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The Daily
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2015
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• Sophomore forward Jorian Baucom reflects on LSU career, page 5 • Trampoline park Area 51 offers classes, college nights, page 9 • OPINION: Demi Lovato stepping away from Disney image, page 12 @lsureveille
SQUAD GOALS
POLITICS
Graves talks higher ed over breakfast
BY MORGAN PREWITT @kmprewitt_TDR
see SQUAD, page 15
NÁN
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BY CARRIE GRACE HENDERSON @carriegraceh
FER
Every season since LSU’s undefeated run to the 2012 Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game, the comparisons between the Tigers’ 2011 team and the current squad fuels the Tiger faithful’s hope for perfection until a loss spoils it. With LSU posting a 2-0 record in Southeastern Conference play in 2015 for the first time since 2011 and extending its NCAA-record regular season nonconference winning streak to 51 games with a 44-22 victory against Eastern Michigan University on Saturday, the connections between the 2015 Tigers and their 2011 counterparts abound. Despite the return of a star-studded secondary in 2015 to go with a dynamic pass rush, one glaring difference remains between LSU’s 2011 and 2015 teams: the position its Heisman Trophy contender plays. Without question, the strength of the 2011 team resided in its secondary with Heisman Trophy finalist and 2011 Bednarik Award Winner Tyrann Mathieu. But for the first time during LSU coach Les Miles’ tenure, the Tigers’ success rests on the shoulders of an offensive playmaker in the form of sophomore running back Leonard Fournette in 2015. “The more comfortable [Fournette] gets, the more freakish and electric he gets as a player,” said senior offensive tackle Vadal Alexander after LSU’s win against the Eagles. “He’s very comfortable with the offense this year. He’s great at pass protection. He’s great running-wise, and he’s great at seeing holes obviously.” Defensively, comparisons between the 2011 and
JAVI ER
THE DAILY RE
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No. 7 LSU football team resembles 2011 Tigers
Volume 120 · No. 31
thedailyreveille
Nine months after taking office in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, was back in the Capital City — this time, to talk to constituents on LSU’s campus. LSU President F. King Alexander and students and community members joined the freshman congressman in the Student Union on Monday to discuss his role in Washington as part of “Grub with Garret,” a series of informal meetings Graves is holding throughout the district. Alexander told Graves students were tired of using their tuition dollars to fund state government instead of seeing that money go into their classrooms. But to balance the state budget, Graves said lawmakers would have to step back and look at inefficiencies in all departments. “To try and balance our books on health care and education is absurd,” Graves said.
see GRAVES, page 15
RELIGION
La. Satanists stand in solidarity with Arkansas brethren
New Orleans-based chapter discusses activism BY TRENT PARKER @TrentParker_TDR
After the Arkansas Legislature approved a statue of the Ten Commandments to be built on the grounds of its state capitol in April, The Satanic Temple’s national organization requested in September that a statue of Baphomet be installed as well — a repeat of its 2014 efforts in Oklahoma. Baphomet — a horned entity with mixed features of a man, woman and goat — represents the duality of mankind’s intellectual and animalistic natures, said Caligo Accedito, chapter head of The Satanic Temple’s Greater New Orleans Chapter. Accedito founded the Greater
New Orleans Chapter in 2014 and estimated more than 1,000 allies and members of The Satanic Temple live in Louisiana. Many keep their membership status discrete to help maintain personal safety. Separation of church and state and equal treatment of religions by law are essential to avoiding the creation of theocracies, Accedito said, which would ultimately lead to widespread cultural destruction and violations of individual rights. “Our expectation is that if it’s open to any religious group, it’s open to every religious group,” Accedito said. “That’s the nature of American values. That’s one of the founding principles of our nation. And the fact that it has to be tested is kind of disappointing because it should be [a] given.” According to a September
2014 news release issued by The Satanic Temple, it would not have proposed to install the statue of Baphomet in Oklahoma if a religious monument was not already placed on public property, as is currently in Arkansas. The Satanic Temple frequently tests church-state separation cases and questions the use of public property by religious organizations to promote secularism and ensure religions are equally treated by the law. “We oppose theocratic law,” Accedito said. “We don’t think that Satanic law should govern. We don’t think that any one religion’s law should govern. We think that law should be separated completely from religion.” In one case, a Florida school board allowed Christian groups
see SATANISTS, page 15
EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille
Members of The Satanic Temple’s Greater New Orleans Chapter wear masks and veils to hide their identities on Sunday in front of the Orleans Parish Criminal Justice Court.
The Daily Reveille
page 2
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Reveille The Daily
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New national food-delivery franchise offers services at LSU Mr. Delivery, a food-delivery franchise operating in 21 cities across the U.S., will now deliver to LSU’s campus following its launch in the Baton Rouge area. Mr. Delivery allows customers to order food from local restaurants and have it delivered straight to their door. There are currently 16 restaurants customers may order from in Baton Rouge, including Barcadia, On The Border and Red Zeppelin Pizza, according to a list provided by Baton Rouge Mr. Delivery market partner and interdisciplinary studies junior Robert Lowrey-Dufour. The company launched its Baton Rouge branch Sept. 21, with its Baton Rouge delivery area extending from the State Capitol to Blue Bayou and Dixie Landin’. Customers can either call and place an order through the company call center in Austin or place their order online at mrdelivery.com. The cost of the order includes the price of the food, as well as a $3.99 delivery fee and a $1.50 processing fee. Customers are also encouraged to tip the driver.
“The marketing campaigns are pretty inclusive in the sense that we drive deals for our customers, whereas some of the other places just focus on having the food, not necessarily focusing so much on deals,” Lowrey-Dufour said. The Baton Rouge branch is currently working on expanding the business to include more restaurants, Lowrey-Dufour said. A Mr. Delivery app will launch in the next couple of months and have a “delivery anything” feature — a service that allows customers to order food from any restaurant, no matter if the restaurant has a partnership with Mr. Delivery, Lowrey-Dufour said. Lowrey-Dufour said he hopes to have a Mr. Delivery tailgate at the the LSU vs. University of Florida football game Oct. 17 with free food samples. A launch party will take place the following day at the BREC Milford Wampold Memorial Park from 12-5 p.m. The party will feature free food samples from local restaurants, as well as competitions to win prizes such as free delivery for a month.
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.
The Daily Reveille
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
page 3
ACADEMICS
SVM to receive more than $250,000 in tech upgrades BY JOSHUA JACKSON @Joshua_Jackson_ The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine will soon receive new Smart Boards, mediascapes, podiums, laptop ready seating as approved by the Student Technology Fee Oversight Committee last week. The $254,718 was collected from the fee bills of SVM students in recent years and will serve as the first step in a larger plan to update all technology in areas of the school including classrooms, labs and the library. Eric Seneca, director of information technology services for SVM, wrote the proposal after speaking with Associate Dean for Veterinary Education and Student Affairs Joseph Taboda. Seneca said the two realized the school uses a lot of problem-based learning or casebased work and needed more technology to encourage that learning. Using his experience in setting up educational multimedia labs, Seneca drew up the proposal and said he hopes to have the
SVM PROPOSED PROJECT BUDGET ITEM Classroom/lab computers (spares) Smart podium monitors Smart boards Mediascapes Seating for mediascapes Student workers New seating in hallway
QUANTITY
PRICE
TOTAL
5 2 2 11 82 1 1
$900 $3,899 $6,000 $14,309 $415 $25,000 $14,000
$4500
TOTAL
$7,798 $12,000 $157,399 $34,021 $25,000 $14,000
$254,718
The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s proposal to the STF committee.
mediascapes set up by the end of November. Mediascapes are an area where multiple devices can come together to collaborate on projects. “The faculty will design problem based scenarios for the students to work collaboratively on,” Seneca said. “Think of it as
a conference room with a big television in the front. Each student can plug into a central area, press a button and basically have their laptop take control of the screen for everyone to see.” The technology will be used in conjunction with the academic goals set by the SVM, Seneca
said. In the microscope lab, a professor will have a smart podium available to project cells onto a larger surface to help students understand what they should see in their slides. Smart Boards will be primarily installed in classrooms to serve a similar purpose as
the smart podiums as a capture device for projected visuals. “The big picture is we’re trying to develop — from an academic technology perspective — a situation where students can bring in their own laptops or their own iPhones or iPads and allow them to do more collaborative work with their fellow students,” Seneca said. Because the second floor of SVM is where most students spend their day, it will undergo renovations to add new amenities, such as laptop-ready seating and problem-based learning labs. Seneca said the equipment was already ordered and an installation date is set for the first phase of their upgrades. Technological improvements to other areas of SVM, such as the library, will depend on the approval of other proposals which the STF Oversight Committee will discuss at a later date. “We currently have a lot of areas where students get together and adhoc study groups, and we’re trying to reimagine that environment to be more technologically friendly,” Seneca said.
