The Daily Reveille - December 2, 2015

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IN THIS ISSUE

The Daily

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

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• Win against North Florida crucial for Tigers, page 3 • Opinion: Comedians should not have to be politically correct, page 5 @lsureveille

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Volume 120 · No. 67 RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Edwards’ transition team sets up in Kirby Smith Hall

BY CAITIE BURKES @caitie1221

in

SEASON Read about the university’s annual Holiday Spectacular on page 7.

photos by EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille

LSU held its annual Holiday Spectacular on Tuesday, a free series of seasonal events across campus.

Students scrambling to math class in their pajamas might bump into the state’s future governor on their way, as a campus residential hall becomes his temporary office space.

As Gov. Bobby Jindal prepares to vacate the Governor’s Mansion, governor-elect John Bel Edwards’ transition team is setting up camp on the 12th floor of LSU’s Kirby Smith Hall, LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said.

The campus-central transition location is no new phenomenon — Ballard said Jindal and former Gov. Mike Foster both utilized campus for their transitions.

“We didn’t choose this location,” state Sen. Ben Nevers said.

“I guess precedent has been set.”

As Edwards’ newly appointed chief of staff, Nevers will spearhead transitional operations on

see TRANSITION, page 7

BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

North La. Funeral home offers purple and gold LSU casket

BY SAM KARLIN @samkarlin_TDR Die-hard LSU football fans can now swear their eternal allegiance to the team, taking their Tiger loyalty to the grave in an LSU-branded casket from a northern Louisiana funeral home.

Boone Funeral Home and Crematory in Bossier City offers the purple casket with gold hardware, which features the official LSU logo and tiger eye and is the only LSU casket on the market, said manager Ginger Hartman. A portion of the cost of each casket goes to the university, and the specific amount is worked out once the casket is purchased.

If cremation is more their

flavor, customers can also have their ashes reside in an LSU urn, which also has a purple and gold color scheme and the official LSU logo.

The casket costs $4,395 — a bit pricier than the home’s average casket of $3,995. The LSU urn goes at the average price of $450.

Hartman said the idea for LSU-branded caskets, which went on the market in the past month, are about a year in the making — the “brain child” of Jim Ford and Justin Baxley of Foundation Partners Group, which helped bring the idea to customers through a third party manufacturer.

“To most customers,

see CASKET, page 7

Boone Funeral Home and Crematory in Bossier City is offering officially licensed LSU Tigers caskets and cremation urns.

courtesy of BOONE FUNERAL HOME

The Daily Reveille

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Reveille The Daily

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Fans show their support during the Lady Tigers’ 86-36 victory against Texas Southern University on Tuesday in the PMAC.

QUINT FORGEY News Editor ROSE VELAZQUEZ Deputy News Editor MEG RYAN Entertainment Editor JACOB HAMILTON Sports Editor CAROLINE ARBOUR Production Editor JACK RICHARDS Opinion Editor JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ Photo Editor KALLI CHAMPAGNE Radio Director SAM ACCARDO Advertising Manager

CAMPUS BRIEFS

Local students honored for conference presentations Wednesday | December 2 | 8 PM DJs showcasing their favorite artists

DJ Strangelove presents

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Take a tour through West Germany’s spontaneous experimental music from the late 60s - 90s with Can, starting with kautrock and transcending to minimalism, psychedelic funk.

Tune in at 91.1 fm or at klsuradio.fm Twitter | Snapchat: @KLSUradio Instagram: @KLSUfm

LSU biochemistry junior Brandon Byrd and Baton Rouge Community College students Ryan LeBlanc and Meagan Moore were honored for their chemistry and neuroscience poster presentations at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, according to a news release from the LSU College of Science and LSU Media Relations. The conference was held in Seattle, Washington from Nov. 11-14.

Conference attendees included students from more than 350 U.S. colleges and universities. Of the 2,035 abstracts submitted this year, only 243 awards were given to students, according to the release.

The conference’s 2015 theme was Strength in Diversity! Fifteen Years of Enhancing Minority Students’ Excellence in STEM Research. It marked ABRCMS’s 15-year anniversary.

LSU to host presentation on disaster preparedness in business LSU Executive Education will host a presentation titled “Disaster-Proof Your Business with a Continuity Plan” in the Business Education Complex as part of its Breakfast to Business series On Tuesday, Dec. 8, according to an E. J. Ourso College of Business news release.

The presentation, led by senior fellow with the LSU Stephenson Disaster Management Institute Ed Leachman, will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

“Over 40 percent of businesses affected by a major disaster never recover,” LSU Executive Education Director

Robin Kistler said in the release.

“This session aims to not only prepare organizations, but also create a culture of preparedness in the Baton Rouge business community.”

