Daily Reveille — January 14, 2009

SPORTS: Hester enjoys first year with San Diego Chargers, page 5.

SNAPSHOT

NEWS: Center in Middleton Library offers students, faculty help with Moodle, page 4.

Visit lsureveille.com to see photos of Tiger Stadium at night.

THE DAILY REVEILLE WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM

Volume 113, Issue 71

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Hitting Home

BOARD OF SUPS

West a finalist for head of NFLPA

KIM FOSTER / The Daily Reveille

By Leslie Presnall

Student has close, emotional ties to conflict in Gaza

Staff Writer

By Xerxes A. Wilson Contributing Writer

Fady Hussein feels helpless as he watches televised reports of bombs blanketing the region where he spent his childhood.

For more than two weeks, Hussein has somberly followed the unfolding hostility. Day after day, he anxiously refreshes his Internet browser hoping to read about a cease-fire, but he more realistically anticipates far worse.

GAZA, see page 11

FADI ABOU GHALIOUM / The Associated Press

[Top right] Fady Hussein, electrical engineering graduate student, holds photographs of his family in Gaza. Hussein’s brother, Nedal Hussein, was injured by an Israeli bomb, and his cousin, Ahmed Hussein, was killed while trying to rescue survivors inside of a building hit by Israeli rockets. [Above] Lebanese soldiers (left) stand guard Tuesday behind razor wire in front of the building of the Egyptian embassy as people from leftist group burn a representation of an Israeli flag during a protest.

lsureveille.com Log on to see a video of

Fady Hussein telling his story.

LSU Board of Supervisors member Rod West has an impressive football background — a 1988 national championship at Notre Dame.

And 21 years later, West could soon be moving to the professional ranks, according to The Associated Press.

West is a finalist to replace Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players Association, according to a report Tuesday by The Associated Press.

Upshaw, who died at age 63 of pancreatic cancer in August, spent 25 years in the position.

West, who is also president and CEO of Entergy, Inc., in New Orleans, refused to comment to The Daily Reveille on Tuesday but said in a statement Monday night he has no plans to leave Entergy.

West will interview with the NFL executive committee next week in Dallas. The eight candidates will be narrowed down and convene with the union’s 32 player representatives

WEST, see page 11

STATE

La. scores low in national education report

By Lindsey Meaux Staff Writter

Sports ...................... 5 Opinion ................... 12 Classifieds ............... 14

Michael Martin chancellor

Up 2008, the National Report Card on Higher Education published by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher

Broadcasts

Index

Final grades like a C, two Ds, two Fs and one incomplete aren’t marks many students brag about to their parents when they go home for the holidays.

But according to Measuring

‘I’m very happy that we’re a top-tier university ... It’s a wonderful accomplishment, but we ought not get too serious about it.’

7:20 a.m.

8:20 a.m.

Noon 3:20 p.m.

4:20 p.m.

5:20 p.m.

Education, those are the grades Louisiana received in its biennial report card — grades administrators said bear little relevancy to

Weather

Administrators downplay results

TODAY SUNNY

56

31

the University.

“I think we all want to be a little careful about those kinds of things,” said Chancellor Michael Martin. “[For instance], I’m very happy that we’re a top-tier university ... It’s a wonderful accomplishment, but we ought not get too serious about it.”

Mike Gargano, LSU System vice president for Student and Academic Support Services,

GRADE, see page 4

graphic by DELIA LUDU / The Daily Reveille

THURSDAY MOSTLY SUNNY

FRIDAY MOSTLY SUNNY

49

48

25

27

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Nation & World

PAGE 2

on the web

LSUREVEILLE.COM

WORLD NEWS

Israeli forces storm Gaza City neighborhood

TUESDAY’S POLL RESULTS Will you contribute to your class gift project?

North Korea: United States must alter ‘hostile policy’

50 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE POLL.

TODAY’S QUESTION:

Do you care about the conflicts between Israel and Hamas?

GO TO LSUREVEILLE.COM TO CAST YOUR VOTE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea refused Tuesday to give up its nuclear weapons until after the U.S. alters its “hostile policy” toward the regime and proves it does not pose an atomic threat to the wartime rival. The cryptic statement from North Korea’s Foreign Ministry is the first to lay out North Korea’s nuclear stance since the last round of international talks on disarming the North in December. Analysts say the statement also sends a strong signal that Pyongyang is keen to forge diplomatic relations with the next U.S. administration.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Terrified residents ran for cover Tuesday in a densely populated neighborhood of Gaza City as Israeli troops backed by tanks thrust deeper into the city and sought Hamas fighters in alleyways and cellars. On the diplomatic front, Egyptian mediators pushed Hamas to accept a truce proposal and, in a hopeful sign, Israel sent its lead negotiator to Cairo for “decisive” talks on a cease-fire. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also headed for the region to join diplomatic efforts. Israeli military officials say that depending on what happens with what they described as “decisive” talks in Cairo, Israel will move closer to a cease-fire or widen its offensive.

NATION, STATE AND CITY BRIEFS

Burris to be sworn in to Senate seat Thursday

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate appointee Roland Burris will be sworn into office Thursday, his office said, closing a painful and protracted certification process ensnared in the federal corruption investigation of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Senate Democrats have reversed course, grudgingly accepting the former Illinois attorney general into their exclusive club as the person who will replace the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. “I really never doubted that I would be seated,” Burris said in a nationally broadcast television interview Tuesday.

“It was just a matter of going through the process and making sure that the Senate rules were abided by,” he said.

CHARLES REX / The Associated Press

Illinois U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris speaks Monday afternoon at a news conference in Chicago.

Largest-ever study of State takeover advised U.S. child health begins for 10 La. schools WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists begin recruiting mothers-to-be in North Carolina and New York this week for the largest study of U.S. children ever performed — aiming eventually to track 100,000 around the country from conception to age 21. “We are embarking on the road to discovering the preventable causes of the major chronic diseases that plague American children today,” Dr. Philip Landrigan of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, one of the lead researchers, declared Tuesday.

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 e-mail editor@lsureveille.com.

POLICIES AND 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. A single issue of The Daily Reveille is free.

To purchase additional copies for 25 cents, please contact the Office of Student Media in B-16 Hodges Hall. The Daily Reveille is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and semiweekly during the summer semester, except during holidays and final exams. Second-class copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, La., 70803. Annual mail subscriptions are $115. 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-16 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, La.,70803.

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana’s education superintendent said Tuesday that the state should take control of 10 failing public schools, in an attempt to improve performance and better educate their 4,500 students. Eight of the schools recommended for takeover by state Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek are in Baton Rouge, while two others are in Caddo Parish in northwest Louisiana. “If you look at many of these schools, they have been failing for 10 years.

We have to do something,” Pastorek said.

THE DAILY REVEILLE B-16 Hodges Hall • Baton Rouge, La. 70803

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THE DAILY REVEILLE

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

PAGE 3

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Wireless Internet access to come to residence halls Project set for fall 2009 completion

By Leslie Presnall Staff Writer

lsureveille.com

All the residence halls on campus will receive a technology makeover by next semester.

Residents such as Matt Schexnayder, biological chemistry freshman, and their computers Log on to see a will no longer video of be constrained to the wall by students’ an Ethernet reactions cord when the to getting 17 residence wireless halls — which Internet. includes East and West Campus apartments — go wireless.

Residential Life and Information Technology Services teamed up last semester to give every dorm room and on-campus

Matthew McKey political science freshman

‘You can’t [be mobile] ... unless you had a 25-foot wire, which is just a ridiculous amount ...’

apartment wireless Internet connectivity by fall 2009.

Residence halls already have wireless networks in common areas — lobbies, patios, study rooms, kitchens and laundry rooms — but not in individual dorm rooms.

“Our buildings have been limited wireless up until recently,” said ResLife Director Steve Waller. “We looked at what other schools were doing and struck an agreement to go wireless 100 percent.”

Adding access points could cost up to $700,000 in installation fees, Waller said. This number does not include operational costs.

“We have to pay for upgrading

Brent Richard biology sophomore

‘Just to have it to where you can lie in your bed ... and watch YouTube ... would be awesome.’

the equipment,” he said. “Every so many years, we will be upgrading as technology moves forward.”

ResLife proposed a one-time 1 percent rent increase to students to fund the wireless connectivity.

But in a trade-off with the phone service in each room, the fee could be eliminated.

A ResLife survey found 97 percent of students living on-campus didn’t use the hard phone line, Waller said.

“They’re all using cell phones,” Waller said. “And my guess is it’s probably closer to 98 or 99 percent now.”

An active phone line is included in the price of rent, and

students will still have the choice to keep the phone line. Waller said by trading off the phone service students aren’t using, the 1 percent fee increase can be avoided.

Installation in the Engineering Residential College, or South Hall, and the Business Residential College, or West Hall, were completed in November. Broussard Hall, home of IT Residential College, was completed before winter break.

“When we built [South Hall and West Hall], I had them prewired on anticipation of going wireless,” Waller said. “We’re in the process now of designing the remainder of the buildings.”

All rooms have hardware capability, but wireless will give students more freedom throughout the hall, Waller said. Once completed, each room will have both wired and wireless Internet connections.

“As we complete them, we will turn them on and let students take advantage of the technology,” he said. “We will not take away hard ports because those will probably go to 1[GB] in the near

future.”

Brent Richard, biological sciences sophomore and Highland Hall resident, said wireless connectivity would give him the ability to study in the quietness of his room instead of the lobby.

