March 30, 2011

Spring Invitational begins today, runs through Friday.

Watch a live video feed of the Student Government runoff results on lsureveille.com at 4:30 p.m.

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LSU alumnus and a U-High grad to open skating store Meredith Will

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 • Volume 115, Issue 116

Contributing Writer

Two lifelong skaters are ramping up to take on Baton Rouge.

Ben Boone, 2008 University alumnus, and Kyle Cox, 2001 University High School graduate, came together to start a skateboarding shop.

The shop, called Fidna — slang for “fixing to” perform a move — will sell boards, clothing, shoes and other skateboarding necessities, Boone said.

Boone earned a bachelor’s degree in printmaking from the School of Art, and he said he intends to use skills he learned at the University to design a logo, shirt and deck graphics.

He said the store will feature artwork from skateboarders in the Baton Rouge area, which will be for sale with profits going directly to the artists.

Fidna will be located in the shopping center on Perkins Road and South Acadian Thruway, near Uncle Earl’s and Happy Note Lounge, Boone said.

He said the store is expected to open in early May and will cater to college skateboarding customers.

Boone said he and Cox are experienced skaters and are more passionate about skateboarding than earning money.

Boone said he began skating at age 5, has been skating ever since and plans to skate the rest of his life. Cox said he began skateboarding at age 6.

Cox and Boone became friends in middle school and considered opening a shop for years. They began planning Fidna last year.

Boone said he became familiar with the industry through his personal pursuit of skating.

“I’ve been around skate shops my whole life, so I know how they work,” Boone said.

Cox said Fidna will strive to support lesser-known businesses.

CRIME

DWI arrests win LSUPD award Officer praised for rate of 24 in 2010 Sydni Dunn Staff Writer

photo courtesy of BEN BOONE

FIDNA, see page 15

Football: Early enrollees begin practice, p. 7

University alumnus Ben Boone practices a trick. Boone and Kyle Cox will open local skating shop “Fidna” in May.

The LSU Police Department was recently recognized by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission for completing the most driving while intoxicated arrests among state university police.

LSUPD officers administered 66 DWIs in 2010 and 22 so far this year, according to Sgt. Kevin Scott, LSUPD spokesman.

Scott said this is the first time LSUPD has won the award.

Scott said LSUPD officer Justin Lanoux was also recognized for completing 24 DWI arrests, the most among university police officers in the state.

Though there was no second place award, LSUPD officer Tyler Comeaux came close with 23 arrests.

Scott said the award shows that LSUPD officers are observant and motivated.

“Though we, LSU Police, have not dedicated officers strictly to DWI enforcement, this recognition shows proactive enforcement,” he said. “Drunken drivers DWI, see page 15

DISASTER RELIEF

RAs collect donations for Japan Banner campaign helps raise $522.06

Claire Caillier Contributing Writer

DAVID LYLE / The Daily Reveille

Mary Condo, resident assistant and animal, dairy and poultry science junior, helped raise $522 for disaster relief in the “Lend a Hand to Japan” fundraiser.

Two resident assistants in the Pentagon and Broussard community responded to the disaster in Japan on the day of the tragedy.

Mary Condo, animal, dairy and poultry science junior, and

Grace Weber, public relations junior, began “Lend a Hand to Japan” to collect donations from residents to send to the Red Cross.

Condo said she knew she needed to do something to help the morning she saw footage of the devastating earthquake.

Condo, Weber and other resident assistants created fliers and banners and distributed decorated cups to residents. Residents were asked to put any change or donations in the cups.

As of Monday, the last day to donate, the collection totaled $522.06, Condo said.

Condo said she was surprised by the amount collected.

“Our goal was set at $300, which I thought was ambitious,” Condo said. “Within four days we reached $300.”

Condo and Weber’s concept was inspired by last year’s “Change for Haiti” collection, JAPAN, see page 15

The Daily Reveille

Nation & World

page 2

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

STATE/LOCAL

Haiti postpones preliminary results of presidential election

Wisconsin judge rules against implementation of bargaining law

Exonerated inmate does not get $14 million

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haitians will have to wait a few more days to learn the preliminary results of their presidential election.

An official with Haiti’s electoral council says preliminary results will be postponed to give poll workers more time to count ballots.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not yet been made public.

The preliminary results will now be released Monday.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin judge has ruled that there should be no further implementation of a law taking away nearly all collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi said Tuesday that her earlier restraining order saying the law shouldn’t be enacted had either been ignored or misinterpreted.

Sumi stopped short of saying the law was not already in effect.

She says she will take more testimony on that issue.

Libyan rebels flee Gadhafi assault as world continues debate RAS LANOUF, Libya (AP) — Moammar Gadhafi’s forces hammered rebels with tanks and rockets, turning their rapid advance into a panicked retreat in an hourslong battle Tuesday. The fighting underscored the dilemma facing the U.S. and its allies in Libya: Rebels may be unable to oust Gadhafi militarily unless already contentious international airstrikes go even further in taking out his forces.

World leaders meeting in London agreed Gadhafi should step down, but have yet to decide what additional pressure to put on him.

DIEU NALIO CHERY / The Associated Press

A UN police officer from Nepal patrols inside the Haitian vote tabulation center Tuesday as electoral employees count ballots in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Gunmen kill 56 in grisly siege of Iraqi government center BAGHDAD (AP) — Wearing military uniforms over explosives belts, gunmen held a local Iraqi government center hostage Tuesday in a grisly siege that ended with the deaths of at least 56 people, including three councilmen who were executed with gunshots to the head.

The five-hour standoff in Tikrit, former dictator Saddam Hussein’s home town, ended only when the attackers blew themselves up in one of the bloodiest days in Iraq this year.

Obama: United States at center of Libya mission but not alone NEW YORK (AP) — President Barack Obama says the nation’s conscience and its common interests “compel us to act” to protect civilian lives in Libya. He says the international military effort against the regime of Moammar Gadhafi places the U.S. at the center of the mission, “but not alone.”

In the shadow of the United Nations, the president said the international community is haunted by past failures to save innocent lives. He said force should not be the first option against a country like Libya.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An ideologically divided Supreme Court overturned a $14 million judgment given to a former death row inmate who was convicted of murder after New Orleans prosecutors withheld evidence in his trial.

The court’s five conservative-leaning justices said the New Orleans district attorney’s office should not be punished for not providing specific training to young prosecutors on Brady rights, which dictate when to turn over evidence to a suspect’s lawyer that could prove their innocence.

But in a rare oral dissent read directly from the bench, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said that John Thompson deserved damages for “the gross, deliberately indifferent and long-continuing violation of his fair trial rights.”

Thompson, who at one point was only weeks away from being executed, successfully sued the prosecutor’s office in New Orleans, arguing former District Attorney Harry Connick showed deliberate indifference by not providing adequate training for assistant district attorneys.

MARCH SHOWERS BRING APRIL FLOWERS

Women’s History Month Keynote Address Navigating the Lipstick Jungle: 60 from plain Jane to cutting edge corporate skirt March 31, 2011 12 noon-1:30 pm mass. comm. Holliday Forum sponsored by Woman’s Center (wc@lsu.edu) African American Cultural Center Robing Ceremony Sign up & purchase your kente cloth today! $25 Office of Multicultural Affairs (Student Union 335) or AACC (Hatcher Hall (316) Iota Theta Chapter of Delta Sigma theta Sorority, INC. Presents Middle Eastern Crisis Program Patrick F. Taylor Hall RM 1112 7:13 PM DO YOU HAVE AN OCCURRENCE? Call Chase at the Student Media Office 578-6090, 9AM- 5PM or E-mail: officemanager@lsureveille.com

Today on lsureveille.com Watch a compliation video of the 2011 Student Government campaign and election.

Read blogger Ryan Ginn on the Fiesta Bowl fiasco on the Tiger Feed Blog.

See photos from behind the scenes of the SG debate on the Sharp Shooter Blog.

