Football: Only Arkansas stands in the way of LSU’s place in the SEC Championship Game. Read more on page 7.
Reveille The Daily
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 • Volume 116, Issue 65
www.lsureveille.com
Cajun Kitchen
Every year, students come from across the country to study at the University. Among the many facets of culture for students to enjoy in Louisiana, food is highly revered – especially during the holidays. Here’s a look at some of the most popular Cajun Thanksgiving cuisines. Deep-fried turkey
Crawfish stuffing
Description: A less conventional way of cooking turkey that produces a crisp and juicy bird. Influence: While it may not be true that Southerners will deep fry anything, deep-fried turkey is a popular alternative to roasting a turkey in Louisiana. Ingredients: Turkey, dry rub, peanut oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper Safety tips: Do not deep fry the turkey indoors. Make sure to fully thaw the turkey before frying it. Do not leave the turkey unattended.
Description: A twist on a Thanksgiving classic, it adds crawfish and extra seasoning to stuffing. Influence: One of many traditional Thanksgiving dinners that has been made Cajun by adding seafood. Ingredients: Crawfish, shrimp, cracker crumbs, onion, parsley, chicken stock, butter
Turducken Description: A de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, which is then stuffed into a de-boned turkey to produce a neapolitan of fowl. Influence: The origins of this dish have been traced to Maurice, La. Ingredients: Turkey, duck, chicken, stuffing, garlic, sage, thyme
Oyster dressing Description: A combination of stuffing and cornbread crumbs seasoned with spices and cooked oysters. Influence: The dish is a classic found on dinner tables across the South on Thanksgiving. Ingredients: Oysters, cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, eggs, cornbread, crackers, celery, onion, butter, chicken stock, eggs, pepper • Oyster dressing fans have cause to fret this year as oyster yields along the Gulf coast are still down from the BP oil spill last year, according to the Associated Press. The small supply is still enough to put oysters on most tables this Thanksgiving, but oyster prices will be more expensive than in previous years.
What’s the strangest Thanksgiving dish? ‘We have crab and corn bisque.’ Anna Rodriguez civil engineering freshman
Seafood gumbo Description: A warm stew made of shrimp, crawfish, spices, a dark roux and various vegetables served over rice. Influence: A classic dish that originated in southern Louisiana during the 18th century. It is perfect for combatting the colder weather that accompanies the holidays. Ingredients: Olive oil, onions, celery, garlic, okra, roux, tomatoes, shrimp, crabs, lemon slices, rice
Max Carville mechanical engineering junior
Deana Hodges
‘We had blackened red fish one year as the main dish. It was pretty good.’ ‘I know people who have eaten pickled pigs feet.’
civil engineering freshman
compiled by JOSH NAQUIN / The Daily Reveille • photo by LARRY CROWE / The Associated Press
LSU DINING
Meal transfers not immediately deducted from Tiger Card Office posts transfer logs online
Andrea Gallo Staff Writer
Spanish senior Chris Linder swiped his Tiger Card at the dining hall recently, expecting to see close to 60 meals lighting up the cash register’s screen. Instead, he saw the number 25. After talking to his friends and the Tiger Card office, Linder discovered that meal transfers between September and November
had not been charged consistently to his Tiger Card, but were instead all applied at once, drastically decreasing his total number of remaining meals. “It’s really frustrating,” Linder said. “Now, on top of finals and everything else, I have to worry about if my meals will run out.” Meal transfers are not currently being immediately deducted from a student’s total meal plan, according to Stephen Barr, director of Contract Management and Technology for University Auxiliary Services. Barr said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille that the transfers are now being
addressed manually, with the transfer being deducted one week after the transfer is made. The goal is to shrink this delay to one hour by the end of the month and down to minutes by spring semester, Barr said. The Tiger Card Office posted meal-transfer swipe logs to its online student account website for students to see how many meal transfers they’ve incurred, Barr said. He said the Tiger Card Office is also sending e-mails to students as their meal transfers are deducted. MEALS, see page 6
BLAIR LOCKHART / The Daily Reveille
Theater freshman Kaitlyn Richard hands over her Tiger Card to be swiped Tuesday night at The 5 dining hall.
The Daily Reveille
page 2
INTERNATIONAL
Nation & World
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
NATIONAL
STATE/LOCAL
Glitzy Vietnam cemetery offers bling for the dead
Mass. fishermen snare 881-pound tuna, only to be seized by feds
Baton Rouge EMS in need of additional workers
KY SON, Vietnam (AP) — This is where Vietnam’s rising middle class is dying to flaunt its bling: a new cemetery at the end of a golden-gated “Highway to Eternity” where relatives can order graveside offerings of Hennessy online. The Lac Hong Vien Cemetery is bringing in tomb shoppers by the busload through its Las Vegas-style marquee to choose from XL, stateof-the-art resting places for themselves and their dearly departed.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — It’s the big one that got taken away. Local fishing boat owner Carlos Rafael was elated when one of his trawlers snared an 881-pound bluefin tuna earlier this month. But the joy was short-lived. Federal fishery enforcement agents seized the fish when the crew returned to port Nov. 12. Rafael had tuna permits but was told catching tuna with a net is illegal. Instead, it’s got to be caught by handgear, such as rod and reel, harpoon or handline.
(AP) — East Baton Rouge Parish Emergency Medical Services administrator Pam Porter says her department is painfully understaffed to the point that there are not enough employees to answer all the 911 calls being made. Porter said EMS has the funds to add 20 more positions for five years, but Mayor-President Kip Holden’s administration rejected the additional position allotment. The Advocate reports Porter made her case Monday night at a city-parish budget hearing for the Metro Council before the body is expected to approve the city-parish’s entire $746 million budget. Additional troopers coming to New Orleans for Thanksgiving
Lawmakers adopt state secrets bill in South Africa JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The governing African National Congress pushed a bill through South Africa’s parliament Tuesday to protect state secrets, despite strong objections from opposition politicians who included white conservatives and black nationalists who were enemies under apartheid. Opponents, who include church and business leaders and Nobel laureates, say the measure will keep government corruption under wraps, stifle whistle-blowing and undermine the hard-won democracy created with apartheid’s end 17 years ago.
The Associated Press
Carlos Rafael stands by the 881-pound tuna that was seized by Federal fishery enforcement agents on Nov. 12.
Nigeria moves to ban, criminalize gay marriage LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — When a gang of men ambushed Rashidi Williams and a male friend earlier this year, the 25-year-old gay Nigerian was too afraid to report the attack to police or even to his family. Doing so would create more problems, he says, in this country where legislators are now seeking to criminalize gay marriage. Activists fear that discrimination and violence will only increase if a bill drawing strong support in Nigeria’s legislature is passed.
NASA launching ‘dream machine’ to explore Mars CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — As big as a car and as wellequipped as a laboratory, NASA’s newest Mars rover blows away its predecessors in size and skill. Nicknamed Curiosity and scheduled for launch on Saturday, the rover has a 7-foot arm tipped with a jackhammer and a laser to break through the Martian red rock. What makes it stand out: it can analyze rocks and soil with unprecedented accuracy. Once on Mars, Curiosity will be on the lookout for organic, carbon-containing compounds.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The head of Louisiana State Police say he’s sending 30 troopers from southeast Louisiana to New Orleans to help with enforcement over the Thanksgiving holiday in the central business district and French Quarter. Col. Mike Edmonson says Police Chief Ronal Serpas and Mayor Landrieu asked for a contingent of state troopers to support the police department’s enforcement efforts.
