European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday july 23, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 5 experts sounding out High tech Melon tester Tulsa okla. A agriculturists at Oklahoma state University say the Market is Ripe for a Battery operated computer aided Melon tester. University scientists Marvin Stone and Mark Farabee have developed the electronic Melon thumped which thumps a Melon and records the vibrations to determine its ripeness. They made sound recordings on melons and then Cut the fruit open to test tissue tenderness and sugar Levels. Recordings matched to Ripe melons were keyed into the computer. And Farabee tasted each test Melon just to make sure. A a taste panel would probably have Given most accurate results but we did no to think that degree of accuracy was needed a Stone an agriculture Engineer said in the Tulsa world newspaper. Until now there was no sure Way to pick a Melon at its Peak without peeking inside. Horticulturists Call that a destructive  experienced Melon checkers traditionally thump melons and listen for the sound it makes. They also consider Rind color Stripe Width size and shape. A with current practices about 70 percent of the watermelons Consumers buy Are exactly Ripe a Stone said. A once this is developed for Field use the number of Ripe melons in the Market should Rise to about 95 percent. Shoppers will get a better Melon for their  Small crack repaired in shuttle floor beam As countdown starts boat s owner arrested after body found at sea Salem mass. Apr a Man who told police that his female sailing companion drowned in a boating Accident has been arrested after a lobster Man pulled her weighted body from the Ocean. Thomas Maimoni 46, originally denied that he took Martha Brailsford sailing july 12, police said. But he changed his Story july 16 and told authorities that she was hit in the head by the boats Boom and fell overboard police said. The lobster Man pulled up Brailsford a body thursday. Her ankle was tied to an Anchor and a weighted Belt was tied around her Waist police said. An autopsy determined that the 37-year-old woman had drowned. Maimoni then disappeared. He was arrested on a burglary charge saturday in Northern Maine near the Canadian Bor in the stars and stripes10 years ago july 23,1981 a after a Day of frantic negotiations the . Postal service and leaders of its two largest and most militant unions agreed on a new contract providing for pay and Benefit increases of $4.8 billion.20 years ago july 23,1971 a the Spanish government acknowledged that there was an outbreak of cholera in the country but said the situation was under control. Seven cases were reported it said. They were described As being Quot of a Light nature and were All cured.30 year Sago july 23,1961 a after the United nations called for an immediate cease fire the tunisian government and France ordered their respective troops at the seaport of Bizerte and in the Sahara to cease offensive  ago july 23,1951 a distress signals prompted the Hunt for a korean plane that vanished the Day before with 38 people aboard along the Alaska Panhandle coast. Der Salem police detective Conrad Prosniewski said. He was held without bail pending arraignment monday in Machias Maine. Massachusetts authorities were seeking his extradition. Maimoni told Maine authorities that he drove within five Miles of the Canadian Border at one Point. A the was on the razors Edge of getting away a said Timothy Mccadden a Maine state trooper. Instead he was arrested saturday As he sat in a log Cabin near Waite Maine after a suspicious neighbor called police. Brailsford an Interior designer last was seen climbing onto a White 28-foot Sailboat later identified As maimonis vessel the counterpoint police said. Her husband reported her missing. Maimoni an Engineer who also is married initially told police that the woman boarded the boat but left before it sailed. He later told police the Accident Story Prosniewski said. Maimoni told authorities that he met Brailsford several months ago while they were walking their dogs Salem police said. Cape canaveral Fla. A Nasa began counting Down sunday for this weeks launch of Atlantis As workers patched a cracked floor beam the space shuttles latest equipment problem. A Nasa test director Mike Leinbach said the repair a gluing a piece of Metal on the crack a was routine and would not delay the launch. Atlantis is scheduled to blast off with five astronauts and a Large communications satellite at 10 55 . Wednesday. Mission commander John e. Blaha and his Crew arrived at Kennedy space Center shortly after the countdown clock began ticking at 4 . Edt. A a we re ready to Fly a Blaha said. A we Hope the weather is Good on wednesday morning so we can have a launch and we re out of Here for our nine Day space  the 4v2-Inch-Long crack in a Small support beam on the aft compartment floor was discovered sunday. Engineers do not know How or when the crack occurred Leinbach said. Workers fashioned a rectangular piece of aluminium to fit Over the crack for reinforcement. The Crevice is in an area that is subjected to Only slight pressure changes during ascent and re entry Leinbach said. It is the fourth problem to strike Atlantis during the past week. Over the weekend workers replaced a bad connector in the circuit that separates the external fuel tank from the or biter shortly after liftoff. An electronic component in the circuit that disconnects the right solid rocket Booster had to be replaced a few Days earlier. A i guess we re a Little Snake bitten a Leinbach said. A the whole flow of Atlantis since its last Mission was so Good so clean. In the last couple Days we be picked up these problems that do need correcting. Its what we react to a Correct problems and move  shortly after reaching orbit Atlantis astronauts will release the $120 million tracking and data relay satellite. The rest of the flight will focus on scientific and engineering  e. Blaha Post commander rank air Force colonel age 48 space experience flew As Pilot on two shuttle missions in 1989michael a. Baker Post Pilot rank Navy commander age 37 space experience non Shannon w. Lucid . Post Mission specialist 1 age 48 space experience flew As Mission specialist on shuttles in 1985 and 1989g. David Low Post Mission specialist 2 age 35space experience flew As Mission specialist on shuttle in 1990 James c. Adamson Post Mission specialist 3 age 45space experience flew As Mission specialist on shuttle in 1989 a siamese twin listed final wishes minutes after her sister had died Cranston . A a 7-year-old girl whose siamese twin sister died realized her own death was minutes away and told her Mother that she wanted to be cremated and to give her friends Flowers. Ruthie and Verena Cady died Friday said their Mother Marlene Cady who wrote a 1989 cover Story about them for people Magazine. Ruthie a lungs had deteriorated in the preceding week the Mother said. A Ruthie died 15 minutes ahead of Verena a Marlene Cady said. A Verena talked about the whole thing. She said a this is the time we re going to be  a she said to go get daddy and she gave me a list of friends she wanted to give Flowers to. She asked to be cremated because she did no to want to be in a Box. She wanted to be  the twins were connected from the breastbone to the Navel and shared a three chambered heart which prevented doctors from separating them. Most siamese twins die at birth. Doctors had told Marlene Cady and her husband Peter that it would be a Miracle if their daughters lived a year. The twins born in Durango colo., studied at an elementary school and Sang in a Church choir. Their favorite activity was Riding on a custom two seat tricycle that let one pedal and the other relax their parents said. A they could just laugh at life a their Mother said. Quot they were almost always Happy and  they looked alike smiled alike and wore identical dresses shirts and bathing suits that their Mother would stitch together. A they had two completely different personalities but they complemented each other a Marlene Cady said. The girls would alternate Days on which each would make the major decisions. They Learned to Compromise. A a when you can to get away from the person you re arguing with you solve it quickly a their Mother said. Tribe gives Kansas governor Indian name Horton Kan. Apr in a ceremony Bright with Kickapoo Indian pageantry gov. Joan Finney was named Wuh no to qua or White morning Star woman. A the United states made treaties with the Kickapoo nation Over a Century ago a Finney said saturday after tribal officials gave her a plaque inscribed with her new Indian name. Quot i will try to live up to them and to truly be a morning Star for All of the Kickapoo  tribal chairman Steve Cadue said Fin Ney was selected because she was the first governor to recognize Indian sovereignty by proclamation. Kickapoo elders chose the name because the morning Star is the first and brightest Star to be seen at the beginning of the Day Cadue said