grow about 25 feet tall, said James Cox, owner of Two Roosters Tree Farm. A campus arbor crew will care for TREE, see page 15
GRANT GUTIERREZ / The Daily Reveille
Last year’s tree stands in front of Memorial Tower.
THE DAILY REVEILLE
Nation & World
Friday, October 16, 2009
INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL
88 repentant Islamic militants released by Libyan government
Auschwitz memorial launches Facebook page, draws 1800 ‘fans’
Boy believed to have floated off in helium balloon found in attic
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The Libyan government released 88 repentant Islamic militants, some of them belonging to a group with suspected links to al-Qaida, a government-funded human rights group announced Thursday. The release included 45 members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — To try to reach young people around the world, the memorial museum at Auschwitz has launched a page on Facebook, the social networking site usually home to news and photos about friends, funny videos and the minutiae of modern life. The page aims to be a forum for discussion, reflection and learning about the Nazi death camp, and many people have left a simple message in English, Hebrew and Polish: “Never again.” Since opening this week, the page has drawn more than 1,800 “fans,” who have subscribed, and the number is growing by the hour. About 1,000 signed up on Thursday alone. Pawel Sawicki, a spokesman for the Auschwitz memorial, said the museum viewed its venture onto the site as “kind of an experiment.” The attention that the page has generated took the museum by surprise.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — A 6-year-old Colorado boy feared to have floated off in a helium balloon has been found safe at his home, hiding in a cardboard box in the garage attic. Sheriff Jim Alderman turned to reporters during a news conference and held thumbs up and said, “He’s at the house.” Alderden said an investigator on the scene saw the boy and he was fine. He said the boy apparently has been in the attic the whole time.
China aid could mar efforts to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — China’s recent offer of aid to North Korea could undermine U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang and help feed a cycle of failed negotiations aimed at ending the isolated country’s nuclear program, a former U.S. negotiator said Thursday. Last week, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao visited the poor north, which relies on outside assistance to feed its people, armed with a reportedly $20 million aid package.
Jimmy Carter: Obama deserves Nobel Prize for aggressive agenda ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Jimmy Carter said Thursday that President Barack Obama deserves his Nobel Peace Prize based on his achievements and the promise of an aggressive agenda that he’s still working to fulfill.
“Obama deserves it as much as anyone who’s ever gotten it for his achievement already,” Carter, who won the prize in 2002, said. “He’s transformed the image of America around the world, he’s stopped the practice of torture, he’s called for and taken leadership in doing away with nuclear weapons.” Driver suspended for wearing pink tie for cancer awareness SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A Springfield Mass Transit District bus driver has received a one-day unpaid suspension for wearing a pink tie to raise awareness for breast cancer. The driver, 46-year-old William Jones, had to serve the suspension, but his action led the transit district to agree employees could wear pink on Fridays in October for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Jones, who said he planned to file a formal grievance, said he has had a number of relatives who have battled cancer.
TODAY ON
lsureveille com
Plucker’s Wing Bar Monday: $14.99 All you can eat wings and $3 Plucker’s Lemonades Tuesday: $2.50 Mexican Beers and Margaritas Wednesday: Trivia at 8PM. $4 Mother Plucker Mugs Thursday: $15.99 All you can eat wings. $4 Mother Plucker Mugs. $3 Margaritas and Plucker’s Lemonades Live After Five Concert Series The Late Evening Band 5PM-8PM Free to the Public Downtown North Blvd. at Third Street Boggie’s $4 Double Beam and Stoli; $2.25 Import Beer till $10 Saturday: Last Waltz Ensemble @ 10PM. Ladies drink free until 10PM. Fred’s Bar Friday: Open Bar 8-10 On the Patio: THE MICHAEL FOSTER PROJECT 10-2 $2 Shots 12-2 Saturday: $2.50 Coors Light and Miller Lite
Friday the 13th The Shining Saw Halloween Friday the 13th
State Department of Education to cut 50 jobs in next six months (AP) — State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek says he plans to offer financial incentives to trim the work force at the state Department of Education. Pastorek said Wednesday employee ranks at the 650-member agency will be reduced by 50 workers in the next six months. Corps puts about $11 million in stimulus money into Louisiana NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Army Corps of Engineers is spending about $11 million in stimulus money on dikes along the Calcasieu River, navigation floodgates in Lafourche Parish and on the Morganza to the Gulf levee project. The corps says $9.3 million is to be spent on repairing foreshore dikes on the Calcasieu River and $1.4 million on a structural analysis of navigation floodgates in Lafourche.
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DRIVE ME CRAZY
Partly Cloudy
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SUNDAY 66 45 TUESDAY 76 61
BENJAMIN OLIVER HICKS / The Daily Reveille
Log on to www.lsureveille.com to see photos of LSU vehicles.
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
In the Nov. 14 article “Zombie infatuation emerges in pop culture, students participate in campus Zombie Day,” the people in the photo caption for the Nonfiction Zombie performance were misidentified. The performers are Casey Miller, Mark Duplessis, Danielle McGeough and Michael Sanders.
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STATE/LOCAL
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Mellow Mushroom $9.99 Large 1 Topping Pizza $6 Domestic Buckets
PAGE 2
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-34 Hodges Hall. The Daily Reveille is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and semi-weekly during the summer semester, except during holidays and final exams. Secondclass copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, La., 70803. Annual weekly mailed subscriptions are $125, semester weekly mailed subscriptions are $75. 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-39 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, La.,70803.
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THE DAILY REVEILLE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009
PAGE 3
ENVIRONMENT
Six Baton Rouge businesses participate in Green Crawl Event promotes alternative living By Jake Clapp Entertainment Writer
Baton Rouge hosted its first Green Crawl on Thursday, with a pub crawl-esque event designed to promote green business and living around the city. Participants in the event made stops at six Baton Rouge businesses along a predetermined ‘Vintage path before clothing finishing at Café is 100 Chelsea’s for the finale percent party with free Beer and recycling, Abita live music by green and Paul Burch and cheap.’ WPA Ballclub. Beginning at any one of Josh Holder Time Warp manager the stops, attendees biked, carpooled and drove their way along the 12-mile route through the downtown and Mid-City areas, down Corporate Boulevard, College Drive and Perkins Road
BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille
Baton Rouge Green Crawl attendees mingle Thursday night in Honeymoon Bungalow, a vintage store serving as a stop on the route.
while making stops to learn more about how to buy “green” and replace standard methods of living with green alternatives. The businesses, including Brown + Danos Land Design, Chenevert Architects, Mid-City Bikes, Time Warp and Honeymoon Bungalow, Gulf South Solar and Noelie Harmon, each partnered with a green nonprofit organization to highlight green living at each stop.
