Learn about the amendments on today’s ballot at lsureveille.com
Reveille Areas near campus see 22 vehicle robberies in one week, p. 3
The Daily
Miles anxious to play ’Bama after bye week of hard work, p. 5
www.lsureveille.com
Volume 115, Issue 49
Jindal talks with SG officials
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010
POLITICS
Polls open for midterm elections today Matthew Albright Staff Writer
going to raise taxes. He said fiscal year 2011-12 will be the toughest year for the state yet but that revenues look to be getting better. “They were very quick to spout facts and statistics and not make it relevant to higher
Today marks a much-anticipated political slugfest as Republicans crusade for political control in Congress in mid-term elections. The most prominent battle in Louisiana is for a seat on the U.S. Senate. Current Democratic congressman Charlie Melancon is challenging incumbent David Vitter in a race that has seen a torrent of negative advertising. Melancon’s ads have blasted Vitter for his “serious sin,” a 2007 scandal in which his name appeared on the client list for a Washington D.C. prostitute service. Melancon has also criticized Vitter for not firing a women’s issues staffer accused of assaulting the staffer’s girlfriend. Vitter has portrayed Melancon as a supporter of “the Obama agenda,” linking him to administration policies that are decidedly unpopular in Louisiana. Vitter has also accused Melancon of using taxpayer funds for personal vacations. Both candidates have used the BP oil spill as ammunition — Melancon has blasted Vitter for capping the company’s liability, while Vitter
JINDAL, see page 11
ELECTION, see page 11
ADAM VACCARELLA / The Daily Reveille
Gov. Bobby Jindal, left, speaks with SG President J Hudson, center, and Vice President Dani Borel on Monday afternoon at Abundant Life Church in Denham Springs.
Governor finally faces Hudson, Borel; will answer more questions today at meeting Catherine Threlkeld Staff Writer
Student Government President J Hudson and Vice President Dani Borel spoke to Gov. Bobby Jindal today after weeks of unanswered contact from him. Jindal spoke at Abundant Life
Church in Denham Springs about economic development and creating jobs, and Hudson and Borel took the opportunity to confront him. When asked about students’ concerns for their future in higher education, Jindal said universities need to do more for the value the
state allocates. “It’s not acceptable to have that much waste,” Jindal said about Louisiana universities. Jindal said the state government is not going to reward programs that don’t return in performance. He stressed the state is not
BUSINESS
TOMS founder shares message of charity Sydni Dunn Staff Writer
Shoes of every color and size stepped into the Student Union Theater Monday night, each pair different but all with the same label stitched on the back — TOMS. Canvas shoe-clad students flocked to hear Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS Shoes, tell his story of entrepreneurship at “The New Rules of Tomorrow’s Business: A Student’s Guide to Making a Difference in the World,” hosted by the Student Activities Board and the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute. TOMS was founded in 2006 after Mycoskie made a trip to Argentina that ultimately changed his life. He said he witnessed a local shoe drive first-hand
and saw how a simple pair of shoes could make a powerful impact. “I watched volunteers get on their hands and knees [putting on shoes], and I wanted to do the same thing,” Mycoskie said. “I was so filled up, I had never had an experience like this.” This feeling translated into a for-profit business that provides one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. “No formulas, no percentages. You buy $45 shoes, we’ll give a pair away,” he said. After brainstorming and visiting local artisans, the first basic shoe model was designed and about 250 pairs of original TOMS were created. “But there were two problems,” he said.”First, I had to go to work. Second, I
knew nothing about shoes.” He introduced the shoes to family and friends, worked to sell the product to retailers in Los Angeles and struggled with a business driven solely by passion. Finally, a store agreed to buy 80 pairs, and the rest was history. This initial sale resulted in an article in the Los Angeles Times, the catalyst for a boom in business and a string of future publications from magazines like Vogue and Time.
Read more about Mycoskie’s visit at lsureveille.com Contact Sydni Dunn at sdunn@lsureveille.com
DAVID LYLE / The Daily Reveille
TOMS Shoes founder and chief shoe giver Blake Mycoskie shares his story of entrepreneurship and philanthropy Monday night at the Student Union Theater.