A $25 registration fee is required to provide participants with breakfast and the opportunity meet with LSU experts and Baton Rouge business professionals. A $20 discounted registration rate is available for LSU students, faculty and staff, as well as members of SCORE, the Louisiana Business and Technology Center, Louisiana Technology Park, the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS 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 daily during the fall and spring semesters and twice weekly during the summer semester, 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.

Sports C+

page 3

QUARTERBACK Sophomore Brandon Harris churned out 1904 passing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2015. He completed 53.1 percent of his 254 attempts with only five interceptions. Harris had clear progression with accuracy at points this season but lost his touch against SEC opponents. Arm strength isn’t an issue. Accuracy and game managing seemed to improve but didn’t fulfill expectations.

WIDE RECEIVER

B-

Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural led the talented corps of receivers to 1,135 of the group’s 1,904 yards. Dupre capped the troupe with six touchdowns and Dural with three. The tandem were mainstays in the LSU offense, but the Tigers offense normally didn’t provide much to put the play makers with the ball in space. LSU receivers had an issue with dropping passes early in the season, but that was fixed as time went on.

REPORT CARD Position groups on the LSU football team ranked by season performance

TIGHT END

C

STORY BY CHRISTIAN BOUTWELL PHOTO BY JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ

The loss of senior Dillon Gordon set the group of tight ends back a few steps, but junior Colin Jeter, freshman Foster Moreau and junior DeSean Smith filled Gordon’s role throughout the season.

With Smith battling injuries, Jeter and Moreau were big body targets for Harris, and provided decent run blocking for Fournette and company. The loss of Gordon’s ability to run block clearly affected the LSU rush offense, moving LSU to more two-tight end sets instead of one in Gordon. LSU restricted depth at tight end, unlike other positions.

OFFENSIVE LINE

D-

The Tigers O-Line began the season dominating opposing defensive lines. Fournette ran for seven-straight 100-yard games behind the 1,588-pound offensive line. Then Fournette posted a mere 31 rushing yards against Alabama and it was all downhill from there. The line battled against injuries and for starting positions all season. The constant movement of starters when an injury occurred hindered the group from progressing as a unit. Discipline on snap counts and holding penalties continually rescinded the LSU offense.

FULLBACK

B-

Behind JD Moore, Fournette rushed for three-straight 200-yard games before Moore was crippled to a knee injury he fought all season. Moore attempted to return, but his rehabilitation was cut short and Moore was re-injured. Freshman Bry’Keithon Mouton stepped in for Moore and started each game in Moore’s absence. The loss of Moore was evident in LSU’s rushing yards production, but Mouton filled his shoes to an extent.

RUNNING BACK

A

Sophomore Leonard Fournette led the strongest position for LSU in 2015. Fournette’s season capped LSU single-season rushing yards record at 1,741, and was one shy of breaking LaBrandon Toefield’s touchdown record at 19.

Fournette led the nation in average rushing yards per game at 158.3. Freshman Derrius Guice and junior Darrel Williams backed up the once-Heisman favorite with 397 and 290 yards, respectively, this season.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Tigers need win against N. Florida

BY JAMES BEWERS @JamesBewers_TDR

Entering the 2015-16 season, the LSU men’s basketball team was ranked in the top 25 of both preseason polls for the first time in nine years, and fans exuded plenty of optimism about the Tigers’ postseason prospects.

With three highly-touted freshmen, joining an overall young but talented group of returners, it was hard not to believe coach Johnny Jones’ club had a higher ceiling than normal.

But Jones always knew growing pains would reveal themselves in someway.

After a 3-0 start, growing pains turned into growing worries. Following two grueling losses in Brooklyn, New York, at the Legends Classic and a 12-point defeat against the College of Charleston on Monday, LSU’s margin for error already shrunk as they take on a challenging University of North Florida team at 7 p.m. Wednesday IN the PMAC. Jones thought the Tigers could be 6-0 up to this point but proved they aren’t quite ready to be among the elite, especially without senior guard Keith Hornsby and redshirt sophomore forward Craig Victor II. “This year, for whatever reason, we found ourselves in the preseason top-25,” Jones said at his Tip-off Luncheon on Tuesday.

“But I thought it was something

see JONES, page 4

SWIMMING

Thomas Smith LSU record holder, Olympic trial qualifier HEATHER ALLEN @Hallen_TDR LSU freshman swimmer Thomas Smith earned a victory in the championship final of the 200-yard backstroke at the Art Adamson Invitational in College Station, Texas, on Nov. 21. In the same race, Smith etched his name in the LSU record books, swimming the fastest 200-yard backstroke in program history with a time of one minute, 42.77 seconds.

“It built a lot of trust, with a new system you never know how you’re going to respond initially,” Smith said. “It was very relieving to see best time with essentially only a month and a half of training because of a toe injury I’d had earlier this season. It was

relieving to know that I could perform well even though I’m so new to the system that LSU has here.”