“It is extremely important for people to know that going green is not only easy but cost-effective and good for the community,” said Amy Strother Gatz, Green Crawl co-creator and organizer. “It can be fun, too, which is why we wanted to host an event that was fun and educational at the same time.” Planning for the Green Crawl began four months ago, when Gatz and Jeff Shaw and Ann Shaney of Gulf South Solar came up with the
BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY
Perkins Road picked for art LSU student pushes for designation By Steven Powell Contributing Writer
Five months ago, Chelsea Norris was looking for something to do on an uneventful night — and ended up at the first public meeting for designating a section of Perkins Road as a cultural art district. “I didn’t agree with what some of the people had to say,” said Norris, studio art and mass communication junior, and creator of the Perkins Road Art District Facebook group. “After that meeting, I went full force, helping to push for the art district designation.” On Oct. 7, the city designated a portion of Perkins Road, stretching from the Southdowns Shopping Centre to the Baton Rouge Gallery in City Park, as a cultural art district. Gaye Hamilton, Louisiana Cultural Districts program manager, said the designation creates a state and local tax exemption on all original works of art sold in the district. In addition, area buildings more than 50 years old may be eligible for a state historic tax credit for renovations, she said. “Businesses can earn up to 25 percent of the renovation costs for old or damaged buildings,” she said. “It also helps
‘‘
entrepreneurs, after learning who might buy about the proan old church and gram and pushed turn it into an art through months gallery.” of planning and Lieutenant meetings to reGovernor Mitch ceive the cultural Landrieu and the district status. Department of “It’s a very Chelsea Norris Culture, Recrenatural district, studio art, ation and Tourwith many busimass communication junior ism created the nesses that can cultural districts benefit and comprogram in 2007, allowing local plement one another,” she said. governments to designate speNorris said creating a Facecific areas as cultural districts, book group proved highly useful, Hamilton said. gathering 600 members in the Perkins Road is the second first week. cultural district in Baton Rouge “Facebook was a great way — the first is the area surround- to get word out about meetings ing the Shaw Center for the Arts and events — something Baton downtown. Rouge does a poor job of doing,” Seth Harvey, Office of the she said. “Today’s population Lieutenant Governor communi- isn’t apathetic — they just don’t cations director, said the program hear about what’s going on.” is designed to spur growth and Connelly said local businessdevelopment through tax credits es can work together to create soin areas with a strong potential cial events, such as art nights. for cultural activities. Norris said the next goal is City officials approved Per- to create a cultural district for the kins Road’s application because residential area along the Perkins the area is undergoing public and Road strip. private redevelopment — part “Creating a residential culof an overall plan for economic tural arts district will help to redevelopment in Baton Rouge, beautify and revitalize the area,” Harvey said. she said. “It probably won’t hapThe city sees potential in pen anytime soon, but it’s a goal Perkins Road’s art galleries and we can work toward in the fumusic venues, he said. ture.” Ann Connelly, owner of Ann Connelly Fine Art, located on Perkins Road, said local busiContact Steven Powell at ness owners and members of the community endorsed the idea spowell@lsureveille.com
‘Today’s population isn’t apathetic — they just don’t hear about what’s going on.’
idea as a way to promote green businesses around Baton Rouge. Gatz said the event was successful and she looks forward to another event in the spring. Josh Holder, manager at Time Warp, which co-sponsored the event, helped show attendees how buying vintage clothing and furniture is a green alternative. “We are trying to make Baton Rouge aware that green is a very possible and easy lifestyle,” Holder said. “Vintage clothing is 100 percent recycling, green and cheap. It is becoming a trend, and it’s completely green.” Mid-City Bikes was one of the stops along the Green Crawl, and owner Travis Hans was excited about showing off new bike accessories. “This crawl will definitely bring in more business to green shops,” Hans said. “People want to learn new green ways.”
As participants made their way along the path, they presented a “passport” for a stamp at each stop, which would allow them into the finale party. Gift certificate prizes were also given to contest winners who had visited every stop along the way. Brittany Jewell, philosophy senior, said she had a great time at the stops and knows the importance of events like this. “Not only does [the Green Crawl] provide information about the causes and effects of environmental problems, but it provides solutions to its participants,” Jewell said. “More importantly, it introduces like-minded residents to one another, people who are really concerned about problems like these.” Contact Jake Clapp at jclapp@lsureveille.com
PAGE 4
THE DAILY REVEILLE
Friday, October 16, 2009
FACULTY
Two psychology professors to attend APA conference Kelley and Advokat first to be chosen By Sarah Eddington Contributing Writer
Two University psychology professors were selected to attend the American Psychological Association’s fifth annual Science Leadership Conference scheduled for Nov. 14 through Nov. 16 in Washington. Mary Lou Kelley, clinical psychology professor, and Claire Advokat, biological psychology professor, are two of only 100 professionals selected nationally to attend, and they are the first University faculty members to be invited to an APA conference. “It shows that LSU is being seen at a federal level for doing exemplary research,” Kelley said. Invitations were extended to
those who have “an outstanding record of scientific accomplishments and leadership,” according to the APA invitation letter. In light of current health care reform, the theme of the conference is “Enhancing the Nation’s Health Through Psychological Science.” The goal is to advocate for increased federal funding in psychological research and training to ultimately improve the nation’s health, according to the invitation. Presentations, panel discussions and group activities will prepare the participants to meet with congressional offices in effort to communicate the value of their research. “It’s a great honor,” said Robert Matthews, psychology department chair. “They’re working on what APA considers important problems in regards to health care.” Kelley specializes in the assessment and treatment of
children and adolescents. Her work originally dealt with ADHD and its relationship to education performance. Kelley said the goal is to research effective ways parents can help their children function well in school. After Hurricane Katrina, she focused her research on children’s psychological adjustments following coastal disasters. The National Institute of Mental Health and the Department of Homeland Security have supported her research. “We’re studying resiliency instead of the negative outcomes,” Kelley said. Kelley’s goal is to develop sound measures of coping and social support for children after disasters. She plans on developing curriculum materials to be used by the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to assist families in recovery methods. Advokat’s expertise is in
STATE
Interracial couple denied marriage license in Louisiana By The Associated Press HAMMOND (AP) — A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have. Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long. Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist. “I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house,” Bardwell said. “My main concern is for the children.” Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said. “I don’t do interracial marriages because I don’t want to put children in a situation they didn’t bring on themselves,” Bardwell said. “In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer.” If he does an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said. “I try to treat everyone equally,” he said. Thirty-year-old Beth Humphrey and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint. Humphrey told the newspaper she called Bardwell on Oct. 6 to inquire about getting a marriage license signed. She says Bardwell’s
wife told her that Bardwell will not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples. “It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009,” said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzman. “The Supreme Court ruled as far back as 1963 that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry.” The ACLU was preparing a letter for the Louisiana Supreme Court, which oversees the state justices of the peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and see if they can remove him from office, Schwartzman said. “He knew he was breaking
the law, but continued to do it,” Schwartzman said. According to the clerk of court’s office, application for a marriage license must be made three days before the ceremony because there is a 72-hour waiting period. The applicants are asked if they have previously been married. If so, they must show how the marriage ended, such as divorce. Other than that, all they need is a birth certificate and Social Security card.
Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com
psychopharmacology — drugs that affect the brain. Specifically, she researches how and why psychiatric medications work to relieve symptoms in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and ADHD. Her studies show stimulants alone do not improve academic outcomes for children or adults. Her current research studies the effects of stimulants on memory and other cognitive functions. Advokat also researches the comparative effectiveness of drugs that are on the market. When a new drug becomes available, she tests if it is a better alternative. Kelley and Advokat said they look forward to seeing what areas of research the government wants psychologists to direct their attention toward, and the conference will be helpful in terms of grant opportunities to know what the government wants to fund.
Advokat said she welcomes the opportunity to talk about psychological research and how it can help. “You don’t often get to think about the big picture,” she said. “You don’t think you’re ever going to be in a situation where you can persuade or try to persuade people who can make those decisions and help decide where we should direct our resources.” Advokat said the conference will be a great opportunity to represent Louisiana. “It’s good for our representatives to see that our state’s contribution can match that of any other,” Advokat said. “We are just as successful, and it’s good to be reminded of that every once in a while.”
Contact Sarah Eddington at seddington@lsureveille.com
I’VE GOT TO LET IT SHOW
BENJAMIN OLIVER HICKS / The Daily Reveille
Nicholas Garrison, communication studies senior, is pulled “out of the closet” Tuesday afternoon in Free Speech Alley at the event hosted by Spectrum, the University’s GLBTQS student organization.
THE DAILY REVEILLE
Sports
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009
BORN TO KICK John Jasper takes over as starting kicker in 2009 season
photos by MAGGIE BOWLES / The Daily Reveille
[Top] LSU junior kicker Josh Jasper kicks an extra point during the Tigers’ 30-26 win against Mississippi State on Sept. 26. [Left] Jasper sets up for a kickoff against the Bulldogs.
By Rachel Whittaker Chief Sports Writer
Josh Jasper was destined to be a placekicker at the age of 3. He just didn’t know it yet. The LSU junior began his athletic career playing soccer as a toddler, and it wasn’t until middle school he picked up a football. A few years later, his parents suggested he put his kicking leg to another use. “We encouraged him to give kicking a try since he was a soccer player and could basically put the ball wherever he wanted to,” said Josh Jasper’s father, John.
