The Daily Reveille 01-10-2018

@lsureveille

The Daily Reveille Est. 1887

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Volume 126 · No. 1

lsunow.com

in town

Brew Ha-Ha! recently signed a lease for a second location with Willow Grove Shopping Center near Perkins Rowe and is expected to open October 2018. page 2

PHOTOS BY ISABELLA ALLEN

NEWS

SPORTS Gymnastics team introduces morale-boosting “stick crown,” page 7

Gov. John Bel Edwards asks Public Service Commission to lower utility rates, page 3 Graduate assistants unionize in effort to increase recognition, page 4

ENTERTAINMENT Local group The Gradutes offers a different and original sound, page 13

OPINION “Tinder is a sort of advertisement for most of these women to lure men into a trap and ultimately sell their bodies. Prostitution at its finest,” page 19

page 2

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

FOOD AND DRINK

Brew Ha-Ha! to open new location near Perkins Rowe

BY KELLY SWIFT @kellbell237

LSU marketing alumna Gabby Loubiere took a risk by opening her coffee shop three years after another shop’s closure, but she’s laughing now.

Brew Ha-Ha! recently signed a lease for a second location with Willow Grove Shopping Center near Perkins Rowe and is expected to open October 2018.

Loubiere was initially slated to open Brew Ha-Ha! with a partner, but days before signing the lease, she found herself as a sole proprietor. When Loubiere opened the shop 13 years ago in Mid City, the area was on the decline and there wasn’t a hopeful future, but her energy and perseverance kept her determined to be successful.

“I knew a revival of Mid City was coming. Something told me it was gonna be fine,” Loubiere said. “This area went

from old school to this young vibe that is part of the growth of Baton Rouge.”

The growth of Loubiere’s business does not stop at opening a second location. Brew HaHa! will also begin to roast their own brand of coffee. They will continue to sell Community Coffee, but will roast special blends and feature coffees of the day at its current Jefferson Highway location.

“I always liked the word ‘brew’ and wanted it to be in the name,” Loubiere said. “Brew Ha-Ha! just seemed to fit.”

Brew Ha-Ha! has created a brand based on simplicity and fun, and Loubiere uses that to expand her market.

A suggestion from a customer turned into a “cake ball explosion” when Loubiere decided to incorporate her grandmother’s cake ball recipes into the Brew Ha-Ha! menu in 2007.

“I couldn’t make them fast

enough,”Loubiere said.

Shortly after the cake ball explosion, Loubiere was asked if she could make a cake ball wedding cake. She accepted the offer without hesitation and started a new trend, bringing the coffee shop’s brand to the next level. Brew Ha-Ha! currently sells a variety of cake balls such as super mini cake balls that are paired with shots, extra large cake balls and original sized cake balls, which are now called “large” because of the mini size’s popularity.

Other than her creative name choice and original forms of cake balls, Loubiere branded Brew Ha-Ha! as a business that gives back to the community.

She participated in the Epicurean Society Auction in 2016 and has participated in other philanthropic events. She also dabbles in creative branding with slogans that come and go like “We’ve got balls” and “Baller

Brew Ha-Ha!” Brew Ha-Ha! has continuously grown since its opening in 2004 and has employees that genuinely enjoy their jobs.

“It’s really cool to have a boss and coworkers that genuinely care about you and always have your back,” said Brew Ha-Ha! employee Kate Williams. “Being able to bring creativity in the workplace through the cake balls is super cool and makes every day more enjoyable.”

Though Loubiere had setbacks and did not have a conventional start, she has made the best out of it and experienced large success in a growing part of Baton Rouge.

“The store is me. I just think of things, do them and see if they work,” said Loubiere. “The customers, my employees and I have formed a family here at Brew Ha-Ha! and we will continue to be one as Brew Ha-Ha! grows.”

The Daily Reveille B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803 Newsroom (225) 578-4811

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Editor in Chief

RAMSINA ODISHO Managing Editor

NATALIE ANDERSON News Editor

EVAN SAACKS Deputy News Editor

ABBIE SHULL Sports Editor

HANNAH MARTIN Deputy Sports Editor

KENNEDI LANDRY Entertainment Editor

LYNNE BUNCH Opinion Editor

HANNAH KLEINPETER Production Editor

HA-VY NGUYEN Co-Photo Editor

HASKELL WHITTINGTON Co-Photo Editor

WHITNEY WILLISTON

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

ISABELLA ALLEN / The Daily Reveille

Brew Ha-Ha!, now opening a new location near Perkins Rowe, sells cake balls, coffee, brunch foods, and serves as an art gallery.

EVENTS CALENDAR

10 jan

13 jan

LSU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ALABAMA PMAC 7:30 P.M. DUBYA, ALABASTER STAG & HYDRA PLANE SPANISH MOON 9 P.M.

11 jan

14 jan

WUMBO, MELON KIDS & WISE BIRDS SPANISH MOON 9 P.M. THE LOUISIANA MARATHON LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM 7 A.M.

HELP WANTED Gino's is seeking part time evening hostesses.

Call 927-7156 for an appointment.

12 jan

14 jan

16 jan

ELI YOUNG BAND VARSITY THEATRE 8 P.M.

THE FINISH FEST AZ YOUNG PARK FOLLOWING THE LOUISIANA MARATHON MLK COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM UNION THEATER 4:30 P.M.

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 email editor@lsureveille.com.

ABOUT THE DAILY REVEILLE

12 jan

15 jan

16 jan

BIG FREEDIA WITH DELISH DA GODDESS SPANISH MOON 9 P.M. MLK CANDLELIGHT VIGIL LSU STUDENT UNION BALLROOM 5:30 P.M. LSU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. GEORGIA PMAC 6 P.M.

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Reveille, B-39 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

News

page 3

Back in Business

POLITICS

Gov. Edwards pushes for lower utility rates

BY RACHEL MIPRO @remroc15

PHOTO BY DILYN STEWART

Local restaurant Dearman’s reopens after two years

BY SHERIDAN WALL | @slwall7 After being closed for nearly two years, local burger and soda shop Dearman’s has experienced a successful first month since its reopening in December.

Dearman’s closed in March 2016 after a fire damaged the building, according to manager Casey Evans. The cause of the fire was suspected to be from an electrical outlet, but Evans said the cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Evans said business is “mayhem” since the restaurant opened its doors. Since the reopen Dearman’s has seen more customers than it is

able to maintain. He said the support has been “uplifting” and several Dearman’s fans were personally involved in helping reopen the restaurant.

Dearman’s waitress Emma Mercer said she was scheduled to work the morning of the fire.

“I just sat down on my bed and cried because I love Dearman’s, and I love working here,” Mercer said.

Mercer said after the fire, Evans asked her to rejoin the team, and she

see DEARMAN’S, page 6

The University could see a significant decrease in utility prices if Gov. John Bel Edwards’ letter to the Public Service Commission pays off.

Edwards, in his appeal to the PSC on Jan. 4, asked for lower utility rates due to the steep reduction in federal corporate income tax rates. The reduced costs would result in the University and its students paying less for utilities. The University’s utility costs include electricity, water and gas.

“I am officially requesting that the PSC undertake a review of all current rate plans for the public utilities doing business in Louisiana and make the necessary adjustments to reflect the reduction in corporate income taxes from 35 percent to 21 percent,” Edwards stated in his letter to the PSC commissioners. “I want to ensure the benefit of this federal tax savings is passed on to the ratepayers in this state.”

The PSC regulates 12 energy companies, all of whom would be forced to lower utility rates if the commissioners decide the cut in corporate income taxes merits a change in Louisiana utility prices. The company

see UTILITY RATES, page 6 STUDENT LIFE

Tiger Band selects new drum major for first time since 2015

BY LUKE JEANFREAU @LukeJeanfreau

The LSU Tiger Marching Band announced music education senior Beau Bujol as the band’s new drum major at an annual banquet following the 2018 Citrus Bowl presented by Overton’s on Jan. 1.

Drum majors typically serve as the head of the marching band, but the drum major of the Tiger Band carries more responsibilities.

“You pretty much act as the spokesperson of the band,” Bujol said. “You’re the guy in white, everyone knows who you are. It’s your role not only to lead Tiger Band on and off the field, but to be representative of the music department,

specifically the band. You pretty much act as the head of the organization.”

Every year, the Tiger Band administration holds a rigorous audition process to select the new drum major.

“There’s a whole audition process,” Bujol said. It actually takes a whole week, with multiple rounds and cuts after each round. It’s a pretty intense process.”

Bujol is replacing the former drum major, Daniel Wendt, who served as drum major for three consecutive years. Bujol said Wendt had to go through the audition process before all three years, and that his extensive experience leading the band will make him a resource for Bujol.

“He did a fantastic job

with the position,” Bujol said.

“Going in, I’m going to look to him for advice. I definitely have big shoes to fill, but I’m up for the challenge.”

During his time in Tiger Band, Wendt co-founded Tonal Innovation, LLC. According to the company’s website, its mission is to bridge the gap between music and technology. The company offers both a device to mount a smartphone to an instrument and an app to use sheet music on a smartphone.

The idea for the company started at a Tiger Band practice.

According to Wendt, the founder of the company, Garrett Kessling, was having trouble reading

see DRUM MAJOR, page 6

courtesy of BEAU BUJOL

The LSU Tiger Marching Band announced music education senior Beau Bujol as its new drum major on Jan. 1.

The Daily Reveille

page 4

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

HIGHER EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATION

LSU graduate assistants form Graduate Student Union

BY ALDEN CEASAR @a1997jc

The University decides to treat us as employees in one scenario, when it benefits them, like taxation; so our stipends are taxable income.