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@lsureveille, @TDR_news, @TDR_sports

Weather TODAY Isolated T-storms

76 56 THURSDAY

FRIDAY

75 54

83 56

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

83 64

84 69

DAVID LYLE / The Daily Reveille

See photos of more flowers blooming on campus on Snapshot at lsureveille.com.

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The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

page 3

RENOVATIONS

UREC updates machines, layout Changes to enhance exercise efficiency Josh Naquin Contributing Writer

With the eventual addition of 28 new exercise machines and the reorganization of the free-weights area, the UREC Student Recreation Center is knee-deep in spring cleaning.

The UREC SRC unveiled its reorganized free-weight room layout Sunday, and about 31 pieces of equipment have been rearranged to maximize the space’s use, according to the LSU UREC website.

The SRC ordered 28 new machines for its facility, which will arrive in installments, according to the website.

“It will help things work more efficiently in the weight room,” said Lacee Breeden, UREC healthy lifestyles coordinator.

LSU UREC Director Laurie Braden said the newly organized weights section will arrange similar muscle group machines together to facilitate a simpler approach to working out.

“With the new setup people will not have to be walking from one side of the room to the other as often,” Braden said.

The free-weights portion of the UREC SRC was also designed with new weightlifting participants in mind, according to Braden.

“It’ll make weights more appealing to new lifters and less intimidating,” Braden said.

The cardio section of the exercise space received one new stepmill and three new recumbent bikes this past week, Braden said. Many other cardio machines will arrive in the coming weeks, including treadmills and upright bikes.

Twelve older cardio machines will be removed to make room for 12 new machines, according to Brad Wilson, LSU UREC interim associate director of operations and project management. The older cardio machines, mainly treadmills, have received 5 to 6 years of use and have logged thousands of miles in that time.

7:20 a.m., 8:20 a.m.

Noon, 3:20 p.m.

4:20 p.m., 5:20 p.m.

DAVID LYLE / The Daily Reveille

Cong Chen, biological engineering graduate student, works out on new equipment in the UREC Student Recreation Center, which recently revamped its machine layout.

The cardio section will be filled to capacity in the near future with the addition of 16 new machines in addition to the 12 replacements, Wilson said.

“We are trying to get the most use out of the space and equipment we have,” Wilson said.

The free-weight and cardio areas will operate at capacity, Wilson said.

Funding for the UREC SRC’s facelift comes from earmarked reserves from LSU UREC’s profits from last year, Braden said.

“Every year we set money aside for priority projects we are looking to accomplish in the future,” Braden said.

The whole project will come in about $20,000 less than its $120,000 budget, according to Braden. Membership fees will not be affected by the improvements.

LSU UREC aims to complete the cardio and weight room improvements by the week of April 4, and they will definitely be finished by the end of the spring semester, Wilson said.

A number of factors were considered, including student

opinion, when LSU UREC decided which machines to buy, Braden said.

Several cardio machines were brought in early to be used as demos, Wilson said. Student interest surveys were conducted, and the responses were generally positive.

All new machines were bought through a state bidding process, Braden said. A variety of companies won bids, and as a result a variety of machines and brands will be available.

“I like the changes. Everything is newer, fancier,” said James Washington, kinesiology senior and UREC employee.

Washington said students are adjusting well to the changes in equipment and layout.

Lauren Stavis, political science senior, thinks the new equipment is a positive change for the UREC SRC. “The new equipment is nicer and cleaner,” Stavis said.

Contact Josh Naquin at jnaquin@lsureveille.com

Wednesday March 30 Shady’s

Greek Night - Free cover for Greeks $5 mixed drink pitchers Turtle Racing Come have a drink, Don’t be a DiCK!

Pluckers Wing Bar Mon.: $14.99 All You Can Eat Wings and $3 Pluckers Lemonades Tues.: Kids Eat Free, $3 Mexican Beers and Margaritas Wed: Trivia at 8 pm, $4.50 Mother Plucker Mugs of Bud and Miller Thurs: $15.99 All You Can Eat Wings, $4.50 Mother Plucker Mugs of Bud Light and Miller Lite, $5.50 Patron Margaritas Sun: $3 Pluckers Specialty Shots

3:00-3:30 PM Newsbeat 4:00-4:30 PM Sports Showtime 4:30-5:00 PM Newsbeat Repeat 6:00-7:00 PM Sports Showtime Repeat 7:00-7:30 PM Newsbeat Repeat Ch. 19 9:00-9:30 PM Making Moves 9:30-10:00 PM That’s Awesome

The Daily Reveille

page 4

ADMINISTRATION

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

TECHNOLOGY

NY Times University student develops iPhone application App gives discounts reviews on pharmaceuticals White’s book Sydni Dunn Staff Writer

Having a book reviewed by The New York Times is an honor, but appearing in the prestigious publication’s Sunday Book Review twice is extraordinary.

Just ask Richard White, interim associate dean for Academic Affairs in the E.J. Ourso College of Business.

White, who has authored three political biographies, had his most recent work, “Will Rogers: A Political Life,” reviewed by The New York Times on Sunday.

The biography, which was published by Texas Tech University Press in February, highlights the life of Will Rogers, a comedic social commentator, actor and national figure in the early 1900s.

White uncovers a more serious side to the wisecracking cowboy in his book by focusing on Rogers as a political insider.

“It’s a serious book about a funny man,” White said. “It gets to the heart of the matter.”

John Schwartz, the Times’ national legal correspondent, wrote that White was successful in contributing to the understanding of Rogers.

“Proving one unelected man’s influence isn’t easy, but White makes a convincing case that Rogers had plenty,” Schwartz wrote in the review.

Schwartz’s only criticism was that White downplayed Rogers’ humor, stating “a biography of a famously funny man should be funny.”

White said he was pleased with the review, saying “people would kill for that.” He said it was especially gratifying to have his biography in the Sunday edition, which has a wider circulation.

White’s other biography, “Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long,” was reviewed by The New York Times in 2006. The book was published by Random House.

He said the decision to write about Rogers was “serendipitous.”

White said while he conducted research for other publications, information about Rogers would often appear in documents, and it sparked his interest.

White said he began researching Rogers and spoke with experts at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Oklahoma. When White pitched his idea for a biography, he said the answer “was not ‘yes’ but ‘hell yes.’”

Three years and countless hours of research later, it was complete.

“The bottom line is it’s not about sales or money — it’s my career and my scholarship,” White said. “I’ve found I have talent as a political biographer, and I’m taking advantage of it. You only get one shot.”

Contact Sydni Dunn at sdunn@lsureveille.com

photographer and friend of White, said the app is convenient and she has never had any usage problems.

“I downloaded the app because there are a few prescriptions I take and my family takes that are not Morgan Searles covered by insurance,” Crowe said.

Contributing Writer “The app is also really helpful beWith more than 10 billion apps cause I can’t keep up with the card.” downloaded from Apple’s App White said he is interested in deStore, many programmers have at- veloping apps more as a hobby than tempted app development. a career path, and he doesn’t make Once such developer is Uni- any money from the app. This was versity student the first app he develJustin White, oped, but he plans to mechanical enmake more in the fugineering junior, ture. whose app was “My goal is to released in late have this app featured February. in the top 20 apps in The free medical,” White said. app serves as “Once one app is popJustin White an electronic ular, you can use admechanical engineering junior discount card vertising to make other for prescription apps more successful.” medication. Users can download the Crowe said the app is userapp, add their information and pres- friendly, and she has been satisfied. ent the app to any drug store in the “I’m glad someone around here country for discounts. could come up with something like White got the idea when he had that,” Crowe said. “It’s great to get trouble keeping track of a physical the word out and to get students to card for prescription medication dis- download it.” counts.

White said he plans to make one He contacted the United Net- more update to the app before movworks of America, the company that ing to his next project. provides the discounts, and presented “I’m definitely happy with it,” the idea of creating an app for them. White said. “To be in the App Store White created a developer ac- is a great accomplishment.” count with Apple and made the app in a week, but had to wait six months Contact Morgan Searles at for approval.

White said the app is customizmsearles@lsureveille.com able and easier to use than similar apps in the store. Users can find nearby pharmacies and even call directly from the app.