Today on lsureveille.com Watch a video on student opinions of an LSU vs. Bama rematch and BCS fairness. Read why Rob Landry thinks fans are becoming apathetic to men’s basketball’s mediocre play on the Tiger Feed sports Tune in to 91.1 KLSU to hear about fun things for Thanksgiving. Get the latest news by downloading the LSU Reveille app in the iTunes Store and Android Market
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
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submitted by SUHIB ALMASMOOM
An opal seen during the Geology Club’s field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The Daily Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes which may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
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The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
STATE
page 3
University proves prepared for Gov. Jindal’s executive order Requires higher ed. officials report child abuse Clayton Crockett Staff Writer
After Gov. Bobby Jindal issued an executive order in light of the scandal at Pennsylvania State University, Chancellor Michael Martin claims the University is a step ahead. Released a week after Penn State football coach Joe PaterMARTIN no was fired amid a child abuse scandal, Jindal’s order made it mandatory that any action of child abuse or neglect in higher education institutions be reported to local child protection units and law enforcement within 24 hours. The order states that while previous law required workers of specific professions to report child abuse — such as social workers, law enforcement officers and child care providers — there existed no similar mandatory requirement for university faculty. Martin said LSU was already prepared for such instances, as he explained his regular correspondence with East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore. Contacting Moore in regards to campus crime and investigation is a much better way to do business than handling things internally, Martin said. “We’re not trying to make criminal judgments outside of the criminal system,” he said. Martin also referenced the University’s “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign, which promotes crime reporting. “We’ve built that into our culture,” he said. Martin said he calls Moore occasionally to ensure that crime is handled correctly at the University. As for Jindal’s executive order, Martin attributed the knee-jerk reaction to the emotional impact of the crime at hand. “I think this is a movement sweeping across the country,” Martin said of Jindal’s response. “Everybody is responding in different ways.” Governors across the country
Plucker’s Wing Bar Mon: $14.99 All You Can Eat Wings and $3 Pluckers Specialty Drinks Tues: Kids Eat Free, $3 Mexican Beers and Margaritas Wed: Live Trivia at 8 pm, $4.50 34oz Mugs Thurs: $12.99 All You Can Eat Boneless Wings, $4.50 34oz Mugs $5.50 Patron Margaritas Sun: $3 Pluckers Specialty Shots EVERYDAY BEER SPECIAL: $6.50 34oz Mugs--Blue Moon, Dos Equis, Abitas DO YOU HAVE AN OCCURRENCE? Call Becky at the Student Media Office 578-6090, 9AM- 5PM or E-mail: oncampus@lsureveille.com
JIM PRISCHING / The Associated Press
Jindal’s order mandates that higher education officials report any child abuse or neglect in light of former Penn State football coach Paterno’s child abuse scandal.
are re-emphasizing the need to protect children, he said. “We’re already sensitive to that here,” Martin assured. Though the executive order doesn’t reflect the goings-on of the University, Martin said the move was understandable. “[The crime] strikes at our core values,” he said. “This governor decided this was a time to speak.” Bad things happen when people are not paying attention, and Jindal’s emphasis on child protection is understandable, Martin said.
Contact Clayton Crockett at ccrockett@lsureveille.com
Serving up a little something for everyone from electronic and reggae to jazz, funk and rock
SURVIVOR:BUSH 3PM - CAMPUS CHANNEL 75 MAKING MOVES 9 PM - CAMPUS CHANNEL 75 THAT’S AWESOME 9:30 PM - CAMPUS CHANNEL 75
The Daily Reveille
page 4
CRIME BRIEFS LSUPD aids in Homeland Security in fraudulent animal feet arrest A Baton Rouge man was arrested Nov. 15 after the LSU Police Department aided a Homeland Security investigation into a fraudulent frozen animal feet online retailer. Homeland Security had been investigating Frozen Foods LLC after receiving reports that customers were paying for large quantities of frozen animal feet through wire transfers but not receiving their orders, said Capt. Cory Lalonde, LSUPD spokesman. He said LSUPD helped investigators identify one man who profited from the website, Terence Ndangoh, 24, of 3003 River Road. Ndangoh, who is unaffiliated with the University, was arrested by LSUPD officers and Homeland Security agents for two counts of theft totaling more than $31,000 and was booked in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Man arrested for exposing himself at Nicholson Apartments A 40-year-old man unaffiliated with the University was arrested Nov. 17 after exposing himself to a female resident at Nicholson Apartments. LSUPD officers responded to reports of a man flashing his genitals around 1 a.m., Lalonde said. The victim also told officers the man had been masturbating while he watched her walk to her apartment. Officers identified Timothy
Burleson, of 300 Chase Drive in Saraland, Ala., as the man who had exposed himself. After denying the incident occurred, Burleson later admitted to exposing himself but denied masturbating, Lalonde said. Burleson was arrested for obscenity and booked at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Man arrested for using credit card stolen from campus A 50-year-old man was arrested Nov. 19 after LSUPD detectives began investigating the theft of multiple credit cards and other items from campus in September, Lalonde said. A wallet was reported stolen from a woman’s purse in the Engineering Shops on Sept. 15., Lalonde said. LSUPD soon noticed unauthorized charges on one of the credit cards at various stores in Cortana Mall. Investigators obtained video surveillance of the suspect using the card, but were unable to identify him, Lalonde said. On Nov. 19, LSUPD was contacted by an employee at a Cortana Mall store who had recognized the suspect and had him detained by mall security, Lalonde said. Tyrone Tobias, of 1325 North Street, was later arrested with charges of forgery, unauthorized use of an access card, burglary and identity theft. Tobias, who is unaffiliated with the University, was booked at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Holiday Weekend Lot Closures Vehicles cannot be left over the holiday weekend in the following lots:
Out by 6 a.m. today
Out by 5 p.m. today
X-163 (Cow Pasture) South Stadium Lot - Perimeter Only
X-166 X-109 X-174 X-175
Out by 5 a.m. Friday West Stadium South Stadium (A-85) ROTC (X-88) South Alex Box Lot - Nicholson at Skip Bertman A-151 on Skip Bertman Bernie Moore (X-80) Natatorium (X-79) N PMAC Lot Tennis Court Lot infographic by MADISON HENTZE / The Daily Reveille
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
TECHNOLOGY
page 5
Microsoft partners with Comcast, Verizon for live streaming Xbox interface to be released Nov. 25 Joshua Bergeron Contributing Writer
Xbox users will soon have one more way to watch TV, as Microsoft is expected to unveil an Xbox Live interface Friday that will add a few new members to its lineup of television partners. Although there has been no official announcement, Bloomberg reports users could be able to view TV on Xbox Live as early as Black Friday. Microsoft is adding Verizon and Comcast to a list that already includes AT&T U-verse, Netflix, Hulu and ESPN. “We want to make everything our customers want or need to do easier and more convenient by putting the power of our
technology in their hands — offer its full range of television through the Internet-connected channels and on-demand video devices they use every day,” to Xbox Live, but users must be said Eric Bruno, vice president subscribed to the content proof Consumer and vider and be an Mass Business Xbox Live streaming facts Xbox Live Gold Product Manage- • Microsoft’s new Xbox Live interface member to view ment for Verizon, is expected to be released Friday the content. in a news release. Students who The on- • The interface is based on Microsoft’s use these new Silverlight application line TV service features shouldn’t will be available • The application will allow users to affect Internet through a soft- vocally search using Bing and Xbox’s speed for the rest ware update to Kinect of the campus Microsoft’s Xbox • Verizon FiOS and Comcast are the community, acLive. The update newest additions to Xbox’s lineup cording to Sheri will be based on • Users must be Xbox Live Gold Thompson, UniMicrosoft’s Sil- members and subscribed to the versity IT Comverlight applica- respective service in order to access munications and tion and will in- content Planning officer. clude a roster of “Not enough 40 entertainment providers, the students will be using this serrelease stated, but only a few of vice to make a large difference,” those will be available to custom- Thompson said. “It will be just ers in the United States. like any other network traffic.” Verizon FiOS, the newBrett Percle, biology est member of the lineup, will sophomore, said the service is
FORMER CHANCELLOR
O’Keefe to lead national association Andrea Gallo Staff Writer
Former University Chancellor Sean O’Keefe is becoming the chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, the country’s leading defense industry that promotes national security, according to an EADS news release. O’KEEFE “Our national defense industry is a major engine for economic growth and job creation, and I’m pleased to
be elected chairman of an association that is advancing the interests of our nation and all members of the defense industry in an increasingly competitive global marketplace,” O’Keefe said Tuesday in the release. O’Keefe was the University’s chancellor from 2005 to 2008. When O’Keefe resigned, former LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Stewart Slack speculated O’Keefe was pressured into resignation once current LSU System President John Lombardi was appointed. O’Keefe was succeeded by current Chancellor Michael Martin.
