Volume 123 · No. 3
Thursday, January 26, 2017
EST. 1887
lsunow.com
@lsureveille
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dailyreveille STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Sustainability fund greenlights first proposals BY TAYLOR DELPIDIO @TD_Reveille
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
‘DO YOU TRUST ME?’ see PROTEST, page 12
Graduate student stages inauguration protest as performance art BY CHRIS CLARKE | @ChristophClarke As one of the most controversial presidents in American history was being inaugurated 1,500 miles away in Washington D.C., a blindfolded Muslim man clothed in all black took his position in the lobby of the LSU College of Art and Design
In fall 2016, a new fee was added to the fee bill. This Student Sustainability Fee, paid into the Student Governmentmanaged Student Sustainability Fund, is being used to fund submitted proposals. The Student Sustainability Fee, which is a $2 charge in the fall and spring semesters and $1 in the summer, is run by SG’s Student Sustainability Fund Oversight Committee. Chaired by SG member Brendan Copley, the committee is set to announce it has approved four proposals for this semester. These proposals include an update to the Museum of Natural Science located in Foster Hall, a proposal to re-establish the student-run farm at the Hill Farm Community Garden on campus, a proposal to help decrease rental costs for the future bike sharing program in development with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and a proposal to send a group of College of Agriculture students to a conference. “We’re really excited about the things we have approved. I think it’s a great opportunity,” Sustainability Manager Sarah Temple said. The Foster Hall museum update includes six iPads
see SUSTAINABILITY, page 12
FACULTY
University professor co-authors book of Baton Rouge images BY DENA WINEGEART @DenaWinegeart Associate professor of African and African American studies and sociology Lori Martin recently co-authored “South Baton Rouge”, a book with over 100 images dating back to the antebellum South and up to former President Barack Obama’s visit to Baton Rouge in 2013.
The images, which took about a year to collect, came from numerous sources and were compiled to tell the story of people of color in Baton Rouge, Martin said. The Hill Memorial Library Special Collections were a central source for images. Martin scoured social media and contacted local news organizations and other media outlets in order to collect all the images needed.
Martin’s co-author Raymond Jetson is a local pastor at Star Hill Baptist Church and CEO of the non-profit MetroMorphosis, which seeks to enhance the quality of life for those living in urban communities through civic engagement. Having a co-author from Baton Rouge was critical in
see AUTHOR, page 12
Associate professor of African American studies and sociology Lori Martin coauthored a book chronicling the history of South Baton Rouge.
DENA WINEGEART /
The Daily Reveille
page 2
in this
Thursday, January 26, 2017 B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803
ISSUE
Cosmic Connections
Newsroom (225) 578-4811
Editor in Chief ROSE VELAZQUEZ
4
Experts share competing opinions on rare planetary motion
Senior Bowl
10
Managing Editor APRIL AHMED page 10
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
News Editor WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTER
page 10 Deputy News Editor LAUREN HEFFKER
Former LSU players are competing in the Reese’s Senior Bowl
Marching Forward
Sports Editor JOSHUA THORNTON Entertainment Editor ALLIE COBB
14
Opinion Editor ANJANA NAIR
See photos from the local branch of a nation-wide event
Cook ‘Em to the Curb
Production Editor RAMSINA ODISHO
16
How Baton Rouge’s hottest new burger place stacks up
What’s Spinning at KLSU
Deputy Production Editor TAYLOR WILEY page 14
JORDAN MARCELL / The Daily Reveille
19
CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
22
Our columnist’s take on a new software that can predict heart failure
Photo Editor ZOE GEAUTHREAUX Deputy Photo Editor HASKELL WHITTINGTON
See what our DJs are listening to, and check out this week’s Top 30 Plays
Heart to Heart
Advertising (225) 578-6090
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WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille
The Daily Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 5784811 or e-mail editor@lsureveille.com.
ABOUT THE DAILY REVEILLE 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 of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Daily Reveille is free. To purchase additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall. The Daily Reveille is published weekly during the fall, spring, and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. Second-class copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, LA, 70803. Annual weekly mailed subscriptions are $125, semester weekly mailed subscriptions are $75. Non-mailed student rates are $4 each regular semester, $2 during the summer; one copy per person, additional copies 25 cents each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Reveille, B-39 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
News
page 3 HEALTH
In 2016, 35 LSU students registered to be “sugar babies” at on Seeking Arrangement
UGAR
LSU ranks 64th on Seeking Arrangement’s 2016 list of fastestgrowing “Sugar Baby Schools” Sugar babies receive on average $2,440 per month
College students made up 44% of sugar babies in 2013 More than 1.2 million registered students seek financial aid
University students join sugar daddy site in effort to pay for tuition BY EVAN SAACKS @evansaacks
A
s Louisiana legislators continue to search for a solution to restore TOPS funding, some students have taken finding tuition money into their own hands. Thirty-five University students registered at SeekingArrangement. com in 2016, a website that allows those looking for financial support to connect with “generous” men and women. Seeking Arrangement defines
an arrangement as a relationship “where people are direct with one another and stop wasting time. It allows people to immediately define what they need and want in a relationship.” On the website, users customize profiles and explain the terms of the arrangement expectations. The user, known as a “sugar
see SUGAR BABIES, page 7
Pharmacy opens at Student Health Center BY NATALIE ANDERSON @natalie_mechell The Student Health Center has partnered with Keystone Pharmacy Services to provide The Pharmacy at LSU, a fullservice pharmacy that serves the University community, including students, faculty, staff and visitors. The pharmacy functions as any other retail pharmacy in that it provides over-thecounter drugs, flu and cold kits, vaccines, nutritional supplements and personal care items. Currently, most insurance is accepted with plans to accept all forms of insurance. The pharmacy also credits itself with competitive prices. Toni Scott, the pharmacist in charge at the LSU Student Health Center, said the pharmacy now delivers prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs to faculty and staff. “We have a shiny new golf cart,” Scott said. “[Faculty and staff] just call and let us know what all they need, and we’ll make a delivery anywhere on
see PHARMACY, page 7 TRANSPORTATION
Tiger Trails buses no longer stopping at Wildwood apartments Residents forced to find alternative transportation BY DENA WINEGEART @DenaWinegeart University students that pass the Burbank and Ben Hur intersection may see students “play[ing] frogger” when attempting to catch the bus at Arlington Cottages and Townhomes. Students living at Wildwood Baton Rouge have to cross Burbank Drive to Arlington Cottages or walk to the bus stop in front of the McDonald’s on Lee Drive if they want to catch a Tiger Trails bus. University Office of Parking and Transportation Senior Director Jeff Campbell said he was contacted in December 2015 by the Wildwood management group which was interested in building a bus stop at the complex. Campbell
informed the management group of the specifications it would need to meet in order to construct a proper bus stop. “We [Tiger Trails] are not going to stop if there is not a proper bus stop,” Campbell said. In order to comply with the specifications, a bus stop with a pull-off lane and sufficient support is necessary. Apart from this initial communication, Campbell said there was no further communication with Wildwood until he was contacted about why buses were no longer stopping at Wildwood. Campbell said he monitored the construction of the bus stop, as he lives in Prairieville and drives past Wildwood on his way to work. Campbell noticed that the bus stop was not compliant with the specifications he gave the RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
see BUS STOP, page 7
The bus stop outside of the Wildwood apartment complex on Burbank Drive sits vacant on Wednesday.
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
ON S
graphic by RAMSINA ODISHO / The Daily Reveille
I T C E N N O CO S M IC C
F
or those believing in astrology, Jan. 8 marked the beginning of a rare astrological event: All Planets in Direct Motion, which will continue through Feb. 6. The infrequently occurring event was seen as great fortune and an opportune time to manifest goals, according to ancient astrologers. The event is rare because at least one planet is usually in retrograde motion for most of the year. Stephanie Tetra Forest, also known as Wave Rayne, is the first American teacher of solar system influences to teach online courses, publish international
articles in several languages and to lecture on the occurrence and potential of APDM. APDM is a unique time when the earth’s perspective becomes like the sun and the vibration of the solar system can provide an extraordinary kind of cosmic assistance for any endeavor created to benefit, rather than to hinder, human life on earth, according to Forest’s website allplanetsdirect.com. The whole planet can be energized by cosmic fuel rather than fossil fuels, she writes on her website. Her website also says an election that takes place during
the APDM cycle will serve to strengthen the achievement of certain goals with far greater ease. Teams may bond swiftly over common goals with increasing levels of confidence, determination and even faith, with APDM increasing the amount of faith members have in themselves and their projects. Forest also writes to be cautious of retrogrades soon after the APDM cycle, as things could change or even reverse direction. The next Mercury retrograde spans from April 9 to May 3. University assistant professor of physics and astronomy
Astrologers, astronomers offer their opinions on the planets’ effects on the universe BY HANNAH VENERELLA @hannahvenerella
Tabetha Boyajian is a member of citizen scientists group Planet Hunters a team that first discovered strange light patterns of the “most mysterious star in the universe.” Boyajian named the star “Where’s the Flux?” or “WTF,” but it is more commonly known as “Tabby’s Star.” The Greeks invented astrology 3,000 years ago to explain how everything worked, Boyajian said. They would make observations and connections for these findings, which led astrologists to invent zodiac signs to deduct people’s fortunes and moods
based on the time of the year and their birthdays, she said. The earth spins once every day, but it also slowly wobbles like a top over the course of 22,000 years, Boyajian said. The earth has shifted enough that it is not pointing at the same parts of the sky Greeks saw when they created astrology, she said. From an astronomer’s standpoint, all planets aligning doesn’t really mean anything, Boyajian said. The distances between these astronomical bodies are so huge that they can’t influence anything in our bodies or souls, Boyajian said.
CAMPUS CRIME BRIEFS
BRCC student turns himself in, Man charged with arrested for multiple thefts in UREC criminal conspiracy,
LSUPD spokesperson Lt. Kevin Scott said an 18-year-old BRCC student turned himself in to police because he was wanted in connection to three separate thefts inside the UREC. Christian Ortiz-Rodriguez allegedly stole cash on Jan. 13 from multiple wallets left on the court
side of the basketball facility while individuals played basketball, according to Scott. Ortiz-Rodriguez turned himself in to LSUPD Headquarters on Jan. 19 around 10 a.m., Scott said. He was arrested and issued a misdemeanor summons for three counts of theft.
LSUPD would like to remind those visiting the UREC to never leave valuables unattended, including wallets and mobile devices. If you need to bring these items inside the UREC and cannot watch them at all times, lock them up using an available locker.
21-year-old arrested for September gameday knockout LSUPD arrested a 21-year-old non-student for second degree battery in connection to an incident that occurred at the Parade Ground in September. As the University hosted its first home game of the season
against Jacksonville State University on Sept. 10, non-student Jacob Cassagne grabbed a victim exiting a portable toilet and struck the victim multiple times in the face, according to Scott. Cassagne reportedly struck the
victim until he lost consciousness, Scott said. LSUPD obtained an arrest warrant for Cassagne, who was arrested on Jan. 22. Cassagne was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for the aforementioned charge.
bank fraud LSUPD added additional charges through an arrest warrant for a non-student incarcerated at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, Scott said. Non-student Starlet Barbe, 49, was incarcerated Jan. 24 at EBRPP for an unrelated and unknown case, according to Scott. While incarcerated, Barbe was additionally charged with criminal conspiracy, forgery, nine counts of bank fraud and nine counts of monetary instrument abuse,
Scott said. The charges were the result of a backpack theft that took place near the East Campus Apartments sometime during football season, according to Scott. The backpack, which was reportedly left unattended while the owner tailgated, contained a checkbook, Scott said. Barbe then allegedly cashed various checks totaling $910. Barbe was arrested and booked into EBRPP on the aforementioned charges.
Visit lsunow.com/news for the latest crime updates
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Thursday, January 26, 2017 ACADEMICS
Graffitti artist explains memories in art, gives advice to students BY SCOTT GRISWOLD @griswold_ii For Greg Simkins, everything has a memory. “That place we got chased by gangbangers,” he said, pointing to a wall of graffiti from his slideshow. “At this place, I didn’t put any green in my painting. So the local gang was called Frogtown. You had to put green in everything, or someplace in the piece, or they’d get mad. And they chased us out of there with baseball bats,” Simkins said. Greg ‘CRAOLA’ Simkins is an artist based in Los Angeles, who was recently a special guest juror for Baton Rouge Gallery’s Surreal Salon. A highly soughtafter surrealist painter, his artwork has been featured in museums and galleries across the world. On Monday, Simkins gave a lecture at the University. During the lecture, Simkins told students the story of his artistic passion and career. Inspired by cartoons and comic books, Simkins began drawing at the age of three. “I would sit and draw all day, and I became extremely
obsessed with it,” Simkins said during his lecture. “I just would draw cartoon characters and toys and stuff all day.” The obsession stayed with him throughout his school years until his first year of high school, when he took an art class. “In the art class, the teacher told me to not pursue art,” Simkins said. “We didn’t see eye to eye, and he said ‘you’re probably not going to be an artist.’” After that confrontation, Simkins decided he was going to be a veterinarian and continue art as a hobby. However, that resolution did not last long. Around the age of 18, Simkins met “some kids who were doing graffiti,” and decided to join them. Graffiti fueled Simkins’ artistic passion for several years. “It wasn’t always the prettiest thing, but it was kinda what energized us. It’s what got us all excited to paint,” Simkins said. However, Simkins began to paint less and less graffiti during his college years. Instead, he was introduced to acrylic painting. For a time, Simkins struggled with painting on canvas.
