The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 21, 2003, Page 3, Image 3
AMECOCK IN OTHER NEWS
Conference to explore
nanotechnology effects
BY WENDY JEFFCOAT
THE GAMECOCK
It’s a small world after all.
Nanoproducts and nanotech
nology, which experts say will
eventually become an everyday
part of an ever-expanding world
of technology , will be the topic of
a conference at USC that will last
through Sunday.
Scholars from around the
world will discuss the possible so
cietal implications nanotechnol
ogy could have on the world.
The conference will feature
scholars from many disciplines
who will discuss the problems
that could emerge from use of the
technology. The philosophy,
ethics, politics and culture that
surround nanoscience will be dis
cussed.
The, conference began last
night with a panel discussion of
Michael Crichton’s science fic
tion thriller “Prey,” a novel that
gives readers a frightening look
into the world of nanoscience and
possible implications of such a
technology.
Nanotechnology
is unique because
of the scale it
works on.
According to Davis
Baird, a philoso
phy professor at
USC, nanotechnol
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to “manufacture, as it were, spe
cific molecules, atom by atom.”
A nanometer, which is one bil
lionth of a meter, is the standard
used to measure atoms and
molecules. Nanotechnology is the
study and construction of mate
rials at this scale.
“There are potentially very
useful things that could come
from nanotechnology,” Baird
said. One such nanoproduct on
the market is paint that has
nanoparticles mixed in and gives
the paint interesting properties,
such as
longevity.
But, on
the other
hand,
there can
be some
scary uses
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people are currently working on
the development of “surveillance
dust,” nano-scaled surveillance
particles that are so small they go
unseen. He said that the develop
ment and use of such a device
could raise concerns about pri
vacy issues.
“Frankly, I’m not afraid
of nanoparticles.”
RICK ADAMS
DIRECTOR OF USC’S NANOCENTER
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Baird said the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology recently
received a grant from the Defense
Department to develop a “smart
uniform.” These uniforms would
be able to sense whether or not
the wearer is healthy or in the
presence of chemical agents; also,
the uniform should be able to stop
bullets, change colors to act as
camouflage, and even enhance
the wearer’s ability to lift objects.
The opening panel discussion
focused on Crichton’s book,
which characterized nanoparti
cles as having human-like abili
ties, such as reproductive abili
ties and intelligence. While many
of the panelists agreed it was an
interesting read, some had prob
lems with the accuracy of the de
tails given about nanoparticles.
♦ NANOTECHNOLOGY, SEE PAGE 5
Mystery illness
starts in Japan,
goes global
BY HELEN LUK
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HONG KONG - The global
spread of the mysterious flu-like
illness that has killed 10 people in
the past three weeks appears to
have started with a guest in a
tourist hotel here.
Hong Kong health officials said
Thursday that other guests who
caught the disease then carried it
to a Hong Kong hospital, Vietnam,
Singapore and Canada. Three of
the seven people who stayed on
the ninth floor of the Metropole
Hotel died from severe acute res
piratory syndrome, or SARS.
There are now 306 people sick
with the disease, according to the
World Health Organization.
About half those are in Hong
Kong, the vast majority in Asia.
There are 13 suspected cases in
the United States.
The cause of the illness re
mains unknown, but experts be
lieve the most likely explanation
is a new virus. There is no known
treatment.
Hong Kong health officials have
traced the outbreak to a professor
from China’s Guangdong
province who stayed at the
Metropole Hotel on Feb. 21-22. He
died March 4.
His case bolsters the belief that
the outbreak stems from one that
began last November in the south
ern part of Guangdong, where 300
♦ ILLNESS, SEE PAGE 5
West Forum
addresses
state budget
legislation
BY JESSICA FOSTER
THE GAMECOCK
Former Gov. John C. West presided over a panel
of Republican and Democratic House leaders
Wednesday night at a USC public event to discuss
the politics of the South Carolina state budget.
“South Carolina’s State Budget: The Legislative
Perspective” was held in the Belk auditorium of
the Moore School of Business and focused on ques
tions posed by West Forum undergraduate volun
teers.
In response to questions, the panelists spoke
about how the appropriation of tax money might
sometimes be driven by interests other than those
of the general public. State Rep. Joseph H. Neal
(D-70th District) of the Education and Public
Works Committee said there needs to be a re
assessment of the 66 tax exemptions, which total
$1.8 billion, in order to eliminate those that are
unnecessary and provide money to fund impor
tant programs.
Many groups who benefit from these exemptions
have “strong political clout,” Neal said, and legisla
tors are not willing to pay the price of disregarding
the groups’ interests.
♦ FORUM, SEE PAGE 4
PHOTO BY TRISHA SHADWELL/THE GAMECOCK
Former Gov. John C. West listens to other panelists at the debate Wednesday on “South Carolina’s State Budget: The Legislative Perspective.” The
forum was the latest in a series of public seminars sponsored by the West Forum on Politics and Policy.