More than a decade ago, a then5-year-old Smith, the youngest of three children, was just beginning to swim competitively. He started swimming for safety but soon followed his older brother and sister to club swimming. He fell in love with the sport, swimming while balancing basketball and school.

Now, 18-year-old Smith made it to the collegiate level, where he’s proving to be a worthy NCAA Championship competitor and preparing for the 2016 Olympic trials. Smith said he wasn’t sure if he would be able to do either when he was diagnosed with cancer four years ago.

“I had a health condition I

found out about freshman year,” Smith said, “I found out I had bone cancer in my knee, so I wasn’t even sure if I was going to get to swim in college. I didn’t know if I’d have two legs, without two legs you’re not as fast. So to be able to know that I’ve secured a spot to at least compete at the highest meet in the country feels incredible.”

Despite battling through his second bout with cancer, Smith persevered through the obstacles life threw at him, graduating high school with multiple school, state and national records and a 4.27 GPA. The California native was offered a total of 42 scholarships and visited schools the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Michigan, the Ohio

State University and University of Arizona—schools with swimming national titles. But Smith, a selfproclaimed people person, said relationships were more important to him than titles, and LSU was the perfect fit for him.

“It was really the people,” Smith said. “I visited colleges that had won NCAA titles and I enjoyed the swimming aspects, but as a people person, it’s the relationships that mean the most to me. Yes, I wanted to swim fast.

But I also wanted to meet people from different backgrounds and people with different stories. And I sensed that I was going to be able to experience that the most at LSU. It’s the people, it’s the sports culture and it’s the food.”

As for Louisiana cuisine, Smith

said his favorite dish he’s tried since coming to the south is alligator, which he credits experiencing due to the hospitality and generosity of LSU fans.

Swimming coach Dave Geyer said Smith took on a leadership role early and sets a great example for fellow athletes.

“In terms of what he’s brought to the team so far, as a freshman he’s everything we could ask for,” Geyer said. “He’s definitely taken a leadership-by-action role with us, which is great. As the years progress, his leadership will grow and he’ll be a little bit more vocal. But right now he’s being a great example in the classroom, great example in the water and spending some

see SMITH, page 4

The Daily Reveille

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

JONES, from page 3

SMITH, from page 3

that was possibly given to us because of what had transpired the year before — the team that we had, the guys that was a part of that basketball team.

“This basketball team definitely hadn’t earned the right really to be a top-25 team. Not saying we won’t become that, but we were really living off of somebody else’s dime and what they had done.”

The Tigers (3-3) were the favorite in all three losses, especially against the College of Charleston, which was picked to finish ninth in the Colonial Athletic Conference. But the nonconference losses sting more because LSU’s strength of schedule, according to ESPN, is ranked 300th out of 351 eligible teams. Moreover, all three opponents are ranked 141st or lower in ESPN’s Rating Percentage Index, which are rankings likely to move up or down this season.

For junior guard Tim Quarterman, frustration was not in position to win late against the Cougars.

“In New York, even though we were down, we kept fighting and fought hard in those games,” Quarterman said at a media session Tuesday. “We at least had a chance to win at the end of those games. I think last, we didn’t even have a chance down the stretch.”

It’s still early, and the Tigers could potentially soften the blow with a strong showing in their final six nonconference games, five of which are at home, before the start of Southeastern Conference play. But a win against the

time doing some volunteering.”

Smith said he doesn’t try to be a leader, he just wants to help others in any way he can, whether it’s talking to an individual who is having a bad day or stepping up on a set.

He also dedicates his work to those who have helped him.

“I think leadership is just serving others as best as you can,” Smith said. “Leadership is not asking for credit and it’s not asking for glory and it’s not asking for attention. Leadership is quiet, discipline work and it’s about elevating others. I never intend to be leader or focus on being a leader, I just try to contribute in whatever way I can.”

Smith’s main goal for the

JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman forward Ben Simmons (25) looks at the board during the Tigers’ 78-66 victory against the University of South Alabama on Nov. 19 in the PMAC. Ospreys (6-2) is far from a cakewalk as the team from Jacksonville, Florida, is No. 6 nationally in three-point percentage.

Part of LSU’s biggest problem against the Cougars, especially in the first half, is the exact opposite of North Florida — the Tigers simply couldn’t score from behind the arc, shooting just 5-of23. Not only that, but LSU turned it over 19 times total, including seven from freshman forward Ben Simmons.

To make matters worse, neither freshman guards Antonio Blakeney nor Brandon Sampson hit a shot from the field.

“One of our biggest strengths is the way that we can shoot the ball,” Jones said. “Who would have thought that last night two of our freshmen, who are keys players, would go 0-for-12 from the field?”

Quarterman credits the offensive woes to lack of patience.

“Shot selection plays a big part,” Quarterman said. “Just not swinging the ball as many times as we have to. We’ve been taking a lot of quick shots as a team and taking a lot of bad shots.”