“Each card has their own custom number,” White said. “Pharmacists enter the code in and it automatically gives you the discount, no tricks. People think it’s a form of insurance, but it’s not.”

The app has been listed on the “What’s Hot” list of medical apps in the store, with more than 500 recent downloads.

Dana Crowe, a freelance

‘‘

‘Pharmacists enter the code in, and it ... gives you the discount, no tricks.’

BENJAMIN OLIVER HICKS / The Daily Reveille

Mechanical engineering junior Justin White works Monday on his iPhone application, which acts as a discount card for prescription medication, in the Student Union.

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

page 5

POLITICS

Rep. Baldone criticizes Gov. Jindal’s budget decisions Law Center hosts legislative preview Kevin Thibodeaux Contributing Writer

State Rep. Damon Baldone, D-Houma, criticized Gov. Bobby Jindal in the first annual LSU Law Legislative Preview at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center on Tuesday.

Baldone, vice chairman of the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he is trying to get the Legislature to become more independent, adding that he thinks Jindal is currently the most powerful governor in the country.

Baldone criticized Jindal’s habit of selling one-time assets and dependent money in an effort to fill holes in the state budget.

“I have some issues with the governor. I think he is making some serious mistakes with the budget,” Baldone said.

Baldone, who described himself as an independent, said he believed party politics and partisan voting are the only concepts holding tax increases back.

The LSU Law Legislative Preview was headed by Graham Ryan, the executive vice president of the Student Bar Association, and inspired by a similar event at Florida State University. Ryan said the

event is only the second of its kind monitored. He said they could then in the country. pay the state for their incarceration Baldone discussed many issues instead of vice versa. related to students in the upcoming Baldone said he supports leglegislative session, including solu- islation that would increase tuition tions to budget cuts. Baldone said for students taking more than 12 he is not opposed to raising taxes. hours, which he said would give “You don’t have to raise taxes, students an incentive not to drop but invest taxes wisely,” Baldone classes. said.

Baldone said he is in favor of Baldone said the government the possible merger of the Univershould put more money into edu- sity of New Orleans and Southcation because it is a good busi- ern University-New Orleans. He ness investcited the campuses’ ment. Baldone close proximity, poor said education graduation rates and allows money increased efficiency to circulate as merger benefits. within the Baldone adstate, informs dressed the complaint children and that many SUNOincreases state UNO students didn’t knowledge. receive adequate Baldone education at the K-12 criticized level, saying more Jindal’s profunding needs to be Rep. Damon Baldone posal to sell and assigned to basic eduD-Houma privatize sevcation. eral Louisiana Doug Smith, a prisons, calling first-year law student, the idea “horrible” and saying it is said he was impressed the event a one-time asset with no long-term was the second of its kind in the benefits. country, especially because LouiBaldone said he has not talked siana isn’t usually first in anything. to a legislator who is in favor of “It was very informative and Jindal’s idea. “One legislator ... very nice for [speakers] to take said it’s like a junkie selling his car time out of their day,” Smith said. to get his next fix,” Baldone said.

Baldone suggested instead Contact Kevin Thibodeaux at placing non-violent offenders under house arrest and having them kthibodeaux@lsureveille.com

‘‘

‘I have some issues with the governor.

I think he is making some serious mistakes with the budget.’

BUDGET CUTS

K-12 education fund frozen and not cut, protected by state constitution Billions in MFP funds still secure Matthew Albright Chief Staff Writer

The state’s Minimum Foundation Program — the arch-fund that distributes money to the state’s K-12 education system — will lose the funding increases it normally receives if Gov. Bobby Jindal’s budget is approved. But the MFP will not suffer an actual funding cut because it is protected by the state constitution.

The MFP is a huge pot of combined state and local revenues that, along with federal money, is funneled through local school districts to fund public schools.

About 65 percent of MFP funding is contributed by the state, according to a study by the Cowen Institute at Tulane University.

Jindal’s budget allots the program more than $3.3 billion — more than double the state deficit.

That $3.3 billion includes no funding cuts to the MFP. Jindal and other officials are often quick to point out that his administration has not cut the MFP during the past two years’ budget crisis, but

actually increased funding by 6.4 percent.

But whether K-12 education is an administration priority or not, Jindal is prevented from cutting the MFP by the Article VIII, Section 12 of the state constitution without a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.

While policymakers are forbidden from cutting the MFP’s budget, they are allowed to stop traditional funding increases that are normally granted to the program.

In more generous fiscal years, MFP funding is usually increased annually to pay for merit pay raises for teachers and employees, increased class sizes and inflationary pressures.

Jindal and the Legislature have frozen MFP funding for the past two years. Elementary educators have complained that the freeze has caused pain for public elementary, middle and high schools even without an actual funding cut because more students are coming in and costs are growing.

Commissioner of Administration Paul Rainwater said when he unveiled the governor’s budget that freezing MFP funding would save the state $200 million.

The MFP is one of the largest programs in the state general fund that bears constitutional or statutory dedications. Higher education administrators have complained that the maze of dedicated funding has made huge swaths of the budget protected from budget cuts, leaving higher education and health care vulnerable.

Contact Matthew Albright at malbright@lsureveille.com

ZACH BREAUX / The Daily Reveille

Rep. Damon Baldone, D-Houma, speaks Tuesday in the Paul M. Herbert Law Center. Baldone criticized some of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recent budget proposals.

The Daily Reveille

page 6

BR COMMUNITY

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

NATIONAL ATTENTION

DDD to University representatives unhappy with CBS story cials say LSU begin new Offi unfairly portrayed greenway project ‘I just feel like [CBS] Rachel Warren Staff Writer

Rachel Warren Staff Writer

The Downtown Development District will soon add another project to its long list.

Davis Rhorer, executive director of the DDD, said once it raises enough funds, the DDD will begin construction on the “downtown greenway,” which will connect the downtown area to inner-city neighborhoods surrounding it with pathways that allow residents to travel without using cars.

“It will grow downtown and allow us to embrace our neighborhoods,” he said.

ABMB Engineers Inc. conducted a feasibility and cost study in March 2010 to determine how the DDD should approach the project, funded by the planning fund under the Downtown Visitor’s Amenity Plan.

Rhorer said the 2.7 miles of bike and pedestrian pathways will also connect the downtown area to several parks in Baton Rouge like the Capital and Spanish Town parks.

According to the study, engineers found the greenway will lead to a boost in tourism, real estate values and economic development.

Rhorer said the project is still in early stages, so he’s unsure of how much it will cost.

“It could be anywhere from a couple million to $10 [million] or $11 million,” he said.

Rhorer said the DDD has only planned the first phase of the project, and the rest of the phases will be planned as they go along.

Recently, the DDD has begun construction on a number of projects downtown, which Rhorer said he believes is a good thing.

“We’re in implementation mode right now,” he said.

Rhorer said the reason for the sudden surge of projects is the DDD wants to have most of them finished by 2012 when the United States Bowling Congress comes to Baton Rouge for a six-month convention.

“There will always be a little bit of inconvenience,” he said.

“Just bear with us.”

Tara Curwick, nutritional sciences junior, said she often rides her bike to work downtown, and the construction has caused her some trouble. But she doesn’t mind.

“It’ll be worth it,” she said.

Curwick said she thinks the multiple projects under construction downtown will make the area safer for visitors and residents.

Contact Rachel Warren at rwarren@lsureveille.com

University representatives are pushing back against a CBS Evening News story they feel suggested the University has a low graduation rate and a lack of resources available to students.

Ernie Ballard, director of University Media Relations, said producers from CBS filmed the story in October, and the air date was pushed back a few times.

University officials were told the story would probably air sometime this month, and it ran March 22 on the CBS Evening News.

Ballard said producers told him they were looking to put together a story about national retention rates and would be showcasing several

schools in their video. the most improved graduation rates He said producers told him they over the past 20 years.” were interested in filming at a numHe said CBS briefly responded ber of different locations throughout to the letter in an e-mail March 24. the country, but University represen“They basically said they’re tatives were disappointed to see LSU sorry LSU feels that way, but they and the University of Maryland were feel they were fair,” he said. the only schools featured in the story.

