The Daily Reveille - April 10, 2013

MEN’S BASKETBALL: O’Bryant decides to stay for junior season, p. 7

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013 • Volume 117, Issue 118

15 GONE AND COUNTING JOHN LOMBARDI

Departure: Fired April 27, 2012 Replacement: Position merged into LSU President, filled

by F. King Alexander

System President

A D M I N I S T R A T O R S

MICHAEL MARTIN Chancellor

Foster, Koonce latest deans to step down in trend of vacancies

Alyson Gaharan Staff Writer

In the past two days, three administrators have announced they will step down from their positions, highlighting the trend of upper-level deans and administrators leaving the University.

College of Agriculture Dean Kenneth

Departure: Accepted chancellor position at Colorado State University on May 25, 2012 Replacement: Position merged into JACK HAMILTON LSU President, filled Executive Vice Chancellor and

by F. King Alexander Provost

ERIC MONDAY

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Services and CFO

THOMAS KLEI Interim Vice Chancellor of Research and Economic Development

Departure: Accepted a similar position at University of Kentucky on Dec. 4, 2012 Replacement: Robert Kuhn

Departure: Awaiting replacement before returning to the Veterinary School Replacement: Two inconclusive searches with a third under way

Departure: Stepped down upon completion of his two-year appointment in summer 2012 Replacement: Stuart Bell, former dean of School of Engineering at University of Kansas

Departure: Accepted a similar position at University of Minnesota in System in Dec. KATRICE ALBERT Vice Provost for 2012 Equity, Diversity Replacement: and Community No search currently Outreach under way Departure: Announced retirement March 27, 2013 Replacement: No search currently under way

ROBERT KUHN Departure: Vice Provost and Associate Vice Accepted job as Chancellor for Budget director of student and Planning and Interim CFO unions at University of Arizona on Feb. Departure: 20, 2013 Announced JASON TOLLIVER Replacement: Student Union retirement Monday Executive Director No search under Replacement: way as of Feb. 21, Search and no replacement committee has been named ROBERT DOOLOS currently accepting compiled by CLAYTON CROCKETT /News Editor

University Registrar

candidates

Koonce and College of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Gaines Foster added their names to a list of eight other upperlevel positions in need of permanent replacement Tuesday – a list Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Stuart Bell said probably has something to do with the announcement of F. King Alexander as newly elected LSU President.

Bell said many faculty members see this transition period as a window for them to leave their positions and make room for a new team of leaders that will propel the University forward.

“I think we have a number of deans … who love LSU and who have given more than we probably should have expected them to give during a transition of tough budget times and leadership changes,” Bell said. “They said they were going to stay for the last lap, but it’s a good time for this new person to start a new race.”

Koonce, who wants to retire after more than 46 years at the University and 16 as

KENNETH KOONCE

Contact Alyson Gaharan at agaharan@lsureveille.com

Departure: Announced retirement Tuesday Replacement: No search currently under GAINES FOSTER way College of

College of Agriculture

D E A N S

dean, said he hasn’t determined exactly when he will leave, although he plans to remain in the position until the beginning of the fall semester at least. There are no plans for a search to replace him now, he said.

Foster said he will remain in his position until June 30, 2014, when he will return to work as history professor and historian.

Retirement is many years away, he said.

Bell and Alexander, who will be back in Baton Rouge next week, have discussed moving all the search processes ahead, though Bell said Alexander has not spoken about any position specifically.

Filling some upper-level administrative positions must wait until the reorganization process is further along, however, as many will be consolidated during the reorganization process.

Departure: Stepping down in December Replacement: First search committee PETER HAINES meeting was held College of Veterinary Medicine Tuesday Departure: Accepted provost and executive vice president position at University of Nevada on Oct. 23, KEVIN CARMAN College of Science 2012 Replacement: Guillermo Ferreyra serving as interim, search committee narrowing down potential candidates

Humanities and Social Sciences

Departure: Announced his decision to step down Tuesday to work as a history professor and historian Replacement: No search currently under way

Departure: Retired Feb. 28, 2013 Replacement: Elaine Smyth serving as interim, JENNIER CARGILL no search currently Libraries under way

ELI JONES

College of Business

Departure: Accepted dean position at University of Arizona Feb. 29, 2012 Replacement: Dick White serving as interim, search to begin in the coming weeks

The Daily Reveille

page 2

INTERNATIONAL Syrian militant group unites with al-Qaida in Iraq against Assad BEIRUT (AP) — Al-Qaida’s branch in Iraq and the most powerful rebel extremist group in Syria have officially joined ranks against President Bashar Assad to forge a potentially formidable militant force in the Middle East.

The merger of the Islamic State in Iraq and Jabhat al-Nusra forms a new entity that could be an even stronger opponent in the fight to topple Assad and become a dominant player in what eventually replaces his regime.

The new group is called the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

Cuba to turn over Florida couple and two children to United States HAVANA (AP) — Cuba said Tuesday that it will turn over to the United States a Florida couple who allegedly kidnapped their own children from the mother’s parents and fled by boat to Havana, ending days of drama that evoked memories of the Elian Gonzalez custody battle.

Foreign Ministry official Johana Tablada told The Associated Press in a written statement Tuesday that Cuba had informed U.S. authorities of the country’s decision to turn over Joshua Michael Hakken, his wife Sharyn, and their two young boys.

Nation & World

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rebels from al-Qaida affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra wave their brigade flag Jan. 11 on the top of a Syrian air force helicopter at Taftanaz air base in Idlib, Syria.

Mob attacks cathedral, Egypt’s pope sharply criticizes president CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s Coptic Christian pope delivered an unprecedented direct criticism of the Islamist president Tuesday after a mob attack on the church’s main cathedral, saying he had failed to protect the building and warning that the country is collapsing.

The comments by Pope Tawadros II and the cathedral attack itself illustrate a new reality in Egypt, where institutions long seen as above the fray are being dragged into the country’s intense polarization and political violence.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

NATIONAL

STATE/LOCAL

Student arrested in Texas’ Lone Star Community college stabbing

Gov. Bobby Jindal will not seek to follow Arkansas on Medicaid

CYPRESS, Texas (AP) — A student went on a building-to-building stabbing attack at a Texas community college Tuesday, wounding at least 14 people — many in the face and neck — before being subdued and arrested, authorities and witnesses said.

The attack at about 11:20 a.m. on the Lone Star Community College System’s campus in Cypress sent at least 12 people to hospitals, while several others refused treatment at the scene, according to Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department spokesman Robert Rasa.

Cookie Monster, Elmo and Super Mario get in Times Square trouble

(AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration announced Tuesday that it won’t seek to replicate a private insurance Medicaid expansion model like Arkansas, despite requests from Louisiana lawmakers to consider it.

Jindal’s interim health secretary, Kathy Kliebert, told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that the federal guidelines outlined for the Arkansas proposal don’t offer enough flexibility and leave too much uncertainty about future financing and regulations.

Arkansas has asked federal officials to let it use the Medicaid money to buy private insurance policies, and the Obama administration is working with the state on that idea.

BP executive: Safety was top priority before Gulf Coast spill

NEW YORK (AP) — Cookie Monster stands accused of shoving a 2-year-old. Super Mario was charged with groping a woman.

And Elmo was booked for berating tourists with anti-Semitic slurs.

Times Square is crawling with entrepreneurs who dress up as pop-culture characters and try to make a few bucks posing for photos with visitors to the big city. But some of these characters are unlike anything you’ve seen on “Sesame Street” or at Disney World.

They smoke, they use foul language, and they can be aggressive.

TEAUNDRAE PERRYMAN / The Associated Press

A victim is loaded into an ambulance Tuesday after being wounded in an attack on the Lone Star Community College System’s Cypress, Texas campus.

California lawmakers’ tax bill seeks to punish Boy Scouts for gay ban SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California lawmakers are considering taking some tax exemptions away from youth groups that do not accept gay, transgender or atheist members — a move intended to pressure the Boy Scouts of America to lift its ban on gay Scouts and troop leaders.