“Just to have it to where you can lie in your bed at night and watch YouTube or just surf the Internet would be awesome because you have the freedom of anywhere in your room to sit down,” he said.

Matthew McKey, political science freshman, said he’s ready to move about his room without the restrictions of an Internet cable.

“Since moving into Louise Garig [Hall], I’ve always had to wire my connection, which is really inconvenient,” he said. “You can’t [be mobile] with a wire unless you had a 25-foot wire, which is just a ridiculous amount of wiring.”

Contact Leslie Presnall at lpresnall@lsureveille.com

AGRICULTURE

AgCenter develops rice strain to fuel La. economy New crop to compete with Asian imports

By Matthew Barnidge Contributing Writer

The LSU AgCenter approved a new domestic strain of aromatic rice in December, which will serve as a U.S.-grown alternative to imported rice from Asia.

The new variety, named “Jazzman” by the AgCenter’s Rice Research Station in Crowley, will give Louisiana farmers the ability to compete with imported Asian jasmine rice, an aromatic variety popular in Asian cuisine.

Clarence Berken, USA Rice Council Chairman and Louisiana rice grower, said Jazzman was the “key to regaining market shares from Thai jasmine imports.”

Xueyan Sha, AgCenter rice breeder who developed the strain, claims imported aromatic rice makes up to 8 percent of total rice consumption in the United States.

The average American consumes 26.01 pounds of rice annually, according to a 2001 USA Rice Federation report. At current prices, this means Americans consume about $1.4 billion of aromatic rice each year.

“If we can capture some of the niche market, we can help Louisiana rice growers,” Sha said.

Asian imports dominate the niche market for aromatic rice.

“Prior to this, we didn’t have a U.S.-adapted variety,” said Steven Linscombe, director of the AgCenter’s Rice Research Station. “It will help the rice producers of the state,” he added.

Aromatic rice gives off a distinctive aroma and cooks softer and stickier than other varieties. Sha and

his colleagues spent 12 years selecting these characteristics. He originally crossed a Chinese aromatic variety with a domestic strain from Arkansas in 1996.

It’s not a mimic of the Thai jasmine variety, he said. Rather, the new strain combines the desirable qualities of the aromatic strains with the hardiness of domestic strains.

Sha said he detected “a need for something that can be grown domestically.”

The AgCenter will begin creating a stockpile of foundation seed for distribution to Louisiana farmers. Linscombe said it takes several years to develop an ample supply of seed once they approve a new

strain.

Berken said he thinks the new variety will be successful competing with Asian imports because Jazzman will carry the “Grown in the USA” logo from the USA Rice Federation. Berken explained domestic rice growers must adhere to strict growing regulations and cannot use certain chemicals. Most Asian countries have not made information on their regulations available.

“It’s real tough to get that kind of information,” Berken said.

photo courtesy of Xueyan Sha, LSU AgCenter

Contact Matthew Barnidge at mbarnidge@lsureveille.com

Xueyan Sha, the rice breeder who developed the new “Jazzman” rice strain, stands in a field at the LSU Rice Research Station in Rayne, La.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 4

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009

TECHNOLOGY

Center assists faculty, students with transfer to Moodle Staff helps with other technology issues too

By Steven Powell Contributing Writer

The Faculty Technology Center and Visualization Services Center, sharing a suite in Middleton Library, are assisting students and faculty with 3-D imaging for projects and help with Moodle and other classroom technology issues.

Starting this semester, the University is using only Moodle for online classroom needs. The

FTC, which held its grand opening in December, has assisted many faculty members with the transition, said Sheri Thompson, Information Technology Services Communication and Planning Officer.

“Moodle is evolving, and we want faculty to know what is available to help them,” she said.

The VSC offers walk-in help for students and faculty, creating visuals and imaging for projects, teaching and research, according to Imtiaz Hossain, VSC manager.

“The whole mission is to enhance the visualization process for students and teachers,” he

‘‘

‘The Faculty Technology Center is the one-stop shop for faculty technical needs.’

Sheri Thompson

Information Technology Services Communication and Planning Officer

said.

Hossain said the VSC also teaches 3-D imaging classes.

Thompson said the center has a professional staff that meets with faculty individually, helping them with any technical

KIM FOSTER / The Daily Reveille

A 3-D scanner in the new Faculty Technology Center in Middleton Library scans a small football to demonstrate how the scanner uses cameras and visible wavelength lasers to digitally photograph objects without radiation.

GRADE, from page 1

said the components the report attempts to measure cannot be accurately compared unless they are broken down.

“The general consensus here with this report is that it’s basically an ineffective reporting mechanism,” Gargano said. “It’s impossible to measure the performance of one state to the next.”

The report grades all levels of education in each state based on preparation, participation, affordability, completion, benefits and learning.

The highest grade Louisiana received is a C in completion.

Louisiana traditionally performs well in the completion category and typically awards certifications and degrees relative to the amount of students enrolled, according to the report. But it noted few students complete college in a timely manner.

Louisiana received its lowest grades, two Fs, in participation and affordability.

Poor and working-class families in Louisiana must devote 14 percent of their income to fund

‘‘

‘There’s just a lot of false premises that have been built up in this report ...’

Mike Gargano

LSU System vice president for Student and Academic Support Services

an education at public, four-year colleges in the state, according to the report.

“Our tuition is $1,700 and that is less than most tuitions students would pay at a community college,” Gargano said. “Let’s look at the LSU A&M Campus — 93 percent of the students at LSU receive the TOPS award.

How can there be an issue with affordability if you look strictly at tuition?”

Gargano said the report fails to recognize the “success” of the LSU System and the nearly 33 percent of bachelor’s degrees and 49 percent of higher-level degrees the System awards.

“There’s just a lot of false

premises that have been built up in this report to attempt to say that higher education in the United States is failing when that does not bear any truth,” Gargano said.

Commissioner of Higher Education Sally Clausen said the Board should work in conjunction with the Governor and the boards of elementary and secondary education to “use these grades as a guide for positive change,” according to Meg Casper, Louisiana Board of Regents spokeswoman.

“This is certainly not the kind of report card that you want to bring home to your mother,” Clausen said in a statement.

“Now is the time to redouble our efforts with our K-12 partners as we focus on strengthening educational attainment and workforce development across Louisiana.”

Contact Lindsey Meaux at lmeaux@lsureveille.com

problems.

Before the FTC opened, Centers for Excellence in Learning & Teaching offered training sessions, Thompson said. She said the difference is the one-on-one help the FTC offers.

“The Faculty Technology Center is the one-stop shop for faculty technical needs,” she said.

The FTC and VSC are still in the early stages, but use of the facilities has increased with news of the centers spreading, said Greg Brignac, Information Technology Services manager.

Since faculty returned from winter break, FTC receives about 10 to 15 walk-ins daily and 80 to 100 phone calls, Brignac said.

“I consider it to be fairly heavy utilization,” he said. “It fluctuates, and we’re currently in a peak.”

Brignac said though Moodle is a popular subject right now,

FTC helps with all forms of technology, which is why FTC is housed in the same suite as VSC. “We don’t want to send people across campus,” Brignac said.

“We want it to all be right there.

If faculty want technical help in any way, we want them to know they can get it. That’s our goal.”

Thompson said the center is part of the Flagship IT Strategy, which ensures teachers have everything they need to teach.

The FTC is funded by Information Technology Services and CELT, Thompson said.

“There really is no definite ‘next step,’ but as teachers’ needs arise, the Center will grow to meet their needs,” Thompson said.

Contact Steven Powell at spowell@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Sports

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009

PAGE 5

FOOTBALL

Scott, Black to announce NFL plans today

Charging Forward

DENIS POROY / The Associated Press

San Diego Chargers running back Jacob Hester [right] tries to break away from Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams on Dec. 28 in San Diego.

Hester enjoys first season in NFL

By Rachel Whittaker Sports Writer

Daily Reveille file photo

Former LSU running back Jacob Hester carries the ball past Ohio State defenders in the 2007 BCS National Championship.

Former LSU running back Jacob Hester is on a new stage since he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers last April.

From living in sunny California to starting at fullback for the AFC West champion Chargers, Hester and his wife, Katie, are loving the new experiences.

“We live downtown overlooking the bay, and it’s beautiful,” Katie Hester said. “I still catch myself thinking, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe I live here.’

Most people get drafted, and no offense, but they go somewhere cold or rainy, somewhere with not really nice weather. We really

lucked out coming out here.”

Jacob Hester said he quickly warmed up to the city of San Diego and the Chargers’ loyal fan base.

“The most enjoyable thing about California is the city I’m playing in. It’s probably one of the best cities in the country,” he said. “Every day I get to experience great weather and great people and great fans. Every game we had this year was a sellout.”

But when Jacob Hester arrived in San Diego, he wasn’t a household name like he was throughout his career at LSU. The Hesters said being back in a rookie role was a challenge.

“It’s been really fun, kind of rough at the beginning of the year just because you’re a freshman again, having to start over instead HESTER, see page 10

LSU running back Charles Scott and offensive lineman Ciron Black have scheduled a joint news conference today to announce whether they’ll remain with the Tigers or enter the NFL draft.

LSU officials said coach Les Miles would join the players at their announcement, which is scheduled for 2 p.m.

LSU is already losing two starting linemen from 2008, center Brett Helms and left guard Herman Johnson.

lsureveille.com

By The Associated Press

Log on at 2 p.m. to follow the press conference live.