“I used to hang out at a tattoo shop. The guys there were always like ‘You gotta do a canvas! Paint me a canvas!’ I would say ‘I don’t know, I’m really struggling with it.’ This one guy put money down on the table he gave me a hundred bucks. He was like ‘You’re gonna paint a canvas for me!’ So [that] was the first one,” Simkins said. “That was the first time it felt good to paint with acrylics.” One day, Simkins opened his email at work to find he had offers from Gallery1988 and Upper Playground, Both galleries asked Simkins to “show for them.” Simkins’ art was used in a Gallery1988 group show called “I Am 8bit,” where he showed a piece titled “Pac-Man Hospice.” After his piece in the I Am 8bit show, the gallery told Simkins they wanted to work with him on a full-time basis. At first, Simkins rejected the idea of giving up his secure job and making a living off his paintings. However, Simkins eventually tested the waters of being a full-time painter. “I was given a solo show at Gallery1988. And it was kinda
the one that was gonna tell us what was going to happen,” Simkins said. “I painted forever for this show. It was either going to make or break me.” Every piece from the solo show was purchased. “I was so happy, and they were so thrilled. They’ve sold out every single show I’ve had there,” Simkins said. “I never thought it was gonna happen.” Since then, Simkins has become a prominent name in pop culture and surrealist art. But he did not stop there. Instead of creating one piece after another for his shows, Simkins focused on creating a larger, overarching narrative in his paintings. “I wanted to do a body of work that unifies and talks to each other,” said Simkins. “And so I think it was around this time, all the pieces started having a narrative and all connected in some sort of fashion. So from one show to the next, they’d talk to each other.” Despite a successful career, there are words of advice Simkins wishes he could give to his younger self. If he could go back in time, Simkins said he would
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
Greg ‘CRAOLA’ Simkins, a surrealist painter, describes one of his works to LSU faculty and students on Jan. 23 in the Art & Design Building. get serious fast about what he was obsessed with. Even though he enjoyed going to parties and hanging out with his friends, painting was still his favorite thing to do. “And [partying] kinda stole a lot of years from me, I didn’t get serious until I stopped doing a lot of that stuff,” Simkins said. “Once I started giving in to my obsessions, which was making art, I started getting better at it.”
FACULTY
Two professors named as National Academy of Inventors Fellows BY HANNAH VENERELLA @hannahvenerella LSU Boyd Professor of Chemistry and SEC Professor of the Year Isiah Warner and Professor of Equine Research Mandi Lopez were named Fellows to the National Academy of Inventors. NAI Fellows is a high professional distinction accorded to academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible improvement on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. Although the two professors are involved in different research, they share many commonalities. Lopez is the director of the Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research in the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. She has more than 75 original scientific publications and is an associate editor of a national scientific journal, as well as a member of many public and private grant review boards. She has also been an active member of the LSU Faculty Senate for nearly a decade. Lopez came to the University after going to school in Europe, Asia and California, and her European accent comes out sporadically. She said she was introduced to surgery in
veterinarian school and was always committed to applying engineering principles to surgery. While working with orthopedic surgeons, Lopez said she realized they were struggling to find a good way to hold tension when working with the anterior cruciate ligament. The ACL is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments in the human knee. Lopez said she has been working on two devices, the GraftGrab and Grab Ten, for 15 to 20 years and is continuing to work on them. Both inventions make it easier to secure tissue to bone, while tension is simultaneously adjusted, a feat which could not previously be accomplished. The devices could possibly be used in future bone and joint surgeries for both animals and humans, ultimately improving surgical outcomes that may make it possible to further advance techniques that stablize the knee. “I always encourage people to have lifelong creativity and interest,” Lopez said. “Never underestimate yourself and what you can learn and master. It requires effort, commitment and failures, but you keep going. It’s the people that pick up after failures that grow.” Warner is the University’s Phillip W. West Professor of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor
at LSU. His research aims to develop and apply chemical, instrumental and mathematical measurements to solve important questions in chemistry. He is considered one of the world’s experts in analytical applications of fluorescence spectroscopy. Warner holds eight U.S. patents that specialize in spectroscopy and include a variety of different research areas. His spectroscopy studies have become foundations for many leading manufacturers of commercially available fluorescence in analytical measurements. Similar to Lopez, Warner said he never dreamed of receiving such an honor and it was only possible because of the people that believed in him. “My true love is working with students, whether it’s at the graduate level in my research group or at the undergraduate level inspiring students to get Ph.Ds,” he said. Being from Bunkie, La., Warner said he had no idea what a Ph.D. was in college until his mentor told him he would receive one by the age of 30. Teaching young people the sky is the limit and that their potential is only limited by their confidence and knowledge of what they can do is something he hopes to do for the rest of his life. Warner and Lopez were
KIM NGUYEN / The Daily Reveille
LSU Boyd Professor of Chemistry and SEC Professor of the Year Isiah Warner sits in his office on Jan. 18, in Choppin Hall. Warner was recently named Fellow to the National Academy of Inventors. nominated by their peers for contributions in areas such as patents and licensing, innovative discovery and technology, and support and enhancement of innovation. Both professors said they
are completely humbled by their recognition, and they plan to pay their knowledge forward by mentoring students and helping them pursue their dreams, as their own mentors did for them.
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
POLITICS
Independent Party becomes officially recognized in Louisiana BY KATIE GAGLIANO @katie_gagliano There’s a new party coming to Louisiana politics — and you may already be invited. The Independent Party became a recognized political party on Dec. 22, after party chairman Patrick Bergeron and party treasurer William “Bill” Bryan filed with the Secretary of State’s office. Though the party is in the early stages of organizing, Bergeron and Bryan managed to successfully file by tapping existing databases of registered Independent voters. According to the Secretary of State’s website, a political party receives state recognition if it has at least 1,000 registered voters affiliated with the party, submits a notarized application and pays a $1,000 registration fee. Bergeron and Bryan reached the 1,000-voter limit by pulling names from the existing pool of 56,316 registered Independents statewide, according to SOS press secretary Meg Casper. The independent movement in Louisiana has gained traction in recent years. In 2014, former Gov. Bobby Jindal signed Act 594 of the 2014 regular session into law, allowing for the formal organization of a state Independent Party. Until then, a provision in the Louisiana Election Code prohibited the formation of a political party known solely as “Independent.” Act 594, authored by then-state Sen. Richard “Rick” Gallot, D-Ruston, took
effect Jan. 1, 2015. The Independent Party joins the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green and Reform parties as the state’s sixth active political group, according to the Secretary of State’s website. The State Party, as it’s alternatively called, “seeks to diminish the influence of the current ‘two party only’ system” by emboldening a movement of independent voters. The party plans to open up the democratic process, support a more non-partisan form of government, create new electoral coalitions and encourage greater constituent control of governing systems. It will also endorse candidates, either from the party itself or non-Independent Party candidates who are “wise, moral and honest” and uphold the ideals expected of party candidates, the party’s bylaws said. The Independent Party’s formal structure is similar to that of established political parties in the state, with standards of membership, committees and organizational structure at the state, parish and local levels, according to the party’s bylaws. Despite having a traditional party structure, the Independent Party’s non-partisan message may offer a viable political alternative to the two-party domination of the Republican and Democratic parties. Psychology junior Victoria Disedare said the Independent Party may be able to provide an outlet for millennials to find a voice and present ideas that are
courtesy of FLICKR
Louisiana’s Independent Party formed Dec. 22 as an effort to diminish the influence of the two-party system. lost among more traditional political parties. Knowing there are options available could motivate young voters to become more engaged in the political process, Disedare said. Philosophy senior Daniela Hurtado said she could see the majority of the new party’s membership come from the
millennial generation. Many are fed up with politics and the traditional party system and may choose to look beyond the Democratic and Republican parties for representation, she said. Given today’s political divisiveness, the party may be poised to succeed, she said. “I think it’s impossible to
sustain a bipartisan system forever while keeping everyone happy,” Hurtado said. “An addition of any party in the state is a good thing. It’s obviously going to take them a long time to build a good coalition of people behind them but ... I think that they have a chance in the time that they’re deciding to come out and do it.”
ADMINISTRATION
College of Engineering names Judy Wornat as new dean University promotes interim dean BY WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTER @wmtaylorpotter The University appointed Judy Wornat as dean of the College of Engineering, according to a news release sent the morning of Jan. 24. “We are pleased to name Dr. Judy Wornat as dean of the LSU College of Engineering,” LSU President F. King Alexander said in the release. “This is an exciting time for our engineering students, faculty and staff as the renovations to Patrick F. Taylor Hall are coming to completion, giving LSU the largest stand-
alone engineering facility in the country. Under Dean Wornat’s leadership, we look forward to continued growth and the continued rise of our College of Engineering.” Four candidates participated in on-campus interviews and open forums in the fall during the school’s national search for a new dean. Wornat graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1981 before pursuing her graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a master of Science and doctor of science degrees in chemical engineering in 1983 and 1988, respectively.
the last several years Wornat served as on so many fronts: inthe University’s Department of Chemical creasing the enrollment and diversity Engineering director of graduate studof our student body; ies from 2005 -11. adding new faculty in She also served as research areas important to the Louisiana the department chair economy; forging sucfrom 2011-15. Since cessful alliances with July 2015, she has served as the interim DR. JUDY WORNAT other institutions and industry to land madean of the College of jor research centers; and, of Engineering. “I am absolutely thrilled to course, the $114-million renobe appointed the new dean of vation and expansion of Patrick the LSU College of Engineer- F. Taylor Hall, which will ultiing,” Wornat said in the re- mately provide LSU College of lease. “Thanks to the tremen- Engineering students, faculty dous efforts of our previous and staff over 430,000 square dean and the college’s faculty, feet of state-of-the art laborastaff, alumni, and corporate tories, classrooms, offices and and community partners, the gathering spaces where they LSU College of Engineering can learn, design, discover has made great progress over and create.”
JUDY WORNAT BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1981 SM from Massachussets Institute of Technology in 1993
ScD from Massachussets Institute of Technology in 1998 Interim dean since July 2015
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
These [websites] are a way of commodifying women and their bodies. ... [It] masks what might in fact be the sex trade in the language of relationships. LAURIE ESSIG
professor, Middlebury College in Vermont speaking to Miami New Times in 2013
SUGAR BABIES, from page 3 baby,” then connects with a “sugar daddy.” Sugar daddies are often older, wealthy men who will then pamper and support the sugar baby based on the outlined conditions of the relationship. The website was founded by MIT graduate Brandon Wade as a way for rich men seeking pleasure and attractive women seeking money to each receive what they want. The average sugar baby receives $2,440 in monthly allowances, with some receiving more than $10,000 per month. The website received much media attention and scrutiny after it was discovered that former Congressman Anthony Weiner was a frequent user of the site. Sugar babies are typically younger women — the website took a poll in 2013 and found that 44 percent of its sugar babies were college students. Despite the website’s success, it has received much more
backlash and criticism than traditional dating sites. Laurie Essig, a professor at Middlebury College in Vermont, was critical of the site while speaking to the Miami New Times in 2013. “These [websites] are a way of commodifying women and their bodies,” Essig said. She was critical of the “Sugar Baby” title because she said it “masks what might in fact be the sex trade in the language of relationships.” The University is not unique in having students register as sugar babies in order to pay off student debts. LSU only ranks 64th on Seeking Arrangement’s annual list of the fastestgrowing “Sugar Baby Schools.” Thirty-five students registered in 2016, a 30 percent increase from 2015. Altogether, 124 University students are currently registered. Students seeking sugar daddies to pay for schooling is a national trend. Seeking Arrangement reported that more than 1.2 million students are
registered seeking financial aid, the most in 10 years. Many University students can empathize with other students registering. English freshman Kali Elftmann understands the hardships of paying for school. “Money is hard, [and] TOPS is really screwing us in all honesty,” Elftmann said. “School is expensive, and you’ve got to get money however you can.” Despite college sugar babies being prevalent across the country, many aren’t aware of the trend and may think a large number of University students on the site would be a bad image for the school. But undeclared freshman Hannah Graham doesn’t believe the 124 students are representative of the entire student body. “I don’t think it really reflects poorly on LSU because it’s a personal decision,” Graham said. “That’s not really the school’s business at all,” Elftmann added.