Some cities have withdrawn free rent and other subsidies from the Boy Scouts over the years, but legislation introduced by state Sen. Ricardo Lara would make California the first state to target the Scouts for its anti-gay policy.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A BP executive who oversaw the company’s Gulf of Mexico operations testified Tuesday that he led a push to improve safety when he started the job more than two years before an April 2010 rig explosion killed 11 workers and led to the nation’s worst offshore oil spill.

Neil Shaw, a witness for BP at a trial over the deadly Deepwater Horizon disaster, said safety was his team’s top priority.

Weather

PHOTO OF THE DAY

TODAY Sunny

84 66 THURSDAY

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Construction piping lines Nicholson Drive on Tuesday. Submit your photo of the day to photo@lsureveille.com.

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

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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FRIDAY

75 48 SUNDAY

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The Daily Reveille

B-16 Hodges Hall • Baton Rouge, La. 70803 Andrea Gallo • Editor in Chief Emily Herrington • Managing Editor Bryan Stewart • Managing Editor, External Media Kirsten Romaguera • Managing Editor, Production Clayton Crockett • News Editor Brian Sibille • Entertainment Editor, Deputy News Editor Albert Burford • Sports Editor Alex Cassara • Deputy Sports Editor Carli Thibodeaux • Associate Production Editor Kevin Thibodeaux • Associate Production Editor Chris Grillot • Opinion Editor Taylor Balkom • Photo Editor Alix Landriault • Multimedia Editor Natalie Guccione • Radio Director Fatima Mehr • Advertising Sales Manager Newsroom (225)578-4810 • Advertising (225)578-6090

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

page 3

CRIME

Less crime reported during this spring break than last year graphic by BRITTANY GAY / The Daily Reveille

Nic Cotten Staff Writer

Campus seemed to be relatively quiet this spring break, as reflected by a halving of reported crime incidences from last year’s break.

During the 2013 spring break, the LSU Police Department had 21 fewer reported incidences than during the 2012 spring break, according to LSUPD Spokesman Capt.

Cory Lalonde.

LSUPD had six fewer thefts and three fewer drug arrests, and it saw the same amount of DWIs, hit and runs and traffic crashes at one, two and four, respectively, Lalonde said.

The primary reason for the reduction of crime numbers was the high amount of informationonly reports – things like medical emergencies or suspicious persons – in 2012, Lalonde said.

Lalonde said this break was quieter than last year, but, as a whole, it was an average break.

“We don’t want to call it typical or not because it could make us complacent,” Lalonde said. “Though, this year we had a similar amount of calls and reports. The type of reports varies, but the number of total reports was average.”

Vagrant man on campus arrested for carrying a weapon After several attempts to get him off campus, LSU Police Department arrested Larry Houston, 56, of 206 Evergreen Drive in Baton Rouge. After officers approached and questioned him, he pulled out a large, fixed-blade knife from his sock, Lalonde said.

Houston was arrested for possession of a weapon by a felon, vagrancy and possession of drug paraphernalia after police found a glass pipe with possible cocaine residue on it after arresting Houston, according to LSUPD Spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde.

Houston was booked in Eeast Baton Rouge Parish Prison, Lalonde said.

Man arrested for stalking his ex-girlfriend on campus Police arrested Jon Reese Armstrong, 27, of 15557 Memoire Lane in Baton Rouge, after his ex-girlfriend called the police reporting that he had been showing up at multiple places where she was, sent her many unwanted texts and emails and had blocked in her car at East Campus Apartments, Lalonde said.

LSUPD tracked down

Armstrong’s vehicle, and, when they pulled him over, he refused to exit the car. Officers physically pulled him out of his vehicle, Lalonde said Armstrong was arrested for unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, stalking, being on campus after being banned earlier for a similar incident, and resisting an officer. He was booked in EBRP Prison, Lalonde said.

Emergency text message: armed robbery still under investigation LSUPD sent out emergency alert text messages and emails March 28 informing the LSU community of an armed robbery near West Parker Boulevard. and Highland Road.

Lalonde said the complainant said she was in the adjacent parking lot and was approached by a white male riding a bike in khaki pants, a dark hoodie and a mask. He demanded her cell phone, but she refused, ran toward Nicholson Extension, and the suspect rode toward West Parker, Lalonde said.

The victim told LSUPD the suspect had a gun, and the incident is currently still under investigation, Lalonde said.

Contact Nic Cotten at ncotten@lsureveille.com

STATE

Bills concerning tuition, fees at forefront of LSU leader’s minds look at bills regarding University building renovations, including the French House and south campus Louisiana Business and Technology Center Business InFernanda Zamudio-Suarez cubator.

Droddy said about 30 stuStaff Writer dent-owned businesses are in the During the opening week of incubator, therefore renovations the 2013 Louisiana legislative could affect what students want session, certain bills are higher to do with their careers. on the University’s radar.

House Bill 194 would change University leaders are espe- the way students are charged for cially keeping an eye on bills like higher education. Droddy said Gov. Bobby Jindal’s tax reform students typically take 14 to 15 plan, House Bill 194 credit hours, that would allow but under public university ‘It affects the quality of the bill, stumanagement boards dents would their education.’ to increase tuition be charged for and mandatory fees, credit hours and bills regarding exceeding 12.

Jason Droddy teachers’ tenure.

The bill would Director of External Affairs Jason Droddy, also allow for director of External different tuAffairs, said students should pay ition for certain colleges within attention to the bills because they the University, Droddy said. For could directly affect the cost and example, students in the College quality of their education. of Engineering or School of MuOther bills address cost is- sic might have to pay more than sues, such as House Bill 87, a those in the College of Human constitutional amendment that Sciences and Education. would permit universities to deJindal’s tax reform has been cide how much to charge stu- the subject of many discussions dents, Droddy said. and speculation.

He said students should also Belinda Davis, associate

Droddy : Students should monitor bills

professor of political science, said Jindal will face harder questions in the legislature.

The governor’s news releases said the reform will eliminate about $2.7 billion in personal income tax, corporate income tax and franchise tax that will be offset with a 47 percent increase in state sales tax and an increase in tobacco product taxes to $1.41 per pack.

Director of the Public Administration Institute James A. Richardson said the increase in state sales tax also includes items such as haircuts that are not currently taxed.

Droddy said the University is not specifically monitoring the tax reform plan since it does not pay taxes.

Bills regarding tenure would only affect grades K-12, so the University Laboratory School is monitoring them appropriately, Droddy said.

The Lab School is also tracking bills regarding child safety and teacher evaluation.

Contact Fernanda Zamudio-Suarez at fsuarez@lsureveille.com

LSU Libraries Film Series April 17, “If A Tree Falls” 2 p.m. in the Hill Memorial Library Refreshments provided.

DO YOU HAVE AN OCCURRENCE? Call Sam at the Student Media Office 578-6090, 9AM- 5PM or E-mail: admanager@tigers.lsu.edu

The Daily Reveille

page 4

STATE

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Gov. Jindal ditches tax swap proposal, so now what?

Melinda Deslatte The Associated Press

(AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal’s point person on tax issues indicated Tuesday that the governor is no longer seeking a dollar-for-dollar swap in repealing Louisiana’s income tax, after ditching his own unpopular swap proposal.

If lawmakers agree to repeal the tax without offsetting the lost revenue, it could require continuing cuts across state programs and services annually to shrink government spending to a permanently lower tax base.

Tim Barfield, executive counsel for the state Department of Revenue, suggested to a Senate committee that now that Jindal is supporting a tax phase-out, the loss of the revenue doesn’t have to be entirely offset.

The issue came up under questioning from Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton. Adley said he assumed that even though Jindal shelved his own proposal, the governor would still want to make up for the lost income tax revenue to keep the entire tax change “revenue neutral.”

“I think that would be the ultimate desire,” Barfield replied.

“But I think if you look at a longterm phase-out, you have a lot more leeway.”

Jindal abandoned his tax package that would have immediately eliminated state income taxes in exchange for higher sales taxes on a new array of services because the proposal was widely criticized and appeared unlikely to pass.

The Republican governor instead is asking lawmakers to phase out the income tax over several years. He’s provided no parameters.

Lawmakers and others are

The Twittersphere was buzzing about Gov. Jindal’s change to his tax plan. Here is what some people had to say:

questioning how — and if — they’ll offset the loss of $3 billion in tax revenue if they agree to repeal income taxes. That is becoming the new central tax debate of the two-month legislative session.