After leaving the University, O’Keefe was the vice president of the General Electric Company’s Technology Infrastructure sector and then became the CEO of EADS North America, the second-largest aerospace and defense company in the world. Before coming to the University, O’Keefe served as NASA’s tenth administrator and served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget under George W. Bush’s administration.
revolutionary, and he is excited to see how it turns out. “Things like this show how far we have come technologically,” Percle said. “It will allow people to get their entertainment all at once. I would definitely try it.” But other students aren’t as enthusiastic about the technology. “It is a bad change; it just complicates things,” said biology freshman Nicolas Bereciartua. “I would rather just turn on my TV and not have to navigate through menus.” The news release also mentioned that Kinect for Xbox 360, a device that enables users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without touching a game controller, will be incorporated into the new interface through Bing. “We all know the frustrations of using guides and menus
and controllers, and we think a better way to do all of this is simply to bring Bing and voice to Xbox,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in the release. AT&T U-verse became the first service to offer live television on the Xbox 360 last year and also hopes to add new features to their product in order to incorporate Kinect. “We look forward to working with Microsoft to deliver even more innovative features that will allow U-verse TV customers to use voice and gesture controls to manage their TV experience,” said Jeff Weber, vice president of video services for AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, in a news release.
Contact Joshua Bergeron at jbergeron@lsureveille.com
Weekly Specials THURS SAT coin night 8:30-10
free drinks 8-10
31st annual
Turkey eve bash
TONIGHT
Contact Andrea Gallo at agallo@lsureveille.com
8-10 Free U-Call-Its br’s biggest
thanksgiving party November 23
wayne toups & zydecajun Doors 8 show 9:00
December 2
2010-2011 LSU yearbook now available at LSU bookstore Available until Dec. 31st Buy it today for $50.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT TICKETMASTER OR WWW.THETEXASCLUB.COM
456 N DONMOOR @ FLORIDA
928-4656
The Daily Reveille
page 6
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Resolution passes to increase TigerCASH locations Local businesses to be contacted soon Kate Mabry Staff Writer
The Student Government Senate recently passed a resolution that aims to expand TigerCASH in the area surrounding the University. There are currently 36 offcampus merchants that accept TigerCASH, according to Stephen Barr, University Auxiliary Services director of Contract Management and Technology. While Barr said he has not heard of the SG resolution at this time, he doesn’t see any negative outcomes resulting from additional businesses using TigerCASH. “The business gets to partner with the TigerCASH program. We will advertise their location in our office and during orientation sessions,” he said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille. “It gives them an opportunity that they might not
have if not on the TigerCASH program.” Aaron Caffarel, SG Senate Speaker and co-author of the bill, said the process of integrating additional businesses into the TigerCASH program is still in its preliminary phase. Expanding the reach of TigerCASH was on Caffarel and running mate Alli Robison’s push card when the pair ran for SG president and vice president last year, Caffarel said. Christina Grishman, SG senator for the University Center for Advising and Counseling and co-author of the resolution, said the expansion of TigerCASH is essential since it’s an important resource for many University students. “With more and more local stores accepting TigerCASH, students will be more willing to utilize these particular venues,” she said. If TigerCASH were expanded, students would have more options of which businesses to purchase from around campus, and
businesses would benefit from the additional flow of customers, Caffarel said. According to Barr, TigerCASH holds the same value to local vendors as any other type of payment in most cases. “Like a debit or credit card, TigerCASH is located on a piece of plastic, and if you just want to grab and go without carrying a wallet or purse, all you need is the card to make a purchase,” he said. Barr also said a percentage of the purchase’s cost will be returned to the University to be contributed to a variety of programs on campus. The next step in the process includes meeting with Barr over winter break to discuss plans, Caffarel said. “We’re going to look at a map and see what else there is to tackle,” Caffarel said. “We’re going to start at the Northgate area and expand outward.” Caffarel said he would like Bacio di Roma, the gelato shop on Chimes Street, to become one of the first businesses to accept
TigerCASH. He also named College Drive and Acadian Thruway as other potential target areas. “We want to start a dialogue with businesses and complete the circle around campus,” he said. The cost to implement the TigerCASH program into local businesses can vary depending on the business, Barr said. “We use a company, Blackboard One, to handle our
off-campus merchant recruitment and set-up,” he said. “The business covers the cost.” In addition, Caffarel said SG may look into creating a poll in the future to receive student feedback on businesses they’d like to see accept TigerCASH. Contact Kate Mabry at kmabry@lsureveille.com
STATE
La. traffic report shows fewer alcohol-related accidents Morgan Searles Staff Writer
The number of fatalities and injuries related to car accidents in the state decreased overall from 2009 to 2010, according to the Louisiana Traffic Records Data Report for 2010. Last year, 720 people were killed in crashes — a 12.6-percent decrease from 2009. The report also shows injuries decreased by 6.9 percent from 2009, with almost 70,000 people injured in 2010. The Highway Safety Research Group at the E. J. Ourso College of Business recently released the report — produced by Helmut Schneider, associate dean of ISDS — which breaks down information about Louisiana crashes into 12 categories, such as alcohol use, seatbelt use, crash locations and crash times. Cory Hutchinson, associate director of ISDS and Traffic Records Coordinating Committee coordinator, said the three most
MEALS, from page 1
“Since there is a delay in posting the meal charges, students don’t get to see their balances in real time without logging into our site and counting the swipes used,” Barr said. Barr said there was discussion with LSU Dining locations before this change took place so they could explain the switch to students if they asked.
likely causes of fatalities are al- prompts safety programs from cohol, seat belt use and aggres- the Louisiana Highway Safety sive driving. Commission, In 2010, there were Information which focus on is gathered from • 643 fatal crashes, an 11.8-percent education and crash reports sub- decrease from 2009 enforcement promitted by all po- • 720 people killed, a 12.6-percent grams. lice agencies in decrease from 2009 The report Louisiana. also contributes • 42,450 injury traffic crashes, a The Louisi- 6.6-percent decrease from 2009 to projects by the ana Department other local agenof Transportation • 68,749 injuries in traffic crashes, a cies, state police and Development 7.2-percent decrease from 2009 and legislatures. contracts the re- • 104,510 property-damage-only Hutchinson search group crashes, a 4.7-percent decrease said injuries and and provides the from 2009 fatalities have funds for them to The 2010 crashes resulted in been decreasing analyze data and • A cost of $5.47 billion to the in Louisiana since assemble the re- citizens of Louisiana, a decline of 4 2007. He cited the port. economy, state percent from 2009. Dan Magri, • A cost of $1,906 for every licensed projects and inhighway safety driver in Louisiana, a decline of 4.5 crease in seat belt administrator for percent from 2009 usage and safety DOTD, said the improvements in report is used to drive safety pro- vehicles and on roads as possible grams and infrastructure projects, reasons. like turn lane projects, rumble strips, signs and road markings to Contact Morgan Searles at reduce crashes. Magri said the report also msearles@lsureveille.com
“We want this process to work behind the scenes, but as with all new processes, some of the obstacles had to be worked out before we could deploy the scripting to do this automatically,” Barr said. “We strive to constantly improve the student campus experience and are dedicating all available resources we have to get this project completed as soon as possible.” Linder said he hopes LSU Dining will reconsider its policy.