As the Tigers quickly try to rebound — with Hornsby and Victor II returning in the coming weeks — Hornsby said the new learning lesson is to never take any team for granted, especially on the road.

“They didn’t care who we were when we came in there,” Hornsby said. “They expected to win the whole time. It’s a hit on us, but it’s also embarrassing, how we responded to them.

It was a valuable lesson last night, yet another one. First true away game. It’s tough to play on the road, and they should understand that now, knowing that there will only be crazier situations.”

season is to finish with a 3.8 GPA. He knows when his academics are at their best, his swimming is at its best. He’ll also continuing training for the Olympic trials.

Geyer said Smith has the potential to make it to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships and score there. He also sees Smith succeeding at the Olympic trials and believes he will finish out his collegiate career at the 2020 Olympics.

Smith said no matter how far he gets, he’ll always be representing the Tigers.

“I’m an LSU Tiger first and always, it’s in my blood now,” Smith said. “When I do go to trials it’s not Thomas Smith, it’s an LSU Tiger that’s swimming at Olympic trials.”

ZOE GEAUTHREAUX / The Daily Reveille

Thomas Smith competes in the Men’s 200 Yard Backstroke event on Nov. 7 during the Tigers’ 197-103 win against Southern Methodist University in the Natatorium.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Lady Tigers cruise to 50 point victory against Texas Southern

BY JACOB HAMILTON @jhamilton_TDR In front of the largest crowd the PMAC hosted for an LSU women’s basketball this season, the Lady Tigers fed off the environment and channeled it into their efforts on the hardwood Tuesday.

Putting on a show for 5,504 fans in attendance, including about 2,500 elementary school students, the Lady Tigers (5-4, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) throttled Texas Southern University, 86-36.

LSU coach Nikki Fargas said the large crowd helped spark her team’s 50-point victory, which was highlighted by freshman guard Shanice Norton’s teamleading 15 points.

“We had an amazing crowd today with the Baton Rouge community coming out and supporting us on the field trip day,” Fargas said in a news release.

“It was loud in here. They were definitely a spark for us. It was a fun environment for our team to play in.”

The Lady Tigers dressed just eight healthy players, but there were no signs of fatigue plaguing them on either end of the court.

With its most suffocating

defensive performance of the year, LSU forced 26 Texas Southern turnovers and allowed the opposing Lady Tigers (1-4, 0-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) to convert just 31.7 percent of their field goal attempts.

“Went back to our five defense and talked about really taking away the strong side when the ball is put on the wing,” Fargas said in a news release. “It needed to look like five people were defending the basketball and invite the skip. I thought that our back line did a nice job of really trying to be physical and disrupt any easy entry passes.”

LSU jumped out to a quick 13-point lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back as it continued pouring it in on TSU, extending the lead to 24 at halftime, 48-24.

Sophomore guard Jenna Deemer was locked in from the opening tip, scoring seven of her 14 points in the first quarter before passing the scoring torch to junior guard Jasmine Rhodes, who provided a spark off the bench after Deemer picked up her second foul in the first quarter.

Rhodes converted six of her eight field goal attempts for 13 points off the bench.

EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille

LSU senior forward Alexis Hyder (20) jumps to grab the ball during the Lady Tigers’ 86-36 victory over Texas Southern University on Tuesday in the PMAC. The Lady Tigers came out of the locker room after halftime with the same intensity they started the game with, holding Texas Southern to four thirdquarter points and a total of 12 in the second half.

“We stayed motivated and made sure we had each other’s backs,” Norton said in a

news release. “If we continue to do the same thing, then the rest of the season will be easy for us.”

Meanwhile, the LSU offense continued scoring at will. In a well-rounded team performance, five players eclipsed 12 points, and the team combined to shoot 49.2 percent from the field,

including a 42.9 percent clip from behind the arc.

“Offensively, we executed,” Fargas said in a news release.

“We made the extra passes.

We had 17 assists on the day with limited turnovers. That’s a team that’s playing together and that’s how we want the team to play.”

Opinion

page 5

States should fight oppression through secession REAL SOLUTIONS TO REAL ISSUES GARRETT MARCEL Columnist The recent terrorist attacks in Paris led to dozens of state governors refusing to cooperate with federal resettlement of refugees — and they have every right to do so.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence blocked Syrian refugees from entering his state. In response, opponents filed a lawsuit accusing him of violation of constitutional rights, laws and federal acts.

The basis for the argument to take in the refugees are from the Refugee Act of 1980 and the Supreme Court case Hines v. Davidowitz in 1941. In the case, the Supreme Court ruled the power over immigration, naturalization and deportation only rested with the federal government.

Obviously, because the Supreme Court made a ruling, it is constitutionally sound, right?