PAGE 5
FOOTBALL
Students, athletes head home for bye week
Josh Jasper said he caught on to kicking a different ball quickly. “I remember kicking off for the first time when I was in middle school,” he said. “I went to some kicking camps and progressed from there … If it weren’t for soccer, I wouldn’t be kicking.” Josh Jasper’s original football positions were quarterback and wide receiver before he focused solely on kicking in his junior and senior years at Ridgeway High School in Memphis, Tenn. He finished his high school career with a Tennessee state record of 44 field goals, and he was rated the No. 12 kicker in the nation by Scout.com as a senior. “I used a tee for field goals for a couple of years in high school, and then my senior year I kicked off the ground to get ready for college,” Josh Jasper said. Southeastern Conference blood already runs in the Jasper family, as Josh’s grandfather, Bill Jasper, was a center at Tennessee when the Volunteers won the 1951 national championship. Josh Jasper said he grew up a Tennessee fan and considered following in his grandfather’s footsteps, but he said LSU gave him a “good vibe” when he arrived for his official visit. “[Former LSU kicker] Colt [David] was my host and [senior linebacker] Jacob Cutrera also,” Josh Jasper said. “And then when I walked into that stadium, it felt like that was the place for me to be. I’m sure that’s what everybody says when they come for their official visit, but it’s really true.” Josh Jasper has started all of LSU’s games this season after kicking just two field goals and five extra points in 23 appearances as a freshman and sophomore. He has handled the kickoff and
LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva is going fishing this weekend. LSU fans can pack their bags or put up their feet because it’s that one fall weekend when they get a break from complaining about the offense and picking apart the defense. And Tiger supporters’ livers may thank them for the break from tailgating. But their livers aren’t the only ones looking forward to this weekend. Les Miles ‘We gets to watch actually his two sons, Manny and have Ben, play foottime to ball for their ourselves. teams. “The Bron- We don’t cos are playing have to this weekend,” Miles said, re- tailgate.’ ferring to Ben’s football team. Carlton Miller “So I’ve got at political science junior least two bigtime events on the calendar.” Sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson is also going to spend his time with football. He’s going to return to his high school alma mater, Destrehan High School, to watch them play in-state rivals Hahnville High School. “I’m going to go watch that game and chill with my family,” Jefferson said.
JASPER, see page 11
BYE WEEK, see page 11
By Andy Schwehm Sports Writer
FOOTBALL
Miles: Jefferson doesn’t need to take chances Shepard ‘a little sick,’ OK for Auburn By Rachel Whittaker Chief Sports Writer
Sophomore Jordan Jefferson has thrown only three interceptions this season as starting quarterback for LSU. But LSU coach Les Miles said Thursday that Jefferson needs to make “timely, wise decisions” rather than take chances when under pressure during games. “I don’t know if taking
chances is exactly the word I want to use,” Miles said. “There’s a point Log on to see in time where he what Miles said has a great read and he needs to go during press the checkdown or conference. scramble or let it go. He’s going to be a good quarterback, but he has work to do.” Miles said Jefferson and the LSU offense had the opportunity to adjust more to play calling at the line of scrimmage in the team’s 120-play scrimmage Thursday. “The philosophy behind having the right play at the line of
s c r i m m a g e couldn’t be better,” Miles said. “Frankly we just wish we had more snaps. We need more first downs and bigger chunk plays.” Miles said the offensive coaching staff implemented two tempos for the offense to utilize in a no-huddle scheme. “There are two different tempos we use in the no-huddle, one of which is quick,” he said. “We do both snap counts, one where we
lsureveille.com
MILES, see page 11
RACHEL WHITTAKER / The Daily Reveille
LSU coach Les Miles discusses sophomore quaterback Jordan Jefferson’s decision-making ability on the field.
PAGE 6
THE DAILY REVEILLE
NBA
Friday, October 16, 2009
SWIMMING AND DIVING
Hornets fall to Miami Heat, 97-81 Teams prepare for first dual meet of year By John Marshall
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There was no home team. Kansas fans had to choose between rooting for Julian Wright and the Hornets or Mario Chalmers and the Heat. Kansas State fans wanted to cheer for Miami because of Michael Beasley, but that also meant rooting for Chalmers, a former Jayhawk. No one knew what to do, so they just cheered the whole time. Beasley had 11 points and 11 rebounds in his return to the Heartland and the Heat got their first preseason victory, 97-81 over New Orleans on Thursday night at the Sprint Center. “People didn’t know who to cheer for,” Chalmers said. “It was kind of a different crowd, but it was a lot of fun.” Miami (1-4) got the most out of it, winning a night after playing a tight game against Oklahoma City. Daequan Cook added 15 points and Miami never let up after using a 17-4 run in the first and second quarters to go up 40-23. Dwyane Wade, back after missing two games with strained rib muscles, had 14 points and six assists for the Heat, who had 23 assists with just 10 turnovers. “We’re encouraged by this last week,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “The last three games, there were some real positives going on. We made a big improvement tonight in moving the ball, getting the extra pass.” Nothing seemed to go right for the Hornets (1-4). Two days after losing 121-86 to Orlando, New Orleans shot 36 percent and had more trouble guarding the perimeter, allowing Miami to shoot 9 for 21 on 3-pointers. Bobby Brown had 18 points and Wright added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Hornets, who were 4 for 23 from beyond the arc. “Because it’s a preseason game, I don’t think you can read too much into it,” Hornets coach Byron Scott said. “But also, from my point of view watching the game, our focus is not there. It wasn’t there tonight. We made some adjustments this morning on some of the things we wanted to do and guys didn’t pick them up.” The game was a homecoming of sorts for Beasley, Wright and Chalmers, drawing a crowd of 17,116 fans to the second NBA game played at the 2-year-old building. Chalmers hit the 3-pointer with
2.1 seconds left in regulation that sent the Jayhawks into overtime against Memphis on the way to the 2008 NCAA championship. Wright left Kansas after his sophomore season. Beasley broke nearly every Kansas State record as a freshman before bolting for the NBA. All three are going to be counted on more by their current teams. Beasley, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2008, is trying to make the conversion from power to small forward and put behind him a monthlong stint at a drug rehabilitation center in the offseason. The 20-year-old came into the preseason in better shape than a year ago and seems to have a better grasp on the NBA game. He shot 5 of 11 and had three assists — along
with a few defensive mistakes in the post — after scoring 24 points in 38 minutes against Oklahoma City. Chalmers started every game at point guard last season after playing as a shooting guard at Kansas. The Heat want him to take on a more assertive role in the offense and get better with his one-on-one defense, bringing in veteran point guard Carlos Arroyo to push him. Chalmers finished with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists, including a backdoor bounce pass to Wade for a reverse dunk in the second quarter. Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com
Tigers host Tenn. in Natatorium By Katherine Terrell Sports Contributor
Mental preparation has been a key aspect for the LSU swimming and diving teams as they prepare to host Tennessee at the LSU Natatorium today. The men kick off their season at 4 p.m. today, and the women start 11 a.m. Saturday. The coaches stressed the importance of staying strong mentally and physically, according to some of the swimmers. Sophomore swimmer Morgan McGee said the last two weeks of practice were tough, but the whole team has been working through it. “‘Don’t give up. Don’t be weak,.’” McGee said the coaches
told the team. “We’re trying to mentally prepare ourselves in practice. That way when the meet comes along, we aren’t scared to race.” McGee said the coaches also told the swimmers anything they did in practice could be done against Tennessee. Senior captain Sean LeNeave said practice has changed in the weeks leading up to the meet but hasn’t backed down in intensity. In the last two weeks, the swimmers have broken up into groups based on their strokes and specialties. “When we split up into groups, I think it gets people in a different mood because they’re finally training for what they specialize in,” LeNeave said. “I think it actually raised the morale a little bit despite the increase in intensity.” On the men’s side, Tennessee comes into the meet returning six SWIMMING, see page 11
ERIN ARLEDGE / The Daily Reveille
LSU junior Kannon Betzen, starts for the 200-yard individual medley with Mary Beck (middle) and Kaelee Mader (back) during a scrimmage Sept. 25.