The future of higher education was uncertain for the academic community following the passing of the House GOP tax plan in November 2017.

The plan included an omission of Section 117(d)(5) of the previous tax code. The provision stipulated that tuition waivers would not be considered taxable income by the federal government. Moreover, BRADLEY WOOD graduate students would not Biological science graduate assistant have to pay taxes on money that never “passed through their own hands.”

The omission garnered a graduate students as laborcollective response from uni- ers at LSU,” Parks said. “LSU versity presidents, adminis- doesn’t work in any capacity to trators, and graduate students represent us as workers.”

Though a Universityacross the country.

LSU President F. King sponsored Graduate Student Alexander penned an op-ed in Association exists, the group the Greater Baton Rouge Busi- is creating the Union out of the ness Report, stating his dis- concern for acknowledgment.

“By definition [the GSA] pleasure with the affects of the cannot be antagonistic to LSU new bill.

“Unfortunately, the new tax because they are LSU,” Wood reform bill seeks to balance said. “So what we are trying to corporate tax reductions on the do is form an outside organizabacks of students and the uni- tion that’s outside of the University, that falls outversities educatside of University ing them,” Alexpolicy.” ander wrote.

The Graduate The Univer- According to the group, Assosity’s graduate some graduate students Student student associa- at the University have sold ciation constitution bylaws keep tion sent an email to all graduate blood plasma to pay for them from representing students students informgroceries. as workers in a ing them of the way that satisfies potential affect. graduate assisThe Tax Cuts tants. and Jobs Act be“The University decides came public law on Dec. 22.

The potentially devastating to treat us as employees in effect of this bill has highlight- one scenario, when it benefits ed a conflict between the State, them, like taxation; so our stithe University, and its students. pends are taxable income,” Of the roughly 4,000 Wood said. “But they also treat graduate students at the Uni- us as students when we want versity, about 2,000 of those stu- health insurance. We have to dents work for the University as buy individual insurance plans like [unemployed students] or graduate assistants.

In July 2017, the go uninsured.”

The Graduate Students University faculty saw a 3 percent raise in its salary, Union has circulated a petition while students saw a 2 percent that demands a halt to tuition and fee increases and demands increase in their fees.

For graduate assistants who that the state properly reinvest are both students and employ- in higher education.

“We don’t think it’s right ees of the University, the raise in salary coupled with a raise in that the University balances its tuition in fees exacerbate their own budget on the backs of its grievances with the University. students,” Wood said. “My fees On a Friday afternoon in went up to pay for my 5 percent November of 2017, at the height pay raise.”

The group stated it is of the graduate student tax controversy, three representatives embarrassing that Louisiana is of a graduate student union- one of less than 10 states that ization effort at the University continuously cuts funding for met with The Daily Reveille at higher education.

According to a report Highland Coffees.

English graduate assistant published in The Advocate Kieran Lyons, sociology gradu- in April 2017, Louisiana has ate assistant Vanessa Parks cut $700 million in funding and biological science gradu- for higher education over the ate assistant Bradley Wood dis- past decade.

“Ultimately it wouldn’t be cussed the efforts of the Graduate Student Union and their worth it to go to grad school grievances as graduate if you weren’t independently wealthy or willing to go into exassistants. “[We are] advocating for treme debt” Lyons said. “We’re

under all of this stress to do research on behalf of the University. We don’t get to take vacation — your conferences become your vacation.”

In the sciences, a graduate student working in a lab or research center is often tied to a specific professor, Parks said. That professor is responsible for a student’s job in the lab, and their job in the future. If a graduate student has a bad working relationship with the professor, it is the student’s responsibility to maintain the relationship. In a lot of cases it is difficult to walk away or even voice grievances, Parks said. A professor could easily replace you with another highly motivated graduate student.

“Having anxiety or depression isn’t a thing some people have, it is a common given,” Parks said. “You understand that the people around

you are suffering.”

Lyons mentioned that the options for international graduate students, who are essential to the University’s research model, facing abuse is even more grim if they are not familiar with the U.S. legal system or have any other resources.

“There is a lot of actual exploitation that goes on,” Lyons said. “People are working long hours for very little money and aren’t getting the publications that are a part of the handshake agreement.”

Graduate students who come from Southeast Asia and the Middle East for their five or six year Ph. D are often systematically exploited, Lyons said.

“We don’t get any kind of acknowledgement from the University or the powers that be that what we are doing is important” Wood said.

Graduate students have

even expressed grievances with the University’s Student Health Center.

“Many grad students have to go off campus for mental health treatment,” Wood said. “One student was told unless you are coming in because you were just sexually assaulted, we cannot give you mental health services until two months from now.”

According to the group, some graduate students at the University have sold blood plasma to pay for groceries.

Wood mentioned that graduate students are predominantly what the University is.

On top of outnumbering faculty, graduate students teach several classes.

“There are legislators who will debate, this spring, whether we should eliminate degree programs like creative writing, that don’t funnel into Louisiana based career industries,” Wood said.

Several graduate student employee unions have won recognition by Universities across the nation. The nearest organization is the University of Florida Graduate Assistants United.

“It should not fall solely on the family and students of LSU to pay for LSU,” Parks said. “It’s a public school.”

The petition the group is circulating demands the University and the state legislature discontinue the funding structure that puts a disproportionate financial burden on students.

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

David F. Boyd hill sits on LSU’s campus on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016.

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

page 5

ACADEMICS

LSU Online recognized in U.S. News & World Report ranking

BY ABBIE SHULL @abbielj LSU Online was named in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best Online Programs ranking.

“We are pleased to see U.S. News & World Report recognizing our LSU Online programs in their 2018 rankings,” said Matthew Lee, LSU vice provost for academic programs and support services. “After launching LSU Online only a few years ago, we understand the demand for online programs and are proud to offer these great educational opportunities in a flexible environment.”

The LSU Online Master of Science in construction management, Flores Master of Business and LSU College of Engineering were all named in the ranking. The LSU Online MS in construction management is ranked 12th among public colleges and universities and 16th overall, the Flores Master of Business Administration program is ranked 41st in public

courtesy of PEXELS

U.S. News & World Report’s named LSU online in its 2018 online programs rankings. colleges and universities and 51st overall, and the LSU College of Engineering finished top 12 in the ranking of Best Online Graduate Engineering Programs.

The University’s MS in construction management was also ranked 10th in engineering programs for veterans, while the Flores MBA program ranked 25th in online MBA

programs for veterans. U.S. News & World Report ranked these programs based on how they help veterans reduce the cost to attend school.

“Part of our strategic plan as

a college is to reinvent the way we do things to better serve the needs of the people of Louisiana,” said Judy Wornat, dean of the College of Engineering.

“Our online program is one way that we are able to reach students who want to pursue a top-tier education at the, regardless of geography. I’m proud to see it receive the national recognition it deserves.”

Dana Hart, director of the Flores MBA Program, said the ranking speaks to the quality of the online program and the caliber of the students.

“We are in the top 20 percent of all ranked programs.

Our online students are an exceptional group who are doing great things around the world,” Hart said. “This ranking recognizes both the superior return on investment for our graduates and the value of the LSU brand.”

Overall, the Flores MBA program is ranked 33rd among public institution in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools.”

ALUMNI

USA Technologies CEO announces donation to LSU STAFF REPORTS @lsureveille University alumnus and chairman and CEO of USA

Technologies Stephen Herbert announced he and his wife would make a donation to the LSU College of Humanities and Social Sciences. They made the

announcement on Dec. 20 at the Nasdaq Stock Exchange where Hebert rang the closing bell.

Herbert and his wife, Julie, both have degrees from the Col-

ART SHOW

SERIES @ the Swamp

Fiber Art Show {Native Animals}

January 22 - February 18 Artist Reception: February 18

lege of Humanities and Social Sciences and Stephen is on the college’s Dean Advisory Council. Their endowment will be invested and spent each year.

“We are deeply grateful to LSU and the College of Humanities & Social Sciences for creating a foundation that Julie and I have built our life on,” Herbert said in a press release.

“We are strong believers that a liberal arts education feeds the whole mind and best prepares students to think independently, question status quo, be an empathetic leader, understand the global landscape and build on the work done by those who have already left their mark.

We are so very proud that our holistic LSU education has put us in a position to give back to the university that already has given us so much.”

USA Technologies has been featured each year on the LSU

100, an annual list of the top 100 businesses led or owned by University alumni. The company, founded in 2000, has been helping businesses alternative, cashless methods for payment. Their partners include MasterCard, Visa, Verizon, ePort and Apple.

“Steve and Julie’s generous, forward-thinking gift will benefit our faculty and students for generations to come,” said LSU College of Humanities & Social Sciences Dean Stacia Haynie in a press release. “Visionary leaders seek job opportunities that will offer the resources to achieve ambitious goals, and that’s exactly what our endowed deanship will do. We are grateful to the Herberts for jump-starting this effort.”

After the donation was announced, the University logo was lit up outside the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.

2:30-4:30 p.m.

Connecting People to the Art of Nature (225) 757-8905 jguthrie@brec.org brec.org/swamp

Click for info

courtesy of LSU MEDIA RELATIONS

Stephen and Julie Herbert stands with LSU College of Humanities & Social Sciences Dean Stacia Haynie and LSU Foundation Senior Director of Development Krista Allen at the Nasdaq Stock Exchange

The Daily Reveille

page 6 DRUM MAJOR, from page 3 sheet music because of a faulty copier and decided to look at the sheet music on his phone instead.