Ballard said the e-mail also statBallard said ed a more detailed he sent a letter to response would be the producer who sent out shortly. oversaw the story Ballard said he to make it clear and other representhe University was tatives gave pronot happy with the ducers information story. on all of the UniverThe story fosity’s programs inErnie Ballard cused on the Unitended to boost the versity of Maryland director, University media relations retention rate, like and programs it has the Center for Acaimplemented to boost the school’s demic Success and Freshman Year graduation rate to 81.8 percent.

Experience.

LSU’s current graduation rate Saundra McGuire, assistant vice is 60.5 percent, and in his letter, Bal- chancellor for learning, teaching and lard states the University is “tied retention at the Center for Academic with Maryland as the two universi- Success and chemistry professor, sat ties in the country that have shown down with CBS reporter Michelle

‘‘

had an idea of what they wanted before they came to us.’

Miller in October to discuss what the University has done to boost its graduation rate.

McGuire was quoted in the story as saying, “They don’t have study skills, learning strategies typically, and unfortunately, many of them give up when they encounter difficulty.”

But McGuire said the video cut off her sentence.

“What I said was, ‘They give up, but they don’t have to,’” she told The Daily Reveille. “We can help.”

Ballard said this negative experience will make University representatives more cautious in the future.

“We’ll just have to watch out for feature stories and find out the angle ahead of time,” he said. “I just feel like they had an idea of what they wanted before they came to us.”

Contact Rachel Warren at rwarren@lsureveille.com

Today in sports: Baseball faces McNeese State at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Sports

page 7

First Impressions

Three early enrollees impress new coaches, teammates in spring practice Michael Lambert Sports Writer

LSU freshman Anthony Johnson has to win more than his spot on the defensive line this spring.

The 6-foot-3-inch, 294-pound defensive tackle was known as “The Freak” for his size and strength in the middle of the O. Perry Walker High School defense the past four seasons.

Undersized offensive linemen at the high school level caved to Johnson’s man-like force.

Johnson crushed the Louisiana high school freshman sack record in 2007, punishing opposing quarterbacks 18.5 times.

Now “The Freak” is facing players his own size during LSU spring practices, and his new teammates are making him earn his high school moniker.

“The older guys, we have a no-nickname policy,” said senior right guard Will Blackwell. “You don’t really come here with a nickname. You come here, and then your nickname is earned.”

Johnson, freshman running back Kenny Hilliard and junior college transfer quarterback Zach Mettenberger are new to the practice field this spring, getting an early Will Blackwell start on the competition before the summer.

LSU senior right guard LSU coach Les Miles said Mettenberger still trails the quarterback veterans — seniors Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee — though the sophomore threw two touchdowns in Saturday’s scrimmage in Tiger Stadium.

“In time I think Zach will compete with his advantages,” Miles said. “Right now the experience of the veterans is showing.”

The 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound quarterback has experience of his own, competing for the starting job at Georgia last spring and leading Butler Community College to the Junior College National Championship Game last fall.

“We call him little Ben [Roethlisberger] ... as far as being mobile in the pocket,” said junior wide receiver Russell DAVID LYLE / The Daily Reveille Shepard. “He has one of the best LSU sophomore quarterback Zach Mettenberger gets in a few throws at spring

‘[Sophomore quarterback Zach Mettenberger] brings a little bit of excitement to the table.’

practice. Mettenberger is one of three players who enrolled early this year.

ENROLLEES, see page 11

MEN’S GOLF

Tigers take Bulls Bay team title

Loupe finishes second in playoff Chris Abshire Sports Contributor

The LSU men’s golf team used a big day from senior Andrew Loupe and clutch play on the last three holes to capture the team title at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate tournament.

The No. 11 Tigers entered Tuesday two shots back of No. 6 Augusta State — which ended the second round on a birdie binge — but the Tigers grabbed the edge early in the final round.

The teams wrestled for the lead throughout a tense back nine before several late miscues by the Jaguars and steady play from LSU down the stretch sealed a narrow one-shot victory for the Tigers, who shot a team score of 3-underpar 849.

“When it’s close like that and you’ve got a shot here or there with five guys spread over four or so holes, you’ve got to focus on your game,” said LSU coach Chuck Winstead. “Sometimes it just works out and you end up on the right side of things.”

Loupe improved by one shot each day, culminating with Tuesday’s final round 3-under 68 that propelled him into a playoff before he fell to North Carolina State’s Mitchell Sutton on the first playoff hole to finish in second place.

The win is the first of the TITLE, see page 11

BASEBALL

More changes expected as No. 17 LSU hosts McNeese

Tigers have dropped 6 of last 7 games Rowan Kavner Sports Writer

Last week’s midweek loss against Louisiana-Lafayette contained a few experiments from the No. 17 LSU baseball team.

LSU coach Paul Mainieri moved freshman second baseman JaCoby Jones to leadoff from the No. 9 hole and started junior Mike Lowery at first base for the first time this season.

The switching will continue

in tonight’s midweek game as weeks,” Edward said. “I feel pretsophomore Alex Edward will ty comfortable out there.” patrol left field, Edward’s freshman Forrest move to left field Garrett will start means junior on the mound, and left fielder Trey Jones will move to Watkins, who is the No. 3 spot in hitting .225 this the lineup when year, will sit.

LSU (17-7, 1-5) Mainieri said hosts McNeese he expects WatPaul Mainieri State (13-12, 4-5 kins’ seat on the LSU baseball coach Southland). bench to be temEdward made porary.

10 starts in left field and one start “Sometimes when they can go in right field last season but has to the dugout without the pressure only played at first base this year. of having to perform, they can “I’ve been working out there CHANGES, see page 11 a pretty good bit the last couple

‘JaCoby’s a good hitter, and I just think he’s ready to handle this role.’

BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman second baseman JaCoby Jones (23) commits an error at second base March 22 during the Tigers’ 11-5 loss against Louisiana-Lafayette at Alex Box Stadium.

The Daily Reveille

page 8

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

RECRUITING

QB Randall ready to move forward from Oregon snub with Tigers ACT score prevented Signing Day pledge Hunter Paniagua Sports Contributor

Jerrard Randall will put on an LSU uniform for the first time when LSU faces Oregon to open the 2011 season.

Had things worked out differently for the four-star quarterback from Hollywood, Fla., he may have been donning a Ducks uniform instead.

Randall, who signed with LSU on Saturday, originally committed to Oregon in June 2010, but low ACT scores made him ineligible to sign on National Signing Day. A month later, Randall earned the score necessary to sign with Oregon but was faced with a harsh realization ­— there wasn’t a spot for him.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 189-pound Randall said he was mostly left in the dark by Oregon coach Chip Kelly.

“He never called me to tell me that [I didn’t have a spot],” Randall said. “I’ve only talked to [Oregon quarterbacks coach Mark Helfrich], and he didn’t really say too much.

He just told me not to play too hard

ROBERT DUYOS / The South Florida Sun Sentinel

Jerrard Randall pitches out to a running back during an afternoon practice with his high school football team. Randall signed Saturday with LSU’s 2011 class.

against them.”

After discovering his situation, Randall took the advice of Tim Tyrrell, his coach at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory, and began looking at other schools. Shea Dixon, managing editor for TigerSportsDigest.com, said LSU quickly became one of the frontrunners after he reopened his recruitment.

“They were going after him [before he committed to Oregon],” Dixon said. “Out of the handful of guys they had picked out to offer, he was one of them. He just fell off LSU fans’ radars because he

was

committed.”

Randall eventually signed with the Tigers and said he’s relieved to have the recruiting process behind him. He also understands the nature of college football and has no bitter feelings against the Ducks.

“I know that college programs are businesses,” Randall said. “I just want to play ball and be a part of a family.”

Randall said he has found a great family at LSU based on the relationship he has built with LSU coach Les Miles.

“It’s a great program,” said Randall, who will visit Baton Rouge

NFL

Kickoff rules could benefit Jasper Owners voted to change regulations Mark Clements Sports Contributor

While progress concerning the off-the-field chaos and controversies loomed with the NFL lockout, league owners tinkered with the rules.

