The Daily Reveille - March 15, 2010

IT’S BRACKET TIME

Do you have a thirst for winning? Check online or tomorrow’s edition of The Daily Reveille for an NCAA bracket. Fill it out, turn it in to B39 Hodges Hall by Wednesday and cross your fingers. If your predictions are correct, you could win a vitaminwater prize pack.

Still thirsty? If you love beer, vote in our Malt Madness poll, starting Tuesday at lsureveille.com.

THE DAILY REVEILLE M AD S EASON WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM

Volume 114, Issue 108

Monday, March 15, 2010

NICOLE KARAMICHAEL / The Daily Reveille

[Above] Fans enjoy food and drinks while watching the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday at Walk On’s Bistreaux and Bar. [Right] Kansas guard Tyrel Reed makes a basket during a game Sunday against Kansas State. Kansas is the tournament’s top seed.

Students participate in March Madness brackets

Students look forward to tourney despite LSU’s woes

By Joanna Zimmerman

By Chris Branch

Contributing Writer

Sports Writer

Basketball fans watched excitedly Sunday at Baton Rouge bars as the 64 teams that will compete in the NCAA Championship were announced.

Students participate in the tournament by predicting the games’ results with public and private brackets.

Some are free, but others involve gambling.

LSU will not participate in the tournament, but BRACKETS, see page 15

It’s time.

Midterms are finished, and laptop screens will most likely be tuned into a midday basketball game rather than taking notes, if students show up to class in the first place.

Welcome to March Madness.

Also known as the NCAA tournament, the month long smorgasbord of college basketball games is a favorite among TOURNAMENT, see page 15

AMELIA C. WARDEN / The

Associated Press

OBITUARY

University honors life of employee Staci Pepitone Memorial to be held Tuesday

By Grace Montgomery Staff Writer

The University is mourning the death of University official Staci Pepitone, who lost her fight with esophageal cancer Thursday at Our Lady of the Lake hospital.

Services will honor Pepitone tomorrow at Christ the King Catholic Center. Visitation will be held from 8 to 9 a.m., and a memorial service will follow from 9 to 9:30 a.m. A

mass will take place after the memorial from 9:30 to 10 a.m.

A group of Pepitone’s friends are endowing an LSU oak tree in her name and are accepting donations for the last unnamed oak tree on the Parade Ground.

Friends are invited to attend STACI PEPITONE Former LSU the dedication of official the Staci Pepitone Memorial Oak immediately following the mass.

Forty-four-year-old Pepitone

joined the University community in 1998. She worked most recently as assistant to the vice chancellor of Finance and Administrative Services, where she helped organize event planning for external groups on campus and organized logistical matters for film and television productions on campus.

She helped coordinate special projects and events, such as the University Ring Program, and managed leases with sororities and fraternities.

“Staci was a dynamic individual who was committed to serving our University,” said Student Government President Stuart Watkins.

“Every student and faculty member

loved her fun-loving approach to business.”

Pepitone also advised departments like the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Office of the Dean of Students and Student Government.

“I worked with her right after I was elected, and she gave me lots of advice and insight on the job,” Watkins said. “I really appreciated her reaching out.”

Pepitone fought to increase awareness about cancer, specifically esophageal cancer. She documented her treatment on her Web site, Geaux Past Cancer, and her Facebook page.

She was an active public

speaker and spoke on a variety of topics ranging from her experiences with cancer to college and career planning.

Pepitone was a Dayton, Ohio, native and attended Wright University before coming to LSU. She was a sports fan and loved college football and basketball, especially March Madness. Pepitone also enjoyed books, movies and traveling, said Kristine Calongne, assistant vice chancellor of Public Affairs.

Contact Grace Montgomery at gmontgomery@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 2

Nation & World

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

Kandahar governor demands more forces, NATO helps after explosions

Probe raises questions about drivers’ description of runway Prius

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — The governor of Kandahar province demanded more security around Afghanistan’s largest southern city Sunday after a series of explosions killed dozens of people in the Taliban heartland — the target of the war’s next major offensive by Afghan and international forces.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Investigators with Toyota Motor Corp. and the federal government were unable to make a Toyota Prius speed out of control as its owner said it did on a California freeway, according to a draft memorandum obtained Saturday by The Associated Press that casts doubt on the driver’s story.

Search continues after avalanche hits Canadian snowmobile gathering

US missionary detained in Haiti released, returns home to Idaho

REVELSTOKE, British Columbia (AP) — An avalanche struck a rally of up to 200 snowmobilers in Canada’s Rocky Mountains on Saturday, killing at least three people and leaving an unknown number missing, police said.

Rescuers were still scouring remote Boulder Mountain early Sunday morning, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A U.S. missionary released from a Haiti jail last week has returned to her home in Idaho.

Twenty-four-year-old Charisa Coulter arrived at the Boise Airport Saturday night where her father, several other Idaho missionaries who had been detained and dozens of others welcomed her by singing “Amazing Grace.”

Coulter is a diabetic and had

medical difficulties during her fiveweek confinement. She was freed March 8 but spent about six days in Florida recuperating after leaving Haiti.

Pacquiao dominates Clottey from start to win lopsided decision ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Fighting on the star, Manny Pacquiao showed once again why he is one.

With the biggest fight crowd in the U.S. in 17 years cheering him on at Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao dominated a strangely passive Joshua Clottey from the opening bell Saturday night to retain his welterweight title and cement his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

The fight wasn’t close, and it was never in doubt. It was so onesided that even those in the cheap seats among the crowd of 50,994 could tell without looking at the giant video screens over the ring that Pacquiao was in total command.

STATE/LOCAL

Landrieu: Time to get tough on owners to repair Katrina damage

Atchafalaya Basin crawfish trappers’ suit is now in federal court

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans’ mayor-elect says it’s past time for City Hall to get tough on owners who have not repaired damage from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

He notes that some surrounding communities already have set cutoff dates to fix property or face harsh penalties.

At a news conference last week, he said that — almost five years later — it’s time to enforce building and residence codes.

He says it’s no longer enough to board up a house and keep the yard mowed.

About 60,000 buildings in the city are considered blighted.

Landrieu will take office in May. Before then, he said he plans to meet with Louisiana Recovery Authority officials to discuss redirecting some of the unallocated federal money it controls toward blight eradication.

LAFAYETTE (AP) — A lawsuit claiming that pipeline dredging has hurt Atchafalaya Basin crawfish trappers is now in federal court.

The suit alleges that ridges left along dredged areas, called spoil banks, have created stagnant, dead areas of water in the area known as Buffalo Cove.

@ lsureveille, @TDR_news, @TDR_sports

TODAY

Weather 68 43

Black Student Union Presents Game Night!

Wednesday, March 17, 7-10pm Following this month’s committee meeting @ 5:30 Come out and enjoy your favorite Board games! Make sure you bring a friend!

Four hundred companies asked about ties to parish ex-admin GRETNA (AP) — The Jefferson Parish Council asks every company making money on a parish contract whether it also does business with an insurance agency owned by the former parish administrator.

Deputy Parish Attorney Louis Gruntz says the 404 letters already have brought one more parish contractor to disclose business with Lagniappe Industries, owned by Tim Whitmer and his wife, Dawn.

TODAY ON lsureveille.com

PHOTO BLOG: Log on to see a picture of a squirrel in a trash can.

Log on to read the latest blog about how losing will better prepare the baseball team for conference play.

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GIVE ME THE GREEN LIGHT

Partly Sunny

TUESDAY Gender on Film Series-Girls Rock!

TODAY 6:00pm Women’s Center Refreshments provided by Subway

MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010

65 60 THURSDAY 68 44

WEDNESDAY 67 45 FRIDAY 71 51

Campus Housing Contract Renewal (Apartment Residents) Current apartment residents can reserve Their same room in their apartment!

Delta Sigma Theta presents “The Surreal Life of a Delta” March 15, 2010 in the Cotillion Ballroom Season Premier Kick off: Free Speech Alley 10-2p.m.