PHARMACY, from page 3 campus.” The Pharmacy at LSU also has an app that can be downloaded by searching “Mobilescripts” in the app store. The app allows users to create a profile and refill prescriptions and includes a pill reminder feature. Customers can also sign up for a text reminder service and the pharmacy will text users when prescriptions are ready or when they are due for a refill. “We do immunizations, too,” Scott said. “I know previously
KELLY MCDUFF / The Daily Reveille
A new pharmacy opened at the LSU Student Health Center, located on the corner of Infirmary Road and West Chimes Street. FOR RELEASE JANUARY 26, 2017
BUS STOP, from page 3 management group, but did not contact them regarding this as he did not feel it was his job to do so. As the fall semester began, Campbell let the University’s bus contractor know that the Tiger Trails buses cannot stop at the Wildwood bus stop as they did not want to compromise the safety of students. However, as newly hired bus drivers began to drive the routes, this message may not have been communicated to all drivers, Campbell said. As the semester went on, some bus drivers stopped at Wildwood, others did not. In November, Campbell noticed a large rut on the shoulder by the bus stop, which indicated that the buses had been stopping at Wildwood. He contacted the bus drivers and told them that they could no longer pick up students from the Wildwood bus stop as they would block traffic without a pull-off lane and cause a safety concern for passengers. Communication disorders and Spanish sophomore Avery Walker, a Wildwood resident, was standing at the bus stop one morning when the Nicholson Ben-Hur bus passed by the stop and did not pick up any students. Instead, Walker had to ride with a friend who was leaving the
for faculty, they had to pay $20 to get a flu shot, and now we can process their insurance, so it’s a zero copay. And I can go to them to do that at their office, also.” The pharmacy also serves the athletic department, with one located in Tiger Stadium. The pharmacy’s hours are the same as the Student Health Center. It is closed during home games. More information can be found by visiting the Student Health Center website, calling (225)-578-5651 or emailing studenthealth@lsu.edu.
THE Daily Commuter Puzzle
63
ACROSS Stack Hi in HI __ for; requests Cut of pork “__ John B”; Beach Boys hit Comic Carvey Had unpaid bills Billfold contents Greek “T” Shoots straight Where to find Mt. Aconcagua __ firma; solid ground __ Lanka Make Lifts with effort Em and Bee Ethiopia’s Addis __ Curved bone Group tubs Happiness Married woman Laying bird Ocean measurement Creamy drinks Rules of moral behavior Refuse to comply with Floating zoo? Hell’s ruler Jersey or tunic Striped __; sport fish Chatter Small-minded; petty Bylaw 12/24 & 12/31 Handbag Bouquet holder Ties the knot Williams and Warhol Pigsty dinner
1 2 3 4 5
DOWN Scheme Dubuque, __ Naval rank Conclusion Have ambitions
1 5 10 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 25 26 28 31 32
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
Tiger Trails buses are unable to stop at the non-compliant bus stop outside of the Wildwood apartment complex on Burbank Drive. parking lot right after the buses did not stop. “If my friend had not literally been pulling out at the exact same time, I would have been mad and I would have been late,” she said. Walker said residents were never told by Wildwood or the Tiger Trails drivers that the Nicholson Ben-Hur bus would no longer stop to pick up students. Instead, Walker said Wildwood emailed students about a week later and gave no reason as to why the buses would no longer stop there. Walker said she feels Wildwood has
not communicated sufficiently with residents about the issue. “Any new complexes that build on our routes will certainly have to have a proper bus stop so it is safe for our buses,” Campbell said. Wildwood management refused to comment on when a bus stop would be constructed that met the safety requirements. Campbell also said he was contacted by Wildwood’s civil engineer and understands that there are plans to create a proper bus stop, but is unsure when it will be completed.
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6 Peruvian pack animal 7 Klutz’s word 8 Soil turner 9 Spring month: abbr. 10 Handsome young man 11 Beach surface 12 Leg joint 13 Utters 19 “Ave __” 21 __ and crafts 24 Consumes 25 Cries 26 Singer Johnny 27 India’s dollar 28 Chopped meat concoction 29 Able to speak 3 languages 30 Uses a sieve 32 “Heidi” setting 33 In a __; soon 35 Finest 37 Be at another’s __ and call 38 “Jeremiah __ bullfrog...”
by Jacqueline E. Mathews
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
© 2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
40 Unclean 41 New York team 43 Annoy persistently 44 Itchy red patches 46 Impudent 47 Gush forth 48 Bee colony
49 50 52 53
Frosted Wren or robin Additionally Summon with a pager 55 “__ Lazy River” 56 Religious sister 57 Fleetwoods & Winnebagos
Sports
page 8 FOOTBALL
SOFTBALL
Tiger trio LSU’s first spring named to preseason session on All-SEC March 11 team BY JOSH THORNTON @JoshuaThornton_
Hoover, Landry and Jaquish selected
BY KENNEDI LANDRY @landryyy14
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP Kelley thriving in sophomore season despite battling shoulder injury BY KENNEDI LANDRY | @landryyy14 Whether competing on the floor or cheering on her teammates, sophomore all-arounder McKenna Kelley provides “spunk” to the LSU gymnastics team. “I’m a really big goofball,” Kelley said. “I’ve been like that
since I was little. I’m just a goofy person. But I do think it helps the team, you know, in certain ways, keeping it light.” NCAA gymnastics at LSU is full of entertainment with fireworks during pregame and fatheads in the stands. Each
gymnast has her own distinct personality that contributes to the team’s overall mood. LSU coach D-D Breaux said Kelley never needs to remove herself from all the excitement because she is always the one starting it. Both Kelley and the
see KELLEY, page 11
A trio of Tigers were named to the All-Southeastern preseason team. Seniors Bailey Landry and Sahvanna Jaquish and junior Carley Hoover were selected by the SEC’s 14 coaches with LSU, tying with Florida and Georgia for most preseason selections. Hoover is making her second consecutive appearance on the preseason team, while Landry and Jaquish are making their first appearances. Hoover earned 22 wins last season, becoming the first pitcher since 2013 to have a 20-win season and struck out 225 batters in 194.1 innings. In her junior season, Jaquish tied the program best RBI total with 76, with a .343 batting average and 13 home runs. She was tied for the second highest fielding percentage on the team with .982. Landry tied with Jaquish for third most hits on the team with 69 hits. She led both the team and the SEC with six triples last season. The Tigers open the season with a doubleheader on Feb. 10 against Oklahoma St. and Penn State.
LSU’s first spring session with Ed Orgeron as head coach will begin March 11, the school announced. The annual National L Club spring game, which features a scrimmage between the offense and defense, will also be held on April 22 in Tiger Stadium. LSU plans to hold a total of 15 practices in a six week span, which will end with the spring game. Details for practice dates and times and events surrounding the spring game will be released at a later date. The Tigers are coming off a 8-4 campaign in 2016, which ended with LSU defeating then-No. 13 Louisville 29-9 in the Citrus Bowl. LSU returns seven starters on offense and six on defense for the 2017 season.
LSU’s first spring session will begin MARCH 11 LSU plans to hold a total of 15 practices in a six week span Details surrounding the spring game to be released
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Tigers search for end to losing-streak in conference play LSU amid a five-game losing streak BY SETH NIEMAN @seth_nieman LSU coach Johnny Jones and his team are searching for answers. After beginning the season 9-9 for the first time since 2010, a season in which LSU finished 11-20, the Tigers are striving for an end to their current five-game losing streak against opponents in the Southeastern Conference. “We’re a young team, but we know we can’t continue to use that as an excuse,” freshman point guard Skylar Mays said.
LSU hasn’t endured a losing streak this long since its 10-game skid in 2011 conference play. Jones has suffered his worst start in conference play, 1-6, since his premier season coaching the Tigers in 2012-13 when the team began 1-5 in SEC play. Jones said a year like this was expected for the team after losing the 2016 NBA Draft’s No. 1 pick Ben Simmons and Tim Quarterman and Keith Hornsby, but he wasn’t sure of the severeness. “We thought at the end of last year that we’d have to weather some storms when we lost a whole bunch of guys,” Jones said. “We knew that there
would be a transition year for us. How difficult it would be, we obviously did not know that.” Turnovers have been troublesome for the Tigers all season long. LSU’s 14.2 turnovers per game are the second most in the SEC, falling slightly behind Ole Miss, which is averaging 15.6. LSU also allowed an SEC high 79.5 points per game, which puts its defense at 321st in the NCAA in opponent points per game. The Tigers haven’t finished a season with their opponent averaging 80 points per game since 1994-95. Mays is optimistic that the team can turn things around on
see LOSING STREAK, page 11
BEAT THE STREAK The Tigers are attempting to beat a five-game losing streak against opponents in the SEC LSU hasn’t endured a losing streak this long since its 10-game skid in 2011 conference play Jones has suffered his worst start in conference play, 1-6, since his premier season coaching the Tigers in 2012-13 when the team began 1-5 in SEC play LSU also allowed an SEC high 79.5 points per game, which puts its defense at 321st in the NCAA in opponent points per game LSU hasn’t finished a season with its opponent averaging 80 points per game since 1994-95
page 9
Thursday, January 26, 2017 SOFTBALL
Former softball player Bianka Bell becomes student coach BY HANNAH MARTIN @hmartinTDR
Bianka Bell, LSU’s career leader in home runs, has a new job. After Bell finished her senior season with the Tigers last spring, she decided to become a student coach. The Tampa, Florida native plans to coach after college, which is why she took a job on LSU’s staff. During the last four years, Bell’s coaches, including assistant coach Howard Dobson, have seen her grow as a player and knew she was more than qualified to be a student coach. While at LSU, Bell played multiple positions in the infield and earned many accolades. She was named first team All-American twice and first team All-SEC. In her senior season, Bell led the team with a .381 batting average and had 14 home runs. Bell, who played with Team USA in 2016, will start training to play professionally and hopes to make the Olympic team for the 2020 Tokyo Games. “It’s nice to have someone who has been an All-American,” Dobson said. “Especially first team All-American, and [who] has done the things she’s done offensively. Now she has seen both sides of the game so it helps to have another set of eyes.”
Bell works with the team at practice and gives the players tips that helped her succeed when she played at LSU. Instead of fielding ground balls now, Bell has to be able to hit them to her teammates. At batting practice, she has to throw more. Being on the coaching side rather than the playing side,
Bell’s main goal is to just be a mentor and see what the girls can improve on. “The biggest change has been just having to sit on the sidelines and watch everything,” Bell said. “From going out to practice every day for the last four years, then now just having to cheer from outside the chalk lines is extremely differ-
ent for me. Seeing them all suit up in their uniforms — I miss that so much.” Bell had the experience to compete in international ball last season, along with Dobson. “She’s able to use her experience from international ball and come back here and teach the younger girls what it takes to get to that level,” Dobson
THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES
LSU then-junior infielder Bianca Bell (27) encourages a teammate running to home base on April 29, 2015, during LSU’s win against Southeastern.
said. “They all aspire to be an Olympian or to be a part of the national team and just aspire to be better. [Bell] has actually had the opportunity to play that upper level of softball.” Since Bell just finished playing, she can relate to the players really well, which helps her in the coaching aspect. “As we get older, we sometimes forget what it was like to be a player,” Dobson said. “With [Bell], she can relate to what the girls are going through at that exact moment — that [feeling] of anxiety or fear of failure. She has just done it so the experiences are still with her.” A year ago, most of the girls were her teammates, which is why she tries to keep it light and gain the players trust as a coach. “First thing [the coaches] told me was that I have to set myself aside from the players.” Bell said. “I can’t be their friend. It’s different now and it’s a different role. Now that it’s spring, I’m more focused on them winning and being their friend won’t be the reason they get first place and not third.” For now though, she’s just taking it day by day. “I love being a part of this program and I’m so glad the coaches allowed me to do this,” Bell said. “It’s been a lot different, but I’m glad I get to experience this.”
TRACK AND FIELD
Nickolette Dunbar showcases potential for track and field squad BY BRANDON ADAM @badam_TDR Like many freshmen student athletes, Nickolette Dunbar, a shot putter on the LSU track and field team, is trying to make a name for herself on the field. However, her name already carries weight as a Tiger. Nickolette is the daughter of former LSU football standout Karl Dunbar. Karl was a three-year starter at defensive end and recorded 11 career sacks in 38 career games for the Tigers from 1986-89. Karl has since moved into coaching after a playing career in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals. Dunbar is currently the defensive line coach at the University of Alabama. “I cheer him on,” Nickolette said of her father. “I want his part of the team to do well.” Nickolette said she believes her father’s coaching career is one of the things that has made her so successful. “I think having me move around as a kid helped a lot with getting to know people,” Nickolette said. “It is an easier transition now.” Nickolette’s decision to come
to LSU was her own, and she was never pushed to attend a certain school. “My parents helped me pick the places I would visit,” Nickolette said. “My mom came with me, since my dad wasn’t able to. They weren’t pushing for any schools. My dad told me I could go wherever I wanted to, that it was up to me.” Nickolette considered going to school at Penn State, Oregon or Georgia, but ultimately decided on LSU. For Nickolette, LSU “felt like home.” “When I took my visit here this was the place I felt I fit in the most,” Nickolette said. “I really liked the people. I got along with Coach Derek Yush very well, and I thought he could take me to the next level where I want to be at.” Yush, who has been an assistant coach at LSU since 2007, recruited Nickolette and followed her throughout her high school career. “When you evaluate someone like her, you see there is a lot of raw talent there,” Yush said. “But she had really great coaching along the way. She was a sophomore and junior when we first started watching her ... Raw talent wise, speed, and power wise she was untapped.”