CHARLIE RIEDEL
New Orleans Hornets forward David West (30) puts up a shot under pressure from Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley during a game Oct. 15 in Kansas City, Mo.
Friday, October 16, 2009
THE DAILY REVEILLE
PAGE 7
SOCCER
Tigers seek to extend West lead, be SEC champs Ole Miss the team to beat tonight By David Helman Sports Writer
It’s officially crunch time for an LSU soccer team set on winning its first Southeastern Conference championship. The No. 15 Tigers (9-3-2, 5-1) currently sit atop the SEC West standings after pulling out a comeback win against Vanderbilt on Sunday and have a chance to extend that lead with a win against second-place Ole Miss tonight at the LSU Soccer Complex. The No. 21 Rebels (9-3-1, 3-1-1) are the only other team in the SEC Western Division with a winning conference record and are LSU’s main roadblock on its way to a third-straight SEC West championship. “If we can get a win Friday night with just a few games left, we can establish ourselves as an SEC championship contender,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “A win would also be a big step toward the SEC West championship.” LSU suffered its first SEC setback of the season last weekend in a 1-0 loss to Kentucky — a game that was played in water-logged condition after a series of storms. Lee
said it was good to play the game rather than postpone it because of the weather. Ole Miss is coming off a 1-1 road draw with Tennessee, but the Rebels can showcase wins against No. 17 Florida and No. 21 Georgia on their résumé. Rebel senior defender Danielle Johnson was instrumental in both wins, setting up the game-winning goal against Florida and scoring the game-winner against Georgia. A three-time All-SEC selection and Parkview Baptist graduate, Johnson’s trip to LSU will be a homecoming of great importance to the Rebels’ championship hopes. “Every game, she has an impact, whether it’s defensively or whether it’s on the attack,” said Ole Miss coach Steve Holeman in a news release. “She’s a difference maker. She’s been a huge part of our success in every game of her career.” The Tigers may be without senior forward Rachel Yepez for the third-straight game when Ole Miss arrives in Baton Rouge. Yepez tweaked her ankle in the team’s 2-0 win against Auburn on Oct. 4, and Lee described her as a game-time decision for Friday. “It’s a slow process. It’s annoying because I want to be better right now,” Yepez said. “I’m in the training room three to four hours at a time trying to rehab it ... It’s so
frustrating.” LSU could look to junior midfielder Courtney Alexander to help replace Yepez’s five goals and four assists if the ankle isn’t ready for Friday. Alexander has found a home at the team’s left back position but has moved forward to spark the offense against Duke and Vanderbilt. “It will probably be Courtney and a mix of kids,” Lee said. “Courtney is pretty versatile and has played great, but we’re also OK with our freshmen. The kids coming in [off the bench] are doing just fine.” The Tigers play host to the SEC’s other Mississippi representative Sunday — the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Bulldogs (8-4-2, 0-4-2) were off to a phenomenal 8-0 start until SEC play began, as they dropped their conference opener, 5-1, to Auburn and have failed to notch a league win so far. But Lee said the Tigers can’t afford to take their Sunday game lightly. The Bulldogs have gutted out 1-1 draws with both Florida and No. 5 South Carolina — two of the SEC’s hottest teams. “We’ve certainly got a lot of respect for Mississippi State. They’ve got ties against two top-10 teams,” Lee said. “The second you overlook someone, you’re going to lose points, and luckily we’ve got an experienced team that understands that.”
Speaking of the Gators and Gamecocks, Lee and company would be wise to maximize their results during their last two-game home weekend of the season. The Tigers’ next two contests are a road trip to play defending conference champion Florida — a team LSU
has yet to defeat during Lee’s tenure — and the home finale against undefeated South Carolina.
Contact David Helman at dhelman@lsureveille.com
GRANT GUTIERREZ / The Daily Reveille
LSU senior forward Rachel Yepez battles Georgia freshman midfielder Laura Eddy for the ball Sept. 25 in the Tigers’ 6-0 win in the LSU Soccer Complex.
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THE DAILY REVEILLE
Friday, October 16, 2009
VOLLEYBALL
Tigers stay focused at halfway point in conference play LSU prepares to ‘Dig Pink’ Friday By Rob Landry Sports Contributor
Following the LSU volleyball team’s upset victory against thenNo. 6 Florida last Sunday, the Tigers (13-4, 7-1) are working to keep their focus as they prepare to hit the midway point of Southeastern Conference play. “The senior leadership of this team kicked in practice this week,” said LSU coach Fran Flory. “The best part of the win was that we didn’t celebrate like we had just won the national championship or won something we didn’t expect to win. Sure, we were excited, but ultimately, it’s one conference win.” The Tigers now move on to face Arkansas (10-10, 4-5) and Ole Miss (8-11, 2-7) this weekend in the PMAC. Arkansas, the Tigers’ first opponent this weekend, has a lineup that consists of just two seniors. The Razorbacks have no juniors, three sophomores and seven freshmen. Arkansas coach Robert Pulliza said his team had as many as five freshmen on the court at a time during the Razorbacks’ 3-0 loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday. But the Razorbacks have won three of their last five SEC matches despite the youth. “Because of our youth, we rely on a team effort,” Pulliza said. “On any given day, somebody different can step up. We just don’t have that senior or junior that is our lead player.” Ole Miss is almost as young as Arkansas with only one senior and three juniors on the roster. In the match versus Arkansas on Wednesday, the Rebels were led in kills by freshman outside hitter Whitney Craven, who tallied 16, and sophomore outside hitter Katie Norris with 11. Ole Miss has won its last two conference games after losing the first seven. Pulliza said his team will face a stiff challenge in LSU on Friday.
BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille
LSU senior middle blocker Brittnee Cooper, center, hits the ball past Florida on Sunday night during the Tigers’ 3-0 victory.
“[LSU] is a very physical team,” Pulliza said. “They’re a team that has really good team chemistry and [LSU senior middle blocker Brittnee] Cooper is one of the best athletes in the country.”
Pulliza went on to say Cooper brings attributes to the court that his team doesn’t see in every match. “You don’t stop Cooper,” Pulliza said. “You just hope that
she doesn’t hurt you as bad as she can.” Friday night’s match is LSU’s “Dig Pink” match. The match teams up LSU Athletics and LSU University Recreation with the
Side-Out Foundation to raise money and awareness for breast cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Leading the charge from LSU is Dr. K.C. White, Dean of Students. White, a breast cancer survivor, will lead a 1-mile “Victory Walk” on Friday at 5:30. The walk begins at UREC and ends at the PMAC. “This is an opportunity to raise awareness, to generate support and rally behind a lot of great things to find not only a victory as it relates to volleyball, but also a cure for breast cancer,” White said. LSU senior setter Sam Dabbs said the team is excited to go play for more than just a win on the court. “We’ve been raising money for the past couple weeks, asking our friends, parents and teachers to donate money to the cause,” Dabbs said. “We did it last year, and we did a great job of raising a lot of money. Our goal is around $3,000 to raise for the program.” Contact Rob Landry at rlandry@lsureveille.com
Friday, October 16, 2009
THE DAILY REVEILLE
PAGE 9
CROSS COUNTRY
LSU runners head to Ark. for Chile Pepper Invite Teams to face top-25 opponents By Luke Johnson Sports Contributor
The LSU cross country teams head to Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend to compete in one of their biggest meets of the season for the Chile Pepper Invitational at the Agri Park cross country course. There are 33 men’s teams competing in the meet, including No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 23 Oklahoma and No. 25 Arkansas. The Lady Tigers will compete against 36 other teams, including No. 12 Baylor, No. 20 Texas Tech, No. 22 BYU and No. 26 Southern Methodist. All of the rankings are from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll. The Tigers enjoyed their secondbest finish in the event this decade when they placed seventh out of 30 teams. Hundreds of runners compete
from all over the country in the race. “It’s always a race we look forward to [competing in] each year,” said junior Kyle Hecker. “It’s always a good indicator of how we’ll do in conference and regionals.” This weekend will be the longest event of the season so far for the Lady Tigers. The women will run a 6K, which adds a little more than a half-mile to the race. Sophomore Amber Abbott said she is looking forward to the increased competition and mileage. But the Chile Pepper Invitational is not just a collegiate cross country event. Before the Tigers and Lady Tigers step foot on the grass and prepare to race, a public 10K will take place on the course. Abbott said she doesn’t think the runners racing on the course before the collegiate event will affect the conditions on the course. “There’s no such thing as a perfect cross country course,” Abbott said. “The weather is going to be the biggest adjustment we need to make.” Temperatures for Saturday’s
race are supposed to dip into the 40s. It will be the first time this season LSU runners will race in temperatures below the 60s. LSU has spent its entire season training and competing in warm, humid climates. But Hecker is looking forward to running in the cold weather. “We will be able to go faster because we won’t suffer as much,” Hecker said. “It’s so much easier to run in cold weather; you just naturally go faster. Hopefully, we’ll be able to take advantage of the weather.” The Tigers are coming off a three-week break in competition. Their last event, the LSU Invitational, was held Sept. 26 in Baton Rouge. The Tigers used the homecourse knowledge to their advantage and posted their best overall team scores of the season. The men placed third out of 13 teams, and the women placed fourth out of 16 teams.