RESEARCH
NIH renews Pennington Biomedical Research Center funding Agency’s grant worth $9.2M BY KACI CAZENAVE @kacicaz For the next five years, funding for Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s obesity and diabetes research is safe and sound with help from a national medical research agency. In September, the National Institutes of Health renewed a $9.2 million grant for Pennington researchers in the Center for Research on Botanicals and Metabolic Syndrome to continue its investigation of botanical extracts’ roles in preventing and treating metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. NIH first funded Pennington’s Botanical Research Center in 2005. Since then, the grant was renewed for fiveyear cycles in 2010 and 2015. Pennington Communications director Alisha Prather said the third and most recent grant installment will fund all botanical research conducted between 2010 and 2015. Prather said Pennington’s Botanical Research Center is one of five in the country funded by NIH. In total, its Office of Dietary Supplements and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health have given roughly $25 million over the last 15 years. The CRBMS is the only research center focused on obesity and diabetes.
courtesy of PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER
(From left) Members of the botanicals research team at Pennington Biomedical: Dominique Smith, Gail Braymer, Dr. Elizabeth Floyd and Justin Manuel Prather said the theme of the BRC is “Botanicals and Metabolic Syndrome,” one of the most important public health problems society faces today. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of biochemical and physiological abnormalities associated with the development of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
“The study of botanicals and their effects to modulate pathologic processes as part of the metabolic syndrome has become even more important since the inception of our center,” Prather said. Pennington’s executive director and principal investigator of the BRC Dr. William Cefalu said diabetes, obe-
sity and metabolic syndrome are among the most prominent chronic diseases facing patients world-round. “Louisiana often leads the nation in the percentage of citizens affected by one or more of these conditions, and our work through the BRC is looking at new and better ways to prevent and treat these chronic
diseases and enhance care,” Cefalu said. Since 2010, BRC researchers focused on evaluating botanicals’ effectiveness in metabolic disease prevention because natural products drove successful BRC research for 16 years. NCCIH director Josephine Briggs said this research — conducted in collaboration with the Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment at Rutgers University in New Jersey— takes advantage of advances in biological and chemical methodology. “Our interdisciplinary approach has allowed for a comprehensive evaluation of botanicals — specifically on pathogenic processes,” Prather said. By 2020, she said, BRC researchers will focus on botanicals’ ability to promote metabolic resiliency and health in the presence of high-fat diet or inflammation stressors. Cefalu said the NIH grant will contribute to LSU’s research standing. Allowing Pennington to attract and maintain other federally-funded center grants will open the doors for the university and its researchers for future compromises in research, regardless of its congruence with natural products or metabolic disease syndrome. “Grants like this one afford us an opportunity to work collaboratively across labs and with partners around the state and the country to advance research for health,” Cefalu said.
The Daily Reveille
page 4
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
ACADEMICS
LSU, LSUA enter agreement for Continuing Ed transfers Partnership with satellite campuses first of several
BY CAITIE BURKES @BurkesTDR LSU’s flagship campus executed the first of several articulation agreements with LSU System satellite campuses Oct. 1 that would allow students enrolled in LSU’s Continuing Education program to seamlessly transfer into one of LSU Alexandria’s online degree programs, according to a news release from LSU Media Relations. The memorandum of understanding will serve as a stepping stone for other agreements with LSU Eunice and LSU Shreveport to “create greater educational opportunities for Louisiana citizens and better meet the workforce needs of our state,” according to the release. The Continuing Education program provides distance learning students with the opportunity to complete their college credits online. The agreement states eligible transfer applicants must have at least a 2.0 GPA and 12 credit hours. Students must also earn a C or higher in
English composition and a freshman level math course before making the transition. Participants over the age of 25 are automatically admitted to LSUA if the student needs to complete one remedial course to earn a degree. The memorandum only concerns undergraduate students. Executive Director for Continuing Education Doug Weimer worked closely with LSUA staff to jumpstart the agreement. He said there are currently 4,500 students enrolled in the online courses, with 75 percent of them who are not Louisiana residents. He said he hopes a significant portion of these students will register for the transfer program. “It’s beneficial to everybody involved, Weimer said. “LSU Continuing Education have a number of non-traditional students around the country. ... This gives them the pathway to a degree,” Director for Research, Planning and Communications for Continuing Education Kathy Carroll said the Continuing Education program has been assisting students for 90 years. “We think it’s important to support non-traditional
students who didn’t come out of high school at 18 ready to buckle down and do full time, college-level work,” Carroll said. Carroll said distance-learning programs allow people to enroll at any time and work at their own pace. Though Continuing Education programs are nationwide, Louisiana in particular has launched efforts in favor of online education for the past decade. She said the program originated as “correspondence studies” dating back to the ’20s. In these early courses, students and professors would send letters back and forth as a way of submitting assignments. In more recent times, Carroll said, LSU traded in the stamps and envelopes for laptops and educational software. “Now it’s mostly online or computer-based,” Carroll said. She said she thinks one of the reasons the agreement with LSUA took so long to achieve is because of the gradual acceptance of online degrees as a viable form of education. There are not many fully online undergraduate degree programs in the state, she said. Carroll said the reason the main campus partnered with LSUA first is because all the
distance learning courses it offers are undergraduate level classes. She also said Continuing Education already had some students who were trying to qualify for transfer into an LSUA program. When LSUA agreed to accept those transfer credits, the memorandum was created. The articulation agreement differs from others of its kind in that the students are only taking one course at a time, Carroll said. LSU Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Richard Koubek said in the release that the ability for students to obtain a postsecondary degree 100 percent online makes advanced education accessible, affordable and attainable. “As a system of campuses, it is incumbent for LSU to leverage resources and provide innovative paths for our students to obtain a college degree,” Koubek said in the statement. Carroll said Continuing Education’s “innovative path” genuinely works to the benefit of the student and his or her future because it caters to their schedules. “It’s not a calendar-based system,” Carroll said. “It’s a self-paced system.”
REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS IN CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM TO TRANSFER INTO LSU ALEXANDRIA ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM: MINIMUM 2.0 GPA AT LEAST 12 CREDIT HOURS A ‘C’ OR HIGHER IN ENGLISH COMPOSITION A ‘C’ OR HIGHER IN A FRESHMAN LEVEL MATH COURSE
information courtesy of LSU MEDIA RELATIONS
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
SG passes resolution to repair LSU Visitor Center water fountain Measure aims to make campus more attractive
have seen that water fountain,” Couch said. “So, if you want to have a good football team forever, you need to get it cleaned.” BY WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTER The legislation was referred @wmtaylorpotter favorably by the Campus Affairs and Sustainability committee beDuring its meeting last week, fore being heard on the Senate the LSU Student Senate passed floor. A few Senate members stood a resolution to fix an eyesore in the LSU Visitor Center that could in front of the senate to offer their opinions on the issue. Sendeter potential students. The Senate voted in favor of ate secretary Heather Sullivan, legislation during its Sept. 30 who works in the Visitor Center meeting that would urge and re- area for LSU Parking and Transquest the water fountain in the portation Services, said there Visitor Center be cleaned and have been numerous complaints about the fountain. repaired. “We’ve actually told visitors The legislation, Student Government Resolution No. 10 and who came into the Visitor Center not to use that authored by senator beSarah Couch, passed ‘We like to recruit people fountain cause it is diswith 98 percent supto come to LSU, and if gusting,” Sulport. While speakthat’s one of the first livan said. “We ing on the resolution before the Senate things they see, that’s not like to recruit very attractive.’ people to come opened debate, Couch to LSU, and if said she had seen HEATHER SULLIVAN that’s one of photos of the founSenate secretary the first things tain and described they see, that’s “green, blue stuff” in not very attractive.” the fountain. During the first two weeks In her closing comments before voting commenced on of June, Sullivan said more than the resolution, Couch stressed 3,000 people came into the Visithe dirty fountain could have tor Center to get parking permits some implications for athletic before visiting campus. Senator Joanie Lyons, an LSU recruiting. “Just think, there’s a real po- Liaison, also spoke on the issue tential Leonard Fournette could during debate. Lyons said the
Visitor Center is the first stop for VIP prospective student tours. “This is the first thing that these very amazing, very qualified students see when they come to the university,” Lyons said. Tammy Millican, the assistant director of the Office of Facility Services, said she had not received any legislation or work orders when contacted Monday morning. Millican later said the Visitor Center put in a work order for the fountain and that staff would take a look at it Monday. The Senate previously passed a resolution Sept. 16 to relocate one of the SG-funded water fountains from the Business Education Complex to the Paul M. Hebert Law Center. SG president Andrew Mahtook said more water bottle refill stations will be installed soon.