“It’s a little surprising that LSU Dining would be so inconsiderate toward students,” Linder said. Barr said if students have questions about their balances, they can call, e-mail or go to the Tiger Card Office in the Student Union for assistance. Contact Andrea Gallo at agallo@lsureveille.com
YOU are what matters most!
Sports
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
page 7
WIN AND IN
FOOTBALL
Team celebrates holiday its own way Albert Burford
Sports Contributor
the year,” said sophomore defensive end Barkevious Mingo. Arkansas has recently made it hard on the Bayou Bengals to end their season on a good note. LSU coach Les Miles is 3-3 against the Hogs, and the two teams are separated in the series by one point in those games. “I think it’s been that we’ve lined up against some very talented Arkansas teams,” Miles said. “I think that those teams at the back end of their season are also playing for something, and that, for me, is the reason [these games are so close].” The Razorbacks rose to the top of the BCS
The LSU football team has a cornucopia of reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving week. The Tigers are ranked No. 1 and are off to their best start since 1958, when LSU won the national championship. But for members of a highly successful college football program, Thanksgiving traditions are often forced to take a backseat to the football team’s task at hand — winning games. While many students at the University will travel home to visit with family and friends, the Tigers will have a walkthrough practice on Thanksgiving Day and face a pivotal showdown against No. 3 Arkansas the next day. The Tigers won’t go without turkey and stuffing, though, as LSU will partake in a team dinner Thursday night. “The fact that we get to have Thanksgiving dinner with each other, that’s kind of a little bit of a way to fill the void,” said senior cornerback Ron Brooks. “You can’t ever really get that familytype atmosphere unless you’re with your own family, but we try to do as much as we can being around all our brothers and our coaches.”
ARKANSAS, see page 15
HOLIDAY, see page 15
CHRISTOPHER LEH / The Daily Reveille
LSU sophomore defensive end Sam Montgomery celebrates Saturday during the Tigers’ 53-3 victory against the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, Miss.
No. 1 LSU must knock off No. 3 Arkansas on Friday for SEC West title
Alex Cassara
Sports Contributor
The LSU football team has survived multiple suspensions, deftly avoided a quarterback controversy and emerged victorious from the “Game of the Century.” Now, one more test separates the seemingly destined Tigers from the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta on Dec. 3. No. 1 LSU will take on the No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday in a Senior Day game that has quietly shaped up to be one of the toughest and most important tests of the season. “This is probably the biggest game for us
because this determines whether we go to the SEC Championship or not,” said senior safety Brandon Taylor. “The media hyped up the Alabama game a lot, but this is still a big game for us.” LSU and Arkansas sandwich Alabama in the BCS polls, making it the first time in BCS history three teams from the same conference and division hold the top three spots. This SEC West dominance has created a murky championship picture. The Tigers could theoretically lose Friday’s matchup and still reach the conference championship, but a win would clear the dust and make things simple. “We know if we just take care of our business, we’ll be where we need to be at the end of
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Lady Tigers fall to Wildcats, 44-43 Scott Branson
Sports Contributor
The No. 20 LSU women’s basketball team held a slim lead through most of Tuesday’s game, but Northwestern (4-0) sunk the Lady Tigers, 44-43, with go-ahead free throws in the waning seconds. The Lady Tigers (3-2) led by as many as nine points with 11:29 left in the second half but faltered on offense down the stretch, failing to make a basket during the final 3:52. “We talk about being a 40-minute team, but tonight we obviously didn’t play for 40 minutes,” said LSU coach Nikki Caldwell. “I think we had 15 minutes of good basketball.” Northwestern took advantage of LSU’s lack of offense and slowly chipped away at the deficit. “We had some no-shows
tonight,” Caldwell said. “Some were starters and some off the bench.” The Wildcats, who led most of the first half, retook the lead for good on two free throws by freshman guard Morgan Jones with 11 seconds remaining. Jones, a 2011 McDonald’s High School All-American, struggled from the field, going 3-for-16 including 0-for-8 from beyond the arc. “We need her to fight through halves and nights where we don’t play well,” said Northwestern coach Joe McKeown. “She’s fearless, and that’s how you want her to play.” LSU, down by one with nine seconds remaining, had the ball and a chance to take the lead. After a drive and dish, sophomore forward Theresa Plaisance took an open three, but the shot sailed out of bounds. Northwestern inbounded the ball and held it as the game’s
final second ticked away. There was no carry-over from the Lady Tigers’ offensive explosion against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday night, and LSU paid the price. “We had some wide-open looks, and we didn’t shoot the ball extremely well,” Caldwell said. The Lady Tigers shot only 30.2 percent from the field and went 0-for-8 on three-point shots. Senior forward LaSondra Barrett said the Lady Tigers had their fair share of open looks but failed to sink them. “Those are shots that we have to knock down,” Barrett said. Barrett led LSU with 11 points but was hampered by foul trouble that limited her to 19 minutes on the night. DEFEAT, see page 15
BLAIR LOCKHART / The Daily Reveille
LSU senior forward LaSondra Barrett (55) drives around a Northwestern defender Tuesday during the Lady Tigers’ 44-43 loss to the Wildcats in the PMAC.
The Daily Reveille
page 8
FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tigers wrap undefeated season, claim SEC title game berth BODY SHOTS
ROB LANDRY Sports columnist Last weekend’s mayhem threw a monkey wrench into the previous smooth surface of the Bowl Championship Series rankings. Now, instead of having two undefeated teams and a slew of onelossers clinging to hope, there is only one king of the hill. But plenty of eager teams await their chance to sneak into the big game. LSU and Alabama are in the catbird seat heading into their regular season finales. For both teams the goal is simple — win, and you’re in. For the Tigers, that road would then include a Southeastern Conference Championship game against Georgia. The Tide needs only a win against rival Auburn to punch its ticket to the national championship if LSU beats Arkansas and Georgia. Either way, Thanksgiving weekend is guaranteed to deliver plenty more drama. TEXAS A&M -7.5 OVER TEXAS Just hope the Aggies don’t have a double-digit lead at halftime, or this pick may be in big trouble. Aside from that, Texas coach Mack Brown’s squad doesn’t have the guns to match up again this season, much to the chagrin of the Longhorn faithful. MICHIGAN -8 OVER OHIO STATE The Big Game is anything but that this season. Neither team can make the first annual Big Ten Championship game, and Ohio State is fighting to break even in conference play this season. But this is the season the Wolverines get their first victory against the Scarlet and Gray since 2003. VANDERBILT -1.5 OVER WAKE FOREST Vanderbilt is playing for bowl eligibility. Yes, you read that correctly. First year head coach James Franklin has the Commodores on the cusp of a 6-6 season and a chance to play in the postseason. Playing at 6-5 Wake Forest will not be a cakewalk, but Vanderbilt will pull one out to gain bowl eligibility.
GEORGIA -6.5 OVER GEORGIA TECH The Bulldogs have been on a roll since a loss to South Carolina in the season’s second week. Nine wins later, Georgia coach Mark Richt is safely off the hot seat with a berth in the SEC Championship Game secured. Now he must fend off in-state rival Georgia Tech. Despite an upset win against then-No. 5 Clemson, Georgia Tech has lost three of its last five. Better count on it being four of six.
