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University of South Carolina MHMHAV RRRDI IA DV 0/1 OHOQ Vol.96,No.62 www.dailygamecock.com IVlUINL/rW, iLDixUnlM Since 1908 Bikers leap into Columbia ' PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK International Freestyle Motocross Association riders held a special demonstration for the press on Friday before the two motocross shows this weekend at the Carolina Center. USC accompanist, conductor dies at 40 Carolina Alive director was known for talent, humor BY COREY GARRIOTT THE (iAMECOCK Chip Williams, a conductor and accompanist in USC’s School of Music, died of abdominal bleeding at 4 a.m. Saturday in Providence Hospital. Williams turned 40 during his stay in the hospital. His liver was deprived of blood because of a childhood liver disease. Williams took over direction of USC’s show choir, Carolina Alive, in the fall. He was also or ganist and associate director of music at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, where he was known for his unusual talent. “The first Sunday he came to our church, we were all startled that anyone that young could be so talented,” said Billie Rowe, a Trenholm Road Methodist parishioner. Williams would spend 14 years accompanying the choir and playing for the church. “We loved • him every one of those seconds,” she said. Though some considered him shy; Williams ex pressed himself through his mu Williams sic “He’d look up and you’d catch his eye and he’d be so serious, but if you smiled back at him, a huge grin would come over his face,” Rowe said. Paula Wilson, choir director at Trenholm Road Methodist, said Williams would play any piece of music in any style. She was there when Williams interviewed to play for the church. “One of the guys in the interview committee wrote down on a note, ‘I hate his guts,’ be cause Chip was so good. And yet he had no ego,” Wilson said. "He could change keys, he could go up, he could go down, and he could go backwards,” she said. Once, Williams transformed the hymn “This Little Light of Mine” into a virtuoso performance, car rying the song onward for eight minutes, said Jason Stokes, a 1999 USC graduate who was Williams’ ♦ WILLIAMS, SEE PAGE 3 Center to rely on hands-on entry system Students to use Hand Readers, not IDs, to get into new fitness facility BY ADAM BEAM TIIKCAMECOCK Students who want to exercise at the Strom Thurmond Fitness and Wellness Center can leave their student IDs at home. Campus Recreation has equipped the new fitness center with 13 Biometric Hand Readers, which will allow students to enter the state-of-the-art facility by plac ing their hand on a platform. I “It’s not exactly convenient to bring your ID in your basketball shorts,” said Brad Dawgert, in formation technology manager for Campus Recreation. “Unless you leave your hand at home, you should be OK.” The $13,000 system is the first of its kind for USC. The hand-read ing system is already in place at other SEC schools, such as the University of Georgia and Mississippi State University. Unlike a traditional fingerprint scanner, the Biometric Hand Readers use infrared beams to read the size of a person’s hand, which produces a measurement that is unique enough to differen tiate among people, “but not use ful for Big Brother-type purposes, like a fingerprint would be,” said Dawgert. “Even if someone came in and managed to hog-tie me and steal my database, there is almost noth ing that could be done with those hand reading data,” he said. “We’re not storing your finger prints.” When a student enrolls in the system, a template is created and stored along with that student’s ID number. To use the system in the future, a student enters his or her ID number, and the template associated with that number is brought into the Hand Reader’s comparison memory. Students then place their hands on the reader to create a new tem ♦ HAND READERS, SEE PAGE 2 Strom inurmond wellness and Fitness Center Hand Reader Registration Wednesday, Feb. 26 10 a.m. to noon, Patterson lobby 2 to 4 p.m.,Towers lobby Thursday, Feb. 27 10 a.m. to noon, Bates House lobby 2 to 4 p.m., Capstone lobby Friday, Feb. 28 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Blatt P.E. Center lobby DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY ^ - - "-''a-- -- -■- - - 1 >- - ■" ■ _ ifi '-;-—aM—^—i . a— PHOTO BY KATIE BANNON/THE GAMECOCK Morale leaders Caroline Thomas, left, a second-year political science student, and Spencer Criswell, a second-year student, break It down during the 28 hour Dance Marathon In the Russell House Ballroom, sponsored by the Children’s Miracle Network. Volunteers dance to benefit Columbia children’s hospital BY MICHAEL LAFORGIA THE GAMECOCK Volunteers gathered to cut a rug for the kids this past week end in USC’s fifth annual Dance Marathon, a 28-hour event that garnered more than $54,000 for Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital in Columbia. The event, endorsed by the Children’s Miracle Network, be gan Friday evening and ended Saturday night. It featured sever al guest speakers and performers, including Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer. An estimated 130 participants danced and played games in the Russell House Ballroom and could only sit down during din ner and breakfast, which Dance Marathon provided. “It’s something that, until you do it, you’ll never understand how important it is,” said Lindsay Hanna, Dance Marathon organization internal chairwom an. She said each dancer had to raise $150, including a $20 regis tration fee, to participate. Last year, 275 dancers raised more than $75,000 for the local children’s hospital. “We have a few less dancers than we did last year, but we have a few more corporate spon sors,” Hanna said. Hanna also said that while many sororities and fraternities take part in the fund-raiser, other students are encouraged to join as well. “The Greeks are a big help, but this is definitely not just a Greek event,” she said. “Anyone who gives up the weekend and stays the entire 28 hours wouldn’t re gret their decision.” Sarah Laffitte, a first-year lib eral-arts student, danced in the marathon with her Alpha Delta Pi sisters. “I think it’s a wonderful cause, and 28 hours of my life is nothing to give to a dying child,” Laffitte said. She also said the marathon was less work than fun. “I’m having a wonderful time,” Laffitte said. “There’s nev er a down moment.” Mason Reuter, Dance Marathon organization advisor, said it’s worth the time to get in volved because it is “such an amazing experience, and it’s so well looked upon by everyone.” Student Government President Ankit Patel also attended the event. ♦ MARATHON, SEE PAGE 2 Powell continues on E. Asia trip Visit to China 1st since N. Korea Admitted seeking nuclear arms BY AUDRA ANG THE ASSOCIATED I'HESS BEIJING — U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in China on Sunday as part of his first visit to East Asia since U.S. officials said North Korea ad mitted in October it was pursu ing a covert nuclear arms pro gram. Powell came from Tokyo, where he and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi shared concerns about Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Both sides agreed on the need for close coor dination and on continuing ef forts to seek a peaceful solution. Dressed in a dark suit, Powell waved as he disembarked. He ♦ CHINA, SEE PAGE 2 Powell will discuss China-U.S. relations with Chinese officials. Index Comics and Crossword 7 Classifieds 10 Horoscopes_ 7 Letters to the Editor 4 Online Poll 4 Police Report 3 Weather TODAY TOMORROW High 66 High 54 Low 42 j Low 37 In This Issue ♦ NEWS LSU archaeologist speaks at Gambrell Hall about Native-American artifacts discovered along the Southeast coastline. Page 3 ♦ VIEWPOINTS Tyler Jones is in “Iron" Mike’s comer. Page 4 ♦ THE MIX Norah Jones, Coldplay, Eminem and Avril Lavigne pick up Grammys. Page 5 ♦ SPORTS: Ujhelyi scores game-winner as USC beats Auburn. Page 8