Wrong! This is the same institution that also ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford African-Americans could not be American citizens.

The Scott ruling was ridiculously unconstitutional, and I am glad this ruling isn’t held today. And for the Refugee Act

of 1980, when have any laws or acts in the U.S. ever been completely constitutional?

I love my country, but I hate the federal government and the unconstitutional rulings the Supreme Court made since its founding. The court is nothing more than a political safety net for whomever is in control of the government.

The U.S. Supreme Court overstepped its constitutional authority countless times and will do so again if the lawsuit against Gov. Mike Pence reaches them. Opponents of the governor cite the Equal Protection Clause, but the joke’s on them.

Syrian refugees are a liability and are foreign combatants because there is no real way to verify their identities as civilians. They are not citizens of the U.S. and have no constitutional rights here.

This nation is suffering because of the federal government’s policy. The nation is torn apart on abortion, gay marriage, Syrian refugees and the crumbling economy. The best fix for the clash of beliefs is for states who would like to secede to do so.

The Constitution does not mention secession, but in the past, the Supreme Court has — guess what — ruled unconstitutionally.

States should leave if they feel threatened by national interest. If you don’t want to live in those states, then leave before they secede. No one is forcing you to stay.

A state’s unrightful desire to secede from the union is no different than saying the U.S. had no right to secede from the British Empire. The Americas were under European colonial rule, so is choosing your own government wrong?

Look it up in the Declaration of Independence.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another ... whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”

A free people should choose their own government. Our country was separated and created on the self-evident truths held in this document.

Free trade agreements between states could create a similar scenario to the EU but between smaller groups with similar interest. If there are states they don’t want to trade with, border lockdowns will work effectively.

CHASE STEVENS / The Associated Press

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks Nov. 18 during a news conference at the Republican Governors Association annual conference in Las Vegas. Indiana could be shaping up as a testing ground for how states deal with Syrian refugees after Pence directed state agencies this month to suspend resettlement efforts because of security concerns.

The U.S. military should be converted to a common defense force, where deployment must be authorized by the participating states. Individual states could build their own militaries out of necessity.

The U.S. can be fixed through the election of individuals who have a history and plan for

repairing this nation. If not, the states who survive on their own should have every right to leave the disaster this country becomes.

Garrett Marcel is a 21-year-old petroleum engineering senior from Houma, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Gret419.

Policing comedians’ language defeats purpose of comedy BURNT TO A CRISP GARRETT HINES Columnist You. Yes, I’m talking to you. You are ruining my fun, and I won’t apologize for being offensive or retract this statement.

Chris Rock will no longer perform at colleges, and his reasoning should caution every college student, as he’s rebuked us wholesale.

In an interview with New York Magazine, Rock said stand-up at colleges are “not as much fun as it used to be.” He explained how the audience, now a sea of cameras, can take any joke you make and pimp it

out on social media, decrying the comedian as racist, sexist, transphobic or any other –ist you can conjure.

What people fail to realize is stand-up is the only job where every kink in the act is worked out in a public forum. A comedian can’t know if a joke goes too far or will fail unless they can see the audience’s reaction for themselves.

Comedy is not formulaic.

Not every joke is an attempt to make the spectators break out in “Kumbaya.” There are times when a certain anecdote is used to point out a strain of hypocrisy. Even better is when a performer catches the audience off guard by saying something they may all be thinking but are too afraid of the repercussions

The Daily Reveille EDITORIAL BOARD

Fernanda Zamudio-Suarez Rebecca Docter Jennifer Vance Quint Forgey Rose Velazquez Jack Richards

Editor in Chief Co-Managing Editor Co-Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

to say.

Stand-up comedy, like music festivals, is meant to be one of the few places in our hurried, production-value based existence where the shackles of morality are relinquished and pure enjoyment is accomplished.

Good comedians exist on a cavalier island, allow you to take a peek and maybe even taste their sweet unencumbered fruit but then hastily shove you off. A good audience holds this trip in the highest honor, takes no souvenirs and allows others to make from own opinions on what they see or hear.

A constant barrage of negative news is but a click, tap or push notification away. In this ever-expanding interconnected digital world, the ability to

enjoy the best parts of it are welcome encouragements.

No longer is comedy a vast expanse of the same old stories told from the same old white male faces. This expanded cavalcade of fresh perspectives has enhanced the trade, allowing everyone a chance to see themselves under the big spotlight.

Aziz Ansari, Ron Funches and Hannibal Burress are of a new generation, breaking the mold on what is expected out of comedians of color. They are praised for their work and welldeservedly so Anthony Jeselnik, Joan Rivers and others known for their more biting humor are derided on social media for not being sensitive enough or not

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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.

having the adequate demographic breakdown in the main characters of their sketches.

That is outright buffoonery.