The legislation, Student Government Resolution No. 10, authored by senator Sarah Couch, passed with 98 percent support. It will request the water fountain in the LSU Visitor Center be cleaned and repaired.
WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTER / The Daily Reveille
The LSU Student Senate passed a resolution on Sept. 30 to repair and clean the water fountain in the Visitor Center.
Sports
page 5 BASKETBALL
Simmons misses first practice with injury BY JAMES BEWERS @JamesBewers_TDR
LSU sophomore forward Jorian Baucom (5) and Vanderbilt University midfielder/ defender Sasha Gray (20) both attempt to head the ball Friday during LSU’s scoreless draw against Vanderbilt University at the LSU Soccer Stadium. HASKELL WHITTINGTON /
The Daily Reveille
HEADS-UP DECISION Much like sophomore running back Leonard Fournette on the football field, sophomore forward Jorian Baucom rose to an elite status on the LSU soccer team in just her second year. Baucom, the fourth-leading scorer in the NCAA and second-leading scorer in the Southeastern Conference, was one of the most heralded recruits in the country out of Scottsdale, Arizona, after an outstanding prep career and years of experience in the U.S Women’s National Team system. Just as Fournette picked LSU over the University of Alabama, Baucom
Sophomore forward Jorian Baucom reflects on her decision to choose LSU, experience with the program BY MARIO JEREZ @MJerezIII_TDR
chose the Tigers over another national power that clamored for her services until the end of her recruitment. “It came down to LSU and [The University of] North Carolina,” Baucom said. The Tigers ultimately won Baucom’s signature over the University of North Carolina, which has 22 total NCAA Championships, the most of any school in the nation. The Tar Heels are currently ranked No. 1 in the country.
see BAUCOM, page 8
The LSU men’s basketball team kicked off its fall practice slate Monday afternoon, leading into its exhibition game against Southwest Baptist University a month from today. But the Tigers were forced to start without the player many have their eyes on. Freshman forward Ben Simmons did not participate due to an ankle injury, but the ailment isn’t considered serious. As of now, the 6-foot-10 Australian is believed to be day-to-day. Simmons led all players with 20 points and nine rebounds in the Tigers’ five-game tour in Australia this past August. Junior forward Brian Bridgewater also was unable to practice due to a lingering lower leg injury. Bridgewater missed parts of summer workouts, which included the Tigers’ trip overseas, and his status is also day-to-day. LSU did welcome back redshirt sophomore forward Craig Victor and senior guard Josh Gray to the practice court. Victor, who transferred from the University of Arizona at the end of the 2014 fall semester, could not play in Australia due to NCAA rules but will continue to practice with the team until he regains his eligibility at the end of the 2015 fall semester. Gray was suspended over the summer for participating in an unsanctioned game prior to the exhibition trip. While LSU coach Johnny Jones said he would face in-house discipline, Gray is only subject to a one-game suspension by the NCAA, Jones said this summer.
TENNIS
Arias, Daigle’s off-court friendship enhances on-court chemistry BY MARKUS HÜFNER @Hufner_TDR “I hate him,” said senior tennis player Boris Arias with a smile on his face when describing his doubles partner, junior Jordan Daigle, in three words. Partners for a year, but this semester, the duo shares the court, an apartment and even a homemade air freshener.
“The first day we moved in, he had a lamp that lighted wax,” Daigle said. “It was like a homemade air freshener from Bolivia, and I borrowed it from him because it smelled so good I couldn’t believe it.” Their friendship evolved into something close to an old married couple, Arias said. Wherever you see one, the other one is almost always around the corner.
“We know what each other is up to most of the time because we basically do everything together,” Arias said. “We go to practice, lift weights in the morning and have a pretty similar schedule.” Their individual playing styles are the foundation for their doubles success. While Daigle relies on his backhand,
see DUO, page 8
THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES
LSU junior tennis player Jordan Daigle (left) and senior tennis player Boris Arias (right) are the No. 4-ranked doubles team in the nation, according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
The Daily Reveille
page 6
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
MLB wild card games are pointless, should cease to exist INTO THE WOODS JACK WOODS Sports Columnist The Houston Astros and New York Yankees will get the MLB postseason underway tonight with the American League Wild Card game. Baseball fans are thrilled it finally feels like October again, and they should be. But Tuesday night’s game shouldn’t exist because the Wild Card Games are stupid, and they should be retired. I don’t care that the Wild Card Game was added to the postseason in 2012. Some can argue it hasn’t been in place long enough to determine its effectiveness, but they’re wrong. I’ve seen enough. I thought Wild Card Games were pointless then, and I still view them as pointless in 2015. The baseball season is almost endless. Seriously, I feel like baseball is played yearround. As soon as the World Series wraps up, it seems pitchers and catchers are already reporting. The six-month, 162-game, marathon regular season is a massive sample size. So why is a Wild Card Game necessary to determine who moves on to the ALDS or NLDS, you ask? It’s not. Eliminate the second wild card team and take the team with the better record. If your
RALPH FRESO / The Associated Press
Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch, center, celebrates with his players after clinching an AL wild card playoff berth following a 5-3 loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a baseball game Sunday in Phoenix. team has an inferior record after 162 games, I’m sorry. Your team just doesn’t deserve a place in the playoffs. This season, those teams with the inferior records are the Astros and the Chicago Cubs. Admittedly, either of those two teams winning the World Series would provide a great story.
The Cubs are chasing their first World Series title since 1908. To put that in perspective, Theodore Roosevelt was President in 1908, and the Model T was just unveiled. The Astros have been at the bottom of their division, or in the bottom half of their division, for years. This season, they’re
been exciting and have a legitimate Cy Young Award candidate in pitcher Dallas Keuchel. I would love if either team managed to win it all, but they shouldn’t even be there. The Yankees finished the regular season 87-75, and the Astros finished 86-76. The
Pittsburgh Pirates finished 9864, and the Cubs finished 97-65. Each of the wild card teams in both conferences finished one game apart, but any separation after 162 games should be recognized. I fail to see how it’s fair that the Yankees, who posted a better record over half a year, could be eliminated from playoff contention if Keuchel throws a gem. I have sympathy for the Cubs because their record is better than every division winner outside the National League Central Division, but sometimes the world isn’t fair. A one-off Wild Card Game seems to favor the team that has the better ace, or the team that can Johnny Wholestaff its way to one victory. The team with the better ace or the team whose bullpen turns up for a night might not necessarily be better. I’d rather have the team that proved its worth over 162 games than the team that can put it together for one night. If the trend of two wild card teams continues, I’d at least like to see it become a three or five-game series. A series would make me feel more confident the better team is advancing to the division series. Make it a series or abolish the Wild Card Games altogether. Just make a change, MLB. Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.
SOCCER
Tigers improve set piece defense after teammate’s injuries
BY C.J. RUCKER @Ruckmatic Set pieces are one of the toughest plays to defend in women’s collegiate soccer, and the LSU soccer team is taking steps to improve its defense against them. The easiest way to defend a set piece is to avoid situations where the opponent can easily earn one. The Tigers (7-3-3, 1-31 Southeastern Conference) gave 35 set pieces in their last two games. “We aren’t doing a bad job of defending set pieces, we’re just giving up way too many of them,” said senior defender Alex Arlitt. Even though LSU conceded 21 set pieces in its last game against Vanderbilt University, it defended all of them, not allowing the Commodores to get a single shot attempt on any of the set pieces they earned throughout the 110 minute game. Arlitt said she saw a tremendous improvement in the team’s defense of set pieces in the Vanderbilt game. “I thought overall we did
pretty well,” Arlitt said. “We worked a lot in practice on our clearances because we felt like that was one of our shortfalls. A lot of our clearances were going low and to the middle. I felt like we’ve improved a lot in that aspect of getting our clearances high and wide.” The direction where a set piece is cleared is key to keeping the ball out of the net. The problem with clearing a set piece low and to the middle of the field is that it gives the opponent a second chance before the defense can collect itself. Junior defender Megan Lee said the team is working on clearing set piece attempts in the right spots. “Hitting it high gives us more time to step up and readjust and get the second ball versus hitting it low where it can go directly to someone,” Lee said. “If that someone is on the other team, it’s bad news for us.” LSU’s most crushing loss of the season came against Auburn University on Sept. 25. The LSU Tigers conceded a golden goal in the 102nd minute of play
HASKELL WHITTINGTON / The Daily Reveille
LSU senior midfielder Alex Arlitt (14) clears the ball away from the Tigers’ goal during LSU’s game against Vanderbilt on Friday at the LSU Soccer Stadium. after they defended a free kick but failed to clear it into the right spot, allowing Auburn to head the ball to win the game in double overtime. One reason why the Tigers have struggled against set pieces is because of the loss of
sophomore center back Alexis Urch. Urch was the main hitter on set pieces and her loss was felt on the LSU backline. Lee said the team is still trying to find a player to match her contributions on set pieces. “She was our main hitter, so
when we lost her it was a really big loss to the team, especially the back line,” Lee said. “We haven’t had someone directly step into her role.” LSU hopes to keep up its improved defense against set pieces as it wraps up SEC play.