The owners voted last week to move the kickoff spot from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line in an effort to improve the safety of the game and cut down on injuries, leaving Pro Bowl kick returners like Devin Hester and Josh Cribbs with possibly redefined roles.

On the other end of the field, weaker-legged kickers looking to make a name for themselves in the pros now have a 5-yard gift every kickoff.

“I wasn’t a big touchback guy in college, and that was one of the main things NFL scouts wanted me to work on, was get more touchbacks,” said former LSU kicker Josh Jasper.

“I think that helps me out personally on kickoffs, so I definitely don’t have any problem with it at all.”

Jasper, who local draft analyst Mike Detillier lists as a late-round draft pick, left LSU as the most accurate kicker in school history and is the only consensus All-America placekicker in school history but struggled at times getting kickoffs to the end zone.

Detillier said the rule change could benefit Jasper because of new kickoff strategies special teams

coaches may adopt.

“They’re going to do a lot of this sky kick stuff,” Detillier said. “The one big thing [Jasper] can do is put a lot of air under the ball. He’s one of those guys that you might want to work with on that sky kick.”

Rene Nadeau, college football analyst for ESPN and TigerVision, agreed and said special teams coaches will most likely keep the ball in play, forcing teams to make a return instead of taking a touchback.

“Special teams wise, coaches will probably instruct their kickers to kick the ball to around the 2-yard line,” Nadeau said. “When you run back a kickoff, there’s always a chance the other team could fumble the ball. You have to think that’s one of the things that’s going to happen.”

Contact Mark Clements at mclements@lsureveille.com

this weekend for the first time. “Les Miles always called me while the Oregon thing was going on, and he was behind me all the way.”

The addition of Randall to the 2011 class leaves LSU in an unsettled scholarship position. Because of self-imposed restrictions, LSU can only enroll 23 scholarship players in this class for a total of 83 scholarships on the roster.

LSU signed 22 players in February, and most expect Cameron Fordham, who grayshirted last season, to also receive a scholarship and count toward this class. Randall would count as the 24th scholarship, which Dixon said makes it likely someone will have to grayshirt. But he added that Miles likely won’t receive the same national backlash as he did when he gave Elliott Porter a grayshirt before last season.

“They know now, and it’s not going to be a situation like last summer where it just got brought up at the last second,” Dixon said.

Rivals.com ranks Randall as the 10th best dual-threat quarterback in the country and his sub4.5 40-yard-dash time has earned comparisons to junior wide receiver Russell Shepard, who played quarterback in high school. But Dixon said Randall will likely stay at quarterback in college.

“It’s not going to be one of those things where he comes in with an athlete label and then gets tried at a bunch of positions,” Dixon said.

“His mechanics are a lot finer than a guy like Shepard.”

LSU now has five quarterbacks on scholarship for 2011, but Randall said he wants to stay at that position and will battle for playing time. “[Miles] told me he wants athleticism in his quarterbacks,” Randall said. “That’s what I’m bringing to the table.”

Contact Hunter Paniagua at hpaniagua@lsureveille.com

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

page 9

TRACK AND FIELD

Laurent, Stowers earn honors for LSU Relays performance Staff Reports Junior pole-vaulter Rachel Laurent and freshman sprinter Jasmin Stowers saw more accolades Tuesday from their successful weekend.

Laurent picked up Southeastern Conference Female Field Event Athlete of the Week honors, while Stowers won SEC Female Freshman of the Week.

Laurent continued her collegiate success at the LSU Relays during the weekend, setting school and facility records in the pole vault.

She cleared a dizzying 14 feet, 2 1/2 inches to win the competition.

That mark now slots in as the No. 1 rated in the SEC and No. 2 in the NCAA for the 2011 outdoor season.

The honor is Laurent’s first of the year.

Laurent broke her own school record of 14-1 1/4 she achieved during her freshman season.

Stowers, meanwhile, had quite a collegiate outdoor debut. The Pendleton, S.C., native eclipsed the LSU Relays record in the 100-meter hurdles, posting a blazing time of 13.15 seconds. The previous record was 13.19 seconds by former Tiger Nickiesha Wilson.

Stowers now rates as the No.

FEATURE

Lowery makes most of opportunities Infielder didn’t play high school baseball Luke Johnson Sports Contributor

With an athletic 6-foot-1-inch, 186-pound frame and a left-handed bat, junior infielder Mike Lowery looks the part of a college baseball player.

A glance at LSU’s statistics through 24 games shows what seems to be an accomplished hitter rolling along at a .368 clip.

But there is one fact in Lowery’s bio that stands out like an NBA player at a preschool.

The Pearland, Texas, native never played high school baseball.

During the summer, he would dabble in the summer leagues, but his focus in high school was on basketball.

“I played baseball all my life, but going into high school I was playing basketball too,” Lowery said. “The basketball and baseball seasons overlap, so I decided to stick with basketball and play summer baseball instead. I really wasn’t sure if I was going to play college baseball.”

But for some, all it takes is a chance to prove they belong, and that’s all it took for Lowery.

His ascension to starting on one of the premier programs in college baseball started by word of mouth when he was playing for Pearland’s summer baseball team.

Temple Junior College baseball coach Craig McMurtry received a call from the father of one of Lowery’s teammates insisting the coach come out and take a look at a lean shortstop.

“He said, ‘[Lowery is] a really good player, a shortstop who swings the bat from the left side,” McMurtry said. “He said, he’s a good athlete, I think you ought to

BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille

Junior first baseman Mike Lowery waves at a pitch March 22 in LSU’s 11-5 loss against ULL. Lowery, who could start Wednesday, didn’t play high school baseball.

look at him.’”

McMurtry’s team needed a shortstop, so he watched Lowery play when his summer team was playing a tournament near Temple.

“I thought he looked very athletic, and he swung the bat pretty well,” McMurtry said. “I talked to [Lowery] and his dad about coming to Temple. We talked off and on for several weeks, and he decided that he would come here and play.”

The decision paid off for Lowery, who batted .422 in his freshman year en route to being named the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Region V Freshman of the Year.

But according to McMurtry, Lowery wasn’t able to coast on his athleticism alone in the college ranks — which suited Lowery fine.

“He’s a very hard worker, and he’s a very good competitor,” McMurtry said. “Any time you mix someone who’s got the talent with someone who’s very competitive, he’s going to try to get the most out of his ability.”

Lowery parlayed a sophomore season in which he batted .355 with 11 doubles and seven stolen

bases into a scholarship from LSU. But a back injury almost derailed Lowery’s career at LSU before it started. “[Lowery’s] an interesting story,” said LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri. “He goes to junior college and plays so well that we recruit him. Then he comes to school here, and he’s got a stress fracture in his back and has major back surgery.”

Lowery redshirted after the surgery and was frustrated by his inability to play because of the injury. But the former high school basketball player has worked his way into the starting lineup this season.

“I was blessed with an opportunity to come here and play, though it was a little frustrating last year,” Lowery said. “Now I’m coming back and getting in the swing of things again, getting comfortable out there. Coach Mainieri has blessed me with some opportunities to play for this team.”

Contact Luke Johnson at ljohnson@lsureveille.com

1 performer in the NCAA and No. 2 performer worldwide outdoors in 2011. She was also tabbed as SEC Female Freshman of the Week on Feb. 8 during the indoor season.

Stowers also beat her personal record of 13.52 seconds.

She came to LSU as the No. 1 sprint hurdler in the country and earned consecutive selections to the USA Today All-USA Track and Field Team in 2008 and 2009.

Laurent’s torrid start is reminiscent of her previous two campaigns.

Both resulted in spots on the AllAmerica team for her freshman and sophomore efforts, three All-SEC selections and a third place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

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

The Daily Reveille

page 10

FOOTBALL

Wide receivers range in experience in spring practice Shepard expects outside receiver role Rachel Whittaker Sports Writer

It’s clear who the two veterans are in the LSU wide receiving corps, but plenty of other players are making their presence felt.