If some feel they cannot enjoy entertainment without finding every turn of phrase as discriminatory, then go to a spoken word, slam poetry, consciousness raising pow-wow.

Constant squawking, pompous, annoying, no life, busy body, wet blankets may enjoy having no semblance of fun in their lives, but do not make me a company to your misery.

Garrett Hines is a 21-yearold political science senior from Monroe, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @garrettH_TDR.

Quote of the Day ‘They just want to use these words. “That’s racist. That’s sexist. That’s prejudice.”

They don’t even know what they’re talking about.’

Jerry Seinfeld

comedian April 29, 1954 — present

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For Rent LSU Library Apartments 1BR flat & townhouse $485 - $650 wood floor, central a/c, walk to LSU. Between LSU & Burbank Call: 225-615-8521 _______________________________ Townhouse on Alvin Dark on LSU bus route. $400mo plus 50%utilities and cable. Text 713-254-9034 _______________________________ Shadow Creek Apartments has 2 beds available now. 2/1 for $830 and 2/1.5 bath for $890.

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Services

Costs: $.40 per word per day. Minimum $5 per day. Personals free for students Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date

Clerical/Admin Asst.; PT for busy BR insurance agency; very detailed oriented; excellent computer, filing & organizational skills; some college; email resume: ptclericalassistant@aol.com _______________________________ Behavioral Intervention Group (BIG) is a team of dedicated therapists focused on providing the skills, teaching environments and learning opportunities necessary to improve the quality of life for children with autism and other developmental disorders. BIG provides children with a highly individualized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program that is continually modified to meet the child’s needs as they progress.

As a BIG line therapist, you’ll have an opportunity to gain valuable experience providing ABA services. Our therapists receive intensive training and are taught to be scientists, decision-makers and leaders. This is a full time position starting with an hourly rate of $14.00 hour plus benefits. Although this is an entry level position there is room for advancement at BIG. Must have completed or be presently pursuing a degree in Psychology, Education, Special Education, or a related field (preferred but not required). Previous experience with autism/ABA is helpful but not necessary, No past criminal history,Reliable transportation, Strong interpersonal skills, and a genuine passion for working with children. Please send resume to admin@big-br.com. _______________________________ Open the world for a child with autism! Be an ABA line technician at Capital Area Human Services ASCEND program.

Email Jim.LeVelle@LA.gov. _______________________________ Red Zeppelin Pizza now hiring pizza makers and waitresses .

Apply at RZP. 225-302-7153 _______________________________

The Office of Student Media is seeking applicants for the position of Distribution Assistant for The Daily Reveille and Legacy Magazine. Applicants must be LSU students enrolled full time and in good standing.

Reliable personal transportation and availability in the very early morning hours Monday through Friday is required. The rate of pay is $15/hour. Please submit an application at www. lsureveille.com/advertising/application. _______________________________

Math Experts needed for math learning center to work with students of all ages. Must have strong math and communication skills. After school and weekends, 6-20 hours per week, $12/hr after training, all centers hiring. Contact us at ascension@mathnasium.com or (225) 744-0005 _______________________________ Local DISTILLERY Seeking assistant production engineer, must be an engineering major or graduate. Part time position initially walter@canelandrhum. com _______________________________ Work Where You Love to Shop!

The Royal Standard currently has PT openings for Sales Associates! Fun Environment, Friendly Team, and Great Employee Discounts! Apply in person at: 16016 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge, LA or online at: resumes@theroyalstandard. com

Personals In need of a partner to play the new STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT for PC with. I do not know anyone who has it for PC, so I am left wandering the planets in a galaxy far far away with strangers. Just shoot me an email at battlefrontfriend@ yahoo.com and we can play together!

Misc.

Contact Companion Animal Alliance (EBR shelter). We love to reunite pets and families! lostpets@caabr.org, www.caabr.org

FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 2, 2015

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Join metals by heating; fuse 5 Fourth month 10 Male deer 14 Enthusiastic 15 Male bee 16 Ship framework 17 Rescue 18 Open to attack 20 Greek letter 21 Grape bearer 22 __ a hard drive; clear all data 23 Female relative 25 A-E connection 26 MBA or PhD 28 Criticizes 31 Mistake 32 Comic __; “Peanuts,” e.g.