CLEMSON +4 OVER SOUTH CAROLINA When South Carolina sophomore running back Marcus Lattimore went out for the season with a knee injury, no one would have believed South Carolina would be favored against Clemson. But even though the Tigers have been in a pretty near free fall lately, they’ll rally to salvage some of what was supposed to be a special season. FLORIDA STATE -2 OVER FLORIDA Florida’s offense is abysmal. Florida State is struggling, but not quite abysmal. I’ll take not quite abysmal over abysmal any day of the week. MISSISSIPPI STATE -17.5 OVER OLE MISS Might want to call this year’s matchup the Rotten Egg Bowl. Ole Miss has mailed in its season. Mississippi State has failed to produce, despite high preseason expectations. A win will make the Bulldogs bowl eligible, but that’s nowhere near where they wanted to be entering this game. They nab the victory, but probably not because of their own doing. TENNESSEE -7.5 OVER KENTUCKY Another dud of a rivalry game is here for the taking. But Tennessee does have the pride of a 26-game winning streak against the Wildcats on the line. Pride will win out for Derek Dooley’s Tennessee team as it extends the streak to 27. AUBURN +21 OVER ALABAMA Alabama should win the game
ALYSSA SCHUKAR / The Omaha World-Herald
Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, right, celebrates his one-yard touchdown run with teammate Kevin Koger during the third quarter of the Wolverines’ 45-17 win against Nebraska on Saturday.
and probably will. But Auburn coach Gene Chizik will not be embarrassed at home by the Crimson Tide. This one will come down the wire, and for Alabama fans, hopefully not the kickers.
enough to stop anyone in the country. Arkansas has struggled on the road this season. That’s a recipe for a cochonde-lait in Baton Rouge the day after Thanksgiving.
LSU -12 OVER ARKANSAS The LSU defense is good
Last week: 5-5 Overall record: 64-55-1
Rob Landry is a 23-year-old mass communication senior from Mandeville. Follow him on Twitter @RobLandry85.
Contact Rob Landry at rlandry@lsureveille.com
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
FOOTBALL
page 9
Arkansas’ big play tendency could test Tiger secondary Three Razorback WRs in SEC top 10 Hunter Paniagua Sports Writer
Former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett picked apart LSU’s secondary when the two teams met last season, throwing three touchdowns with two totaling more than 80 yards apiece. Though the Razorbacks’ signal caller has changed — junior Tyler Wilson has replaced Mallett, who departed for the NFL — the big play tendency of the Arkansas offense has not. Wilson leads the Southeastern Conference with 3,215 passing
yards. Three Arkansas receivers rank in the top 10 of the conference in receiving yards, and the Razorbacks have thrown nine touchdowns longer than 20 yards this season. “I’m just looking forward to the challenge that they’re going to be throwing our way,” said senior cornerback Ron Brooks. “We know they’re one of the top passing offenses in the country. I personally take that as a challenge to go out there and play well against those guys.” Senior safety Brandon Taylor watched last year’s game from home while recovering from a season-ending foot injury. He said he noticed the secondary made too many mistakes in 2010 and added the coaches have stressed
TENNIS
Fall, spring seasons different as day, night Spring more focused on team than Fall Adrian Wintz Sports Contributor
The fall tennis season ended the first week of November, but the tennis teams remain hard at work with an entire half of the season still left to play. The fall season, which typically ends in early November, is primarily made up of invitational tournaments. A university will host a tournament and invite several other schools to send players to compete. “In the fall, it’s more individual-based,” said LSU men’s assistant coach Danny Bryan. “It matters for individual rankings that carry over to the NCAA Individuals at the end.” The fall season gives the teams time to prepare themselves and develop their game for the in-conference competition they will have to face in the spring. “Fall is the time to develop and work on some things, to put yourself in a position to be better for the spring,” said LSU women’s coach Tony Minnis. “We use the fall to experiment in different ways and maybe change some things in the players’ game.” Individual rankings are released before the start of the fall season based on the results of the previous season. That ranking stays the same throughout the fall season. Singles rankings don’t correspond with the doubles rankings. “All the [players] are trying to get confidence, so ultimately they will help the team by winning once the spring comes,” Bryan said. “You’re definitely trying to peak for the spring, but
at the same time, you’re always representing LSU, and you’re always trying to find a way to get yourself as good as you possibly can be.” In the spring season, which begins in early January, dual matches are the norm. In dual matches, the top three doubles pairs from two schools face off against each other. Six singles players from each school, in order of strength from one to six, play the opponent’s six singles players, in corresponding order of strength. Doubles is generally secondary to singles during the fall. The coaches will change doubles teams around to see which duos will work best for the spring season. “Everything counts in the spring for the team,” Minnis said. “Doubles constitutes one point to start every match, so it’s a momentum thing. It’s really important to have good doubles [teams] in the spring.” Sophomore Yvette Vlaar said she likes the team aspect the spring season requires. “I would prefer the spring matches because you actually play as a team,” Vlaar said. “In the spring, you can lose your match but still win as a team, or you can win your match but lose as a team. The team aspect is way bigger in the spring.” Minnis also said that the aspect of team unity makes the spring more intense than the fall.
Contact Adrain Wintz at awintz@lsureveille.com
perfection in coverage and tackling in order to prevent another defeat. “We just have to win our oneon-one battles and get a great pass rush,” Taylor said. “Everything has to be on point this week. You can’t make the slightest mistake against them because their receivers have great hands and make all types of difficult catches.” The LSU secondary has made few mistakes this year. The Tigers have allowed the third fewest passing yards in the SEC and have only surrendered five touchdowns through the air. LSU did struggle against West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, who threw for 463 yards against the Tigers on Sept. 24, but Taylor said the Arkansas passing attack provides a different challenge.
Whereas the Mountaineers relied on short passes, Taylor said the Razorbacks have a more vertical passing attack. “We’ll probably have to do a lot of man coverage to get our blitzes in,” Taylor said. “But if we have to go to zone, that will work too.” Injuries at the safety position could limit how the secondary operates against Arkansas. Sophomore Craig Loston missed last week’s game against Ole Miss, and sophomore Eric Reid left in the first quarter with a leg injury. LSU coach Les Miles expects both players to return against Arkansas but showed faith in the backups. “We’re certainly concerned about big plays in any secondary,”
Miles said. “We think that our guys will be back. We’re not concerned about the lack of experience there in any way.” The number of successful Arkansas wide receivers will force the Tigers to utilize packages with as many as six defensive backs, Brooks said. But when asked if he was concerned with facing four or five capable wide receivers, Brooks gave a simple response. “Yeah,” Brooks said. “But we’ve got four or five [defensive backs].”
Contact Hunter Paniagua at hpaniagua@lsureveille.com
The Daily Reveille
page 10
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tigers come home to face S. Ala.