MEGAN J. WILLIAMS / The Daily Reveille
Contact Luke Johnson at ljohnson@lsureveille.com
LSU junior Kyle Hecker runs the morning of Sept. 26 at the LSU Invitational at Highland Road Park. LSU’s men’s team finished third in the meet.
WOMEN’S GOLF
Lady Tigers travel to Tenn. without top two players New juniors to fill empty slots By Sean Isabella Sports Contributor
The No. 4 LSU women’s golf team thought things were finally falling into place following the lowest 36-hole score in school history two weekends ago, but two Lady Tigers have not been as fortunate. LSU will be without two of its top players this weekend when it travels to the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. Junior All-American Megan McChrystal was diagnosed with a virus, and sophomore Tessa Teachman has the flu. Both players will not make the trip. Teachman had just started to develop a rhythm on the course, firing a 5-under 139 par at the Mason Rudolph Championship on Sept. 27, to help the Lady Tigers grasp the lowest score in the school’s 31year history. “We’re going to give a couple girls the opportunity to play,” said LSU women’s golf coach Karen Bahnsen. “I’m excited to see these two new girls play.” The two players Bahnsen is referring to are juniors Abby Oberthier and Lindy LaBauve. Oberthier hasn’t seen the course yet for LSU this year, while LaBauve’s only appearance came in the first round of the NGCA/Hooters Collegiate Match Play back in early September, where she shot a 14-over 158. As if the loss of McChrystal and Teachman isn’t enough, LSU will also have to deal with
inclement weather. Precipitation has found its way onto Fox Den Country Club the last three days, requiring the Lady Tigers to cancel their practice round Thursday. Though soggy weather is forecast for the weekend, this isn’t the first time this season LSU has dealt with weather issues. The second round at the Mason Rudolph Championship was wiped out because of an all-day washout. “We’ve played in this weather before, so we’re prepared,” Bahnsen said. Despite the obstacles, LSU is no stranger to Fox Den’s par-72, 7,100-yard course. The Lady Tigers shot a 1-over 865 last year en route to the tournament title. “It’s going to play very different this year because it’s wet, and we have a different lineup,” Bahnsen said. “We only have two people that have seen the golf course now.” The 18-team field, set to tee off this morning, will have another championship caliber feel to it, with No. 8 Florida, No. 12 Wake Forest, No. 18 South Carolina, No. 21 Tennessee-Chattanooga, No. 23 Tennessee and No. 24 Ohio State competing, among others. Bahnsen said this weekend will be a test for her team, but she isn’t too worried because of the total team effort she has been receiving this year. “Everyone is contributing, and that’s what it takes to be successful at this level,” she said. “Anybody on this team can shoot a low score at any given day.” The Lady Tigers were well rounded in their first three tournaments, getting contributions from the bottom half of their lineup.
Junior Amalie Valle finished fifth on the team at the Mason Rudolph, even though she shot a solid, two-round total of 6-over 150. With only one tournament left in the fall after this weekend, Bahnsen feels her team is making
the right progress to get ready for the spring portion of the schedule. “We’re getting where we are shooting more and more lower scores,” she said. “Finishing sixth [at the Mason Rudolph] wasn’t terrible, but do we feel like we can
compete at a higher level? Absolutely. We’re working our way toward it.” Contact Sean Isabella at sisabella@lsureveille.com
PAGE 10
THE DAILY REVEILLE
Friday, October 16, 2009
THE DAILY REVEILLE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009 JASPER, from page 5
extra point duties in 2009 and is 9-of-10 in field goals with his only miss a 19-yard kick at Mississippi State. “It was a good change in my life to move down here,” Josh Jasper said. “I saw Tennessee had been struggling, and my dad didn’t have any hard feelings about it. I had some scholarship offers from schools like Kentucky and Auburn, but LSU felt like the bigger school.” Josh Jasper said the special teams unit at LSU has gelled throughout the season both on and off the field. Junior punter Derek Helton said he and Josh are great friends. “Being the specialists, people think we’re different,” Helton said. “We mess with each other all the time. From my experience being a specialist so far, that’s who you hang out with most of the time.” Josh Jasper and Helton are both sports management majors,
SWIMMING, from page 6
All-American swimmers, including four-time All-American junior Michael DeRocco. The Lady Vols return six AllAmerican’s, including 15-time AllAmerican senior Michele King. LeNeave said he feels confident about LSU’s chances. “We can give them a good run,” said LeNeave. “It’s more even than people might believe. It’s going to be a great meet.” Freshmen diver Rebecca St. Germain said the divers have also been preparing hard for the meet by working on repetition. The divers stopped working on basics and are working on their harder dives in the last few weeks. “Everybody has been working hard and trying to stay positive,” Germain said. “Going into a big competition, I think a positive attitude and a strong support system are one of the key things that you need, and I think we have that here.” LeNeave said the hardest thing about beginning the meet season is
MILES, from page 5
take a nice long look at the defense and one where it’s up and gone.” Miles said the majority of the plays during the scrimmage involved the first-string players against the second-string players. Miles said freshman quarterback Russell Shepard, who did not see playing time in Saturday’s loss to Florida, was not feeling well earlier in the week. “[Shepard] is a little sick,” Miles said. “But he practiced today and was in the scrimmage. He’ll be OK for the weekend and Auburn.” Miles said several redshirt freshmen participated in
PAGE 11
and Josh said Helton played a trick on him recently when he missed a class they had together. “The other day [Helton] texted me in the middle of class,” Josh Jasper said. “He was like, ‘Where you at? You better get here. We have a test.’ I rushed over there and he was sitting there laughing. I was like, ‘I hate you.’ That pretty much sums it up.” Josh Jasper’s longest field goal for this season and for his LSU career was a 52-yarder Sept. 19 against Louisiana-Lafayette. At the same time, he did not make excuses for his kick he hooked wide left against Mississippi State. “Based on what I’ve seen, coach [Les] Miles respects Josh and has a lot of confidence in his capabilities,” John Jasper said. “He’s getting to do the pooch kicks some, and he hit the 52yarder. Josh just wants the chance to do more.” Contact Rachel Whittaker at rwhittaker@lsureveille.com learning to swim while tired. “A lot of freshmen might not be used to swimming this broken down,” LeNeave said. That’s all what college swimming’s about. During dual meets, both teams are broken down from training. It’s all about who’s going to step up.” LeNeave said the team usually does a good job of learning to swim through pain. “We’re very tired right now,” LeNeave said. “The training is really intense. It’s really hard and the coaches expect a lot of us.” LeNeave said mental preparation is important because the team doesn’t have the physical edge it has when it starts tapering off at the end of the season for the championship meets. Starting Friday, the team will be going full speed ahead throughout the regular season. “We’re not slowing down for anything,” Germain said. Contact Katherine Terrell at kterrell@lsureveille.com
‘‘
MAGGIE BOWLES / The Daily Reveille
Junior kicker Josh Jasper kicks for a field goal against Florida in the Tigers’ 13-3 loss to the Gators on Oct. 10. He is 9-of-10 on field goal attempts this season with his only miss coming on a 19-yarder against Mississippi State on Sept. 26.
