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The University of South Carolina Monday, February 27, 2006 Vol. 99, No. 68 • Since 1908 As gun raffle begins, some Tigers up in arms Students, faculty plan protests of newspaper’s AK-47 giveaway morgan Harris THE GAMECOCK With the date of the Tiger Town Observer’s AK 47 drawing approaching, opposition to the event among students and faculty is mounting at Clemsori University. The Observer, Clemson’s conservative student newspaper, is holding a drawing for an AK-47 rifle and a .22 Magnum Marlin rifle in celebration of the Second Amendment today through March 2. Andrew Davis, editor of the Tiger Town Observer, said the paper has spoken to everyone from Clemson University President James Barker to the local police chief for permission to hold the drawing. Davis said that while Clemson’s administration does not voice outright support of the drawing, they have made it clear that it may take place as long as all campus, state and federal laws are obeyed. The Observer has been informed of a group of faculty members planning to petition President Barker to stop the event. In addition to the faculty petition, a group of students opposed to the idea have also emerged in an attempt to start another petition. “Students and faculty have a constitutional right to protest, and we encourage and commend them for doing so,” Davis said. However, what began as a petition is beginning to escalate into something that Davis calls “sabotage.” “We want to beat them at their own game,” said Aimee McLaughlin, a third-year communications student at Clemson. “At this point, protesting will not accomplish- our ultimate goal. We are basically organizing as many people as possible to enter this drawing to try and win the gun. The Observer is making their statement, and now we want to win the gun and make ours.” Davis said a group of faculty members is taking the same approach. “We welcome-a protest, but to sabotage a drawing like this is sick,” Davis said. “There is a big difference between sabotage and a protest. A faction of the faculty is out to decide what is best for Clemson, and that is not up to them.” Because of South RRFFIE • 5 Students could find much more to do with CarolinaCard Stadium, meters might accept Carolina Cash Jess Dauis .STAFF WRITER Students may soon be able to use their Carolina Cash at Williams-Brice Stadium to buy concessions, pay for parking meters, and study late at several buildings on campus, said CarolinaCard Director Sid Kenyon. Kenyon and Michael Jennings, regional director of the concession company Centerplate, have not yet met to discuss concessions at the football stadium, but each said it is an option they would be willing to consider. Jennings said there is a possibility the concession stand in the north end zone would be able to take Carolina Cash by this fall. He was hesitant to say anything was finalized because of the logistical difficulties that would come with installing telephone and power lines in the stadium. “I think I can move forward and try to do something,” Jennings said. Power lines at Williams, Brice would have to be encased in concrete to prevent rats from chewing through them, Jennings said. Centerplate doesn’t need approval from USC to install the lines, but if any problems arise, Jennings said the university could cancel the installation. The addition of Carolina Cash as a payment option at Williams-Brice would CURD • >1 Katy Blalock / THE GAMECOCK Students might soon be able to use Carolina Cash to buy food and drink at Williams-Brice Stadium and pay for parking meters. The changes could come next fall. Katy Blalock / THE GAMECOCK South Carolina might soon join New York and California in banning smoking in bars and restaurants. The bill leaves some local residents fuming. Patrons, bar owners react to smoking ban with anger, agreement Joshua Rabon RTHE (iAMECOCK s on local dinner tables t atrons drawing on their cigarettes in bars could go up in smoke if a bill sponsored by Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, passes through the South Carolina legislature. “Hopefully the bill will create a safer environment for college students, as well as everyone else,” Rutherford said. South Carolina would join New York, California and Florida, among other states, in enforcing a smoking ban. Of the states with bans in place, Rutherford says he would like to shape South Carolina’s bill most in the way of the ban in California. “I prefer a law similar to that in California, where smoking is prohibited in restaurants and bars, without many provisions,” Rutherford said. smoKine • 5 Venture capitalists backing 'magic of youth IDatt marshall KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS SAN JOSE, Calif. — When Jim Breyer, venture capitalist at Accel Partners, courted chief executive Mark Zuckerberg last year to make an investment in his start-up, he couldn’t buy Zuckerberg a drink because he hadn’t turned 21. “I had a glass of pinot noir and he had a Sprite,” said Breyer, recalling the dinner they had at the Woodside Pub in Woodside, Calif. But Breyer still managed to beat out a competing offer from Don Graham, chief executive of the Washington Post. And his firm pumped $12 million into Zuckerberg’s Palo Alto, Calif.-based Facebook, a social networking site for students. Zuckerberg’s fund-raising, and the little bidding war he enjoyed, is mirrored by scores of other twentysomething entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. The youthful founders, are thriving in their efforts amid a swing by venture capitalists in favor of young talent. Silicon Valley is hopping with novice CEOs. That’s because of a recent uptick in the market for tech stocks, particularly for Internet businesses, pushing venture capitalists to make some risky bets again. And it’s also because new Web software tools are making it easy and cheap for novices to launch businesses. Venture capitalists are prowling everywhere for young talent and brains, who they say are best placed to absorb it all — and to exploit the quick-changing and vast opportunities of the Internet. “Twentysomethings have their pulse on the sweet spot of the Internet, much better than others,” said Mark Kvamme, a venture capitalist with Sequoia Capital, which has invested UCnTURC • 5 Deadly bird flu virus kills 15 swans in France The flssocidted Press PARIS — The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has killed 15 wild swans in southeastern France, agriculture officials said Sunday, raising fears the lethal strain could spread in the European Union’s leading producer of poultry. The news of the dead swans came a day after French authorities confirmed that a nearby turkey farm of more than 11,000 birds had been contaminated — the European Union’s first outbreak of deadly bird flu in commercial poultry. The dead swans were found around the numerous ponds that dot the southeast area. Switzerland, meanwhile, reported Sunday that an H5 subtype of bird flu has been found in a dead duck in Geneva, and tests were pending to determine if it was the H5N1 strain, which hasn’t yet been reported in the country. The lethal H5N1 bird flu strain has spread from Asia to at least 10 European countries and Africa, and scientists fear it could mutate into a form that is easily transmitted between humans, sparking a pandemic. The disease has killed more than 90 people, mostly in Southeast Asia, according to the World Health Organization. No human cases have been reported anywhere in Europe. The dead duck in Switzerland was found Wednesday between two boats at a Lake Geneva pier, said Gottlieb Dandliker, a fauna inspector. Swiss authorities said they FLU • 5 Achmad Ibrahim / The Associated Press An Indonesian man displays a pigeon which has just been shot after birds in the area tested positive for bird flu on Sunday. Viewpoints Field Cantey answers the question, ‘Who’s Morris?’; Brindy McNair tells of the joys and pitfalls ofhaving a creepy person snooping abound in her cy be'bushes. The Mix Pump it up! Start getting in shape for the annual Mr. & Miss USC bodybuilding contest on April 1. Sports Deja vu USCs men’s basketball loses by 1 point again, this time to Vanderbilt. 4 Index Comics & Crossword..9 Classifieds.12 Horoscopes.9 Opinion.6 Police Report..2 *