“A Shot of Love”: Speed Dating at 7:13 Women’s Networking and Business Etiquette Dinner Thursday, March 25th 6:00pm @ the Faculty Club Registration Required: www.lsu.edu/wc Women’s History Month Keynote Address Dr. Jean Kilbourne “the Naked Truth-Advertsing’s Image of Women” Espirit de Femme Awards Presentation Monday, March 9th, 6:00pm Holiday Forum for more information visit: www.lsu.edu/wc Sneak Peek: White Stripes Tour Documentary KLSU screening of “Under Great White Northern Lights” Wed, March 17th- Holiday Forum, Journalism Building 7pm- FREE-OPEN TO THE PUBLIC More info on 91.1 fm & www.klsuradio.fm WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED? Celebrate LSU’s 150th Anniversary with the GUMBO Contact Leslie or Charles at (225)578-6090 Don’t let your organization be left out Deadline: March 19th DO YOU HAVE AN OCCURRENCE? Call Isaiah at the Student Media Office 578-6090, 9AM- 5PM or E-mail: officemanager@lsureveille.com

MOHAMAD KHALED / The Daily Reveille

Log onto lsureveille.com to see pictures of green things around campus.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

The Daily Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards.This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes which may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified please contact the editor at (225) 5784811 or e-mail editor@lsureveille.com.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Daily Reveille is free. To purchase additional copies for 25 cents, please contact the Office of Student Media in B-34 Hodges Hall. The Daily Reveille is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and semi-weekly during the summer semester, except during holidays and final exams. Secondclass copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, La., 70803. Annual weekly mailed subscriptions are $125, semester weekly mailed subscriptions are $75. Non-mailed student rates are $4 each regular semester, $2 during the summer; one copy per person, additional copies 25 cents each. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Daily Reveille, B-39 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, La.,70803.

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THE DAILY REVEILLE

Monday, March 15, 2010

CAREER SERVICES

PAGE 3

CRIME

Week to Police database tracks crime across borders involves promote Program agencies nationwide work experience

By Ryan Buxton Senior Staff Writer

By Rachel Warren Contributing Writer

Career Services will offer seminars about internships Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and its annual Summer Job Fair on Thursday as part of its first-ever Work Experience Week.

This is the first time Career Services has put on all these seminars in one week, said Sara Crow, assistant director of communications for Career Services.

Crow said the events are open to all students regardless of their major, and none of the events require students to register in advance. All of the week’s events are free, and each seminar is from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in 155 Coates Hall.

The topic of Monday’s seminar will be the value of internships and the importance of work experience. On Tuesday, a panel of students who have completed internships will give advice, Crow said.

Wednesday’s seminar topic will be internships with the government. Many people don’t realize how many federal jobs are available to students and how different the application process is from other internship programs, Crow said.

Crow said work experience is important for all students because those who have experience in a field earn more money than those who don’t.

“Work experience of any kind is what we’re encouraging,” Crow said.

Employers are more likely to hire previous interns for full-time positions than a new hire, Crow said. Employers don’t want to spend valuable time training new employees when they could simply hire people who have worked with them before, Crow said.

The annual Summer Job Fair will commence Thursday. The fair will be held in the Cotillion Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Contact Rachel Warren at rwarren@lsureveille.com

Crime doesn’t stay inside the lines, and police have a web of communication to catch criminal suspects when they cross city, parish or state borders.

The National Crime Information Center serves as a network for law enforcement agencies, including the LSU and Baton Rouge police departments, to communicate with other departments around the country.

Sgt. Blake Tabor, LSUPD spokesman, said the database is essential for every detail about a case to be communicated to relevant agencies.

“NCIC is so important because it prompts you to load every tidbit of information that, from human error, may not be passed along and could be critical in any case,” Tabor said.

The database is often useful in identifying outstanding warrants suspects may have from places

BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille

Clay Cain, LSUPD officer, monitors the National Crime Information Center database in the LSUPD office located in the Public Safety Building.

outside an agency’s jurisdiction, Tabor said.

BRPD checks every person with whom they come into contact on NCIC, said Cpl. L’Jean McKneely, BRPD spokesman.

“When we contact an individual, we check the NCIC and see if they’re wanted throughout the state, wanted in another city in the country or have a local warrant,” McKneely said. “It’s a routine check that we do, especially if we’re about to make an arrest.”

When a warrant is identified, the police contact the agency where the warrant originated and find out if the charge is important enough to extradite, or transfer, the suspect to the other department, McKneely said.

Tabor said LSUPD contacts other agencies via teletype, which is similar to an e-mail and can be read within minutes by officers who monitor the database at all times.

The decision on whether to extradite a suspect is typically based on how severe the charge is.

For instance, a California agency may choose not to extradite a California resident arrested on campus with an outstanding warranty for issuing worthless checks, Tabor said. The crime is not severe enough to justify the cost of traveling to retrieve the suspect, he said.

The NCIC can also be used to tag stolen property. But the property must be specifically identified to be entered in the database.

The identification can be a serial number for products, such as a Bluray player, or a VIN for a vehicle, Tabor said. The specific numbers separate the exact stolen property from similar products.

“If we had a situation where we put an Apple iPhone [into the database] without a serial number, hundreds of iPhones could potentially come back,” Tabor said.

LSUPD uses the NCIC frequently, Tabor said. McKneely said the same is true for BRPD. “It’s a tool we use every day, many times a day,” McKneely said.

“It’s very valuable.”

Contact Ryan Buxton at rbuxton@lsureveille.com

HEALTH

Study: Sororities can worsen body image

By Rachel Warren Contributing Writer

Body image has always been a touchy subject on college campuses, but a recent study from a student in Illinois shows girls rushing sororities have a more negative body image than others.

Ashley Rolnik, a student at Northwestern University, said she conducted the study for her senior honors thesis to find how body image is related to social groups.

The survey tested women in two groups: those who participated in sorority rush and those who didn’t participate in any sorority-related

activities.

Rolnik found girls with a higher body weight were more likely to drop out of the rush process.

She also said she wasn’t trying to single out sororities, which were simply one example of social groups affecting women’s body image.

“I have nothing against sororities,” Rolnik said. “I was more interested in studying group norms and expectations.”

Angela Guillory, director of LSU Greek Life, said this isn’t the case at the University.

Guillory said Greek Life hasn’t done any official studies, but she doesn’t think body image is a

significant problem in sororities at the University.

Guillory also said the Greek community wouldn’t hesitate to discuss a potentially serious problem and create programs to combat it.

“If there was an issue, we’d deal with it head-on,” Guillory said.

Julie Hupperich, associate director of the Student Health Center and director of Wellness Education, said body image can sometimes be an issue, but she is hesitant to place the blame on sororities.

Several factors, such as personality type and family history, can lead to eating disorders, Hupperich said.

She said some girls are predisposed to the disorder, and sororities may affect them, but they are not the entire cause.

“It’s kind of a situation like ‘what comes first, the chicken or the egg?,’” Hupperich said.

Amanda Meyer, elementary education sophomore, said many of her friends are in sororities. She said she doesn’t think it has affected their body image at all.

“I don’t think [it’s a problem],” Meyer said, “Not here.”

Contact Rachel Warren at rwarren@lsureveille.com

PAGE 4

THE DAILY REVEILLE

MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010

OUTREACH

Vet School alumna vaccinates animals in Haiti Group works with Haitian government

By Mallory Logan Contributing Writer

People were not the only ones affected by the devastating earthquakes in Haiti.

Lafayette veterinarian Renée Poirrier traveled to affected areas the week of Feb. 7 to vaccinate local animals that may have carried diseases harmful to people.

The alumna of the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine and director of the Louisiana State Animal Response Team joined American and Haitian animal emergency aid workers in Haiti.

She responded in support of the Animal Relief Coalition of Haiti, which is jointly led by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

A six-member team of Poirrier and co-volunteers that set up health clinics in Haiti treated many animals including livestock, donkeys, horses and dogs.

The group de-wormed all animals, then treated large animals for anthrax and smaller animals for rabies, Poirrier said.

“Everyone lined up to get their animal treated, and many children would come to see their pets get treated,” Poirrier said.

The conjunction with local efforts helped to make the trip successful.

“We worked with the local government as well as with local veterinarians, so they knew the area and could tell us where the best spots were to set up clinics,” Poirrier said.

For the first few days of the trip, Poirrier said she slept in a tent on an industrial park protected by United Nations officials in Sonapi.

“There was a lot of rubble and destroyed buildings, but locals were constantly cleaning the streets,”

Poirrier said.

Poirrier arrived two weeks after the earthquake hit Haiti, and she said there was rapid progress during the one week she stayed in the area.

“We were told to bring a week’s supply of food and water, then they changed it to three days, but we ended up not needing any at all because they fed us every day and gave us bottled water,” she said.

Poirrier left her tent and extra food and supplies for Haitian natives to use when she departed.

“Before I left the country, I was told many locals were living in tent cities. But in reality most of their tents were only made of sheets,” Poirrier said.

Health clinics were set up in four towns around Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and as many as 310 animals were treated per town.

“The main goal was to protect humans from diseases that animals could transmit to them, and the longterm goal is to treat and prevent all animal-related diseases,” Poirrier

photo courtesy of RENÉE POIRRIER

Renée Poirrier, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine alumna, works with a team of six volunteers to treat animals affected by the Haiti earthquake.

said.

Poirrier said she was shocked by the loss of life across the island.

“Almost everyone I talked to through a translator had lost a family member to the earthquake,” Poirrier said.

ARCH will continue to financially support Haiti in its mission to treat animals in Haiti, and it

is trying to hire more local veterinarians and train local Haitians to complete this type of work which will boost the Haitian economy, Poirrier said.

Contact Mallory Logan at mlogan@lsureveille.com

HEALTH

Research suggests coffee drinkers have less heart trouble Professor: caffeine good in small doses

By Sarah Eddington Staff Writer

Coffee isn’t only good for pulling all-nighters but also for heart health, two recent studies suggest.

People who drink coffee are about one-third less likely than non-drinkers to develop a stroke, according to a February study from the University of Cambridge in England.

Another study, presented in March by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., found coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing abnormal heart rhythms.

Doctors analyzed the health records of more than 20,000 European men and women between the ages of 39 and 79 with no history of stroke, heart disease or cancer in the stroke study.

During the 12-year study, 855 strokes were reported. After analyzing various factors, like smoking, exercise, weight and blood pressure, the researchers found coffee drinkers — regardless of caffeine consumption — were 27 percent less likely to have a stroke as non-drinkers.

There was no correlation with the amount of coffee consumed, according to the study.

But the amount mattered in the heart-rhythm study.

Researchers monitored the rate at which 130,054 members of the Kaiser Program were hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances.

The risk was 18 percent lower for those who reported drinking four or more cups of coffee a

day, compared to those who didn’t drink coffee.

Even those who only drank one to three cups per day were still 7 percent less likely to have irregular heartbeats.

“It might be a surprise because coffee does give some people the jitters,” Arthur Klatsky, senior consultant in cardiology and lead study author said in the study.

“And I don’t think we’re ready to tell people they should drink coffee to prevent heart- rhythm problems.”

Liz Guidry, biology junior, said she drinks two cups of coffee per day and sometimes drinks as many as five during exam time.

“I always figured it was going to kill me because I was drinking too much of it,” Guidry said. “So this is kind of a relief.”

Heli Roy, nutrition professor, said the antioxidants in coffee are likely responsible for its positive effect on heart health.

Antioxidants prevent lipids from being oxidized, which would otherwise block arteries and lead to strokes, Roy said. They also remove free radicals and help prevent the body’s natural “rusting” process.

Roy said the caffeine in coffee is also beneficial.

“Caffeine was one of the early ergogenic aids for athletes,” Roy said. “It mobilizes fat and sugar storage in the body.”

Roy said caffeine is used as an extra boost for athletic events, particularly marathon runners who rely on fat as a primary energy supply.

But too much caffeine can be harmful, Roy said.

“Caffeine has a U-shaped curve,” Roy said. “It’s good in small doses and harmful in high doses.”

Too much caffeine can be

toxic and addictive, causing people to feel withdrawal symptoms, Roy said.

Roy said two to four cups of regular coffee is the optimal dose.

Previous studies show coffee intensifies problems for people with pre-existing heart conditions because the caffeine increases heart rate, Roy said. But for

younger, healthier individuals, the antioxidants could be protective.

Contact Sarah Eddington at seddington@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Monday, March 15, 2010

PAGE 5

TECHNOLOGY

Most experts agree: Google enhances intelligence Search engine could have negatives

By Sarah Eddington Staff Writer

The majority of experts agree Google is good for the noodle.

In a February survey, the Pew Research Center asked expert respondents their views on Google’s effect on intelligence — 76 percent of the experts predicted people’s use of the Internet, particularly Google, will have enhanced human intelligence by 2020.

Twenty-one percent predicted people’s use of Google will not enhance human intelligence and may even lower people’s IQs, while 2 percent didn’t respond.

Pew posted the survey in response to an article by Nicholas Carr, technology analyst and pundit, entitled “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”

In his Atlantic Monthly article, Carr argued people aren’t thinking the way they used to because they have learned to skim and browse large amounts of information rather than deeply engage in it.

“In the quiet spaces opened up by the sustained, undistracted

Angelica Chantlin education freshman

‘I see it more of a crutch ...

Google is used for a quick answer.’

reading of a book or by any other act of contemplation, we make our own associations, draw our own inferences and analogies, foster our own ideas,” Carr said in his article.

“If we lose those quiet spaces or fill them up with ‘content,’ we will sacrifice something important not only in our selves but in our culture.”

Jennifer Curry, counselor education professor, researches problematic Internet use and said Google isn’t the best tool for good quality research.

“Being technologically savvy doesn’t make you a good researcher,” Curry said. “A lot of people don’t know how to accurately search and evaluate the information they’re getting.”

Anyone can post information online, and not all of it is reliable, Curry said.

“The best results usually aren’t

Heidi Hankin kinesiology senior

‘I use [Google] everyday for anything I want to know.’

what comes up first,” Curry said.

“And the best quality articles aren’t free and downloadable.”

Google is best used for things like downloading music and finding local restaurants, Curry said.

But most experts disagree.

“I believe strongly Google is an aid,” said Brian Voss, vice chancellor for Information Technology & CIO. “Education and access to information may not make us smarter in an IQ sense, but it better informs our intellect and allows us make smart decisions.”

Voss said the old methods of research, such as using encyclopedias and other reference sources in the library, are inferior to what the Internet provides today.

“To go find something, we took hours, got tired, got distracted and usually got a limited set of viewpoints,” Voss said. “Google

James Parker civil engineering freshman

‘I can see both sides ... Google is a great source to use either way.’

allows us to have a world of information at our mouse tips.”

Brandi Hebert, communication disorders senior, said Google is a more convenient way to research that allows people to be more informed.

Voss said online searching has the ability to help people find answers faster and thus expands people’s ability to concentrate on a greater number of things.

James Parker, civil engineering freshman, said he can see both sides to the argument.

“Google’s such a great source to use either way,” Parker said. “It provides good sources that you can further research.”

Voss said he doesn’t think Google is changing the way people think, but what people think about.

“In the past, part of the thinking process might have involved

considering an issue or question and thinking about the answer — trying to reason it out,” Voss said. “But with the Internet, you have access to information in a few clicks. So perhaps the availability of the Internet is speeding the process of providing information into our thinking.”

For better or worse, people’s dependence on the Internet will impact the future.

“We are becoming more and more dependent upon the Internet — for communications, for social interactions, for our information about everything,” Voss said. “I believe the future will be shaped by this dependence.”

Curry said people’s dependence on Google is making them lazy.

“People are less likely to get out of their room and go to the library to search the stacks,” she said. “They want short synopses from third-party sources.”

Angelica Chantlin, education freshman, said Google is used as a crutch.

“Google is used for a quick answer,” Chantlin said.

Contact Sarah Eddintgon at seddington@lsureveille.com

POLITICS

Pelosi: Confident House will pass health care bill

By The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday she’s confident the House will pass health care legislation and dismissed Republican criticism that she did not have enough votes for the measure.

“We’re very excited about where we are and will not be deterred by estimates that have no basis in fact,” she said during a dedication of the renamed Lim P. Lee Post Office in San Francisco.

The post office was renamed after the nation’s first Chinese-American postmaster.

Pelosi declined to say when House members would vote on a health care bill, or how many votes that she had secured. Although she added that lawmakers were “on the verge of making history.”

She also dismissed criticism

by House GOP leader John Boehner of Ohio that she did not have sufficient votes.

“I’m never dependent on Congressman Boehner’s count. I never have,” she said to a smatter-

ing of laughter from the crowd.

House Democratic leaders are pressing for a vote on their bill as early as this coming week.

The legislation would provide health care to tens of millions who currently lack it. It would require almost everyone to obtain coverage and subsidize the cost of premiums for poor and middleincome Americans.

It would also ban insurance companies from denying coverage on the basis of pre-exist-

ing conditions.

The health care bill appeared to be on the verge of passing in early January before Democrats lost a special election in Massachusetts to fill the seat of the late Edward M. Kennedy and with it, their filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

In the weeks since, the White House and Democrats have embarked on a rescue strategy that would require the House to pass legislation that cleared the Senate

in December before both houses approve a second bill that makes changes to the first.

But some anti-abortion Democrats in the House have balked at the bill, and it’s not clear they

will vote for final passage. The bill needs 216 votes to clear the House.

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

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9-10:30 AM 12-1:30 PM 4:00-5:30PM 8:00-9:30 PM

The Invention of Lying Paranormal Activities The Time Traveler’s Wife Love Happens

PAGE 6

Revelry

C A M P A I G N S

THE DAILY REVEILLE Today’s KLSU Specialty Shows: Valley Girl Intelligencia (Girl Bands) 9p.m. - 11p.m.

Bars and Ballads with L.A. Tre’ (R&B and Soul)11 p.m. - 1 a.m. MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010

SARAH HUNT / The Daily Reveille

SG presidential candidate Theo Williams hands out push cards to students in Free Speech Alley last Monday. Williams leads the “Geauxing the Distance” campaign.

SARAH HUNT / The Daily Reveille

Student Government presidential candidate J Hudson and vice presidential candidate Dani Borel hand out a push card to a student last Monday in Free Speech Alley. Hudson and Borel lead the “StudentsFIRST” campaign.

ERIN ARLEDGE / The Daily Reveille

MELANIE SCOTT / The Daily Reveille

Student Government presidential candidate Bryan Wooldrige and vice presidential candidate John Craig announced their candidacy for Student Government under the slogan “Two Kings for LSU.”

Student Government vice presidential candidate Christopher Sellers informs a student about the issues on the “Leading the Way” push card.

7:20 a.m., 8:20 a.m.

Noon, 3:20 p.m.

4:20 p.m., 5:20 p.m.

Sports

MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010

PAGE 7

Playing like Pros 23 former Tigers return to audition for NFL coaches at 2010 Pro Day

TRACK AND FIELD

LSU finishes in top 5 at national championship Standout Walter Henning claims individual title

By Luke Johnson Sports Contributor

pretty good indicator he’s not going to be a good professional.”

NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier described Pro Day as a “job interview” for the players.

“It’s also about the professionalism and how you handle all this,” Detillier

The LSU track and field teams performed well at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., but couldn’t scrounge enough points together to take home the team titles at the event.

The Tigers finished fourth, while the Lady Tigers finished third.

The Tigers finished with 42 points, 15 points behind Southeastern Conference foe Florida, who won the national title with 57 points. Texas A&M and Oregon finished tied for second with 44 points each, respectively.

The Lady Tigers finished well behind Oregon for first place but managed to hold off several other teams in a close race for the remaining spots. Oregon won with 61 points, and Tennessee came in second with 36 points, one point ahead of LSU’s 35.

“That was just an incredible meet for both of our teams,” LSU coach Dennis Shaver said in a news release. “I have no doubt in my mind that we had about as good a meet as we could have on both sides. I’m not only proud of the way we performed, but with the way we competed in the track meet from the very first event Friday. I could not have asked for more from our kids with the way they represented LSU.” Junior thrower Walter Henning added to his growing resumé with his first national championship in the weight throw. Henning won the event with his third throw, a whopping 77-foot, 3 3/4inch throw that was more than a foot longer than his nearest competitor, Steffen Nerdel of Memphis.

Henning finished fourth at the event

PRO DAY, see page 11

CHAMPIONSHIP, see page 11

Chad Jones, LSU safety

‘‘

Brandon LaFell, LSU wide receiver

“When you spend this kind of money on a football player, you want to find out just how much football means to them.”

Mike Detillier NFL draft analyst

Twenty-three members of LSU’s senior class of 2009 showcased their skills in various drills at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine from Feb. 24 through March 2, the most of any school in college football.

Players return to campus today for LSU’s Pro Day to continue their auditions in front of NFL coaches

Ciron Black, LSU offensive tackle

Trindon Holliday, LSU running back photos by J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

and scouts. The prospective writer, said players’ perforNFL players will participate mances at Pro Day are cruin the 40cial to their yard dash, NFL futures.

By Rachel Whittaker 225-pound “The big Chief Sports Writer b e n c h thing is how press, vertical jump, broad they run — how they do in jump, shuttle run and the 40[-yard dash] times and how 3-cone drill along with other the players move,” Low said. position-specific drills.

“If a guy comes to a workChris Low, ESPN.com out and he’s not in shape or Southeastern Conference he’s gained 10 pounds, it’s a

BASEBALL

Jayhawks provide Tigers with first losses of season Kansas wins two of three games

By Johanathan Brooks Sports Writer

Kansas may be known as more of a basketball school as evidenced by its No. 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament, but the Jayhawks proved this weekend to be pretty adept at baseball as well.

Kansas (11-4) came into Baton Rouge and took two of three games from LSU (13-2), giving the Tigers their first losses of the season.

Kansas won, 11-9, on Friday.

LSU won, 4-2, Saturday, and the Jayhawks took the rubber match on Sunday, 8-4.

“It’s a bitter feeling to lose a series at home like this, but there’s no shame because Kansas just outplayed us,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We just have to take that and see where we need to improve and get better — and we will.

Kansas was the first to score Sunday when sophomore designated hitter Chris Manship belted an RBI single that allowed redshirt junior center fielder Brian Heere to score in the top of the first inning. At that point, Kansas lead, 1-0.

LSU responded shortly

thereafter when sophomore right fielder Mikie Mahtook hit a twoRBI single in the bottom of the first.

Sophomore left fielder Trey Watkins and senior first baseman Blake Dean scored on that play to make it 2-1 LSU. LSU tacked on another run in the second on a groundout from Watkins that allowed redshirt freshman third baseman Wet Delatte to score from third.

The fifth inning was when Kansas pulled ahead for good.

The Jayhawks were able to string together five hits in the inning and pushed across four runs in the

KANSAS, see page 11

MELANIE SCOTT / The Daily Reveille

LSU sophomore outfielder Mikie Mahtook (8) swings for the ball Saturday during the Tigers’ 4-2 win against Kansas in Alex Box Stadium.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 8

MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010

GYMNASTICS

Tigers post high score of 197.150 on senior night

But LSU coach D-D Breaux had a different assessment.

“Relative to what I’ve seen going on around the country …

I definitely think it was a 10,” Breaux said. “As easy as they

By Andy Schwehm went 9.95, they could have given Sports Contributor her a 10.”

LSU’s gymnastics seniors The three other Tiger seniors had one more apparatus in their took home the other best scores LSU careers, and it just so hap- on the floor, with Kayla Rogers pened to be the one event where leading off the apparatus with a all four seniors competed: the 9.90, Summer Hubbard hitting a floor.

9.875 and Sabrina Franceschelli All four performed memora- posting a 9.850. bly, each posting No senior season highs en scored lower than route to a seasona 9.800 in any best 49.425 on the event on the evefloor. The Tigers ning, and the Tifinished the meet gers got their first with a season197 since Feb. 20, high 197.150 2009. in their victory “That was Sam Engle against Iowa our cheer durLSU junior (195.400). ing practice this Senior Susan week: ‘Super seJackson — who, despite taking niors, 197,” Jackson said. home three individual titles, adThe Tigers got off to a hot mittedly had an off night with start right away with their seca meet-best all-around score of ond-best vault score of the sea39.525 — posted a season-best son, a 49.325, that included a pair 9.950 to cap the event. of seniors nailing some of their Her routine had Tiger fans best vaults of the season. screaming “10,” but the judges Rogers stuck a season-best disagreed.

9.875 as the leadoff gymnast and Jackson, who has never was followed by Franceschelli’s scored a 10 in her career at LSU, 9.850. said she agreed with the judges.

No Tiger vaulted worse than

Jackson wins four titles for season best

‘‘

‘In practice, we’ve been working really hard on hitting those higher scores.’

a 9.800, as Rogers, Jackson and sophomore Ashley Lee shared the event title. It was Lee’s first career individual title.

The Tigers turned around with a 49.200 on the bars, highlighted by Jackson’s second individual title of the night when she posted a 9.900 on the apparatus.

The other seniors also had outstanding bar scores, as Hubbard posted a 9.825 while Franceschelli posted her second 9.850 on the night in front of her mother and grandmother, who flew down from Boston for the meet.

“It was a lot to take in at first because they never get to come because they live so far away,” Franceschelli said. “To have them here was something to remember.”

It was an all-class affair on the beam, as two freshmen, along with a sophomore and a junior, aided their elder stateswomen on the beam en route to a 49.200, the second-best score on the apparatus this season.

Freshman Shelby Prunty started off the beam with a season-best 9.800. She was followed by fellow freshman Ericka Garcia, who hit a season-best 9.825 in the third spot for the Tigers.

Hubbard hit a season-high 9.875 on the beam in the fourth spot, and junior Sam Engle scored her second-best score of

EMILY SLACK / The Daily Reveille

LSU senior Susan Jackson performs a floor routine during Friday’s meet against Iowa. The Tigers won 197-195.

the season, a 9.900, to capture her third career beam title.

“In practice, we’ve been working really hard on hitting those higher scores,” Engle said.

“With tonight being senior night,

we wanted to do well for them.

And we just got in the zone.”

Contact Andy Schwehm at aschwehm@lsureveille.com

Monday, March 15, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

PAGE 9

TENNIS

Lady Tigers win, snap eight-match losing skid Tigers split with Miss. State, Ole Miss.

By Sean Isabella Sports Contributor

LSU women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis never questioned if his team would snap out of its eightmatch losing streak — it was only a matter of when.

LSU (4-9, 1-3) upset No. 50 Mississippi State, 6-1, Friday afternoon at W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium, recording its first victory in nearly two months.

“We needed some confidence, and we needed a win,” Minnis said.

“The fact that we pretty much came out and dominated the match shows you how far they’ve come.”

The Lady Tigers swept the doubles point with three 8-2 victories, which set the tone for a dominating singles performance.

The 6-1 victory marked the largest margin of victory for the Lady Tigers in SEC play since the spring of 2008 when they cruised to a 6-1 victory against Ole Miss.

“When you have a team with a sophomore and three freshmen in the top five, there’s a lot of learning,” Minnis said. “So it took a while to get everything set because we had so many new players.”

Despite the renewed confidence

stemming from Friday’s win, LSU fell to No. 22 Ole Miss (8-2, 3-1) , 7-0, Sunday afternoon in the first match of a doubleheader.

LSU got behind early when Ole Miss’ Kristi Boxx and Karen Nijssen, the No. 12 doubles team in the country, clinched the doubles point with an 8-3 victory against sophomore Whitney Wolf and freshman Kaitlin Burns.

But the Lady Tigers bounced back with a 7-0 blanking of their own against cross-town rival Southern in the second half of the doubleheader.

LSU will host Tulane on Wednesday at 12 p.m. before a 3 p.m. matchup against Grambling.

TIGERS STUN BULLDOGS The No. 62 LSU men’s tennis

capped a furious rally Friday afternoon to record a 4-3 come-frombehind victory at No. 49 Mississippi State (6-6, 0-3 SEC).

The Tigers (4-7, 2-2) rallied back from a 3-0 deficit with singles wins from sophomores Mark Bowtell and Neal Skupski and junior Julien Gauthier.

Junior Sebastian Carlsson closed out the third set against the Bulldogs’ Artem Ilyushin to clinch the match for LSU, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-3.

“This match was one of our better comebacks in recent memory,” said LSU coach Jeff Brown. “It was good for our team to be able to have that experience and get the win after long odds.”

The Tigers almost rallied back from a similar situation Sunday

J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman Kaitlin Burns returns a ball Sunday during a doubles match against Ole Miss. LSU defeated Ole Miss, 6-1.

against No. 13 Ole Miss (10-2, 2-1 SEC), but dropped a 4-3 decision to the Rebels. After clawing back from an early deficit, LSU fought back to close the match to 3-2.

Carlsson rallied back to force a third-set against No. 81 Marcel Thiemann and went up an early break in

the third before Thiemann stormed back to win the match for Ole Miss.

LSU returns home Friday to host Wake Forest at 3 p.m.

Contact Sean Isabella at sisabella@lsureveille.com

PAGE 10

THE DAILY REVEILLE

MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010

SOFTBALL

LSU sweeps SEC opener against South Carolina Gamecocks get three straight losses

By Rowan Kavner Sports Contributor

One Southeastern Conference shutout is good. Three is sheer dominance.

The unhittable Tiger pitching staff led the No. 14 LSU softball team (21-4, 3-0) to three straight shutouts at South Carolina (9-13, 0-5) this weekend.

“I felt like a baseball coach,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard.

“We could go with a starter for each game, and they finished every game.”

LSU outscored South Carolina, 24-0, during the weekend series, increasing its win streak to 16 games.

The Tigers completed the sweep of South Carolina, 10-0, in six innings Sunday. Freshman pitcher Rachele Fico (8-2) tossed seven strikeouts in the completegame win.

“We worked really hard in the circle,” Girouard said. “You can’t ask for too much more than that.

It’s really coming alive.”

Sophomore first baseman Anissa Young hit a sacrifice fly to right field in the first inning to put

Carolina, 9-0, in six innings in delivered another scoreless pergame two of the Saturday series. formance in leading LSU past “We took the preseason to get South Carolina, 5-0, in the first the kinks out,” Young said. “Now game of the weekend series. we know it’s time to start rolling.”

“Team chemistry has been Sophomore pitcher Brittany great throughout the season,” TraMack (5-2) delivered another bril- han said. “Right now, that’s showliant Tiger pitching performance, ing on the field. Everything’s just tossing a complete game one-hit- finally coming together.” ter.

Trahan (6-0) “If somebody saw her ERA drop gets in trouble, to 0.18 against we’ve got great the Gamecocks as options coming she tossed eight out of the bullstrikeouts and pen,” Girouard surrendered no said. “But we walks. didn’t need that “We needed Yvette Girouard this weekend.” to come out and Senior left start the SEC off LSU softball coach fielder Rachel right, and we were Mitchell and Shortridge knocked able to do that this weekend,” Train three RBIs a piece and com- han said. “All pitchers were firing bined for five hits. Girouard said on all cylinders.”

Shortridge and Mitchell need to The Tigers scored two in the stay hot as the SEC continues. second inning courtesy of a RBI “They have to have very good single by junior third baseman seasons,” Girouard said. “They Jessica Mouse, who scored on a started the SEC off with a bang.” throwing error later in the inning.

Sophomore catcher Morgan Young gave the Tigers a 5-0 Russell went 3-for-3 with three lead with a three-run home run in singles and one RBI in game two. the fifth inning.

The Gamecocks committed three errors, and the Tigers made them pay with three multi-run innings. All four South Carolina Contact Rowan Kavner at pitchers gave up at least two runs. rkavner@lsureveille.com Senior pitcher Cody Trahan

‘‘

‘We’ve got great options coming out of the bullpen, but we didnt need that that this weekend.’

ERIN ARLEDGE / The Daily Reveille

LSU sophomore pitcher Brittany Mack winds up for a pitch Sunday, March 7 in the Tigers’ 9-2 win against Syracuse in Tiger Park.

the Tigers up, 1-0. She followed that with a RBI double in the third inning for a 2-0 LSU lead.

Young recorded another RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

The Tigers took advantage of a Gamecock error after an RBI single by sophomore second baseman Courtney Hollier, and LSU stretched the lead to 5-0.

“I’ve been learning my position as a four hitter,” Young said.

“I know what I’ve got to do to get the ball in play.”

Freshman shortstop Allison Falcon led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field, and the Tigers reached double digits after scoring four more runs in the inning.

Senior center fielder Kirsten Shortridge went 4-for-4 and scored four runs in the game.

LSU also dismantled South

MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP, from page 1

last season.

“This is absolutely awesome.

I’m just so happy right now getting this win,” Henning said in a news release. “That’s exactly what it means: 10 points. That was the goal coming in, and that was all I was thinking about throughout the entire competition. The team is always more important than the individual.”

The national title in the weight throw caps an impressive indoor season for Henning, who claimed the longest throw in the country this season and won every meet he participated in this season.

“Naturally, I’m going to have butterflies for any big meet whether it’s the SECs or the NCAAs,” Henning said. “Last night, I think I may have got four hours of sleep. But it’s

PRO DAY, from page 1

said. “When you spend this kind of money on a football player, you want to find out just how much football means to them.”

Former LSU defensive back Chad Jones is LSU’s lone junior forgoing his senior season to enter the draft. Jones ran a time of 4.57 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine but completed only nine bench presses.

Detillier said Jones’ nine reps on the bench press were “unusually low” for his size of 6 feet 3 inches and 221 pounds.

Low said Jones can help his draft stock greatly by doing well today. “[Jones] is a guy the NFL is very intrigued with,” Low said.

“He’s big and athletic. I don’t think he’ll get picked in the first round, but if he has a good workout, he’s certainly a guy who could go in the top half of the second round.”

KANSAS, from page 1 process to make the score 5-3.

“I left a couple of balls up that they hit real hard, but I wasn’t missing my spots” said LSU freshman pitcher Jordan Rittiner. “They’re a great hitting team. — there’s no question about that. They just started hitting the ball on a couple of pitches that I missed, but on some of them, they were hitting good pitches.”

During the inning, LSU had a chance to escape after only giving up two runs when Kansas junior right fielder Casey Lytle hit a ball hard to the left field wall.

Watkins missed the catch, and the inning stayed alive for the Jayhawks.

“Watkins made a valiant effort at the ball,” Mainieri said. “It wasn’t for lack of trying that he didn’t make the catch. I’d like to think he has the ability to make that catch, and if he does, we finish five innings tied 3-3, but instead we fall behind, and after that, it just didn’t work out for us.”

LSU inched closer during the sixth inning when senior Matt Gaudet hit a pinch-hit single to allow junior outfielder Leon Landry to score and bring the score to 5-4, Kansas.

But from there, it was all Jayhawks.

Kansas scored one run in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to extend its lead and make the final score 8-4.

THE DAILY REVEILLE

all worth it after this win today. I’m very excited and look forward to the outdoor season.”

Junior Zedric Thomas earned two separate All-American nods at the meet. The New Iberia native was the runnerup in the triple jump and the fourth-place finisher in the long jump.

Sophomore hurdler Barrett Nugent earned his first All-American honor on the strength of his 7.65-second run in the 60-meter hurdles. Nugent’s efforts were good enough for fourth place.

The Lady Tigers relied on the ever-stellar performance of senior LaTavia Thomas, who garnered her fifth All-American honor in the 800-meter run.

Thomas ran the race in 2 minutes, 3.90 seconds and finished the event in third place, just one hundredth of a second behind the

second-place finisher, Lacey Cramer of BYU. Thomas also anchored the Lady Tigers’ 4x400-meter relay team, which sped past the finish line with a season-best time of 3 minutes, 33.79 seconds, good enough to grab runner-up honors on the national stage.

Another Lady Tiger standout, senior Samantha Henry, picked up her 12th career All-American honors this weekend after finishing sixth in the 60-meter dash and seventh in the 200-meter dash.

The LSU track and field teams begin their outdoor season next weekend in Lafayette in the Louisiana Classics, hosted by LouisianaLafayette.

Low said former LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell needs to record a quicker time in the 40yard dash than he did at the NFL Scouting Combine to gain the trust of NFL scouts. LaFell’s time in Indianapolis was 4.60 seconds.

“He was a guy last year who you thought might be a late firstround or early second-round pick,” Low said. “The NFL wants to know if he can get open and separate himself from NFL defensive backs. They’ll be looking for a little more speed out of him.”

Detillier said LaFell’s Pro Day performance is crucial to rebounding from a subpar senior season.

“He had a very inconsistent year catching the football … an inordinate amount of drops and inconsistency as a route runner,” Detillier said. “It’s imperative for him to show up big here. If he’s going to get picked in the second round, he’s going to have to run well for the clock [today].”

Detillier said Pro Day can also be a key day for projected middle-round picks such as former LSU linebackers Perry Riley and Harry Coleman, cornerback Chris Hawkins and defensive tackle Al Woods.

“With Coleman’s body build, you can tell he believes he can play at strong safety,” Detillier said. “[Hawkins] has a chance to play at the next level, [and he] could be a nickel or dime defensive back like [former Tiger] Randall Gay. Al Woods works out well; the problem is, he’s never played to that.

Somebody always thinks he can turn water into wine.”

Thirteen former LSU players took part in Pro Day last season.

Six of them were drafted in 2009, including former defensive end Tyson Jackson, who was the third overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs.

The other NFL draftees from LSU were former wide receiver

BETH HALL / The Associated Press

Contact Luke Johnson at ljohnson@lsureveille.com

BRIANNA PACIORKA / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman infielder Wet Delatte (9) makes a play at third base Sunday during the Tigers’ 8-4 loss to Kansas at Alex Box Stadium.

Senior pitcher Cameron Selik (4-0) was credited with the win for the Jayhawks.

Selik pitched six complete innings, gave up four runs on six hits and struck out four batters while walking three.

“We didn’t know how long he’d be able to go today, but thankfully he took the baseball and managed to grind out six innings for us,” said Kansas coach Ritch Price. “He put us in a position where we could match up with the bullpen late in the game.”

Rittiner (2-1) had his first loss of the season after going for five innings and allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out four

PAGE 11

and walking one.

“He really made some big pitches for us early in the game, and I don’t think he’d lost [his stuff], and I still don’t think he lost it,” Mainieri said.

“We just need to make some plays. His forte is to throw the ball over the plate and let them hit it, and we have to play defense behind him.”

LSU will take the field again Wednesday night against Nicholls State at 6:30 p.m.

Contact Johnathan Brooks at jbrooks@lsureveille.com

Illinois’ Andrew Riley, LSU’s Barrett Nugent and Oklahoma’s Ronnie Ash compete in the hurdles competition Saturday at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships.

Demetrius Byrd, fullback Quinn Johnson, offensive guard Herman Johnson, defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois and safety Curtis Taylor. Five other 2009 Pro Day

participants signed free-agent contracts following the draft.

Contact Rachel Whittaker at rwhittaker@lsureveille.com

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Opinion

PAGE 12

RETURN OF THE MACK

Monday, March 15, 2010

Police reaction at parade scarier than initial incidents I’m not saying Baton Rouge Police Department officers used excessive force and arrested people unnecessarily at the St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday.

But it certainly looked like it.

I’m not sure what exactly sparked all the tension near Duvic’s bar in the first place. Cops ran to an obviously frenzied situation beneath the overpass next to Duvic’s. The most detailed answer I received from anyone running from area was “punches and Tasers.”

But matters didn’t die down after officers had taken care of whatever initially brought them all so closely together.

One man stood about 40 feet from the original incident. He didn’t seem happy, but he was pretty much minding his own business — until police horses almost trampled him 10 minutes later.

Officers nearly ran him over

as he backed across the parking lot. One horse turned its head and knocked the man’s head with its neck. He pushed it away as he continued to back toward the street.

Mistake.

Multiple officers grabbed him, threw his torso to the hood of a car, tased and arrested him.

Police yelled at another young man to leave the area moments later. He yelled something back — I’m not sure what, but the officers didn’t like it.

Mistake.

The police lifted him in the air, threw him to the ground and bent one of his arms behind his back to the point it looked like it would break. He put his other hand behind his back.

The cops continued to yell, “put your other hand behind your back,” as he already had. He frantically screamed, “It is. It is.”

Officers arrested another

WEB COMMENTS The controversy over SG’s attempts to add a mandatory $30 fee to graduating seniors’ fee bills continues in the comments section of our Web site, lsureveille.com. Here’s a sample of what people are saying: “Each Senator represents roughly 500 students. Therefore, 36 senators x 500 people each = 18,000 students. Now, obviously, not every Senator spoke to all 500 of the people they represent ... but I know that several of them spoke to as many students as they could.”

-Anonymous “‘For a little more than a night out in Tiger Land’ — nice attempt at relating to your constituents. You sound like a 10th grade biology teacher that walks in the classroom and says, ‘What’s up, homies.’

I wonder what happened to the “self-sustaining” class gift project that was touted by Senate and SG executive members in 2009? Oh, no I don’t. There wasn’t enough interest in the bricks in the Dodson courtyard to turn a profit for the 2010 class’s project. How many bricks did you sell, SG? Enough to make you think a majority of students care about this project?

So is this how SG saves face

on their colossal failure at a legacy? Hey, if students don’t volunteer to pay for a 4-pound slab of concrete with their name on it, make them. Wasn’t the original intention of the Class Gift project to beautify a different part of campus every year? Now we get a brick border to the Parade Ground? Why start this massive “campus beautification” project?

Who said they wanted bricks around the Parade Ground anyway? Where was the poll on that decision? Good thing you guys appointed a statistician. I’m 98 percent positive there is enough space for students who are dying to have a brick to have one in the Dodson courtyard.

Honestly, I know most of you have good intentions. But quick-changes like this are exactly why people believe SG is full of résumé-padders and spoiled rich kids.”

-Smokehouse

GERRI SAX ELLEN ZIELINSKI MATTHEW ALBRIGHT

Editor Managing Editor, Content Managing Editor, External Media Managing Editor, Production Opinion Editor

officers necessarily broke any laws.

It seemed like it, but I can’t know for sure. I wasn’t in those conversations.

I’m sure dealing with crowds of drunk people is frustrating.

But officers are getting paid to be there, to protect and to serve.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I think they should take it a little easier.

And citizens should probably be a little smarter in dealing with the frustrated police.

Jerit Roser is a 23-year-old mass communication senior from New Orleans.

Contact Jerit Roser at jroser@lsureveille.com

BEST AND WITTIEST

cartoon courtesy of KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

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

Editorial Board JERIT ROSER

around the time of the third arrest I watched — though luckily neither was tased or arrested.

One took pictures of all the action — some from the street and some from what was probably the outskirts of Duvic’s parking lot — until an officer told her, “I’m going to tell you one thing: Get that camera out of here. And that’s all I’m gonna say.”

Another friend was walking as part of the parade with one of the floats to make sure members of the crowd didn’t get hit.

The float broke down, and he tried to ask the officers some questions.

They said they’d arrest him for asking too many questions.

The police shouldn’t threaten people for legally taking pictures, shouldn’t arrest people for asking questions and shouldn’t make bystanders feel less safe than the bad guys made them feel.

Again, I’m not saying the

What do you think? Let your opinions be known on our Web site, lsureveille.com. Every article and column you see in the print edition appears online, and all of it is open to comments. Log on today!

THE DAILY REVEILLE NICHOLAS PERSAC

man shortly thereafter. I didn’t see what he did, but it happened close and uneventfully enough that it couldn’t have been too much.

He probably mouthed off a little two much like the guy before him.

Mistake.

None of the three men Jerit Roser Managing Editor, probably handled their reContent spective situations the best way, but neither did the officers.

I was more afraid of the police than of anything they were trying to stop.

I later told my friends multiple times to stop play-fighting because I was worried cops would mistakenly tase us.

Two of my other friends had run-ins with the officers around

EDITORIAL POLICIES & PROCEDURES The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, paper or University. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-26 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must have a contact phone number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author.

Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor-in-chief, hired every semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

QUOTE OF THE DAY “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

Thomas Jefferson third U.S. president April 13, 1743 — July 4, 1826

THE DAILY REVEILLE

Opinion

Monday, March 15, 2010

NIETZSCHE IS DEAD

PAGE 13

‘Egosexual’ politicians like Vitter deserve scrutiny Political news has been especially full of sex recently.

There’s Eric Massa, the disgraced New York congressman who outrageously and hilariously managed to stun Glenn Beck by flaunting his impropriety with staffers. There’s California State Sen. Roy Ashburn, who publicly came out the closet last week after a long career stymieing gay marriage proposals and generally fighting homosexuality every chance he got.

Then there’s John Edwards, the months-old news of whose affair still makes headlines now and again.

And these are just three of the most prominent recent examples. Sex scandals are becoming the standard “dishonorable discharge” of politics, as common a route out of office as retirement or electoral defeat.

What is it with these politicians? Why do so many of them fall from so high because they simply can’t contain their

impulses?

I’ve got a theory.

This theory explains why men in the highest echelons of power get caught so often in some kind of sexually damning scenario.

Some politicans aren’t heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual. They’re egosexual.

Meaning they love themselves above all else.

I’m not old enough, experienced enough or cynical enough to apply this theory to every politician, but only the most idealistic (or idiotic) would deny some majority of politicians have horrendously inflated egos. Their life goal is power and attention, and they will sacrifice whatever it takes in pursuit of that objective.

There are, of course, degrees.

Not every politician is egosexual because not every politician has let his or her ego seep that pervasively into his or her psyche.

But, for the worst of them, sex is merely a physical impulse

that has to be satisfied quickly and lovelessly so they can get back to big, important attentiongetting things.

This explains why so many of them are caught and exposed and why the circumstances in which their dalliances occur are so Matthew Albright head-scratchOpinion Editor ingly, obviously sleazy.

Don’t get me wrong — sex scandals are sometimes blown way out of proportion. The discovery of an affair (or worse) usually means instant death for a politician’s career, but sometimes an affair is just an affair.

We don’t — or rather we shouldn’t — elect people for their outstanding moral fiber. Few children look at a state senator or mayor and say “I want to grow up to be like them!” — especially in

our current political climate.

We elect — or rather we should elect — public servants because they are skilled negotiaters and able leaders who are able to see the people’s business done as efficiently and beneficially as possible.

That said, a democracy means people get to vote their conscience based on whatever issues they deem important. And, even for those of us who don’t think sex should influence voting decisions, there are certainly exceptions.

Ashburn has proven he is willing to compromise his very sexuality for the sake of votes and popularly.

Closer to home, Sen. David Vitter’s involvement with prostitution rings became a national scandal.

Vitter’s indiscretions are particularly loathsome because of his campaign rhetoric. Vitter got elected on a platform of personal responsibility and moral

integrity. By his own political language, he is supposed to be a moral leader for the state he represents, and his actions loudly and blaringly proclaim him a hypocrite by that measurement.

He may have changed his message, but the scar remains — Vitter has proven he’s willing to hawk some cause for votes regardless of his personal convictions. He championed morality while simultaneously conducting a systematic campaign of lechery.

Sometimes sex in politics is blown out of proportion, but — especially in this case — it really matters.

Matthew Albright is a 21-yearold mass communication junior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_malbright.

Contact Matthew Albright at malbright@lsureveille.com

CAMPUS-RESIDENT ALIEN

African Americans should be called American

As an international student and columnist, some friends have told me I should write about customs and situations that immediately stand out differently from where I came from in my daily life here in America. They say writing about such interesting cultural dissimilarities should trigger catching stories and writings.

This is especially true because in many ways the United States and Brazil have similar social and economic characteristics. I’m not falling into the trap of rough comparisons. But you find yourself in the imminent risk of being awkwardly funny or inadvertently rude when you face trivial situations in which you don’t really know the proper behavior to adopt, the proper attitude to take or answer to give.

Under this perspective, one of the first things that popped to my eyes when I started living here was the segregation between blacks and whites. The term “black” may offend some, but I must say as a citizen of Brazil — a country where miscegenation is acknowledged as the pillar of the national identity — I’m certain the pretentiously polite term “African American” denotes more prejudice than many other words.

Calling a black person “African-Brazilian” would be cause for laughter.

I’m not saying there’s no racism in Brazil. We had slavery, and afro-descendants there also suffered a cruel life imposed by colonial aristocrats. There was a lot of discrimination, though black

people were never separate from white people by law.

But at some point, race was not significant enough to impede a broad miscegenation among blacks, whites (Europeans) and native Indians. In Marcelo Vieira this way, Brazil is truly a meltColumnist ing pot.

I acknowledge the United States is a nation that was colonized and formed by different nationalities and races. The heinous belief that people from Africa could be brought to slave work in America is past. But racial discrimination is so firmly rooted in the core of American society that black people are called African Americans. I understand the African heritage that black people carry in their DNA, but following the same logic of denomination, white people should be called European Americans instead of Americans only.

I can’t avoid being deeply upset when someone refers to a black person as an African American.

Blacks are as much Americans as any other person. Moreover, the influence of African descendants and the legacy they left became a crucial and pivotal part of the American culture. You are all Americans, as we are all Brazilians down there. I’m not SpanishItalian-Brazilian. I’m Brazilian.

Black people have understandably created a community

with social codes of their own.

Many white people don’t carry the prejudice against the black race anymore, but they don’t get involved either. Many black people would rather not deal with white people. It’s a sad reality. Rather than a melting pot, America is more like a tossed salad.

It’s admirable that different cultures live in the United States

preserving their elements and habits. I must confess it doesn’t happen in Brazil. Everything there falls into one pot. Pointing out your forefathers’ nationality in a conversation is not a question of pride, but more a curiosity.

Here I can again highlight a commonality between countries such as ours: Their strength and beauty reside in the multitude of

cultures that build the nation’s life together.

Marcelo Vieira is a 32-year-old jazz cello graduate student from Brazil. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_mvieira.

Contact Marcelo Vieira at mvieira@lsureveille.com

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THE DAILY REVEILLE BRACKETS, from page 1

students are still planning to follow the games.

“It’s one of the best times of the year,” said Elton Williams, sociology senior.

Rufus Johnson, biology senior, said he plans to participate in seven gambling brackets for men’s basketball. He is supporting Syracuse — a No. 1 seed — in six brackets and Gonzaga — a No. 8 seed — in another.

Johnson said he has participated in the brackets every year since he was 7, and he has done money brackets for the last six years.

He picked North Carolina in four brackets last season and won $350, which he spent on beer — despite it being half the cost of his rent.

Web sites such as Facebook and CBSSports.com allow fans to create their own brackets for free.

ESPN.com is offering a $10,000 prize to the person who fills out the most accurate bracket and $5,000 to the runner-up.

BetUS.com is offering a $5 million prize to the participant with a perfect bracket. There is a $100 entrance fee, and participants must be 18.

TOURNAMENT, from page 1 hardcore and casual basketball fans alike.

“It’s filled with possibilities,” said Tom Coleman, mass communication junior. “There’s a lot of Cinderella teams. You can’t underestimate the underdog. It’s great.”

CBS helped unveil the hallowed brackets Sunday. Kansas (32-2), Kentucky (32-2), Syracuse (28-4) and Duke (29-5) earned No. 1 seeds.

Picking the winners is just as much tradition as spectating. While the four No. 1 seeds are hot picks, others value heart over mind.

Patrick Hatzenbuehler, agricultural economics graduate student, conducted his undergraduate studies at Georgetown and picks the Hoyas to win the national title every season, no matter

PAGE 15

Aaron Lamb, political science junior, said he participates the brackets on Facebook and ESPN.com.

Lamb said when he chooses his teams he has to “throw in at least two underdogs, because if they win, then you’re the smart one.”

He usually participates in two or three brackets. When the Tigers participate, he submits one with LSU winning the tournament, as well as a couple more feasible predictions.

It’s fun to cheer for a different team occasionally, Lamb said.

Williams has participated in brackets for about 10 years. He usually fills out 10 on ESPN. com, one on Yahoo! and one on Facebook.

But, while some students research their picks, Williams said winnings are based on chance.

“I don’t do a lot of research,” Williams said. “Some of my friends who don’t even watch basketball turn out better than I do.”

Matt Duet, construction management junior, said he is confident in his picks until the games start. Then he tends to be wrong.

And watching the games tends to be a social event among

friends.

“We try to watch the games together — especially if my pick and someone else’s pick are playing,” Lamb said.

Participating with friends often leads to friendly rivalries.

“If I have a good bracket, everyone’s going to hear about it,” Williams said.

Local restaurants also see business pick up during March Madness.

Drew Galloway, manager at Pluckers, said the restaurant will offer $4 off any 34-ounce domestic beer during the games.

Buffalo Wild Wings offers its own bracket challenge online, and Cody Dugas, general manager, said the restaurant is also raffling off a basketball goal.

Betting on sports tends to be more socially acceptable than other gambling, but it can still become an addiction, said David Earle, a Baton Rouge counselor.

“It is their drink of choice, but it is still alcohol,” Earle said.

There can be a denial factor as with any addiction, Earle said.

“It’s easy to say, ‘I’m not a gambler because I don’t go to the boats,’” Earle said.

the predictions.

“I have to put them in the title game every year,” Hatzenbuehler said. “If I had to pick someone else, I guess I’d go with Kentucky.”

Similarly, Coleman has a familial affiliation with Notre Dame.

He’s picking the Irish, a No. 6 seed, to win it all.

“My dad went to Notre Dame, so I root for them,” Coleman said.

“I root for LSU too, but they’re not in the tournament. My mind tells me to pick Syracuse, though.”

Experts have expressed some displeasure about the selections themselves. It’s not so much the teams selected, it’s the paths given to the top seeds en route to the Final Four. Consensus has it that Duke, the third overall No. 1 seed, will travel the least perilous road to Indianapolis.

“They put too many good

teams in one region,” said Luke Winn, Sports Illustrated college basketball writer. “Kansas can still beat Ohio State, Georgetown and Michigan State. The point is putting all those teams in one region diluted the bracket. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Grant Westerhaus, civil engineering sophomore, doesn’t put much stock in that notion.

“It’s always tough to win six games in a row,” Westerhaus said.

“The way things shake out, somebody is always going to have an easier road. I do think they set up Duke nicely, though.”

The tourney is never known for being easy. Some tournaments are upset parties, while others are more boring. Westerhaus said Tennessee and Bruce Pearl, a No. 6 seed, is a prime candidate for a letdown.

“Bruce Pearl never does well in the tournament,” Westerhaus said. “Even in ’06 when they were a two-seed, they almost lost in the first round and lost in the second round.”

Winn disagreed with all of them. According to Winn, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse and No. 2 seed Villanova will make the Final Four with Kansas taking home the trophy.

“It’s Kansas’ year,” Winn said.

“They have that right mix of pro talent and experience and an amazing leader at point guard in Sherron Collins. Kentucky has an incredible wealth of talent, but Kansas’ experience factor will be the difference for them.”

Winn, who follows basketball as closely as anyone, has had his own troubles with brackets.

“I don’t know why, but for some reason covering college basketball doesn’t help you fill out a great bracket,” Winn said. “I haven’t won a bracket pool since college.”

Contact Joanna Zimmerman at jzimmerman@lsureveille.com

Contact Chris Branch at cbranch@lsureveille.com

Monday, March 15, 2010

THE DAILY REVEILLE

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