Pick up the latest copy of LSU’s magazine, LEGACY, on stands today.

• Students are taking advantage of the easy accessibility of pharmaceutical drugs such as Vyvanse and Adderall.

• Read about 12 high-achieving University students.

Democrats said lawmakers should shift their focus from discussions of tax repeal to crafting the state’s nearly $25 billion annual operating budget and preserving critical services.

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“We should not even begin to discuss dismantling our tax system, the income tax. We just shouldn’t have that conversation.

That shouldn’t be our priority, not in the fifth year of budget cuts,” said Rep. John Bel Edwards, DAmite and chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

He said Louisiana has the fourth-lowest tax burden in the country, according to the Tax Foundation, an organization regularly cited by Jindal.

The Legislature’s black caucus had been floating an alternative tax rewrite plan to Jindal’s, but it’s unclear if the caucus will continue with that effort. Edwards said he doesn’t think it needs to be pursued.

“We should be looking at the budget,” said Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans and the secondranking member of the House.

“We should be focused on higher education and health care.”

Republicans appear mixed on how to proceed with the income tax repeal, with some GOP lawmakers saying the proposal needs to be paired with ways to fill the lost revenue, while others say the state needs to shrink spending instead.

“I don’t believe we need to raise taxes to offset it,” said Rep. Simone Champagne, R-Erath.

“I’m a true believer that we still spend too much money in state government.”

Republicans in the House issued a statement Tuesday pledging to take a “responsible, deliberative approach” in considering tax changes.

“There seems to be broad agreement that while an income tax repeal or phase-out is a desirable goal, it should be done in a responsible way that protects our core priorities,” said Rep. Lance

Harris, R-Alexandria, chairman of the House Republican Delegation.

Meanwhile, nonpartisan government watchdog groups are asking if lawmakers really have enough time to comb through tax ideas and study the implications of an income tax repeal in a twomonth session.

The Council for A Better Louisiana urged lawmakers to “park” the entire tax overhaul effort this year, while the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana said the affordability and wisdom of an income tax repeal plan “still is a serious question.”

“And the short session, already under way, leaves little time to invent and scrutinize a new, well-conceived plan,” PAR wrote in an analysis, urging that any tax cuts be replaced with either identified spending cuts or new revenue.

Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_news

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

page 5

What do you think about administrators leaving?

Attie Stelly kinesiology junior

De’Andra Roberts mass communication freshman

Tori Mason psychology/pre-law freshman

‘I think it will have some impact, but me personally, I don’t stay involved in University matters, so I don’t know much at hand.’

‘People are going to be wondering what’s so bad that’s causing all these other people to leave.’

‘I don’t know too much about it, but I’m sure it will affect the University because if they’re highpowered, they’ve Megan Serpas got to have some kind of control.’ kinesiology junior

‘It didn’t change me wanting to come to the college at all, that kind of stuff, so I don’t know if people will really mind Michael Morgan it too much.’

computer engineering freshman

‘I’m not very informed on it.’

Christian Rachal

Trey Dugan

mass communication junior

petroleum engineering freshman

‘I think it’s going to have a really negative impact because I’m out-of-state, so things have to attract me to want to stay here.’

Tyler Fremin accounting junior

‘If everybody keeps leaving then I guess everybody won’t think of us as a stable university, and maybe they’ll pick other job opportunities over LSU.’

‘I think it will kind of make it harder to bring in new students, but I think if you want to go to LSU, you’re going to go to LSU.’

‘I think a lot of people aren’t going to want to come here because I feel like LSU isn’t as prestigious Kassidy Traigle as it should be pre-pharmacy right now.’ freshman

compiled by MCKENZIE WOMACK and ANGELA MAJOR

DON’T REMEMBER? ... it still happened

April is Alcohol Awareness Month PI BETA PHI DELTA DELTA DELTA

The Daily Reveille

page 6

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

WORLD

North Korea capital appears calm The Associated Press PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Scores of North Koreans of all ages planted trees as part of a forestation campaign — armed with shovels, not guns. In the evening, women in traditional dress danced in the plazas to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the late leader Kim Jong Il’s appointment to a key defense post.

Despite more warnings from their leaders of impending nuclear war, people in the capital gave no sense of panic.

Chu Kang Jin, a Pyongyang resident, said everything is calm in the city.

“Everyone, including me, is determined to turn out as one to fight for national reunification ... if the enemies spark a war,” he added, using nationalist rhetoric common among many North Koreans when speaking to the media.

The North’s latest warning, issued by its Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, urged foreign companies and tourists to leave South Korea.

“The situation on the Korean Peninsula is inching close to a thermonuclear war due to the evermore undisguised hostile actions of the United States and the South Korean puppet warmongers and their moves for a war against [North Korea],” the statement said Tuesday.

There was no sign of an exodus of foreign companies or tourists from South Korea.

White House spokesman Jay Carney called the statement “more unhelpful rhetoric.”

“It is unhelpful. It is concerning. It is provocative,” he said.

The warning appeared to be an attempt to scare foreigners into pressing their governments to pressure Washington and Seoul to act to avert a conflict.

Analysts see a direct attack on Seoul as extremely unlikely, and there are no overt signs that North Korea’s army is readying for war, let alone a nuclear one.

North Korea has been girding for a showdown with the U.S. and South Korea, its wartime foes, for months. The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula still technically at war.

In December, North Korea launched a satellite into space on a rocket that Washington and others called a cover for a long-range missile test. The North followed that with its third underground nuclear test in February, a step toward mastering the technology for mounting an atomic bomb on a missile.

Tightened U.N. sanctions that followed drew the ire of North Korea, which accused Washington and Seoul of leading the campaign against it. Annual U.S.-South Korean military drills south of the border have further incensed Pyongyang, which sees them as practice for an invasion.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un enshrined the pursuit of nuclear weapons — which the North characterizes as a defense against the U.S. — as a national goal, along with improving the economy. North

DAVID GUTTENFELDER / The Associated Press

A North Korean soldier stands Tuesday beneath roadside propaganda that reads “Let’s Uphold the Military First Revolutionary Leadership of the Great Comrade Kim Jong Un With Loyalty” in Pyongyang.

Korea also declared it would restart a mothballed nuclear complex.

Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington on Tuesday that he concurred with an assessment by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., calling the tension between North Korea and the West the worst since the end of the Korean War. “The continued advancement of the North’s nuclear and missile programs, its conventional force posture and its willingness to resort to asymmetric actions as a tool of coercive diplomacy creates an environment marked by the potential for miscalculation,” Locklear told the panel.

He said the U.S. military and its allies would be ready if North Korea tries to strike.

Heightening speculation about a provocation, foreign diplomats reported last week that they had been advised by North Korea to consider evacuating by Wednesday.

However, Britain and others said they had no immediate plans to withdraw from Pyongyang.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who has sought to re-engage North Korea with dialogue and humanitarian aid since taking office in February, expressed exasperation Tuesday with what she called the “endless vicious cycle” of Seoul answering Pyongyang’s hostile behavior with compromise, only to get more hostility.

U.S. and South Korean defense officials have said they’ve seen nothing to indicate that Pyongyang is preparing for a major military action.

State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said there was “no specific information to suggest imminent threat to U.S. citizens or facilities” in South Korea. The U.S. Embassy has neither changed its security posture nor recommended U.S. citizens take special precautions, he said.

Still, the United States and South Korea have raised their defense postures, as has Japan, which deployed PAC-3 missile interceptors in key locations around Tokyo on Tuesday as a precaution against possible North Korean ballistic missile tests.

In Rome, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the tensions as “very dangerous” and said that “any small incident caused by miscalculation or misjudgment” may “create an uncontrollable situation.”

Also Tuesday, citing the tension, North Korea pulled out all 53,000 workers from the Kaesong industrial park, which combines South Korean technology and knowhow with cheap North Korean labor.

It was the first time that production was stopped at the complex, the only remaining product of economic cooperation between the countries that began about a decade ago when relations were much warmer.

Other projects from previous eras of cooperation such as reunions of families separated by war and tours to a scenic North Korean mountain have been suspended in recent years.