BYE WEEK, from page 5
Senior offensive guard Lyle Hitt and sophomore cornerback Brandon Taylor will be traveling to see their younger siblings play for their college and high school football teams, respectively. But students also get the weekend to not forget about their football worries, so many of them are heading home. “I’m going home on Saturday,” said Stefanie Ory, accounting junior. “It’s my mom’s birthday on Monday, so it works out well.” Rhine Perrin, environmental engineering freshman, is spending time doing something he wouldn’t normally be able to do on a football weekend. “I’m going to Mississippi to go dove hunting,” Perrin said. “I like to stay here for all the home games.” With midterms ending this week, many students feel it’s an ideal weekend for a bye week. “It’s a perfect time for a bye
Thursday’s scrim64 yards against mage, including Florida, including running back Mifour times on dechael Ford and fense for lining up defensive end Sam offsides. Montgomery. Miles said the “Those guys team will have the who are being redweekend off from shirted had some football before reLes Miles live reps today, porting to the trainLSU coach and it was fun to ing room Sunday. watch,” Miles said. LSU will take on “Ford made a couple of nice plays, Auburn on Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in and a couple of defensive linemen Tiger Stadium. like Sam Montgomery showed up.” Miles said there were officials Contact Rachel Whittaker at present at the scrimmage. The Tirwhittaker@lsureveille.com gers were penalized nine times for
‘We need more first downs and bigger chunk plays.’
week because we don’t have anything to worry about for the weekend,” said Devin Snyder, mechanical engineering freshman. Carlton Miller, political science junior, said he’s going to spend some time relaxing after midterms. “We actually have time to ourselves,” Miller said. “We don’t have to tailgate, so we can spend some time with our friends and family and just relax.” But it won’t be fun and games the entire weekend for members of the football team. “On Saturday morning, I’m coming back to watch film with coach,” Taylor said. Junior safety Chad Jones said even with a bye week, he and his teammates can’t get
lackadaisical. “You never want to lose your train of thought,” Jones said. “We’re trying to get out to the Rose Bowl, so we have to keep our focus.” Many students agreed with Jones’ statement. “I don’t know that breaks [for a football team] are always a good thing,” Ory said. “If you are going to come off a loss, it’s a good thing to have a break and reformulate a new game plan, but breaks can be dangerous at the same time because the players can get lazy.”
Contact Andy Schwehm at aschwehm@lsureveille.com
THE DAILY REVEILLE
Opinion
PAGE 12
OUR VIEW
Friday, October 16, 2009
Bigoted justice of peace should be removed from office Louisianians are again being shown in national media as backward-minded people. This time, it’s thanks to a Tangipahoa-Parish justice of the peace. It’s 2009, but Keith Bardwell refused to give an interracial couple a marriage license because he was concerned for children the couple may have. Bardwell said his experiences show most interracial marriages quickly end. He
then told Hammond’s Daily Star he is not a racist. Though Bardwell’s statements do have some traction — the National Center for Health Statistics found a 41 percent chance interracial couples split within 10 years of being married, while same-race couples have only a 31 percent chance of splitting during the first 10 years — we believe his actions are bigoted and inexcusable.
Bardwell’s slanted views not only paint Louisiana in a negative light, but also encroach on our civil liberties and, more importantly, deny a couple the right to be together. In 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a Virginia statute outlawing whites from marrying nonwhites, thus barring similar laws in 15 other states with the decision of Loving v. Virginia.
The federal government changed procedures for the 2000 census to allow people to identify with more than one racial category, and about 6.8 million Americans — or about 2.5 percent of the population — claimed to be interracial, according to a 2007 Associated Press article. And a Stanford University sociologist found in 2005 more than 7 percent of the 59 million married
Americans were interracial, compared to less than two percent in 1970. While the Louisiana ACLU requests Bardwell be investigated, this board believes he should be removed from his public office because of this embarrassing, racist and likely illegal decision. Contact the Editorial Board at editor@lsureveille.com
FREKE FRIDAY
“Invention of Lying” an enjoyable, witty comedy During the gap between the summer and fall film seasons, Hollywood scrapes the bottom of the barrel and serves fool’s gold to credulous audiences. The better films are left to founder unwatched in theaters, while the mediocre ones — which are most of Freke Ette them — are Columnist supported through steamrolling advertisements. One of the good films audiences might have missed these past weeks is Ricky Gervais’ “The Invention of Lying.” From the opening voiceover, we learn the world has never known a lie; everyone tells the truth. In this world, there is no fiction because it involves imagination, no transcendent religion as that requires revelation, no tact in relationships because everyone is impulsive, blurting at the first opportunity what comes to their minds, and no advertising as we know it — after all, no one says, “Our product will kill you, but I’m sure you won’t mind using it.” An unsuccessful, harried lecture-film writer Mark Bellison (Gervais) goes on a dinner with high-flying executive Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner), who flatly tells him the date will be a one-off encounter without the possibility of parole. Bellison admits defeat, discovers some time later he’s been fired, has the rent due and not enough funds to pay for it. By chance, Bellison’s brain architecture gets reconfigured when he decides to clear out his account at a bank. He has now
discovered how not to tell the truth (or invented lying, though that word is not used in the film). With his new-found ability, Bellison comforts his mother who is dying, assuring her a place exists where she’ll go after death, that she’ll have her own mansion and get to meet her friends. Channeling the fervor of a potbellied Dalai Lama, Bellison informs the world of a bearded old man (caucasian, I suppose) who wants everyone to do good deeds, so they’ll be able to go this new place. Bellison’s new found fame gets him a slice of the American Dream and massive press coverage. He even gets on the cover of Time magazine. The film then settles into a steady state romantic comedy. Now that Bellison has it all, can he get McDoogles? “The Invention of Lying” is a smart film, thoroughly enjoyable even when its flaws jut out of the picture like scaffolding. It tackles issues such as death, the superficiality of appearances and the existence of God. Bellison is unable to defend himself from accusations that the bearded man in the sky is evil because he causes people to suffer. This is actually a branch of philosophy known as theodicy, defined by Max Weber as “the problem of how the extraordinary power of … god may be reconciled with the perfection of the world he has created and rules over.” Gervais, an avowed atheist, doesn’t resolve this conundrum, but he successfully challenges us to examine our beliefs about God. Gervais is adept at playing the everyman. His minimalist acting and exemplary nonchalance is endearing in a genre and profession where everyone hams
THE DAILY REVEILLE Editorial Board NICHOLAS PERSAC JERIT ROSER ELLEN ZIELINSKI MATTHEW ALBRIGHT
Editor Managing Editor, Content Managing Editor, Production Opinion Editor
ERIC FREEMAN JR.
Columnist
MARK MACMURDO
Columnist
it up. He doesn’t traffic in belly laughs, rather he successfully combines Steve Carell’s magnetism with Seth Rogen’s gruffness. In “Ghosttown,” his previous romantic comedy, he played an acerbic dentist who got a crack at love. Here he gets to play an overweight underachiever who suddenly strikes it rich. Some parts of “The
Invention of Lying” are uneven, with certain jokes beaten to death, then made to crawl out to an undignified exit. Also, like many romantic comedies where the female interest serves the role of an attractive wallpaper, Garner isn’t given much to do except look pretty, which she does rather well. But there isn’t a need to concentrate on minor quibbles in
a witty, subtly provocative film that is well-worth watching. Freke Ette is a political theory graduate student from Uyo, Nigeria. Follow him on Twitter @ TDR_fette. Contact Freke Ette at fette@lsureveille.com
BEST AND WITTIEST
cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE
EDITORIAL POLICIES & PROCEDURES
QUOTE OF THE DAY
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.