The Daily Reveille
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
page 7
FOOTBALL
Miles discusses injuries, Saturday’s game against South Carolina BY STAFF REPORTS @TDR_sports In his weekly Subway Fresh Take “Lunch with Les” luncheon, LSU coach Les Miles stepped up to the podium to recap No. 7 LSU’s 44-22 victory against Eastern Michigan University and preview its upcoming matchup against the University of South Carolina. The Tigers (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) defeated Eastern Michigan 44-22 on Saturday in a lethargic performance for the then-No. 9 team in the nation, but Miles turns his focus to South Carolina. SOUTH CAROLINA Miles commended his opposing team and its coaching staff as the Tigers prepare to take on South Carolina (2-3, 0-3 SEC) at 11 a.m. on Saturday at WilliamsBrice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. “We will have to play our best to win,” Miles said. “They will be well-coached, so we must be ready.” As of Monday, South Carolina’s campus was closed due to flooding and class is canceled today. The Tigers expect to play their game on Saturday regardless of the weather, but Miles sent
his regards to the victims of the flood. “I’ve checked with my son and he said, ‘It’s been raining all the time,’” Miles said. “Obviously, those people are in a tough time in the winds of weather. I’m certain they will do great and our thoughts and prayers are with them.” South Carolina has an on-going quarterback competition, but Miles said he expects freshman Lorenzo Nunez to be the starting quarterback for the Gamecocks on Saturday morning. “Our practice schedule and weekly schedule is mapped out for us,” Miles said. “I enjoy what we did. We got them up early and had them in bed early. It seemed to be the right recipe.” FOURNETTE AND THE LSU OFFENSE The Tigers accumulated 399 rushing yards against Eastern Michigan — 233 of which came in the hands of sophomore running back Leonard Fournette. Fournette, who rushed for more than 200 yards in three straight games, was not voted the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time this season. “Leonard Fournette is the first back to rush for over 200 yards in three straight games,”
Miles said. “It’s nice to be a part of that. Our offensive line, fullbacks and wide receivers are blocking, all of which really lead to that. That’s why Leonard is having that success.” In another grand performance by LSU’s stud sophomore, the Tigers’ passing game continued to struggle. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris was 4-for-15 for 80 yards and one interception. Most of the incompletions though, were not his fault, Miles said. “If we hadn’t drop balls, we could’ve scored two more touchdowns and maybe 150 yards of offense,” Miles said. “Brandon Harris is really doing the things we ask him to do. He’s on target, we just need to catch it. Our wide receivers really are posed to have a good year, and it was uncharacteristic of them to drop those balls.”
LSU coach Les Miles addresses media during his weekly Subway Fresh Take ‘Lunch with Les’ luncheon on Sept. 28 in the Athletic Administration Building.
INJURY UPDATE Senior linebacker Lamar Louis and junior defensive end Tashawn Bower are expected to play against South Carolina. Louis, who tweeted after the Eastern Michigan game that he suffered a concussion, missed the second half against the Eagles. Bower did not play against Eastern Michigan because of an
ankle injury he suffered on Sept. 26 against Syracuse University. Miles said Bower could have played against the Eagles, classifying his injury as a “minor nick.” “We think Lamar will be fine for gameday,” Miles said. “He will return to play fairly quickly. We expect Tashawn to be back. He could’ve played on Saturday.”
JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ / The Daily Reveille
Miles said senior tight end Dillon Gordon (Achilles) and senior safety Jalen Mills (left ankle) are listed as day-to-day. “Dillon is working out today and wants to get back to the field very badly,” Miles said. “Jalen Mills and Dillon are day-to-day, so we are looking for a day to mark for these guys to return on the calendar.”
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Town Hall Series: Race, Sex & Gender October 19th | 5 PM | Holiday Forum
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The Daily Reveille
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Tuesday, October 6, 2015
DUO, from page 5 Arias’ forehand is his better shot. Together, they play a traditional way, focusing on groundstrokes and being a power baseline team. “I think it’s hard to play people who play our style,” Daigle said. “If you’re playing a traditional doubles team, who’s on top of the net, it’s hard to do something with the ball if it’s coming extremely hard at you.” Daigle said not many doubles play that way, but he calls it “We know a tough style to what each face for oppoother is up to nents. most of the Their 2015time because 16 season is we basically off to a solid do everything start. Having won the consotogether. lation bracket We go to of the Oracle/ practice, lift ITA Masters in weights in September, the the morning duo has set big goals for this and have a season. pretty Daigle said similar he hopes to finschedule.” ish the year as the top team BORIS ARIAS in the nation, LSU tennis player after losing in the quarterfinals at the national championship meet last year. The two met for the first time in the weight room at LSU during Daigle’s recruiting trip, still unaware of the success they would bring to the program. “I had no clue he was here and just showed up with [assistant coach] Danny [Bryan] and [head coach Jeff] Brown,” Arias said. “And they told me about him joining the team and his skill-level, so I thought it was a good idea talking to him.” The No. 4 ranked duo played its first tournament at the ITA Southern Regional in October 2014 in Auburn, Alabama. After advancing to the quarterfinals, the duo faced Mississippi State University’s Florian Lakat and Julian Cash. Arias and Daigle went down 6-0 before mounting a furious, but unsuccessful, comeback. They ended up losing, 8-7, but Arias said after that match was when the two began their winning ways. After playing together for a year, the duo evolved to the national championship contender it is today, and Arias and Daigle consider themselves more consistent than ever, still benefitting from each other’s different personalities. “He’s always going with the flow,” Daigle said. “I probably don’t show it as much, but I get pissed off when I don’t do something right. He’s helped me with staying more calm.” Although the two are from different cultures, they have never argued and rarely practice with anyone else. “I like playing with him,” Arias said. “He’s the best teammate I’ve had [in] the past three years.”
HASKELL WHITTINGTON / The Daily Reveille
LSU sophomore forward Jorian Baucom (5) huddles with her teammates Friday before the Tigers’ match against Vanderbilt University at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
BAUCOM, from page 5 For Baucom, going to North Carolina would’ve made sense. A highly recruited player like her could benefit greatly from joining such a prestigious program, but Baucom saw a greater opportunity for herself at LSU. “I wanted to make my own name and prove that I could enhance a program that wasn’t as developed,” Baucom said. “Everyone would [say to me], ‘Seriously? Do you know how many national titles North Carolina has won, and you’re going to LSU?’” Baucom said she considered all four years of her collegiate career before picking the Tigers over the Tar Heels. With the rest of the talent already on the team and LSU coach Brian Lee and his staff recruiting her heavily, she saw a better situation for herself in Baton Rouge. “You have to scout beforehand and consider the future,” Baucom said. “I could just see potential in us.” It didn’t take long for the Tigers to feel Baucom’s presence on the field. In fact, it only took 48 seconds. Less than one minute into her debut match against Troy University in 2014, Baucom scored the fastest goal to start a season in LSU history. It was a sign of what to come for the then-freshman, who was LSU’s leading goal scorer that season and earned a spot on the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team. Lee said getting Baucom in an LSU uniform was imperative for him and his staff and believes
her commitment was the best possible outcome for both her and the team. “We saw Jorian as the top forward in the country in her class,” Lee said. “When kids take a chance to really take a thorough look at their college choices, they take a really close look at the people on the team and the campus. We thought we were a great fit together.” This year, Baucom took her game to the next level, and the Tigers are progressing with their star forward. She has scored 11 goals in 13 games this year, surpassing her eight-goal total in 2014 with six regular season games still remaining. Baucom said she is more comfortable with the speed of the game and able to get up and down the field easier after training extensively in the offseason.