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

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Lady Tigers not looking past UNO

By Casey Gisclair Chief Sports Writer

To be the best, you have to beat the best.

And with four matchups against ranked opponents left on its schedule, the LSU women’s basketball team’s freshman-heavy roster will soon find out how it stacks up against some of the best teams in the country.

But despite the difficult schedule, LSU coach Van Chancellor has only one game circled on his calendar — tonight’s road game against New Orleans.

“This is our biggest game of the year,” he said. “We UNO, see page 7

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Tigers face clones in PMAC LSU hosts South Carolina tonight

By David Helman Sports Writer

LSU’s men’s basketball team hosts its doppelganger when South Carolina comes to town tonight.

Doppelganger can be defined as “a ghostly counterpart to a living person,” according to Dictionary.com. And the term fits well for the early going of the two teams’ seasons.

The Tigers (12-3, 0-1) and Gamecocks (12-2, 1-0) fell on different ends of very similar games in the first weekend of Southeast-

ern Conference play.

The Tigers out-rebounded and out-shot Alabama from the field but managed only 10 free throws to the Crimson Tide’s 35 in a 65-59 loss.

“We didn’t play through some things,” said LSU coach Trent Johnson. “We didn’t beat them at crucial times to loose balls or to rebounds. We didn’t come back to the ball in the air in crucial situations when we were in striking distance.”

South Carolina defeated Auburn at home, 68-56, in a game in which it was out-rebounded, 41-34.

South Carolina senior guard Zam Fredrick came to the

Gamecocks’ rescue, scoring 27 points and shooting 5-for-5 from the free-throw line in the win.

“He did what you would hope fifth-year seniors are going to do — play with poise and aggressiveness and show a lot of leadership in a game where we didn’t get off to a real good start,” said South Carolina coach Darrin Horn.

“He made some shots and created some baskets for us and did a good job getting to the foul line and knocked down those shots as well.”

LSU will be hoping to show the same poise in front of its second home crowd of the new year.

MIRROR, see page 7

JERIT ROSER / The Daily Reveille

LSU senior center Chris Johnson blocks McNeese State sophomore guard Stephan Martin’s shot Dec. 22 in the Tigers’ 62-59 win against the Cowboys.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 6

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

FOOTBALL

Former Hurricane QB Marve barred from moving to LSU Miami cites improper contact with schools

By Michael Lambert Sports Contributor

Former Miami quarterback Robert Marve joined the Hurricanes in 2007 with all the hype of a top high school recruit.

He was named “Mr. Florida Football” as a senior at Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., and broke Florida quarterback Tim Tebow’s single-season records for passing yards (4,380) and touchdowns (48).

Two years later, Marve wants to transfer from the Hurricanes, possibly to LSU, the Associated Press is reporting.

Marve had a rough relationship with Miami coach Randy Shannon, according to the AP. He also sustained two suspensions and a tough 2008 season, where he passed for 1,293 yards, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions, leading Miami to a 6-5 record as a starter.

Initially, Marve was barred from transferring to a school in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Southeastern Conference or the state of Florida.

Marve was recently granted

permission to go to South Florida, Central Florida and any SEC school besides Florida, Tennessee and LSU. Officials at Miami insisted that the Marve family or their representatives were in contact with Florida, Tennessee and LSU during the 2008 season.

“The University of Miami has reason to believe that the Marve family or others on behalf of the Marve family contacted those institutions during the 2008 season regarding Robert’s potential transfer,” according to a University of Miami Athletic Department news release.

Marve told the AP he had not had any contact with those schools.

Even though Marve could transfer to one of the restricted schools, including LSU, he would have to miss a season.

Michael Bonnette, LSU’s sports information director, said he cannot comment on other team’s players per NCAA rules.

Marve redshirted his freshman year after he broke his wrist in a car crash.

Marve was expected to be the starter last season but was suspended for the season opener because of a team sanction related to his misdemeanor charge Oct. 31, 2007. The

JOHN RAOUX / The Associated Press

Miami quarterback Robert Marve looks on during the Sept. 6. game against Florida in Gainesville, Fla.

charges were later lifted.

The Marve saga continued when he was suspended for the Emerald Bowl against California because of a violation of team academic rules.

Marve’s addition to LSU would make for a crowded quarterback

situation in Baton Rouge.

If he transferred, Marve would join signal callers rising sophomore Jordan Jefferson, rising sophomore Jarrett Lee, rising junior Andrew Hatch, rising sophomore T.C. McCartney, five-star recruit Russell

Shepard and three-star recruit Chris Garrett as Tigers.

Contact Michael Lambert at mlambert@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

BASEBALL

Tigers ranked No. 2 in ’09 preseason poll

By Jerit Roser Sports Editor

LSU’s baseball team was ranked No. 2 in the 2009 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason poll released Tuesday.

The Tigers were already ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll released last month.

LSU coach Paul Mainieri said he was happy to receive the recognition, but downplayed the rankings’ significance after the release of the Collegiate Baseball poll.

“As long as I’m up here, it’s always going to be the goal of our team ... to have the best baseball team in the country — even though this is a very subjective thing,” he said. “We haven’t earned this on the field, but it’s nice to know that there’s some people out there that agree with me and our players.”

North Carolina, the team that

UNO, from page 5

cannot afford a loss and have to keep the momentum we have going.”

Chancellor said following Sunday’s 55-34 win against Alabama, he pulled aside two of the team’s five leaders and emphasized the importance of being motivated to beat their in-state rival.

“I told [junior guard Allison] Hightower and [sophomore guard Katherine] Graham that if we don’t play well, I’d hold you two responsible,” he said. “We have to win that game. There’s no ‘ifs,’ no ‘ands’ and no ‘maybes.’”

LSU (8-5, 2-0) comes into the game hot, having won seven of its last nine games, including the win against Alabama.

Since losing to No. 1 Connecticut on Jan. 3, the Lady Tigers have picked up their defensive effort.

In the two games since the loss, LSU has allowed 38 points per game and held opponents to 25 percent shooting.

“Here at LSU, we put a lot of pride in our defense,” Hightower said. “LSU’s known for their defense, and we don’t want to let that up.”

But LSU’s offense has also been more efficient as of late.

The Lady Tigers shoot 41 percent from the floor this season. But in the past six games, they have shot 45 percent from the floor.

One player who has helped the Lady Tigers’ efficiency is Graham.

Graham comes into the game fifth in the team in scoring, averaging 5.6 points per game. But the Birmingham, Ala., native leads the Lady Tigers in rebounding, assists and steals.

Graham had one of the best games of her career against Alabama, picking up 11 points, six rebounds and three steals.

With freshmen post players starting, Graham said Chancellor has emphasized rebounding to the team’s guards.

ended the Tigers’ 2008 season in Omaha, received the No. 1 spot in the NCBWA poll after Collegiate Baseball listed them No. 2 behind LSU. LSU is the highest ranked of five Southeastern Conference teams in the NCBWA top 35. No. 5 Georgia, No. 14 Ole Miss, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 24 Florida join the Tigers.

Georgia, Ole Miss and Kentucky received slightly lower rankings than their Collegiate Baseball Rankings, which were No. 4, No. 11 and No. 19, respectively. Florida received Collegiate Baseball’s No. 25 spot.

LSU also faces Tulane twice this season. The Green Wave were ranked No. 34 by both NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball.

Contact Jerit Roser at jroser@lsureveille.com “He told me that I had a good game and he likes what I did, but he wants me to block out more to secure some more rebounds,” she said.

New Orleans comes into the game having lost three of its past five games.

But the Privateers are 4-1 on the season against Louisiana competition, including a 3-0 record at home.

The Lady Tigers’ defense will have to contain UNO’s one-two punch on the perimeter, senior guard Jada Frazier and junior guard Brittany Helm.

The Privateers’ duo is combining to average 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game.

Hightower said despite UNO probably not being as highly rated as some of LSU’s recent opponents, the Lady Tigers know they will have to play well to earn a road win against an in-state opponent.

“Winning there is very important,” she said. “We have to stay focused and stay on track. UNO is going to play their best. [They will] play hard, so we have to match that.”

Contact Casey Gisclair at cgisclair@lsureveille.com

PAGE 7

MIRROR, from page 5

The Tigers have not played a home game since the Jan. 3 win against Southeastern Louisiana while the Gamecocks have not had to travel since their Jan. 2 upset of thenNo. 20 Baylor.

“I know the kids are excited about being back home,” Johnson said. “But our opponents — those are the ones we’re concerned about ... For us to continue to get better and not take steps back, we need to treat home and road the same.”

The Gamecocks will bring a more up-tempo style of play to Baton Rouge tonight.

South Carolina boasts the SEC’s No. 3 scoring offense, averaging 81 points per game.

But the Gamecocks’ defense hasn’t been as great, ranking eighth in the conference, allowing 65.3 points per ‘For us to game.On the continue to other end of the get better spectrum, the offense ... we need Tigers’ is ranked No. to treat 7 in the conhome and ference, while scoring road the their defense sits at same.’ No. 3, holding Trent Johnson opponents to just 61.6 points men’s basketball per game. coach That defense will be tested early by the SEC’s third-leading scorer, South Carolina junior guard Devan Downey, who averages 19.7 points per game. The combination of Fredrick and Downey gives the Gamecocks two of the conferences top-10 scorers.

It’s even possible Downey could serve as doppelganger to LSU senior guard Marcus Thornton. Thornton finished the last season as the SEC’s No. 2 scorer, averaging 19.6 points per game, while Downey finished third with 18.4.

