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Monday, June 14, 2004
NE1
THE BATTALII
Music notes
ALEJANDRA MARTINEZ • THE BATTALION
Violin players Estela Sheshi and Anabel Ramirez out of the University of Houston, performed as a
rehearse for their Friday night performance in part of the Texas Music Festival which will continue
Rudder Auditorium. The orchestra, which is based all month.
Students
Continued from page 1
Aggies help with the event was a great way to
show guests the Aggie Spirit.
“Helping with this event brought an incredibly
positive light to the school,’’ Diem said. “I believe
that the people who attended will take back a pos
itive impression from Texas A&M.”
Jill Dubose, a senior wildlife and fisheries sci
ence major and a member of the Sigma Alpha
sorority, said the sorority contributed to the
41 @80 event by helping with the luggage of those
who arrived on the train.
“We were in charge of the dignitaries’ luggage
and we had to separate it, but it was worth the
work to be there,” Dubose said.
Many Aggies also watched the events on
Sunday from the public viewing section that was
set up outside the landing zone for the skydive.
Brad Stephens, a fifth year senior animal sci
ence major, said the event was a positive experi
ence and was a rare opportunity to witness.
Birthday
Continued from page 1
emceed the affair, several enter
tainers performed and promi
nent sports figures made
appearances. Each told the
crowd of his or her admiration
for the Bush family and some
told anecdotes of times spent
with Bush.
Comedian Dennis Miller
made light of the ballpark venue
when he told one person in the
crowd that he was paying partic
ular attention to her.
“You might not know it, but
I’m making eye contact with
you in the light blue on the sec
ond row,” Miller said.
The stage was set up near the
pitcher’s mound on the field
with celebrities seated in risers
on each side of the stage.
“It was a very motivating event,” Stephens said.
“My fear of getting old is greater than my fear of
death, and seeing an 80-year-old man jump out of
an airplane was inspiring.”
Stephens said he believed the 41@80 event was
great for Texas A&M and the College Station
community because it brought national attention
to a little known town.
“This event brought national recognition to
Texas A&M and College Station, and I am proud
to be a part of it,” Stephens said.
Nancy Cannon, a senior agriculture development
major, said the event was a great community event.
“It was great to see the community come
together and support the various charities and
President Bush,” Cannon said.
Cannon said she had never watched anyone
skydive in person before, let alone seen anything
like the show put on by (U.S. Army Parachute
Team) the Golden Knights, Brit Hume, Chuck
Norris and President Bush.
“I have never seen anyone do jumps like that
in person,” said Cannon. “It was a once in a life
time experience.”
ticularly impressed with Bush’s
decision to jump.
“I’m not going to lie to you,”
Norman said. “You’ve got some
cojones to jump out of that air
plane tomorrow.”
Junior animal sciences major
Jennifer Sampson attended the
celebration because she volun
teered for the Bush parachute
jump at A&M.
“It was amazing,” Sampson
said. “I had no idea that
President Bush would be there
with all those celebrities. My
favorite performer was Randy
Travis and I was pleased to find
out that he’s Bush’s favorite per
former as well,” Sampson said.
The event, sponsored by the
Bush Endowment, raised $55.2
million dollars to benefit the
Bush Library Foundation, the
Points of Light Foundation and
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Spectators were seated in the
stands.
President George W. Bush
made light of his father’s
upcoming parachute jump at
Texas A&M when he discussed
why so many people were in
attendance at the birthday party.
Bush said, “Some of you are
here to see an 80-year-old dude,
who tomorrow will strap on a
helmet, zip up a flight suit and
jump out of a perfectly good air
less space vehicle while yelling
at Father Time, ‘Take this you
old man!’
“Some of you are here
because you thought the Astros
were at home tonight,” Bush
said jokingly, before moving to
a more serious note. “We are
here because of our deep and
pure love for our Dad.”
Professional golfer Greg
“The Shark” Norman was par-
NEWS IN BRIEF
Texas A&M researchers carefully
study mammoth bones
COLLEGE STATION (AP) — Researchers at Texas
A&M University are still studying the tusks and other
parts of two mammoths found seven months ago
buried in a sand pit near Clute. But they are doing so
very carefully.
Silicone oil is being tested as the best way to pre
serve the brittle, delicate bones and artifacts found in
November when a backhoe operator, Joe Kimble,
came across a tusk as he worked in a sand pit.
The oil conservation method was developed by
A&M anthropology professor Wayne Smith, who said
it is a smart substance that preserves everything in
its path, but differentiates dirt from the tusk or bone.
Artifacts preserved with silicone oil could have a life
of up to 250 years, compared with 70 years with tra
ditional methods, The Facts, Brazoria County’s daily
newspaper, reported Sunday.
A&M scientists have been testing the conservation
method on the tusk of one mammoth nicknamed Joe,
after the backhoe operator.
Success with the silicone oil will determine how
researchers work to preserve an ancient wooden
bowl also found at the site, located about 57 miles
south of Houston.
Scientists have yet to perform any tests on the bowl
since it has been soaking in a bath of ethanol and water
for the last three months to retain its shape, Smith said.
The A&M scientists have estimated the mammoth
bones are about 38,000 years old, based on testing
of nearby wood, while they believe the bowl might be
about 3,800 years old.
BTOlMboYZ by Will lie)
Wings
Continued from page 1
Norris and Fox News managing
editor Brit Hume also made tan
dem jumps Sunday.
“When President Bush
called me last weekend and
asked me to jump with him on
his 80th birthday, I thought,
what a privilege to jump with
former President Bush on his
birthday and, secondly, to be
able to jump with the Golden
Knights, the best skydivers in
the world!” Norris said. “It was
something I’ve really been
looking forward to doing.”