“Without friends, no one would
choose to live, though he had all other goods.”
Aristotle Greek philosopher 384 — 328 B.C.E.
THE DAILY REVEILLE
Friday, October 16, 2009
EAT LESS LEARN MORE
Opinion
PAGE 13
Modern-day gladiators deserve human treatment Jor-dan Jeff-er-son ... Max-imus ... are the chants so different? Well, besides the fact Maximus, from the movie “Gladiator,” had just killed the corrupt murderous emperor, I would say there’s not much difference. Yes, killing is certainly not the same as throwing a touchdown pass or scrambling to acquire a needed first down, but, with more examination, their cheers are not so different. If you watched the FloridaKentucky game, or any sports show since, you’ve seen the hit on Tim Tebow. I watched that game, and my initial reaction to the hit was a cheer of jubilation that Florida’s offensive line had let the defensive end through to put a tremendous lick on the ever-so-popular Mr. Tebow. As soon as he was on the ground and unresponsive, I thought, “Maybe
WEB COMMENTS
In Tuesday’s edition of the Daily Reveille, columnists Eric Freeman and Linnie Leavines squared off about President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Both columns stirred major discussion on the comments section of the Reveille’s Web site, www.lsureveille.com. Commenters had this to say about Freeman’s column, “Obama’s Peace Prize award is shared by all Americans,” which supported the Nobel committee for their decision:
Prize should be awarded for actions, not words The Nobel Peace Prize was, in the beginning, awarded for action, not words. When a person is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize after only being in office for 12 days, it was his words, not actions or deeds, that “qualified” him. The Nobel Peace Prize committee has an agenda. The “Hope and Change” that the United States is becoming is just what they ordered. This is just another embarrassing incident that the U.S. citizens will have to endure for allowing the election of this administration. Anyone want to go the Chicago? -Mr. Dillon
Race not a factor in Obama winning award Great job! You never made it a race issue, but people still turned it into one. It would not matter if Bush was pink with purple polka dots, the point is he bombed Iraq on the false premise that they had weapons of mass destruction. He put this country into economic decay. He allowed torture. What world do you people live
he’s hurt and won’t be able to their failure can depress large deplay the Tigers in two weeks.” mographics. The source of these Now, outside of the moment, emotions is the performances, this seems like a very inhumane not the players themselves. Fans hope; but I know that I am among have this attachment to the pera very large number of Tiger fans formance but a detachment from who thought it. I examined my the humanity of the players. reaction and I think As upset By Matt Lousteau it is a reflection of as every Tiger some twisted socifan was last Columnist etal values. year when JarSports fans, myself included, ret Lee threw a pick-six, I can have come to expect so much out nearly guarantee that he did not of the athletes who compete and want to give the other team such entertain us weekly. They go into leverage. Regardless of what he their respective battle grounds, thought or wanted to do, fans and they fight for a win. When hated him so much that when he they fail, we chastise them and got hit, people hoped Jordan Jefexpress our dislike by booing ferson would come in to save the and jeering. We are emotionally day. This disregard for human attached to the performance of well-being is frightening. This is our favorite athletes. Their suc- where the parallelism of ancient cess is cause for disproportion- Rome comes into play. ate celebration, such as riots, but Roman gladiators were
criminals, slaves and prisoners of war. They were thrown into the Coliseum and forced to fight for their lives. When they succeeded, they were heroes and widely acclaimed. They were cheered on for killing the men who opposed them on the battlefield, who were in the same predicament. They had to kill or be killed. The onlookers would cheer and hope their favorite fighter would kill his opponent and continue fighting. The level of detachment from humanity here is much more severe than our distaste for the failures of our beloved teams, but there are some major similarities. Why are these men who throw around an inflated piece of leather able to affect our lives? I wish I could answer this question,
and I think it deserves thought. Is it an internal wish for ourselves to be on the field with them? Or is it merely pride in our team? Pride is an easy explanation as to why we enjoy their success, but I don’t think it’s the explanation of the deeper issue of apathy towards the well being of others. So next time you watch the Tigers, think about Jordan Jefferson and Brandon LaFell as humans before you express how terrible their performance might be.
in where you think defying the Constitution and Geneva Conventions should be allowable or that thinking about Obama in terms of his race is permissible? If you think torturing people and bombing innocent civilians should be allowed, you need to move to a country that has a dictatorship. We live in a place that praises democracy. Many of our founding fathers would even be thrilled about Obama (they weren’t all racists — Ben Franklin led the Anti-Slavery Movement). And yet, 250 years later, young people can’t even look at a man’s actions, but only his outward appearance. Must you be so dumb? THINK ABOUT IT! -Jamie Commentors had this to say about Leavines’ column, “Obama received prize for rhetoric, not achievement,” which criticized the choice:
about actually doing good, not looking good. He doesn’t believe the poorest should suffer unless they worship his god. He doesn’t spend millions claimed for charity on building up his own nun order. Teresa was a hypocrite of the highest order, putting her rhetoric and image before the real good and before truth. -Patrick
What do you think? Let your opinions be known about these and any other columns published in the Reveille at www.lsureveille.com.
Obama cares about good deeds, not appearances You’re right. He is the total opposite of Mother Teresa. He cares
Matt Lousteau is a 20-year-old mechanical engineering junior from LaPlace. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_mlousteau. Contact Matt Lousteau at mlousteau@lsureveille.com
Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at opinion@lsureveille.com
BEST AND WITTIEST
Obama’s abortion views make him unworthy I agree — well-written article, Linnie. I might add another bit of irony to your piece: When Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta received the Noble Peace Prize in 1979, she said: “To me, the nations with legalized abortion are the poorest nations. The great destroyer of peace today is the crime against the innocent unborn child.” Not only is this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner the complete opposite of Mother Teresa, but her words implicate this U.S. president as a criminal (his agenda against the unborn in this country is unparalleled by any president, and he’s only just begun). When hearing his campaign promise to make abortion “a centerpiece of my presidency,” we should reflect on Mother Teresa’s words and ask ourselves, no matter what else he may have done that is good, is he worthy of a “peace” prize? -Blaise
cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE
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Help Wanted University Methodist Preschool hiring asst teachers. Flexible hrs around your schedule. 225.344.0345 Don’t Miss This Opportunity! Now hiring for all positions at the following locations: JEFFERSON 7615 Jefferson Hwy Baton Rouge 70809 PERKINS ROWE 7707 Bluebonnet Blvd. Baton Rouge 70810 “Flexible schedules & Benefits for Full Time Associates” Please apply in person during regular restaurant hours. Equal Opportunity Employer Earn Extra Money Students needed ASAP. Earn up to $150 per day being a mystery shopper. No Experience Required Call 1-800-722-4791 MARY POPPINS seeking dependable experienced child care provider for two tweens. Good driving record and tutoring ability. References required. M-F 2p-6p. cboyer@radassoc. brcoxmail.com 225.505.8311 Student P. T. Tech Now accepting applications for part-time student tech in an outpatient physical therapy clinic for spring semester. Biology or Kinesiology pre-PT sudents email resume and days available to work to capitolcitypt@aol.com. Interviews to be conducted before fall semester ends. Notes & Note Takers Wanted Freshman & Sophomores in Demand. We pay top dollar for Notes & Note Takers. email:notes@thetigernotes.com P/T Bilingual Activity Teacher Home-preschool opening Spring 2010 in Downtown BR seeking French/Spanish Simi-Athletic Candidates creativepreschoolbr.org/apply preschool teacher needed Small learning center near LSU needs part-time afternoon teacher who loves to work with young children. 2:30 - 5:30 M-F; 225.766.1159 Reginelli’s Needs Managers Reginelli’s Pizzeria is looking for qualified applicants for assistant management positions at our 124 West Chimes location. Send resumes to jobs@reginellis.com looking for a fun job? Counter Culture Frozen Yogurt is accepting applications for our new 14241 Airline Hwy location! Workers needed for all 3 shifts: 6am-11am, 11am-4pm, and 4pm9pm. Please apply in person at 7711
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Parkview Baptist Preschool Preschool Teachers needed flex days no degree required 293-9447 N OFFICE ASST JOB Office Assistant position available in Baton Rouge. Duties include: Runs errands and tasks as needed; Processes incoming mail and phone calls; Keeps files and file cabinet organized; Simple accounting functions. Training provided. 20-30 hours week, flexible schedule. Email resume to jobs@puryear-it.com
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FOR RENT 3 BR 1 1/2 BA house next to campus. Fenced yard. Range, refrig., washer & dryer. Central heat, window A/ C. $960 per month. Pets OK. Deposit and lease. Available now. 225.766.2963 Newly Renov 10 Minutes to LSU Spacious 1500 sq foot renovated home in Highland Creeks. 3bd, 2 bath, liv rm, dinning rm, covered patio. All appl. including wash and dryer stay. 312 Heatherwood $1295 Rent and Deposit 504.481.9666 2 BED/2 BATH @ OLE TOWNE APTS Spacious apartments available ASAP. Reduced price of $890-900. Virtual tour at patricianmanagement.com/oletowne.html Call (866) 932-0887 to see our model today. Located on College Drive beside Webb Golf Course!