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“The main thing that separates me from last year is my fitness level,” Baucom said. “Coming into my freshman year, I didn’t expect it to be that much faster, and I wasn’t where I had to be. All the hard work over the summer has paid off this season.” LSU’s win total is rising along with Baucom’s goal count. The Tigers’ seven wins so far this year are already more than their win total in 2014, and led by Baucom, they’re legitimate contenders to qualify for both the SEC and NCAA tournaments this season. Baucom’s teammates knew how talented she could be since the day she arrived, but they said what impressed them the most is her drive to improve, which was apparent after her freshman season. “She’s matured a lot,” said
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senior midfielder Natalia Gomez-Junco. “She’s a better team player. Whenever she wants the ball, she gets the ball. And whenever she gets it going to the goal, she’s just a beast. She’s unstoppable.” Just like Baucom is the key piece in LSU’s attacking half of the field, senior defender Alex Arlitt runs the LSU defense. She expected to play with Baucom for just one season but is on the pitch with her again after an extra year of eligibility via a medical redshirt. “I remember we were trying really hard to get her to come here, and I thought I was only going to play with her for one year,” Arlitt said. “Now I’m still playing with her in my fifth year. I think it’s a blessing in disguise. She’s a huge part of our success for the rest of the rest of the season.”
Entertainment
page 9
AIRBORN KAREN WELSH / The Daily Reveille
Flight crew springs on trampolines at Area 51, a trampoline park featuring exercise classes, party planning opportunities and theme nights.
Dodgeball, fitness classes and college night come to Area 51 BY KIMBERLY GAGNET @KGagnet Baton Rouge residents were able to jump for joy when trampoline park Area 51 Extreme Air Sports opened in April. Now, customers can jump a little more with new events and activities. General manager Aaron Tucker moved from Colorado to open Area 51, an indoor trampoline park located at 10111 The Grove Blvd. It features more than 60 trampolines, along with foam pits and tight ropes, and open jump allows customers access to the entire park by the hour. Apart from open jump, Area 51 offers
Theme Night Thursdays on the first Thursday of the month. Themes include ’80s, dubstep, hip-hop, pajamas and sports. Guests are encouraged to dress up for theme nights. Tucker said to keep an eye on Area 51’s Facebook page for the each month’s theme. “Tuesday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. are college night,” Tucker said. “[With your student ID] it gives you $3 off your jump time, so that’s a really great program.” The park also offers weekend events. On Friday and Saturday nights, Area 51 turns off the lights, turns on the lasers and turns up the music to become Club51. “The whole atmosphere completely changes,” Tucker said.
He said the location will soon be installing a subwoofer, which will enhance the club music experience. Area 51 employee Sebastian Pereira said participants love the glow wristbands they receive. Area 51 rents the park to customers who would prefer to create their own events. Tucker said two LSU sororities have already rented out the facility. Along with party-centric activities, the basis of the park allows guests to get a good workout. Those interested can take advantage of its fitness program, 51Fit. “It’s a very dynamic workout,” Tucker
see AREA 51, page 11
FASHION
University marketing sophomore creates jewelry line BY BRITTANY HAGOORT @Brittanyhagoort
Starting your own business while still in college has its perks, especially when you can apply your class lectures to your business model. That’s exactly what marketing sophomore Marissa Wehrer, creator of local jewelry company Geo By Riss, did when she put down her homework and picked up a sketchpad. Wehrer said she brainstormed business models before deciding to pitch the idea to her father in May 2015. “I was in my dorm drawing up sketches, being sneaky so my roommate wasn’t like, ‘What are you doing?’” Wehrer said. Wehrer said her entrepreneur
father repeatedly told her she needed to work for herself and start her own business. The jewelry designer’s mother also picked up the craft before her. With her mother’s help and her father’s motivation, she decided she was ready to start Geo By Riss. Wehrer said she often correlates her major to her business and incorporates what she’s taught in classes into her company. Geo By Riss prominently uses advertising through social media sites because she realizes her generation reacts to them the most, Wehrer said. Geo By Riss’ jewerly is centered around stones, and Wehrer said she draws inspiration from Kendra Scott and Seaside Pearls and would love for her company to expand to be as large as them.
“I wanted an everyday line of jewelry,” Wehrer said. “I saw some companies put a pearl on a piece of leather and make millions off of it, and I thought, ‘Why can’t I do that with a gem and some leather?’” Being a businesswoman, Wehrer said she does have a back-up plan if jewelry isn’t the end of her entrepreneurial endeavors. “If I could start a jewelry line that lasts forever, then that would be great,” Wehrer said. “But my real dream is to open a bridal salon. I do want to own a business, but this jewelry brand could be more of a beginning step.” The designer said she thinks more college students should start a business while taking classes.
see JEWELRY, page 11
EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille
LSU marketing sophomore Marissa Wehrer will appear at Delta Zeta’s Mocktails on Oct. 27 to sell her new jewelry line, Geo by Riss.
The Daily Reveille
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STUDY SOUNDS
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
GRAYSON’S PICKS POOLS – GLASS ANIMALS SALAD DAYS – MAC DEMARCO
SAINTS AND SENNER
FAST CAR – TRACY CHAPMAN
GRAYSON SENNER Entertainment Writer
HALCYON – ELLIE GOULDING OBVIOUS BICYCLE – VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Playlist picks to help decompress through midterms
WEST COAST – LANA DEL REY LOST – FRANK OCEAN
It is no secret midterms week is nothing short of brutal. Soon, students will trade in fun Thursday nights at Tigerland for flashcard-filled nights in Middleton Library. Not much can relax a stressed out student trying to increase their grade a few extra points to reach the coveted “plus/minus” threshold. Throughout bookstores and coffee shops, students put on their headphones and try to zone in on the daunting world of textbooks and diagrams. A study playlist is not just an extra part of exam week — it is a necessity. Here is a compiled playlist of music to get you started for any study session. From old favorites by Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell to newer tunes from Mac DeMarco and Flume, this playlist is sure to make studying a bit more fun — or at least more musical.
SOME MINDS– FLUME (FT. ANDREW WYATT) HOLD ON – ALABAMA SHAKES A CASE OF YOU – JONI MITCHELL
WHAT MUSIC MOTIVATES YOU TO STUDY DURING MIDTERMS? compiled BY MICHAEL CLEMONS • @clemonsandco
‘Beyoncé is a goddess! Not only does she motivate me to dance like crazy, but [‘Run the World(Girls)’] helps me get through writing my papers.’
‘Lately, I’ve been listening to Chicago, Bruce Springsteen, and CHVRCHES just came out with a new album that’s cool. They set the studying mood.’
‘When I study, I like a chill vibe, so I listen to John Mayer and Portugal. The Man.’
Heather Bell
Marques Leger
Luis Hernandez
English senior
finance senior
electrical engineering freshman
The Daily Reveille
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Tuesday, October 6, 2015
JEWELRY, from page 9
AREA 51, from page 9
While it can be challenging to balance at times, Wehrer said she learned more from this business than she has in her classes. Wehrer said she has no regrets starting Geo By Riss early in her career and recommends students start as early as possible if they want their own business so they don’t miss out on anything just because they waited. “Just go for it,” Wehrer said. “I know it takes money, but it costs less than going to a winter intersession. I’m getting so much out of it.” She said she never thought the company would get big enough for people to know about it. Looking toward the future, the designer said while her education and business continues, she will continue to grow Geo By Riss for as long as it is successful. Geo By Riss does not currently have any retailers, but the jewelry is online at geobyriss.com. Wehrer will be participating as a vendor at the Delta Zeta Mocktails event on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. This will be the company’s first trunk show appearance.
said. “I’m quite confident it is unlike [any] fitness class that people have tried before.” Pereira said the workout involves working the core, legs and a lot of cardio. Participants use the trampolines, foam pits and ninja obstacle courses. The program can appear more like fun than fitness, but once customers start moving, the health benefits become apparent. “When I tried it my first day, I was sore as can be,” Pereira said. “The first 10 minutes killed me.” The park also offers group fitness activities. Tucker said the facility’s second dodgeball tournament will be coming up soon. Its last tournament was during the summer, and more than 30 teams participated. No matter what the customers are interested in, employee Trisha Theriot said it’s a fun place for everyone to blow off some steam and have a good time. “It’s just an all around fun place to be,” Theriot said. “It goes back to saying when you do something you love, it makes it all the better to be there.”
EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille
LSU marketing sophomore Marissa Wehrer uses stones to create jewelry for her line, Geo by Riss.