Yush made it clear that Nickolette, while being one of the most physically talented throwers he has coached, needed to fine-tune her technique. “I don’t think she was a real technical thrower in high school,” Yush said, “She got away with a lot of things that she can’t do if she wants to be at that next level. But she is doing a great job of doing those new things, and now she is getting to a point where she is more comfortable doing those things.” Her debut at Vanderbilt’s Commodore Invitational resulted in Dunbar’s name being placed in the LSU record books. Nickolette’s final throw of the evening measured at 51 feet, 4 ¼ inches which ranks seventh all-time for a female LSU shot putter. “I just wanted to go out there and compete because it was my first time competing in college,” Nickolette said. “I was really nervous, but excited about the outcome.” The following week at Auburn’s Indoor Invitational, Dunbar threw for a new personal-best mark of 52 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Yush took notice of this performance, and has high expectations for Nickolette. Tori Bliss, the most
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
LSU thrower Nickolette Dunbar prepares to release a shot Jan. 18 in the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse. decorated shot putter in LSU history, is more than familiar with Dunbar. The 2015 graduate is Nickolette’s training partner. “It’s a great honor to have my name etched in the LSU track and field history books,” Bliss said. “It will be a little bit sad to see that go down, but to have someone like Nickolette, I see her putting in the work every day, and if she does break, I know she deserves it.” Nickolette’s career is just
beginning. Yush hopes to see her become an All-American and earn a top two or three spot in an Southeastern Conference meet. “As a freshman, I would really like her to get to the NCAA meet,” Yush said. “Be an All-American, and be top two or three at the SEC meet. For her sophomore, junior and senior years, we have to be thinking about National Champion and more than a one-time SEC Champion.”
page 10
Thursday, January 26, 2017
BASEBALL
LSU grounds crew prepares for new baseball season BY GLEN WEST @glenwest21 Before LSU begins its baseball season in three weeks at Alex Box Stadium, Mark Lee has to play in the dirt. Lee, assistant director of facilities and grounds, helps oversee the day-to-day operations for taking care of the Alex Box Stadium field. “Day-to-day consists of anything from growing grass to playing in the dirt,” Lee said. “At its basics it is that simple; My job is to ensure safety and sustainability of the playing surface itself.” The grounds crew is an integral part of making LSU baseball games look and feel like a different experience when the purple and gold take the field. As a University undergraduate student, Lee worked for the facilities and grounds department. After graduation Lee worked with the East Baton Rouge Parish Parks and Recreation department. Lee describes his current job
as simply trying to produce a competitive field for play. During the season, Lee said he and his staff will work 75 to 80 hour weeks. Lee and his staff work closely with both players and coaches to see how they want the field for a particular game. Since so much of the game is played on dirt, Lee interacts with senior second baseman Cole Freeman and senior shortstop Kramer Robertson the most. “The grass is for the fans,” Lee said. “The dirt is for the players. They will tell me what they like and don’t like specific to the dirt surface game in and game out.” Mark Honore, a field attendant for the grounds department, works beside Lee doing practice and game prep on the field, which consists of mowing the grass and clay work. Lee and Honore have their fair share of help with student interns. Honore says they play a huge role in what they do for the crew. Currently the staff consists of five student interns
for the spring that are composed of both undergraduates and graduates. “Whether they’re the guys here with us every day or the student workers who help us with the tarp crew, they are all essential pieces to the puzzle,” Honore said. Alex Box Stadium, voted No. 1 by Stadium Journey for best college baseball park in country, has been a leader in total attendance for 21 straight seasons. “We get a behind the scenes look of the inner workings of baseball and the atmosphere,” Honore said. “They say LSU baseball fans are the greatest in the country, and we get to witness that every home game.” Honore said he knows there is a certain standard at LSU, and it is the crew’s job to make going to an LSU baseball game a fun experience. “When they come out to the box, they want to have that LSU experience,” Honore said. “Aesthetics is a big part of that, so we focus on how it looks.”
AUGUSTUS STARK / The Daily Reveille
The LSU Baseball field crew works on the field before the upcoming season on Jan. 23 at Alex Box Stadium. Despite this being his first year back at the University, Lee said the best part of his job has been getting to work closely with his staff. “My guys will tell you that [with] anything they do, I will get
in there and do it with them,” Lee said. “I enjoy the camaraderie of working with my guys. My staff consists of current students; working with them and attempting to mentor them in some way, shape or form is a big part of it.”
FOOTBALL
Former LSU players set to compete in Reese’s Senior Bowl BY HANNAH MCDUFFIE @hannahmcduffie_ Ahead of the NFL combine, four former LSU players will get to showcase their talents in the 68th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 28 in Mobile, Alabama. Linebacker Duke Riley, cornerback Tre’Davious White, center Ethan Pocic and wide receiver Travin Dural will be representing LSU in the upcoming game. Local draft analyst Mike Detillier said the bowl game can help boost a player’s draft stock. “Well, it is the first job interview, and it can help your draft stock,” Detillier said. “To be honest, a poor week of practice can hurt you some. It is all about the practices and how you pick up pro coaching, the terminology, the pace of the practices and how you pick up pro techniques.” Riley, who played 38 games at LSU, registering 51 tackles and one fumble recovery in his collegiate career. In the beginning of Riley’s season, he was projected as a seventh round pick. Now Riley is projected to be a late third round or early fourth round pick, according to Detillier. “[He is}just a tackling-machine for the Tigers in 2016,” Detillier said. “The most improved player on the team overall. He needs to work on his overall strength and as a tech-
CAROLINE MAGEE / The Daily Reveille
LSU then-senior linebacker Duke Riley (#40) and then-sophomore defensive back Donte Jackson (#1) celebrate after a play on Oct. 22 during the Tigers 38-21 victory against Ole Miss. nician to use his hands better to get off of would-be blockers. I can’t make him taller and bigger framed. He is who he is and in today’s NFL you are looking for that guy that can cover a tight end or back in coverage. Duke can do that very well.” White had a strong senior season and is projected to be picked late in the first round, Detillier said.
The Shreveport native started 47 games, accumulated 167 tackles, 34 pass breakups, which ties for No. 5 in LSU history , and six interceptions during his time at LSU. White served as LSU’s punt returner in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, gaining a total of yards for 68 returned punts. “Tre White is my 25 best overall player for the 2017
draft,” Detillier said. “Late first round pick. He has excellent ball skills, he plays the ball well in flight and he is physical with receivers downfield. [He is a] good open-field tackler, also.” With Pocic’s versatility as a center, guard and tackle, Detillier expects him to do well in the draft and in the NFL. “He is just so smart,
very competitive and he has excellent foot movement skills for a big man,” Detillier said. “I have him rated an early second round pick. I think he is a better guard than center for the pros.” Pocic earned a total of 680 snaps and 92 knockdowns, with his season high being 14 knock-downs against Texas A&M. As for Dural, Detillier thinks he needs the most improvement to make his name more known. “Right now with Travin Dural, he needs work on getting into and out of his cuts and breaks quicker,” Detillier said. “He is a speed guy, good hands, good runner after the catch and another gear in space. A good week of work could help each of them, but Travin Dural is the one with the most to gain since he did not have a signature senior season and he had offseason surgery in the spring of 2016 due to the hamstring problem.” Dural has made 72 catches for 1,436 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dural was regarded as one of the fastest players on the team who ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash. The Senior Bowl is played annually, showcasing the nation’s best senior collegiate players and top NFL draft picks. Notable players like Derek Carr, Richard Sherman, Jimmy Graham and Russell Wilson have played in the Senior Bowl.
page 11
Thursday, January 26, 2017
We’re a young team, but we know we can’t continue to use that as an excuse. SKYLAR MAYS
freshman point guard
LOSING STREAK, from page 8 the defensive end. “We’ve got to continue and try to make strides defensively,” he said. “We can do a much better job, and we’re going to continue to work at it.” SEC opponents have posted over 90 points four times against LSU this season. During Jones’ tenure, LSU has allowed opponents to score over 90 points 14 times. LSU is 4-10 in those games. “We’ve got to make sure that we take the scouting report for what it is and make sure that we don’t go out and continue to repeat the same things that are causing a setback for us,” Jones said. Recently, a few games have slipped away in the final minutes for LSU. Tied at 56 against Alabama with five minutes remaining on Jan. 14, the Tigers allowed the Crimson Tide to go on a 25-10 run to close the game. Down 73-65 with 2:08 remaining against Auburn, juniors Aaron Epps and Jalyn Patterson
both knocked down a 3-point shot to cut the deficit to two points, 73-71, with 55 seconds remaining. Auburn went on to win 78-74. “The last two games, we showed that we can play with any team,” LSU’s leading scorer Antonio Blakeney said. “We just have to find a way to win the game. It starts from the beginning. Last game, we let their shooters get comfortable, and they made some plays in the beginning. We’ve just got to play hard all game.” The next five games could present an even greater challenge for LSU. Beginning with the No. 25 Florida Gators, the Tigers are facing three AP Top 25 teams in a three week span. LSU hosts No. 23 South Carolina on Feb. 1, and hits the road to take on the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats on Feb. 7. The three teams currently sit at the top of the SEC standings. “It’s a good opportunity for us,” Blakeney said. “We’ve been playing well. We’ve just got to try and find a breakthrough to get a good win, and this would help us.”
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
LSU sophomore guard Antonio Blakeney (2) shoots a 3-point attempt during the Tigers’ 95-78 loss to Mississippi State on Jan. 7 in the PMAC.
You’re going to make mistakes — it’s going to happen. But when you do, it’s not the end of the world. MCKENNA KELLEY
sophomore all-arounder
KELLEY, from page 8
RYAN MCCARBLE / The Daily Reveille
LSU all-arounder sophomore gymnast McKenna Kelley performs her floor routine during the Tigers’ 197.475 - 192.625 win over Texas Woman’s University on Jan. 20 in the PMAC.
team feed off that type of energy in a sport that can sometimes be stressful. “She’s a hoot,” Breaux said. “I don’t know how she can do what she does in that last event because she doesn’t stop. She does every routine with every person. She just doesn’t stop.” Both powerful and fun, Kelley’s floor routine is a parallel to her personality. As a freshman, she averaged 9.836 on the floor, with nine scores of 9.85 or higher and six scores of 9.90 or higher. This season, Kelley fine-tuned her floor routine, which includes more tumbling. She is averaging 9.867, with a high of 9.925 in the season opener. Kelley suffered a small shoulder injury in the off season that took her out of the bars lineup and limited her training on vault. “In her mind she’s ready to go, but in our mind she’s not,” Breaux said. “Somewhere between where I am and where she is, we’re
gonna meet in the middle and she’ll be ready to vault whenever she can do them enough times in practice.” Once fully healthy, Breaux said Kelley will be able to compete in more events. Kelley’s 10.0 start value vault would contribute greatly to an already strong LSU vaulting lineup, ranked No. 1 in the country. Throughout competitions, the team tries to stay in what they call the “purple zone”. In the “purple zone,” the team is focused on a specific goal and not bothered by the goings on around them. Kelley said that being goofy and loose helps the team stay in the “purple zone,” which contributes to its success. “D-D always looks at us like, ‘It’s not world hunger,’ and that really puts you in perspective,” Kelley said. “It makes you take a step back and take a breath like it’s okay. You’re going to make mistakes — it’s going to happen. But when you do, it’s not the end of the world.”
page 12
Thursday, January 26, 2017
spring semester.” The funding would go to meant to enhance dioramas things like farm equipment illustrating the impact that en- and other tools needed to bring vironmental degradation has on the farm back to an operational wildlife populations in the area. state, Temple said. The project is intended to modThe other project approved ernize the dioramas to better ed- for funding is a proposal to reucate students on sustainability duce the rental costs for the bike issues, Temple sharing program said. The iPads spearheaded by will be available the Baton Rouge “We want to see to all of the muArea Foundation. seum’s visitors. This program the projects and Another prois designed to proposals grow for place bike rental posal to re-establish the Hill Farm semesters to come.” kiosks around Community GarBaton Rouge, inden was granted cluding on campus. The funding to the College of ZACK FAIRCLOTH would also be Agriculture. SG president used to open a de“The goal is sign contest for to ultimately establish a student-run farm that a “unicorn” bike, which would will be here for years to come serve as a sort of mascot for and enable real-world experi- the program. ence for students interested The final proposal in agriculture and sustainable approved by the committee food systems on the LSU cam- will send 10 College of Agriculpus,” Temple said. “The vision ture students to the Southern is for the farm to be able to pro- Sustainable Agriculture Workvide students with fresh pro- ing Group Conference. This duce grown on campus by the conference, held Jan. 25-28 in
SUSTAINABILITY, from page 1
Lexington, Kentucky, offers pre-conference courses and field trips, conference sessions, networking and trade shows. “We are thrilled to announce the funded proposals for the 2016 Student Sustainability Fee Committee,” SG president Zack Faircloth said in a statement. “Reviewing and approving a wide variety of campus-driven sustainability proposals, this committee will deliver long-term, eco-friendly, innovative solutions for LSU, instead of just quick fixes. I am particularly excited to see students submitting proposals for projects. These new initiatives were a great starting point for the Student Sustainability Fee Committee, and we want to see the projects and proposals grow for semesters to come.” There will be a second call for proposals this semester, Temple said. The documents can be found on the LSU Campus Sustainability website at lsu.edu/sustainability or proposals can be emailed to sustainability@lsu.edu.