One year later, Downey sits at No. 3 with his 19.7 average while Thornton sits at No. 5, averaging 18.5.

“Our transition ‘D’ is probably going to be tested unlike it’s been tested all year long, just because of their explosiveness,” Johnson said. “They basically play with five guards ... We all know we need to bring our ‘A’ game and defend with a sense of urgency.”

JERIT ROSER / The Daily Reveille

Senior center Chris Johnson goes up for a jump shot Dec. 17 in the Tigers’ 68-56 win against Nicholls State in the PMAC.

Pluckers wing bar Trivia at 8. $4 34 oz Mother Plucker Mugs.

If you don’t like our wings, we’ll give you the bird.

Mellow Mushroom pizza Bakers Trivia and Karaoke Night 5-10pm: $5 Domestic Pitchers, $6 Abita Pitchers

Contact David Helman at dhelman@lsureveille.com

9-10:30pm Fargo 12:00-1:30pm Get Smart 7-9:30pm The Dark Knight

PAGE 10 HESTER, from page 5 of just coming where he’s already established,” Katie Hester said.

“He’s having to come in and get his name in there again and fight for his spot.”

Jacob Hester said he was “low on the totem pole” in his first season, but he and Chargers coach Norv Turner have developed a solid relationship.

“You get some tough love, but a coach just wants to bring out the best in you,” he said.

Jacob Hester said days as an NFL player are much different from college.

“You don’t have class or anything to break things up,” he said.

“You have football from 7 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, so you don’t really have time for anything else but football.”

The Shreveport native got his chance to break into the lineup Nov. 23 when starting fullback Mike Tolbert left the Chargers’ game against the Indianapolis Colts with a shoulder injury.

Hester scored his first NFL touchdown that night on a 1-yard pass from quarterback Philip Rivers.

“That was the best feeling I think I’ve ever had,” he said.

San Diego lost that game, 23-20, and fell to 4-7, putting the Chargers close to being eliminated from playoff contention.

Katie Hester said she was fully prepared to go back to Baton Rouge, where she and Jacob just bought a house, after the end of the regular season.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

But the Chargers defied expectations and defeated the Denver Broncos in the season finale to win the AFC West title with an 8-8 record. They were the first team to capture a division crown with a non-winning record since the Cleveland Browns in 1985.

“When we were 7-8, Denver was one game ahead of us,” Jacob Hester said. “When we were coming back on the plane and found out they lost and that if we beat them we would win the championship, it was a new season.”

Katie Hester said the anticipation was taxing for her.

“We are a team that waits until the very last minute to do things,” she said. “So I have been so stressed and feel like a heart attack is coming on sometime soon just because we can’t ever do anything early.”

San Diego’s playoff run began with a 23-17 overtime upset of the Colts on Jan. 3.

“Indy was the trendy pick to go all the way in the AFC, and everybody said we didn’t have much of a chance against them,” Jacob Hester said.

The Chargers’ 35-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday ended their season, but Jacob said the team recognized how impressive its resurgence was.

“It’s tough losing being two games away from the Super Bowl,” he said. “We realized what kind of season we had, being 4-8 and coming back to win the division and a playoff game.

It’s never been done in NFL his-

tory, so we knew we did something special that will push us more for next year.”

Jacob Hester finished his rookie year with 19 rushes for 95 yards, 15 receptions for 110 yards and two total touchdowns.

He also contributed on special teams with three kickoff returns for 42 yards.

Off the field, Jacob and Katie still keep in touch with LSU running backs Charles Scott and Keiland Williams, as well as former Tiger quarterback Matt Flynn, who was in the couple’s wedding.

Katie Hester said they have also found niches with the Chargers. “[Jacob] has some great friends,” she said. “Philip [Rivers] has actually brought the ‘hick’ out of Jacob because he’s gotten him getting cowboy boots and all this crazy stuff.”

Jacob Hester said he has also been close with former LSU teammate Craig Davis, who is in his second year as a Chargers wide receiver. Davis was placed on injured reserve Nov. 20.

Jacob and Katie said while their first season in San Diego was great, they are ready to enjoy the offseason in Baton Rouge.

“We’re coming back to Baton Rouge, and I’ll work out with some of the guys from LSU and enjoy some time off,” he said.

Contact Rachel Whittaker at rwhittaker@lsureveille.com

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Former LSU running back Jacob Hester lunges into Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis in the Tigers’ 38-24 win in the 2007 BCS National Championship game in New Orleans.

Daily Reveille file photo

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 GAZA, from page 1

Billowing smoke from war-torn structures fills the Gaza skies where Hussein’s family and home are deep in the middle of a dangerous conflict.

Hussein’s cousin was killed, and his brother was injured during Israel’s daily attacks on Gaza.

“Sometimes you feel like Israel doesn’t have to care about anybody,” said Hussein, University graduate student and Gaza native.

“Sometimes you feel like they just want to ruin your life. Gaza is very crowded. If you’re bombarded by tanks, it’s nothing but killing innocent people,” The escalation of violence began Dec. 27 when Israeli forces launched an air assault on the Gaza Strip to end rocket attacks the Gaza leadership group Hamas made against Israel. The current conflict has taken the lives of 13 Israelis, three of whom were civilians.

The death toll on the Palestinian side has reached an estimated 970, half of which are women and children. There have also been an estimated 4,300 injured as Israeli forces continue airstrikes and press further into the Israeli occupied Gaza strip.

A week ago, Hussein’s cousin, Ahmed Hussein, attempted to rescue survivors inside of a building recently hit by Israeli rockets. Soon after, Israeli F-16s pummeled the building, this time destroying the entire structure and killing Ahmed.

Stories like Hussein’s are common throughout Gaza as the current conflict enters its 19th day.

“I am very worried,” Hussein said. “Thirty percent of Gaza has been destroyed so far.”

Hussein’s brother, Nedal Hussein, was the victim of an Israeli attack.

“On Al Jazeera I saw pictures of an injured guy, and I was like, ‘Who is this guy? Who is this guy?’” Hussein said. “I didn’t know my own brother. His face had been swollen from the strike.”

Fady Hussein then called his mother, who told him of their family’s loss. Nedal Hussein was injured by a rocket and was transferred to Egypt for surgery.

A controversial topic among University students and professors

WEST, from page 1

in Hawaii in March.

Four members of Congress want the Department of Labor to monitor the search for a new executive director, according to a letter obtained

by The Associated Press.

The Congress members asked that a detailed report of the search be provided to ensure the integrity of the search process and to ensure the search is compliant with all rules and regulations of the Department of Labor.

West didn’t play professional football but lettered three years as outside linebacker and tight end for Lou Holtz at Notre Dame.

Gov. Mike Foster appointed West to the Board of Supervisors’ 2000. West was elected chairman of the Board in 2006.

West also serves on the board of Allstate Sugar Bowl, First Bank and Trust and is a commissioner of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Contact Leslie Presnall at lpresnall@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE is who is to blame for this eruption of violence.

Krista Allen, history junior and representative of the Tigers for Israel group, blames the Hamas rockets for terrorizing and provoking defensive measures from Israel.

“When you are being fired on at your population centers, you have the right to defend yourself from what is happening,” Allen said.

Mark Gasiorowski, political science and international studies professor, said Israel has created a humanitarian situation in Gaza, leading to rockets being fired from Gaza.

During the last few months, Israel has restricted humanitarian support and supplies from entering Gaza, letting only about 20 percent of supplies into the region. About half of Gaza’s population is eating only one meal daily because of these restrictions. This refusal to lift the blockade on goods and trade in and out of Gaza seems to be the reason for Hamas rocket attacks, Gasiorowski said.

Edward Shihadeh, sociology professor, blames Israel for “one of the most deplorable stories of colonialism remaining today” and provoking the attacks.

“I’ve been to Gaza once,” Shihadeh said. “It’s a hell hole. It is one of the most crowded places on earth, and it is one of the poorest places on earth. For the people there, it is a prison.”

Israel controls everything and everyone going in and out of Gaza because Israel has blockaded every border with Gaza, Shihadeh said.

“Imagine if someone hemmed the United States in and started starving us,” Shihadeh said. “We would be launching missiles, too. If you were living there, you would be doing the same damn thing.”

Barry Weinstein, B’nai Israel Synagogue Rabbi emeritus and former University professor, said any blockade on Gaza is not the reason for the conflict, claiming Israel has sent humanitarian aid into the region.

The reason rockets are falling is because Hamas denies Israel the right to exist, Weinstein said. The cease-fire will happen when rockets stop falling on Israel, and there is

PAGE 11

ABDALRAHEM KHATEB / The Associated Press

An explosion from an Israeli airstrike is seen Tuesday in Rafah in the southern Gaza strip. Israeli troops advanced into Gaza suburbs for the first time early Tuesday, residents said.

no way Israel can allow its population to be subject to these attacks, he said.

Hussein feels this escalation in violence is a harsh reaction and the wrong solution to the conflict.

“If you curse me, can I kill you?” Hussein asked. “No, because it has to be proportionate. They [Israel] cannot stop the rockets. Hamas stopping the rockets and Israel stopping the blockade ­— that is the solution.”

Gaza’s dense population creates a lethal situation for Hussein’s family and Gaza civilians during this Israeli offensive, Hussein said. There are more than 1.5 million people living in Gaza’s 140 square miles, according to the CIA. An average household has 15 to 20 people, so any rocket fired or bomb dropped by Israel will kill people, Hussein said.