Though the North Korean Foreign Ministry advised foreign embassies to evacuate, tourism officials are continuing to welcome visitors.

National carrier Air Koryo’s daily flight from Beijing was only half full Tuesday. Flight attendants in red suits and blue scarves artfully kept in place by sparkling brooches betrayed no sense of fear or concern.

Tourist Mark Fahey, a biomedical engineer from Sydney, said he thought a war was “pretty unlikely.”

Fahey, a second-time visitor to North Korea, said he booked his trip to Pyongyang six months ago, eager to see how the country might have changed under Kim Jong Un. He said he chose to stick with his plans, suspecting that most of the threats were rhetoric.

“I knew that when I arrived here it would probably be very different to the way it was being reported in the media,” he told The Associated Press at Pyongyang airport. He said his family trusts him to make the right judgment, but “my colleagues at work think I am crazy.”

Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_news

ORDER YOUR

LSU

yearbook TODAY lsugumbo.com

Sports

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

page 7

Thrice is Nice

BASEBALL

Tigers defeat Southern, 11-2

O’Bryant foregoes draft to return for junior year

Chandler Rome Sports Writer

He’s a McDonald’s All-American, a first team All-Southeastern Conference member and has led LSU in scoring and rebounding, but there’s one honor LSU forward Johnny O’Bryant III still can’t claim.

“I want to take these guys dancing,” O’Bryant said.

The 6-foot-9 sophomore will have a shot at that NCAA Tournament experience as he announced Tuesday his intent to return to LSU for his junior season, ending nearly a month of speculation about his future.

Making his announcement at a news conference attended by seven of his teammates, O’Bryant said he made his decision last Wednesday after various meetings with his family and LSU coach Johnny Jones.

“The impact Johnny made on our team this year and the attention that we received at the latter part of the season speaks volumes about his future,” Jones said. “I think it’s a sign of maturity for him to process that type of information in a timely fashion and come to a decision.”

O’Bryant paced the Tiger offense with 13.6 points per game, finishing second in the SEC with 15 double-doubles, highlighted by a 30-point performance in a win against South Carolina.

Hampered by a lower leg injury at the beginning of the season, O’Bryant missed two of the Tigers’ non-conference contests and was

LSU pays homage to Pontiff Jr. Catherine Threlkeld Sports Contributor

decision if I stay. We’re going to have a great team next year, a great opportunity.”

Jones wasn’t coy about his reaction to O’Bryant’s pledge, recalling he leapt across his desk to wrap

METAIRIE — LSU raked in its 31st win of the season coincidentally during the game honoring former LSU infielder Wally Pontiff Jr., who wore No. 31.

The Tigers (31-2, 11-1 Southeastern Conference) dominated Southern University (12-13) 11-2 during the annual Wally Pontiff Jr. Foundation Classic at Zephyr Field in Metairie on Tuesday night.

Several Tigers honored Pontiff by wearing their socks up, a trait for which Pontiff was known.

“We did that for Wally tonight because we wanted to play the game like he did and we all know he played the game the right way,” said freshman shortstop Alex Bregman.

But there might be more than memorializing Pontiff to the high socks. Bregman, who is riding a 21game hitting streak and batting .439, said there’s magic in the high socks.

Case in point, junior second baseman JaCoby Jones, who had a single against Southern after posting a .615 batting average during the Kentucky series.

JOB III, see page 15

PONTIFF JR., see page 15

RICHARD REDMANN / The Daily Reveille

LSU sophomore forward Johnny O’Byrant III answers a question Tuesday in the Athletic Administration Building about his return to LSU for his junior year. O’Bryant III finished second in the Southeastern Conference in double-doubles with 15.

but made a decision his reduced to only five minutes in family deemed another.

Read what our best.

Still, the “I got great C l e v e l a n d , sports columnist thinks news back,” Miss., native said about O’Bryant III’s O’Bryant said. he received decision, p. 9.

“But me and my positive feedback family decided it was the best from professional scouts

BASEBALL

Bregman dominating SEC pitchers as season progresses Lawrence Barreca Sports Writer

The question often arises whether LSU freshman shortstop Alex Bregman is actually human, and from the way the underclassman has performed in his 2013 campaign, the inquiry is valid.

By looking at his numbers, some might say he’s a machine in the batter’s box.

Bregman is currently riding a 21-game hitting streak, where he is 46-for-90 (.511 batting average) with 22 RBIs, 29 runs, eight doubles, five triples and seven walks. He has had

multi-hit performances in 16 of those 21 contests.

The Albuquerque Academy product has exceeded the expectations set by members of the media, but his teammates predicted he’d be a star for the Tigers.

“I’m not surprised [by his production],” said senior first baseman Mason Katz. “He’s such a good hitter. The guy sees all pitching the exact same. It doesn’t matter if guys are throwing 95 or 85, he sees everything the same, and that’s why he’s so good.”

Bregman said he doesn’t try to think about the hitting streak

when he steps to the plate, but something that is more important.

“The times that I think about [the streak], I end up only getting one hit instead of two,” he said. “When I don’t focus on that and just focus on winning, I do fine. I don’t ever really worry about [the hitting streak]. I just worry about winning games.”

LSU coach Paul Mainieri inserted Bregman into the No. 3 slot in the batting order on opening day, and the freshman hasn’t moved from the spot since. He hasn’t been intimidated by the STREAK, see page 15

RICHARD REDMANN / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman shortstop Alex Bregman (30) swings at a pitch March 2 during the Tigers’ 7-1 victory against Brown at Alex Box Stadium. Bregman is currently riding a 21-game hitting streak.

The Daily Reveille

page 8

FOOTBALL

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

GYMNASTICS NOTEBOOK

LSU looks to rebuild defensive line Tigers receive No.

5 seed at NCAAs

Johnson to lead the team in the trenches

Marcus Rodrigue

Tyler Nunez

Sports Contributor

Sports Writer

Perhaps the most significant adjustment LSU is undergoing during spring practice is taking place on the defensive line.

The Tigers are looking to fill a gaping hole left by four linemen declaring for the 2013 NFL Draft, and the defensive line’s performance will be vital to LSU’s success.

“Ultimately [our goal] is to get better, not only as a player, but as a leader as well,” said junior defensive tackle Anthony Johnson. “… If we want to get better as a team, we have to take charge because we are where it starts at.”

What the LSU defensive front lacks in experience, it more than makes up for in confidence.

LSU defensive tackle Ego Ferguson said he uses people’s skepticism as motivational fuel.

“I hear everybody saying that we are not going to be a defensive line this year, and that motivates me a lot,” Ferguson said. “I feel like a lot of people are doubting us because we are young and lost a lot of people. I understand that.

We are just trying to prove them wrong.”

Johnson and Ferguson will provide most of LSU’s experience in the trenches next season.

The duo played in all 13 games in 2012, combining for a total of 44 tackles and three sacks.

As roommates, the two have developed a strong connection during the past couple of seasons, both on and off the field. “[Johnson] is like a brother,” Ferguson said. “When I play I feel like I can’t let him down, and I have to make the play. He feels the same way. We keep each other motivated and when one is falling down, we pick the other up.”

Former defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo left some big shoes to fill, combining for a total of 75 tackles – 23 for a loss – and 12.5 sacks.

Junior defensive end Jermauria Rasco has emerged as a virtual lock to start one of these positions. Rasco finished last season with 10 tackles in 13 games.

With the other position still up for grabs, the Tigers have moved sophomore Ronnie Feist from linebacker to defensive end.

“I played defensive end for most of high school, but I got a little rusty after playing linebacker for so long,” Feist said. “… I just want to help this team succeed the best that I can and get the opportunity to play on Saturday and make a name for myself.”

Feist continued by saying he looked forward to the challenge of competing at the position at the college level.

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Sophomore defensive tackle Anthony Johnson (90) chases Towson running back Dominique Booker September 29, 2012, during the Tigers’ 38-22 win against Towson in Death Valley.

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU junior defensive end Jermauria Rasco (59) assists his teammates in bringing down Idaho running back Ryan Bass on Sept. 15, 2012, during the Tigers’ 63-14 victory against the Vandals in Tiger Stadium.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore would normally be considered small for the position, but Johnson displayed nothing but confidence in Feist.