LSU prepares for ‘athletic’ Jaguars Chris Abshire Sports Writer
The LSU men’s basketball team isn’t used to hitting the road so often and early in the season. But the Tigers (3-2) will receive a brief respite from their travels tonight as they take on South Alabama (1-2) for the second of two home games in the PMAC during the season’s opening month. After losing four starters from last year’s squad, the Jaguars have struggled out of the gate this season, falling late to Mississippi State and getting blasted, 80-39, at Florida State in their last outing. LSU coach Trent Johnson said South Alabama’s “explosive” transition game will require a continued defensive commitment from the Tigers. “For me, all I had to do was look at [the Jaguars’] game against Mississippi State,” he said. “It was a tie game in the second half. They’re athletic in the open court, and we’ll have to match that energy and build off our defense performance the last time out.” In that prior outing, LSU turned in its finest defensive effort of the season, limiting Georgia Tech to 50 points, forcing 23 turnovers and keeping the Yellow Jackets off the free-throw line to earn a 59-50 win and fifth place in the Charleston Classic. Freshman point guard Anthony Hickey has powered the Tigers offensively, making the All-Tournament team in Charleston while averaging 16 points and four assists and leading LSU to a 2-1 mark in the event. “Coach [Johnson] keeps telling me that defenses will take some other
players out on offense, and I’ll need to make plays on offense,” Hickey said. “I think that has opened things up for me and our offense lately.” LSU’s wing duo of sophomores Andre Stringer and Ralston Turner have struggled from beyond the arc so far this season, combining to make just 34 percent of their 3-point attempts. Turner in particular was expected to be the Tigers’ premier scorer following a promising freshman campaign but has reached double figures just twice through five contests. “I’m just going to keep shooting the same shots,” Turner said. “You have to keep being aggressive because my release has felt good coming out of my hands. The shots are there.” South Alabama might be just the opponent for Turner and the rest of an erratic Tiger offense to break through, as the Jaguars have surrendered at least 80 points in their only two games against major competition. South Alabama earned its only victory of the season against Mobile, 74-63, last Wednesday. The Jaguars hope to counter LSU’s continued use of half-court pressure with their up-tempo pace. Sophomore forward Augustine Rubit has been South Alabama’s primary scorer through three games with 14.7 points per game, and junior point guard Trey Anderson has been his running mate in transition, tallying five assists per game. “They want to get out and run to find those shooters in transition,” Stringer said of South Alabama’s style. “We’ll have to be quick getting back defensively because [Rubit] and their guards bring the hustle.” LSU won last season’s matchup between the two squads, 80-65, in Mobile, Ala. But Johnson warned his squad
SWIMMING & DIVING
Tuomola, Kendall earn SEC Swimmers of Week Scott Branson Sports Contributor
The Southeastern Conference named junior swimmers Andrei Tuomola and Amanda Kendall this week’s Male and Female Swimmers of the Week following their performances in the Tennessee Invitation in Knoxville, Tenn., last week. Tuomola swam to two gold medals at the invitational in the 50yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke. He also added a silver in the 100-yard freestyle, missing a third gold medal by a slim 0.62 margin. The Finland native registered season-, program- and conference -best times in the 50 free and 100 breast, with times of 19.94 and 53.99, respectively. Tuomola also contributed on the second place 400-yard freestyle relay squad and led the way to the
Tigers’ second place overall finish in the invitational. Kendall, fresh off winning four gold medals in the Pan American Games, swam to three individual golds in the 50-yard free, 100-yard fly and 100-yard freestyle. Her 100 free time of 48.19 marks the lowest for the program and conference so far this season. Despite missing the 200-yard freestyle championship final, Kendall posted the fastest 200 free time of the invitational from the consolation final. The Fairfax, Va., native also contributed on the gold medal winning 200-yard freestyle relay squad.
Contact Scott Branson at sbranson@lsureveille.com
against taking the Jaguars lightly, citing sharp shooting in last year’s contest, South Alabama’s roster turnover and LSU’s need for a home win. “We had an unbelievable shooting game when we met last year,” Johnson said. “That most likely won’t happen [tonight], so we have to be better in every aspect of our play. They’re a bit of an unknown as far as what their players are capable of, so that’s a dangerous prospect since we need this win.” BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille
Contact Chris Abshire at cabshire@lsureveille.com
LSU Freshman point guard Anthony Hickey (left) hassles a Nicholls State player Nov. 12 during LSU’s 96-74 win in the PMAC.
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The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Free HIV tests offered at Bayou Classic The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bayou Classic fans are being encouraged to take a free HIV test while in New Orleans for the annual football matchup between arch rivals Southern University and Grambling State. The game between the two predominantly black colleges will be played Saturday at the Superdome. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. CST. On game day, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., free HIV testing will be available outside the Superdome at the Louisiana STD/HIV Program
Health Fair tent. According to the Department of Health and Hospitals, more blacks are infected with HIV than any other racial or ethnic group. Testing will consist of a quick, painless swab of the mouth, and results will be available in just 20 minutes. Blacks make up 32 percent of the state’s population yet represented 74 percent of the state’s new HIV cases last year, DHH said. In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pegged Louisiana as the state with the nation’s fifth highest AIDS case rate,
and among American cities, Baton Rouge ranked second and New Orleans ninth in AIDS case rates. Testing at the Bayou Classic is being provided by DHH, OraSure Technologies, Inc., and the Kaiser Family Foundation’s “Greater Than AIDS” effort. The screenings come one week before World AIDS Day, which is Dec. 1. The first ever Bayou Classic, won by Grambling, 21-0, was played at Tulane Stadium in 1974. Contact The Daily Reveille’s sports staff at sports@lsureveille.com
Hazing investigated in Florida A&M band member’s death The Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida A&M University’s famed Marching 100 band, which has a history of hazing, has been shut down until investigators find out more about how one of its members died after a football game. University President James Ammons said Tuesday he suspended all performances and other activities out of respect for the family of 26-yearold Robert Champion of Atlanta. The drum major was found unresponsive on a bus parked in front of an Orlando hotel Saturday night after the school’s loss to annual rival Bethune-Cookman. Champion was vomiting and had complained he couldn’t breathe before he collapsed. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said a preliminary autopsy was inconclusive and that more tests would be needed to know what caused Champion’s death. But Demings said that investigators traveled to Tallahassee and concluded that “hazing was involved in the events that occurred prior to the 911 call for assistance.” In Florida, any death that occurs in connection with hazing is a thirddegree felony. “In the next few days or weeks, it will become clearer as to whether any criminal charges will be forthcoming,” Demings said in a statement. University officials acknowledged Tuesday that 30 students this semester were kicked off the band because of hazing and that there are three active investigations. Ammons said it would be wrong to allow the band to keep performing until more is known about what happened to Champion. “I think we need to stop and give ourselves the opportunity to find out the facts,” Ammons said. “And until we do, I just don’t think it’s appropriate to have the band performing and representing the university.” And Ammons didn’t stop at the Marching 100. He suspended all bands and ensembles that operate under the supervision of the university music department. The move affects more than 400 students, but it comes after football season when the band has most of its performances. Its last show was during the annual Florida
JOSEPH BROWN III / The Associated Press
Robert Champion, a drum major in Florida A&M University’s Marching 100 band, performs Saturday only hours before his death, which is suspected to involve hazing.
Classic against Bethune-Cookman. The Marching 100 — whose rich history includes performing at several Super Bowls and representing the U.S. in Paris at the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution — was scheduled to perform at the fall commencement on Dec. 16. Music department chairman Julian White, who is also the director of bands, was at the news conference where the suspension was announced, but he did not comment. White did not respond to a phone call requesting comment. Band members told The Tallahassee Democrat before the band was suspended that they would be dismissed from the Marching 100 if they spoke to the media. Champion’s father, also Robert Champion, said his son always wanted to be in the band. “He did what he wanted to do, and he reached the plateau that he wanted to be,” he told Atlanta’s WSB-TV. “I think he was in pretty good condition. He ate, and he trained and had no medical condition that I know of.” The Associated Press left a voice message at a number listed for the Champions. The line later was busy. Ammons also said that he was creating a special task force to review whether there have been ongoing inappropriate band customs or traditions. Ammons said the school will cooperate with Orange County deputies who are investigating the death.
This isn’t the first time that the Marching 100 has been confronted with hazing allegations. Tallahassee police back in 1998 opened and then closed an investigation into an incident in which a band member was hit more than 300 times with paddles as part of an initiation into the clarinet section. Police at the time dropped the case, saying the band member’s participation in the event was voluntary. In 1989, eight band members were charged with battery and jailed allegedly for holding a student against his will and beating his head with their elbows. Prosecutors dropped the charges after FAMU disciplined the suspects. Ammons said he was “committed to making certain that we end this practice here at Florida A&M University.” Contact The Daily Reveille’s sports staff at sports@lsureveille.com
page 11
The Daily Reveille
page 12
What’s the Buzz? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish?
3% 17% 21%
32%
As usual, our website, lsureveille.com, has been absolutely buzzing with reader comments. Check it out today, and let your voice be heard. Regarding the Daily Reveille’s Top 5 Sexiest Sports Figures, feaTurducken tured in Nov. 16’s Sex Issue, readers had this to say: Mashed Potatoes
Turkey
Sweet Mashed Potatoes Potatoes Oyster Dressing Total votes: 94
Participate in next week’s poll at lsureveille.com.
years years of loving marriage” -KING ARTHUR USA
inside and out!” -The Hawkins family
“Eric Reid is a total hottie. Not only is he attractive he is smart, and a ‘good’ guy. He doesn’t take part in what others do, just because his peers are doing it. That adds to his ‘Sexiness’!!!” -T.L.W.