Juniors Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard have emerged as the starting outside receivers with Terrence Toliver’s eligibility complete. But junior Chris Tolliver, sophomores James Wright and Kadron Boone, and redshirt freshmen Armand Williams and Jarrett Fobbs are all in the mix for playing time.

Wright said the younger receivers have great examples to follow. Randle was second behind Toliver with 544 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2010, and Shepard was No. 3 with 254 yards and one touchdown, also rushing for 226 yards.

Wright could be on track to grab the third receiver spot after turning some heads Saturday in LSU’s second scrimmage of spring practice. He hauled in three touchdown catches — one each from seniors Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee and junior college transfer Zach Mettenberger. Wright caught two passes for 21 yards in 12 games as a freshman.

“I back up Rueben a lot in practice,” Wright said. “We feed off Rueben and Russell’s energy.”

Jefferson said Wright’s critical plays made him stand out in the scrimmage.

“What [Wright] is doing is what we’re looking for out of the receivers,” Jefferson said. “Our goal is to make sure he stays on this level throughout the rest of his career here.”

Only four LSU players recorded touchdown receptions in 2010 amid an anemic passing game. Now the Tigers have two veteran quarterbacks in Jefferson and Lee, and Randle said there is a tangible difference in the offensive mindset even after just nine spring practices.

“We’re more aggressive passing the ball downfield this spring than we were last season at all,” Randle said.

Randle said Williams has also caught his eye so far.

“Last year I took Armand Williams under my wings,” Randle said. “He came to me and asked me all kinds of things, so I’ve tried to get him better.”

Shepard said each of the younger receivers brings something valuable to the offense.

“Probably the biggest playmaker we have is James Wright.

He’s somebody who steps up in every scrimmage,” Shepard said. “Then you have somebody like Kadron Boone who is a very

skilled technician ... Then Jarrett Fobbs and Armand Williams have all the potential in the world — probably the best two athletes in the room from a football standpoint.”

Shepard said he has lined up on the inside and Randle on the outside in two-receiver sets, but his biggest goal is to stretch the field more as an outside receiver.

“I like the outside,” Shepard said. “It’s the money position; you have to get out there and make tough plays against the best coverage. And blocking is easier because you’re not blocking 250-pound guys.”

Wright said he has played about half in the slot and half on the outside as a receiver this spring, and he has an open mind

for his role next season.

Bob Becnel, Wright’s coach at Belle Chasse High School, said bumping up his weight to 207 pounds was certainly a benefit, as is his physicality paired with “soft-spoken” leadership.

“He always brought a lot of intensity to practice and brought everybody’s play up,” Becnel said. “He brought very little noise and a whole lot of follow-up.”

Tolliver was sidelined for much of his sophomore year with a head injury, playing in six games with one start against Ole Miss. He caught two passes for 35 yards last season.

Contact Rachel Whittaker at rwhittaker@lsureveille.com

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 ENROLLEES, from page 7

arms I’ve seen in a while. You can tell he’s been coached up really well.”

Blackwell said Mettenberger is different from the other two quarterbacks vying for the starting job.

“We like his attitude. We like the way he kids around,” Blackwell said. “He brings a little bit of excitement to the table.”

Hilliard, another new addition this spring, has even more players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Sophomore Spencer Ware leads the running back corps, and sophomores Alfred Blue and Michael Ford and freshman Jakhari Gore are close behind.

Hilliard, the nephew of former LSU and New Orleans Saints running back Dalton Hilliard, didn’t participate in Saturday’s scrimmage. Miles said his absence was due to “personal reasons.”

“There’s a lot of stuff he needs to learn,” Jefferson said.

“Once he learns everything and buys in more to the system ... he’s going to be a great player for LSU.” Hilliard, like Johnson, had a historic high school career, setting the Louisiana record with 8,603 rushing yards at Patterson High School.

Sophomore defensive tackle Michael Brockers said Johnson

BLAIR LOCKHART / The Daily Reveille

Freshman running back Kenny Hilliard bursts through padded defenders during a drill Tuesday at spring practice. Hilliard is the nephew of LSU legend Dalton Hilliard.

is already showing why he was a blue-chip recruit.

“It’s amazing how these guys come out of high school and do the things they do,” Brockers said. “I have to watch behind me. ... With Anthony Johnson behind me, it’s never a day I can let up.”

Johnson had two solo tackles in the scrimmage Saturday, but Blackwell said it still wasn’t enough for him to earn his high school nickname.

“After the spring and probably after fall camp, when he shows us he’s definitely all in, then maybe he can have his nickname back,” Blackwell joked.

INJURY NOTES Junior tight end Chase Clement was absent from Tuesday’s practice. Clement was seen Monday with a sling on his left arm.

Senior linebacker Karnell Hatcher practiced Tuesday with a green non-contact jersey. It is unknown whether Hatcher suffered an injury.

to win. ... If the shoe had been on the other foot today and we had lost by one shot, they still had a great week.”

Junior Sang Yi played one of his best rounds of the year Tuesday, as he managed a 1-under 70 to finish in 17th place and help the Tigers maintain their spot near the lead late in the day.

Senior John Peterson continued to be the Tigers’ steadying presence at Bulls Bay. The

All-American turned in a final round 1-over 72 to finish in a tie for seventh with a 54-hole score of 2-under 211.

The Tigers return home with momentum and will host the LSU Invitational this weekend at the renovated University Club.

“[Garrett’s] pitched in two or three simulated games, and he’s watch the game and see it from looked good,” Mainieri said. “Our a different perspective,” Mainieri guys didn’t hit him.” said. “So now when you put them Mainieri said Jones’ move to back in, they play better.” the No. 3 hole will force junior Garrett will make his first third baseman Tyler Hanover or start of the season after undergo- sophomore designated hitter Raph ing Tommy John Rhymes into the surgery on his leadoff spot. elbow in spring Jones played 2010. the first 20 games “Once you in the No. 9 hole get out there and before moving to you start loosenleadoff the last ing it up, it’s like four games. He is riding a bike,” No. 3 on the team Forrest Garrett Garrett said. “You with a .353 batting LSU freshman pitcher just get back into average despite it again.” hitting 2-for-12 in Garrett throws a change-up, the leadoff spot last weekend. a two and four-seam fastball and “JaCoby’s a good hitter, and I a slider. He said his fastball is just think he’s ready to handle this between 84 to 86 mph right now role,” Mainieri said. after throwing it 88 to 90 mph beMcNeese is 4-6 away from fore the injury. home and is on a three-game los“I think we’ll get there once ing streak. The Cowboys are batI start getting settled in and more ting .290 as a team, and opponents comfortable out there on the are hitting .282 against McNeese, mound,” he said. which possesses a 5.16 team ERA. Mainieri said Garrett will The Tigers have dropped six only throw an inning or two of their last seven games, includbefore junior transfer Tyler ing two of three games against Jones, the typical midweek starter, Georgia, which was also on a takes over. three-game losing streak heading

into last weekend.

“I think everything will start coming together,” Edward said.

“Everybody’s going to stop pressing and start just playing the game for the passion of it and start having a lot more fun.”

LSU is 2-1 against Louisiana rivals this season. The Tigers lost, 11-5, to ULL and trailed, 6-0, to Nicholls State before snagging a 12-8 win earlier this season.

TITLE, from page 7

spring for the men’s team, which hasn’t finished worse than fourth this spring but hadn’t been able to claim a team title since winning twice in the fall.

“The guys have been really consistent this spring, and every event has been against some great competition,” Winstead said.

“They’ve played in the last wave of every tournament with a chance

CHANGES, from page 7

‘Once you get out there and you start loosening it up, it’s like riding a bike.’

Follow Michael Lambert on Twitter @TDR_Lambert.

Contact Michael Lambert at mlambert@lsureveille.com

Contact Chris Abshire at cabshire@lsureveille.com

Follow Rowan Kavner on Twitter @TDR_Kavner.

Contact Rowan Kavner at rkavner@lsureveille.com

page 11

The Daily Reveille

Opinion

page 12

THE BOTTOM LINE

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Social media have moral responsibility to the world

With revolutions ever stirring in farway countries and the citizens of the world crying out for freedom, social media companies now have a greater responsibility than ever.