AUTHOR, from page 1 the development of the book, Martin said, as she is not a native of the city. “I may find something and say ‘Well, this is really fascinating,’ and then it turns out it has nothing to do with South Baton Rouge. He could say to me, ‘We really should include this person or that person.’ We worked really well as a team,” Martin said. Martin said the most challenging part of writing the book was gathering the images, as she had to get out and engage with the community as well as meet specifications from the publishers. Baton Rouge holds a historical significance that many are unaware of, Martin said. The city was the location of the 1953 bus boycott, which acted as a catalyst for the much more widely known 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, lead by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A few years before 1953,
there was an increase in bus fare throughout Baton Rouge, Martin said. As the ridership of the public buses was primarily black, the buses were crowded in the back, where black riders were forced to sit. When the buses were integrated, the seating became first-come firstserved, which prompted a boycott from the white male bus drivers. After the ordinance was overturned, a boycott by black riders eventually initiated a compromise in which black riders were free to sit on the buses, Martin explained. She said she would like to see someone do a similar project for Eden Park, a historic African-American community in North Baton Rouge. Ultimately, it was the city’s rich history that sparked her interest in writing the book, Martin said. “I saw that there was a lot of history that occurred in Baton Rouge but it felt like people of color were underrepresented,” Martin said. “It’s always been my passion to dig a little deeper.”
My work must be political because I’m a Muslim in the United States. ERFAN GHIASI
photography graduate student
PROTEST, from page 1 building. The sign he brought read: “I am a Muslim. Your president calls me a terrorist. Do you trust me?” The sign then invited passersby to hug him if they trusted him or hit him if they didn’t. The performer was University photography graduate student Erfan Ghiasi. As a Muslim immigrant from Iran, Ghiasi said he feels threatened by increasingly vocal anti-Muslim sentiment in the highest levels of federal government, specifically from President Donald Trump. This inspired him to express himself through the medium he knows best: art. “To quote Nina Simone, ‘An artist’s duty is to reflect the times.’ This is my time here. I’m in Trump-land. My work must be political because I’m a Muslim in the United States,” Ghiasi said. He staged his protest on Jan. 20 to add context to the piece and share his response to the hallmark day as a Muslim artist. Ghiasi said he was inspired by a video he saw on social media of an Arab celebrity making a similar statement. However, Ghiasi wasn’t always so politically motivated. Before coming to the University, Ghiasi studied cinematography in Tehran, Iran. On coming to America, he felt he had to change his photographic focus from fine art to more
political subjects. The 2016 election gave him context in which to put his newfound creative freedom to work. Creative freedom, he found, didn’t protect him from controversy. Two and a half hours into his performance, LSUPD was called to escort him out of the building. “I told the police this was an approved performance, but they didn’t listen to me,” Ghiasi said. “When my teacher Malcolm [McClay] came in and talked to them, they started to listen to him because he was white. That was the whole point of my performance.” Ghiasi said LSUPD were “relatively gentle” compared to what he’s used to in Iran. Other students approached Ghiasi while he was blindfolded with messages of peace and unity. One student told him that although they were a Trump supporter, they didn’t consider him a terrorist and wanted to communicate to him that not all of the President’s supporters had the same ideology. Despite the harshening environment for Muslims in America and his recent run-in with LSUPD, Ghiasi said he still sees America as a departure from the restrictive culture in Iran. “I couldn’t do the same performance in Iran. I would be in jail 100 percent as an Iranian,” Ghiasi said. “But here, I did this performance as an immigrant. Just imagine an immigrant from
courtesy of CAITLIN COX
Photography graduate student Erfan Ghiasi performs an inauguration protest in the LSU College of Art and Design building lobby on Jan. 20. Afghanistan doing something like this in Iran.” Ghiasi’s greatest fear going forward is the implementation of Donald Trump’s promised ban on Muslims. As an international student, Ghiasi is worried he may not be able to return to Iran at this point without the possibility of being denied reentry into the United States. As a graduate student in a three-year program in the United States on
a two-year visa, Ghiasi’s future education hangs in the balance of soon-to-be-announced executive actions revolving around the admittance of citizens of several Middle Eastern nations, Iran being one of them. “I’m here to build a new career, a new life and I’m not sure if I can do that,” Ghiasi said. “I didn’t just come here to get a degree. I could have just stayed in Iran to do that.”
Despite the tumultuous political environment, and increasing anti-Muslim policy, Erfan remains hopeful for improved relations between the Middle East and the United States, and others in the University community seem to reflect his positive outlook. “While I was doing the performance, someone hugged me and whispered in my ear ‘We are stronger together.’”
page 13
Thursday, January 26, 2017
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page 14
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Marching Forward On Jan. 21, thousands of people marched for women’s rights in New Orleans and took part in the largest nationwide protest in U.S. history. Photos by KIM NGUYEN and JORDAN MARCELL
page 15
Thursday, January 26, 2017
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Entertainment
page 16
‘
COOK EM to the
CURB
Food-truck-turned-restaurant Curbside Burgers delivers top-notch food, service
BY KRISTEN BERTEL @luda_kristenn
Choosing and agreeing on which restaurant to eat at is always a struggle, but it’s hard to go wrong with a burger. While scrolling through Instagram’s popular page, I came across a new burger place, Curbside Burgers, which opened in November. After seeing photo posts of their burgers, fries and shakes, I could see why the food-truck-turned-restaurant was receiving so much buzz. My mouth was watering, and I had to go try it out. Located at 4158 Government St., Curbside Burgers has incredible curb appeal. If the social media posts were not enough to pull me in, the venue was. The restaurant has a trendy, laidback aesthetic designed around its food truck roots. As soon as you drive up, you see the picturesque marquee Curbside sign and an inviting outdoor seating area with space to play games and even a stage where bands can perform. Upon first looking at the menu, I was impressed with the sheer variety of burgers. They have a burger for whatever you’re craving. Whether it’s plain or extravagant, you will find something to satisfy your stomach. I ordered the Smokin’ Joe(L) burger with fries, and it did not disappoint. The burger was dressed with sharp cheddar, bacon, fried onion strings and smoke sauce, served on a buttery brioche bun. The fresh cut fries were a perfect complement to the burger. Curbside also offers tater tots as a combo item if you prefer photos by WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille
see CURBSIDE, page 18 LITERATURE
Comic book print sales on the rise despite digital editions BY ABBIE SHULL @abbielj
With the success of comic book film adaptations like “The Avengers” and “The Walking Dead,” comic book sales have been on the rise for years. According to ICv2, a trade magazine that covers geek culture for retailers, comic books have become a nearly billion dollar industry. Since 2009, when sales were at a steady $650 million annually, the print comic industry has steadily grown. But the digital industry lags behind. Contrary to industries like newspaper or book publishing, digital comics aren’t decreasing the
sales of single-issue print comics. According to a statement from Image Comics, “The Walking Dead” No. 163 is the highest ordered comic in 20 years with 730,000 copies already sold ahead of its Feb. 15 release. “You can’t let friends borrow your tablet,” says Otto Zoller of Louisiana Double Play, a specialty comic book store on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard. “There’s a different quality with the texture of the paper and thumbing through the pages. It’s fun to read comic books.” Louisiana Double Play is one of the last comic book stores in Baton Rouge. Zoller attributes its success to owner Robert Broussard. The
store provides personal service to its customers, as well as offering silver and golden age comics, and it is the region’s largest retailer of specialty card games like “Magic: The Gathering.” Those who started reading at a young age know the characters, their backstories and spin-offs, but film fans who want to discover the source material of blockbusters like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” find it difficult to find a starting point. Older series like Marvel’s “Civil War” and “Infinity” or Image’s “The Walking Dead” are available in large volumes, which are
see COMICS, page 18
WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille
The comic book store provides a variety of comics for purchase at the corner of South Sherwood Forest Boulevard and West Bricksome Avenue.
page 17
Thursday, January 26, 2017 VIDEO GAMES
Dead Rising 4 has mediocre storyline, doesn’t meet expectations BY JAY CRANFORD @hjcranford Dead Rising 4, released in December, is a sandbox survival game where you mow down hordes of zombies, rescue survivors, take photographs and uncover a giant conspiracy. Frank West, the protagonist of Dead Rising, returns as a washed-up reporter who stumbles upon a new zombie outbreak in Willamette, the fictional Colorado city of the original game. Despite drawing so much of its setting from the first Dead Rising, this game falls short in some major areas, as it is unable to recreate what made the first two parts of the game so much fun. While the original two games were among the first to have zombie hordes on such a massive scale — hundreds of zombies onscreen at once — this doesn’t set it apart anymore, so developers from Capcom Vancouver tried to bring back the Dead Rising brand “quirkiness.” However, the tone of this game is all over the place. One minute, you’re contemplating whether or not killing zombies is morally right because they were once humans, and the next, Frank West is making one-line quips at roleplaying knights. Don’t get me wrong — I know that previous games had their serious moments too. But the difference is that Dead Rising 1 and 2 never took themselves seriously. They had dramatic moments born from sincerity, whereas Dead Rising 4 tries too hard to be taken seriously. Beyond the tonal differences, Dead Rising 4 also
courtesy of CAPCOM VANCOUVER
Dead Rising 4, released in December, is a survival horror video game where players mow down hordes of zombies, rescue survivors and uncover a conspiracy. makes some serious gameplay changes. The Psychopaths — who are optional or non-optional human bosses — are replaced with maniacs, who are nothing more than tougher enemies without the extensive backstory and personalities that the Psychopaths had. This turns out to be a huge disappointment as the ludicrous personalities of the Psychopaths were some of the most memorable moments in the first two games, and their absence leaves the game feeling empty. The 72-hour timer and time restrictions on story mode missions are now removed, and the story mode is now more akin to a true sandbox mode — players can never miss a mission and lose the game as in previous versions of the series.
While the timer was always divisive, I personally believe it was an essential part of Dead Rising. The time restriction forced players to make decisions about how they would play their game — should I go fight a Psychopath or rescue survivors? Now, unlike in the previous games, it’s possible to accomplish everything in Dead Rising 4 because you will never run out of time, removing an essential thematic mechanic which was a staple of the series. By taking away all the pressure, Dead Rising 4 leaves players with a flawed experience. The loss of this essential element left me with reduced tension and is why I never died during my time playing. The maniacs are never
close to being a threat like the Psychopaths were, and the new enemy human soldiers hardly pose a threat, despite the fact that you have no defense against their ranged weapons. This ease of difficulty is explained in part by the ease which powerful weapons can be acquired and crafted, including firearms. Speaking of weapons, Dead Rising 4 continues the series’ wacky crafting mechanics and offers some distinctively fun weapons and a whole plethora of craftable vehicles to mow down zombies and is one of the few highlights in this game. Other highlights include the solid voice acting, the genuinely funny dialogue, the new leveling progression with skill trees and the Christmas-themed,
snow-laden Willamette that looks great. There are still plenty of old-school Dead Rising moments, such as wearing a dress and a pumpkin head mask while flamethrowing zombies, if you desire that. As a standalone game, Dead Rising 4 does a serviceable job, but when considering this as part of the series, it’s not a good fit. Stripped of time-management tension and the interesting outlandish characters and enemies, all that’s left in Dead Rising 4 is a mediocre story and the novelty of beating up hundreds of zombies, again. You’d be better off replaying one of the previous Dead Rising games, as this installment does not progress the series in any meaningful way.
FOOD AND DRINK
Champions Square to host 4th Annual King Cake Festival BY KENNEDI WALKER @kennedibw
With Mardi Gras fast approaching, Ochsner Hospital for Children will be presenting the 4th Annual King Cake Festival on Jan. 29. This festival, benefiting babies and children, will be held in Champions Square at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Though the event is free and open to the public, there will be a plethora of opportunities to give money to the cause by participating in the Rep Run and the Fun Run. The Rep Run, at 2.8 miles, includes nine workout stations with 25 repetitions each, led by Ochsner fitness instructors, according to the event’s website. This run is more challenging than the Family Fun Run, which is one mile around the Superdome’s plaza level and up and down the ramps at Gate C. The cost of registration varies for children and adults.
If purchased early, the entry fee is $25 for adults and $15 for children. If purchased the day of the event, the cost is $30 for adults and $20 for children. The registration cost covers access to the races, a bib number, a T-shirt and five free tasting tickets for adult registrants — or for youth registrants, five game tickets. Awards will be given to the first place overall finishers for the men’s and women’s divisions and to first place youth male and female runners. In addition, awards will be given to the groups that have the best costumes and most decorated strollers. Prizes include club level tickets to a 2017 Pelicans game, a one-year supply of free Smoothie King and much more. “My family and I go every year, and we participate in the Family Fun Run,” kinesiology freshman Kayla Smith said. “This year we are trying our hardest to win the best costume.” The event will feature live
music from Remedy Rock, Roddie Romero & the Hub City Allstars, and Flow Tribe. Of course, festival-goers will also be able to taste some of the best king cakes in town. This is an event where people can come together, as friends, family and as a community, to enjoy each other’s company and devour delicious king cakes. “I am definitely going to the
King Cake Festival,” pre-nursing sophomore Kaila Crossley said. “In my opinion, king cake is one of the best parts of Mardi Gras, so to be able to taste different kinds all day will be great.” The festival will be serving cakes from many local bakeries including The Kupcake Factory, The Buttermilk Drop and Whole Foods. A few awards
handed out to cake winners last year included “Best Presentation,” “Most Unique” and “People’s Choice.” Volunteers are always needed to assist with the Fun Run & Fitness Challenge, sell tasting tickets, provide information to attendees and sell merchandise. Those interested in volunteering can apply on the event’s website.
courtesy of KING CAKE FESTIVAL
Festival-goers come together in Champions Square to benefit Ochsner Hospital for Children at the 2nd Annual King Cake Festival.
page 18
Thursday, January 26, 2017 CURBSIDE, from page 16
There’s a different quality with the texture of the paper and thumbing through the pages.
those. I was able to try one, and they are equally delicious. Curbside’s full service bar adds to the burger experience. Because I went at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, I didn’t test it out, but I do look forward to soon trying a Boozie Shake, which is Curbside’s alcoholic version of a milkshake. Overall, Curbside Burgers earned a 5-star rating from me
OTTO ZOLLER
Louisina Double Play manager
COMICS, from page 16 essentially single issues combined into trade publications. “What the companies will do is publish trade paperbacks, which are several issues in one binding,” Zoller said. “You can get the full story and see the character from the beginning.” These novels offer complete stories in a simple format — it’s not necessary to read any prequels to understand what is going on. Zoller acknowledges that the older series are harder to follow because larger companies, like Marvel and D.C. Comics, will take certain series in and out of print.