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PARAS, your graham cracker and my chocolate would make the perfect s’more. Together, we can slay any problem. If you let me, I’ll be your cowboy any day... Love, lone_ranger1228@yahoo.com Found: Cell phone on the third floor of Hodges Hall. Contact Jeannie Williamson, abwill@lsu.edu or come by 316 Hodges Hall. 225.578.6587 In the shower, female, singer looking for her dashing, musical match. I’m 19, overweight but attractive. I enjoy music (mostly indie-rock), live concerts, movies, tattoos, and piercings. If you’re interested in a girl who speaks her mind, loves sarcasm and is fun to cuddle with, email me. singergirl1990@gmail.com LOVES to HUNT AND FISH! LSU grad looking for a nice, sweet, GIRL who likes wine, the outdoors, and fancy dinners. IF interested for Drinks or dinner, call JEFF at 225-603-6193 or TEXT me LOOKING FOR FRIENDS 19-year-old music addict (especially loves Tool and classical music) in search of someone to hang out; must LOVE music and books and be open-minded with regard to religion, music, sexuality and gender issues. Email phoenixmoth@gmail.com. Let me tune you up Rachel, we met last
Friday, October 16, 2009
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Miscellaneous PREGNANT? NEED HELP? kat.myra@gmail.com or 225-200-8003 CONGRATS TO JESSICA & Cody! Your old co-workers at Student Media Advertising wish you a congratulations on your recent engagement. We wish you all the happiness life has to offer as you travel down the road of life as a couple. All our best!
Friday, October 16, 2009 TREE, from page 1
the tree, which will be located in front of the Memorial Tower at the end of November, Little said. The tree will last a month or longer on a diet of about a gallon of water a day, Cox said. Little said the University plans to plant a permanent tree for the 2010 Candlelight Celebration to promote sustainability. This year, the tree will be decorated with LED lights, which are an energy-saving alternative to standard lights. The tree will be mulched after the holiday season ends and become covering for the roots of University oak trees, Little said. Moshe Cohen, director of Hillel at LSU, said he hopes all religions will be represented around the holiday season. Other religious events, like Kwanzaa and Hanukah, will be recognized, according to the Candlelight Celebration’s Web site. “It’s important to celebrate diversity on our campus with our
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community, and even though Hanukah is only a minor religious holiday, a ceremony on an occasion like this gives us the opportunity to educate our University family,” Cohen said. Cohen said though putting a tree on campus does not bother him, other religions could associate the tree with Christianity. Reham Awad, human ecology freshman, said she is Muslim, but she is not bothered by a tree on campus. “I’m used to [a tree] because I see it everywhere this time of year,” Awad said. Lindsay Morgan, education freshman and Unitarian Universalist, said she isn’t offended because the majority of the University’s population is Christian. The Candlelight Celebration will take place in front of the Memorial tower at 5 p.m on Dec. 1.
Contact Kristen M’lissa Rowlett at krowlett@lsureveille.com
WINTERSESSION, from page 1
etry and raps — said she has always been interested in teaching a course about hip-hop because she finds the history and the connection to the different movements in history fascinating. “I didn’t really grow up listening to rap, but I started learning about it after I realized how much it influenced the teenagers I worked with,” Weinstein said. “[The teenagers] started introducing me to a lot of rap, and then I just kind of got hooked.” The course will be “something different” for students because professors don’t often incorporate hiphop into their classes, Weinstein said. If professors do incorporate hip-hop into their classes, only students majoring in that professor’s area have the opportunity to work with the genre in their class. “The nice thing about doing [hip-hop] at the 2000-level is that it’s open to everybody,” Weinstein said. “African-American culture, in general, is such a big part of Louisiana and Baton Rouge, and it should be a
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big part of the University.” A variety of other courses for undergraduates and graduates will also be available for students during wintersession. Lynn Evans, program director for Extended Learning, said intersession classes are often classes in high demand during the regular semester or are special interest topics to professors that aren’t able to be taught in the regular semester. Evans said intercession classes allow students to take a smaller version of a large lecture class, help students trying to catch up for graduation earn three credit hours and also give students a chance to take a special interest topic as an elective. “Some students even take intercession classes to get ahead,” Evans said. Students may register for wintersession courses until classes start Dec. 14. Students are recommended to register early to ensure a spot in their respective course. Contact Brianna Paciorka at bpaciorka@lsureveille.com
OBAMA, from page 1
Bobby Jindal. The crowd booed the governor when his name was mentioned, but the president said Jindal was working in the best interest of the country. “Bobby, if it makes you feel any better, I get that all the time,” Obama added. After committing to visiting the city within a year of taking office during his presidential campaign, Obama made good on his promise to remember New Orleans. “It’s always important to spend time with the men and women who have shown the country what it means to overcome adversity,” Obama said. “But even with all the action we’ve taken, we know how much more is still to be done.” Obama said rebuilding the Gulf Coast is a top priority for his first term. He cited his administration’s release of more than $1.5 billion from federal recovery funds caught in red tape as proof of his commitment. Obama said he wouldn’t tolerate the usual turf wars between federal and state agencies. He also said the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will put thousands of Gulf Coast residents back to work and slash the number of people still living in emergency housing. When asked by an audience member about the millions of FEMA reimbursement dollars still undelivered to New Orleans residents, Obama only said his administration is working as quickly as possible to correct past government errors. “Some of these are not going to be solved overnight,” Obama said. “We are working as hard as we can to work through this issue.” Maria East, a New Orleans resident originally from Guatemala, said she expected more from Obama. “It was an excellent speech, but I’d like to see more commitment to build the levees up for a Category 5 hurricane,” East said. Obama admitted the economy was “as bad as anything we’ve seen since the Great Depression” and compared the rebuilding of the national economy to the rebuilding of New Orleans. Obama said the Recovery Act is only the first step to getting the country back on its feet. He also advocated new clean energy jobs and health care reform. The president didn’t offer many details on reform but challenged his opposition to either help with change or get out of the way. He vowed to pass health care reform by the end of the year. “Those folks who are trying to stand in the way of progress, let me tell you, I’m just getting started,” Obama said. “I’m ready to go.” Obama warned of increased lobbying by insurance companies to oppose reform. “This is when the insurance companies are really going to start gearing up,” Obama said. “Their stock went down when Senate Finance voted out that bill. Now they’re getting nervous.” Some supporters and protesters remained outside and waved signs and banners to express their views. “The idea is to voice an opinion,” said Jonathan Randal, Baton Rouge resident. Contact Adam Duvernay at aduvernay@lsureveille.com
Friday, October 16, 2009
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Published on Oct 16, 2009
news, sports, entertainment
Published on Oct 16, 2009
news, sports, entertainment