Sites like Flickr, YouTube and Facebook are in a moral vacuum.

For the first time in human history, a select few control the flow of information throughout the world, chosen not by democracies or war but voted into power by the almighty dollar.

In November 2007, YouTube took down a “flagged” video of Egyptian police torturing a citizen.

Posted by blogger Wael Abbas, the video was only the beginning in a series of difficult decisions for social media.

Upon further review, Googleowned YouTube reinstated the video.

Another Egyptian blogger, Hossam el-Hamalawy, noticed pictures that he posted were being removed from the popular

image-sharing website Flickr.

The photographs, which show headshots of Egypt’s infamous security police, were deleted by the site.

In an e-mail later received by el-Hamalawy, Flickr explained the pictures were taken down because they violated the site’s policy — account holders are allowed to post only videos which they themselves Devin Graham have taken.

He was Opinion Editor surprised, unuderstandably so, when the pictures were removed. In the endless sea of pictures on the massive site, content is frequently reposted and shared between groups, rarely by the authors themselves.

All companies have a primary goal — make money. Get every last

dollar floating around this rock and do it as quickly as possible.

As a company reaches economic stability and profit, the focus becomes ethical. If you can survive morally, without paying off judges and politicians, destroying small nations and manipulating the stock market through insider trading, why not do so?

In many cases, the moral responsibility is clear. To fire employees for requesting basic working conditions, or denying even the most mundane living conditions to the citizens inhabiting the lands we so quickly burn through, is clearly amoral.

But the decision is not always so easy.

Consider the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Social media as a whole have done their best to remain neutral in many of the world’s conflicts, but when a group calls for uprising in Palestine, what is the moral action? What can best be done to both

protect life and empower the oppressed?

In a letter to Facebook’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Israel’s minister of diplomacy Yuli Edelstein praised Facebook’s hand in supporting positive movements, solemnly warning about the dangers of groups calling for Palestinian uprising, ones with clearly violent potential.

Demonstrating unparalleled vision and human compassion, Google used its newly-acquired company SayNow to set up phone lines through which anyone in Egypt could call and speak a message. The messages were then tweeted with the hashtag #egypt.

This was in response to the Egyptian government’s floundering attempt to maintain control by shutting down the Internet, effectively cutting off not only connections between protesters but also between innocent, endangered Egyptian citizens and the world.

Google used its services to give voice to those who might have otherwise been snuffed out.

Zuckerberg did not ask for this responsibility. YouTube and Flickr’s management should not have to face such moral dilemmas.

They do not deserve to hold the future of countless world citizens in their hands, but they do.

By the power of the dollar they have risen to such powerful thrones on the world stage that they can no longer avoid the decisions.

Social media companies now, possibly more than ever, are responsible for furthering the good of mankind and preserving life.

Devin Graham is a 21-year-old business management senior from Prairieville. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_dgraham.

Contact Devin Graham at dgraham@lsureveille.com

VIEW FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL

Congress is cutting America’s future by cutting the budget Ian Magruder The Daily Californian

BERKELEY, CALIF. (UWIRE) – As a young American, it is nice to hear my leaders say that they have my generation’s best interests at heart. In the midst of the ongoing budget battle in Washington, the one point both Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on is that they don’t want to burden future generations of Americans with crushing debt.

Speaker John Boehner recently said, “It is immoral to bind our children to as leeching and destructive a force as debt,” and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has said, “Our children and grandchildren are counting on us to chart an effective course toward responsible stewardship of the public purse.” But what programs are they proposing to cut to achieve this end? While I appreciate their solicitude, I am concerned that America’s leaders are jeopardizing our generation’s future in the name of fiscal austerity.

The budget passed by House Republicans included a $5.7 billion cut to the Pell Grants program, a nearly $900 million cut to the Office of Science budget, more than $1 billion cut from Head Start and severe cuts to dozens of other educational programs. The Democraticcontrolled Senate may reject some

of these cuts, but the desire to make large spending cuts with little regard for their long-term impact is strong on both sides in Washington.

While Congress considers cutting education, America’s businesses are projecting an increased demand for a more educated workforce. According to a recent report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, our colleges and universities will have to increase the number of degrees they confer by 10 percent annually, through 2018, in order to meet demand. Education is nearly a requirement in some of our nation’s fastest-growing industries, like information services, professional and business services and health care, in which 75 to 90 percent of workers have at least some higher education.

The bottom line is America should be spending more on education. Can we afford to increase spending on anything given the massive federal budget deficit? I would argue we can’t afford not to.

Investments in education are just that, investments that yield high returns. A dollar spent on an effective educational program yields significantly more than its cost through future increased economic output. The rest of the world knows this, which is why China and India have both dramatically increased the amount of money they spend on

The Daily Reveille

educational programs.

Let’s be clear about the debate over the deficit. In the short term, America’s economy will function normally regardless of whether we operate with a large budget deficit or a small one, so the entire argument is over what is in our nation’s longterm best interest. Will America really be better off with balanced

budgets in 20 years if our workforce is less educated and ill-prepared for the global economy of the 21st century?

President Obama has called for new national priorities based on “winning the future,” but most members of Congress seem more intent on cutting the future. If leaders in Washington truly want to advocate

for our generation’s best interests, they should spend less time pinching pennies and more time making the investments necessary to build a stronger America.

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

BEST AND WITTIEST

cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

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 CommuniEditorial Board cation. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, Sarah Lawson Editor-in-Chief 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 Robert Stewart Managing Editor, Content number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily ReveilStephanie Giglio Art Director le reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the origiSteven Powell Managing Editor, External Media nal 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 evDevin Graham Opinion Editor ery semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Quote of the Day “Unless we remember we cannot understand.”

E.M. Forster Englsih novelist Jan. 1, 1879 — June 7, 1970

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

ROCKING THE CRADLE

Opinion

page 13

Obama stands for American integrity in speech Monday In a speech Monday addressing America’s involvement in Libya, President Barack Obama sought to justify the United States’ role in the collaborative action that has taken place.

Before a crowd of critics, Obama defended our cooperation with a deft mixture of American idealism and strategic rationale.

Many criticisms have arisen that predictably and sarcastically refer to America as the “world police,” wondering why intervention should occur at all when dictators deal with their subjects violently worldwide.

Obama addressed these criticisms forthright, granting that America should obviously treat its “unique role as an anchor of global security” in a “naturally reluctant” manner.

These particular concepts, however, “cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what’s right,” he said.

The most important, encompassing factor in Obama’s flavor of idealism is “standards.”

In his statement above, Obama introduced a case for America’s standards for action and support.

The standards for action culminated in Moammar Gadhafi’s intentions toward his people, which were boldly stated and frighteningly within the realm of possibilities.

After outlining the myriad fruitless steps taken to diplomatically dissuade Gadhafi — including $33 billion in frozen accounts, sanctions and an arms embargo — Obama made a chilling promise: “As president, I refuse to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action.”

But even given the prospects for massacre under the orders of Gadhafi himself, Obama was wise

to stress that America’s leadership no longer means “going it alone and bearing all of the burden ourselves.”

The standards for action include international support Clayton the likes of Crockett which were not Columnist seen in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Thankfully, international consent is not the only standard separating America’s interventions in Iraq and Libya.

Because of the eight years and “nearly” $1 trillion needed to commit a regime-change in Iraq, the military action in Libya, as promised by Obama, has nothing to do with Gadhafi’s ouster.

Our diplomacy certainly does, however, as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is currently meeting with more than 30 nations alongside Libyan opposition leaders to discuss a diplomatic approach to a cease-fire and resignation.

Obama also compared the intervention in Libya to the war in Bosnia in the 1990s, which took a year to prompt action, whereas the response in Libya was enacted after a mere 31 days of unrest, following all protocol nonetheless.

The rationale behind action in Libya contains a strategic interest as well.

Impressive logic and foresight were demonstrated in Obama’s explanation of how a successful, murderous suppression of the rebels by Gadhafi would have hindered democratic movements about the Middle East.