Geena Norris, Chuck
Norris’ wife of six years, said,
“I’m glad it’s over. This is his
fourth jump, but I was very
nervous,” Geena Norris said.
“But boys will be boys...”
Several dignitaries were on
hand to watch Bush, including
former Soviet Premier Mikhail
Gorbachev, former President of
Mexico Carlos Salinas and
Florida Gov Jeb Bush.
Gorbachev said that Bush
invited him to jump as well.
“George told me this would
be simple,” Gorbachev said.
“He told me he had an extra set
of parachutes in case 1 change
my mind, but at my age it might
kill me.”
Gorbachev spoke highly of
the friendship he shared with
Bush and of Bush's presiden
tial legacy.
“It was a good friendship...it
was a real friendship,”
Gorbachev said. “He (Bush) is
an extremely decent persl
which is rare in politics I
believe George Bush was!
greatest of my counterparl
Gorbachev said.
Jeb Bush said his faik
love of life is part of therej
he has so many supporters.
“My dad loves lil
Governor Bush said. 1 k
we’re here celebrating i
he’s 85.”
Bush spokesman I
McGrath, of (I
Communications, said he |
pleased with the day’s eventl
“We hope that people I
attended today’s event cl
away with an appreciation I
who this man (Bush) is. He'il
of the great statesmen of the!
century and he's alsoadoul
earth guy,” McGrath said. I
Authorities search for
abducted American
By Donna Abu-Nasr
THE BATTALION
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — With the kidnap
ping of an American and threats to inflict on
him the same degrading punishments seen at
Iraq’s U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison, suspected al-
Qaida terrorists appear to have unleashed a new
tactic in their violent drive against Saudi
Arabia’s rulers.
Saudi authorities searched Sunday for Paul M.
Johnson, an American who was apparently
abducted by militants who also claimed responsi
bility for gunning down another
American in Riyadh, the day before.
It was the third killing of a
Westerner in the Saudi capital in a
week, part of a stepped up campaign
aimed at driving out foreigners and
sabotaging the oil sector, key to the
Saudi economy and basis of the rule
by the kingdom’s royal family.
The U.S. Embassy warned that
the attacks appeared to follow
extensive surveillance of the two
Americans slain over the past week.
Kenneth Scroggs was shot in the
back as he parked in the garage at
his home on Saturday. Last Tuesday,
Robert Jacobs was also killed in his
parking garage.
The killings “involved exten
sive planning and preparation,” a
U.S. Embassy warden message said. “Often, this
pre-attack surveillance can be detected.”
Al-Qaida, led by Saudi-born Osama bin Laden,
often rails against Saudi Arabia’s rulers for their
close links to the United States.
“The Saudis know that this is an enemy that is
coming after them. The killing of foreigners ... is
a direct attack against the Saudi regime,” U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell said on ABC’s
“This Week.”
Powell said Saudi leaders are mobilizing all
resources against militants but added, “I think that
there is more that they can do.”
The Saudis can “build up their forces” and cut
off funding for militants, he said on “Fox News
Sunday.” “There’s probably more we can do with
respect to intelligence exchange, and we are work
ing at all of these,” he said.
Prince Bandar, the Saudi Ambassador to the
United States, called the attacks on Americans
“craven acts of evil.”
“Their intention is to shake our will, to fright
en away our friends and allies, and to undermine
our society,” Bandar said.
None of the gunmen have been caught in this
week's fatal shootings of the two Americans l
on June 6, Irish cameraman Simon Cumbers. I
Saudi security officials, speaking on condi:
of anonymity, said police stormed a subui:
Riyadh house Sunday morning, arresting a |
inside and confiscating a computer. It wasn’tii
whether he was linked to any of the past wel
shootings.
The purported al-Qaida statement, poi
late Saturday on an Islamic Web site, threaifl
to treat Johnson, the abducted Americans
U.S. troops treated Iraqi prisoners —‘fi r< j
ence to sexual and other abuses at Abu.Gr t
prison in Iraq.
It showed Johnson’s pass,!
and a Lockheed Martin busitl
card bearing his name. Thepl
port said Johnson was bonfi
New Jersey. His son Paul John
111 said his father moved tol
kingdom in 1983 to work
Lockheed Martin.
The al-Qaida statement )
Johnson is one of four exper
Saudi Arabia working on developl
Apache attack helicopter systeml
“Everybody knows that tr ! 1
helicopters are used by ;
Americans, their Zionist alliesl
the apostates to kill Muslims, 1
rorizing them and displacing l
in Palestine, Afghanistan 4
Iraq,” said the statement. ItsaiJl
Qaida would release a videotape later J
Johnson’s confessions and its demands.
A car belonging to Johnson was foil
Saturday near Imam University, security offi |
said. Saudi press reports said the car was bof |
trapped and later caught fire. The universil) I
about 12 miles from the neighborhood wti"
Scroggs was shot.
Lockheed Martin issued a statement confin
that Johnson was missing. The U.S. Embassy#
it was working with Saudi officials to find the!
napped American.
Paul Johnson III, of Port. St. John, Fla., asl
the kidnappers to let his father go.
“He doesn’t deserve it. It’s not his fault -
over there. It’s his job,” he said on NBC News I
He said his father had been nervous all
being in Saudi Arabia. “My dad’s probablypi
ing, wondering how he got himself into this-
how he can get himself out,” he said.
The militant attacks against Westerners, £ I
ernment targets and economic interests in
kingdom have surged despite a high-profilecsl
paign against terrorists the government beganil
suicide bombings last year.
Their intention
is to shake our will,
to frighten away
our friends and
allies, and to
undermine our
society.
— Prince Bandar
Saudi Ambassador to the
United States
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