Wendt also emphasized the importance of the drum major position. He said it is the drum major’s job to teach the band’s section leaders how to teach the

members of the band to march and play in the Tiger Band style.

“There’s a lot of tradition with the position,” Wendt said. “Over the next semester we will meet and go over some of those things.

Ultimately, it falls on the drum major to either successfully or unsuccessfully teach the teachers how to teach.”

DEARMAN’S, from page 3 immediately said yes.

Dearman’s opened in Bocage Village Shopping Center in the late 1950s operating as a drug store with a lunch counter until the 2000s when Dearman’s became a full service restaurant, Evans said. One of the previous owners briefly changed the name to Billy B’s, but the current owner restored its original name.

Dearman’s has remained in Bocage since its opening about 60 years ago.

Dearman’s landlord at Bocage Village Shopping Center terminated Dearman’s lease, Evans said. The landlord allowed Dearman’s to apply for a new lease, but he also reviewed other

Wednesday, January 10, 2018 applicants.

Evans said rebuilding Dearman’s relationship with the landlord was “sticky at first,” but, an outpouring of community support eventually won the landlord over. Dearman’s was set to move back into its original location in Bocage.

The restaurant maintains most of its old-school charm and decor with only a change in the grill’s location and additional equipment to handle the influx of customers, Evans said. Dearman’s also added a veggie burger and other new items to the menu.

Even with the new menu items, Evans said customers are mainly ordering Dearman’s burgers, an old favorite and staple for Baton Rouge natives.

Dearman’s holds a special

place in the memories of many Baton Rouge natives, including natural resource ecology and management freshman Dean Jolly. Jolly said his grandfather lives near Dearman’s, and the two frequented the restaurant when he was growing up.

“He’d bring us dinner a lot so it’s just a good memory thing and nostalgic feelings,” Jolly said.

When the restaurant announced its reopening, Jolly said he made a point to be there on its first day of business. He said he was pleased the restaurant maintained the look and feel he remembers growing up.

“I had to go as soon as I could,” Jolly said. “So many people were talking about it and you could tell so many people were impacted by it.”

HASKELL WHITTINGTON / The Daily Reveille

Mike the Tiger stands on the field dressed as the Tiger Band’s drum major at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

DILYN STEWART / The Daily Reveille

Local burger and soda shop Dearman’s reopens after nearly two years.

UTILITY RATES, from page 3

UPPERCLASSMEN:

LAST CHANCE 12 TO LEASE BEFORE FRESHMEN GET ACCESS

JANUARY

FRESHMEN:

GEAUX TIME! 22 LEASING OPENS JANUARY 22 AT 10 A.M.

JANUARY

PMAC

that would be most affected by this rate reduction would be Entergy, which is the supplier for almost half of the state’s energy, including the New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge area.

Entergy along with Enterprise, is also the supplier for the University’s gas.

“Entergy believes that the [corporate income] tax reform legislation will benefit our customers by lowering the tax costs that they otherwise would pay in rates,” said Entergy officials in a statement to The Daily Reveille.

“These lower tax costs come at

a time when our utility is making significant investments to modernize our electric infrastructure in order to better serve our customers, and they will help us keep rates down.”

Edwards is trying to push for more tangible consumer benefits, using the example of Dominion Energy, which has lowered consumer rates by about 5 percent in South Carolina.

“We hope to hear similar news from Louisiana companies as they carefully review the impact of the federal tax legislation on their bottom lines,” Edwards said in his letter to the PSC.

While it seems unlikely that the energy companies such as Entergy would voluntarily lower rates, the PSC might do it for them.

“Federal income tax rates are one of the factors the PSC considers in setting utility rates in Louisiana,” said Secretary of Revenue Kimberly Lewis Robinson in a statement to The Daily Reveille. “The Edwards administration believes that with the federal corporate income tax rate dropping from 35 percent to 21 percent, it is important that we examine whether these savings can be passed along to Louisiana ratepayers.”

TIGER STADIUM

IVE

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NICHOLSON GATEWAY APARTMENTS

WITH ON SITE GROCERY STORE, UREC, COFFEE SHOP, RESTAURANTS, AND MORE

LEASING & AMENITIES

lsu.edu/Nicholson

TOUR CENTER

Student Union 1st Floor M-F 10a-4p

OPEN HOUSE

January 17 • 10a-2p Union Tour Center

HASKELL WHITTINGTON / The Daily Reveille

Large power lines stand tall along LSU’s west campus border on Jan. 8.

Sports K C I T S

page 7 OPINION

S N E E QU WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille

LSU gymnasts find unique twist to the “turnover chain”

BY KENNEDI LANDRY @landryyy14

The University of Miami football team has a “turnover chain,” but LSU gymnastics has its own bling.

The Tigers debuted the “stick crown” at their season opening win over Arkansas.

Coach Jay Clark, who coached at the University of Georgia at the same time as Miami football coach Mark Richt, had the idea after watching how the Hurricanes’ defense reacted to the turnover chain.

The fun the team was having on the sideline and the

passion they played with drew Clark to find a similar way to keep his gymnasts loose.

“I think that as a coach you always look for those things,” Clark said. “You want your team focused and you want them intense, but you also want them to be loose. I think that it’s pretty clear that in our sport to have them be loose it creates a sort of contagious environment that can sometimes get the momentum going.”

After Clark suggested the idea of something similar to

see CROWN, page 12

Miami’s turnover chain, the team took the idea and ran with it. They contemplated smaller things like a sash or tiara, but settled on something big that could be seen from the crowd.

“We were trying to figure out the logistics of how to put the crown on over our buns but it worked out great,” freshman all-arounder Sarah Edwards joked.

Clark didn’t know how his idea would be taken by both the team and the crowd, but it quickly became a hit.

LSU’s offense faces questions CAL’D UP CHRIS CALDARERA @caldarera11

After LSU suffered embarrassing losses to Mississippi State and Troy at the beginning of the 2017 football campaign, some fans were ready to part ways with coach Ed Orgeron.

Although I wasn’t impressed with the team’s early performance, I defended Orgeron on the grounds of basic fairness.

New hires deserve time to adjust to the job, integrate their philosophies into the program and recruit players that fit their scheme.

This patient approach paid off, and the Tigers finished with their best SEC record since the 2012 season.

However, it appears as though Orgeron is not as patient as the athletic department that employs him.

Orgeron is parting ways with his highly touted offensive coordinator Matt Canada after one year on the job, and it appears that Steve Ensminger, LSU’s current tight ends coach, will be Canada’s replacement.

There are a few theories floating around for why Orgeron’s relationship with Canada deteriorated so quickly, but I think the rift began and ended

see OFFENSE, page 12

BASKETBALL

Game winning plays become routine for freshman Tremont Waters

BY GLEN WEST @glenwest21 LSU freshman guard Tremont Waters has made his share of game winning plays for this young Tiger squad.

Whether it be a steal and over-the-head pass to sophomore guard Skylar Mays to help knock off Michigan, or a game sealing block to notch another big win over Houston, Waters’ jaw-dropping freshman campaign continued to grow Saturday against then-No. 11 Texas A&M. The Tigers trailed by five with 19 seconds remaining with the ball in Water’s hands. The freshman took three dribbles inside half court and pulled up to drain a 30-foot three pointer which cut the lead to two.

Waters said one thing was

going through his mind when he decided to take the deep three with 12 seconds remaining.

“Make a play,” Waters said.

Two missed free throws at the other end by Texas A&M gave LSU the chance to tie or win the game.

“Coach [Will] Wade drew something up and told me to shoot it,” Waters said. “He knows what he’s doing and he said wherever I got the ball to shoot it.”

Waters curled around bigman Duop Reath’s screen, caught the ball in front of the LSU bench and let it fly in double coverage from about a 30-foot distance. The play was drawn up for Waters to catch it closer to the three point line but the A&M defense forced Waters to change the script.

“Range didn’t really matter,” Waters said. “It was going up either way.”

Junior guard Daryl Edwards was on the sideline for the game winning shot. As the ball left Waters’ hands, Edwards knew it had a chance to drop through the net.

“He had a 6’10” defender on him,” Edwards said. “He shoots it from deep all the time so it’s kind of a normal thing now.”

“Tre got a great shot off,” Mays said. “After he hit the first one, we started to believe we have life. Even coach [Greg] Heiar says in film every time he takes a difficult shot, he calls those T-dub shots.”

Wade said it’s important for the team to turn the page quickly after a big win. The Tigers

WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille

see WATERS, page 12

LSU freshman guard Tremont Waters (3) pushes past Houston defenders toward the goal during the Tigers’ 80-77 victory against the Houston Cougars on Dec. 13, 2017.

The Daily Reveille

page 8

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

SOFTBALL

LSU softball seniors stepping up, freshmen catching up for spring

BY TREASURE WASHINGTON @twashington490 While the LSU softball team has been to the Women’s College World Series in four of its last six seasons, there is still room to improve.

The team’s last WCWS appearance ended in a 4-1 loss to Oregon in the second round and the only run of that day came on a homerun by junior infielder Shemiah Sanchez.

Former catcher and AllAmerican Sahvanna Jaquish is now a student coach for her team. The four-time All-American was third on her team in batting average with .331 and hits with 59 and led the team in slugging percentage with .556.

LSU coach Beth Torina describes Jaquish and former outfielder Bailey Landry as “irreplaceable” to the team but knows that there are other talented players that can step up and be leaders of their own.

“You have to reinvent yourself and be different,” Torina said. “It might take three, four, five of us to fill those gaps, but we’re going to find a

way to fill them.”

The catcher position is a wide-open competition between senior Sydney Loupe, junior Michaela Schlattman, sophomore Sydney Springfield and freshman Cristiona Caccamise.