About 15 people live in two rooms at Hussein’s home in Gaza with no other place to take refuge from the violence.

“The whole neighborhood got threatened that the airforce will hit the area,” Hussein said. “At the same time, you have no place to go.

Any target that moves, they throw

rockets at it. You can’t drive a car.

You can’t go to your neighbors. You can’t do anything … Now my family starts to run out of many things.”

University students are continents removed from the conflict but are still affected by this continuing turmoil in the Middle East. America spends billions of dollars in the Middle East, and oil prices are higher now than when the Middle East is calm, Gasiorowski said.

Shihadeh said the average American should care more about the conflict because they are financing it.

“We pour billions of dollars into Israel, arming it to the teeth to keep

this imperfect system going,” Shihadeh said. “We should create a system where we don’t have to prop it up with billions of dollars in weapons every year for the last six decades.”

Hussein is set to graduate in May, but he has no place to go thereafter. He can’t return home because he will not be let in.

“Everything in Gaza is destroyed,” Hussein said. “My passport expired. And to make a new one you have to go the Interior Ministry, and it is not anymore.”

Contact Xerxes A. Wilson at xwilson@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Opinion

PAGE 12

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

FREEMAN OF SPEECH

Illinois surpasses Louisiana as corruption capital Living in Louisiana is a lot like being on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras: none of the abundant, scandalous activity surprises anyone — only because everyone looks like they’re having a great time.

It’s a good way to describe the corruption in this state, although the corruption crown has shifted slightly further up the Mississippi River.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested and indicted for trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. Blagojevich was quoted as saying, “I’ve got this thing, and it’s fucking golden. I’m not giving it up for fucking nothing,” according to wiretaps taken by the FBI. In addition to threatening to withhold millions in Medicaid reimbursements to a children’s hospital if the CEO failed to contribute $50,000 to his campaign fund, the embattled governor is also accused of planning extortion and trying to force the Chicago-based Tribune Company to fire editorial writers in exchange for a tax break allegedly worth $100 million.

The Illinois House of Representatives impeached Blagojevich — 114 to 1, with one member voting ‘present’ — and at the time of this column, he awaits trial from the Illinois Senate.

In lieu of resigning his position, the governor instead appointed former state Attorney General Roland Burris, 71, to fill the vacant Senate seat.

The appointment caused a predictable stir around the Capitol and across the mainstream Eric media, as the Freeman, Jr. race card once Columnist again showed its ugly face in the form of Rep. Bobby Rush, asking the media “not to hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointor,” while calling the U.S. Senate “the last bastion of plantation politics,” according to The Associated Press.

The media circus sparked

by Blagojevich’s actions brings Illinois — yes, Illinois — back to its true place atop the corruption

echelon in America.

A columnist hailing from the home state of Huey P. Long and Edwin Edwards is claiming — nay, asserting — that Illinois was, is and will continue to be the most corrupt state in the nation’s history.

According to Time Magazine, Blagojevich is the first governor in Illinois history to be impeached but is the sixth Illinois governor to be subject to arrest or indictment.

His predecessor, George Ryan, was convicted in April 2006 on 18 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, mail and tax fraud and lying to the FBI. The former governor was exposed for trading truck operators’ licenses for political contributions, as well as exchanging government favors for family vacations, tickets to events and other gifts.

Ironically, when Blagojevich was elected governor, becoming the first Democrat to be elected governor of Illinois in 30 years, he pledged to end a “Republican legacy of corruption, mismanagement and lost opportunities.”

Illinois corruption dates back to the 1920s, when former

Gov. Lennington Small was charged with embezzling over $1 million in state funds.

Small went on trial in 1922 but was acquitted and would serve seven more years in office, of course after giving state jobs to four jurors from the trial.

Otto Kerner was indicted and convicted in 1973 of bribery, conspiracy, income tax evasion, mail fraud and perjury, stemming from deals made with a horse racing association, promising favorable race dates in exchange for $356,000 worth of stock.

Dan Walker became governor the year Kerner was convicted but left office to start a savings and loan business, only to be indicted for making $1.4 million in fraudulent loans to provide maintenance to his private yacht.

After his death in 1970, former Ill. Secretary of State Paul Powell — no relation to Colin — had his house raided, only to find shoeboxes full of checks, totaling more than $800,000, made out by Illinois residents thinking they were paying license registration fees.

Also found in space he

rented: 49 cases of whiskey, 14 transistor radios and two cases of creamed corn. When it was all settled in 1978, his estate was estimated to be worth $4.6 million, including $1 million in racetrack stock.

Considering he was in public office for 42 years, never earning more than $30,000 a year, Powell lived the fullest of his personal motto: “There’s only one thing worse than a defeated politician, and that’s a broke one.”

Only the coming weeks will tell whether Blagojevich will resign from office or be forced out by the Illinois Senate. But the day Robert Grant of the FBI’s Chicago office announced Blagojevich’s indictment, he said, “If [Illinois] isn’t the most corrupt state in the United States, it’s certainly one hell of a competitor.”

Bad news for Illinois: If corruption were a baseball player, Illinois would be Barry Bonds.

Contact Eric Freeman, Jr. at efreeman@lsureveille.com

LOUISIANIMAL

Louisiana still upstages Illinois in corruption Louisiana is the most corrupt state in the nation, according to a Department of Justice congressional report in 2006.

Some say the Big Easy — or, more appropriately, the Big Sleazy — should step aside and relinquish its throne. They say the Crescent City crown should be forfeited to one of its closest competitors (at least in terms of federal convictions for public officials).

But we must have faith that the leaders of the Pelican state will not bow to the pressure of their critics and stand idly by while public officials from some prairie state try to steal their glory.

For years, federal judges have thrown out convictions like it was Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street, with our public officials standing in for big-breasted women.

But some go further, claiming Illinois — which ranked in the bottom half of the top-10 most corrupt states — has always been and will always be the most corrupt state.

Illinois may be ahead in a headline horse race — but when it comes to a rich history of corruption, Louisiana still reigns supreme.

Just ask David Duke about

supremacy.

Duke, former Louisiana state representative and gubernatorial candidate, served time in prison for tax fraud.

Oh yeah — and he’s a former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Duke ran against former governor Edwin Edwards, who served an unprecedented four terms as Louisiana governor from 1972-1996, with a brief four-year vacation thanks to former governor Buddy Roemer.

Edwards is now serving 10 years for racketeering charges. In unrelated news, his son was released from federal prison last year.

Sometimes corruption in Louisiana is so common, it comes just as sure as a last name.

See: Morial, Jefferson, Long.

In 2005, former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial’s administration came under federal investigation.

That same year, former Rep. William Jefferson, D-La, came under intense investigation as well.

Since then, three of Morial’s and three of Jefferson’s close relatives have been convicted on corruption charges.

And don’t forget the Long family. Sure, Huey and Earl gave out

THE DAILY REVEILLE Editorial Board KYLE WHITFIELD TYLER BATISTE GERRI SAX DANIEL LUMETTA ERIC FREEMAN, JR. TRAVIS ANDREWS MATTHEW ALBRIGHT

Editor Managing Editor, Content Managing Editor, External Media Opinion Editor Columnist Columnist Columnist

free textbooks and improved infrastructure, but they also stole, lied and cheated elections.

One of America’s most popular and admired presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt, once called Huey one of the most dangerous men in America.

And this was at a time when the world faced the worst economic times in modern history — at a time when tyrants were plotting global conquest.

The state faces a coastal crisis that pales in comparison to its ethical erosion.

Sure, there’s Daniel always Gov. Lumetta Bobby Jindal and that whole ethics Opinion Editor reform thing, but Jindal is running for another office now.

Don’t expect his changes to last.

Marc Petanaude, Louisiana history instructor here on campus, noted Louisiana’s governors have historically been successful in their attempts to swindle the federal government out of money.

Petanaude referred to the 1939

scandals involving officials in various levels of government — including former LSU system president James Smith and former Gov. Richard Leche — who took money primarily from the Works Project Administration.

“One of the more interesting stories about the 1939 scandals was Smith spent $500,000 on the commodities market and after he lost that money, he basically stole another half million and fled the country,” Petanaude said.

“And this is in 1939 dollars while the Great Depression was still going on,” he added.

There is sufficient time and space to simply mention Eddie Jordan, Katrina, the levee board, federal disaster funding, looters, FEMA, education and the New Orleans Police Department — who are the kindest, most caring, best overall police officers in the land.

With a cherry on top.

But this isn’t where Louisiana’s corruption tally ends.

First, corruption can only be measured through the prism of public data. There’s no telling how much corruption Louisiana’s public officials get away with.

Second, the aforementioned corruption rankings are inaccurate to begin with — the Justice Department statistics don’t include prosecutions by state district attorneys or attorney generals.

The DOJ estimated about 80 percent of public corruption prosecutions are brought by federal officials.

In sum, unreported corruption and at least 20 percent of all public corruption charges did not figure in the rankings.

But to consider when the state’s corruption problems will end is a waste of time. If Louisiana citizens are serious about corruption, they must look where corruption begins — with voters.

Maybe Louisiana doesn’t need to drop the “Laissez le bon temps rouler” motto.

But maybe it’s time to replace “c’est la vie” with “c’est va.”

Tell “ya mom and ‘em” to quit voting for crooks.

Contact Daniel Lumetta at dlumetta@lsureveille.com

EDITORIAL POLICIES & PROCEDURES

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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.

“Half of Louisiana is under water and the other half is under indictment.”