THEATER
Swine Palace presents Pulitzer-winning ‘Disgraced’
BY KAYLA RANDALL @kay_ran21
Since the opening of Swine Palace’s 2015-16 theater season on Sept. 30, audiences have been gaining a new perspective on race, religion and personal identity — all in 90 minutes. The Pulitzer-winning, Tonynominated play “Disgraced” is the first play to grace Swine Palace’s stage this season. The play, written by Ayad Akhtar, concluded its Broadway run in March. “Disgraced” centers on Muslim-American corporate lawyer Amir Kapoor, who is happily married, about to land a promotion and trying to dismiss his Muslim roots. When he and his wife Emily hosted a dinner party in their New York apartment, a conversation among guests of different racial and ethnic backgrounds becomes much more, with each character learning more about themselves. LSU theatre professor and “Disgraced” director Femi Euba said he brought the play to Swine Palace after hearing about it from a colleague. He read the play, thought it was relevant to the present time and proposed it to the chair and manager of Swine Palace. “It speaks for so many things, like profiling, Islam, immigrants — whether exiled or self-exiled — and how difficult it is to make it in a big city like New York or a big country like America,” Euba said. Euba is an immigrant himself, originally from Nigeria. He said the play is a reflection of the problems communities face assimilating to a new culture. “In a supposedly multicultural society, where cultures should really try and collaborate with
photo courtesy of ALICE WACK STOUT
‘Disgraced’ features themes that invite audience members to analyze their own outlooks on issues such as race. one another, that’s not always the case,” Euba said. “We should all try to look at each other’s cultures and try to make it work.” Because of the heavy subject matter, Euba said it was important to have professional equity actors in the play instead of the usual practice of an entirely
Master of Fine Arts student cast. Two actors from New York were hired, and Euba flew to the Big Apple to audition them. Also hired was local professional actor and LSU alumnus Shawn Halliday, with whom Euba previously worked on another production.
Halliday said audiences have been floored by “Disgraced,” which he describes as a 90-minute rollercoaster ride. “I talked to a patron afterwards on our opening night, and he said ‘I don’t know what to think yet,’” Halliday said. “There’s so much happening in this show
that you just have to take time to decompress and go through it, which, to me, is what theatre is supposed to be.” Halliday said he hopes the audience will think about the play after seeing it and talk about it with friends over coffee. Halliday plays Isaac in “Disgraced,” who he describes as not the nicest of characters. However, Halliday said each character is relatable and has realistic traits that allow the audience to see versions of themselves onstage. Cara Reid, who plays Emily, said the play also calls to attention the trials and tribulations of life as a Muslim-American. Reid said characters who are people of color or Muslim are often portrayed stereotypically and one dimensionally, but “Disgraced” presents a whole new outlook many in the western world don’t get to see. “Amir has a line in the play where he says this culture is in his bones,” Reid said. “It’s a completely different culture. It’s like apples and oranges, you can’t compare them because we don’t have that heritage.” Reid said “Disgraced” should elicit strong reactions, but it’s hard to judge what that reaction will be because there are so many things that cause the audience to be uncomfortable without knowing why. “It puts a mirror up to your face when it comes to racism and prejudices, and it’s a hard play to watch sometimes,” Reid said. “What I like about it is when talking about racism, it’s about everyone, and it really pinpoints different races and their struggles in life, and sometimes how easy they’ve had it.” “Disgraced” closes on Oct. 11.
Opinion
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
‘DON’T TELL YOUR MOTHER’ INFRANGIBLE ICON JOHN GAVIN HARP Columnist Thrashing seductively in a pool is a part of growing up — at least when you’re Demi Lovato. Lovato is undergoing the metamorphosis nearly all former Disney stars go through in their careers. She’s doing anything to shed associations to her former image. This isn’t the first time a former Disney star worked hard to shed their image, and it certainly won’t be the last. What does vary, however, is the angle these former child stars use to show they’ve grown up. In some scenarios, a former star uses a shock factor. Lovato’s peer, Miley Cyrus, twerked her way into ridding herself of her Hannah Montana past. Lovato seems to use a similar, but slightly more reserved, approach. Lovato is seen going about her daily life in nothing more than a swimsuit. She’s posing in Kim Kardashian-esque nude photoshoots. She’s also quick to drop an F-bomb on Twitter should the opportunity arise. Just like with Cyrus’ antics two years ago, Lovato’s whole #RebelHeart persona comes off as inauthentic. It doesn’t feel natural. Lovato’s methods contrast with those of fellow former Disney starlet, Selena Gomez. While Lovato is seemingly trying to convince people she is a sexy adult, Gomez assumes everyone knows she already is. Her performances are more subtle. Her music is more mid-tempo. Gomez
gives off the feeling she doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. This confidence is evident in the music Gomez released thus far, the accompanying visuals and the interviews she’s given. “I just wanna look good for you,” Gomez coos on her hit summer single, “Good For You.” While Gomez’s new album is titled “Revival,” Lovato’s first album not affiliated with Disney is titled, “Confident,” but Lovato comes off as anything but confident. With both Lovato’s and Gomez’s albums coming out within the next two weeks, it’s difficult to not compare the two and their respective brands. The problem with Lovato is she geared her music toward troubled youth. Lovato went through a public battle with an eating disorder and body image issues in 2010. Shortly following her rehabilitation, she rebranded herself as a survivor for fans all over the world to look up to. This persona came off as authentic, which can’t be said for her latest shenanigans. Lovato has a song with Iggy Azalea for God’s sake. Nothing about Azalea is genuine. Growing up is hard to do. When you have millions of people watching your every move, I imagine it is more arduous. Yet, we’ve seen other child stars grow up in a seemingly natural way. For example, Taylor Swift broke into the music industry when she was a gawky 14-year-old. Since then, she’s grown up in front of the world. She may have traded in the prom dresses she wore to award shows for crop tops, but she never acted older — or younger — than she was. She never tried to be sexy, or edgy. She just suddenly was. Women owning their sexuality is wonderful and shouldn’t be frowned upon.
Disney child stars grow up differently
courtesy of GETTY IMAGES
Britney Spears seductively dancing with a python on stage at the 2001 Video Music Awards to “I’m a Slave 4 U” is the perfect example. A woman or man — I’m looking at you, Nick Jonas — shouldn’t have to amp up their sex factor to convince people they’re an adult.
We get it. You have a lot of sex and you’re attractive. Now, please go put some clothes on. John Gavin Harp is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from St. Francisville, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @SirJohnGavin.
Louisiana’s new SNAP policy leaves many people hungry ENTITLED MILLENNIAL CODY SIBLEY Columnist Last week, Louisiana lawmakers decided 64,000 people in the state will starve if they don’t find work by January. Louisiana will cut its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits because the Department of Children and Family Services didn’t apply for an extension on the federal waiver to exempt Louisiana welfare recipients from the 20 hours a week work requirement for SNAP benefits. Able-bodied recipients 18 to 49 years old with no dependents either have to work 20 hours a week or enroll in a job-training program by January. If they don’t
meet those requirements, they’ll lose their food stamps. This extra qualification for food stamps is theoretically unproblematic. Single, able-bodied adults should have to work just like the rest of us. It’s not fair that some people don’t have to work. However, we’re not in a theoretical world with variable-proof situations, and life isn’t like a tightly-controlled science experiment. People are born into seemingly inescapable socioeconomic levels. Unemployment might be higher than the national average in some places. For example, you might live in a town where employers discriminate. The National Bureau of Economic Research did a field study July 2003. They sent out identical résumés to companies. The only thing they changed were the
names: Some résumés had “whitesounding names,” while others had “black-sounding” names. They found that employers are 50 percent more likely to call back the people with white names than people with black names. If that study is any indicator for Louisiana, then this work requirement for food stamps will disproportionately harm Louisiana’s black residents over something they can’t control. Racial problems aside, Louisiana’s unemployment rate is higher than the national average, which means our residents are systematically disadvantaged compared with other states. People in states with low unemployment, like Hawaii or New Hampshire, won’t have as much of a problem finding work compared with states with higher unemployment, like Louisiana. Our state’s
unemployment rate is 6.6 percent, the 10th highest in the nation and above the national unemployment rate of 5.5 percent. The federal government shouldn’t use this work requirement in the blanket approach it’s exercised. Connecticut isn’t going to have the same economic problems as Louisiana. Our economies and education levels are too different to use the same formula for food stamps. This change in policy will also affect some parishes more than others. As of August 2015, at least three parishes have unemployment rates double the national average. Morehouse is at 10.1 percent, West Carroll is at 10.8 percent and East Carroll is at 13.2 percent. People can’t find work in parishes with double-digit unemployment rates. It’s not their fault they
live in an area with high unemployment and can’t find a way out of their situations, and it’s not our place to dismiss these people as lazy leeches on the system. But this federal law mandates welfare recipients in all states to work at least 20 hours a week. Louisiana used to be exempt because of our high unemployment and high poverty rate, but lawmakers let the exemption expire this year. Instead of kicking people on government assistance while they’re down, we need to increase our funding for education and job training programs so fewer people rely on the system. Forcing people off it is not the humane thing to do. Cody Sibley is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Opelousas, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter at @CodySibley.
