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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2015)
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015 I SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 I © 2015 STUDENT MEDIA I ©THEBATTONLINE Shelby Knowles — THE BATTALION Nepalese students create a fund to help quake victims s the death count after the Satur- day earthquake in Nepal climbs past 4,000, according to the As- JL Jk. sociated Press, rescue workers from around the world are trying to aid those left in the 7.8-magnitude quake’s wake. In response, a group of Aggies are trying to help in their own way. Officers of the Texas A&M chapter of the Nepalese Student Association, most of whom were raised in Nepal, have started raising funds to help victims of the quake. These students created an Indiegogo fund, called “Aggies for Earthquake Vic tims in Nepal,” and have aimed to raise what Fundraiser for victims of the Nepal earthquake called “Aggies for Earthquake Victims in Nepal” where Indiegogo.com $10,000, but have not yet decided which aid group to give the anticipated funds to. One member of the NSA, Manoj Ra- jaure, biochemistry graduate student, said members of the organization decided to create the fund because they felt it was the best way to help without actually traveling to Nepal. “There are already a lot of people help ing there and we are trying to help from here,” Rajaure said. “We want to help but there are already so many foreign aids and other people working hand in hand. I think there are enough people for that. But what they need is resources.” Rajaure said for the past three days people have been on the street in make shift tents. “It’s raining really hard, there is no light, there is no food, there is no shelter, nothing,” Rajaure said. “They’re just ter rified right now, and the aftershocks are still going on, and could for another five to six days and they don’t want to go inside because they don’t know what’s going to happen ... It’s a pretty terrifying situation right now.” At time of press the group has raised $4,459, and Rajaure said the group hopes to not only meet its goal, but to surpass it. NEPAL ON PC. 2 Former student rescued from Mt. Everest slopes By Katy Stapp ^ A former student was air-lifted from Mt. ^ Everest Monday after being stranded due to an avalanche caused by a magnitude-?.8 earth quake, according to media reports. Danielle Banks, Class of 2014, was hiking Mt. Everest when the earthquake hit Nepal early Sat urday. Banks began her trek on Mt. Everest eight days ago, and could only communicate with her moth er, Sharon Banks, via text. After being stranded for more than 24 hours, Banks was rescued by a helicopter around 4 a.m. Monday. Q&A BASEBALL Former NASA employee, current stand-up comedian Shayla Rivera brands herself as the "Funny Rocket Scientist." PROVIDED Shayla Rivera, Class of 1983, worked at NASA upon graduating from A&M with a degree in aerospace engineering before transitioning to a career in stand up comedy. The Battalion news reporter Nikita Redkar spoke with Rivera about her decision to make the switch from hard science to comedy. THE BATTALION: Even though you're currently doing stand-up comedy, you got your degree from A&M in aerospace engineering. How did that start? RIVERA: I'm originally from Puerto Rico where I was born and raised until right after high school when I left for Houston with my parents. My sister was already going to engineering school upon my graduation, so when I got to Texas I began applying to colleges and ended up choosing A&M. I did aerospace engineering and worked for NASA for eight years. THE BATTALION: How did you start at NASA and what were your responsibilities? RIVERA: I went down with three girlfriends from the aerospace department for an opening and got interviewed for a job under NASA's Space Shuttle contract. At first I had no idea what I was doing, just like any recent graduate. When you start off, you don't know anything. You just know where to go find answers. Eventually, my first work was in the external tank system and rocket boosters of the shuttle. I worked in the group to make sure the rocket debris was controlled and didn't land on anyone upon the rocket's landing back onto Earth. I trained with mission control operators and the space station. It was so fun and really interesting. I learned a lot of science and a lot about myself. Plus it's always cool to tell people I'm a rocket scientist. THE BATTALION: So what made you decide to shift gears into comedy? RIVERA: After NASA I got into sales in Houston, and RIVERA ON PG. 2 The aura of 'Olsen Magic' Tim Lai — THE BATTALION Fans have shown up to Olsen Field in droves this season as a 28-4 home record has helped A&M stay near the top of national polls. Homefield mystique the result of years of late-game heroics By Andre Perrard For years now, Aggie baseball fans young and old have witnessed what has become known as “Olsen Magic,” an energy that can be felt at the gates. The beginning of this phenomenon is often attributed to the 1989 Aggie baseball team. Commonly referred to as one of the greatest teams in program history, the squad started the 1989 season 26-0 and finished the year 58-7, winning the Southwest Conference regular season and tournament titles along the way. The Aggies hosted their first regional in school history that season, but the sea son came to a halt at the hands of rival LSU in extra innings. Then-head coach Mark Johnson won the Southwest Conference Coach of the Year award that season, and he said the 1989 season was the start of the Olsen Field aura. “It started happening when I was coaching here in the 80s,” Johnson said. “We had a really, really good ball club, commonly known as the ’89 ball club. They were a very good offensive ball club. Just OK pitching, but we had a really good closer, but [the offense] al lowed us to come from behind a lot. So, we just kept coming from behind and they just kept talking about ‘Olsen Magic’ and it started catching on ... it’s kind of like the Aggie spirit, it becomes a reality. The magic becomes real to you, and you start counting on it, so it’s special.” Then-No. 1 Texas A&M hosted its archrival, then-No. 9 Texas Longhorns, for a weekend series in April 1989. After dropping game one on Friday night, the two would play a doubleheader Satur day. The Aggies won those two games with walk-off home runs from John Byington to win the doubleheader and clinch a share of the conference crown. Johnson said it was his favorite moment. “It was against our rival, a full house, it was an important game for a cham pionship,” Johnson said. “[Byington] comes up two games in a row, in the same day, on national television, and goes yard. You have to say that’s the ultimate. That’s backyard stuff, but you never think about doing it in a double header.” Current head coach Rob Childress has been at the helm of the Aggie pro gram for 10 years, and boasts one of the best team in school history. The Ag gies (37-7) are ranked fifth, and started OLSEN MAGIC ON PG. 4 WEATHER Funnel clouds seen in Brazos County (Top left) provided, (center) Shelby Knowles — THE BATTALION Meteorology juniors Dylan Smith, Carlos Martinez and Lauren Replogle watch the storm from the top of the Eller Oceanography and Meteorology Building. Atmospheric sciences professor urges residents to exercise caution By Katy Stapp Two funnel clouds were spotted in ^ the Bryan-College Station area around 5 p.m. Monday. Don Conlee, instructional associate professor of atmospheric sciences, said because the funnel clouds did not touch the ground, they are not considered tornadoes. “Even if these were to touch the ground, they would be considered non supercell. tornadoes,” Conlee said. “These are not the destructive supercell ones that people usually think of when they think of typical tornadoes.” Conlee said while non-supercell tornadoes are typically not destructive, they can still cause damage and people should exercise caution. “We’re not under a watch right now, but people should definitely show caution, especially if they’re driving,” Conlee said around 5:30 p.m. Monday.