Billy Tauzin Former American Congressman June 14, 1943 - present

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

OUR VIEW

Opinion

PAGE 13

Higher education costs demand University’s attention As long as current trends continue, college will soon become unaffordable for most Americans, according to a report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

Among the findings of the study: Public college tuition and fees have increased 439 percent from

1982 to 2007. Median family income has increased only 147 percent during that same time.

Student borrowing has more than doubled in the last decade.

Students from low-income families get smaller grants from colleges than students from higher income families.

And that’s not all.

Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, told The New York Times the nation can’t afford the current system of higher education — which he claimed is financed by middle class debt.

The study found net costs of a four-year public university represents more than 25 percent of median family income while a private

university exacted a toll of more than 75 percent of median family income.

The report referred to large tuition increases, budget cuts and enrollment cuts as causes for concern.

David Shulenburger, co-author of the report, suggested raising tuition when people can afford it, not during hard economic times like the

ones we now face.

We want to bring these figures to the University’s attention and implore the administration to think about the long-term consequences of these facts.

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

GRAY MATTERS

Humanist community offers church without God

Have you ever found yourself visiting a church and telling yourself, “Wow — look how great this church is. I wish I had someplace I could send my kids that would be this caring — but I don’t know if I want them learning about all this God stuff. Whatever am I to do?”

Well fear not, my frustrated faith-queasy friends. There’s a new trend emerging that may be right for you.

An emerging humanist “congregation” has developed at the Harvard campus in Boston, according to The Washington Post.

Humanism, like most religious phenomena, is hard to precisely define. The term generally applies to a belief system that places a high importance on rationality and reason and espouses an ethical philosophy that holds the dignity and worth of all human beings to be paramount.

Pinning down an exact definition of humanism in terms of religious beliefs is especially dicey.

Though religious humanists — those that apply humanist philosophical principles to an existing faith — do exist, humanism generally lacks any significant form of belief in a higher

power.

Humanism generally disdains using so-called “transcendental truths”, or supernatural explanations for physical or moral phenomena.

It is important to note that humanism is separate from atheism and agnosticism; humanists can be said to be “ignostic”— indifferent to the existence of gods. Atheism, the belief that no god or Matthew gods exist, and Albright agnosticism, the Columnist belief that humanity cannot know whether god or gods exist, are both strictly religious phenomena because they are rooted in a belief (or lack thereof) about spiritual beings.

Humanism, in comparison, doesn’t necessarily define its philosophies in terms of gods. Though humanists disapprove of trying to use spiritual or supernatural forces to explain the world, the forces that act upon it or the moral and ethical

interactions that impact humanity, most do not outright reject the possibility of a god.

In their view, the existence — or non-existence — of God is largely irrelevant.

Many humanists are young intellectuals who have broken from the religious traditions of their childhood during their college careers.

Now that these young adults are emerging from their educations and becoming adults with real responsibilities, they find themselves in a major dilemma, especially when it comes to raising their children.

As humanists, they do not attend church and do not wish to send their children. They are wary of placing their kids in an environment they perceive to be largely irrational, specifically when it comes to the creationism vs. evolution debate.

In addition, they believe children should come to a decision on their religious beliefs based on their own thinking and rationality, and a church — in their opinion — is not conducive to such a process.

Yet these new humanist parents still feel impelled to fill the church-

shaped hole in their lives. They long to find a community of like-minded people, with whom they can bond and share their beliefs. They long to find an environment where their kids can do the same, in a place that will help them come to their own decisions on how they view the world around them.

In other words, they are looking for a church with no God. The phenomenon is not really a significant one — yet. But there is great potential for the movement to spread rapidly because it is perfectly suited for the demographic that least attends traditional services — college students.

Countless studies have indicated that church attendance plummets in the college-age demographic for a multitude of reasons — from the mind-opening, doubt-inducing nature of a collegiate education to the simple freedom to break from a tradition they were likely unwilling participants in.

These same studies all point to another, connected trend: church attendance rises just as sharply at precisely the age when participants start trying to raise kids.

It seems new parents, searching desperately for stability for themselves and their kids, tend to turn back to the nest once practical concerns outweigh intellectual ideals.

A humanist congregation provides an alternative. Instead of returning like the prodigal son to the fold, young graduates might find an alternative.

That assumes, of course, the phenomenon spreads. Though the conditions for the spread might be right, a humanist church — and humanism in general — is rooted in a kind of intellectualism usually found only on a college campus.

It seems unlikely that anywhere except for the most academic of environments will be a fertile breeding ground for the movement.

Still, Christian churches need to keep an eye on it. If the humanist church starts to blossom, mainstream Christianity can either find a way to retain its college-age students or start working on a mindcontrol machine.

Contact Matthew Albright at malbright@lsureveille.com

METAIRIE’S FINEST

Les Miles needs to focus on football before fame

Coors Light inadvertently destroyed the LSU football program.

While this statement is blatantly ridiculous and untrue in many regards, it should be examined by LSU football coach Les Miles when considering his team’s image.

It seems as if Miles is nationally promoting himself more than his football team, and cheap beer from the Rocky Mountain Springs has opened that door for him.

Coors Light has been pushing its television advertising campaign featuring actual clips of NFL head coaches in press conferences. They are spliced with scripted questions from young men drinking Coors Light, and they are cut to make the coaches answer questions about the beer.

The setup allows for the beer to be advertised and a few jokes to be dropped throughout.

Because of the commercials, NFL coaches were suddenly

appearing in commercial breaks during shows that had nothing to do with football.

In a world of simple celebrity, football coaches were highlighted.

And Miles almost leads the charge of using celebrity status to promote things other than his team.

He has never been in a Coors Light commercial but is one of the faces of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and Cox Cable.

He also appeared in a commercial for ESPN’s SportsCenter, wearing a small LSU logo on his knit collared shirt.

Any press is good press, and Miles appearing in commercials is not a bad thing by any means. Anything that will promote LSU football or LSU in general can only be beneficial.

But these commercials do not promote LSU football in anyway.

And, even if they did, following a 8-5 season probably isn’t the right

time to be flaunting either our program or our coach.

Even if Miles is a celebrity.

While Miles’ fame began after a winning season and will be a lasting legacy, it is easy to expound upon his fame while turning his shoulder, however slightly, on his football program.

Of course, his ESPN commercial was filmed when riding the Travis fame of winning Andrews the National Columnist Championship, but he should be wary of what commercials he chooses to do next.

With today’s instant media, it becomes increasingly easy to be a celebrity. Take Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computers, for example.

Lately, Jobs hasn’t been able to make as many public appearances because

of a hormonal imbalance.

I really can’t think of a reasonable explanation as to why the world knows this.

But we do.

This is the world we live in.

So there is nothing immediately wrong with Miles taking extra pay on the side from commercials, but it raises two important points: Does he need the money, and does this help LSU in any way?

While commenting on his financial needs is an extremely subjective action, according the nonclassified salary database on The Daily Reveille Web site, Miles’ base salary $300,000 a year. It can be safely assumed Miles isn’t hurting for change.

And while his commercial fame might help LSU football get a good recruit or two — thus earning the school more money and helping LSU in general — this probably is not the case.

All that will probably happen is people will get slightly annoyed that Miles is promoting a company that has very little investment in LSU. At least when his face is up on a Cane’s billboard, LSU fans can think, “Cane’s is an LSU institution in some ways.”

ESPN is not, nor will it ever be.

Most children, after breaking their family crystal, wouldn’t want their mother to appear on the front of Good Parenting. We shouldn’t assume LSU football players want their coach promoting sports shows when they can’t win games.

It’s time to focus on rebuilding the football program into another National Championship team.

More commercials can come later.

Contact Travis Andrews at tandrews@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 14

PLACE YOUR AD TODAY Got something to sell? Want to make an announcement? Need to find an apartment or roommate?

With the potential to reach over 33,000 LSU students, faculty and staff, there is no better way to advertise. Not only do we print twice a week, but there is no additional charge to place your classified ad on the world wide web at www.lsureveille.com. Just click “classifieds,” where your ad can be viewed on our website, that averages up to 65,000 unique visitors a week. For more information, please call (225) 578-6090.

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CLASSIFIEDS INDEX HELP WANTED PERSON A L S FOR S A L E FOR RENT T YPING R O O M M ATES SEEKING TICKET S LOS T A N D F O U N D T R AV E L M I S C E L L ANEOUS

CLASSIFIEDS POLICY

The Daily Reveille is not responsible for the content of any classified and reserves the right to reject any ad. Advertisers must agree to accept the type sizes and styles of The Daily Reveille. No refunds will be made for errors in the classifieds, as ads are proofed by the person placing the ad. No refunds will be given in the event of an overrun, as advertisers select thier own dates in which to insert the ad. In the event of error, immediate notice must be given to the staff: the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. All claims and adjustments must be made no later than 15 days after publication.

Deadline for ads is 12 noon two working days prior to the print publication date.

ADS MUST BE PAID FOR IN ADVANCE BY CHARGE ON OUR WEB SITE AT CLASSIFIEDS.LSUREVEILLE.COM.

Classifieds OUT AN APPLICATION. 225.924.1353 HELP WANTED G Y M N AS T I C S / T U M B L I N G I N S TRUCTOR C. G.’s Gymnastics Inc. is searching for knowledgeable, reliable, & committed staff. 225.275.5597 EXTENDED DAY COUNSELOR: The A. C. Lewis YMCA is now hiring for (Extended Day) Before and After School Care Counselors. Monday-Friday after-noons from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Pay Rate $7.25.

