Newspapers / The New Bern Mirror … / July 25, 1969, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page Four THE NEW BERN MIRROR, NEW BERN, N. C. Friday, July 25, 1969 THE NEW BERN MIRROR Published Every Friday at 410 Johnson Street New Bern, N. C., 6y the Sole Owner J. GASKILL McDaniel Editor and Publishor SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One Year . - $2.5ft Second Class Postage Paid at New Bern, N. C. WELL DONE Television, saturated with a monotonous blending of inferior programs and asinine coiiiuierciaio, CApe.icuvriS a few shining hours. When those hours do brighten the scene, more often than not the illumination is provided by good reporting. News coverage of notable events is a field where the medium excels, and once again this was impressively demonstrated when Apollo 11 left the earth and found safe harbor in the bone-dry Sea of Tranquility. Wisely, the three major networks pooled their efforts to a considerable extent, and collectively did a far better job than they could have done independently. Of course, television had a lot going for it in this instance that newsmen don’t always have. Provided the identity of members of the moon team well in advance, NBC, CBS, and ABC had ample time to prepare back ground material on the three astronauts. Interviews were taped at a leisurely pace, days and weeks prior to the launching, and airing them at inter vals gave anchor commentators like Walter Cronkite, Frank McGee, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley a wel come respite from marathon stints at the microphone. Most of the tapings were informative and enter taining, and in good taste. Cognizant of continuing haz ards confronting the three spacemen, from blast off to splash down, commentators were in no mood to be overly jocular. It was serious business, and the knowl edge that any one of several “ifs” could mean tragedy made it so. Houston’s cooperation was a boon to more than 2,000 reporters representing 56 countries who were as signed to the monumental story. For once, an anxious \vorld was joined in common bond, praying audibly or silently in varied tongues for fellow humans, involved in a fantastic mission. Come what may, success or failure, the world would know. That is the American way of doing things, a way so strikingly different compared to Russia’s secrecy in promoting its space program. Rest assured that hun dreds of millions around the globe are acutely aware of the contrast, and admire a nation so obviously de termined to, in the slang vernacular of the day, tell it like it is. Second guessing the Soviets or anyone else is hardly fair, but in the afterglow of recent events it is abund antly clear that Moscow was ill advisod wb^n it sent Lunar 15 into orbit around the moon. From the outset, the challenge to Apollo’s manned flight appeared petty and something less than sporting. Russia’s prestige suffered severely when failure occurred, and no amount of explaining that Lunar 15 had completed all the functions intended can possibly erase this fact. With little to gain and much to lose, the Kremlin went for broke on a reckless gamble, and came away from the table empty handed. Meanwhile the moon, unperturbed, keeps on shin ing and acting like nothing extraordinary has happened. BEASLEY-Kl^ ^ CidooCa/al. MSUMM - HMTORS 'WtVICE-SAVINGS" 310 Broad Straot-637-2131 TRU-TREAD TIRE CO. Recapping A Vulcanixing J 223 Craven St. - ME 7-2417 be AUTO SMART ... shop the AUTO MART For the Cleanest, Late Model Used Cars THE SEARCH FOR HEALTH A RfPnRI FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH BUHESOt. MIIRYIAND G.l. Gouns Under a law that wem into effect May 7, 1968, the max imum Veterans Administration guaranteed home loan limit was increased from $7,500 to $12,500. Veterans who have previously used $7,500 entit lement have a remaining en titlement balance of $5,000, provided that eligibility for a G. I. Loan has not exolroH Retinitis Pigmentosa Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited disease that usually produces its first symptom— night blindness—in children. Over a lifetime the disease gradually decreases the ability to see at night and cuts down pn the amount of side vision, until the effect is similar to that of blinders used on horses, or what has been called “gun bar rel vision.” The loss is caused by changes in the retina, the innermost layer of the eye which receives light and gener ates nerve impulses. There is no known treatment that can halt the progress of retinitis pigmentosa in a person who has the gene for this dis ease. In many cases, however, retinitis pigmentosa does not progress to complete blindness. Many patients keep their read ing vision throughout their lives, although it may be restricted to a small central part of the visual field. Only a small num ber of cases result in total blindness. The disease can be diagnosed by an ophthalmologist using an instrument called an ophthalmo scope. Looking into the interior of the eye, if the disease is present, he can see many black pigment deposits scattered throughout the retina, but par ticularly around its edges. This extra pigment is characteristic of the disease, as the name retinitis pigmentosa suggests, but in rare cases the pigment may be absent. A useful tool that enables scientists to distinguish retinitis pigmentosa from other diseases retinogram (ERG). This de vice records electrical impulses that the retina gives off when light strikes it. Electronic com puters used with the ERG help pick up even the weakest electri cal signals of a retina damaged by retinitis pigmentosa. Many scientists are conauci- ing research to find out how retinitis pigmentosa affects ret inal tissue. They have observed that the rods and cones, which * are the specialized light-receiv ing cells of the retina, become less active. Those used for peripheral or side vision are particularly affected. Because there is greater damange to the rods, which are used to detect shades of black and white in dim light, night vision is also Scott S TILE AND FLOOR COVERING L. C. SCOTT, JR. damaged. The deteriorated light-recep tor cells are replaced by an overgrowth of the supporting of the blood vessels and the part of the optic nerve that passes through the retina. This atrophy~^urther damages the ability of the retina to function. Why these changes occur is still unknown. Some abnormal ity in the biochemistry of the eye or of the body’s metabolism may be responsible. Some scientists think the disease is due primarily to a change in the pigment-producing tissue of the retina, or to changes in the small blood vessels that supply nourishment to the outer layers of the retina. Once the cause is pinpointed through research, it may be possible to find ways to prevent the disease or stop its progress. The National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS), one of the National Institutes of Health, conducts research in retinitis pigmentosa at its laboratories in Bethesda, Md., and supports other studies in research centers in various parts of the United States. For more information on progress in overcoming this and other visual disorders, write to this paper for the new NINDS pamphlet, “Eye Re search.” Largest scallop on record w'as brought in to Digby, No va Scotia by Capt. Leon Long- mire. There was half a pound of meat in the huge shell. Quality Shoe Repairing at Reasonable Prices IDEAL SHOE SHOP JOE HATEM, Prop. 903 Broad Stroot ME 7-5011 NAT DIXON NURSERY - 6LENBURNIE • Growers of Fine Trees, Shrubs and Plants FITZGERALD REALTY T. C. FITZGERALD, Realtor Sales & Rentals & Financing 2608 Neute Blvd. Dial 638-1486 LAFAYETTE" ItAOlO ei.eCTRONIC8 ASSOCIATE STORE ion George St., New Bern Tel. 638*5887 owned and operated by W. L. Salter e LAFAYETTE & BROWNING CB EQUIPMENT e NORELCO TAPE RECORDERS e LAFAYETTE STEREO THE BANK OF NEW BERN 313 Pollock St. New Bern, N. C. "Your Home-Owned Bank" OKCANICO Kir YOU'LL FIND THE "DIFFERENT" GIFT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AMONG THE MANY UNUSUAL ITEMS AT MAMIE'S NOVELTY SHOP 215 Hancock St.
The New Bern Mirror (New Bern, N.C.)
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July 25, 1969, edition 1
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