Newer characters like Marvel’s “Spider-Gwen” are easier to begin reading. “Spider-Gwen” is an ongoing series written by Jason Latour with art by Robbi Rodriguez. Readers can buy the first three graphic novels in this series or subscribe to Marvel Unlimited, a monthly subscription service which offers some of the library of Marvel Comics. Characters like “Spider-Gwen” can branch out from their solo comics to join larger events in the Marvel universe, as Gwen did in last years’ “Spiderwomen.” These events can offer another easy way to learn more about the characters and insight into which series to begin reading.
WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille
Louisiana Double Play also features sports cards for purchase.
for its variety and quality of burgers along with a fun atmosphere. The service was great, and I’m interested in going back to try another burger or something from their shake and salad menus. The only downfall is it’s not the cheapest burger. I paid about $15 for a combo meal, which is a little steep for the hungry college student, but you get what you pay for — a great burger and dining experience.
WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille
Newly opened Curbside Burgers caters to people’s cravings on the corner of Government Street and Glenmore Avenue.
the girl from the south side Top five reasons Michelle Obama was the FLOTUS to end all FLOTUS’s As the new presidency begins, many have reflected on the ups and downs of the past eight years of the Obama administration. Whether you were an unmitigated Barack Obama supporter or feel that he handled almost everything
HER INTELLIGENCE
wrong, it’s clear he got one thing right: marrying Michelle. A graduate of both Princeton University and Harvard Law School, a wife, mother, health advocate, fashion icon and first lady, the past eight years have
HER WIT
BY ABBY KING @abbby_marieee
showed us there’s nothing Michelle Obama can’t do. Although there are many more, these are five reasons she’s considered a role model for women of all ages and an all-around gem. Michelle’s passion, class and
HER MARRIAGE
personality have shone through even the darkest of times over the past eight years. Millions of people around the world looked forward to seeing her do amazing things outside of her duties as first lady.
HER STYLE
HER DEDICATION
photos courtesy of WIKIMEDIA and FLICKR
Before she was FLOTUS, Michelle received a bachelor of arts in sociology and minored in African American studies, graduating cum laude from Princeton University in 1985. She went on to earn her juris doctor degree from Harvard in 1988.
Whether she was appearing on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” or roasting Barack for his dance moves, mom jeans or ears, Michelle took every opportunity she could to show her humorous and down-to-earth personality.
Over the last eight years, it has been an inspiration to witness the genuine love, respect and partnership between the President and First Lady.
I was hesitant to add this one because it seemed so trivial compared to her other accomplishments, but come on people, I had to. The woman is the epitome of beauty and class, and she has shown that in her fashion throughout the years.
To the homeless, the veterans, the minorities, the women and the country, her unwavering love, passion and advocacy was unyielding.
page 19
Thursday, January 26, 2017
WHAT’S SPINNING AT
@KLSURadio
KLSUradio
klsufm
NEW MUSIC
“Ecferus/Palace of Worms” by Ecferus/ Palace of Worms
When Alp steps in on the track “Unveiled With Spears”, the difference from Ecferus’ earlier work is obvious. While Pangaea was a meticulously crafted collection of harsh soundscapes and tales of evolutionary anthropology, “Ecferus/Palace of Worms” sees Alp devolve into a much harsher, unrefined sound. The lyrics of this song describe a native tribe in India that resists any contact from outsiders and sets the tone for the Ecferus half of the recording — the concept of a battle between instinct and intelligence.
Alp and Balan’s styles compliment each other perfectly, making the split EP a fantastic listen from start to finish. My only complaint concerns the length of the tracks, which are shorter than what I’ve come to expect from these acts. My favorite riff on the EP comes from the two minute “Transmigratory Astral Chatterings” by Ecferus, a song that sputters and fades away just as it starts to pick up steam. For fans of: Leviathan, Deafheaven and Panopticon
Agalloch,
“Life Without Sound” by Cloud Nothings
their most radio-friendly production to date. Overall, “Life” is less punk and more pop. The piano-laden opener “Up to the Surface” signals a modest change in Baldi’s song writing, from raw and emotional to thoughtful and melodic. It’s not until the album’s fourth track, “Darkened Rings,” that Cloud Nothings returns to the unrefined energy of its earlier work. That same energy is echoed by Baldi’s vocal performance on “Strange Year,” while the song’s instrumentation uncovers one of the band’s many inspirations — noise rock. At the same time, tracks like “Enter Entirely” and “Modern Act” border on pop-punk, and
ARTIST/ALBUM/LABEL 1 A Tribe Called Quest/We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service/Epic 2 Lettuce/Mt. Crushmore [EP]/Lettuce Records 3 Jay Som/Turn Into/Polyvinyl 4 Conor Oberst/Ruminations/Nonesuch 5 Cherry Glazerr/Apocalipstick/Secretly Canadian 6 Alabaster Stag/Perfume [EP]/SelfReleased 7 Lee Fields and the Expressions/Special Night/Big Crown
REVIEW BY TAXI HOST OF MORE THAN NOISE ON WEDNESDAYS 11 P.M. TO 1 A.M. (PUNK) “Life Without Sound” is the fourth studio album from Cloud Nothings, an indie rock quartet out of Cleveland, Ohio. The band started as the creative vision of a teenager named Dylan Baldi, who recorded the project’s debut, “Cloud Nothings,” alone in 2010. Later he enlisted the help of three bandmates and cranked out the group’s sophomore effort, “Attack On Memory.” “Life Without Sound,” available on Jan. 27, serves as a slight departure from Cloud Nothings’ usual lo-fi pop sound. The new record is more polished and less intrusive than the band’s two previous albums, making it
225 578 5578
TOP 30 PLAYS
REVIEW BY THE WITCHFINDER HOST OF THE RUSTY CAGE ON TUESDAYS 11 P.M. TO 1 A.M. (HEAVY METAL) After the release of Ecferus’ 2016 LP Pangaea, the one-man black metal act fronted by Alp solidified itself as a figurehead in the American black metal scene and immediately began work on a split EP with Oakland’s Balan and his act Palace of Worms. With each act claiming three tracks, the EP marks a stylistic change for both bands. Place of Worms diverges from its raw, depressive style of blackened blastbeat noise into an amalgamation of old school death, doom metal and furious thrash licks.
lsunow.com
the chorus of “Internal World” could have easily been written by Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day. In short, “Life Without Sound” is just under 40 minutes of not-so-lo-fi indie rock. Lyrically, the album is introspective, though musically, “Life” brings little new to the table. Cloud Nothings is a band evolving with each new record — on their fourth, the group holds true to the quick, distorted progressions of their earlier work while both tightening production and learning the value of a good hook. For fans of: LVL UP, Wavves and Japandroids
8 Run The Jewels/Run The Jewels 3/Run The Jewels 9 Foxygen/Hang/Jagjaguwar 10 American Wrestlers/Goodbye Terrible Youth/Fat Possum 11 Regrettes/Feel Your Feelings Fool!/ Warner Bros. 12 Japanese Wallpaper/Japanese Wallpaper [EP]/Zero Through Nine 13 Otherkin/Can You Feel It [EP]/ Rubyworks 14 NxWorries/Yes Lawd!/Stones Throw 15 Thigh Master/Early Times/Bruit District 16 Parekh & Singh/Ocean/Peacefrog 17 Priests/Nothing Feels Natural/Sister Polygon
WHAT WE’RE PLAYING
18 Youngest/See It Through/SelfReleased 19 Bob Marley & The Wailers/Live!/Island 20 Slotface/Empire Records [EP]/ Propeller 21 Empire of the Sun/Two Vines/ Astralwerks 22 Angel Olsen/My Woman/Jagjaguwar For some, “2112” is just a numerical palindrome, but to Rush fans like myself, it’s way more than that. Even though the studio tried to stop the band from producing the album, Rush ignored the advice and made one of the best songs to ever grace eardrums and airwaves alike. “2112” is an epic tale about the discovery of an old instrument during a tyrannical reign that prohibits music and free expression.
Raphael Saadiq is an artist whose music was recently featured in the Netflix series “Luke Cage.” Saadiq’s discography spans singles like “Good Man” and albums like “Big Easy,” a story about a man searching for his lost lover in the aftermath Hurricane Katrina. The record has an upbeat tone that Saadiq felt would reflect a New Orleans tradition — the celebration of life after the death of a loved one.
I’ll be playing XTC’s “Scarecrow People” from the 1989 album “Oranges and Lemons.” The album’s cover was designed by the Beatle’s “Yellow Submarine” artist. The track is insprired by a world turned upside down where aliens learn to be as destructive as humans. At times the guitar is played in a different key than the lead vocal, giving it a wonky, whimsical sound. Simply put, “Scarecrow People” is brilliant pop.
The Grillmaster
Dockmob
Madison Square
HEAR IT ON DAD ROCK FM TUESDAY, JAN. 31 9 TO 11 P.M.
27 jan
SEAUX LA PRESENTS: DJ SLUGGA, CCMIRE, KEYMO, TWANZIE// ATOMIC POP SHOP 8 PM
HEAR IT ON WEEKEND WARRIOR WAKEUP SATURDAY, JAN. 28 9 TO 11 A.M. This Louisiana-based music collective has started hosting shows around Baton Rouge in support of local musicians. See what Seaux LA is all about with this lineup of electronic artists and DJs.
28 jan
HEAR IT ON ALTITUDE SUNDAY, JAN. 29 8 TO 10 A.M.
ELYSIAN FEEL ALABASTER STAG HYDRA PLANE// SPANISH MOON 9PM
29 jan
23 Paul And The Tall Trees/Our Love In The Light/Big Crown 24 Flaming Lips/Oczy Mlody/Warner Bros. 25 Slothrust/Everyone Else/Dangerbird 26 Jim James/Eternally Even/Capitol-ATO 27 LVL UP/Return To Love/SUB POP 28 Sad13/Slugger/Carpark 29 Bon Iver/22, A Million/Jagjaguwar 30 Phantogram/Three/Republic
SURFER BLOOD BABY IN THE 90’S// SPANISH MOON 9 PM
page 20
REV R ANKS
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Shyamalan makes his comeback with thriller ‘Split’ BY ABBIE SHULL @abbielj I was prepared to live out the rest of my days without forgiving M. Night Shyamalan for “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” The last ten years have seen some incredible flops from the “Sixth Sense” director, but with “Split,” he’s finally made a comeback. “Split” will remind viewers of older, more mysterious Shyamalan films and is a rebirth of genius for the writer/director. The brilliance of “Split” is that, like in his earlier films “The Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable,” the psychological thriller asks the viewer to question everything that is happening. The now-distinctive Shyamalan twist ending is not cheesy nor expected, a welcome change from his previous works. The film tells the story of Kevin (James McAvoy), a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder, whose 23 different personalities fight for control of his consciousness. One of Kevin’s personalities kidnaps three young girls, Casey, Claire and Marcia (Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula, respectively) and holds them captive as food for “The Beast.” McAvoy gives the performance of his career,
playing nine of Kevin’s 23 personalities. McAvoy relies almost completely on his own abilities when it comes to changing his accent, body language and facial expression, rather than relying on costuming or special effects. Each character McAvoy portrays is distinct, a feat which is most impressive when he jumps from one personality to the next in the climactic finale. While McAvoy is certainly the star of the show, the supporting cast features impressive performances by Betty Buckley and Anya Taylor-Joy. Fans will recognize Taylor-Joy from last year’s period thriller “The Witch.” She continues her streak of impressive performances in this film as the troubled Casey. The one thing I’d criticize “Split” for is its poor marketing. Many moviegoers will be deterred as the film was marketed as a horror movie; however, the film is less than terrifying. It would’ve been better advertised as a psychological drama, with many a mystery to be uncovered and twists at every turn. While “Split” is very “Shyamalan-esque,” with its heavy exposition and somewhat ridiculous psychology, the film will be sure to have viewers hanging on to the edge of their seats.