While Torina continues to fill those gaps, she looks to the transfers to make big impacts for when the season rolls around. “[Jaquish and Bianka Bell] became names in their fouryear career — these kids will be the next group of names,” Torina said.

Even senior outfielder Emily Griggs is looking to reinvent herself once again.

Griggs is one of the five seniors on the roster, including Loupe, pitchers Carley Hoover and Allie Walljasper and utility player Sydney Bourg.

There are various distinct leadership traits between the seniors. For example, Griggs describes Hoover as a leader with big body action and a cheerleader for the team. Walljasper is described as a more collected leader by settling the players in.

Griggs commends Hoover

PUZZLES

HASKELL WHITTINGTON / The Daily Reveille

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Then LSU junior Emily Griggs (8) watches the ball as it flies over center field from home plate during the Tigers 2-1 win againts Fairfield University on May 19 at Tiger Park.

Then LSU sophomore pitcher Carley Hoover (21) thows first career no-hitter during the Tigers’ 16-0 victory against Tennessee Tech in five innings on March 6, 2016, at Tiger Park.

for overcoming her adversity recovering from knee surgery after last season and is confident that she’ll enter this season stronger than ever.

“Adversity doesn’t phase her one bit,” Griggs said. “I doubt that [Hoover] took one day off this break, so I know that she was doing exactly

what she needed to do to be ready for practice.”

Griggs stepped up her approach by using her different skill sets. For instance, she became more comfortable in the box by standing away and not slapping.

It worked to her advantage.

Last season, Griggs recorded a .317 overall batting average and scored 43.

Griggs’ 27 RBIs from last season were also her career high.

Griggs admitted that it wasn’t an easy process, but she thanked the coaching staff for sitting her down and helping her use those skill sets.

“Whatever they need me to do to get us to the World Series, that’s what I’m going to do,” Griggs said.

In terms of reinventing oneself, Griggs focuses on doing things differently and incorporating more small ball, like bunting and stealing more bases.

“I think you have to take the approach that every team is going to be different,” Griggs said.

“Every team is going to have its strengths and weaknesses.”

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

page 9

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Faustine Aifuwa making big impact for LSU after recovery

BY JARRETT MAJOR @jarrett_tdr Redshirt freshman center Faustine Aifuwa has become a difference maker for the Lady Tigers this season after coming back from a torn ACL. Aifuwa, who stands at 6-foot-5, is the Lady Tigers’ tallest player in their regular lineup and has been able to make an impact in the paint this season.

“I had just been trying to work in practice,” she said. “I have been improving each game. Hopefully, I will keep going from here.”

Before Aifuwa came to LSU, she was a highly rated recruit out of Georgia. The Lady Tigers had hoped she would be able to provide help for then-senior center Alexis Hyder and now-sophomore forward Ayana Mitchell in the post against taller SEC foes last season.

It was not meant to be.

Before the 2016 season even started, Aifuwa went down with an ACL tear in a closed scrimmage.

After a year on the bench, she was ready to play for LSU when the team travelled to Italy this summer. She made an immediate impact, but only now does Aifuwa think her confidence is

completely back.

“It was difficult being off the basketball court for those six months,” she said. “I knew at the end, it would all pay off. Our trainer, Micki Collins, got me back in shape, so I knew it would all be worth it in the end.”

While she was on the bench last season, she took the opportunity to watch the Lady Tigers’ matchup zone in action.

It allowed her to be familiar with LSU’s difficult defensive season before stepping on the court and the conference opponents they have faced.

“It helps a little bit, because I do remember them from last year,” she explained. “I am already kind of one step above the game. Mentally, I feel like sophomore even though I am still a freshman.”

Physically, she has been able to make an impact as well. She is fourth in points per game averaging 5.6, and second in rebounding contributing 5.1, the most of the five newcomers on the squad.

She is ranked seventh among SEC players in blocks per game and second for freshmen with 1.6 per game. Aifuwa has tallied 23 blocks on the season, seven coming against Sam Houston State University.

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

ALYSSA BERRY / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman center Faustine Aifuwa (40) speaks with a reporter on Oct. 12, 2016, in the University Basketball Practice Facility.

LSU freshman center Faustine Aifuwa (24) shoots the ball on Jan. 7 during the Tigers’ 83-70 loss against Mississippi State in the PMAC.

“I try not to block every shot,” said Aifuwa. “I just try to get every opportunity. It has become very good for me.”

Her contributions were instrumental in LSU’s eight game winning streak.

Aifuwa started two games for the Lady Tigers at the start of the season, but has become a more valuable contributor to her team off of the bench.

“She has been working harder than she has entire life,” said coach Nikki Fargas. “She still has

room to work, but she is showing improvement in that. She is a competitor.”

Aifuwa’s presence off the bench has provided much needed relief to Mitchell, who was often faced with the tall task of defending SEC centers, six of which were finalists for the Lisa Leslie Award for the best center in the nation.

Along with 6-foot-4 freshman forward Raven Farley, Aifuwa has provided a much needed boost for LSU’s post game.

“I think our freshman are doing a great job stepping in offensively and defensively” Mitchell said. “I think some of the teams are going to be a challenge for them, but they can handle.”

“Even though we go at different times, we all bring the same energy,” Aifuwa agreed.

“We can just balance everything out for each other.”

While Aifuwa struggled against the challenge of Mississippi State’s Lisa Leslie Award finalist junior Teaira McCowan who scored 31 points and 20 rebounds, she helped shut down Missouri’s Lisa Leslie Award finalist senior Cierra Porter, who scored just seven points.

“I have been excited for these matchups,” Aifuwa said. “I am excited to see what we can do against players like them.”

She is not alone in that excitement. Fargas believes Aifuwa could be one of the best post players to ever play for LSU. “We have not had a big with her athleticism and size, since Sylvia [Fowles],” Fargas said.

“She definitely has the potential to be really good. I think the maturity process needs to speed up.

She is very young. If she can stay grounded and humble, the sky is the limit for her.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL 2 0 1 8 D R . M A R T I N K I N G J R . C O M M E M O R AT I V E C E L E B R AT I O N W E E K

Tigers look to continue early season momentum in SEC

BY BRANDON DECAREAUX @ brandondec77

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The LSU men’s basketball team has gotten off to an impressive start in Southeastern Conference play, getting a key win over the 11th ranked Texas A&M Aggies.

The Tigers narrowly etched out the victory on a last second deep three by freshmen guard Tremont Waters with 0.7 seconds left in regulation. LSU’s record now stands at 10-4 and 1-1 in the SEC with the win. The Tigers’ first loss came down to a last second miss against No. 17 Kentucky. Despite LSU’s fast start against two top-25 teams, the Tigers know they have to keep their minds focused on the next game.

“We need to stick to what we do and keep building our identity moving forward,” said sophomore guard Skylar Mays. “I think we’re getting somewhere with it as far as the defensive side of the game.”

LSU faces its next opponent, Arkansas, on the road. The Razorbacks are undefeated at home this season posting a perfect 8-0 record. The Razorbacks have won three straight games against the Tigers and currently have a twelve game winning streak in Bud Walton Arena, dating back to last year.

“We have a great opportunity

moving forward,” Mays said. “Arkansas is a great team and this is a win that we really need and we are gonna play like that.”

The contest pits the two best shooting teams in the SEC against each other. LSU sits with a 50.2 field goal percentage only bested by Arkansas’ 50.5 percent from the field.

The Tigers will need to continue to improve on the defensive side of the ball if they want to win against the Razorbacks. LSU is trying to improve its defensive field goal percentage which currently sits at 13th in the SEC. “We have to get better and get prepared to play,” LSU coach Will Wade said. “We have to play better than we did on Saturday, we have to keep getting better and keep preparing the right way to give ourselves a chance to win.”

Despite the early defensive struggles, the Tigers have held their last five opponents to under their season averages.

LSU has implemented a newer scheme where they do not guard the other team’s weakest player. The Tigers use this extra defender to sit in the lane and protect the paint, cutting down on penetration.

This four on five defensive strategy has helped them tremendously at the start of SEC play and given the Tigers some notary that many did not give them at the beginning of the

WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman guard Tremont Waters (3) shoots a layup during the Tigers’ 74-71 loss to Kentucky on Jan. 3 in the PMAC. season.

LSU was ranked last in the preseason SEC media poll, but so far has exceeded expectations. Wade is continuing to push his team forward in his first season as head coach and knows that if his team can continue to improve each week then they can do something special this season.

“I’m not worried what other people think,” Wade said. “We just gotta keep getting better.”

“We gotta keep putting ourselves in a position to win and to win games, that’s what it’s about, we gotta win.”

page 10

fit for a king

The Daily Reveille

Mr. Ronnie’s Famous Hot Donuts takes on carnival season in Louisiana with their Mardi Gras-themed donuts and king cakes photos by ISABELLA ALLEN

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

The Daily Reveille

page 11

The Daily Reveille

page 12 CROWN, from page 7 Junior all-arounder Lexie Priessman was the first one of the night to receive the crown after a 9.90 vault and it snowballed from there.

The idea is easy to understand: like the turnover chain, whoever sticks their landing will get the crown until someone else sticks their landing and the crown is passed on.

The execution, however, was so much more. The passing down of the crown to the following person has turned into a full-on knighting and crowning ceremony spearheaded by the injured junior McKenna Kelley, who used pom-poms to knight the stick queens.

“Obviously her physical role has diminished this year to where she cannot compete, but if she’s not around, we’ve got problem,” Clark said. “I’m just saying because her energy is so infectious and I just thought it was something that she would be able to take and run with and turn it into something that the team would really enjoy.”

Not only are they enjoying the crown, they are using it as motivation to get better all

It’s more motivation than competition.

SARAH FINNEGAN

Junior all-arounder

around.

In the season opener, seven different gymnasts donned the crown, with junior all-arounder Sarah Finnegan winning in twice.

“It’s more motivation than competition,” Finnegan said.

“Just like, ‘oh I want to have the crown next.’ If it’s a stick, it’s a stick and I think you should be rewarded for that. We want our teammates to stick it. If I’ve done my job and did my turn, then I want to pass it on to the next one.”

The gymnasts aren’t reluctant to crown the next stick queen. The crown has become a way to instill confidence and energy in both veterans and newcomers alike.

In a sport that involves a lot of nerves, Clark thinks the crown is a perfect way to keep

the team in the moment and not worry about any external noise.

“That’s just something that we wanted to start just for a little bit of confidence here and there,” Priessman said. “When you get the stick crown you know what you’re capable of doing.”

As the team travels to Florida next week, the crown will travel with them. Coach D-D Breaux has preached about staying in the “purple zone” at away meets and the crown offers an opportunity for the team to stay within themselves.

“I think it’s something just for our team just to have fun,” Priessman said. “It’s something to get our mind off of the actual meet that’s happening. If you’re a little stressed then this is something that’s fun because college gymnastics is a fun thing to do.”

Wednesday, January 10, 2018 WATERS, from page 7 have lost all three games following a win over a top 40 club this season.

“Tre bailed us out in the end which is what great players do,” Wade said. “We need to prepare the right way just to give ourselves an opportunity in the last six minutes.”

LSU is now 2-0 on the road after winning just two road games all season last year. Mays said being undefeated on the road sits in the back of his mind

knowing the kind of struggles this team had last season.

“That’s what all those road games we had in the summer are for,” Mays said. “Helps you with the mentality and reminds you how hard it is to win on the road.”

What has Waters done since the win against A&M? “Sleep,” Waters said.

“Trying to rest my body and get in the ice bath. I can’t think about this game winner anymore. I’m just trying to regroup and think about the next one.”

WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman guard Tremont Waters (3) pushes past Houston defenders toward the goal during the Tigers’ 80-77 victory against the Houston Cougars on Dec. 13, 2017.

Orgeron is walking a dangerous line. with differences in offensive On one hand, Orgeron promised Tiger fans that he would philosophy.

When Orgeron was officially “assemble the best coaching announced as LSU’s head coach staff in America,” and Ensin 2016, he promised Tiger fans minger isn’t exactly a name a revitalized scheme that would that people associate with that description. feature a spreadOn the other style offense.

Canada did If the Tigers have a rough hand, this could spread the ofyear, the blame will fall end up being a fense out more hire for LSU. squarely on the shoulders great than LSU had In fact, the Tigers of Orgeron and LSU done in years averaged 32 points past, but it athletic director Joe Alleva. in Ensminger’s wasn’t necesstint as interim ofsarily the widefensive coordinator last year, and open, home-run offense that fans were hoping to his offensive style may be more similar to what Orgeron has in see.

Instead, the Tigers’ of- mind for LSU’s future. fense was predicated on preA potential negative of an snap motions, jet sweeps and Ensminger hire would mean misdirection. that Orgeron is placing a lot of The wrinkle between faith in a man who hasn’t held a expectations and reality opened permanent offensive coordinaCanada’s offense to criticism, tor position in 20 years, and he’ll and I believe this ultimately have no time to get reacclimatled to his premature departure ed to the job given LSU’s a tough regardless of the fact that Can- road ahead. ada moved the Tigers’ offense LSU’s 2018 football forward. schedule includes games LSU’s passing offense against the national champion cracked the top 100 for the first and national runner-up as well time since 2013, and the Tigers as an opening game against the out gained the Crimson Tide, a Miami Hurricanes. program seen as the benchmark If the Tigers have a rough of college football, in total yards year, the blame will fall squarely on the shoulders of Orgeron for the first time since 2012.

Despite this progress, LSU and LSU athletic director Joe has decided to go back to the Alleva, and patience in the Tidrawing board, and if the En- gers’ fan base will continue to sminger speculation is true, wear thin.

OFFENSE, from page 7

WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Daily Reveille

The LSU Gymnastics team takes down Arkansas during its 197.15-195.350 victory on Jan. 5 in the PMAC.

Entertainment

page 13

GRAD SOUND PHOTO BY DILYN STEWART / The Daily Reveille

Local rap group, The Graduates, brings original sound to LSU

BY KIANA NAQUIN @Quinndaishone Students who have the musical ability to create an original sound most of us have never heard are walking among us every day on campus.

At the University, a group of juniors have created a diverse group of talented performers who write their own lyrics and

produce their own beats. They call themselves The Graduates, and they have a fourth music video set to release Jan. 26.

They officially became The Graduates in March, but it all started as early as elementary school, said manager and group member Raheem “Heemy D” Allen. The group created a bond starting from childhood all the way to college, and now they must learn to adapt a

balanced life between performing and studying.

“It’s so hard, but the most important thing is scheduling,” said business management junior Allen.

“I keep everything organized and together.”

Digital arts junior Tyton “Darker Parker” Charles and communication arts and theatre junior

see GRADUATES, page 17

FOOD AND DRINK

The Cajun Spoon fosters community growth, gives back

BY EMMA BURLETTE @theburlettegirl Southern Louisiana cuisine is delicious, not-so-nutritious and notoriously difficult to attain a perfect level of richness and spice. Endless lists of ingredients and hours slaving away at a hot stove can deter even the most determined cook. Cajun grandmothers and classically trained chefs seem to make up the exclusive club that knows how to make beloved dishes like gumbo, jambalaya and much more. Ryan Grizzaffi is changing that.

As the owner of The Cajun Spoon, Grizzaffi is simplifying Louisiana recipes for consumers while maintaining the integrity of the dish. His dry dinner mixes include chicken and dumplings, shrimp and corn bisque, jambalaya and, of course, gumbo.

“We’re putting out a lot of gumbo right here in the winter season,” Grizzaffi said.

The Cajun Spoon started as a food truck in 2014. Both Grizzaffi and his wife Kristen are local musicians, but they wanted to do something fun during the week. The food truck turned into a catering company, then progressed into the realm of retail.

“We distribute [the mixes] to Associated grocery stores like Walmart, Rouse’s, Winn-Dixie, local places around here,” Ryan said.

For each mix sold, The Cajun Spoon will donate one packaged meal to families in need.

“We’ve been working with various food banks throughout the state,” Ryan said.

“Last year, we donated a lot of product to Greater Baton

see CAJUN SPOON, page 17

AURIANNA CORDERO / The Daily Reveille

Ryan and Kristen Grizzaffi, owners of The Cajun Spoon, and their daughter Amelia hold boxed meals at their neighborhood pond on Jan. 18.

page 14

The Daily Reveille

REV R ANKS

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

‘Molly’s Game’ explores real-life risks of gambling

BY KELLY SWIFT @ kellbell237 What’s worse: having everything you have been working toward taken away or having everything you own taken away by the FBI? How about both?

“Molly’s Game” is a film directed and written by Aaron Sorkin. The film is based on the true story about Molly Bloom, played by Jessica Chastain, and encompasses crime, adventure and high society. Molly’s world was shaped around her skiing career in Colorado, and after she blew out her back, she faced a crippling depression that ended up having little to do with her injury.

The movie shows many consequences of Bloom’s father pushing her too hard as a child.

As a thoroughbred athlete, she was raised to follow the rules and

never give up. Once her athletic career came to a halt due to a freak injury, she decided to take a break from her strenuous lifestyle and become a cocktail waitress in Los Angeles. A wealthy real estate agent introduced her to the world of underground poker. She then took over the game and ran it alongside “Player X,” played by Michael Cera, who symbolized real-life celebrity players like Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and Tobey Maguire.

After Molly was put into this crowd of millionaire poker players, she was determined to make it the best in history. “You know what makes you feel OK about losing? Winning,” Molly said.

Once she made the decision to run an illegal poker game, she had trouble stepping away from it and was forced to face the consequences.

We see Molly’s endurance

was manifested by her father in her early years of ski training. Her father, played by Kevin Costner, was a psychologist who pushed her to a point of no return in her training at an early age. The mental consequences of her intense childhood were magnified when she went to extreme lengths to keep her game running.

One of the best parts of Sorkin’s movie is the viewers get to experience Molly’s life with her. Parts of the film feel as if you are Molly Bloom, you are watching millions of dollars being circulated around a table and you see lives being destroyed by having one bad hand in the game.

The viewers also get to learn the game with Molly. We learn how to command a room and speak to the celebrities in a way that demands respect.

Sadly, we also learn that great

power comes with great responsibility. The real magic of Sorkin’s rendition of Molly’s story lies in how she reacts to her failure for the second time. Instead of moving across the country similar to after her skiing accident, she ran to alcohol and drugs. Viewers see her addiction building, and realize her problem. This may have been left out in other versions of her story, but it has such an important role that it shouldn’t be.

Movies based on real events are taking over the cinematic and theatrical scene. They allow the audience to get to know the backstory of a person depicted in the news or textbooks. “Molly’s Game” is no exception. Molly is a multidimensional person whose story is just as complex as she is.

The movie lets the viewer decide how to feel about Molly Bloom. In no way is Sorkin

courtesy of HUAYI BROTHERS

trying to persuade us to feel bad for Molly Bloom, nor is he trying to get us to hate her — truly an accomplishment for any director.

‘Black Mirror’ season four strong addition to anthology

BY LYNNE BUNCH @lynnebunch11

The fourth season of Netflix’s “Black Mirror” continues to attract audiences with its ability to showcase the extremes of technology, psychological error and human weakness.

When Netflix picked up the British TV show in 2015, it quickly drew attention for its “Twilight Zone”-style anthology format with situations showing the depths and problems of the psyche. Originally premiering in 2011, “Black Mirror” uses seemingly average characters who face trouble because of their dystopic and technologically advanced universes.

Season four shows no mercy in criticizing the human race. Even the characters who seem the nicest can be the most evil. In “USS Callister,” the stereotypical “nice guy” character proves to be cruel and controlling. The antagonist of the episode, Robert Daly, is an unpopular Chief Technical Officer at his video game company where he lets his employees walk all over him. Because he has no power in his real life, he uses his virtual reality game to trap the minds of his coworkers and torture them into submission.

“Black Mirror” shows how the differences between good

and bad are not always black and white. By taking an oftentimes cynical approach of the world, the show highlights how there is a dark side to the most seemingly nice people. The show is like a TV version of the street artist Banksy, but it manages to go deeper in creating a more realistic and genuine story.

The fourth installment of the series persists in keeping its magic. It continues to reel in audiences by dropping references to other episodes, namely in “Crocodile” where they use Irma Thomas’ “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is” numerous times throughout the plot. In the episode, the song helps triggers people’s memories to show their thoughts on a visual platform, leading to the demise of a woman living with the murders of multiple people on her conscious. The song, which has been featured in multiple other episodes, ties viewers in with past storylines.

“Black Museum” also references other episodes by featuring objects from the series in the museum, including the tablet from “Arkangel” and an ADI from season three’s “Hated in the Nation.” The show’s ability to bring the episodes together fuels the perfect amount of Reddit fan theories and keeps audiences engaged with its fame and

culture.

The penultimate episode of the season, “Metalhead,” shows an interesting new take on the show’s production. As a fully black-and-white episode, the plot is able to focus on survival rather than the clutter surrounding back stories and, in a more literal sense, color. “Black Mirror” keeps taking risks in every aspect of the show, both in production and storytelling.

Episode four of the season, “Hang the DJ,” is “Black Mirror” at its best. It’s one of the few happy endings in the series, and it gives viewers the opportunity to finally finish an episode without feeling more depressed than before they started. It mirrored season three’s “San Junipero” in some ways, but it didn’t have an underlying storyline about death, which ultimately made the episode feel more wholesome. “Hang the DJ” showed a more simple side to the series and proved there are good sides to even the darkest of futures.

Because the series is consistently strong, it’s hard to say whether season four is the show’s best season yet. No matter the ranking, “Black Mirror” is still undoubtedly one of Netflix’s strongest shows with the most opportunity to shock and entice viewers.

courtesy of NETFLIX

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

page 15

‘The Toys That Made Us’ nostalgic, misses bigger picture

BY EMMA BURLETTE @theburlettegirl I was excited when I saw the Netflix documentary series about iconic toys like Barbie, G.I. Joe, He-Man and Star Wars action figures. That initial joy, however, was chiseled away with each zany one-liner that occurred in every shot.

Netflix released half of its newest documentary series, “The Toys That Made Us.” Each of the four episodes focuses on one highly successful toy, from how it came to fruition to its impact on the market throughout the decades. Toy designers, CEOs and other former kids are interviewed about the toy’s journey from its creation to redesign, production, advertisement and market release.

I was predominantly interested in the conception of each toy and how it was initially designed to become an international symbol of one’s childhood. What the documentary does right is

covering the business plans – each new line of toys along with subsequent cartoons, comic books, movies and recent reboots were discussed as well as the original plaything. It provided many points of view by highlighting a wide variety of people who helped to create the toys, those who produced them and those who bought them.

Each toy has now been given a backstory.

Unfortunately, I think they fall a little short, despite their efforts.

The sickening sentiment of the title sequence and the corniness of the jokes pulls the audience out of whatever they may be feeling. Each shot includes a punch line, each designer is a “hilarious” character and each CEO that inherited the wild success of each toy is deified. The focus on modern consumption is not on today’s children, but adults who now collect the figures instead. The decades highlighted are discussed in detail from the 1950s to 1990s, but not

so much after the turn of the century. Audiences are left wondering whether the toys are still popular with the youth of today.

There is also a lack of diversity in the toys and their consumers is extremely limited. The documentary, at first glance, is strictly marketed toward middle-aged, white middle-class folk. Despite the existence of the Barbies of different races, female Star Wars, Masters of the Universe and G.I. Joe characters, the documentary overwhelmingly favors those who are created to resemble the white male faction of society. Not to mention the obvious sexism is apparent in the Barbie episode, specifically when discussing Barbie’s “great big pointy tits.”

While the documentary is funny and a bit nostalgic, I do not think it is cohesive enough to reflect the opinions of the consumer bases for these toys nor to appeal to the appropriate age group. Netflix, you fell a little flat on this one.

courtesy of NETFLIX

‘Pitch Perfect 3’ a mediocre finale to popular trilogy

BY KIANA NAQUIN @Quinndaisone “Pitch Perfect 3” was a highly anticipated release for the end of 2017 because the third installment should only exceed the audiences’ expectations of what we all know and love about a capella music.

However, it seems as though the only thing surpassing the first and second movies are the venues and songs because there is little character growth and, mediocre jokes, at best.

Before “Pitch Perfect,” a capella groups were not all the rage and people weren’t looking to join them. This movie franchise helped bring a capella back to life. It actually seemed cool to sing cover songs with a group of people you know and love. From the very beginning, “Pitch Perfect” makes nerdy singing a hot commodity, so props to them.

In the beginning of “Pitch Perfect 3,” the women have graduated college and work their own respective careers, but of course find some way

courtesy of UNIVERSAL PICTURES

of reuniting with the beloved Barden Bellas. Director Trish Sie sets these scenes up nicely.

It relates with the average college graduate – most of the girls have jobs they hate and they just want a break from reality.

Anna Kendrick, who plays the protagonist Becca, comes back into the a capella world to steal the spotlight in the third installment. She is again stuck between choosing her career over the group. DJ Khaled, who

stars as himself, recognizes Becca’s mad beat skills and wants her to tour with him, but she struggles with this decision because she wants the Bellas there with her. I commend the director for giving the character this mindset, but we’ve seen this before.

The film does try to include more plots by bringing up Rebel Wilson’s character Fat Amy’s past and showing Aubrey’s distant relationship with her dad, but if this movie revolves around the world of a capella, let’s keep it that way. The movie should have centered the main plot around the group as a whole. Such as possibly showing more scenes of the Bellas practicing the songs and moments where all the characters relate to each other more than they thought.

The other issue is the Bellas enter this competition competing against people who play actual instruments. This is a challenge we all knew was coming eventually. The Bellas handle it pretty well, too. The Riff-Off scene between the

Bellas and the bands was distasteful. This is the third movie; we all know third time’s a charm, but this was not the case.

Fat Amy has this sarcastic hate for Hailee Steinfeld’s character Emily. I have no clue where this originated from or why she feels that way throughout the entire film, but it’s awkwardly funny and I like it. I also don’t know if giving Fat Amy a dark past with a drug dealer father was the greatest story line, but the scenes where she rescues the girls is pretty bad-ass. It’s like martial arts meets girl power, and you get Fat Amy on steroids.

Like every musical movie we get a cheesy ending number that warms our hearts and may leave you in tears. But honestly, the “Pitch Perfect 2” ending was way better. I think the director knew this, which is why they chose to use bloopers as the end credits were rolling.

Not completely satisfied with this, but it’s the last call and the curtains are finally closed.

7 page 16

The Daily Reveille

ways to keep your resolutions Share goals with friends

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Make attainable goals To ensure success, make smaller, more achievable goals you can consistently work toward during the year. Balancing every day with big changes will overwhelm you and damage your chances at meaningful improvement.

It’s always easier if you’re sharing the pressure with those around you. Try to get friends to accomplish your goals with you and everyone involved can work to better themselves. Completing goals with your friends allows you to get closer through a shared experience.

Be patient with yourself Bettering yourself isn’t always easy, so it’s important to forgive yourself when you aren’t as far into your goals as you want to be. If you aren’t progressing as much as you want, reassess your desires for the year and decide how you can improve.

Create a plan for each goal Once you’ve determined what your resolutions are, make sure to map out a surefire way to achieve them.

Most people never figure out what it actually takes for success. To make consistent progress, make a thorough plan where you can fulfil small steps individually.

Embrace the process Remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint, to complete long-term goals. You may be able to achieve short-term goals easily, but for those bigger goals, make sure to take everything a step at a time. No goal is impossible if you commit to the whole process.

Adjust goals to fit your life When you make a goal for yourself, it doesn’t necessarily work out. If you find yourself in a position where your goal is unattainable, don’t be afraid to change it. You aren’t bound to any decision you make, and you can always adjust your resolutions to fit better into your routine.

Reward yourself When you complete a goal or a vital step in the process, don’t be afraid to reward yourself accordingly. It’s important to motivate yourself and continue by pumping yourself up and giving yourself breaks. If you don’t reward yourself, you will tire out and give up before you succeed.

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, January 10, 2018 GRADUATES, from page 13 Quaan Logan at University of Wisconsin-Madison find it even more difficult because they prioritize school, but it is also their passion to create music.

“You make time for the things that you’re passionate about, and it’s equally hard as a student even in the arts,” Charles said. “People don’t realize it takes a lot of time, and it’s very stressful.”

Charles performed as an opener for Aminé at the 2017 Homecoming Concert and has much planned for the future, including his mixtape, “DeeperThanRap2,” coming out in early February, and his “Dark/Light

It’s really important to feel what we’re making and have fun while doing it because if we’re bored, our listeners are bored.

ANTONIO DUPRE

The Graduates member

EP” coming out later this year.

Every artist has their own reason to make music. The Graduates are out to promote a sound no one else has. They do not carry the image or sound most Baton Rouge rappers portray. They believe there is a

specific sound most local rappers have, whether it is about the streets or the struggle.

“Individually we’re all so much more than that, and that’s just not what your going to hear from us,” Logan said. “The music we make as Baton Rouge

page 17 artists is widening the view of what Baton Rouge artists look like to others.”

The group believes they cannot be categorized in just hip-hop and it does not accurately describe them.

“We make any kind of music we feel like making,” said English and computer science junior Antonio “Tony Blaze” Dupre.

“When we write, our verses are like journal entries to where we are in our lives.”

Their creative process is original and they flow off of each other’s energy to make each song. They understand their audience and what it takes to make people love what an artist puts out into the public.

“It’s really important to feel what we’re making and have fun while doing it because if we’re bored, our listeners are bored,” Dupre said.

The Graduates are not like any other musical group in Baton Rouge. They provide the public with music ranging from hype to comical to deep rooted. No matter what reaction they receive, they know they can still enjoy their music together.

“We make music for a purpose,” Charles said. “We try to spread positivity and we enjoy doing this. It’s not something we’re going to give up on just because we’re not famous – it’s always going to be The Graduates.”

DILYN STEWART / The Daily Reveille

LSU Creative Writing junior Antonio Dupre displays his hat revealing the name “The Graduates,” and he and other members of The Graduates meet up at The Lodges at 777 to shoot a music video on Jan. 6.

CAJUN SPOON, from page 13 Rouge Food Bank and the LSU Food Pantry.”

The Cajun Spoon has donated over 16000 meals to food banks. Ryan said he wanted to continue to give back in other ways.

“We also started a scholarship fund to go toward LSU students studying agriculture,” Grizzaffi said. “Outside of just donating all these boxes of product, we’re trying to

figure out other ways we can utilize that revenue so that it goes back into the community.”

In anticipation of the Louisiana Street Food Festival, Ryan invited City Pork and Gastreauxnomica chef Ryan Andre to collaborate on new dishes and new ventures “We’re just trying to team it up, doing kind of an Asianfusion food truck at the Street Food Festival,” Andre said.

His expertise in Asian cuisine has inspired Ryan to

branch out in his dinner mix line as well.

“I have a new company I just started called The Bamboo Chef,” Ryan said. “It is pretty much Asian cuisine. Some of our biggest customers in the Cajun market are Asian. I think the flavor profile and certain elements are very similar. That’s why I love Asian food.”

Andre is collaborating on these new mixes by helping Ryan perfect the flavors.

“I’m not trying to make my

name as a chef. I learned how to cook because it was a necessity.

I like to highlight the local chefs who took that step further.”

No matter the style of dish, Grizzaffi’s commitment to making food prep easier and his donation program has not only impacted the Baton Rouge community, but communities all over the country. He is actively sharing South Louisiana’s unique flavors with those who only interact with Cajun culture through his dinner

mixes. The Cajun Spoon boxed meal kits are available in states as far west as California and as far north as Michigan. While the concentration of meal donations occur in Baton Rouge, Grizzaffi has helped people in need throughout the U.S. “I think he and his wife are great people,” Andre said. “He is always looking to give back to the community in any way that he can. He is a great friend of mine.”

AURIANNA CORDERO / The Daily Reveille

Ryan and Kristen Grizzaffi, owners of The Cajun Spoon, and their daughter Amelia hold boxed meals at their neighborhood pond on Jan. 18.

Opinion

page 18

Personal social media accounts shouldn’t affect employment WELL, SHE TRIED. CHANTELLE BAKER @deannayukari A study performed by the recruiting platform Jobvite has shown 93 percent of employers use social media to screen job candidates before hiring them.

It’s unfortunate that the possibility of being hired can be on the line because of something small found on a social media site blown out of proportion.

Personal social media accounts shouldn’t be used against an individual when being considered for hire.

In the “olden days,” employers hired people based on the credentials they bring to the table. Today, employers can learn a great bit about a person by simply typing their name into a Google search bar. Searching for personal information about future employees is invasive and unnecessary to determine whether they’re qualified or not.

We all have a right to privacy.

Thankfully, most social media accounts give us the option to make things private. However, those who wish to enter the professional world, presumably most people on social media, shouldn’t feel obligated to hide their lives from potential employers. A person’s life is what

it is and shouldn’t be concealed in fear that they won’t be hired.

It’s impractical to tell everyone to do so.

It isn’t fair to use social media profiles to determine whether to hire someone or not because there is a chance an employer will find personal information they don’t agree with. We all have subconscious biases that affect how we feel toward someone and can certainly alter the way an employer views a future hiree. It isn’t equal opportunity to choose to not hire someone because you just so happened to discover they have differing views.

There are times when employers will use minute details against a potential hire.

For example, 66 percent of hiring managers have admitted poor grammar and spelling would be used against candidates. Though understandable that an employer would prefer someone more intellectually fit, we all make mistakes. The grammatical errors on my social media accounts shouldn’t play a role as major as grammatical errors on my resume.

I understand it’s important to consider all sides of an individual, especially when considering using them as the face of a company. Nobody wants to see a drunkard representing a business. However, most people

ETHAN GILBERTI / The Daily Reveille

Many employers now check potential employees’ personal social media accounts before hiring them. should use precautions when posting their activities anyway.

Sensible people are aware of what is acceptable and what isn’t.

Social media is a great means of getting a general idea of a

person. The reality is someone’s online presence can be far different from who they are in person and their online image shouldn’t be a deterrence from being hired. There’s no reason

a personal social media account should be searched.

Chantelle Baker is a 21-year-old communication studies senior from Waipahu, Hawaii.

Trump using opioid crisis to gain support, target base voters FRANKLY SPEAKING

JUSTIN FRANKLIN @justinifranklin In October 2017, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency promising to free up resources to help fight addiction in America. In accordance with his doctrine of bigger, better, best Trump called the current epidemic the worst drug crisis in U.S. history.

The fact is, he was right.

Americans are addicted to drugs like never before. Americans’ addictions to opioids are merely the result of poor regulation and the commercialization of these narcotics in our society.

There are few modern technologies that have progressed slower than medicine. There are so many illnesses doctors still do not know how to prevent or cure to date. This being said, people’s pain endures and patients die every day.

Drugs are a means of healing and coping with ailments that exist in our

courtesy of WIKIMEDIA

President Trump declared the opioid epidemic the worst drug crisis in U.S. history. society.

Opioids specifically offer immense benefits in regards to pain symptoms of all kinds, but things have simply gotten out of hand. The fact is, pain is profitable in capitalist America.

Pharmaceutical companies are always looking for the next “blockbuster” drug that will produce hundreds of millions of dollars. The lack of proper oversight of the industry has led to drug abuse ridden families

all over the country.

The revenue from prescription opioids was valued at $8.5 billion in 2016 according to Financial Times. Why do we call it an epidemic? Call it what it is: the legal exploitation of the American healthcare system.

The only thing more appalling than the dire situation of opioid addiction in America is the fact that this issue was only addressed because of its effect

on upper and middle class white families.

The only reason President Trump, a Republican, would even think about relinquishing government resources to something so profitable is because he thinks it affects those in his base.

A recent CNN article by Susan Scutti noted the findings of an Annals of Internal Medicine study that found cocaine

causes overdoses among black men around the same rate of prescription opioids among white men. They also found black women were more susceptible to overdose than white women.

I must have missed the press conference and tweet where PreTrump addressed the cocaine “epidemic” in America.

There seems to be an empathetic approach to white overdose and an apathetic approach to those dying in the black community. White addicts get resources and rehab while black addiction gets worse.

The Trump administration is using the opioid crisis in America as a chance for a win.

Curing or at least stifling overdose would merely give Trump something else to tweet about.

If Trump really cared about eliminating the “epidemic,” he would propose legislation to change the way pharmaceuticals are regulated in America, but he loves the money just as much as the drug companies do.

Justin Franklin is an 18-yearold mass communication freshman from Memphis, Tennessee.

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

page 19

Tinder sells sex, eliminates romance from online dating FACT IS FICTION KIANA NAQUIN @Quinndaishone We’re all looking for love or at least a decent romantic relationship with someone. Technology has made this easier for us by providing dating applications which surpass the norm of online dating. Apps like PlentyOfFish, Bumble and even Grindr dominate the online dating scene.

Tinder is one of the most popular dating applications America has seen so far, and over 50 million people use it every month, but it’s not what it used to be. This application launched in 2012, and seemingly everyone was using it. The simplicity of swiping yes or no on a person from just viewing their physical appearance was

What was once a tool used groundbreaking. One could also view other personal informa- for people wanting to find their tion such as age, education and a “Tinderellas,” and “Tinder fellas” is now a sex club. short biography.

To make matters more Long-term relationships are one of the wonderful outcomes extreme, people have also taken this app has created potential the opportunity to make money for. However, instead of using on Tinder. Some women use the app to the app to forge meaningful relationships, most make money sellpeople are only using Tinder for hook-ups or Prostitution at its finest. ing nudes It’s not like most men and false to sell sex. Tinder is now dreams to known as one of the best would mind. men. Spedating apps to use for c i fic a l ly, casual sex and late night hook-ups. i n fa mous “I wasn’t oblivious to what Tinder scammer Maggie Archer most guys want or even ex- puts in her biography, “Send me pect from any girl they’d meet $5, see what happens.” This preon Tinder,” Elite Daily colum- tentious phrase gets dozens of nist Marcey Rizzetta said in men to send money to her PayPal an article. “The guys on the account.

Many women have tried to app went after girls they knew had no relationship potential employ this same concept and and who were in it just for some had their accounts deleted the sex.” for their efforts. Tinder is a sort of

advertisement for most of these women to lure men into a trap and ultimately sell their bodies.

Prostitution at its finest. It’s not like most men would mind.

A similar situation occurs on Instagram, a popular social media site. Some Instagram models have found ways to profit from their large followings. This includes becoming “cam girls,” which involves actively exposing one’s body on third-party apps in exchange for currency. Tinder has made this exchange more ideal by giving male audiences a more direct means of reaching the models by eliminating the middleman and allowing them to sell their bodies directly.

If you are searching for a meaningful connection with someone special, Tinder is not the place. Love isn’t dead, but it appears to be on Tinder.

ETHAN GILBERTI / The Daily Reveille

Kiana Naquin is a 20-year-old English sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Singer Melanie Martinez not excused from rape allegations ACCORDING TO ASHLON

It is a popular myth that most sexual assault accusations are false, when only about 2 percent of reports turn out to be false.

This is the same rate of false reporting as other types of violent crime.

Victims who did not report to the police didn’t report because 43 percent thought nothing could be done, 27 percent thought it was a private matter, 12 percent were afraid of the police response and 12 percent felt it was not

ASHLON LUSK @shlinie Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., Matt Lauer, Roy Moore, Kevin Spacey and Melanie Martinez have one disturbing thing in common.

All of these public figures have been accused of rape or sexual harassment, but their fans have claimed they were innocent while disregarding the victims’ testimonies.

No one should be able to get away with sexual harassment or sexual assault just because they are famous. When 15 victims, five of whom were underage at the time according to USA Today, accused Spacey of sexual misconduct, I was upset, but I believed them.

Several Spacey fans thought he should still be considered a respected actor and producer, even after the accusations came out. I initially didn’t understand why anyone would want to support someone after they knew about the illegal things they did.

Singer-songwriter Melanie Martinez got her start from “The Voice” and has released two albums, “Cry Baby” and “Dollhouse”. Up until Dec. 4, many people, including myself, were fans. Believing the victim is important because it

Believing the victim is important because it allows future victims to feel safe to come forward.

courtesy of WIKIMEDIA

Singer Melanie Martinez joins the list of celebrities and public figures accused of rape or sexual harassment in 2017. allows future victims to feel safe to come forward. With every other person accused of assault or harassment, I didn’t question their legitimacy. When Timothy Heller posted the details of her rape on Twitter, like many of Martinez’s fans, I didn’t want to believe it. It is hypocrisy to believe every other victim until it is someone you are a fan of.

The Daily Reveille EDITORIAL BOARD Ramsina Odisho Natalie Anderson Evan Saacks Abbie Shull Hannah Kleinpeter

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

Roy Moore was and is a highly regarded man in politics, even after he was accused of sexually assaulting of eight women about a month before Martinez was accused. Moore was close to winning the election as the Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama because his supporters didn’t believe his victims. It was wrong of me not to believe

that Martinez was guilty, but I had to believe Heller and join the #MelanieMartinezIsOverParty.

According to the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, one in four women and one in six men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Also, one in six women and one in 33 men will experience rape in their lifetime.

Editorial 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 of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Daily Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

important enough to report.

Many of the victims who are coming forward now were assaulted and harassed years ago, but were too afraid to report it at the time. More victims are coming forward every day because they feel safe and they feel justice will actually be served to the person accused.

Ashlon Lusk is an 18-yearold mass communication freshman from Houston, Texas.

Quote of the Week “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”

Napoleon Hill self-help author 1883 — 1970

The Daily Reveille

page 20

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Logan Paul, other YouTubers desensitize public from suicide CHATTING WITH ABI ABIGAIL VARNADO @abi_varn By now many people have heard about Logan Paul satirizing suicide victims in Japan.

There are many who are defending him, many who are falling for his apology video and many who are absolutely against him.

For those who have not seen the series of videos on his trip, you can view them on YouTube.

He is seen harassing Japanese citizens and being quite disrespectful to them and their culture, all for the sake of comedy and views.

To have a platform and to use it for such behavior sets a horrible example for the younger viewers who watch videos. He sends the message that it’s acceptable to behave in a deplorable manner, which by society’s standards, it is not.

Paul recorded a video in Aokigahara Forest, commonly known as the “Suicide Forest,” displaying a body of a recent suicide victim then laughing and posting it online for young children, adolescents and whoever else to see. It’s understandable why many are upset.

It’s hard to believe someone would have the gall to bring a video camera to a popular location for suicide. One would think a 22-year-old adult would at least

stop his buffoonery in a foreign country. However, he apparently could not discern the line he had crossed from obnoxious and offensive behavior into downright inappropriate and disgusting.

He apologizes in his latest video for posting the video of the body online. How could one believe an apology from a person who has contradicting actions?

He behaved poorly on his trip then brought a video camera to a location for suicide. He obviously had the intent to make a video, make jokes and post it, which is why he brought the camera in the first place.

He is only apologizing since he had an adverse reaction from the public and wants to keep some popularity, which also happens to be his source of money. According to Naibuzz, Paul should make at least $550,000 per year from views on his main channel and $7.3 million per year from views and ads on his vlogging channel.

What’s more, according to Elite Daily, Paul earned over $12,000 for his apology video.

He had his apology monetized, which is about as insincere as a person could get. It makes one wonder if he will actually give the money to charity or keep it all for himself as he is taking time to reflect.

However, Paul is not the only culprit in this fiasco. The company in which the video was posted and allowed to be viewed without

restriction or being taken down was none other than YouTube.

According to Buzzfeed News, Paul was the one who took down his video, not YouTube. YouTube should have removed the video before millions of children, adolescents and others could view it. If they didn’t remove it, they could have at least put a warning or age restriction on it, but they also did not do that.

This means any child could have watched this abominable video and not have realized the full effects of what they had just witnessed, thinking this behavior was acceptable.

Buzzfeed News mentions Paul only received a strike to his account after the public outcry.

This only keeps Paul from accessing certain features on the site for about three months. For such an incident, this seems like a slap on the wrist.

Many people believe YouTube hasn’t done enough and over 190,000 people signed a petition on Change.org to remove him from his platform.

YouTube has been known for deleting users’ videos for reasons that seem ridiculous, but Paul’s video was never taken down. Other famous YouTubers like PewDiePie have posted videos with anti-Semitic comments and child exploitative material with no consequences from the company.

It makes one question YouTube’s goal for outgoing

courtesy of WIKIMEDIA

Logan Paul received backlash after posting a controversial YouTube video, which many have claimed desensitizes suicide. information in our society, and it doesn’t seem very friendly or positive. If they allow big producers in their company like Logan Paul and other questionable characters to produce graphic, disrespectful or racist content, then YouTube may lose popularity and be short-lived as a company.

It’s important to be able to express one’s self with the freedom of speech, but before you post something on social media, stop and think about how it may affect others.

Abigail Varnado is a 21-year-old English senior from Amite, Louisiana.

Turning 21 anti-climactic, highly overrated in society CHATTING WITH ABI ABIGAIL VARNADO @abi_varn Turning 21 can be something exciting for many college students. There’s a stigma surrounding this “coming of age” that makes it seem exciting and freeing. With the ability to legally purchase and drink alcohol comes a feeling of maturity and adulthood.

You think you’re going to go out and party every night, envisioning yourself at a trendy bar like in a movie scene. However, this stigma is only a stereotype at the end of the day. Once the celebration comes and goes, it may not be as exciting as it once seemed.

Many students come to college already having drinking experience while others come with the expectation of participating in heavy drinking.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “Although the majority of students come to college already having some experience with alcohol, certain aspects of college life, such as unstructured time, the widespread availability of alcohol, inconsistent enforcement of underage drinking laws, and limited interactions with parents and other adults, can

courtesy of WIKIMEDIA

The hype leading up to turning 21 can end up not being as exciting as people think it will be. intensify the problem.”

The college atmosphere intensifies the compulsion to drink alcohol. If a student is drinking a copious amount of alcohol to begin with, then why would it be any

more exciting to drink it when they turn 21?

Some say the excitement of turning 21 comes from being able to buy the alcohol themselves, but many underage students have

fake IDs already.

According to National Center for Biotechnology Information, “The relevance of fake ID ownership to problematic drinking patterns is highlighted by

findings showing that 56 percent of youths who reported borrowing or using a fake ID also reported weekly use of alcohol, in comparison to 14 percent of those who reported not owning identification in an underage Canadian sample.”

A large number of underage drinkers are already drinking alcohol, and they are even buying alcohol with fake IDs. If so many students are already participating in the activities that a 21-yearold is able to participate in, then those youths will quickly find the novelty fades.

You are still doing the same things that you were before: buying alcohol, drinking alcohol, going to parties and going to bars.

There is nothing special in doing the same things you have always done. The only difference in turning 21 is some people may slow down their drinking and going out since they are able to do it so easily now.

Turning 21 is completely overvalued. Society shouldn’t stigmatize this “coming of age” anymore. At the end of the day, you’re just going to be doing what you have been since freshman year of college.

Abigail Varnado is a 21-yearold English senior from Amite, Louisiana.