irsday, October 16,21
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Aggielife: Whoopin' western style • Page 3
Opinion: Flawed approach • Page 7
THE BATTALION
Volume 110 • Issue 36 • 8 pages
A Texas A&M Tradition Since 1893
www.thebattalion.net
Friday, October 17, 2003
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Students brave severe weather to chase storms
By Pammy Ramji
THE BATTALION
While most flee from natural disasters,
students in the Texas A&M Mobile Severe
Storm Data Acquisition program take their
video cameras and run toward tornadoes and
hurricanes.
The program allows participants to
observe severe thunderstorms and tornadoes
in the field and is run by the A&M Student
Chapter of the American Meteorological
Society, a student organization that brings all
who are interested in meteorology and the
atmospheric sciences together.
Kevin Walter and Jason Sippel, graduate
students in the A&M Department of
Atmospheric Sciences, are the group coordi
nators this year.
“To learn about thunderstorms and weath-
erinthe classroom is one thing, but to see it
actually develop in the field right before your
eyes really solidifies the knowledge in your
mind," Walter said.
Mobile spotting teams of organization
members go out to places where thunder
storms are occurring or are expected to
occur to observe them in as safe a manner
as possible.
Walter said some storm chasers will say
they chase only for the thrill, but that puts it
in the same category as an amusement park,
which it is not.
“Storm chasing is much more as you go
through an entire process of preparing
yourself and your team, making educated
decisions even a day in advance about both
the forecast and your chase attack plan,"
Walter said.
On May 5, 2001, the group formed a
team of three mobile units to chase a torna
do in Cordell, Okla.
This was the first tornado Sippel expe
rienced with the organization, and he said
it is one he will never forget. The group
had to make quick decisions such as
whether to go east or north so they could
intercept the storm.
The group chose to go north and when the
storm came, everyone ran out to videotape it,
Sippel said. The tornado grew as time went
on and caused damage to the city before
diminishing, ending the chase.
About 90 members are currently a part
of the chapter. To qualify for participation
in field operations, individuals must be 18
years old, pay dues and be a meteorology
graduate student, a Ham Radio Club mem
ber or a faculty member.
Potential members must also attend the
storm spotting safety seminar, which is held at
See Chasers on page 2
JOHN C. LIVAS • THE BATTALION
Wind speeds greater than 90 mph drove sand and salt into graduate stu
dent and storm chaser Kevin Walter during the landfall of Hurricane
Claudette in Port O'Connor, Texas, on July 1 5.
UN adopts plan
to stabilize Iraq
By Edith M. Lederer
?HE ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNITED NATIONS
TheSecurity Council unan
imously adopted a resolu
tion Thursday aimed at
attracting more troops and
money to help stabilize Iraq
and speed its independence
-adiplomatic victory for
Washington after the bitter
dispute over the war.
The resolution’s success
hi/ipon whether it gener
ates additional funds for
Iraq’sreconstruction at next
week’s donors conference
in Madrid, Spain, and
whether countries decide to
send new forces to Iraq.
In a dramatic shift,
France, Germany and
Russia —key opponents of
the U.S.-led war against
Iraq — supported the reso
lution. But they immediate
ly ruled out any new mili
tary or financial help,
reflecting ongoing concern
about the speed with which
Washington would transfer
authority to Iraqis.
The resolution gives
U.N. authorization to a
multinational force under
unified command that will
be led by the United States
and calls for troop contribu
tions as well as “substantial
pledges” from the 191 U.N.
member states at the
Madrid donors conference
on Oct. 23-24.
The 15-0 vote was a
coup for Secretary of State
Colin Powell, who called
the outcome “a great
achievement” — although
he cautioned that the reso
lution should not be seen as
“opening the door to
troops.”
See UN on page 2
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Resolution on postwar Iraq passed
The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a U.S.-backed
resolution Thursday aimed at attracting aid to restore and stabilize
Iraq. But there was no immediate commitment of troops and money.
The new resolution:
h Gives Iraq's ►Emphasizes ► Gives greater
Governing the U.S.-led prominence to
Council until Dec. administration of iraqis' right to
15 to submit a Iraq is temporary; determine their
limetable for recognizes the own political
holding elections Governing future. Gives
andwritinganew Council as U.N. a slightly
constitution. embodying Iraq’s larger role in
sovereignty Iraq's political
during transition, transition.
► Authorizes a
multinational
force led by
United States to
help maintain
security, and calls
for financial con
tributions to the
reconstruction.
SOURCES: Associated Press
AP
High hopes
RANDAL FORD • THE BATTALION
Senior economics major Justin Sutton practices pole jumping again this week. They will continue practic-
vaulf Thursday afternoon at the Texas A&M track ing throughout the fall and into the spring track and
field. After a long offseason, the pole vaulters began field season.
A&M Liberal Arts service workers receive awards
By Jacquelyn Spruce
THE BATTALION
Four Texas A&M faculty members recently
received a College of Liberal Arts Superior Service
award, one of the most honorable awards for staff
workers in the College of Liberal Arts, said Cheryl
Hanks, assistant dean in the College of Liberal Arts.
Lorie Lapaglia, administrative assistant in the
Department of Psychology, Linda Shaw, assistant
director for operations in the Public Policy Research
Institute, Amy Ford, undergraduate adviser in the
Department of Psychology, and Carolyn Teeter, busi
ness administrator in the Department of Economics,
were all recognized for their outstanding commit
ments to their jobs. Each recipient was nominated by
someone within her department and the winners
were chosen by College of Liberal Arts Dean Charles
A.Johnson.