Please e-mail resume, apply in person, or contact Eddrick Martin if interested.

225.924.3606.

EXTENDED DAY AREA SUPERVISOR The Before and After School Care Area Supervisor will be responsible for daily visits to various area school sites. The supervisor will also assist other counselors and provide care and supervision of students enrolled in the YMCA extended day program. Must be available evenings Monday-Friday from 3pm-7pm.

Pay Rate $8.00-$9.00/ hr. Please e-mail resume, apply in person, or contact Eddrick Martin if interested. emartin@ymcabatonrouge.org 225.924.3606 SUBWAY 4250 Burbank, next to Izzos.

Fast, fun, friendly. No late nights. Day shifts available. Eat Fresh!

STUDENT S TO WORK with children/ adults with disabilities. Several positions, various hours. Apply: St. John the Baptist Human Services, 7732 Goodwood Blvd, Suite A-1 225.216.1199 STRONG RELIABLE MALE needed to Check-In Inventory at Interiors/ Gift Store, Hang Mirrors, Move Furniture; $8/hr FlexHrs.15-20 hrs/ wk. Call 754-7400 STOMAS FURNITURE We are in need of a PT office clerk to work Tues, Thurs, Sat. Primary responsibilities include data entry, daily balancing, electronic filing, etc... Please apply in person at: 12550 Perkins Road 225-819-9202 DRUSILL A SEAFOOD is now hiring...waitstaff, bartenders, cashiers and kitchen help. Apply in person at 3482 Drusilla Lane.

FRONT DESK COORDIN ATOR Hiring Full/Part-Time Front Desk Coordinator Must have great people skills and office experience a plus. Please call (225) 7694100.

GREYS TONE GOLF &COUNTRY CLUB is now accepting NEW applications for bartenders, servers, cooks, and beverage cart attendants. Please call Diane Newman 225.667.674 GR APHIC DESIGN LPCA is seeking a Graphic Design student intern to design and produce materials to promote Louisiana’s Health Centers.

225.927.7662 WORK AT N E W A L E X B O X S U I T E S !

Hosts/hostesses needed to work 2009 baseball games at new Alex Box Stadium $7.50/hour.

578-8617 COLLEGE S TUDENT S: Make $5-$25 per survey. Do it in your spare time. www.

GetPaidToThink.com A N I M A L H E A LT H C L I N I C NOW HIRING FOR FT/PT VETERINARY TECHNICIANS WITH A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE. WE ARE LOOKING FOR A PERSON WHO IS A QUICK LEARNER AND SELF MOTIVATED. PLEASE COME BY TO FILL

FLOR AL DESIGNER(1)/DRIVER(1) positions available for 1 floral designer and 1 delivery driver. Salary BOE. Must be able to work full days. Part time ok. call Steven @ 225-928-3801 225.928.3801 TJ RIBS - A C A D I A N IS CURRENTLY SEEKING SERVERS, BARTENDERS, & HOSTS. APPLY IN PERSON AT 2324 S. ACADIAN THRUWAY, BATON ROUGE, LA. **EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER** C I TADEL BROADCAS TING is seeking a Program Director for WCDV Baton Rouge.

AC Sunny 103-3 is looking the for the all purpose PD. Can you program, do music, on-air, promotions, web and be Station Ambassador? Get MP3 and Resume to hr.batonrouge@citcomm.com ASAP. Citadel Broadcasting is an Equal Opportunity Employer. AA. Females / Minorities encouraged to apply.

N I N O ’ S I T A L I A N R E S T AU R A N T Nino’s is hiring servers/kitchen staff. Parttime, Full-time, lunch/dinner, flexible schedules. Accepting applications/interviews between 11/2 Mon-Fri. Or call to schedule interview. 225.757.9300 LIFEGUARDS & SWIM INS TRUCTORS WANTED ASAP! Certified Lifeguards and Swim Instructors. Great opportunity! Flex schedules. Apply in person to: Paula G. Manship YMCA, 8100 YMCA Plaza Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70810. (225) 7679622 ask for Anthony PICK UP/DELIVERY DRIVER Needed Busy Dental Laboratory has position available. Must be neat in appearance and have clean driving record. Drug screening required. 225.201.0880 AFTER SCHOOL CARE WORKERS Needed ASAP for local private school. Great for education majors. M-F 230p-6p; Some holiday care. Send resume to lindsayv29@gmail.com OFFICE POSITION Moore Construction is looking for an office assistant for bookkeeping and general office duties. Willing to work with schedule, but would like MWF or T TH Please call 751-4120 x200 P E R F E C T PA R T T I M E P O S I T I O N Afternoon Preschool Teacher needed for child care center near LSU.2:30-5:30 M-F 225-766-1159 DENTAL OFFICE P/T dental assistant/receptionist needed for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Great opportunity for those interested in medical/dental field. Please fax resume to 225.766.2122 DENTAL L AB ASSIS TANT Part-time position available with flexible hours; 20 hours per week; sterilization, inventory and other related duties; uniforms provided; $7.50/hr.; fax resume 293-3218.

225.292.8121 RECORDING S TUDIO OFFICE HELP Must be able to work Mon, Wed, Fri. 4hr each day. Hours are flexible around class schedule. For more information contact Sockit Studio 225-216-0167 R E C E P T I O N I S T n e e d e d f o r f r i e n d l y, relaxed dental of fice. Great Dr.& Staf f .

Need good computer & phone skills.

Experience a plus but not necessar y. MTh 8-5:30, Fri 8-12. Send resume to resume70806@yahoo.com 225.706.1595 TEACHERS NEEDED Fist Baptist Church PDO

3yr. room Days T&Th hr. 9-2pm/ Also PRN postions. call 225.767.4080 WE PAY UP TO $75 per online survey. www. CashToSpend.com ECG TECHNICIAN Attn Medical Students:: part time positions in local hospitals, after hours, weekend shifts, occasional overnight on weekends. Energetic, mature, responsible please. Extensive training, then $9.00 hr. Apply at 12133 Industriplex Blvd., Baton Rouge or fax 225/751-3284.

PBRC S TUDY: The purpose of this study is to determine how your body weight today impacts your health in the future.

Participants (age 18-40 years) will be placed on a higher calorie meal plan for 8 weeks. All meals will be provided to you at no cost. Call today 763.3000 !BAR TENDING! Up to $300/Day. No Experience Necessary. Training Provided.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009 Age 18+ OK 1-800-965-6520 xt127 NATION AL BENCH ADVER TISING Part time or full time Some heavy lifting involved Flexible hours Must have valid drivers license 573-3363 or 767-7535 VARSIT Y THEATRE The Varsity Theatre is looking for security staff. Flexible scheduling available.

Great school job.

Email chris@varsitytheatre.com, brent@varsitytheatre.com or stop by The Chimes on Highland to fill out an application. 225.383.7018 P A R R A I N ’ S S E A F O O D R E S T AU R A N T Now Hiring Waitstaff Apply in Person Mon - Fri 3225 Perkins Road 225-381-9922 P A R R A I N ’ S S E A F O O D R E S T AU R A N T

THE DAILY REVEILLE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009 Now Hiring Line Cooks Apply in Person Mon - Fri 3225 Perkins Road 225-381-9922 EARN EXTR A MONEY Students needed ASAP Earn up to $150 per day being a mystery shopper No Experience Required Call 1-800-722-4791 PARKVIEW BAPTIS T PRESCHOOL Preschool Teachers needed 3-6 p.m. flex days. 225.293.9447 G ALLERY ATTENDANT S LSU Museum of Art, Shaw Center. $8/ hr. Monitor galleries; answer visitor questions. 3 ?- & 4hour shifts; min. 7 hrs/ week. Tues. Sat., Sun. afternoons. Contact: Fran Huber, fhuber@lsu.edu, 225.389.7214 BABYSITTER NEEDED Babysitter needed for children ages 3&5. Hours T, Th 1:306:30. Reliable transportation needed. $10/hr. E-mail availability and resume to lchoate@lsu.edu

ed. $1250. 225.266.407 6 1 BR ON BURBANK - RENT $525 Available February 1st. or sooner. The Willows Apartments. www.lsubr.com for pictures/ floorplan. 4243 Burbank. $300 deposit. No pets, not even visiting. Leave a message. 978-1649 TIGER MANOR CONDOMINIUMS. U N I T S R E A D Y F O R S P R I N G & F ALL 2009! Brand new 1, 2, & 3 bedrooms available.

R e s e r v e y o u r u n i t t o d a y ! Wa l k t o c l a s s !

3000 July St. 225-346-5055. www . t i g e r manor.com

1 & 2 BD RM CONDO FR REN JUST OUTSIDE THE SOUTH GATES OF LSU. FRIG, WSHR/ DRYR, MICRO, STOVE, DECK. 4264, 4278 595.00 695.00 & 995.00.

323.691.3129

ROOMMATES

APAR TMENT FOR RENT Sublease 3br/3ba apt with two females. $489/ mth includes cable/ internet/ water.

Gated/ on bus route 318.974.0977

FOR SALE

FEMALES NEED ROOMMATE for 3bd/2ba house in Nicholson Lakes LSU $495 +1/3util 225-933-3477

CHERRY BED WITH MATTRESS SET Both NEW in boxes with warranty $395 225.924.5336 L SU AREA - New 3BR, 3 1/2 bath, 1837 LA - Attached garage, Gated Complex, Granite Counter Tops, Stained Floors Appliances included - Open Daily - 10 to 5. $233,000 to $252,000. Jane St. Amant - Keller Williams - 225-937-6430 225.769.4342 TIGER MANOR CONDOMINIUMS. U N I T S R E A D Y F O R S P R I N G & F ALL 2009!!