The Daily Reveille
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
page 13
Focusing on Sanders could lose democratic presidency BEYER’S REMORSE MICHAEL BEYER Columnist Sadly, the presidential election is not a game of how far left America can lean. While many of my friends are over the moon for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, I don’t yearn for the Bern. I was supposed to be excited, transfixed even, by Sanders’ appeal. He spent decades as a critical voice working within D.C. fighting against money in politics and for health insurance for all Americans. And then it all fell apart. I realized I’m not here for the Vermont Velociraptor’s nonsense that threatens Democrats controlling the White House for another four years. A lot is at stake in the upcoming presidential election with potentially four of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices slated for retirement. Replacing these justices could set the Supreme Court in a progressive direction for the next generation. Overturning Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, Shelby County v. Holder and other conservative decisions should be a top priority for progressives. Changing the makeup of the Supreme Court makes this presidential election even more consequential. Progressives do not fare as well in Congress. Democrats
PAUL BEATY/ The Associated Press
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders. answers a question during an appearance at the University of Chicago Sept. 28. have a reasonable chance of retaking the Senate in 2016, but the House will likely remain Republican because of gerrymandering throughout the next president’s term. Democrats will have the opportunity to retake the House of Representatives after congressional districts are redrawn after the 2020 Census. There is one group who is excited about Sanders besides progressives: Republican strategists like Bill Kristol. Republicans are hoping Hillary Rodham Clinton will waste money and resources fending off Sanders to prove her ideological purity, leaving her more vulnerable in the general
election. Clinton has a lot to lose by moving to Sanders’ left. In June Gallup poll examined the personal and political characteristics about presidential candidates. Among these, a candidate who identified as a socialist gained the lowest support with 47 percent of voters willing to consider voting for a socialist candidate. In the general election, any Republican will tie Clinton to Sanders’ socialism, and it could cost her. Placing all of our chips on Sanders to win would be a gamble for low-income people, LGBT people and people of color who
would benefit from any Democrat in the White House. In August, a Gallup poll found Clinton enjoying an 80 percent favorability rating among black voters compared to Sanders’ 23 percent. It’s no coincidence most of Sanders’ supporters are educated, white progressives. After Sanders’ home state of Vermont, Iowa and New Hampshire have the largest shares of white liberals of any state in the United States, according to Five Thirty Eight. Not surprisingly, Sanders has huge leads in both of these states according to a September CBS’ News poll, beating
Clinton by 22 percent in New Hampshire and 10 percent in Iowa. Sanders isn’t running to be president of the United States, he’s running to be the president of progressive America. Wealthy progressives can afford to support a Sanders candidacy because they don’t have as much to lose if a Republican wins the White House. We can’t afford to lose the direction our country is moving in. President Barack Obama moved our country’s conversation to the left. Republicans now have to run on taking away the health insurance of millions of Americans, reinstating the ban on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and other untenable positions. Clinton can continue to move our country in this direction. It may be frustratingly slow at times, but it made our country better. I want the same things Sanders does: to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, eliminate money from politics and refom our healthcare system to a single-payer system. Maybe one day our country will be able to elect someone like Sanders. Clinton will help America get to a place where we can elect someone like Sanders as an executive — and our country will be a better place for it. Michael Beyer is a 22-year-old political science senior from New Orleans. You can reach him on Twitter @michbeyer.
Michelle Obama should be seen as inspiration amoung young girls MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL CLARKE PERKINS Columnist It can be hard for women enrolled in college to fathom another women not attending college because of a man. To many, it may seem the most outrageous, illogical reason ever. Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama took part in Glamour’s panel “The Power of an Educated Girl” to help us reevaluate how people react to women’s poor reasoning for not attending school. She discussed the importance of education and her “62 million
girls” campaign. Obama she created to raise awareness for millions of girls around the world unable to receive an education. At the panel, her advice on the topic of boys finding girls unattractive because of their education and girls who don’t attend school to stay close to their boyfriends resonated with many. According to The Washington Post, women are obtaining the majority of American degrees. In 2010, women acquired 57.4 percent of bachelor’s degrees. To men that are accustomed to living in a male-dominated world, it’s intimidating. Obama told the girls, “There is no boy at this age that is cute
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enough or interesting enough to stop you from getting your education. If I had worried about who liked me and who thought I was cute when I was your age, I wouldn’t be married to the president of the United States today.” The clip of Obama sharing her thoughts with these girls went viral and flooded Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for the past week. That advice is extremely powerful coming from her. For starters, she is the FLOTUS — what she says holds a substantial amount of power. Her words could be the final push some girls need to pursue an education. More importantly, Obama’s
message not only speaks to girls that aren’t in school but to graduates and those enrolled — if she is motivating girls to attend school, so should we. The first lady tells girls to stop judging other girls for not attending school, despite how odd their reasons may be, and start uplifting them. Sometimes women just need that extra push, whether it be from the first lady or another woman. Obama’s “mic-drop moment,” as The Huffington Post called it, has the potential to change the way girls see education and each other. Who knows how many more women would attend LSU right
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now if they were more confident with themselves? Their reasoning for not attending school shouldn’t be any of our concern, but we should make it our responsibility to encourage them to get an education. An education is one of the deadliest weapons a person can have — there’s not much more intimidating than an educated, intelligent woman. We need to change our focus. We need to motivate as many girls as possible to get ahold of that weapon. Clarke Perkins is a 19-yearold political science sophomore from New Orleans. You can reach her on Twitter @ClarkePerkins.
Quote of the Day ‘Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.’ Joyce Carol Oates novelist June 16, 1938 — present
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1&2 bdrms $525.00 - $700.00 Near LSU!! Call (225) 343-2466 or come by 3003 River Rd South Baton Rouge,La 70802 ______________________________ 3/1 house ,reduced next to campus. $975 rent, entire house not per person, wood floors, back yard. w/d incl.McDaniel Properties own/agt 388-9858 McProperty.mgr@cox.net
Help Wanted Looking for a mandarin tutor for an 8 year old Chinese girl for 1-2 hours per week in 70817 zip code area. Call 225-752-6817 ______________________________ PT / FT maintenance employees needed for property management company. Landscape work, odd jobs, misc. repairs, etc. FLEXIBLE HOURS, $10/ HR! Claus & Claus 225-2682238. ______________________________ RED ZEPPELIN PIZZA now hiring pizza makers. Apply at RZP. 225-302-7153 ______________________________
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LSU students, part-time runner/ assistant needed for Law firm in Baton Rouge off Jefferson Hwy. Must have your own vehicle and proof of insurance. Send resume to mkh@hvhlegal.com ______________________________
Art models needed. Portrait and figure drawing/painting. N Art Space, 7809 Jefferson Hwy. Experience not required. $15-20/ hr. Contact: artbocage@gmail. com ______________________________ Louie’s Cafe is hiring cook, server & dish staff. Apply in person, online or via email. louiescafe.com 3322 Lake Street ______________________________ University of Georgia-Tifton, GA Campus Research Station Superintendent Will oversee all aspects of operations for several research farms located in and around Tifton, Georgia. Duties include, but are not limited to, interacting with UGA scientists and farm employees to ensure that research is conducted according to protocol. Master’s degree in an agricultural science, business or engineering field is preferred, but will consider an equivalent combination of formal education and experience. For job details and to apply, go to http://www. ugajobsearch.com/applicants/ Central?quickFind=67523 An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution ______________________________ Servers needed at Bocage Racquet Club. $4.25 per hour plus guaranteed tips and free meals. Please call 225-924-6273 for inquiries and appointments. ______________________________ KLSU 91.1FM is looking for a new WEB DIRECTOR to join
our executive staff for the Fall semester. The Web Director will prepare posts for KLSU’s website, as well as providing their own content, and will maintain other aspects of our mobile and desktop site. Pay is $8.25/hr for a maximum of 20 hours per week. Responsible for maintaining regular office hours in addition to work conducted offsite. No prior experience or coding knowledge is necessary, but you must be computer literate. Applicants must be in good academic standing and enrolled full time at LSU. Contact Kurtis Johnson at stationmanager@tigers.lsu.edu for more information. ______________________________ Vet. Asst. needed who has a passion for helping pets & their people. Exp. pref. but not required. 15 min. from LSU*Acadian Oaks Pet Clinic*225.387.2462. ______________________________ DRIVER NEEDED on Thursdays for elderly lady. Can guarantee 5 hours. May be more hours. $12/hour. Must have reliable transportation. 70816 area. 225.405.2534.