2003 PRESIDENTIAL PROFILES
Tim Roberts
BY JESSICA FOSTER
THE GAMECOCK
Timothy Roberts wants
to change how Student
Government makes deci
sions at USC.
The third-year media
arts student has never held
a position in SG, but said he
has gained the necessary
characteristics of a leader
through experiences at
work and as a section lead
er in the USC marching
band. Some of the issues he
addresses in his campaign
are student involvement,
parking, tuition and cam
pus safety.
Roberts came to USC
from Laurens, but wouldn’t
exactly identify that as his
hometown; he was born in
Florida and has also lived
in California and Japan.
Music is his biggest hobby;
he plays an array of instru
ments, including guitar,
bass, piano, baritone, tuba
and trumpet, and he hopes
to one day become a record
producer.
He said he decided to run
for president because he
“felt like there really need
ed to be some changes, and
the best way to make
changes is to get involved.”
One thing Roberts hopes
to achieve if elected is
greater student involve
ment and awareness of the
President Personals
Age: 21
Hometown: Laurens
Hobbies: Band, music
and sports
Favorite thing about USC:
‘1t’s just a great place to
be. Great people, great
campus, great
everything.”
Why did you choose to
come to USC: "Actually
I’m a transfer student,
but I always wanted to
go to a big school. I
started out at a small I
school and I didn’t like
it. USC has shown my
that it is, by far, a better ^
school.”
issues SG is dealing with.
“There needs to be more commu
nication between the students and the
A_A
gUV
ernment so
that students
are more in
volved in
what the gov
ernment is do
ing,” Roberts
said.
He said
this might be
achieved by
holding open
questioning sessions, in which stu
dents could voice their opinions on
important issues. A student seat on
the Board of Trustees is also some
thing that could possibly be estab
lished that would'allow the students’
voices 10 De
heard, he said.
He sees this
student-leader
connection as
vital to SG’s ef
fectiveness and
believes that “a
big part of being
in the govern
ment is being
responsible to
your con
stituents. ■
♦ ROBERTS, SEE PAGE 4
■
“There needs to be more
communication between the
students and the student
government so that students
are more involved in what
the government is doing”
TIMOTHY ROBERTS
SG PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
Ginny .fright
BY ALLYSON BIRD
THE GAMECOCK
As campaign posters and
T-shirts begin to emerge on
campus, Student Govern
ment presidential hopeful
Ginny Wright, a third-year
Russian and English stu
dent, touts a simple goal: re
vision.
Amid a year of political
upheaval in SG, Wright does
not focus on the details of
what she calls “a petty argu
ment that overshadows im
portant issues.” She instead
wants to make SG a more ac
tive organization. And to
her, that means a more effi
cient organization.
vviigm iiuiii omyiiia,
Tenn., though she was bom
in Irmo, which is why she
chose to attend USC. She has
been a member of SG for
three years and has also par
ticipated in Carolina Crew,
Freshman Council, the
Emerging Leaders Program,
Omicron Delta Kappa honor
society, Dance Marathon
and community service lead
ership.
“What sets me apart from
other candidates is I have a
realistic vision,” Wright
said. “Every candidate has
goals, but I have realistic
goals and the determination
to follow them."
Wright’s goals are to at
tain a certain level of effi
President Personals
Age; 21
Hometown: Smyrna, Tenn.
Hobbies: Running and
friends
Favorite Restaurants:
Lizards Thicket Yesterday’s
Favorite thing about USC:
USC football culture
Why did you choose to
come to USC: “I knew I
wanted to go out of state
and, since my parents j
had lived here, I came to I
visit. I fell in love and
now this is my home.”
ciency that she feels is now miss
ing from SG and then use that new
efficiency to lobby the administra
tion to give SG more power. She
also hopes to
reform the
committee
system and
cut spending.
“It’s not
realistic to
want to build
four parking
garages or
just to ‘fix
parking’ or
to ‘fix budget
cuts.’ I’d real
ly challenge
a Student Government president to
fix that; our university president
has problems with fixing that.”
Wright said she’s had ideas
about reforming SG before, but she
didn’t decide to pursue them until
last semester.
“I’ve been on Student
Government since my freshman
year, and I’ve seen a lot of changes
but also a lot
of stasis. I
wanted" to
take the next
step,” she
said.
Wright
would like to
see the plat
forms of oth
er candi
dates ad
dressed,
such as park
ing and
spending, yet she finds that until
the system changes, the problems
they are focusing on are too broad
and too big.
♦ WRIGHT, SEE PAGE 4
“It’s not realistic to want to
build four parking garages or
just ‘to fix parking’ or to ‘fix
budget cuts.’ I’d really
challenge a Student Govern
ment president to fix that;
our university president has
problems with fixing that.”
GINNY WRIGHT
SG PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE