Vision LSU ticket places electability over leadership

In two days, the University will host the Student Government elections, pitting the Foundation ticket of Colorado Robertson and Shannon Bates against the Vision LSU ticket, led by Dixon McMakin and Kristen Oaks, while the two fend off the Do Nothing slate of Brandon Taylor Craft and Wesleigh McLeod.

We've seen the signs across campus - posted on the streets and in front of various fraternity and sorority houses.

But six months ago, the Vision LSU ticket's signs would have read "Dixon-Breaux."

Sen. Whitney Breaux, political communication junior, intended to run for SG president. But she learned of McMakin's intentions to run himself, and the two decided to team up.

"We agreed to come together," Breaux said, "as we have shared allies and friends, and we planned to build families based on our intentions."

McMakin echoed this sentiment in a phone interview. "She approached me to run for VP, and she was on my list of good people," McMakin said.

She cited her ability to micro-manage as a benefit to Dixon's "big picture style."

"We would have made a great ticket," she said.
Given Breaux's record of service, there's no doubt she is a valuable asset to the University. A senator since her freshman year, Breaux served as Senate Information Officer before returning to the Senate itself, representing UCFY before moving to mass communication.

The one hurdle in her way to the ticket, as she put it, was "something I've had to deal with my entire life."

Breaux is a black woman.

On Nov. 28, 2007, Breaux had a phone conversation with McMakin. He asked her to speak with her family, friends and advisers about "reconsidering" running for office.

She mentioned, "Dixon said that Kristen [Oaks] thought it was a good idea, and I thought that was odd."

The next day, McMakin asked her not to run.

Breaux said McMakin had been approached by a group of students who told him "they could not, and would not, support him if I was his VP candidate." Her outspoken, brash nature was cited as the reason for her dismissal.

"People had come up to me," McMakin said, "saying they had worked with Whitney before, and told me they couldn't work with her again."

"People like Dixon, people like [Sen.] Drew Prestridge, they agreed I was the best candidate, but the question became 'Was I electable,'" she said. "It didn't matter who could best help the students, and Dixon felt he was more easily electable with Kristen."

This sentiment was echoed by Prestridge, who wanted to talk to me because, according to him, "apparently Whitney's been spreading lies."

When asked who, between Breaux and Oaks, is the better candidate, Prestridge tabbed Breaux.

"I don't think there's any question that Whitney would have been the better candidate," Prestridge said. "But she has burned so many bridges in her past that she wasn't considered electable."

Breaux was led to believe her removal was because of race.

"We had gone in front of different fraternities, saying things like 'We're just an Oreo,' in an attempt to acknowledge the fact that I was black while making fun of it at the same time," Breaux said. "One of his reservations was with his [Kappa Sigma] brothers, wondering if they were OK with 'a black girl.'

"I threw race out there, which Dixon never did, but I grew to understand [my removal] was because of race. I don't think he's that stupid to tell me to my face that it was because of race. But the thing you have to understand is racism isn't blatant anymore. No one is going to go to the top of the clock tower and scream out 'I hate black people.' You take this situation up North, though, and they'll see the problem."

McMakin cited personal experience and the desire to get things done as the ideal qualities of a vice president.

"Race was never a part of it," McMakin said. "This is more stirring of the pot, that SG Kool Aid stuff, you know, with drama like on TNT. What you're really looking for is someone you can work well with, because if you can't work together, nothing gets done. If you can't get the best people to run with you, you're not serving the students to the best of your ability. You need good people with good values that care about the students.

"As far as next year, there's no question that the best vice president would be Kristen Oaks."

In the end, it didn't matter who the candidate was, as Breaux, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, explained to me.

"Student apathy plays a big part in elections, partly because most of the time, the Greek ticket gets elected," she said. "The Greeks are easily accessible and easy to mobilize, and if you can get in good with the head of a frat or sorority, you've got close to 180 or 200 votes right there. The students see that and think their vote doesn't matter, but at the same time, if your ticket is filled with non-Greeks, you're in trouble."

The underlying impression from each campaign exists in the form of electability. Truthful, proven leadership is needed at this juncture, not a foundation of clouded vision which will ultimately do nothing.

Originally published in The Daily Reveille...

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LiveBlog: Wrestlemania XXIV

Wrestlemania XXIV

6:01 p.m. - It is pure pandemonium here in Orlando! Eric W. Freeman, Jr., blogging live from Casa de Gremillion, as tonight we will focus on the grand daddy of them all, the biggest sports-entertainment extravaganza of all time, Wrestlemania XXIV! Where it all begins, again. I will be joined tonight by Opinion Editor Neal Hebert, as well as fellow columnists Caitlyn Scott and Skylar Gremillion, where we will gang-blog the bejesus out of tonight’s event. Many matches will be covered tonight, and we will be taking turns, as well as providing insightful analysis. By “insightful,” I mean “worthy enough for post.” So sit back, relax, and enjoy tonight’s madness.

Introduction

6:11 p.m. - Fighter jets fly across the top of the arena as the rain falls slowly over the Orlando sky. We are introduced to Grammy-award winner John Legend, wearing a pink shirt and shades, to sing America the Beautiful. Comments among us arise as to whether or not John Legend is the Steve Urkel of music, as he is a safe black man. Great rendition.

6:13 p.m. - Basic promo, as the superstars talk dramatically about immortality, stealing the show, and making the most out of every opportunity. There’s nothing like a pre-event montage.

Pyro

6:16 p.m. - The pyro looks stunningly normal in front of gray skies and outdoor settings. I don’t know if the rain will play a major role, but we’ll see.

John Bradshaw Layfield v. Fit Finlay - A Belfast Brawl

6:15ish:

Opinion Editor and proud wrestling enthusiast Neal Hebert here.

Entrances and video montages are setting the stage for what I expect to be a total massacre of stiff (i.e., not pulled) punches and physicality.

Here’s the thing I love about John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL hereafter) - his entire persona is a contemporary updating of Ronald Reagan’s public image.

Finlay comes out accompanied by a leprechaun.

And they’re off, absolutely beating the hell out of each other. You see, the paternity of the leprechaun is in question during the match - the leprechaun is supposed to be the son of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, but JBL claims the leprechaun is actually Fit Finlay’s son.

Sorry for the backstory - in the interim both competitors have begun beating each other repeatedly with garbage cans, steel steps and the dreaded cookie sheet.

So we’ve been having computer problems, and for that I apologize. The leprechaun involved himself in the match, but to no noticeable effect.

Pretty spectacular visual - Fit Finlay dives out the ring in a plancha like superman, only to have JBL tee off on his head with a garbage can lid as he flies past. Then he threw the garbage can at the leprechaun.

This is so awesome.

And Finlay has recovered from this devastating turn of events because of the damage done to his leprechaun son.

And we’re experiencing technical difficulties. Thanks Cox Communications.

So I’ll just use this opportunity to go on about how much I like JBL. You see, I’m a big fan of wrestling’s potential for social commentary - and I think the JBL character is the best thing going in pro-wrestling right now. The stereotype of the average wrestling fan - whatever that means - is a rural conservative Southerner. So the idea of taking a bad guy like JBL and having him use conservative talking points as a way to make fans hate him is pretty impressive.

If you were to have told me a few years ago that the best way to get people to hate you in pro-wrestling would be to proudly proclaim “Morning has come to America!” I’d have called you a liar. If you’d have told me that using nativist and xenophobic rantings about immigration would be a way to get middle America to hate your guts, I’d have laughed.

But JBL did that to make crowds hate him, and it worked.

So what’s pretty cool is that you have a character that embodies the kind of thinking that so dominates mainstream political discourse, and crowds soundly reject him both as an individual and as a representative of the right. It’s always pretty cool to see someone so completely embody the zeitgeist of a particular cultural moment - and I think JBL is that character, and this is that moment.

Experiencing technical difficulties, people...

Still Neal Hebert.

So here’s the deal - I’m sitting on Skylar Gremillion’s couch with my metaphorical thumb up my metaphorical butt, wondering what happened to my rasslin’ show.

I’m pretty upset.

I’m thinking we as a University should take to the streets with torches, demanding my blue collar entertainment.

Because - honest injun - I’m doing this for all of you. And these Cox Communications issues make me feel like God is trying to keep me from giving all of you what I promised.

-neal

So while waiting for wrestling to come back on I just did the unthinkable…

…and incredibly pretentious act of googling myself.

For the record, the .pdf State of Louisiana v. Neal Hebert was not me. I did not serve as a cocaine mule.

More importantly, I’ve learned that several of the columns I wrote for The Daily Reveille were transmitted far and wide across www.land and I’m quite pleased.

The American Muslim linked to my column “Can we stop calling everything Islamofascist?” column as one of the best tools to combat anti-Muslim hatred and the loathesome Islamofascism Week.

The column I wrote about MTV’s “A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila” got pretty significant linkage as well, posted on loads of cool websites and looked to me to be one of the featured opinion pieces on University Wire that day. It was everywhere, seemingly.

Sadly, Tila didn’t myspace me.

-neal

On a related note...

…if you do a Google.com search for Caitlyn Scott, images of SG President Cassie Alsfeld appear. A Google search for Eric Freeman reveals a Salsa dancing instructor.

Hilarity has ensued as Skylar talks to Cox Communications employees about the problem we’re having. He assumed the employee could spell “Gremillion” without prompting. When asked what the problem is with our television and what we’re seeing on TV, Skylar simply says “Blackness.”

It’s a propos, because that is all we see. But more importantly, it’s an apt description of my metaphorical heart.

My heart has been raped. Raped by lack of wrestling.

-neal

Here's the deal:

Neal Hebert here.

We’ve had to move locations to keep this going.
So we’re at my apartment. But I don’t have wireless, so all our laptops are gone.

We’re saving the liveblogs to a flashdrive and porting it to my desktop (that was new in 2001).

Please forgive any delays - we’re doing our best, here.

Ric Flair v. Shawn Michaels - Career Threatening Match

Kane won the ECW title in three seconds.

Why oh why is Raven Symone on Wrestlemania? Oh, she’s introducing a bunch of Tard kids. Dreams come true for the mentally challenged.

Now we have a Ric Flair montage. I am seriously getting teary eyed. Watching Ric Flair with my Grandpa is one of my fondest memories as a child. WOOOOOO. This is so emotional. We have the Nature Boy versus the Showstopper.

Ric looks stunning in robes of deep blue with white feather trim.

This is a career threatening match. If Ric loses he must retire.

And introducing Shawn Michaels in a sleeveless sequin shirt. He looks ready to perform at Dick’s Cabaret or any bachelorette party. A part of me wishes he had assless chaps.

Skylar Gremillion here calling the action for you. Caitlyn Scott, overcome with emotion has passed the torch.

This match represents the ultimate in pro-wrestling. The legend, Ric Flair. A man who’s packed arena’s around the world and wrestled longer than I have lived is putting his career on the line against Shawn Michaels. At more than 60 years old Flair is an institution in professional wrestling.

The two men square off, Flair takes the lead early with a hammerlock. Michaels counters and the two exchange holds for a bit. Charles Robinson, also known as Lil Natch, is the ref, which is also appropriate.

Flair backs Shawn in the corner, and Michaels responds with a hard slap. Flair is bleeding from the mouth and fires away at HBK with several stiff chops. The two exchange chops in the corner. The crowd enthusiastically “Woo’s” with each chop by Flair.

This won’t be high flying, this won’t be technical, this is a fight.

Flair goes up top….this may not be good. Flair scores with a cross body block off the top, shades of his first NWA title win over Harley Race.

Michaels misses an Asai moonsault landing stomach first on the announce table outside the ring. The Ref is counting, HBK may not make it, but he rolls in at the count of 9. That spot will be shown on TV for years to come. Shawn may have broken ribs.

Flair attacks with a backdrop suplex, working the newly injured ribs of Michaels. He follows with a butterfly suplex . Flair scores with a vertical suplex and scores a nearfall.

Flair takes a tumble over the top and lands on his back. Shawn goes up again, nailing a moonsault off the top rope to the outside. He didn’t get all of it though, and I think HBK may have taken the worst of it.

They exchange stuff chops again. Michaels ducks out of it and responds with a diving forearm off the ropes.

Flair v. Michaels (continued)

Still Skylar:

Atomic drop by Michaels leads to a Flair flop. Michaels goes up top, looking for the elbow drop and it connects. He jumps up, but is clutching his ribs in pain. That Asai moonsault to the table really did it’s damage.

HBK’s looking for Sweet Chin Music, but he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t hit his idol with the superkick. Flair responds with a double leg takedown and the FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK. Jumbo Tsuruta, Nick Bockwinkle and other legends have all fallen to this move, but HBK makes it out.

The two exchange chops again, leading to a series of pinning combinations. Michaels reverses a knee breaker into a sunset flip, but his ribs are too damaged to take flair down.

Flair chopblocks HBK and begins to work on the legs, but Michaels reverses into a roll up. Flair escapes and locks in the figure four once more. Michaels is in the center of the ring, I’m not sure if he can make it to the ropes. HBK is screaming in pain, but makes it to the ropes in time.

HBK is safe for now.

SWEET CHIN MUSIC out of nowhere. Flair is down, this could be it. FLAIR KICKED OUT. TWO COUNT.

A replay reinforces the strength of the kick. I don’t know how Flair is still conscious.

HBK tunes up the band again, but flair is down.

Flair was faking and takes Michaels down with a low blow, which gets a 2.9 count.

Michaels takes flair down with a double leg and applies his own modified figure four, but flair makes it to the ropes. The buckle pad gives way but Flair gains control with a Greco roman eyepoke.

More traded chops. Another Sweet Chin Music and Flair is down.

HBK looks hesitant to kick Flair again. This is his childhood hero, can he end his career tonight?

A third Sweet Chin Music and Flair is done. 3 count and a fall.

With that last superkick HBK has put an end to the career of Ric Flair. Michaels can’t even face his icon and leaves the ring immediately, not even looking back at his fallen hero.

Flair has tears in his eyes and the crowd is on their feet.

Caitlyn Scott “ I feel like my favorite gladiator just got the thumbs down.”

I can’t even think of what to say. Flair hugs his kids and kisses his wife. There’s no speech, Flair walks to the back with tears streaming down his battle worn face.

Flair mouths “I love you, thank you” to the fans and takes a final bow.

We’re all fighting back tears. Neal Hebert is weeping.

Thank you Ric, you’ve never let me down.

Playboy Bunny Diva Showdown

Eric is back. No lying about tonight’s pyro display. Literally every orifice of the stadium just exploded into fireworks.

Next is the Playboy Bunny Lumberjack match, hosted by Master of Ceremonies Snoop Dogg. Snoop gets a shameless plug for his reality show, as he comes out struttin’ his stuff with the help of the divas. He’s driving a Mercedes Golf Cart with leopard interior and rims on the outside. He leads a trail of divas to the ring. I guess this is the only way to make people feel better about the retirement of Flair: gratuitous boobage. The consensus in the room is that Snoop is already stoned out of his mind. He gives a shout out to Flair with two Woo’s, then goes straight into the fa shizzle dizzle nizzle.

Coming out first are Ashley and Maria. The two have each been on the cover of Playboy twice, with Maria gracing the current cover. They immediately start grinding on Snoop, who just laughs.

Next out are Melina and the WWE Women’s Champion, the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix. The two are escorted by Santino Marella, the self proclaimed Italian Stallion. Santino and Maria have had tiffs leading up to tonight. Snoop is sitting in a giant throne on the outside, throwing up the West Coast sign. It’s mentioned that Shawn Michaels once posed for Playgirl, but it didn’t count because “he didn’t show his noonoo.”

We start with Ashley and Beth. Beth is convincingly mannish looking, as Melina gets tossed out of the ring and instantly surrounded by lumberjacks. She’s thrown back in, and it’s ten seconds before Melina gets a Bronco Buster from Maria.

Ashley is tagged in and pulls off a nice hurracanrana. Ashley gives Melina a nasty facebuster, but Melina takes charge and throws Ashley out. She is then tortured by the lumberjacks, who toss her back in. Melina throws Ashley into a Beth Phoenix bear hug. Melina is tagged back in, goes to the top of Beth Phoenix’s shoulders, then promptly backflipped onto Ashley.

Tags to Beth and Maria. The lights just went out, and no one knows what just happened. Spotlights are shown on the ring, as Beth and Maria continue to duke it out. Maria counters an arm stretch into a bulldog. Melina tries to hold Maria, but Beth inadvertently spears Melina off the top rope. Maria tries to pin Beth, but Santino pulls her off. Jerry “The King” Lawler walks over and right hands Santino, but Maria walks into a Fisherman’s Suplex from Beth Phoenix, who pins her for the win.

After the match, Santino gloats in the ring, but Snoop Dogg walks in and clotheslines the hell out of Santino, before making out openly with Maria. Solid match, gratuitous eye candy, and Snoop. What more could you ask for?

Randy Orton (C) VS John Cena VS Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship

Neal Hebert back, ready to blog.

Next up is John Cena v. Triple H v. Randy Orton (c)

This is a Triple Threat Match, where the first man to score a pinfall or submission wins the title.

John Cena just made his entrance: it was full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Cena is beloved by women and children, and is this generation’s Hulk Hogan.

Naturally, I despise him. I am old enough to remember Hulk Hogan, and I didn’t like him either.

Triple H is entering right now, and he looks like nothing so much as a real life Conan the Barbarian. This guy is ripped, and the lights make him look like his body is smeared in Preparation H. Daddy, Triple H is bad and we know it.

I mean, the guy was in Blade: Trinity for God’s sake.

Aside: my cats are really freaked out with so many people in my apartment.

The announcers just announced that this match is one fall to a positive finish – no pinfalls or submissions. Strangely enough, they remain silent on the fact that Triple H’s tiny pants are emblazoned with an Iron Cross.

And the champion Randy Orton is coming out. He looks like nothing so much as a fraternity boy with a penchant for slipping roofies to the ladies of Reggie’s.

I’m comfortable enough with my sexuality to note Randy Orton is a good looking man. Seriously.

One quick note before the action starts: John Cena is sporting blue jean shorts instead of tights. Caitlyn Scott hates them as much as I do. As another aside: Triple H and I have identical beards. This was not intentional.

The bell rings and we’re in the middle of the action. Orton starts by smashing Triple H in the face with his belt – there are no disqualifications, folks! They’re brawling on the outside, but alas it doesn’t last.

Skylar: “There’s irony in a bunch of guys kicking each other in the balls.”

Orton has taken control, and is throwing more knee drops than Harley Race in 1976. But all good things must come to the end, and they segue into a really contrived spot where they’re all in the same turnbuckle fighting on each others’ shoulders. Then they trade hard clotheslines, and make up for it.

Deep thought: If these guys start bleeding, would it show up on their heavily tanned bodies? I mean, they’re more orange than a pumpkin.

Orton has now taken control and is waiting for his moment to strike – but is countered by Cena. Cena takes it to the outside, but Orton counters and rams Cena’s head into a ring post.

Ouch.

But in the interim, Triple H has recovered and punishes Orton’s knee. That’s why they call Triple H “The Cerebral Assassin” – and by “they” I mean the WWE marketing and T-shirt department.

Stuff’s been happening too fast to type, but the result is John Cena has mounted the bare back of Randy Orton and wrapped his meaty biceps around Orton’s supple neck – and is squeezing for all he’s worth. But Triple H gets upset and makes them stop.

They’re flipping around, and Cena returns to Orton’s bare back. And Triple H again takes issue, but rather than breaking them up places Cena’s hand between his thighs and locks on the Crippler Crossface – a move used by former WWE Champion and family annihilator Chris Benoit. The room kind of gets quiet.

See, Benoit was my favorite wrestler for about ten years – same with Skylar. And when we heard he died, we watched the Monday Night Raw Tribute show and cried. Then we found out he killed his family, and this is the first night since then that I’ve watched wrestling and had fun. So this was kind of an unfortunate thing – one move kind of dissociated me from the experience and make me think about some stuff that, frankly sucks.

But they’ve moved past it in the ring, so I will too.

Triple H hits Cena with his finisher The Pedigree, but Orton runs in and soccer kicks Triple H’s head while Triple H was pinning Cena. Orton slid in and got a quick three count on Cena – who was already knocked out by Triple H.

Totally dick move from the bad guy champion, so I kind of dug it. It deflated the crowd a bit, though – no one expected Orton to win this match.

Floyd Mayweather VS Big Show

Caitlin Scott

Here we are with the classic David and Goliath story. In one corner we have Floyd Mayweather weighing in at not very much at all. Then we have Big Show weighing in at a bunch. Either Mayweather is going to get seriously hurt, or we are going to have a true underdog story. It’s like a rat terrier versus a pitt bull. But rat terriers can be mean.

They are calling Mayweather the greatest fighter in the world. I’m not so sure I agree with that one.

Big Show weighs 441 lbs. That’s big.

Now Floyd “Money” Mayweather is coming out while money falls from the sky. He’s actually making it rain. I wonder if he does that at strip clubs. He’s wearing a fur shirt and fur shorts and necklace that spells the word filthy as “philthy.” I feel like he might shoot me in a dark alley. He only weighs 159 lbs but his entourage is considerably larger.

I hate it when people spell things with a ph. It makes me angry, and you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.

The philthy necklace has come off and the bell rings. Mayweather darts under Big Show’s first attempt. He might just run circles around Big Show until he gets dizzy and falls down. This kind of resembles a large grizzly bear trying to catch a rabbit. Mayweather has gotten some hits in, which is more than we can say for Big Show. Mayweather is now drinking from a blinged out chalice. Big Show just beat one of Mayweather’s posse.

Uh oh. Big Show has Mayweather but not for long. Now Big Show has him by the throat but Mayweather is quick to jump on his back and choke him. Big Show should just fall backward on him. This reminds of the scene in “The Princess Bride” where Westley jumps on Andre the Giant’s back and chokes him into submission. I wonder if Mayweather watched that film for inspiration.

Big Show steps on Mayweather’s arm. I wonder if he broke it and how much that arm is worth. Now Big Show is standing on Mayweather’s back as Mayweather screams in horror and pain that I cannot even imagine. His posse yells “You can’t be standing on him.” Apparently he can. And a sidewalk slam by Big Show.

Big Show stands on Mayweather again. I wonder how much longer this can go on.

The posse attempts to take Mayweather from the ring but Big Show is in pursuit. He’s throws members of the entourage by the wayside and drags Mayweather back. He looks like an abusive father with a naughty five year old. Mayweather’s entourage has tried sacrificing themselves for Floyd, but to no avail. They are not pro wrestlers. They will fall.

Mayweather has found himself a chair and beats Big Show with it.

Mayweather got himself some brass knuckles. This is shaping up to be bloody. I hope there’s blood. Big Show climbs for the ropes and Mayweather is declared the winner. David beat Goliath once again, and this time he didn’t even need a slingshot – just brass knuckles and a folding chair.

Undertaker VS Edge

Skylar Gremillion here. Attendance in Orlando is officially listed as 74,635, that’s a whole lot of folks.

Up next we’ve got The Undertaker defending his Wrestlemania streak against Edge. As it stands now the Undertaker holds the longest Wrestlemania win streak of 15-0. Edge, the Rated R Superstar looks to end that streak.

A video package details the storied history of the rivalry. There’s an ongoing bet amongst the attendees as to how long Taker’s entrance will take. We’re hoping for a hearse and druids.

We’ve got chanting and fire. No druids, lots and lots of fire though. Undertaker is wearing what can only be described as a leather studded dress. Professional wrestling is the only place where a man can walk out from a gaping hole of hellfire while wearing bondage gear and be cheered by thousands.

The entrance took around 4 minutes 20 seconds, short by Undertaker standards.

Edge makes his way down to the ring to the soothing sounds of some awful Nu-Metal band.

I must admit, I’m not looking forward to this match. Taker is looking a little long in the tooth and I’ve never been a big fan of Edge.

Edge and Taker trade shots early on, Edge bails to the outside but taker follows him out. Back in the ring Taker fires away on edge with some stiff body-shots.

Old School top rope walk by taker, Edge counters but Taker counters the counter with some sort of lucha arm drag thingie. Taker goes for a knee press in the corner, Edge dodges and Taker sails to the outside.

Edge works over Taker’s back. This is lackluster so far.

Edge with a neckbreaker, sending Taker back to the outside. You know, I love wrestling and all, but I think I may be nearing my saturation point. I’m not feeling this at all.

Edge nails a spear in the corner and follows it up with a series of punches. Edge goes up top and takes a hard bump to the outside. That had to hurt.

Taker dives over the top rope to the outside, you gotta hand it to the guy. He’s nearly 50 and keeps taking huge bumps like that.

TAG!

Freeman is back in!

Taker holds Edge, stomps to the stomach, and sets up for the Last Ride. His back didn’t give way, and Edge counters with a kick to the head and pin for a two count.

Now to the outside, as Edge backdrops Taker on top of the barricade, careening Taker into the crowd. Taker gets up and is rolled back in by Edge, who covers Taker for another two count. Now Edge works the submission, grabbing Taker’s leg in a twist. Taker reverses into a cradle, but Edge kicks out. Edge goes back on the leg, as the Ultimate Opportunist continues to apply the pressure. Taker gets back up, and counters Edge’s chop with a right hand. They exchange right hands, inspiring Yays and Boos from the crowd. Taker Irish Whips Edge into the corner and crushes twice for a splash. Taker hits Snake eyes, dropping Edge’s face on the top turnbuckle, but Edge counters with a missile drop kick.

Taker reaches for the chokeslam, but counters into a great DDT! Cover…two count. Amazing kick out.

Edge goes for the spear, but Taker reverses and hits the chokeslam. Cover…two count! Once again, amazing.

Taker grabs Edge’s arm and tries to go to the top rope for Old School, but Edge counters again, sending Taker’s groin straight onto the rope. Edge takes Taker’s head to the top, and sets up for the superplex. He hits it.

Skylar informs us that Neal, Caitlyn and I are tied for Wrestlemania picks. It all comes down to this match, as Caitlyn and I both picked Taker, while Neal picked Edge. Come on Taker!

Taker tries to set up Edge into the Last Ride, but Edge reverses into a sweet neck breaker. Taker gets back up and Last Rides Edge. But Edge kicks out!

Taker with the thumb across the throat, signaling it’s time for the Tombstone Piledriver. Edge counters again. He’s a countering machine! Edge covers, but only a two count again. This main event is living up to the hype.

Taker boots Edge in the face, and picks him back up, twists the arm, and goes to the top rope for Old School, but this time it connects. Taker runs to kick Edge in the face, but hits the ref. It’s about to get good.

Edge drops Taker with a DDT, and screams at him like a petulant child. Taker chokes him, but Edge kicks him in the balls without the ref watching it. Edge now goes outside and gets a video camera. He brings it back in and nails Taker in the head. The ref is still out, but Jimmy Corderas fell off the apron.

The Deadman sits up.

Edge mock chokes, and Edge tries to go for the Tombstone Piledriver, but Taker reverses into his own Tombstone. He covers Edge, but there’s still no ref. A blonde ref runs his ass off from the back into the ring to make the count, but Edge kicks out.

Edge’s two cronies run from the back, but Taker disposes of them quickly, then turns around into a spear from Edge. Taker kicks out, and Edge sets Taker up for another spear, and he hits it, but doesn’t go for the cover. Taker catches Edge in the triangle choke, the submission move that has made so many in the past bleed.

After an initial struggle, Edge taps out!

Undertaker is the new champion. He goes to 16-0 at Wrestlemania, and, most importantly, Neal is defeated. Caitlyn and I will split custody of the grand prize of our pool, Wrestlemaniac, an action thriller starring Rey Mysterio. Insane pyro goes off, as Taker cradles his new championship under a banner of fireworks. Thank you for tuning in to our blog, as we are treated to a post-Wrestlemania montage, easily the best part of Wrestlemania. Reveille Opinion Section out!

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2008 Baltimore Orioles Team Preview

2008 Baltimore Orioles
Doomed from the Get-Go
BaseballEvolution.com 2008 Spring Preview

“Bah-mer.”

The above word is the nickname of the city of Baltimore, but it might as well be a nickname for “bummer,” as the Orioles have resembled the stinkiest of the stinky when it comes to baseball. I’ve only lived in one baseball town in my life (as New Orleans only afforded me with the Zephyrs – giving me the chance to scout one Lance Berkman back when he was a nobody). Living in Baltimore provided me with a unique perspective, especially as a waiter on the Inner Harbor. As a server, by virtue of actual Baltimoreans being lousy tippers, I always rooted for the opposing team to win, giving way for the out-of-towners to come in, get drunk and tip me big, as long as I professed my love for their team. More often than not, opposing teams wouldn’t let me down, and odds are favorable for repetition again this season.

I can’t really knock Hernandez. His performance has been relatively stable over the last five years, if not for a trip to the 15-day DL with a bruised groin, courtesy of a foul tip off Seattle’s Ben Broussard. He turns 32 in May, and chances are Hernandez will make it through the entire season, but his days are numbered.

Minor Note: Keep an eye out for Matt Wieters, as this Georgia Tech alum is being hailed by Scout.com as the best catching prospect in all of baseball. His obvious downside is his representation, super-hawk Scott Boras, but Wieters, as a 6’5” switch-hitting catcher is perfectly capable of hitting .300 with 30 homers and a lot of walks. I’m just saying. Keep a look out.

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2008 Florida Marlins Team Preview

2008 Florida Marlins
Whooaaaa-OOAAAA! Swimming on a Prayer!
BaseballEvolution.com 2008 Spring Preview

Miami is reeling. I know, that just happened.

The Marlins have suffered two devastating losses with the departures of Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera. The Fish are in retooling mode, but promising young prospects will make the transition easier. After all, the Marlins finished last season with a 71-91 record, good for last place in the NL East. There’s no place to go but up, right?

In the past two seasons:

Olivo: $2.7 million. 23/226 BB/K.

Enough said.

Jacobs has proven to be a solid first baseman in his last two seasons for the Fish. He strikes out a little too much, but for the Marlins, he’ll do. Look for the neighborhood of 20 homers, 70 RBI, and his usual .265 batting average.

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House Bill pushes to raise legal smoking age to 21

Editorial Board Staff Column

The war on personal responsibility is dangerously close to claiming its next victim. This time, it's smoking.

Rookie Rep. Walker Hines, D-New Orleans, has filed House Bill 240, which, if passed, would raise the minimum purchase age of cigarettes from 18 to 21, according to The Times-Picayune. The bill does not spell out penalties for potential offenders, but Hines claims "if someone does not start smoking by age 21, that person probably will not smoke."

This lapse in judgment would bring Louisiana up to par with such civilized nations as Kuwait and Sri Lanka.

Less than two years ago, former Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed into law Senate Bill 742, prohibiting smoking in most public buildings and bars attached to restaurants - excluding free-standing bars and gambling outlets such as casinos.

The law, written by Sen. Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, could be supplemented by Senate Bill 185, a new measure from Marionneaux that would ban smoking in any bar or restaurant where food is served "at any time the bar is open to the public." State law prohibits smoking in restaurants but allows smoking in bars that serve food.

The original bill signed into law by Blanco is reasonable. If a person is eating and cigarette smoke wafts in his or her general direction, the disgust in understandable.

But in a bar or casino, where an age limit is imposed at the door, cigarette smoke is expected, especially after factoring in a repayment of a cover in certain establishments if one steps outside the locale to fire up a joe.

This proposed bill could have the exact opposite intended effects on youths and adolescents wishing to have a cigarette. The limit, rather than curbing underage smoking, could further promote the notion that cigarettes are cool. Making them less attainable only adds to their appeal and temptation.

According to a 2006 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 3.3 million youths aged 12 to 17 reported using a tobacco product in the month before the survey. For perspective's sake, 10.8 million of that age group consumed alcohol, and the mean age of initiation to marijuana was 17.4. Half of those surveyed said marijuana was "fairly or very easy to obtain" - marijuana is illegal, and one could imagine the relative ease with which adolescents could obtain cigarettes.

Raising the minimum smoking age to 21 will not only fail to curb underage smoking, it will increase its popularity among adolescents eager to practice illegal activities.

After all, whenever someone says you can't do something, isn't your first urge to do it anyway?


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2008 Chicago Cubs Team Preview

2008 Chicago Cubs
Make or Break: A Century Later
BaseballEvolution.com 2008 Spring Preview

Mere days from now, one of the scariest seasons anticipated to date will commence. To address the giant 800-pound pink elephant in the room for a second – the Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908. Ooh, shocking, look at the symmetry. 100 years. You done yet?

Other things happened in 1908. According to legend out of the nation’s capital, the seventh-inning stretch was invented when the Club of 43’s fattest member – one William Howard Taft – stood up to stretch during the seventh inning. While probably apocryphal, the crowd allegedly noticed this behavior and replicated it out of respect for the president. Whether or not this is true is irrelevant, as it has nothing to do with the 2008 Chicago Cubs, anyway. My point is that hedging one’s bet on the Cubs merely because disaster awaits anything less than a World Series ring this year is a silly move, but you might get lucky in doing so, anyway.

Last year, I had the gall to say Michael Barrett was “a dependable bat with a good arm.” After his trade to the San Diego Padres – becoming the backup for Josh Bard following a solid half-season taken by injuries – he left the catcher position open for longtime benchwarmer Henry Blanco, and the job seemed his for the taking.

Enter Geovany Soto.

This stud – as Asher claimed he would be in our fantasy baseball draft – lit up American Military Academy High School in Puerto Rico and stretched that success to an 11th round draft pick by the North Siders in 2001. Soto made it to the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in Iowa by 2005. Last season, in 100 games before being called up, Soto earned his trip to the show with 26 homers, 109 RBI and an OPS of 1.076 in 110 at-bats. If he can show the same production for his first full season after 30 major league games under his belt, he will become another shining exception that proves the rule against drafting high schoolers, and a welcome exception he would be.

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LiveBlog: 3/26 LSU Student Government Senate Meeting

Let's roll

6:31 p.m. - The campus is abuzz tonight. LSU baseball is playing a priority point game against UNO, the Black Student Union has a debate tonight, and the Atchafalaya Room will be holding its final SG meeting before next week’s crucial election. Let’s light this firework stand!

Call to order

6:37 p.m. - Speaker Colorado Robertson is currently at the Black Student Union debate, meaning Speaker Pro-Temp Ben Clark is currently presiding. A lot of ado is expected tonight, as people will be running back and forth throughout the night.

Public Input

6:42 p.m. - The Chief of Staff announces awards for Student Government. The senators are currently voting for the Ensminger Award, for an “individual who has dedicated themselves to the principles of sincerity, dedication, and goodwill in his or her involvement with Student Government. Also being voted upon is the Dustin “DC” Clemons Memorial Award, for an “individual who has provided service and dedication to LSU Student Government. I personally have fond memories of DC. He always had a smile on his face on campus and was always willing to talk to anyone.

6:45 p.m. - Speaker Robertson has arrived.

Matt McEntire

6:47 p.m. - Senator Matt McEntire steps up to say that he loves the Senate. “I love the fact that we can bring ideas together and debate.” He cites the civil manner, behaving decently to each other. His good mood was sullied by concerned student Donald Hodge, saying “in an effort to influence the press, he told a bald faced lie to this body. Rather than having the integrity to say he lied, he sent an email listing several things, laying out massive things that SG has done wrong. In doing so, he overlooked a few things. We’ve assisted students to go to conferences, caucuses, and things in their field. We gave the debate team money to try to raise the woeful standards the University has for them at this point. He used someone battling for her life to segway into an attack against our president and vice president.”

Then it turns to me: “There are people that I respect highly in this body, and he knows that.” Speaker Robertson prevents him from addressing me directly, but Sen. McEntire addresses my idealism, challenging me to expose the truth about Donald Hodge, just as I have in the past about dipping in meetings or people checking Facebook.com statuses. He challenges me to expose the lies from Donald Hodge two weeks ago and adds that he holds respect for me in the highest regard.

Parker Wishik

6:57 p.m. - Director of Communications Parker Wishik mentions the TigerTV debate in the Journalism Room next week, in the Holliday Forum. This is a big deal for Tiger TV, it’s a big deal to broadcast live and cut to a remote location. The candidates will be in the TigerTV studio, while the Holliday Forum will be reserved for the public. It goes down this Monday at 7 p.m.’

He also mentions the Gridiron Bash again, as Kid Rock and Sara Evans will be performing in Tiger Stadium the day before the Spring Game. More information can be obtained at gridironbash.com and also the SG Web site.

Vice President Josh King

7:01 p.m. - King brings up the LSU-Ole Miss rivalry, saying a new tradition must be established, making our unofficial rivalry official. This should come 100% from the students, and a text messaging campaign has been started to submit an idea as to what will be exchanged for the victor of the rivalry game.

Second, a lot of work has been done over the past year about Homecoming. Working with past homecoming communities, a new Homecoming committee has been created, controlled by students. Homecoming will be much bigger than in the past, and big events will be targeted during the week, including a possible concert for the students.

CAS

7:08 p.m. - The Center for Academic Success has information on their Web site about help for students during exams. It can be found at cas.lsu.edu.

They finally got it right!

7:09 p.m. - Wyclef Jean and Chamillionaire will be at Groovin’ on the Grounds this year! Enough said. Dolla dolla bill, y’all.

The other three artists at Groovin'

7:12 p.m. - Who?

Sen. Whitney Breaux

7:14 p.m. - …just yawned before putting her hand in front of the face, giving the John Cena “You can’t see me” gesture.

Committee Reports

7:15 p.m. - After talking with Sen. McEntire on the side, Sen. Drew Prestridge is planning ‘Politics Day’ tomorrow, and it’s “mind-blowing.” An actual voting booth will be in Free Speech Alley for anyone who hasn’t voted before to see what it’s like. Voter registration booths and laptops will be set up to register to vote. Information will be on the SG Web site, and this seems overdue. College Democrats and Republicans will also be in Free Speech Alley to pass fliers out. Posters will be out asking for issues concerning the students, as they can make their voices heard about the things that affect them in Louisiana politics. Sen. Prestridge would love to decrease apathy about politics and get more students involved with the process, and he is to be commended for his efforts. Sincere kudos from the blog-o-sphere. He is literally giddy with excitement about the current bills presented at the State Legislature, many of which directly involve LSU. He mentions a possible bill that would raise the age of tobacco purchase from 18 to 21. More on this will surely be provided.

Sen. Andy Palermo

7:23 p.m. - Sen. Palermo is excited about the perfection involved with attempts to amend the Academic Calendar. Two meetings were held, and they both went swimmingly. He stresses the importance of student input, saying “anyway we can get to the students will help.” The theme of the night, student input, is direly appreciated. I won’t say SG doesn’t care, because they do. The legitimate attempt to reach out to the student body is shown more openly tonight, as many of the senators are showing interest in each speaker coming in front of the body.

It's just a bill

7:26 p.m. - In an attempt to get the students involved in the positions of Student Government, Sen. Palermo has written a bill, SGB No. 4, to “amend the Student Government By-Laws to provide for equal access and equal opportunity in accordance with University Policy Statement 01 as it relates to all Student Government appointed positions.” In a nutshell, any position filled through appointment by a Student Government member shall require advertisement. Sen. Palermo’s amendment comes after a broadcast e-mail sent to the senators, a posting on the SG homepage and Office. It states the announcement open positions should be in the form of “either a broadcast e-mail to the entire student body or an advertisement in the Daily Reveille.”

7:31 p.m. - Debate begins about whether or not an advertisement in the Daily Reveille is really necessary. Getting technical, the fourth stipulation, as stated above, will be amended and broken up into categories a, b, and c, as to be more easily read.

7:35 p.m. - Sen. O’Malley is in favor of the bill, but proposes another amendment about the technical nature of the Student Government listserv.

7:36 p.m. - Sen. Blanco has another amendment relating to a time period for advertisement of the open position. This may seem boring, but it deals with telling the students about open positions in SG, and there really isn’t anything more important than getting the students involved with their own government.

7:39 p.m. - Sen. Breaux moves to go to the previous question, which is approved almost unanimously, with Sen. Breaux herself being the only nay vote. After moving to a vote, the bill is passed unanimously.

Potholes

7:40 p.m. - Speaker Pro-Temp Ben Clark’s resolution to fill the potholes outside of Sorority Row is void, as the potholes have already been filled.

The Standing Committee Membership

7:42 p.m. - The Standing Committee Membership of the 27th LSU Student Senate was passed unanimously.

Speaker Robertson's Report

7:43 p.m. - Speaker Robertson thanks the Senate body for their good conduct for this week. It really shows. The body, while not completely professional, is certainly moving in the right direction, and I’m actually impressed with the decorum of the body.

Nominations

7:45 p.m. - The senators are nominating their own for outstanding membership in the body. I couldn’t keep track of the nominations, but there were a lot. Just trust me on this one. I’ll guide you through.

7:46 p.m. - Nominations are now being issued for outstanding committee chairman. Again, too quick to blog.

7:47 p.m. - Nominations are now being issued for outstanding new senators. Once again, too quick to blog.

7:48 p.m. - As far as achievement in SG is concerned, we’ve lost touch. I guess this is the meeting where SG is forced to recognize their own for “achievements in the overall field of excellence.” The quote is from me. SG is officially undergoing their own personal popularity contest. It has to happen at some point, but I’ll be right back.

PMC

7:58 p.m. - Sen. Palermo with a group met with Res Life to talk about the roommate matching committee. Res Life is into this suggestion, being enthused about this idea.

7:59 p.m. - Sen. Prestridge goes to Pluckers, and wants the Senate to go to Pluckers tonight.

Adjourn

8:00 p.m. - Concise meeting. Nothing dirty, just business. Good night, and good work SG. Man, how weird does that sound?



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LiveBlog: 3/12 LSU Student Government Senate Meeting

6:32 p.m. - Just as I predicted in my column this past week, the meeting hasn’t started yet. By the way, in case you missed the memo, this is Eric Freeman, Jr., blogging live from the Atchafalaya Room of the LSU Student Government Senate meeting. Let’s get it going.

I miss Colorado

6:35 p.m. - Where in the world is the Speaker??? It’s still sunny outside, and the Speaker of the Senate is nowhere to be found. Speaker Pro-Temp Ben Clark will be taking charge of this meeting, while I wonder just where in the world is Speaker Robertson. I never thought I’d actually miss him...

Vickey Barrett

6:37 p.m. - First in public input is Vickey Barrett. You may know her from the countless efforts from Sen. Matt McEntire and President Cassie Alsfeld. She was diagnosed with four brain tumors and a persistent form of lung cancer. She thanks SG for all of their love and support through this tough time. She is decked out in LSU attire, wearing an LSU hat, shirt and jacket. “The people here really make a difference in people’s lives, and I want to thank you. We should be combining our resources together to help more people on this campus. Thank you very much.” After leaving the Senate floor to a standing ovation, she receives is heartfelt bear-hug, courtesy of President Alsfeld.

Interim Vice Chancellor Eric Monday

6:43 p.m. - All I’ve heard about Mr. Monday is that he can get things done. The sun is blinding, and he steps in front of the podium to speak to the body. He talks about the focus of student life over the next few years. He will serve as interim Vice Chancellor, with the hope of “building a better environment for students to be successful on this campus. We need to build a better communications system to relay information between the administration and students in general.” He gives his email address, emonday@lsu.edu, in the hope of reaching more students on this campus. He also wants to start a program called “Monday on Mondays,” starting the week after Spring Break at the 459 Commons and sit to chat about the needs of students. The Monday after break will feature President Alsfeld.

6:47 p.m. - Senator Kristen Oaks, vice-presidential candidate under the “Vision LSU” ticket, just sneezed twice. I wonder if voters will worry about her current health condition to determine whether or not she will be a viable Student Body Vice President.

Just joshing you, Sen. Oaks. Welcome to the blog.

Sleep In A Box

6:50 p.m. - $10 will get you space on the UREC fields to be given cardboard and duct tape to construct a box in which to sleep overnight on March 29. This seems like an effort to raise homeless awareness, but constructing and living in a cardboard box seems sarcastic, elitist and wrong. There is a release form that I’ve just been handed, warning of the risk of injury. Sorry, I’m busy that night…

THE SPEAKER!

6:54 p.m. - Speaker Colorado Robertson just showed up. Oh well, better late than never.

Reign of glory ended

6:55 p.m. - Speaker Pro-Temp Ben Clark looks dejected, as if he just had a whiff of the throne, only to be cast aside due to lack of promptness.

Parker Wishik

6:57 p.m. - I think I’ve overinflated Parker’s ego a little too high due to gratuitous mentions of him in the blog. He speaks about other local media covering Campus Safety Week. He also wants to publicize Groovin’ on the Grounds, although no bands have been announced. Please, no one as terrible as Puddle of Mudd, PLEASE!

A newsletter?

7:00 p.m. - Apparently, there will be a newsletter posted about SG, called “The Roar.” It would have been called “The Buzz,” but allegedly, “‘The Roar’ is badass.”

Sen. Blanco

7:01 p.m. - I had to give Sen. Blanco a pen. Shame.

An Ole Miss Tradition

7:03 p.m. - LSU and Ole Miss have a renewed rivalry, and for next year, the students will have a say in the new trophy to be awarded to the winner of the game. To participate, just text 225-993-8842 with your suggestion.

Is Kid Rock worth $1 million?

7:05 p.m. - Kid Rock and Sara Evans will be performing in Tiger Stadium next month. Dixon McMakin is pushing for students to vote online or text as a part of The Gridiron Bash, a nationwide event that will award $1 million to our general scholarship fund. Tickets can be bought on Lsusports.net, and as McMakin puts it, “Let’s not let Nick Saban beat us at anything. This will be a phenomenal concert,” says the suddenly press-happy McMakin.

Three "wise" men

7:09 p.m. - The three men interviewing for positions on the Judicial Branch are promoting their cause, being “they need people to apply.” They proceed to poke fun at Donald Hodge’s footwear in the back, saying “How much did you pay for Jesus’ sandals? Like, 30 pieces of silver?” Their sarcastic tone seemed to emulate the guy in Van Wilder who originally started the movie dating Tara Reid. No one liked that guy, except the pathetic sorority girl who thinks he’s more than he is.

Easy Streets

7:15 p.m. - Sen. Amanda Gammon correctly points out that students parking on commuter lots before the Easy Streets are lifted would be in danger if they had a class that night. During the fall semester, nighttime comes sooner, but Daylight Savings Time has pushed the daylight to further in the night. The motion is passed, arousing applause, but nothing substantial. According to SG resolution No. 8, the SG will now “urge and request” the Parking and Transportation Office of Louisiana State University to change the times the gates of Easy Streets are opened.

What just happened?

7:21 p.m. - Sen. O’Malley has written a bill that would amend the Student Government’s by-laws, but O’Malley wants to push this to a vote immediately without going to committee, which is the normal course of action. Sens. Blanco and Jackson correctly point out this should go straight to committee, considering this involves examination as no one really knows what the bill would amend. After an inconclusive call vote, the senators stand to vote whether or not to hear the bill tonight.

7:24 p.m. - After a standing vote, the bill will be sent to the Rules Committee. O’Malley is visibly upset about the failing of the bill. Sen. Prestridge moves to go back to New Business, another senators moves to send the bill to the Finance Committee, the motion is approved, the bill will be sent to two committees, and my head is still spinning. These are the intricacies of SG that I can’t merely describe in the blog. This is why more students need to see these meetings. Other than friends of senators and Donald Hodge, the only other students here are two blog groupies. Everyday I’m hustlin’….

SGB No. 2

7:29 p.m. - Sen. Prestridge has presented a bill that would appropriate $740 to the Alternative Service Break Club at LSU (ASB) for their upcoming service trip to Panama City, Florida. It sounds like a reasonable request, until the purpose of the trip is revealed. This is part of an initiative called “Keep the Beach Clean.” Allegedly, ASB is going to Florida for a week to clean up a beach, hoping to use student fees to pay for it. There is a confusion as to where this money will be coming from. Allegedly, the money will come out of the Senate Contigency, but this Contigency is funded by student fees. So, basically, the students are paying for a good bunch of kids to go to Florida for a week to clean a beach. To be more specific, “we’re working with the ‘Keep the Beach Clean’ organization to clean the beach of trash before the Spring Breakers come, then we pass out fliers so we can raise awareness to keep the beach clean.” To quote Mitch Hedberg, “Whenever someone hands me a flier, it’s like they’re saying, ‘Here, you throw this away.’” I personally think SG’s money could be better spent, but it’s up to the Senate.
The Senate passes it unanimously, making me wonder how much more money SG will waste.

Sen. Remson's Resolutions

7:41 p.m. - Sen. Andrew Remson has written three resolutions to send our deepest condolences to Auburn University and the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill for the deaths of Lauren Burk and Student Body President Eve Marie Carson. SGR No. 11 will establish April 16, 2008 as “Hokie Day” to commemorate the one year anniversary of the tragic shooting deaths of 33 people at Virginia Tech University.

7:47 p.m. - Regarding SGR No. 11, students “are asked to pray and garnish support for the families of the victims.” This is amended to say “students are asked to pray and garner support…” Support can’t be garnished. Sen. Remson allegedly wrote this at work at the spur of the moment. Sen. Prestridge asks that the word “pray” is left out in favor of “remember.” Well done Sen. Prestridge.

7:51 p.m. - The only amendments provided for SGR No. 12, to remember Eve Marie Carson, are grammatical and related to spelling. Sen. Remson misspelled the words “wheras,” “sacrafice,” and “jubliant.” A lot of time could be saved by copy editing resolutions and bills before they come to the Senate. Now laughter sparks over an argument to replace the word “slain.” The whole chamber is laughing over new suggestions to amend the word “slain.” “Maybe ‘assassinate,’ maybe ‘taken down.’” The Senate is laughing, essentially, about Eve Marie Carson. This is a disgrace. Speaker Robertson brings the meeting back to order, saying that this is serious. Sen. Elliot correctly brings up the point that many tragedies happen, and he will abstain from voting, as a need for a better memorial is needed than just a bill. He couldn’t be more right. After another senator claims that “this is an SEC school,” thinking we’re still talking about Auburn, Sen. O’Malley corrects her, saying accurately that Chapel Hill is in the ACC. The bill is passed with one abstention, the right one, from Sen. Elliot.

Just got back

8:22 p.m. - I had to leave the room for a moment to smoke a cigarette. Don’t judge me; you don’t have to watch the SG Senate body laugh over how to appropriately describe the tragic death of Eve Marie Carson. I just spoke with President Alsfeld, who exited the room for a moment to handle Executive Staff meetings, and I informed her of what just happened. Her jaw dropped, her face was in shock, and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She pointed out to me that she’s had to talk to individual senators about their lack of tact in a particular meeting. However, she correctly pointed out that whenever a senator speaks out of line, it ultimately falls on Cassie. She is held responsible and takes the brunt of an attack meant to go to an inappropriate comment or action. By laughing at the language of a bill, specifically one to which condolences will be sent, the SG Senate has just proved not only their irrelevance, but their lack of respect for those going through hard times. Let it be said that the passed resolution to send condolences to the family of Eve Marie Carson was passed amid gratuitous laughter and a serious lack of respect. Thank you to President Alsfeld for talking to me. For anyone, anyone, willing to hear my two cents about this issue in person, I invite you to come to the SG Senate meeting two weeks from now. I will be speaking during “Public Input,” and it won’t be something to miss. I guarantee it.

Disruptions

8:34 p.m. - Speaker Robertson designates Anna Dearmon with the authority to kick out anyone being overly disruptive. At the same time, Token Delivery Guy #6 delivers McDonald’s to Senator Kristen Oaks. After crinkling loudly through the bag, TDG #6 removes his fries and retreats to the back of the room. Disruption?

SGCR No. 13

8:52 p.m. - Simply put, this is a concurrent resolution that would amend Article II, Section 7 of the Student Government Constitution that would allow the Speaker of the Student Senate to appoint a student to a vacancy in the Senate after 15 days if the College Councils fail to do so. Currently, there are 18 vacancies in the Senate, and the College Councils have the sole authority to appoint a new member. This will be in the form of a referendum that will be presented to the student body next semester. The main complaint is against the College Councils themselves, as they don’t regularly meet during the year.

After strenuous debate, the I’s have it with 76% of the vote, making this resolution Referendum No. 1 for the student body in the Fall of 2008.

New senator

9:03 p.m. - After a new senator is installed, the Senate is required to read the SG by-laws. I would have heard them if the senators weren’t talking through it.

Really?

9:04 p.m. - Secretary Chambers takes the podium to teach people how to spell check. I’m not joking. Let me say that again. Secretary Chambers takes the podium to teach people how to spell check. She congratulates Sen. O’Malley on his alleged bill-writing skills, which arouses enthusiatic applause. YAY! HE CAN SPELL!

Really?

Random Thought

9:08 p.m. - There should be a spelling test for future senators.

Student Required Fee Committee

9:09 p.m. - Time for the main event. There is one student position open on the Student Required Fee Committee who will serve for the remainder of this school year, until the new president is elected. Anyone, including myself, could be nominated for this position. Among the candidates are former grad school president Donald Hodge. Hodge is joined in the nomination pool with Sens. Chandler Cortina, Brett Jackson and Andrew Remson. Cortina will work hard to be open and listen to the students.

9:13 p.m. - Donald Hodge urges the body to vote for him as he, emulating Hillary Clinton, “is ready on day one.” He points out not only that there are no grad students in SG, but this year provided the students the highest fee increases ever. The policy of SG, approved a year and a half ago but left unchecked, should return the power of approving fee increases back to the students, and Hodge plans to implement this policy if installed. Hodge is so ready that immediately after his speech, Sens. Jackson and Remson withdraw from consideration.

9:18 p.m. - Opening the floor to questioning, the first comes from Sen. Whitney Breaux, as she asks the candidates, “How have your experiences provided you with the tools necessary to be ready on day one?” Hodge replies with the policy the Senate enacted a year and a half ago, emphasizing compromise with the students and the administration.

9:22 p.m. - Asked if they were in favor of fee increases approved to the UREC and the Health Center, Cortina replies that he was in favor, saying “things cost more now, and to be competitive, we needed to enact these fees.” Hodge says he doesn’t think they were necessary. He looked at both the pro forma and the budget, and would have voted no on both.

9:24 p.m. - Sen. Prestridge says that no student with which he has conversed likes the SRFC. He asks if there are any ideas to better communicate with the students. Hodge replies by comparing the current committee to a kangaroo court, citing “obvious conflicts of interest that need to be heard. There needs to be input from this body which has always happened in the past.” Sen. Cortina begins to answer by saying, “Well, I don’t know anything about new ideas or whatever….”

9:27 p.m. - Sen. Matt McEntire points out that he’s helping to pay for a rock climbing wall, yoga, pilates and other amenities at the REC that he doesn’t use. He asks if there could be a differentiation between what is spent between the REC, the Health Center and other facets of campus. Cortina replies by saying higher enrollment will help pay for certain things on campus, while Hodge points out that the students have voted time and time again against particular fees, including the Union Theater Referendum, shot down by the students but implemented anyway.

9:32 p.m. - Sen. Remson makes an interesting point. The students have voted down fee increases in the past, but when a part of the school needs something, they would potentially need to go to the student body. Hodge replies that there has been one vote shot down by the students in the last 50 years, and it was the Union Theater Referendum. Hodge claims it was shot down because the students were lied to by people like Neil Mathews, “who squandered $27 million, and it’s one of the reasons why he’s not here anymore.”

9:34 p.m. - Hodge and Cortina leave the room so the Senate can debate.

Debate

9:37 p.m. - The first senator decides to berate Hodge, saying “I don’t think it’s appropriate to give this position to someone who has given SG a black eye.”

9:38 p.m. - Sen. Remson charges that the role of this committee is to approve fee increases as they are presented, and he claims Hodge “should be discussing the fee at hand, not the role of what the committee should be doing.” He endorses Chandler Cortina.

9:39 p.m. - Sen. O’Malley says “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” He endorses Sen. Cortina. “I just know from reading his wonderfully entertaining articles he won’t say something that will make people listen.” He’s not voting for Cortina, he’s voting against Hodge.

9:40 p.m. - Sen. Jackson, sensibly, endorses Hodge, saying “let’s put someone in there who will study the budget, study the issues, and make the right decisions.”

9:41 p.m. - Sen. Elliot: “Hodge has been extremely disruptive, and the administration won’t listen to him. Sen. Cortina will make this University better, and whatever comes in front of him, like fees or anything else, Sen. Cortina will do a good job.”

9:43 p.m. - Sen. Breaux: “Some of you may hate Donald Hodge until the clouds roll back and Jesus comes back.” She wishes there wouldn’t be a rubber stamp committee. “He’s going to do the research, he’s going to work for it. You should vote for someone who won’t just represent you, but your constituents. Donald Hodge is that person, and if you don’t know, you better ask somebody.”

9:45 p.m. - Sen. Remson: “If you vote for Cortina, you vote for a voice and a discussion, and not for being closed off.” Sen. Breaux asks a question: “Isn’t it the responsibility of those in here to represent the students today?” Remson replies, “We need to think about the students today and the long run, not just talking about abolishing the committee. You should be working on the fee that comes to you, and not trying to reform the commmittee.” Sen. Breaux comes back: “Did you explicitly hear Donald Hodge say he would abolish the committee? Did you hear that?” Sen. Remson: “No I didn’t. Abolish is a strong word, but reform is close enough to abolish.”

9:47 p.m. - Sen. O’Malley asks Remson: “When you graduate, do you want your degree to mean something?” Sen. Remson: “Yes, I do, and Hodge would be terrible for this.” I can’t blog this fast.

9:50 p.m. - Sen. Hanna: “I can’t believe I’m shaking because of this, but I want to support former senator Hodge. He may not print the best things about us, but he would best serve this committee.”

9:51 p.m. - Sen. McEntire: “Let me bring some sanity back…This election is open to all students.”

9:52 p.m. - The new guy, Sen. Graham, was inducted earlier tonight, and says, “It looks like Hodge would be best for this. I don’t know.” Speaker Robertson points out that this is the first time someone has been inducted and debated in the same night. Welcome to the Senate, Sen. Graham.

9:53 p.m. - Sen. Eliot is back: “Hodge does come with a lot of numbers, but just last week, he came into this Senate body about funds he thought were misspent or missing, and he didn’t research the situation fully. There was a memo for the Chancellor he didn’t research. I’m of the opinion that he should do his research before trying to open his big mouth.”

9:55 p.m. - Sen. Palermo: “I understand how most of you feel about Hodge. But I know how much Donald has the students’ opinion in mind. I know that some administrators won’t listen to Donald, but he does have the best interests of the students in mind.”

9:56 p.m. - Sen. Abon: “I’m trying to put myself in the shoes of the average Joe Student. The students really don’t have a good outlook of us as a whole. I know I shouldn’t say this, but I’m of the opinion that there shouldn’t be someone in SG on this committee, and I ask that you support former senator Hodge.”

Closing Comments

9:58 p.m. - Hodge: “I’m not going to pretend some people didn’t say unkind things about me just now. I forgive those who did, because I’m a forgiving person. All I will do is implement this policy that was approved by SG in the Fall of 2006. That’s all.”

9:59 p.m. - Cortina: “We need to see what’s necessary and not necessary, and I will serve you well.”

Vote

10:00 p.m. - Ballots are being passed around, and I’m tense. Will SG be petty and vote against the right candidate, or will they see the light and do what they should have done a long time ago.

10:01 p.m. - And the winner is:

…..

……..

…………..

……………………

………………………….

Joke time

10:02 p.m. - During the vote, Senator McMann: “Why aren’t there any Wal-Marts in Iraq? Because they turned them all into ‘targets!’”

Ladies and gentlemen, the SG Senate!

10:03 p.m. - Speaker Robertson: “There will be no more jokes during votes. That was inappropriate and frankly, not funny.”

The new representative for SRFC is:

10:04 p.m. - Sen. Chandler Cortina.

Petitions, Memorials, and other Communications

10:07 p.m. - A quick word about keychains with police numbers on them. Good stuff.

10:07 p.m. - Sen. Prestridge apologies for no video student input. Judging by the size of the meeting tonight and every meeting for the last two months, there’s been barely any student input. He also congratulates Disability Services for their fine work. He also wants to apologize for laughing earlier, trying to clarify that he wasn’t laughing at the word mentioned, he was laughing at Sen. Remson, but is overly eager to mention the moment of silence he engaged in last weekend. He decided to talk directly to me, which Colorado said he couldn’t do, but decided to talk anyway about how I should reform my “atrocious” blog.
10:13 p.m. - Apparently, Sen. Prestridge was right. Apparently, the students come to SG to do more than just joke around. Apparently, I need to show more tact in my reporting.

10:15 p.m. - Sen. McEntire steps up would like to thank the reception they gave to Vickey Barrett earlier. He brings up Hodge’s comment from last week, saying “the wheels have fallen off of the bus.” He talked to President Alsfeld about his claim from last week about expenditures. He says, confirming what President Alsfeld told me earlier, that this was an accounting error, and not story-worthy. Hodge said this matter was brought to him by a member of the Executive Staff, and Sen. McEntire says someone going behind someone’s back “doesn’t have a place here.” He thanks both President Alsfeld and Vice President King, saying “they deserve far more credit than they have been shown.”

10:20 p.m. - Sen. Remson thanks everyone, Senate and Exec Staff, for participating in Capture the Flag. The Senate won, by the way. He says the Senate says a lot in the room, but last night’s game reminded him of why he’s proud to be a member of SG. His feelings about Hodge aside, Sen. Remson is one of the most honored and respected people on this campus and this room, and LSU should be honored to have a man of his caliber currently enrolled.

10:22 p.m. - Sen. Hanna thanks Sen. Prestridge for apologizing earlier for laughing at the issue of Eve Marie Carson. It hit a little close to home, and she was nauseous at the notion. I was too.

A certain someone

10:26 p.m. - There’s a difference between blogging and reporting, according to Sen. Breaux. I’m basically the main topic for discussion during tonight’s PMC’s. “Any of you can create a blog. Realize that blogging is a right, and you can do it too.” I think I’m done for the night. This is Eric Freeman, Jr., signing off. Good night, and good riddance.

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University abandons dream of top-tier status

Editorial Board Staff Column

A glaring difference exists between a flagship school and a top-tier university.

A flagship school is a term reserved for public universities known for their notoriety, enrollment numbers and years standing. It lowers standards and decreases the value of our degrees.

A top-tier university, on the other hand, possesses the correct combination of criteria - not just test scores and GPA, but also alumni donations and graduation rates - to be nationally recognized not for its history, but for its impressive ability to educate and graduate the future workers of the world.

LSU's Board of Supervisors has decided to fight for the former and eliminate previous attempts at the latter.

The Board is reviewing our admissions policy, venturing into community colleges or other universities to interview students previously overlooked by the University.

Astrid Merget, executive vice chancellor and provost, advocated a balance between higher enrollment while not sacrificing standards.

This argument is not just flawed. It simply won't work.

This call from the Board, in retrospect, makes former Chancellor Sean O'Keefe look very good.

O'Keefe stressed his belief in standards, deviating from the enrollment philosophy of current LSU System President John Lombardi to the point that it factored into his decision to resign.

O'Keefe is "of the mind if you're chasing after a number, you don't care as much about standards. You start driving after numbers, and all of a sudden the message to the institution is all about body count," according to a Jan. 30 interview with The Daily Reveille.

Lombardi is directly opposed to this message.

"The number of kids force the world to pay you for more faculty," Lombardi said during a Jan. 23 meeting with the Faculty Senate. "You have to do things that force people to respond."

When the students of LSU depart into the working world, our degree should be a representation of the benefits of higher education, not a notch in an arbitrary number of students meant to emphasize the prominence of our school.

LSU will always be a prominent university. Thanks to the Board, it seems our dream of becoming top-tier is slowly fading away.


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If you want to know about SG, go to the meetings

The upper back corner of the Student Union features an incredible view of tractors, port-o-potties and storage units on rest from another day of construction. Sitting above it, accessible only through the front, the Atchafalaya Room waits patiently for senators to fill the space necessary to better improve different aspects of this campus each Wednesday night.

The secrets of the room, however, are in dire need of unleashing, and the time has come for the students to see the light - or lack thereof - for themselves.

The Atchafalaya Room is the home of the legislative branch of Student Government, with weekly meetings held every Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. "sharp." I say "sharp" only as a guideline. Each session regularly starts about three or four minutes late, depending on how quickly the eager senators seat themselves.

The only thing missing from these meetings, other than a sense of order, is more students.

During this past Wednesday's adventure, I had the pleasure of being joined by some friends from the Quad. At the end of the meeting, I stepped outside to overlook the construction site with two of them and a cigarette. One pointed out, "I didn't know this room existed. Is this all Student Government does?"

I quickly retorted, saying Student Government is mostly about procedure, as constant resolution-writing and bill-amending isn't the easiest of jobs for today's collegian. My friend fired back, "Why does this keep looking like a big secret?"

I didn't have such a snappy answer to that question.

It's taken a fair share of patience and dedication to be motivated to attend these meetings, held in the very back corner, hidden from the front of the Student Union. I blog partly because of the responsibility attached to live-blogging every aspect of the University's student-based legislative body.

The other part involves getting paid to do so.

After two meetings, I'd already had enough. The senators collectively, not individually, projected such an ego about themselves; it was hard not to think of SG as some bastard stepchild of an actual legislative body. I figured as much to expect a sort-of cavalier attitude toward these meetings, especially after knowing friends who'd done it before and winced with every feature of my blog.

One former senator said, "When I read your blog, I remembered instantly how it felt to be at those meetings. Each step you took in re-creating what happened in the room made me remember just how [expletive deleted] those meetings were."

Most of the meetings are boring enough, with one or two juicy highlights. This past Wednesday's convocation featured two former senators in the latest episode of the new hit series, "Tear SG a New One to their Faces."

The first in this two-part series was former senator Patrick Esfeller, amid a lawsuit against the University. Esfeller felt inclined to speak in front of SG in reference to a student, Robert Ingram, who came before SG two weeks ago. Ingram brought the subject of poor living conditions at East Laville - including unpredictable water color from the faucets and surprisingly fragile ceilings - to the attention of SG, only to have his request for a resolution or even diplomatic meeting with the administration denied.

The first question for Ingram after finishing his speech came from UCFY senator Kyle Chandler and, despite his best attempts to be helpful, only came off as the new definition of smarmy, as he egotistically asked, "Do you have any suggestion where we could find hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix these things?"

As the old saying goes, "A fool and his LSU Student Government Senate seat are soon parted."

Esfeller proceeded to berate the senators to their faces, correctly championing the cause of the casual collegian: "Many of you don't understand why students don't care about Student Government. Do you want me to answer that for you? I'll tell you why, and I know it's true because so many people have said the same thing repeatedly to me. People don't care about SG because SG doesn't care about them!"

He was immediately followed by opinion columnist and former Senate Finance Chairman Donald Hodge, present to bring up a discrepancy in funds and spending. Any expenditure made by means of a surplus must be approved by a Senate Legislative Instrument, according to Hodge. By checking the numbers and concurrent resolutions, Hodge found inconsistencies that lead him to claim that, in terms of SG, "It seems as though the wheels have finally fallen off of the bus."

We're all busy, and I don't expect anyone to follow through on this call. But SG cannot run in the back corner of both our Student Union and our minds. An ideal SG meeting would have the students in the back outnumbering the senators.

Then again, maybe I'm just an idealist.

Oh, well.

Originally published in The Daily Reveille...

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College of Education sets bar high for other departments

Editorial Board Staff Column

As cliché and repetitive as it is, children are still the future.

The world they will inhabit will have made it through incredible strife, immeasurable trials and calamitous tribulations, leaving an awesome legacy to be fulfilled.

The beginning of this "build to a better tomorrow" begins with our parents, moving subsequently to teachers. No issue facing America today - be it health care, immigration or the economy - is as important to the future of our nation as education. The tasks of the future start their quest of completion in the classrooms and curricula of today's kids.

But we have come a long way.

Tonight at Tiger Stadium, the College of Education kicks off its Centennial Celebration with a formal, RSVP-only event in the South Atrium. LSU System President John Lombardi echoed the importance of education, saying, "Nothing is more important to America's future than a highly-educated citizenry capable of competing with the best in the world," according to a news release.

In an increasingly globalized society, the children of tomorrow will begin the work so unfairly piled by current and previous generations.

The College of Education is committed to providing students with the tools necessary to better instruct our nation's youth in the areas of math and science, history and the arts, foreign languages and physical education.

The college also oversees the K-12 University Laboratory School, which has been ranked among the nation's top 2.5 percent of public high schools by Newsweek and which houses the state's first international baccalaureate program.

This Board congratulates the College of Education on this incredible milestone and wishes the best of luck for another 100 years. Teachers, as much as parents, are responsible for the world of the future, as they are charged with educating our most valuable assets - the children.


Originally published in The Daily Reveille...

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LiveBlog: 3/5 LSU Student Government Senate Meeting

6:30 p.m. - Big ups to the Big Easy! Eric Freeman, Jr., New Orleans’ finest, is back and ready to go for tonight’s SG Senate meeting in the Atchafalaya Room of the LSU Student Union. Shout out to Amanda Gammon for coming up to me to say hi, and much props to the Reveille office for watching this in the newsroom.

The left side

6:37 p.m. - The Senate is physically unbalanced. On the right side, most of the Senators are present. On the left side, it looks like a tornado just swept through as less than half of the left side is currently present. In the third row, Kristen Oaks, vice-presidential candidate for Vision LSU, is sitting alone.

6:39 p.m. - Sen. Greene arrives to sit next to candidate Oaks, using a point of personal privilege to announce that he is, in fact, here.

6:40 p.m. - Sen. Elliot is apparently more than content to play a video game involving blowing up what looks like blimps. As Andy Kopplin, 6th district congressional candidate, steps up to speak in front of the chamber, I’m in awe of the explosions easily visible from Sen. Elliot’s laptop.

Andy Kopplin

6:44 p.m. - As a candidate for Louisiana’s 6th congressional district, Mr. Kopplin talks to SG about the importance of reaching across the aisle to fight for those issues relevant to Louisiana. He was responsible for doubling the amount of post-Katrina aid from $13 billion to $28 billion. He pledges that after his congressional career is over, he has no plans to become a lobbyist, in lieu of fighting for what the state really needs. “Party’s not important. Results are.”

Five minutes of questions are alloted to Mr. Kopplin, and SG asks none. Thank you Mr. Kopplin.

Drew Prestridge.

6:49 p.m. - Looking sharp in a suit, Sen. Prestridge speaks about the joint Senate session with Southern occuring in late March. He hopes to set up a meeting next week amongst each school’s leaders.

In other news, the front row on the left side of the room has two senators. Where is everybody???

Laura Bratcher, former Reveille columnist...

6:50 p.m. - Bratcher brings to SG the problem of the University High carpool line outside of ECA. This creates a huge safety problem for the students, as well as traffic problems with everyone. She was accosted by an angry parent while trying to maneuver through the backup. “We pay $3000 a year, and we can’t get out of our own parking lot.” She gets applause from the chamber.

Patrick Esfeller

6:53 p.m. - After receiving eight minutes, Patrick Esfeller lets it be known to the senators that those outside SG can read this. He brings up Mr. Robert Ingram’s complaint last week about living conditions at East Laville. Esfeller berates the senators to their faces. “Is this the way you treat someone who wants to speak to you? The last time I checked, the purpose of Student Government is to serve the students. Nowhere in there does it say you get to ridicule them to their faces. Actually listening to them might be a good place to start. Students don’t care about SG because SG doesn’t care about the students. That’s the perception the students have while on campus.” Esfeller just gave a much-deserved tongue-lashing to their faces. As some senators watched attentively, others merely glared with scorn as if to question the fact that their leaders were being questioned at all. Esfeller was brilliant.

Matt McEntire

7:01 p.m. - After commending Natalie Messina for her fantastic article about Vickey Barrett, Sen. McEntire announces that Vickey will be throwing out the first pitch at a future LSU softball game, and reiterates the importance of help. Anyone can go to either Sen. McEntire, President Alsfeld, or Catherine LeMieux in 218 Long Fieldhouse with anything they can do. “She is the most upbeat, remarkable woman you will ever meet in your life. She’s completed 14 cycles of radiation treatments and two cycles of chemotherapy, but she’s got the most positive, upbeat attitude you’ll ever see.” Asked if she is struggling financially, Sen. McEntire answers, “As grad students, we do much out of labors of love. She’s not asking for a thing; she never as. I am.” Sen. Blanco suggests the Senate begin a fundraising drive in Free Speech Alley, but as Sen. McEntire put it, “there’s nothing we can do officially as a student body. But anything individually you can do would be greatly appreciated.”

Donald Hodge

7:08 p.m. - Donald Hodge wanted to speak about the Required Fee Committee, but he points out to the body that all expenditures spent out of a surplus must be approved by SG. Hodge is looking at the senators with concern, saying “this is my money. This is the students’ money, and we don’t know where it’s going. It’s clear that the wheels have finally fallen off the bus.” He thanks Sen. McEntire as his constituent, saying the senator is doing what SG should be doing — finding individual constituents and helping them out, and thanks President Alsfeld for “giving a scholarship to a person who didn’t help her get elected.” We clearly have a theme tonight: and it’s “Tear SG a New One Night.” He takes no questions as SG looks dejected. I’m not even sure I can write what a fellow Reveille columnist said in front of SG, but I write what I see, and in the words of Ricky Bobby, “THAT JUST HAPPENED!”

Chief of Staff

7:15 p.m. - The National Championship trophies are on display in the Union Art Gallery. You can look, but you can’t touch. The Student Ticket Forum is tomorrow, in this Atchafalaya Room, to talk about tickets for next semester.

Parker Wishik

7:17 p.m. - Wishik tells the senators to help him with the blog, as well as mentioning Safety Week, next week mostly in Free Speech Alley.

Assistant Director of Campus Development

7:19 p.m. - Another mention of Safety Week as joint sessions involving both LSU and Southern, with an appearance from Mayor Kip Holden, will be occuring next week. Computers will be in Free Speech Alley to encourage students to sign up for the Emergency Text Messaging System.

Acting Director of Campus Development

7:21 p.m. - Monday at 7 pm in the Holliday Forum will host an intercollegiate safety forum. Wednesday will feature demonstrations of motorcycles as well as safety seminars around Tower Drive and Free Speech Alley.

Staring

7:24 p.m. - In lieu of paying attention to the meeting, Sen. Blanco just challenged me to a staring contest. I politely refused.

Miss LSU

7:26 p.m. - “I’m over it already.” April 1st is the second in a series called “Countdown to Finals.” Basically, the Center of Academic Success will be helping students with managing time and scheduling. If anyone has any questions about Computer Based Scheduling, please email edunn8@lsu.edu.

Commissioner of Elections Gower

7:30 p.m. - The first Student Government election board ruling happened last Wednesday, and it shows the progress they’ve made. No word on the actual ruling, however. Second, he brings up the difference between running for a full senate seat and a half senate seat, suggesting those who run should just run for a seat. Finally, he wishes people good luck in playing “Capture the Flag.”

New Business

7:33 p.m. - SGr No 8 and SGCr 13 are referred to the Committee on Rules, while newly introduced bill SGB No. 2, by Sen. Prestridge, seeks to allocate $740 to the Alternative Service Break Club to help defray the costs of a service trip to Panama City, Florida from March 16th to March 21, 2008. The bill is referred to the Committee on Finance.

Andrew Remson

7:36 p.m. - Sen. Remson urges everyone to make their voice heard tomorrow night at the ticket forum.

Ryan O'Malley

7:37 p.m. - His committee didn’t meet this week. He also goes on a rhetorical adventure, emulating a bad economics teacher, mentioning the word ‘contingency’ at least seven times without anyone in the room, including myself, knowing what he was talking about.

Andy Palermo

7:40 p.m. - His committee didn’t meet either. He’s looking into the Laville situation as well as Laura Bratcher’s complaint about the carpool line outside of U-High. He mentions proposed changes to the Academic Calendar, saying changes won’t go into effect until the 2010-11 school year. A Spring Break change would occur, but he urges the body to act quickly, as there is much red tape to fight.

Ben Clark

7:44 p.m. - The Speaker Pro-Temp recommended passage of tonight’s resolutions.

Unfinished Business

7:45 p.m. - Sen. Brett Jackson takes the podium, awaiting four approvals to positions in both External Affairs and Campus Development. Adam Parker is unanimously approved as Director of External Affairs.

7:46 p.m. - By vote of the body, Bryce Addison is approved as Assistant Director of External Affairs. It was not unanimous, however, as two on the other side, as a joke, vote nay.
7:47 p.m. - By vote of the body, Kyle Homan is unanimously approved as Assistant Director of External Affairs.
7:49 p.m. - By vote of the body, Jeff Noel is unanimously approved as Director of Campus Development.

7:50 p.m. - I guarantee that Speaker Colorado Robertson is fluent in the motions of Robert’s Rules of Order. Going from questions to yielding to debate and bringing things to a vote, the man knows how to run these meetings.

Food Drive

7:52 p.m. - The Sociology Department is having a food drive to benefit Vickey Barrett. More information will be given next week, but people can still contact Sen. Matt McEntire, President Cassie Alsfeld, or Catherine LeMieux in the Long Fieldhouse.

Petitions, Memorials, and other Communications

7:54 p.m. - A senator trumpets the importance of having Spring Break after Easter and adding a day to Thanksgiving, calling that “a significant achievement.” Sorry, but it’s not.

7:55 p.m. - Sen. Remson comes up to speak about the students’ speeches tonight. He commends Sen. McEntire for his act, but he stresses that “the little things happen too. How do I get in touch with this person or that person? We can do little things that affect people’s lives everyday. I’m not saying doing great things is bad, because we should do great things, but we should remember the little things.”

7:57 p.m. - I finally figured out what Petitions, Memorials, and other Communications is for: gossip. One person asked for Mardi Gras beads, while another complained about people talking bad about SG to their faces. The room is empty now except for the senators, myself and Natalie. The back public area was full at the beginning, but people generally lost interest. Sen. Juneja left after about 10 minutes. It’s clear that after public input, most of it is procedure, but this is important procedure worthy of a blog, and the senators should do well to note that I’ll be here every week. There is no excuse for complacency at these meetings, regardless of something worthwhile to debate. Sen. Remson was right: Remember the little things.

Adjourn

8:01 p.m. - Until next time, stay easy, and stay fresh. Freeman Out.


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