“He was always a good passrusher, but he’s learning his technique now,” Johnson said. “… It is not really about the size. It is about the heart and the technique of the player, and if they want to do it, they will.”

Ferguson said he thinks these transitions at the defensive line will actually benefit the Tigers by the start of next season.

“With all these people leaving, you have a lot more people hungry right now trying to prove themselves,” Ferguson said. “That is what we are coming to do.”

Contact Tyler Nunez at tnunez@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @NunezTDR

After sweeping all five titles at the Columbus Regional on Saturday, the LSU gymnastics team captured the No. 5 overall seed and a spot in the first semifinal session of the NCAA Championships on April 19 in Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.

The Tigers will share the floor with No. 1 Florida, No. 4 Georgia, No. 8 Minnesota, No. 9 Stanford and No. 12 Illinois.

The three schools with the highest scores from each of the two semifinal sessions will advance to the Super Six competition the following day, where the highest scoring team will be crowned champion.

Three Tigers earn All-America honors LSU heads into the final competition of the season with a handful of regular season AllAmericans.

Sophomore all-arounder Rheagan Courville was named to the first team on vault and all-around while also receiving second team honors for balance beam, and junior all-arounder Sarie Morrison brought in a first team nod on bars. Sophomore all-arounder Lloimincia Hall garnered a spot on the first team for floor exercise as she led the nation with a 9.950 regional qualifying score.

LSU hauls in multiple regional accolades The Tigers added four more awards for this year’s squad as Courville, coach D-D Breaux, associate head coach Jay Clark and assistant coach Bob Moore collected Central Region honors.

Courville won Central Region Gymnast of the Year to go along with her Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Year title.

The sophomore all-arounder also grabbed the all-around, beam and vault titles at the SEC Championship three weeks ago.

Breaux was awarded Central Region Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her career, and her team’s score of 197.700 in its third place finish at the SEC Championship was good for the third highest score in program history.

Clark and Moore shared the distinction of Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Clark coached the Tigers to a 49.260 regional qualifying score on uneven bars in his first season with the team. Moore earned the award for the fourth time in his career, and his vaulting squad is first in the nation with a 49.495 regional qualifying score.

Contact Marcus Rodrigue at mrodrigue@lsureveille.com

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

MEN’S TENNIS

LSU hosts midweek SEC match

Tigers on a roll against top teams Cole Travis Sports Contributor

The No. 20 LSU men’s tennis team will begin its final week of regular season play with a Southeastern Conference match against No. 11 Mississippi State at 3 p.m. today.

The Tigers (13-9, 4-6 SEC) were originally slated to take on the Bulldogs (15-7, 5-5 SEC) on March 24, but Mississippi State postponed the match due to high winds. LSU assistant coach Danny Bryan said while wind is occasionally an issue, the lack of indoor facilities at LSU ultimately lead to the cancellation.

“We felt like it was not that windy [on the courts],” Bryan said.

“Once the new [indoor] facility is done, we won’t have to worry about this ever again.”

With that decision, Mississippi State set up the rarity of a midweek conference game for the Tigers, who claimed their fourth top-20 win over the weekend against then-No. 6 Tennessee. Bryan said he is not worried about the change in routine affecting the players.

“I think the guys are excited [to play Mississippi State],” Bryan said. “We are obviously on a roll, and I think we all just want to keep

MORGAN SEARLES / The Daily Reveille

LSU sophomore Chris Simpson hits the ball March 17 during a doubles match against Michigan in W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium.

playing and see how many wins we can get to try to stay hot for the SEC tournament.”

With the conference tournament right around the corner, the Tigers find themselves in 11th place in the SEC, but could rise as high as sixth by the end of the weekend because of a logjam of teams sitting one or two games ahead of them.

The only teams that have clinched their spots are No. 3 Georgia, the top seed, and last place Arkansas. “[Before the Tennessee match] I think the team didn’t think they

were really that good,” Bryan said.

“We would win an emotional match and then think that was going to be our one great day for the year, which led to some of the letdowns on Sunday matches. This time it is different because now we have [a body of work] that has them thinking they can play at that level more consistently.”

Contact Cole Travis at ctravis@lsureveille.com

O’Bryant III helps himself, Tigers by returning next year MIC’D UP MICAH BEDARD Sports Columnist Johnny O’Bryant III wasn’t ready to play in the NBA, and the LSU men’s basketball team wouldn’t have a chance at an NCAA Tournament run in 2014 without him.

Luckily, neither side will have to worry about that after O’Bryant shocked nearly everyone at a news conference Tuesday with 10 little words.

“I’ve decided to return to LSU for my junior year,” O’Bryant said.

I couldn’t believe it. And it wasn’t because he’s a bona fide NBA prospect who was guaranteed to be taken in the NBA Draft in June — he without a doubt would have gone undrafted if he did indeed declare.

O’Bryant passing up his two remaining seasons of eligibility just seemed like a foregone conclusion.

When I showed up for the news conference, all signs pointed to O’Bryant ditching the purple and gold.

JOB III’s careers stats were available at the door, two tables were reserved for members of his family and I didn’t see the logic in calling a news conference for anything but

declaring for the NBA Draft.

I was wrong. But O’Bryant made the right decision for himself, his coach and his teammates.

ESPN had JOB III ranked as the No. 37 power forward in the 2013 draft class. He wouldn’t even be taken in the first round of a power forward draft, let alone a draft with only 60 spots.

O’Bryant had a monster sophomore season. The Cleveland, Miss., native was a coaches’ first team AllSoutheastern Conference selection, posted 15 double-doubles and was a big reason why LSU coach Johnny Jones’ first season at the helm resulted in a 19-12 record.

But O’Bryant isn’t ready to compete with the big boys just yet.

Another year of college basketball under his belt will help him tremendously.

It’s hard to get recognition when your team doesn’t play in the postseason. Take Michigan freshman forward Mitch McGary, for example.

Before the NCAA Tournament started, McGary was a second-round pick at best. His five double-doubles in the Big Dance helped the Wolverines make it to the championship game and probably assured him a first round selection if he decides to leave after his freshman season.

The same kind of exposure can help O’Bryant shoot up draft boards

if he helps the Tigers get an invite to the tournament for the first time since 2009.

And JOB III definitely has next March on his mind.

“I just want to take those guys to the dance one time before I leave,” O’Bryant said.

Without O’Bryant next season, LSU would be a bubble team at best.

Maybe the Tigers would have made it to the NCAA Tournament, but the trip wouldn’t have lasted long.

O’Bryant’s return gives LSU a chance to stay at the Big Dance for a couple more songs. The Tigers’ front court was a weakness this season, but it will be an asset during the 2013-14 season.

Next season has potential to be a special one for the Tigers. With O’Bryant’s return, LSU should contend for the SEC crown along with Kentucky, Alabama and Florida.

O’Bryant has a chance to improve his draft stock and help his team to the NCAA Tournament by returning for his junior season.

Good move, Johnny.

Micah Bedard is a 22-year-old history senior from Houma.

Contact Micah Bedard at mbedard@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @DardDog

page 9

The Daily Reveille

page 10

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Should college athletes be paid?

Lillian Miller animal science freshman

‘I just want to beat Alabama.

If we are going to get someone by paying them then that’s fine by me.’

Kyle Durand petroleum engineering junior

‘I don’t think so. It’s not like regular students get paid.’

Elon Beasley

Pak Wong

mass communication sophomore

petroleum engineering junior

Kyle Hannan psychology junior

‘I think they should be given some kind of stipend for food or groceries since they can’t get jobs outside of school.’

‘Absolutely not.

Education comes first, and they are getting that for free.’

Sterling Atkins accounting freshman

‘This is a platform for them to develop their skills and hopefully make it professionally, then get paid.’

‘They should be paid because they are big guys and need more food than the rest of us.’

‘They already get school, housing and dining. Why do they need to get paid?’

‘I’d say no because they get a lot of benefits as it is.’

‘No. I mean they get scholarships, don’t they?’