34 Curved bone 36 Crazy as a __ 37 Inexpensive 38 Roy’s riding companion 39 Wedding words 40 Bush or tree 41 Main field of study 42 Insignia 44 Trustworthy 45 Clumsy fellow 46 Purple shade 47 Sir __ Newton 50 Close at __; within reach 51 Afternoon hour 54 Tyrannizing 57 __ rage; driver’s anger 58 __ up; bound 59 Portion 60 Encourage 61 No ifs, __ or buts 62 Donkeys 63 Optometrist’s concerns 1 2 3 4 5 6

DOWN Stinging insect Longoria and her namesakes Parlor Ike’s initials Counsel Dried plum

7 __ model; one to be imitated 8 Traveler’s stop 9 General Robert E. __ 10 Slivers of glass 11 Largest brass instrument 12 Know-it-__; smart alecks 13 Joy 19 Summarize 21 Swerve 24 Anemia sufferer’s need 25 Radar screen image 26 Sandwich shop 27 Wear away 28 Unruly child 29 Rocket’s curved path 30 Buildings for stored fodder 32 Pretense 33 Reasonable bedtime 35 Ernie’s buddy 37 Treble __; musical symbol

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

38 40 41 43 44

Comic Carvey Location Shape; form Planks Doorhanger’s metal pieces 46 Knight’s spear 47 Smidgen 48 Whirl

49 50 52 53

Mimicked Hurries Salary Elegant poems 55 Hot tub 56 Venus, to Serena 57 Regret

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

page 7

CAMPUS LIFE

LSU hosts annual Holiday Spectacular to promote unity

BY JOSHUA JACKSON @Joshua_Jackson_

staff to use.

“They did all this without explaining to us what is going on,” Zhang said. “But I’m also pretty excited to see what they are going to do and how it’s going to change my dorm experience.”

An email Zhang received Nov. 22 warned students to “be aware that parking may tow away vehicles as the lot is being rezoned for a temporary state office transition team beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, November 23.”

Crowd control should not be an inconvenience, she said, as Kirby Smith residents only live in the first 11 floors of the 14-story building.

Other than stir craziness, Nevers said the team has its own obstacles to tackle. Nevers said the budget crisis sits at the top of Edwards’ agenda, while his staff tries to involve people from all sections of the state in his planning period.

With Edwards’ inauguration Jan. 11 and a proposed special session in February, he said the team’s time frame to phase a total transition of government will be difficult.

“All of our schedules really have to coincide with the inauguration of the governor,” Nevers said.

As students count down the days to finals and the imminent winter break, LSU Campus Life provided one last opportunity for the campus to come together and celebrate at its annual Holiday Spectacular Tuesday evening.

A few feet down Raphael Semmes Road, students took part in the Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration held by the LSU African American Cultural Center.

The Holiday Spectacular, formerly known as the LSU Candlelight Celebration, are events held across the university’s campus.

Throughout the night, students had the opportunity to see performances in the Student Union Theater, attend the traditional LSU President’s Late Night Breakfast and watch as the Christmas tree near Free Speech Circle was lit.

Last year, the 30-foot magnolia was planted on LSU grounds as a way for Campus Life to be environmentally and financially sustainable. Previously, a tree would be brought in and then removed each year. The tree is cared for by Facility Services throughout the year.

Margo Jolet, associate director of marketing and communication for Campus Life, said the goal of the Holiday Spectacular is to create a sense of community within the campus.

“All these events show how there is something for everyone at LSU,” Jolet said. “We work on this for months in advance and it gets bigger each year.”

LSU President F. King Alexander made his usual rounds at the night’s festivities to take part in the holiday cheer and remind students that the night would finish

from the grave, with the funeral home organizing an event following the funeral service.

Hartman urged anyone, even

students, to come to the Bossier City location to see the casket — even if they are not in the market for it.

JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ / The Daily Reveille

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards’ transition team is setting up camp in Kirby Smith Hall.

TRANSITION, from page 1 the Democratic governor-elect’s behalf. He said he plans to lead eight transition teams, each with 25-50 members, to discuss how to further Edwards’ objectives and goals.

Nevers said each team deals with distinct subject matters on Edwards’ agenda, including transportation, health and welfare, public education in grades K-12 and higher education.

Nevers said Edwards already has an office in the residence hall, and soon so will he.

Though the entire 12th floor is reserved for the operation, Nevers said none of the individual rooms are large enough to properly accommodate meetings for everyone involved. He said they reached out to administration to use a separate conference room more conducive for a large group of people.

Finance freshman and Kirby Smith resident Nora Zhang said Edwards’ team started taking up the first five rows of parking near the residential hall last week. Residents were asked to move their cars last weekend, she said, behind a fenced-off section.

She also said there is now an elevator just for the governor-elect’s

CASKET, from page 1 every funeral home is the same,” Baxley said. “We’re just trying to break out and focus not so much on the death itself but on the life.”

NCAA caskets help celebrate the life of people who lived for sports, he said.

Memorial Licensing Company began the Collegiate Memorial line, which lists nearly 50 universities on their website, and lays claim as the nation’s largest provider of “college-themed memorial products.” The products are sold through individual funeral homes like Boone.

“In the past, families have used a variety of ways to show their loved ones’ zeal for their beloved LSU Tigers at the funeral service,” Hartman said in a statement. “Now, families are able to show their loved one’s devotion with an official LSU Tigers casket or cremation urn and know that a portion of the casket’s sale goes to the university.”