Brand new 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units for s a l e s t a r ting at $124,900. Ask about our Guaranteed Buy -Back Program!!

3000 July St. 225-346-5055 www . t i g e r manor.com FOR S ALE ’94 4RUNNER SR5 - Great OffRoad vehicle potential! White, V6, 4WD, 5-speed manual, 217K odo. $1800 or best offer 225-328-6116 for more information FOR RENT 2BR TOWNHOUSE sharlo area. W/D, covered parking, courtyard, new carpet.

225.648.3115 FANTAS T I C T I G E R L AND REMODEL Since Gustav Everything new! Sheetrock, paint, carpet, tile, tubs, sinks, cabinets, granite!

Avail 1/1/09. Highly screened- responsible students only. Ref.req’d. 1BR $600, 2BR $850. Email inquiry to julie.tatum@verizonbusiness.com.

CONDO FOR RENT University View, 2 bed 2 bath, $1000 a month, $1000 deposit. Available Jan. ’09. Contact Patti 337-988-1409 CONDO FOR RENT 3BR-2B-Remodeled Patio garden-Off Perkins-near bluebonnetMature Students only-$1200/ Mo-7618702 CONDO FOR RENT 2 bedroom/2 bath gated condo on Dalr ymple dr. Washer, dr yer, cable, internet, and water includ-

2 BR CONDO Walk to LSU. Beautifully remodeled. All new floors, appliances, fixtures. Lovely view of lake. $900 225.769.6368 1-BED APT. in Tigerland near LSU $450/month. Hot water included. W/D in complex. Call Wang. 225.278.6622

F E M A L E S N E E D R O O M M ATE! Lake Beau Pre Townhomes! $525 a month! Available immediately! Call now!

318.729.2886

CLEAR UMBRELL A “Rare”, “1960’s” “See thru umbrella!!” www . M y C l e a r U m b r e l l a . c o m

N FOR RENT: 2BR, 2.5BA $1300, LAKE BEAU PRE TOWNHOUSE, READY ASAP! CONTACT PAIGE AT 985.246.9204

3BR/2BA CONDO Like New. Free Cable.

Community Pool. Extra Parking. Great Location at LSU. $1650/mo.

225.202.1148

P / T V E T E R I N A R Y A S S I S T ANT Armstrong Veterinary Hospital Flexible hours, great job while in school!Call 225-756-5193

QUEEN PILLOWTOP MATTRESS Brand name queen pillowtop mattress set new in plastic $150. 225-924-5336

FOR RENT Garage Apt $550/mo with $550 deposit.

4746 Perkins Road Call 287-1193 mon-fri 8-5.

R O O M M ATE WANTED TO Roommate wanted to share 3 BR, 2 BA. house with 2 males. Close to LSU. $350. mo.

Call 225-907-3456 or 985-209-7349.

985.688.2757 $395 ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED!!!

ROOMMATES-WANTED TO SHARE HUGE3BR-3BATH-HOUSE WITH MALE. EXCLUSIVE AREA-CONGRESS-PERKINS. HIGHSPEED-NET-CABLE-ALARM-WASHERDRYER-LARGE-YARD-GATED. GREAT FOR ENTERTAINMENT-LSU.225.772.2506

PAGE 15 MALE GR AD Needs roommate to share 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath Lake Beau Pre Townhouse minutes from class. Gated, Workout Room, Pool, Tennis Court $625 ALL UTILITIES UNCLUDED! Grad or Vet student preferred. 225.247.0567

I WANT TO BE YOUR DERIVATIVE so I can lie tangent to your curves. Nerdy ndn chick seeking an intelligent and attractive conversationalist. Ladies only, please—I’m tired of natural logs approaching the asymptote. sheenyinabottle@hotmail.com

R O O M M ATE NEEDED to share 3 bedroom 31/2 bath in Lake Beau Pre’ Townhomes.

550/ month + 1/3 utilities.

318.452.4751 318.346.6406

COFFEE FOR A NEW YEAR Single, outgoing, very pretty, dazzling brown Creole LSU Senior gal looking to date interracially an equally mature, outgoing, nice looking male student or Grad/ or non student (26-38) for coffee museum dates, enjoyment of the Arts and music. If interested feel free to reach me before or after finals Selena_millieux@yahoo.com.

ROOMATE NEEDED Southgate Towers right by campus, gated community, Ur own bed, bath and walk-in closet, pools and pet park, LSU transit. 1/2 electric. $750/ mo call Jillian at 337.304.742

LOOKING FOR MY SOULMATE I am a Business Major here at LSU. Looking for guys ages 45-60. If you are interested send me an email. c.mumford@yahoo.com

ROOM IN GOOD house. W&D, alarm, etc.

No lease needed. $260 + shared utilities. $250 dep. 225.921.1209

SEARCHING 4 SOULMATE 20yo Asian guy seeking masculine guy 18-23 to date.

Races open. I’m a sweetheart! tigerboy1988@gmail.com

R O O M M ATE NEEDED Nonsmoker needed to sublease at Blox at Brightside. $400 + electic. Contact cbaris1@lsu.edu if interested.

PERSONALS COFFEE FOR THE NEW YEAR? Single, outgoing, very attractive, brown Creole LSU Senior gal looking to date interracially a mature, outgoing, nice looking male student or Grad/ or non student (26-38) for coffee, museum dates, enjoyment of the Arts. If interested email me Selena_millieux@yahoo.com..

MISCELLANEOUS HELP WANTED: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is NOT a joke. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.

Call 337-280-7836

PAGE 16

THE DAILY REVEILLE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009

ECONOMY

Obama presses lawmakers to OK new bailout funds

By David Espo and Jim Kuhnhenn The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tested before taking power, President-elect Barack Obama privately delivered a pre-inauguration veto threat to fellow Democrats on Tuesday, saying they would not deny him use of the remaining $350 billion in federal bailout funds.

Obama coupled his threat with a promise to revise elements of the original bailout program that have drawn widespread criticism, pledging billions will go toward helping homeowners facing foreclosure.

Several Democrats said his commitments, to be made in writing, would be enough to prevent an embarrassing pre-inauguration drubbing for the president-elect when the Senate votes this week.

“This will be the first vote that President-elect Obama is asking us for. I’ll be shocked and I’ll be really disappointed if he doesn’t get it,” said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent Democrat from Connecticut.

Behind closed doors, Obama also urged lawmakers to act quickly on the massive economic stimulus

measure that his aides have been negotiating with congressional officials. The legislation will blend federal spending with tax cuts, and could reach $1 trillion in size, a measure of the nation’s economic woes.

Several Democratic officials described a bill very much in flux.

They said lawmakers were discussing allocating as much as $80 billion over two years to help shield schools from the impact of state budget cuts and roughly $40 billion for traditional anti-recession transportation programs such as highway and bridge construction.

Additionally, they added that there was money tentatively set aside to fund a $25-a-week increase in unemployment benefits as well as a 15 percent boost in food stamp benefits. There was support in the Senate for funds to upgrade military barracks, as well. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to disclose details.

Democratic leaders in the House and Senate hope to have the legislation ready for Obama’s signature by mid-February, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., held a

‘‘

‘It is clear that the financial system, although improved from where it was in September, is still fragile.’

Barack Obama

president-elect late-afternoon meeting on it.

“We’ve made great progress, and we fully intend to meet our deadline,” Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters. She disclosed no details.

For Obama, attendance at the Democrats’ weekly closed-door lunch was a homecoming of sorts, a return to the Capitol where he arrived as a newly elected senator only four years ago.

Reid called it a “lovefest,” and said the president-elect was greeted with a five-minute ovation by Democrats happy to have the White House back after eight years of Republican rule.

Sen. Carl Levin said the session had a sentimental tone at times,

despite the magnitude of the nation’s economic woes and the challenge Obama and fellow Democrats confront.

“It’s kind of hard not to call him, ‘Barack.’ So he said, ‘Call me Barack for the next couple of days,’” Levin said with a smile.

Separately, Obama’s nominee as budget director, Peter Orszag, said at his confirmation hearing that even after the economy recovers, annual deficits could reach $750 billion or so and steadily exceed $1 trillion by the end of the next decade. The president-elect has pledged to make deficit reduction a priority, but says economic recovery must come first.

Despite its size, the economic stimulus bill is not expected to face heavy opposition among Democrats, and Obama has won praise from Republicans for showing a willingness to show deference to their concerns.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., floated a new proposal, raising the possibility of a two-year elimination of Social Security payroll taxes.

Obama got a boost during the day from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who said in a speech in London that the emerging

legislation could provide a “significant boost” to the sinking economy.

Bernanke also warned in remarks prepared for the London School of Economics that a recovery wouldn’t last unless other steps were taken to stabilize the shaky financial system.

There was plenty of controversy surrounding Obama’s decision to tap the $350 billion remaining from the financial bailout program that Congress created last fall, when the nation’s credit markets ceased working and plunged an already weak economy into a tailspin.

President George W. Bush, acting at Obama’s request, formally notified Congress on Monday that Treasury wanted to use the funds, but Congress can vote to block the move.

“It is clear that the financial system, although improved from where it was in September, is still fragile,” the president-elect said Monday, making the case for use of the funds.

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