“The purpose of the award is to recognize and
reward superior service by the roll of the liberal
arts staff members,” Hanks said.
Teeter said she enjoys her work in the economics
department.
“I do all the accounting for the department, and 1
have for 20 years,” she said. “I’m very honored to
See Awards on page 2
Twins make
progress, not
yet in clear
By Jamie Stengle
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS — While 2-year-old
Egyptian twins continue to make progress
after separation surgery, the boys have
reacted differently as coma-inducing drugs
have been reduced, a doctor said Thursday.
Mohamed, known as the more ram
bunctious twin, started to breathe sponta
neously over the ventilator Wednesday
night and has moved his left arm and left
leg. He is now off the eoma-inducing drugs.
Ahmed, known for his calm demeanor,
had some involuntary twitching on his
right side that was interpreted as seizures.
While that was treated and appears
resolved, doctors increased the dosage a
little on the coma-inducing drugs for
Ahmed and will reduce the dosage again
on Thursday, said Dr. James Thomas,
chief of critical care at Children’s
Medical Center Dallas.
“I think they’re doing extremely
well,” Thomas said.
The reduction of the coma-inducing
drugs began Wednesday. Thomas said
that even once the medication is stopped
it may take several hours to a day or two
to wear off. The boys were surgically sep
arated Sunday during a 34-hour surgery.
Both boys have had several drains
removed and are off blood pressure med
ications. Thomas said that pulmonary
function remains excellent and their rou
tine head CT scans continue to look good.
While both had low-grade tempera
tures Wednesday night, the fevers appear
abated and antibiotics were stopped as
planned, he said.
Thomas said that on Thursday,
Mohamed’s ventilator support will be
decreased throughout the day. The goal for
Ahmed is to stop his drug-induced coma.
Meanwhile, the boys parents are being
encouraged to touch and talk to the boys,
who are still being sedated.
“We tell them that they probably
hear,” Thomas said. “They may not
remember, but they’re hearing.”
Nebraska Yell
plans finalized
Investigators focus on ferry pilot error
By Michael Weissenstein
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — The investigation
into the Staten Island ferry wreck that
tilled 10 passengers focused
Thursday on whether the ship’s pilot
Hacked out and slumped over the
throttle before the vessel crashed into
a concrete pier.
City Councilman Michael
McMahon, after a briefing from city
emergency and transportation offi
cials, said the crash may have been
related to the pilot’s health and med
ication he was taking for a possible
Hood-pressure problem.
The pilot, Assistant Captain
Richard Smith, attempted suicide
after the crash by slitting his wrists
and shooting himself with a pellet
gun, police said.
“The assistant captain at the con
trols collapsed,” McMahon said. “By
the time the other captain could get
control of the ship, it was too late.”
The 310-foot ferry slammed into a
concrete pier as it approached the Staten
Island shore in choppy, wind-swept
waters Wednesday afternoon, ripping a
giant hole along its right side and sever
ing the limbs of three passengers. Some
passengers leaped into the water.
The crash left more than 60 people
hospitalized, eight in critical condi
tion. The dead, one woman and nine
men, ranged in age from 25 to 52.
There was one bit of good news: A
missing woman, presumed to have
died in the water, turned up safe at a
friend’s house, police said.
The fractured ferry sat at the docks
Thursday as thousands of commuters
boarded boats for the morning rush hour.
“If you look at any photograph of a
terrorist attack on a bus or train in the
Middle East, that’s your idea of what it
looks like,” Staten Island Borough
President James Molinaro said.
Witnesses said the vessel appeared
to speed up as; it approached the shore.
A source close to the probe, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said the
captain told investigators that Smith
“slumped forward” on the controls in
a way that could have made the boat
accelerate toward the pier.
Investigation continues in feriy crash
The investigation into the Staten Island ferry wreck on Wednesday
focused on whether the ship’s pilot blacked out and slumped over
the throttle before the vessel crashed into a concrete pier, killing
10 and injuring more than 60.
Leaving Manhattan Nearing Staten Island Collision
The ferry departs Passengers line up at the front The ferry
around 3 p.m. with of the ship to get a head start crashes into a
Assistant Capt. Richard while disembarking. Witnesses pier ripping a
Smith piloting and Capt. say the boat did not appear to 250-foot long
Mike Gansas also slow as it approached the gash at the
aboard; the 5.2-mile terminal. Gansas tries to first floor
trip to Staten Island contact Smith, but there was window line,
normally takes about no response; Gansas takes extending
25 minutes. control of the vessel, but is 8 feet into
unable to avoid the pier. the right of
' i? , the hull.
r N
Pilot
house
p- Gansas
Smith
immediately
reverses the
Smith flees to his home
ferry and moves and attempts suicide; he is found
it into one of the and rushed to the hospital where Drawing »s
passenger slips. he remains in critical condition. schematic.
SOURCE: Associated Press T. Williams, C. Kaeser/AP
By Sarah Szuminski
THE BATTALION
Plans for Friday’s Nebraska Yell
Practice have been finalized after organ
izers were forced to change the location
because of scheduling difficulties.
Yell practice will be held at the
Upstream Brewery Company at 514 S.
11th Street in downtown Omaha.
Junior yell leader Ryan Bishop said
he had a difficult time contacting
alumni in Omaha to help set up a loca
tion. Finding a venue for an event that
most Nebraskans were unfamiliar with
was also challenging, he said.
“It’s hard over the phone to
describe what Yell is to someone
who’s not from A&M,” he said.
Bishop said a maximum of about
75 people are expected to attend the
practice, which will be held indoors.