Tiger fans can even tailgate

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EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille

Families participate in different games, crafts and merriment as part of LSU’s Holiday Spectacular on Tuesday in the Student Union. up with pancakes served at the two on-campus dining halls.

While at the Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration, King told students the story of when he met Maulana Karenga, the man who created Kwanzaa. He said seeing the holiday be recognized at LSU was a pleasing moment.

“It’s an important celebration and to see it spread is important for our university,” Alexander said.

LaKeitha Poole, coordinator for African American Student Affairs, helped coordinate the first Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration when she was a graduate assistant at LSU. She said watching the event grow to include students of all races is a hopeful sign of where the university is going.

“We know we’re 50 and 60 years past some of our largest

Civil Rights legislation and I don’t think even 20 years ago we would see an event like this happening on a college campus,” Poole said.

“To see that it’s become a part of the Holiday Spectacular shows that there are people who are willing to embrace all that LSU is and has to offer.”

Poole said Pre-Kwanzaa has grew to be be an important part of the Holiday Spectacular over the years and a time of collaborative learning for students.

“Holiday Spectacular is programmed according to student needs and the conversations they desire to have with each other and the faculty and staff,” Jolet said. “It’s always been about the students. We try to give them as many chances to have fun and grow as possible.”

The Daily Reveille

page 8 BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Louisiania’s languages influenced by Creole and Cajun French

BY REBECCA DOCTER Manship News Service Where y’at?

On the streets of New Orleans, it’s common to hear a local using this question over the phone. The phrase is a strung together version of “Where are you at,” which seems obvious to southeastern Louisianans, but to people from other regions, the inquiry may not seem so plain.

That’s because the phrase “where y’at” is a product of the “Yat” dialect, a language pattern spoken predominately in the Big Easy.

But New Orleans isn’t the only area in Louisiana where a particular dialect is heard. According to LSU communication sciences and disorders doctoral candidate Andrew Rivière, there are countless dialects that comprise the language of Louisiana, depending who you ask.

“In Louisiana, we have a wide array of dialects, both English and in the French languages,” Rivière said. “For our field, we primarily look at the English dialects — researches have looked at Cajun English, southern white English, Creole English and African-American English.”

He said some researchers look at Cajun English as a subgroup of southern white English.

“Think of American English in the United States — you have all these different subgroups,” Rivière said.

Much of Louisiana’s Francophone influence is concentrated in Acadiana, a triangle-shaped region on a map of the state. On the top is central Louisiana, including Avoyelles Parish, where Rivière grew up. The bottom spans from New Orleans across to the Texas border. The region is comprised of 22 parishes.

Rivière said the idea of a dialect can sometimes be difficult for people to understand.

“A lot of people get accent and dialect confused,” Rivière said.

“They’re like ‘I love your accent,’ or ‘I hear your accent,’ and they’re kind of correct. They do hear an accent, that’s the phonological differences between your dialect and mine, but everyone speaks a different dialect.”

Throughout Louisiana, there are also differences in semantics, or the meaning of words or phrases in a language. For example, the phrase “Are you gonna get down?” means “Are you going to get out of the car?”

Rivière said difference in semantics stems from southern Louisiana’s French influence, a force that plays a part in many dialects in the state.

“Still today we have a high

percentage of people that speak Cajun French or Louisiana Creole French, so we have those influences so that once the dialects first formed, they were like interference from French, but now people from my generation would use that in our everyday vocabulary,” Rivière said.

People also use terms borrowed from other languages, such as the insertion of “beaucoup” to an otherwise English language sentence. The same is true for phrases like “make groceries,” a term used by Louisianians in cities such as New Orleans and Lafayette to mean buying groceries. That particular phrase borrows from the French word “faire,” which means “to do” or “to make.”

Not only does the cultural history of a region influence the dialects residents speak — dialect differences can also have an influence on a culture.

“Think of whenever people started speaking English, when they shifted from French to English,” Rivière said. “You can hear these differences through their accent, you can hear these accent differences in their dialect. Now, imagine this new group of people is speaking the same dialect. If an outsider comes in and you’re trying to talk to them. ... It’s like, ‘I hear your differences now. I’m

REBECCA DOCTER / Manship News Service

Andrew Rivière studies the countless dialects that have developed from Creole and Cajun French in Louisiana. going to put my guard up until I can trust you.’”

Rivière has personal experience with the French in Louisiana dialects. His mother’s first language is French; his family still speaks the language around each other.

“When we were kids ... whenever we would go to my grandparents’ house, when they were talking about us or things that they

didn’t want us to know, they would start talking in French,” Rivière said.

Rivière said he wasn’t happy he couldn’t understand what his family was saying, so he took French in high school and college until he was proficient in the language.

“I thought, ‘Now, I’m going to be able to talk to my grandparents.’”