“Mo isnt that good looking. Too big.” -Anonymous
“Where the hell is Mo?” -Anonymous
“Where is Meaux Isom?? Are you kidding me?” -Anonymous
“How is Mo Isom not on this list?” -Anonymous
“Well cause mo isom isn’t that attractive” -Anonymous
“Wayyyyy off. Who is ramsey? Mo is way better looking!” -Anonymous
“This list is automatically declared false because Mo Isom is nowhere to be found on it. How can we count on the Reveille for daily news when they can’t even put Mo Isom on the top 5 sexiest sports figures list??? tsk tsk.” -Anonymous
Oyster Dressing Sweet Potatoes Turkey
27%
Turducken
WEB COMMENTS
Opinion
“Neal Skupski the Brad Pitt of tennis, should thanks his lucky stars that his parents are still the sexiest couple at Palmerston tennis Club, Liverpool after 3O
“Austin Nola is wonderful
“Where the hell is Mo Isom??” -Anonymous “well cause mo isom isn’t that attractive” - Anonymous “Go Ashley!!! Love Dad” -Anonymous Regarding the Nov. 21 article “Gas For Guns program success warrants plans for more to come,” readers had this to say: “Such a deal! There is no way that any of the guns turned in were truly “assault weapons”. Even the cheapest operating gun capable of full auto fire is worth thousands. Even the cheapest AR-15s are worth a a minimum
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 of $700, and those aren’t assault rifles. So either the police took advantage of people who didn’t know what the guns were worth, or they bought broken trash.” -Bob H “A great way to allow gangs to get rid of evidence. Nothing like a no questions asked program to aid criminals. Sometimes i don’t know which is worse... Criminals or the government. They both seem to be hell bent on helping one another.” -Mojavegreen “Of course, anyone of them could have taken the guns to a gun store or a pawn shop and sold them for actual money and more than they got from the police.” -Anonymous
Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at opinion@lsureveille.com
SCUM OF THE GIRTH
Nation’s backwardness evident in first-cousin marriage laws
Who doesn’t love a baby with seven toes and a tail? The question may seem silly, but a friend pointed out to me last week that you can legally marry your first cousin in nearly half the states in this country. Surprised? I Parker Cramer was. Columnist The first thing that jumped to my mind was, “Can you legally marry your first cousin in more states than gay marriage is legal?” Turns out the answer is yes. You can legally marry your first cousin in 18 out of the 50 states with no exception, according to CousinCouples.com, a website which helps facilitate consanguineous marriages. You can marry your cousin with certain exceptions in seven other states. So let’s see if my math is correct (and it most likely is since my parents are not cousins). There are 18 states that allow cousins to marry with no exceptions, plus the seven states that allow cousins to marry with a few exceptions equals 25 total states — half of the country. But this is probably the backwards half of the country, right? Certainly this is not happening around the great state of Louisiana.
Louisiana, along with every state it borders, does not allow marriages between cousins. However, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee do. You know, the weird half of the Southeastern Conference. Some of the restrictions to consanguineous marriages are that couples must agree not to have children or must submit to genetic counseling before having kids. While cousins may be able to marry each other in half the country, same-sex marriage is only legal in seven states, including Washington, D.C., according to NPR. Let me reiterate, marriage between cousins is legal in half the country, but same-sex marriage is legal in a mere seven states. Does anybody else see the incongruity here? The moral and upright conservatives of this nation will argue that we must protect the sanctity of marriage from being defiled by the homosexuals. I call bullshit. Marriage is no longer sacred. Half of all first marriages end in divorce, along with 67 percent of second marriages and 74 percent of third marriages, according to the Forest Institute for Professional Psychology in Springfield, Mo. I don’t get it anymore. Nothing is sacred about marrying your first cousin and having a merry gang of
The Daily Reveille Editorial Board
Matthew Jacobs Chris Branch Ryan Buxton Marissa Barrow Sydni Dunn Devin Graham
Editor-in-Chief Associate Managing Editor Associate Managing Editor Managing Editor, External Media News Editor Opinion Editor
offspring that strangely resemble the victims of Chernobyl. It doesn’t make sense. The whole argument about keeping a pure bond of mutual fidelity strictly between a man and woman is, for lack of a better word, retarded. If you want to marry your cousin, go ahead. If you want to marry your same-sex partner, why not? How can the government tell me whom I can and cannot marry? Conservatives are afraid the
earth will somehow shatter if gays are allowed to marry freely like the rest of the nation. Let me enlighten you: Homosexuals are everywhere. They already have sex, live together and love each other — all they are missing is that magical piece of paper that ties them together in the eyes of the law. The world will not end if gay marriage is legalized everywhere. I promise. So let’s allow individuals to
exercise their freedom of choice as Americans and marry the person they love — simply because it’s the right thing to do. Parker Cramer is a 20-yearold political science junior from Houston. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_pcramer. Contact Parker Cramer at pcramer@lsureveille.com
BEST AND WITTIEST
Editorial Policies & Procedures
The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, paper or University. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-26 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must have a contact phone number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor-in-chief, hired every semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
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Quote of the Day “Talent works, genius creates.”
Robert Schumann German composer Jan. 8, 1810 — July 29, 1856
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
PRESS X TO NOT DIE
Opinion
page 13
Black Friday midnight openings dampen holiday spirit Tomorrow, millions of Americans will gather together with their families and enjoy eating too much while watching football before eventually passing out due to the overindulgence of tryptophan and alcohol. Tomorrow, another set of Americans with be camped out in a sea of other like-minded fanatics in a parking lot waiting to spend their small amount of hard-earned dollars. However, this second group of people won’t be occupying Wall Street. They’ll be occupying Target, Best Buy, Walmart and many other retail outlets across the country for Black Friday. While many seem to associate Black Friday with sadness and mayhem — the managers at my old job went as far as to change the name to Green Friday to make it seem happier — the “holiday” is actually named for the accounting practice. When a company keeps its books, it writes losses in red and
profits in black. Generally, holiday shopping is the time of year stores finally start to turn a profit. Therefore, the day after Thanksgiving has become synonymous with officially starting Adam Arinder the holiday season (and holiday Columnist shopping) and has earned the name “Black Friday.” Many stores open at 4 and 5 in the morning, running special “doorbuster” deals to those crazy enough to camp out in the cold — or mildly warm here in south Louisiana — for those sweet deals. It has become a custom for some families to forgo a traditional Thanksgiving meal and camp out every year. Like all competition, every store wants to try and one-up the other. Over the past few years, some businesses were trying to
jump the gun on sales by starting deals earlier by opening at 2 or 3 a.m. This year, stores are celebrating Black Friday as early as they can by opening their doors at midnight. I understand stores’ desire to maximize the potential of this over-celebrated, over-commercialized excuse to get people to spend money, but this could not be any more of a horrendous idea. It not only puts a damper on the real meaning of the holidays, but it could also put people’s lives in more danger than it already does. Gone are the days when Thanksgiving was about getting together with your family to give thanks for what you have. Gone are the days when Christmas was about celebrating the birth of Jesus. Now, it’s nothing but a consumerist freak show. Speaking of freak shows, remember in 2008 when
someone was trampled to death at a Walmart Black Friday opening? Here’s a great idea: Let’s take people who just ate way too much and consumed more alcohol than is necessary and give them the opportunity to drive (already a bad idea) down to their local retail establishment to fight hordes of cranky, sleep-deprived shoppers. What could possibly go wrong? At least when the doors opened at 5 a.m. there was enough time for the tryptophan and alcoholic coma to pass. Finally, it puts a blight on the Thanksgiving plans of the underpaid retail workers who get to corral these holiday shoppers. When I worked at Best Buy, it was bad enough having to show up for work at 3 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. Now, with doors opening at midnight, workers have to arrive at 11 p.m. or earlier. Say goodbye to that family time. It’s sad to see what holiday
time has transformed into, and sadly, we have no one to blame but ourselves. As a retail worker, I’ll be fighting off droves of holiday shoppers in a definite sleep-deprived state with a somewhat chipper attitude and a faux smile on my face. If you plan on camping out and braving the masses on Black Friday, I have a simple request for you: Please be kind and courteous. Not only to your fellow shopper, but also to your half asleep, overworked, missing-their-family sales associates. They’re people too. Adam Arinder is a 22-year-old communication studies senior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_aarinder.