courtesy of UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Noah Cyrus’ ‘Make Me (Cry)’ isn’t distinguishing, similar to Miley BY RACHEL RATHLE @rachelrathle Noah Cyrus debuted her new single, “Make Me (Cry)” featuring Labrinth in November 2016. The now-17-year-old watches her song climb the iTunes top 50 songs chart. Noah’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, is a well-known country singer who appeared on “Hannah Montana” with his other daughter, Miley Cyrus. Miley has been wildly successful and booked her role as Disney Channel’s
Hannah Montana at age 12. Noah appeared in a few of her own roles over the years. Her fan base is now waiting to see how she differentiates herself from Miley. At first listen, Noah’s voice strongly resembles her sister’s. Initially, one could easily mistake Noah for Miley and vice versa. “Make Me (Cry)” is a beautiful song, but it almost failed to showcase Noah’s voice. If an established artist had sung the song, it’d be different. As an audience, knowing the vocal range
of a musician helps in giving credit for talent where credit is due. Noah may have vocal range, but this song didn’t hint at raw talent in either direction. Labrinth’s collaboration was really the only thing helping to showcase Noah’s talent. Along with the song came a music video. The simplicity of the video was made clear although the song itself is supposed to evoke emotion. Noah had the same bored expression throughout the duration of
the video. In an effort to stray from her sister’s wildcard videos, Noah may have opted for something clean and simple, but a trained actress should coach her on the importance of communicating emotion through facial expressions. One could argue that Miley’s “Adore You” and Noah’s “Make Me (Cry)” are similar in tone as well as lyrics to a small degree. Miley sings, “Know I need you more” in “Adore You,” in a similar tone as Noah’s,
“I never needed you like I do right now” in “Make Me (Cry).” Granted, the two are related, so voice similarities are to be expected on some level. Then again, Noah is only 17 years old. She has time to improve and distinguish herself as an artist. My hope for the star is that she takes some risks to step out from behind Miley’s shadow. A Noah album release is expected, but an official release date is yet to be announced.
page 21
Thursday, January 26, 2017
U2’s ‘The Joshua Tree’ takes on new meaning in today’s society BY CORRINE PRITCHETT @corrineellen Beginning this May, the legendary band U2 is going on tour 30 years after the release of the band’s most renowned album, “The Joshua Tree.” The band decided to tour the album again because it has taken on a new meaning in this era. “The Joshua Tree” was first released during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Reagan was a conservative whose main achievements included rebuilding the armed forces with his “Peace through Strength” philosophy and his “Morning in America” slogan for his 1984 re-election bid. “Morning in America” symbolized a new beginning for the country, an oddly similar parallel to newly inaugurated President Donald Trump’s motto, “Make America Great Again.” In a world where history seems to be repeating itself, it’s only fitting for U2 to take the stage again with an album that was released in a time similar to today. Depending
on who’s listening, music can have many interpretations, which may lead to a change in society. “Where the Streets Have No Name,” one of the most popular songs from “The Joshua Tree,” describes the concept of living in an ideal society. Bono, U2’s lead singer, said that was the complete opposite of the world he lived in. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” has a similar meaning to “Where the Streets Have No Name.” It’s a song that touches on the truth that is embedded in all people — a desire for something that the present world can’t satisfy. Another popular track from the album, “With or Without You,” is a timeless song that any person can relate to, no matter the era. It’s a classic love story of wanting to be with someone who isn’t right for you. The meaningful words are told beautifully through melody. The songs that aren’t as wellknown still have very deep, passionate meanings relevant to this time period. The album is an inspiring way to reflect on today’s society, or to enjoy a lovely tune sung in Bono’s distinctive voice.
courtesy of U2
Idina Menzel, Nia Long star in emotional ‘Beaches’ reboot BY KENNEDI WALKER @kennedibw “Beaches,” starring Nia Long and the “Frozen” singing sensation Idina Menzel, aired Jan. 21. This made-for-TV movie is a remake of the original 1988 film of the same name, which starred Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. The show tells the story of best friends CC Bloom (Menzel) and Hillary Whitney (Long,) showing the audience what true friendship looks like. The two best friends first met on Venice Beach and instantly formed a bond that could not be broken. Though they live across the country from each other, their bond remains strong. Both women have issues when it comes to work. CC is a singer and actress who is trying to find her way and the perfect role for her. Hillary is a lawyer, but only because her father also was and she’d do anything to make him happy.
Hillary comes to realize she’s living the life that her father wants her to live and not the life that she wants for herself. When she finally builds up the courage to leave, she soon has to return because her father falls ill. This pulls her back into the cycle of putting other’s happiness before her own. CC and Hillary do argue, which shows that this dynamic duo’s friendship has issues just like everyone else’s. Having a long distance friendship takes a toll on them and they stopped speaking for a long period of time. My favorite scene was after a huge argument, Hillary told CC that she had forgiven her. CC then stated “… You took your friendship away without even talking to me about it, or yelling at me about it. It meant everything to me. I trusted in it and I believed in it. But you didn’t, and now it’s gone. So thank you for forgiving me, but I don’t forgive you.”
courtesy of LIFETIME
That scene was so powerful and Idina Menzel’s acting was truly beautiful. You could hear the hurt in her voice, and it made me tear up. The pair later make up
and their friendship became stronger. CC and Hillary weren’t just best friends, they were like sisters. I had never seen the original “Beaches,” so the ending
definitely caught me by surprise. I laughed, I smiled and cried a lot. Overall, I recommend that everyone watch it, and if you have a best friend, then you should see it together.
Opinion
page 22
HEART to HEART Emerging technology can predict the timing of heart failure, but presents different problems
MYIAPINION MYIA HAMBRICK @MyiaChristine A team from the United Kingdom’s Medical Research Council has developed a software that analyzes blood tests and scans of beating hearts to help doctors know when their patients hearts will fail. The researchers at the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences studied patients with pulmonary hypertension. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana’s leading cause of death, according to a 2014 CDC survey, is also heart disease. Louisiana ranks fifth out of all 50 states in heart disease mortality rate. With this new technology,
doctors can decide which mode of treatment would be optimal, depending on the severity of the situation, as indicated by the machine. Families of patients could rest easy knowing their relatives are receiving the quickest, most effective treatment for their particular case. So far, this software is purely developmental. According to a Jan. 16 BBC article, doctors figure the machine to be 6080 percent correct. This is a huge advancement in medical history, and it seems like something that could be extremely helpful and potentially save patients unnecessary surgeries and money. “This exciting use of computer software in clinical practice will help doctors in the future to make sure that patients are receiving the correct treatment before the condition deteriorates and leaves them needing a lung transplant,” Dr. Mike
Knapton of the British Heart Foundation said in the BBC article. With these statistics and benefits in mind, how can someone not be all for this exciting new technology? If the medical field becomes entirely reliant on artificial intelligence, then what would be the need for a doctor? Who’s to say the machines won’t replace doctors in some way in the future? That spells trouble to me, mainly because machines are built from blueprints. They lack the human empathy and intuition that prove to serve us good every now and then. Human error is present in the medical field. You hear stories of people who were misdiagnosed or sent away from the emergency room, only to die the next day. This software could eliminate some amount of human error, but it’s almost like trading one vice for another.
The ways people think and relate to one another could never be duplicated by a machine, no matter how hard we try. It simply cannot happen. The human ability to think so many variants, while the machine operates on zeros and ones. Putting our trust entirely into a machine is not what is best for us as a society. What if the machine wrongly diagnoses the patient? If the doctor trusts the machine too much to second guess it, the patient could die sooner than predicted, or the selected treatment could be ineffective. Of course, this software is still in its trial period, but it is worth mentioning that we are becoming more reliant on artificial intelligence and less reliant on our human capabilities to become knowledgeable individuals. Why not? We have Google to think for us. In a perfect world, machines
would be used as a tool and a guide, not as a replacement. This technology is exciting, innovative and the perfect example of how people are smart enough to create amazing things machines can’t. Human intellect cannot be replaced and should only seek to be enhanced with the aid of machines and softwares. This particular software is not necessarily dangerous, but it could open the door to more advanced material that could render doctors' roles obsolete. In a situation like that, we could be taking health advice from robots who don’t even have hearts to save. Technology is an amazing tool, but it should not be used to replace the people in the positions to heal us. It should only be used supplementally. Myia Hambrick is a 21-year-old mass communication junior from Temple, Georgia.
cartoon by NICK LEO / The Daily Reveille
page 23
Thursday, January 26, 2017
NSF funding paves way for innovative scientific discovery HUMAN WRITES ALAINA DILAURA @alaina_dilaura In 1916, Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves based on his general theory of relativity. In 2015, scientists with the Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory Scientific Collaboration confirmed Einstein’s prediction, becoming the first to directly observe ripples in the space-time continuum. Scientists have been searching for more than half a century for gravitational waves. These waves are derived from some of the most fantastic cosmic events, from the collision of black holes or small, dense neutron stars. Up until recently, these occurrences have been undetected. The Advanced LIGO Project, which used detectors in Louisiana and Washington to search for gravitational waves, made a groundbreaking discovery on Sept. 14, 2015, and opened the door to an entirely new field of scientific inquiry: gravitational wave astronomy. Humanity now has the ability to see beyond what was originally thought possible. “You’re opening your eyes — in this case, our ears — to a new set of signals from the universe that
our previous technologies did not allow us to receive, study and learn from,” LIGO team member Vassiliki Kalogera told Space.com. Without critical funding for these innovative technologies from the National Science Foundation, meaningful discoveries like this would be impossible. The NSF is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and to secure the national defense.” Humanity is in the midst of a new era of exploration, fueled by curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. Solutions to realworld problems like climate change, sustainability and national defense are derived from scientific research. In a sense, scientific research and discovery has the ability to unite people around the world and break down cultural and social barriers to open the door to fruitful international collaboration. American citizens have a huge stake in making sure the NSF remains in operation, as it is the funding source for approximately 24 percent of all federally supported basic research taking place at American colleges and universities. It is the university’s mission to push the boundaries of human
and scientific knowledge, a task that is impossible without monetary support. Less funding means less opportunities for students to gain hands-on learning experience. Although the 18.2 percent increase in funding the NSF gained between the years of 2007 and 2017 seems substantial, researchers need time to run experiments, gather and analyze data and confirm findings, a process that is typically costly. Some have questioned whether the discovery of gravitational waves was worth the $1.1 billion invested into project, but there is no doubt that the discovery was revolutionary. Through this discovery, scientists have confirmed the existence of black holes and retrieved information about aspects of the dark universe and origin of gravitational waves that could not otherwise be obtained and recorded. By providing us with solid information about ourselves and the world around us, based on factual, repeatable, measurable and determinable results, scientific research commands investment. Alaina DiLaura is a 20-year-old international studies and mass communication sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
photos courtesy of LSU MEDIA CENTER
The Advanced LIGO Project opened the door to gravitational wave astronomy with their groundbreaking discovery on Sept. 14.
Mental health should not be ignored, vital to human condition JORDANSWERS JORDAN MARCELL @jordancmarcell Editors note: This is the first column in a four-part series on mental health and gun control. Mental health is, by far, one of the most important parts of the human condition. It has everything to do with everything we do, with every way that we are. It is, and always has been, one of the fundamental factors our humanity. It is a driving factor for how capable we are, how wonderful and fulfilled our lives may possibly be, or how hellish and treacherous day to day living can become. From the moment we achieve self-actualization to the moment we die, there is only one person who we shall spend every
courtesy of FLICKR
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow announces the introduction of her bill, the Excellence in Mental Health Act on Feb. 7. waking moment of our lives with: ourselves. To live a life detesting that person, not understanding that person and not being able to communicate with that person
effectively leads to endless days of turmoil. With the abilities of thought we have achieved, we have also opened ourselves to new stresses
and dangers, the likes of which we did not have the luxury of experiencing before. Our minds, and the thoughts and states which accompany them, will always be a part of us. They will follow us and evolve with us until we do exactly what has been done by 99 percent of all other species on this planet: fall into extinction. At every turn, at every moment and at every breath taken in our lives, our minds will always be with us. Because of this, I find it ridiculous that so many people cast no consideration toward the importance of the state of so many human minds. Those fortunate enough to be free of ailments of the mind that plague so many of their fellow do so great an injustice that it is nearly impossible to put the crime in words. To not mind an entire state of existence, purely because it does not pertain to one’s self, is an act of selfishness that does nothing but make the
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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 of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Daily Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving 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 LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
problem worse for those it does concern. If I cannot reach people by accusing them of negligence, all I can do is continually stress the importance of the matter that far too many people think nothing of. Mental health, whether in good or bad condition, is — in a way — what everything comes down to. It influences the way we see and understand the world, determines how we view the actions and relationships between others and ourselves and influences how we feel about ourselves at every moment of our lives. It should never be ignored, though it often is. It is as necessary a matter to mind as much as it is to breathe. It is us, and we are it. I cannot stress this enough. Jordan Marcell is a 20-yearold literature and studio photography sophomore from Geismar, Louisiana.