Not only would it have encouraged various nations to persist in implementing lethal restraint, but it also would have shown the “writ of the United Nations Security Council ... to be little more than empty words, crippling the institution’s future credibility.”

Furthermore, the violence that would have taken place without international intervention would have sent thousands of refugees into the fragile nations of Tunisia and Egypt, creating new problems for budding democracies.

Altogether, Monday’s speech marked what may have been Obama’s most critical day in office.

In justifying American military action in another Arabic country after having condemned the invasion of

Iraq, Obama detailed his own manifesto for the standards of intervention and interaction in American foreign policy.

While we certainly swing a big stick, we show leadership through restraint. Obama named 11 nations cooperating militarily for the brunt-work of the operation — two of which are members of the Arab League — while diplomats continue to negotiate Gadhafi’s surrender, and Obama said Monday night that NATO will assume control of all military actions in Libya by Wednesday.

The combination of strict adherence to protocol, strategic insight to the far-reaching implications of military action and an American idealism that supports core values

such as freedom wherever they may arise displays an integrity in America’s foreign policy that has been lacking in recent presidential terms.

After following through on his goals and promises for the U.S.’ action in Libya thus far, Monday’s speech evidenced the thought behind the actions and should stand as a precedent for any call to arms in the future.

Clayton Crockett is a 19-year-old international studies freshman from Lafayette. Follow him on Twitter @ TDR_ccrockett.

Contact Clayton Crockett at ccrockett@lsureveille.com

BEST AND WITTIEST

cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

THE C-SECTION

Low social network grades for BR, NO good and bad Men’s Health published a study earlier this month of social networking across major American cities.

The study was conducted by calculating the number of Facebook and LinkedIn users per capita followed by overall Twitter usage.

The magazine also looked at traffic generated by websites such as MySpace, Friendster, Reddit and Digg. Finally, the study factored in the percentage of households that frequently participate in chat rooms and blogs.

After completing the study, Men’s Health created a list of 100 cities, each graded anywhere from A+ to F. The No. 1 city was Washington, D.C., which received an A+. The No. 100 city was El Paso, Texas, which received a failing grade.

Baton Rouge and New Orleans also found their way into the list.

New Orleans received quite a low grade — D+.

Though low, New Orleans’ grade seems reasonable considering it isn’t much of a college town.

However, Baton Rouge’s grade was much more surprising.

Our overcrowded college town was awarded a C-.

Considering how many people I see on Facebook and Twitter during class, I found the low grade quite shocking.

But it got me thinking — are such low social networking scores for our state a good or bad thing?

My first imChris Grillot pulse is to say Columnist it’s bad.

It’s no secret Facebook and Twitter take up far too much of students’ time and allows people to collect information on other people that should normally be kept private. There is also no doubt social networking sites distract students in class.

Take, for example, the people you see in auditorium classes who “Facebook stalk” their friends’

pictures from Thursday night at Reggie’s Bar in Tigerland. These people are clearly wasting away their lives, focusing on learning only gossipworthy information when they could be learning intellectual information.

It also distracts the people sitting behind them.

Let’s think of what could be more productive than “Facebook stalking:” reading a book, watching a movie, exercising, reading a newspaper, having a face-to-face conversation with someone, paying attention in class and — God forbid — studying.

While social networking can be a huge waste of college students’ time and intelligence, greater networking may wind up being a positive move for the state.

It’s impossible to question the fact that social networking almost totally dominates our Internet usage.

As a matter of fact, Facebook, YouTube, Blogspot and Twitter are all currently ranked in the top 10 most visited websites by MostPopularWebsites.net.

With communication that’s pretty much in real-time, there’s no doubt these media will continue to grow. And this type of mass communication can prove beneficial, especially during crises.

One example of social networking sites aiding in the exchange of information was during the 2008 China earthquake. Twitter was the first site to publish news of the quake, spreading information around the world.

It also allowed people to publish moment-to-moment updates about what happened during the ordeal.

I personally experienced the benefits of social networking during Hurricane Katrina. I couldn’t make calls to friends and family because cell towers were down in New Orleans. Though my cellphone failed, the Internet didn’t, and MySpace and AOL Instant Messenger allowed me to keep in touch with friends when I evacuated to Lafayette.

Imagine if another Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. People in

the city could easily benefit from being able to stay connected to people with newer social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Overall, New Orleans and Baton Rouge’s low social-networking grades may be both good and bad.

It could be a good thing because our state may be focused on other things rather than social networking — things that may be more important.

And it could also be a bad thing, as the low grades show our state may not be embracing this new communication medium as it should.

In the end, we need to support the rise of social media, but also learn to use it in moderation.

Chris Grillot is a 19-year-old English and mass communication sophomore from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_cgrillot.

Contact Chris Grillot at cgrillot@lsureveille.com

Classifieds

page 14

or email resume to akramsalim@aol. com *

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

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The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 JAPAN, from page 1

which worked the same way. Weber came up with “Change for Haiti” and implemented it within the Pentagon and Broussard community, but later expanded to include all of Residential Life.

Condo said their quick reaction to the crisis in Japan “helped bring people to the cause.”

“We received a lot of donations in the first four days,” Condo said.

Ben Dewberry, residence life coordinator of Broussard and Pentagon Halls, said there are 570 residents in the community.

Dewberry was thrilled by the student support. “[They] took the initiative to get it started, and I was surprised that people jumped on board,” Dewberry said.

Dewberry said students wanted to respond to the disaster.

“There were people that needed help, and we needed to respond,” Dewberry said.

Rafe Proctor, construction management freshman and resident of the Pentagon and Broussard community, said he felt moved to help the Japanese people.

“I would just like to help any way I can,” Proctor said.

Contact Claire Caillier at ccaillier@lsureveille.com

DWI, from page 1

affect all of us, [and are] not acceptable.”

Scott said LSUPD encourages the community to report suspected drunk driving.

Kathy Saichuk, health promotion coordinator for the Student Health Center, said the University is fortunate to have officers monitoring roadways, as many students engage in high-risk behaviors.

Data from the American College Health Association-National

FIDNA, from page 1

“We want to support local skateboarding and any businesses that our friends are somehow involved in,” Cox said.

He said they also want to support up-and-coming skaters and plan to help by sending videos to skateboarding companies.

“We want to keep it growing and keep it rolling,” Cox said.

Boone said they are searching for a distribution company for branded items, but they will also sell off-brand board decks with his graphics.

Cox said skateboarding teaches people to be persistent, and it’s a mode of transportation used more often than scooters or roller blades.

page 15

College Health Assessment survey shows “a much higher percentage of students at LSU drink and drive when compared to the national norms,” Saichuk said.

Saichuk said an updated ACHA survey is being administered.

Saichuk said student drinking is prevalent because of the social atmosphere, the availability of alcohol and the belief that “everybody drinks like this.”

She said the 18 to 24-yearold age group also has a sense of

invincibility, a lack of knowledge and displays poor judgement.

“It typically takes the equivalent of one drink for females and two drinks for males for impairment to occur,” she said. “This does not take into consideration factors that might contribute to higher or faster blood alcohol concentration levels.”

Saichuk said drinking and driving is costly for students’ health and wallets — DWI tickets range from $3,000 to $7,000.

“The bottom line is the [affect

Cox said he and Boone are motivated by adversity.

“We’re used to people saying, ‘You can’t do this,’ so we just want to do it even more,” Cox said. “We just keep going.”

Boone said his skater mindset will encourage him to persevere.

“There’s definitely a mentality that you can constantly improve,” Boone said.

Cox said he was amazed by the explosion of the popularity of skateboarding today. He said he

was the only person he knew in high school who skateboarded, but it is “socially acceptable” now.

People wear skateboardbrand clothes, even if they do not skateboard, he said.

“It’s such a style thing now,” Cox said.

Contact Meredith Will at mwill@lsureveille.com

of] alcohol on our ability to make good choices,” she said.

Contact Sydni Dunn at sdunn@lsureveille.com

page 16

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, March 30, 2011