Personals To the guy in the big truck that I got into an accident with at the Nicholson EXT crosswalk and to the other like 5 people who stopped to check on us, I’m fine! Guy: I want to make sure you are. We should probably swap information but I was too frazzled to think about it then. Email me at mcotto8@tigers. lsu.edu -H
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Tuesday, October 6, 2015 SQUAD, from page 1 2015 teams hold early with the potential the No. 7 Tigers (40, 2-0 SEC) displayed through their first four games, particularly in LSU’s conference wins against Mississippi State University on Sept. 12 and Auburn University on Sept. 19. Despite losing its most experienced defender in senior safety Jalen Mills to an injury during fall camp, LSU’s secondary rallied behind the energy of Mills’ replacement, junior safety Rickey Jefferson, and sophomore safety Jamal Adams, a 2014 Freshman All-American by the recruiting service 247Sports.com. Jefferson and Adams have combined for 42 tackles, including three tackles for a loss and four pass breakups through LSU’s first four games. Adams is tied for the team lead with two interceptions. The safety duo’s physicality against the run resembles the Tigers’ 2011 safety combination of Eric Reid and Brandon Taylor, both of whom tallied more than 70 tackles to rank among the top three on the team. Along with Jefferson and Adams mirroring Reid and Taylor, junior cornerback Tre’Davious White and freshman cornerback Kevin Toliver II’s shutdown coverage out wide fuels the Tigers’ third-ranked SEC passing defense in similar ways former LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Mathieu’s elite coverage did in 2011. At 5-foot-11, White’s frame may not resemble Mathieu’s compact 5-foot-9-inch build, but his knack for making crucial plays on defense and special teams continues the tradition set by Mathieu and four-time NFL Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson. During his LSU career, White has recorded just one fewer pass break up than Mathieu with 15 and equaled his interception mark with four through two seasons. Like Mathieu, White has established himself as a dangerous return man, recording two punt returns for touchdowns. The Shreveport, Louisiana, native sparked the Tigers with a 69-yard return for touchdown during the third quarter of the Tigers’ 34-24 win against Syracuse University on Sept. 26.
SATANISTS, from page 1 to distribute religious texts in the area’s public schools. When The Satanic Temple created a coloring book called, “The Satanic Children’s Big Book of Activities” and prepared to hand them out, the school board banned the distribution of religious materials in their schools. The Greater New Orleans Chapter challenges events and policies that go against The Satanic Temple’s philosophies. Members carrying signs with the Satanic Temple’s symbol were present on LSU’s campus to protest Gov. Jindal’s prayer rally with the American Family Association. Anti-abortion rallies like the
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While White’s identity as a playmaker compares to Mathieu, Toliver’s quiet approach to the game and lanky frame reflects Claiborne’s lock down style of play. In his first four games as a Tiger, Toliver showcased his talents as a shutdown corner, tallying 13 tackles and one interception. Since making his first career start in LSU’s delayed season opener against Mississippi State, Toliver has impressed his teammates with his composure and veteran approach to the game. White routinely refers to Toliver as a “vet.” Although Jefferson said the current members of LSU’s secondary watch film of the 2011 defense during their spare time for inspiration, they aim to make a name for themselves with a identity different than their predecessors. “We try to focus on what we can do to get better as a secondary in the back end,” Adams said. “The 2011 group was a great group. And we plan to be great as well, but we’re not there yet. We have a lot of work to do, so we’re going to keep our head down and keep working.” Along with the presence of a talented and experienced secondary, the Tigers’ 2015 defense parallels another forte of the 2011 squad with its arsenal of weapons wreaking havoc in the backfield. In 2011, former Tiger defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery combined for 17 sacks, leading a potent pass rush whose 39 total sacks in 2011 fell just five sacks short of the Tigers’ single-season record set in 2003. LSU’s first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele’s aggressive play-calling combined with more experience along the defensive line have created a formidable pass rush on this year’s team. Despite tallying just 19 sacks in 2014, the Tigers have tallied 11 sacks in 2015 with sophomore defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and junior defensive end Lewis Neal tied for the team lead with three a piece. “They’ve really been getting after it,” said senior linebacker Deion Jones. “Big kudos to [LSU defensive line] Coach [Ed] Orgeron, he’s got those guys going
a hundred miles an hour every day. Like constant drill after drill after drill after drill of just getting after it. And it’s been paying off for them.” Dominant defense defined the 2011 team and every other Milesled LSU squad, but 2015 is an entirely different case study with the Tigers’ offense spearheaded by one of the premier running backs in the nation. Fournette leads the nation in rushing yards with 864, rushing touchdowns with 11 and rushing yards per game with 216. The New Orleans-native became the first running back in SEC history to record three-consecutive 200-yard games, besting Heisman Trophy winners Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson’s best streak of two-consecutive games with more than 200 rushing yards. Although LSU finished 2011 ranked 22nd in the NCAA in rushing offense with Michael Ford and Spencer Ware, Fournette’s ability to take over games against conference opponents has characterized the 2015 season, eliminating the need for a passing game. “We just haven’t been able to show our talent yet, which I’m not mad at because I’m not selfish,” said sophomore wide receiver Malachi Dupre. “At the end of the day, when you have someone as good as Leonard, it’s not like we don’t need [passing game] right now, but we don’t need it right now because of how good he is and with the plays he’s been making.” The Tigers have no shortage of talent out wide with Dupre and junior wide receiver Travin Dural, but LSU ranks 123rd in the NCAA in passing offense with 95.5 yards per game, trailing even the 2011 offense’s 152.5 yards through the air per game. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris has completed only 54.1 percent of his passes this season, but Harris’ ability to avoid turnovers parallels the Tigers’ 2011 quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson, who combined for just six turnovers. While the 2011 and 2015 LSU defenses share key characteristics, Fournette’s explosiveness vaults the 2015 offense over the 2011 squad in terms of sheer firepower.
one held at LSU on the same day as the prayer rally are also opposed by members of The Satanic Temple because of its tenet that, “One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.” In addition to activism, the New Orleans chapter engages in community outreach programs, such as working to fill potholes and creating care packages for the homeless. Accedito described the type of Satanism practiced by The Satanic Temple as atheistic and non-supernatural, with one of the seven fundamental tenets requiring them to conform to the best scientific understanding of the world and not twist facts to fit their beliefs. “We do not worship anything
— worship is the act of a servant,” Accedito said. “We do not serve any entity. We embrace that Satan is a symbolic representation of questioning blind faith, but we don’t follow Satan because there is no Satan to follow.” Satan is an eternal rebel in opposition to arbitrary authority and a Prometheus-like figure, with Satanists harkening back to other rebels and freethinkers throughout history, Accedito said. “What we’re asking for isn’t a revolutionary idea. We think that America was made strong by establishing a system that respects the diversity of it’s citizens,” Accedito said. “We hope one day that our elected officials will value the Constitution before their own beliefs and biases.”
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ARI ROSS / The Daily Reveille
Congressman Garret Graves meets with LSU students and faculty during a ‘Grub with Garret’ meeting on Monday in the Vieux Carre room of the Student Union.
GRAVES, from page 1 Graves stopped short of supporting legislation that did not focus on finance, both in the form of Common Core or a scorecard for higher education institutions, even as Alexander was adamant in his position to overhaul how colleges and universities are accredited. “It is a Wild West with nobody stepping in to be sheriff,” Alexander said. “I think the federal government has a role in showing, ‘What’s the value of this place?’” Alexander commended Student Government representatives in attendance for their recent report card grading Louisiana legislators. He said the report showed students beginning to hold higher education and lawmakers accountable. “You took some heat, and some people tried to make it about politics,” Alexander said. “It wasn’t about politics. You are more relevant, more accountable and finally standing up for the next generation of students.” Alexander said he couldn’t support an increase in Pell Grants until legislators “close the back door” on higher education funding. “When you increase Pell Grants by $200, but the state cuts the budget by 30 percent and tuition goes up by $800, your Pell Grant students still have a $600
net loss,” Alexander said. Referencing an upcoming shake up of House Republican leadership and the upcoming presidential election, Graves said it is time for Congress to begin “flexing its muscles as a co-equal branch.” Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner recently announced his resignation, and Rep. Steve Scalise, R-New Orleans, is in contention for the House majority leader position. “I think that the new leadership is going to be helpful,” Graves said. “This White House with this Congress is rather poisonous.” The Washington gridlock wasn’t the only standstill Graves discussed. Graves said he was focusing on “short term, mid-term and long-term” solutions to the traffic congestion on I-10. Graves said Baton Rouge has the worst traffic in the nation for a region of its size, and it’s the only place where the interstate slims down to one lane. He stressed the need for a comprehensive master plan that included the increase in traffic projected over the next few years. But until the funds can be allocated to a project of that size, Graves encouraged carpooling and public transit, as well as staggered release times for downtown employees.
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Featuring dodgeball, fitness classes, and college night, Area 51 offers an innovative way to work out, dance and blow off steam.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015