Quote of the Week “If you’re walking down the right path, and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”
Barack Obama
44th President Aug. 4, 1961 — present
page 24
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Nationalist interests simply seek to put americans first NO FORTUNATE SON CHRISTOPHER GODAIL
@ChrisGodail
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008. Just four months after graduating high school, I peered through the rear windshield of my recruiter’s car at my childhood home. I knew definitively I wouldn’t see it, or my family, for several months. “I’m going to miss this,” I thought. “I’m going to miss everyone.” Admittedly, I kind of knew what I was getting myself into. Joining the Army at a time of war meant I would be deployed. It meant I would forego spending treasured holidays with my family and the only friends I’d ever known until that point. Those were the only certainties I had as a wide-eyed teenager embarking on a journey toward the relative unknown. For at least the next four years of my life, I was going wherever the Army took me. 13 months later, I was on a C-130 cargo plane somewhere over Afghanistan. I remember the uncomfortable posturing of the plane’s web-style
seating and a cabin bathed in an eerie red twilight. A pervasive chill overtook the plane in the wee hours of the morning as we soared over the Middle Eastern mountains, and I could hear a soft humming sound through my earplugs. Everywhere I looked, I saw a sea of digital camouflage and the faces of people who, like me, missed home. At that moment, I questioned my purpose there. The hanging, shaking heads alongside me on that C-130 suggested I wasn’t the only one asking, “Why? Why in the hell did I do this?” For those who had their heads held high, the noticeable lumps in their throats made it evident their bravado was nothing more than a crumbling facade. The question of “Why?” was coming for them, too, if it hadn’t already found them. Like most others, I enlisted because I love our country and wanted to have a role, however small, in our military — the strongest team in the world. After being abroad and interacting with people in wartorn countries, I now appreciate the greatness of America even more. I appreciate the fight it took
to get here and the fight it takes to protect what we have. Consequently, I also recognize that my experience paled in comparison to many others. I couldn’t even begin to understand the thoughts and feelings of a modern day service member heading straight to the front lines, a World War II veteran prior to landing on the beaches of Normandy or a Vietnam veteran as they patrolled the dense, canopied jungles of southeast Asia. If you haven’t served, you obviously can’t appreciate it to the extent of a veteran or their family. However, today’s technology allows you to witness the genuine plight of other countries in real time. As such, I can’t and don’t understand those who don’t love this country. The mindlessness displayed by people who refuse to recognize how fortunate they are in spite of the many pressing issues we face as a society is astounding. But, really, that’s not the talking point. Rather, it’s about adults needing therapy dogs, coloring books, play-doh and safe spaces to host “cry-in’s” because their preferred candidate lost a presidential election. Naturally,
it’s difficult for me to sympathize with people who regress toward such juvenile methods of protest because they didn’t get their way. This past November, American voters rebuffed the global initiative to usher in a one-world government, which culminated in President Donald Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20. His inaugural address verified that our government now seeks to prioritize the welfare of this nation, its economy, borders, military and citizens above all others. Following the inauguration, hordes of angry liberals and feminists participated in the “Women’s March on Washington,” led by celebrities like Madonna and Ashley Judd. Raucous protesters saw Madonna freely swearing while glamorizing her thoughts of blowing up the White House and Judd accusing our President of having incestuous thoughts about his own daughter. For supporters of a campaign that made “When they go low, we go high,” a rallying cry, they and the people who applauded them went very low, indeed. Unfortunately, the inaugural narrative has been hijacked and fragmented by these moral
narcissists into half-truths, quarter-truths and pure fiction that led people to stereotype nationalists as less intelligent, less feeling and morally bankrupt xenophobes. At their core nationalists believe that America and Americans should come first. They believe the United States is a sovereign nation with immigration laws that demand respect, and those who immigrate the right way deserve the utmost respect. Worldwide, people have expressed utter contempt for their national policies being predicated upon worldview. The British secession from the European Union and the rise of nationalist leader Marine Le Pen in France say so. Globalism is out, and nationalism is in. It may be time to retire the stale narrative that someone who has different political beliefs than you is less of a person than you. It’s been the liberal mantra for some time now, and, quite frankly, it’s the one that lost and one that will continue to lose. Christopher Godail is a 27-yearold interdisciplinary studies junior from Kenner, Louisiana.
cartoon by BETSY PRIMES / The Daily Reveille
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
THANKS, OBAMA
ZOE GEAUTHREAUX / The Daily Reveille
President Barack Obama steps off Air Force One and onto the tarmac on Aug. 23, at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.
Obama was inspirational to Americans, successful in multiple facets of presidency SAVED BY THE BELL FREDERICK BELL @frederickdbell Eight years ago, history was made. Barack Obama was elected as the first African-American president of the United States, and our country began to chart a new course. Since then, the face of America is remarkably different than it was before; it’s more tolerant, loving and hopeful. When Obama took office on Jan. 20, 2009, America was experiencing the height of the Great Recession, engaged in two costly, devastating wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and health care coverage was inaccessible to millions of citizens. The new president laid out bold, progressive policy prescriptions that aimed to allay the woes plaguing our country. For instance, when Americans were losing thousands of jobs because of the Great Recession, Obama’s stimulus programs poured money into transportation and infrastructure, to name a few. This created more jobs and boosted employment, allowing Obama to create or preserve an average of 1.6 million jobs over a period of four years. Obama also passed the flawed but necessary Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, in his first term. This paved the way for millions to finally have fulfilling health insurance. This was a transformational move that will forever shape the way America approaches health care. No longer can a person be denied coverage because of a pre-existing
condition, nor will someone have to live weeks to go, we’re probably the first without the security of health insurance. administration in modern history that This president helped form the mindset hasn’t had a major scandal in the White that health care should be America’s mor- House. In that sense, we changed some al obligation to its citizens, if not a right. things,” the former president said. Obama repealed the official U.S. policy Obama has had some rather signifiof “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” which banned cant accomplishments. Through his poliLGBTQ citizens from openly serving in cies and personality, he not only elevated the military. He also became an emphatic the perception of the Democratic Party, proponent of same-sex marattracting more people to riage, ordering the projecit, but he also elevated the Obama has done just tion of rainbow colors onto perception of the presithe White House after the about everything you would dency and America. U.S. Supreme Court’s deciEven in the midst of sion compelling all states to traditionally expect from a tumultuous times, Obama recognize same-sex mar- president — except engage remained calm, cool and riage, making it the law of collected. in any major scandals. the land. This was, in the When he had to anpresident’s words, “a victory nounce the devastating for America.” news of a mass shooting, In addition to Obama’s numerous do- he did so with eloquence, doing his best mestic policy strides, he had a prolific ef- to heal the hearts of a nation ravished by fect on foreign policy. Those two costly, senseless gun violence. When Congress devastating wars have now been reduced refused to act on important legislation, he to a more measured one in Afghanistan. spoke in measured, pragmatic terms to Osama bin Laden, the architect of the dev- urge cooperation. astating attack on Sept. 11, 2001, has been But there’s something else Obama did eliminated. The President also entered that few presidents have done before. He the United States into the historic Paris inspired generations of young people to Agreement, which aimed to combat cli- become impassioned leaders in their commate change by forming a global consen- munity. He dared us to dream and to besus to truncate carbon pollution and set lieve in ourselves and our ideas. He gave the world on a low-carbon path. us a more optimistic view of the world, So, Obama has done just about every- which once looked unbearably grim. thing you would traditionally expect from If you grew up middle class with two a president — except engage in any major parents, a quality education, food on the scandals. During a recent interview on table and few worries, you may not under“60 Minutes,” Steve Kroft asked Obama stand what Obama’s presidency meant to about the effect he has had on Washington. someone like me. I am from a single-par“I’m proud of the fact that, with two ent home and was able to see a man who
looked like me serve in the most respected and powerful position in the world. This is what Obama did for millions of minority boys and girls. For me, it was Obama’s awe-inspiring oratory that I found especially captivating. Each time I listen to one of his speeches, I become even more enamored by him and his story. This president made me want to achieve more academically, speak well, dress nicely, have someone by my side who is as intelligent as they are beautiful and be a positive role model to my family and friends. He made me care about my planet and have a willingness to consider the long-term implications of my actions. He made it clear that it was OK to be smart and cool; his swagger and style as he strutted down the Cross Hall to announce major news or hopped off Air Force One was impeccable. In short, he made me want to be a leader. By nearly every measure, Obama has proved to be a transformational president and human being. He hasn’t been perfect — no one is, and no one ever will be — but Obama may be a stone’s throw away from it. I know many will find that debatable, but you cannot deny the profound impact he has had on the direction of this country and lives of so many. So, thank you, Obama. You began a campaign on hope, change and a belief in the promise of America, and you delivered. You said “Yes we can,” and yes, we did. Frederick Bell is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Greensburg, Louisiana.
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
Natural hair movement should promote self-acceptance OSIE SAYS OSIE EVANS @osiezz The relationship between most black people and our hair has historically been a very complicated one that required them to alter our hair to resemble the styles that were popular in society. For years, it usually involved trying to iron our hair into long, sleek styles and make it lay closer to the scalp. From lye perms to hot combs to Jheri curls, most black people have put major effort into making their hair conform to mainstream beauty standards. Afros surged in popularity during the ’60s and ’70s, and popular images of controversial activists, like Angela Davis, with their fists and afros high in the air made the afro a symbol of black pride and radical beliefs. Shortly after, afros faded away, and the popularity of relaxers and flat irons returned. It seemed like natural hair would remain a thing of the past until the second wave of the movement arrived. The new natural hair wave is devoid of the sometimes polarizing ideologies that were attached to the first one and kept it from becoming a permanent mainstream style. Most members of the new natural hair movement see wearing their natural hair as an embrace of all their features and a new style change. It includes everyone from church mothers to rappers to college girls. The mainstream media has embraced the new natural movement, and now it’s common to see natural hair on magazine covers, in commercials and on A-list celebs on the red carpet. The new movement is one that revolves around a message of self-love. I believe this will encourage selfacceptance and a more inclusive
cartoon by BETSY PRIMES / The Daily Reveille
standard of beauty for future generations of black people and society as a whole. The new movement has also provoked many thoughtful discussions within the natural community. There’s been an explosion of YouTube gurus, blogs and online forums dedicated to guiding women through the transition from relaxed to natural hair. These outlets have created entire communities of black men and women supporting each other during the transition from relaxed to natural. Even offline, when a group of “naturals” get together, bonding over haircare
is usually not far behind. For many black women, it is more meaningful than just a hairstyle. “Some might go natural as a ‘trend’ but what they receive after the movement is much more than a hairstyle change. It is a lifestyle,” kinesiology freshman Gaylen Grogan said. Grogan also notices the growing confidence of natural haired women. “Women are becoming more confident in their own natural beauty.” Women everywhere are rejecting the idea that they need to make alterations to their natural features to look their best and
loving their new looks. The natural hair movement has inspired a new sense of confidence in many of its members. The decision to stop relaxing and grow out their hair can be intimidating, but often the beautiful results and the fun of discovering new styles makes it a great decision for many. “I was hesitant for a while to transition completely because I was worried about how I would look and if it would ‘fit me,’” said sociology senior Stefani Corbin. “I realized how silly this was and am more confident than ever before because of it.”
An entire generation is growing up seeing the hair they were born with as the standard styling choice. Now relaxers and weaves are starting to become different ways to try new styles, rather than the normal styling choice. I love seeing the beautiful afros, twist outs, dreadlocks and other natural hair styles on campus everyday. Mainstream society’s acceptance of natural hair has been uplifting, and I hope it continues. Osie Evans is a 20-year-old English junior from Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Asian educational system too intense, overly stressful on students IT’S PERSONAL KEVIN YAU @tatyyau Before my family and I moved to Prairieville, a Louisiana town, I was a product of Hong Kong’s educational system. The media portrays its educational system, as well as systems in other Asian countries, as superior than America’s. However, my personal experiences reflected in contrary. Hong Kong’s educational experience is infested with overloaded coursework and excessive competitiveness. Our educational system is not problem-free and may be statistically inferior compared to other firstworld countries, but we are able to make sure students are not
overstressed in terms of academics. I was three-years-old when I first attended a Catholic kindergarten in Hong Kong and it was enjoyable, as they promote “group and free-choice learning.” After I graduated, I enrolled in a public elementary school which emphasized academic success over anything else. I was able to handle the course load until the end of second grade, which is when I found the material to be unnecessarily stressful. Since then, I have been struggling academically. Every student in the school was responsible for at least nine subjects — including Chinese literature, English, math, social studies, Mandarin Chinese, art, computer, music, physical education and many other courses such as civics. When I en-
rolled as a student in the public elementary school, the teachers assigned numerous homework assignments and it usually took at least five hours every day to complete them. It was typical for many of my former classmates and I to attend hours of tutoring sessions right after seven hours of classes. I recall one day my entire family had to help me with my homework until 4 a.m., simply because the teacher assigned a 100-page practice test to be done in one day. Asian culture emphasizes study because many believe academic success can convert to economic success, however it also perpetuate extreme competition. It may be laughable that I failed my last English assessment before immigration, but I’ve been successful academically since I started school in
Louisiana. At first, I thought America’s education system was overly laid-back, but now I realized Hong Kong’s education system is overly competitive. Unlike my mother, it was typical for many parents to punish their children simply because they did not receive top-notch scores on their assignments. A typical Hong Kong mom was widely criticized when she said she believed one key of academic success is to “ejaculate at the right time” in order for the child to be slightly older than their classmates because then the child would be comparatively more mature. It was not surprising to me when I saw news of suicide epidemics there — and now the legislators are looking to abolish Territory-wide System Assessment, which is the
equivalent of LEAP assessments in America. Even though I was critical of America’s education system in my other op-ed about Teach For America, American culture does not perpetuate excessive academic stress toward the youth because we know it is not healthy for anyone. Statistics can be useful, but they can also be deceptive because even though Hong Kong is statistically top-notch, students’ experiences are not. When I see American citizens push for educational reforms, it is crucial for the policymakers to preserve the unique character of our education system before making significant changes. Kevin Yau is a 21-year-old sociology senior from Prairieville, Louisiana.
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