Contact Adam Arinder at aarinder@lsureveille.com
SHOCKINGLY SIMPLE
Government funding for scientific research should not be cut
Our nation is facing trying economic times, and with the failure of the congressional budget super committee to reach a compromise, those times may have just gotten worse. In general, Democrats think we should focus on raising government revenue through increasing taxes and the elimination of loopholes, while Republicans believe the budget crisis should be solved through spending Andrew cuts, particularly Shockey to entitlement Columnist programs. Any practical plan for balancing the budget is likely to include both revenue increases and spending cuts, a proposition that makes many academic researchers and scientists nervous. Scientists at most universities, including our own, owe the existence of their research to publicly funded organizations created for the advancement of science, such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Funding from these organizations is supplied through grants, which scientists compete over so they can complete their research. Securing these grants is vitally important to the careers of our professors who spend a great deal of time and effort petitioning these organizations for a chance to pursue their research. This research is often not undertaken with a practical goal in sight, but may instead focus on the development of scientific knowledge for
the sake of knowledge. This pursuit is integral to the scientific method, and researchers should be encouraged to follow every interesting path they discover during their research in the hopes of making an important and unexpected discovery. This research model has produced innumerable scientific advances, especially in the modern era where academic advances are used by the private sector to develop practical applications in science, medicine and engineering. Unfortunately, organizations like the NSF are overseen by Congress, which is overwhelmingly unscientific, with only 47 of its 535 members holding at least one math, science or engineering degree. As government spending comes under increasing scrutiny, funding for scientific grants is likely to present an easy target for members of Congress hoping to balance the budget. Republican presidential candidate and Congressman Ron Paul believes the government should get out of funding scientific research altogether. To be fair, Paul believes the federal government should stop funding almost everything outside the military, but scientific research is one area in which government funding is absolutely necessary. Those in favor of cutting scientific funding argue the private sector can conduct research more efficiently, but they fail to realize private companies are able to quickly complete research because they are given access to the broad research conducted by academic scientists. Under pressure from Congress,
BEST AND WITTIEST
cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE
the NSF has recently updated the merit criteria the organization uses to choose grant recipients to focus more on the impact of the research on society, specifically the economic competitiveness and national security of the United States, rather than the scientific merit of the research. The focus of the merit criteria has come under harsh criticism by many scientists who argue these conditions deter the NSF from awarding grants to any research that cannot offer a practical, real-world application. Critics also argue the new
standards force the researchers and NSF to evaluate proposals on criteria outside of their areas of expertise. Biologists pursuing research on an enzyme should not be expected to evaluate the impact of their research on the U.S. economy or its national security. Grants for fundamental research provide the building blocks for future public and private scientists to develop major scientific breakthroughs. Plenty of grants are awarded for research that never reaches a practical application, but that is a small price to pay to ensure
we can continue to pursue scientific research for the sake of knowledge and continue to collaborate and produce amazing results. Andrew Shockey is a 21-year-old biological engineering senior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_AShockey.
Contact Andrew Shockey at ashockey@lsureveille.com
The Daily Reveille
page 14
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The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 ARKANSAS, from page 7
rankings on their high-octane, SECleading passing attack, orchestrated by junior quarterback Tyler Wilson. Wilson is ranked No. 11 in the nation with 292.3 passing yards per game. He’s thrown for 3,215 yards and 21 touchdowns with five interceptions this season. Taylor compared Wilson to his predecessor Ryan Mallett, who contributed to LSU’s 31-23 defeat last season, and is now a backup for the New England Patriots. “They’re kind of similar, same arm strength,” Taylor said. “He’s very accurate, and he makes a lot of smart decisions.” Wilson may receive some help by way of injuries to sophomore safeties Craig Loston and Eric Reid, but Miles said he expects the two back for the game. If the two don’t play, senior safety Derrick Bryant and freshman defensive back Ronald Martin, who saw the first action of his career last week against Ole Miss, were mentioned as alternatives. Bryant and Taylor will share the spotlight Friday with 23 other seniors on Senior Day, the celebration of the class’s last game in Tiger Stadium. Taylor said a win Friday would replace his first interception in the stadium against Vanderbilt in 2009 as his favorite Death Valley moment. Along with their seniors and a championship berth, the Tigers will be playing for “The Boot,” a 24-karat gold trophy shaped like the two states that represents the two teams’ border state rivalry. “It’s a rivalry game,” said senior offensive lineman Will Blackwell. “It’s bragging rights. It’s one of those games that gives 364 days to talk bad about the other team. ... It’s been a tough series, and we want to get that Boot back in Baton Rouge.”
Contact Alex Cassara at acassara@lsureveille.com
HOLIDAY, from page 7
Australian-born freshman punter Brad Wing said this will be his third Thanksgiving in the United States. Wing’s family will be in town for their first Thanksgiving in Baton Rouge, but Wing said they didn’t have any big plans. “I understand it’s normally a family holiday, but we’ll be here with the team, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he said. Sophomore defensive tackle Michael Brockers said the team is used to missing out on family time during Thanksgiving. Brockers said he hasn’t been to Thanksgiving at his house in three years, so it’s nothing new. Instead, players that come from out of state, like Brockers, who is from Houston, will go to a Thanksgiving meal on Friday at a local teammate’s house. Senior safety Brandon Taylor, a Franklinton native, said his family makes adjustments so he can have his teammates over for a Thanksgiving dinner. “My family is actually having two Thanksgivings,” he said. “They’re having one Thursday and one Friday after the game. I’m going to have a couple players come to my parents’ house after the game.” While many people put themselves in turkey comas during Thanksgiving dinner, Wing said the Tigers have to keep their goals in mind before celebrating and indulging in the holiday. “We have something we need to do,” he said. “We set out a goal at the beginning of the year as something we need to accomplish, so we can’t let up and take a break before that goal is complete.” Brockers said sacrificing holiday celebrations is just a product of any athlete’s lifestyle. “In the NFL, they’ve got to play on Christmas sometimes,” he said. “Holidays are holidays, but it’s business first.” LSU coach Les Miles
explained how Thanksgiving serves as a time to step back and appreciate the blessings in his life. “We certainly have a lot to be thankful for,” he said. “Good health, a quality team and an opportunity to have a meal that represents all the wonderful things that the Lord has made available to us in a Thanksgiving.”
Contact Albert Burford at aburford@lsureveille.com
page 15 DEFEAT, from page 7
“It’s frustrating to be in foul trouble, not being out there,” Barrett said. “But that doesn’t have anything to do with rhythm. It’s all mental, and today was a letdown.” Sophomore guard Jeanne Kenney led the Lady Tigers with seven assists. “[Kenney] takes ownership when she makes mistakes and when things are going well for the team,” Caldwell said. “We’ve got to have more people on the team feed off of her and join in on her excitement.”
Caldwell said a contributing factor in the loss was the Lady Tigers’ attitude for much of the game. “I didn’t see a team really bond and gel together when it needed to, and that reared its ugly head,” Caldwell said. “We can’t keep playing this way.” The Lady Tigers’ next chance to right the ship comes Sunday against No. 18 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. Contact Scott Branson at sbranson@lsureveille.com
page 16
The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, November 23, 2011