Dana Scalf

Mallory Bourgeois

Sarah Pineau

industrial engineering sophomore

art & design sophomore

elementary education junior

Faisal Alswailem

‘A stipend would be reasonable to help them be financially stable.’

petroleum engineering freshman

Taylor Fontenot kinesiology freshman

‘No, because they are already pretty much getting school paid for.’

‘Their scholarships are enough.’

Osamah Almansour

Reed Wilson

petroleum engineering junior

petroleum engineering freshman

Josh Solite finance senior

‘I think they could get a little compensation or reward, but paid, no.’

Travis Mamon

‘Not by the school, but I think they should be allowed to accept sponsorships.’

‘No. They are students just like us.

If they get paid, we should get paid.’

finance freshman compiled by COLE TRAVIS and ANGELA MAJOR

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

page 11

UConn women rout Louisville for eighth title, 93-60 The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Geno Auriemma and Connecticut are back on top. With freshman Breanna Stewart leading the way, it might be a while before they relinquish that spot.

Stewart scored 18 of her 23 points in a dazzling first half and Connecticut won its eighth national championship with a 93-60 rout of Louisville on Tuesday night. It was the most lopsided victory in a title game.

The title tied Auriemma and the Huskies (35-4) with Pat Summitt and Tennessee for the most in women’s basketball history.

“The fact that I tied Pat Summitt’s record puts you in the category of the greatest women’s basketball coach that ever lived,” Auriemma said. “I’m just thrilled for our seniors. This team accomplished an amazing feat this last month.”

It might not take long for Auriemma to pass Summitt the way Stewart and the rest of his Huskies played. His prized freshman was unstoppable, hitting shots from everywhere on the court to earn Most Outstanding Player honors for the Final Four. Even her father in the stands watching repeatedly said “wow” as his daughter took the game over.

“This is unbelievable,” she said.

“This is what we’ve thought about since the beginning of the season.

And now to be here and actually win it, it’s a great feeling and I don’t think it’s going to set in for a while.

I just played really confident and stopped thinking. When I secondguess myself, nothing good comes out of that.”

The loss ended an unprecedented

tournament run by Louisville. The Cardinals became the first No. 5 seed to make the championship game, pulling off the greatest upset in tournament history when they beat Brittney Griner and Baylor in the regional semifinals. Jeff Walz’s team then beat Tennessee in the regional final before topping Cal in the Final Four.

The Cardinals just didn’t have enough to beat their Big East foe.

Louisville was trying to become just the second school to win both the men’s and women’s championship in the same season and the first since UConn in 2004.

Louisville men’s coach Rick Pitino, fresh off his team’s 82-76 win in the title game over Michigan on Monday night, was sitting behind the Cardinals bench, trying to spur on the women’s team. He talked to the players at their pregame meal and told them to just enjoy the moment and have fun in the game.

It wasn’t to be, and Pitino was thoroughly impressed by Stewart, too.

“This is one of the best freshman in basketball,” he said in a halftime interview.

This trip to the Big Easy marked the beginning of the Stewart era.

The heralded freshman had one of the most remarkable runs of any first year player in the history of the NCAA tournament. She finished with 105 points in the tournament in only five games — she missed the first round rout of Idaho to rest a sore calf. It’s the most by any firstyear player since 2000, according to STATS. UConn’s Maya Moore held the previous mark with 93 points.

The 6-foot-4 star passed Moore

GERALD HERBERT / The Associated Press

Connecticut guard Kelly Faris (34) goes up for a shot against Louisville guard Jude Schimmel (22) Tuesday during the national championship game of the women’s Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament in New Orleans.

with a neat tip-in with 7:04 left in the first half. She scored seven points during a 19-0 run that turned a fourpoint deficit into a double-digit lead and put the Cardinals in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.

“We rushed a lot, we started to panic a bit,” Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. “They started executing.”

Stewart later swooped in for an incredible offense rebound that she put back to make it 39-23. The Huskies led 48-29 at the half as Stewart had 18 points. The 19-point advantage fell four points short of the championship record set by Tennessee against Louisiana Tech in 1998.

UConn dashed any hopes of a Louisville comeback going on a 12-2 run after the Cardinals had cut its deficit to 60-44. The only question over the last 10 minutes would be whether this was the biggest blowout in title game history, and the Huskies easily surpassed Tennessee’s 23-point win over Louisiana Tech in 1987. The Huskies beat Louisville by 22 points in the 2009 title game.

Stewart’s exploits are reminiscent of two of the all-time greats.

As freshmen, Cheryl Miller guided USC to a title in 1983 and Chamique Holdsclaw led Tennessee to a championship in 1996.

Louisville was trying to become the lowest seed to win a NCAA championship on the women’s side.

Villanova, as an eight seed, was the lowest ever to win it on the men’s side back in 1985.

The Schimmel sisters who carried Louisville in the tournament had a rough go against UConn. Shoni Schimmel missed her first six shots and finished with just seven points on 3 of 15 shooting. Jude Schimmel

DAVE MARTIN / The Associated Press

Connecticut players celebrate Tuesday after defeating Louisville 93-60 in the national championship game of the women’s Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament in New Orleans.

was saddled with three fouls in the first half.

With UConn’s victory, the Big East conference won a ninth national championship. The conference, which will split apart after this season, has been the most dominant in women’s basketball over the past decade.

And having both teams in the championship game was a fitting end to its current configuration. Neither team will be in the new Big East next season as both teams will be in the American Athletic Conference.

Louisville will then head to the ACC the year after.

This was the first of UConn’s championships when the Huskies didn’t win a regular season or Big East tournament championship, making it a little bit sweeter for seniors Kelly Faris, Caroline Doty and Heather Buck. UConn’s other national championships came in 1995, 2000, 2002-04, 2009-10.

Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_news

The Daily Reveille

Opinion

page 12

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A True Underdog Story

N.H.’s banning dodgeball prevents students from learning to stand up for themselves

THE TRADITIONALIST CHRIS ORTTE Columnist

Violence is a staple in describing American society. From the Wild West to urban street gangs, it is something that has been a part of our society throughout its history.

However, what seems to be developing in American society is not a cure for violence but only a “wimpification” of our society.

In Windham, N.H. schoolchildren will not be allowed to play dodgeball as a result of the Sandy Hook shooting. The reasoning: “Being hit by a hard-thrown ball does not help kids develop confidence.”

Apparently, “human target” games teach violence. So that would include any form of tag and peg-outs in kickball as well, right?

Seemingly, the cure-all for violence is the perennial hand-holding of our future generations.

Such dainty rules suggest that we must either level the playing fields or get rid of them — sounds to be in tune with communists fundamentals.

But please do not discredit me as some McCarthy-ian communist hunter. I do not declare we’re being over run by communist or that our president is a socialist.

Presently, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” ranks in USA Today’s best sellers. What happened to the Duke? What about underdogs like Danny Larusso?

What kind of confidence building is this? Teach the kids to

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photo courtesy of THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Exactly 4,983 students, faculty and staff participate in a game of dodge ball, attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the largest dodgeball game. Windham, N.H. recently banned dodgeball in schools in response to the Sandy Hook shooting.

be passive and submissive, and not to worry — it will all work out.

Nonsense. It’ll work out if you make it work out.

Now it’s writers like Jeff Kinney, who reminisce about their days when mom used to call them sweetie pie, instead of writers like Hemingway — war hero and adventure seeker.

Daydreams used to be about hunting lions on an African safari or sailing the ocean blue. I assume kids now dream about smart phones and iPod minis.

Children used to dream of being Huck Finn or Holden Caulfield.

Now they associate with Greg

Heffley, Diary’s pansy protagonist.

My glory days were spent rolling through river mud in my school uniform and cursing contests with my neighborhood buddy.

So much of what American pop culture was has been demasculinized. I tend to associate Nashville with this dilemma. Instead of Johnny Cash and the Highwaymen, we have skinny-jeaned and Converse-wearing “country boys” who couldn’t hack it as a rocker.

It’s the new, trendy America.

Somewhere between the Baby Boomers and Generation X, we’ve become especially considerate not to have our feelings hurt. Maybe

it’s the warmer temperatures or the liberals, as any old, cranky conservative would aver.

The problem is not that we promote too much violence — we promote too little confidence.

Conflict and insult is inherent.

We cannot control their existence — we can only control how we react. Having confidence kept that grain of salt in our mouths so we could brush it off when we got plugged by a “hard-thrown” ball and someone laughed at us.

It’s called growing up.

Mass communication senior C.C. Jaeger shares in my disappointment claiming that “our

LSU is in a huge budget crisis that only seems to be getting worse and the editor is suing them? Does this mean my tuition dollars are going into an attorney to “vigorously defend” the charges? If so, I do not support it. This is beyond childish...

Five years ago, my undergrad institution ran a presidential search in the same manner as LSU. They picked a private firm who spit out several names.

The board narrowed it down to five finalists and only released the names of the five. No one had a problem with it. In fact, no one really cared. Does anyone

besides a select few LSU students even care? If so, I have yet to find any.

I think these lawsuits are petty and have been filed by vain prima donnas who still yell and scream when they don’t get their way. I guess LSU does admit 5-year-olds…”

-jb

The ‘Treaty of Tripoli’?

Which copy? Their isn’t an ‘original’ with the words you refer to (Article 11) according to historians….”

- Commish255

In response to the David Scheuermann’s story, “Treasury should remove ‘In God We Trust’ from money,” readers wrote:

In response to the Landon Mill’s story, “Debate of Proposition 8 based on biased arguments,” readers wrote:

“Thomas Jefferson was after all a Deist.

“And what, pray tell, will the anti-equality crowd cite as

The Daily Reveille Editorial Board

Andrea Gallo Emily Herrington Bryan Stewart Kirsten Romaguera Clayton Crockett Chris Grillot

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Managing Editor, External Media Managing Editor, Production News Editor Opinion Editor

“It should more accurately be changed to ‘In Greed We Trust.’”

- ed-words

Editorial Policies & Procedures

The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University.

The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, paper or University. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-26 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must have a contact phone number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor-in-chief, hired every semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

country has become obsessed with making it OK to be average.” What made America great is our zeal to be the best.

Jaeger elaborates saying, “Competitiveness breeds confidence. Yet, we’re preaching inferiority and complacency.”

What we need to do is teach kids to have a little more grit and to remember that this is the land of equal opportunity — not equal greatness. If all greatness were equal, there would be no greatness.

That’s called communism.

Such bans as in Windham are knee-jerk reactions by overly sensitive community-position holders looking to be portrayed as helping the little guy. It’s not the violence they’re scared of, it’s the lawsuit that gets them shaking in their boots.

Unfortunately, many Americans believe they deserve punitive compensation for just about anything they deem offensive.

Nevertheless, I do trust there is still enough red blood in America, but I can only imagine what kind of games my children will play in P.E. class — it won’t be dodgeball.

At this rate, P.E. class will most likely become a dieting class, because all physically competitive activities for children are liable to be banned.

Chris Ortte is 22-year-old political science senior from Lafayette.

Contact Chris Ortte at cortte@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_chrisortte evidence in their favor? To date, there has been zero evidence that suggests that gay marriage is harmful to society or that is has any negative impact on straight marriages.

Of course the arguments are ‘biased.’ That’s the point. Each side will present evidence supporting their point of view. Otherwise, it’s not an ‘argument.’”

- WMB

Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at opinion@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_opinion

Quote of the Day

“In some cultures, they only eat vomit. I never been there, but I read about it...in a book.”

White Goodman Dodgeball 2004

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Opinion

page 13

Red light cameras cause more wrecks, need to go BWALLY’S WORLD BEN WALLACE Columnist Baton Rouge’s Red Light Safety Program, which includes the infamous red light camera system, is an invaluable money well that will never run dry as long as humans and not robots operate vehicles.

The Louisiana Regular Legislative Session began Monday, and Rep. Jeff Arnold, D-New Orleans, introduced House Bill 217, which would allow voters to decide whether to keep the traffic cameras through municipal elections, The Advocate reported.

“I think this is the fairest way of handling it for both the citizens and the municipalities who have come to depend on the bankroll coming in,” Arnold said, adding that he has proposed variations of the bill for the past several years.

“I think it has very little to do with safety.”

And that’s the issue.

Supporters of red light cameras argue that the cameras

dramatically cut down the amount of red light-related traffic accidents, especially fatal ones. Opponents, however, say the cameras exist mostly so local governments can make money without working. They also say the amount of car crashes actually increases in intersections with cameras because rear-end collisions arise due to drivers slamming on their brakes to avoid running red lights.

There is no question the city makes gobs of money through its contract with American Traffic Solutions, Inc., the privately owned company that manages the city’s red light cameras.

Drivers paid more than $13.3 million in fines from 2008-12, The Advocate reported. The ATS kept almost $5 million, leaving the remaining $8 million to the Baton Rouge Police Department.

Talk about easy money. The city simply signed a contract with ATS, and now BRPD rakes in about $2 million a year, on average, in free cash. The only cost the city deals with involves processing claims from drivers who say they’re innocent.

Beyond the money, the

waters of this issue become murky, if not opaque.

Making a direct correlation between the cameras and reduced traffic fatalities is nearly impossible. What about improved safety features on cars? Or safer driving in general?

Many studies from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing traffic accident fatalities, claim that the life-saving effects of red light cameras range somewhere between those of oases in deserts and guns in a knife fight.

“A 2011 Institute study comparing large cities with red light cameras to those without found the devices reduced the fatal red light running crash rate by 24 percent and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 17 percent,” according to a post on the IIHS website.

Feel free to judge the statistics presented in that discombobulating sentence yourself.

In cities such as Philadelphia and Los Angeles, news organizations reported that accidents actually increased in intersections with the traffic lights.

Again, attributing the increase in accidents directly to the traffic cameras is nearly impossible. What about the driver scrolling through Twitter on his phone? Or reading a text message? Or staring at a digital map because he has absolutely no idea where the heck he’s going (we’ve all done it)?

A fine for running a red light in Baton Rouge is $117. That’s worth at least 20 late-night meals at McDonald’s. Or 50-something packs of gum. Or one carnivorous date-night at Texas de Brazil.

The fines and the cameras should disappear until a study that would be practically impossible to conduct can prove a definitive and direct correlation between reduced fatalities and red light cameras.

In order for that to happen, though, citizens have to get mad.

To start, I suggest calling up your state representatives and begging them to support Arnold’s bill.

It would at least give voters, not lawmakers, the opportunity to decide for themselves if they think the program provides more safety than annoyance.

MARY LEAVINES / The Daily Reveille

Traffic cameras watch the intersection at Nicholson and Burbank on Tuesday.

Ben Wallace is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Tyler, Texas.

Contact Ben Wallace at bwallace@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @_benwallace

Cassidy is legitimate competition for Landrieu in 2013 THE PICKUP PERSPECTIVE JOHN PARKER FORD Columnist I don’t know what to think about Sen. Mary Landrieu.

On one hand, she’s a liberal democrat who is in President Barack Obama’s pocket on most national issues.

Landrieu received an 88 percent approval rating from Planned Parenthood in 2013, a 3 percent approval rating from Citizens Against Government Waste in 2010, a 17 percent approval rating from Gun Owners of America in 2012 and a 0 percent approval rating from the Family Research Council in 2012, according to votesmart.org.

On the other hand, she’s tried to do what’s best for Louisiana on state issues, such as agriculture and energy.

Although she’s been good for Louisiana at the state level, our boot-shaped home is just too conservative for her to easily win another election with all the support she’s shown Obama.

That’s why U.S. Rep. and Dr. Bill Cassidy, who currently represents Louisiana’s 6th District (the one with Baton Rouge), decided to hop in the race last Wednesday.

Cassidy, who’s represented his district since 2008, will be Landrieu’s major opponent during

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / The Associated Press

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., is considered vulnerable as she seeks a fourth term.

this election cycle.

There are some other Republicans who have publicly stated that they haven’t ruled out a run. Former U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry — who just lost an election to Rep. Charles Boustany when their districts were merged — is the most notable, but Family Research Council president Tony Perkins and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) president Chas Roemer, the son of former Gov. Buddy Roemer, have also expressed interest.

If any of them decide to run, Louisiana’s open primary system will probably force a runoff between Cassidy and Landrieu.

So should the 17-year incumbent be worried?

Of course she should.

The biggest win Landrieu has ever had during U.S. Senate elections was against current Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy. She beat him by more than 100,000 votes at a 52-to-46 percent margin. A libertarian and some other candidates pulled in another 40,000 votes.

Cassidy is not Kennedy.

Cassidy is well respected by the Republican base in Louisiana.

Kennedy was a Democrat until 2007 (he ran against Landrieu in the 2008 election).

Cassidy has represented Louisiana’s most important district for the past four years without doing anything stupid. Before 2008, Kennedy had already lost elections for state attorney general and U.S. Senate running as a Democrat both times.

Additionally, President George W. Bush was in office the last two times Landrieu had an election, and conservative states seemed more willing to elect Democrats to the legislature in that case.

We are now in different times. The continuing partisan divide has led to a great emphasis on national issues, and Obama has upset a lot of Louisiana conservatives over the last five years.

First, he got elected. Strike one.

Then he created a vast social program: The Affordable Care Act. Even though some individual parts of it are popular, conservatives have done a great job renaming it a dirty word — Obamacare. Strike two.

Lately, Obama has been scheming to send federal agents to every house in America and take everyone’s guns. Well, I mean, kind of. Strike three.

Landrieu is going to be

Louisiana’s scapegoat for these things, and she’s going to have a tough time separating herself from Obama on these issues.

One of the first things Cassidy pointed out in his announcement video was that Landrieu has voted with Obama 97 percent of the time.

She’s going to have a hard time convincing people that she’s the best choice for Louisiana after they hear that, especially when they don’t particularly care for the president.

Landrieu has done a good job as a Democratic senator from Louisiana. She made sure to take care of our two most important industries, and they like her for it.

She’s been a good role model for our state’s children — something that’s getting harder to say about politicians.

Even so, she’s never run against someone as capable of winning this type of election as Bill Cassidy, and the stars are aligning in his favor.

She’s got my respect, and she should have yours, too.

But Cassidy’s got my vote.

John Parker Ford is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Alexandria.

Contact John Parker Ford at jford@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @JohnParkerFord

The Daily Reveille

page 14

LIFE GUARDS & CAMP COUNSELORS Needed for summer camp.

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STUDENT WORKER POSITION Are you tired of sitting behind a desk at your student worker job? Do you have Chancellor’s Aide or work study?

Apply to be a Career Peer for LSU Career Services

by April 15!

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EARN $1000-$3200 A month to drive our brand new cars with ads. www.

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Undergraduate students in their second or early third year with a biologyrelated major and strong interest in laboratory research are encouraged to apply. Please contact Dr. Huiping Yang, hyang@agcenter.lsu.edu.

experienced waitstaff. Day and evening shifts available. Apply in person between 2-4 PM or email your resume to Highlandchimes@gmail.com FULLTIME SYS ADMIN Baton Rouge co. seeking graduating seniors for career opportunity in IT field. Great pay and experience. Email itapplicants@ cajunusa.com PART TIME SERVER ASSISTANT Ruth’s Chris Steak House 4836 Constitution Ave Please apply Mon-Fri Between 2pm - 4pm FITNESS TRAINER (PT) Knowledge of exercise science or personal trainer.

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Go to PurpleAndGoldHangout.com

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The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

page 15 before games.

“He works so hard, and he pressure of being in the heart of deserves [the success],” Katz the Tigers’ order. said. “He comes out here every Rather, he’s thrived in it, hit- day and goes down to the cages ting for a teamto make sure he’s ‘I feel so confident leading .439 batdoing everyting average with thing.” when I’m in there three home runs, Bregman at34 RBIs and a tributes his sucnow. The game is .478 on-base perto that extra slowing down a lot.’ cess centage. work off the diaNineteen of mond.

Alex Bregman Bregman’s 60 “[My work LSU freshman shortstop hits in 2013 have in the batting been for extra bases, essentially cage] is huge,” he said. “I feel setting the table for the veterans so confident when I’m in there who trail him in the lineup. now. The game is slowing down “Alex Bregman is having a lot. I know I’ve put in the work, not just a freshman All-American and I deserve to be successseason, but an All-American sea- ful, and I feel like that’s why I son,” Mainieri said. “Bregman am successful.” has seamlessly made the transition to college baseball. He’s been the guy who has really made a difference for our team.”

The underclassman’s work ethic has been applauded by the likes of his head coach and fellow teammates. Bregman is adept at slapping the ball to right Contact Lawrence Barreca at field, a quality that is acquired lbarreca@lsureveille.com; through countless swings in the Twitter: @LawrenceBarreca batting cage during practice and

STREAK, from page 7

RICHARD REDMANN / The Daily Reveille

LSU sophomore forward Johnny O’Byrant III (right) and men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones (left) clap Tuesday after the announcement of O’Byrant’s return to LSU for his junior year in the Athletic Administration Building.

JOB III, from page 7

O’Bryant in a bear hug to signify the enormity of his choice.

O’Bryant asserted he will take more of a leadership role with a top-10 recruiting class coming in – correcting a criticism the professional scouts gave him.

Along with bolstering his leadership, O’Bryant cited his stamina as another flaw in his game and an aspect he’ll work to refine in the summer.

“I want to continue to improve my conditioning,” O’Bryant said. “Be in the best shape possible next year and continue to stay consistent.”

Although O’Bryant made the decision last week, Jones said he advised him to “sleep on it” to make sure it was the right choice and even held another 45-minute meeting with O’Bryant and his mother Monday.

It proved to sit well with O’Bryant, who kept the decision exclusively to himself, leaving his teammates to wait until Tuesday’s news conference.

“I didn’t even know,” said sophomore guard Anthony Hickey.

“I am happy he made the decision to come back, mature himself and get better. I want to see him make a good impact to this team.”

Hickey lauded O’Bryant’s

humility and family-first mentality and said if O’Bryant felt the best choice for him was to provide for his family, he would have supported him wholeheartedly.

But Hickey kept coming back to a conversation he and O’Bryant had just before he made his decision and couldn’t help but smile after his classmate’s decision.

“One thing that me and him talked about was getting to that dance,” Hickey said. “He gonna dance before he go.”

Contact Chandler Rome at crome@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @Rome_TDR

PONTIFF JR., from page 7

“You saw with JaCoby — starting wearing [his socks] up, starting raking,” Bregman said.

The magic was in the air at Zephyr Field as 12 of 14 LSU batters notched hits. Senior first baseman Mason Katz — on a 13-game hitting streak — and catcher Michael Barash led with two hits each. Bregman had his own 3-RBI triple in the fourth inning.

“Alex Bregman is amazing,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “He comes up with the bases loaded and two outs and triples off the left-center field wall and breaks the game open there.”

Junior pitcher Kurt McCune had his 2013 season debut, pitching three innings and giving up two runs.

“I think Kurt can be better than that,” Mainieri said. “It was a good first outing for him. I don’t think it was a world-beating outing for him, but it could have been a lot worse.”

The LSU bullpen came in clutch as senior pitcher Brent Bonvillain issued seven strikeouts in three innings and New Orleans-bred junior Nate Fury allowed zero hits and a strikeout.

Freshman pitcher Mitch Sewald admitted to having a few butterflies during his first inning on the mound for the Tigers, pitching the last two innings and allowing two hits.

“I knew I had a chance to pitch coming into the game, but I didn’t actually know I was going to pitch until the inning before,” Sewald said.

Coming into the game, Sewald was the only player on the LSU roster without any game time.

ANGELA MAJOR / The Daily Reveille

LSU junior second baseman JaCoby Jones (23) slides into home plate Sunday during the Tigers’ 11-4 victory against Kentucky in Alex Box Stadium.

“I thought [Sewald] was pretty encouraging today,” Mainieri said.

“He threw a lot of good low fastballs in the strike zone and had good velocity on it. He still needs to work on his off-speed pitches, but it was good for him to get out there for the first time.”

LSU will face Southern again at 7 p.m. tonight in Alex Box Stadium, with freshman left-handed pitcher Hunter Devall starting on the mound.

Contact Catherine Threlkeld at cthrelkeld@lsureveille.com

4-9 ANSWERS

1. Sherman 2. Hodges 3. Midleton

page 16

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, April 10, 2013