European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 19, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes thursday november 19,1992dod plans to help firms vie with Japan by the Washington Post Austin Texas a the United states is preparing to rejoin a major technological Battle with Japan that Many thought it had lost. Early next year More than a dozen . Companies plan to propose a partnership with the defense department in a bid to overtake Japan a Lead in the manufacture of thin electronic screens Industry sources said those screens Are expected to be a crucial component in the multimillion Dollar Market for future Lap top computers weapons systems and High definition television sets. The companies which include Xerox corp. And at amp to plan to submit a proposal to the defense advanced research projects Agency by Jan. 15, five Days before president elect Clinton is to be inaugurated. The Agency is planning to contribute $12 million As seed Money for the first year to the proposed High definition display manufacturing consortium. Industry sources said defense department financing would be expected to increase substantially once the project began. The plan if approved by Congress would be a major new example of government backing for an Industry viewed As important to . Competitiveness. Clinton and some of those around him have indicated repeatedly that they support stronger government action to protect and nurture key technologies. If the United states does succeed in becoming a major competitor in the mass manufacture of a Flat panel display screens it will be a surprising turn in a Story that Many have cited As a striking example of . Failure to exploit its own technological breakthroughs. Several american companies invented the screens More than three decades ago. But japanese companies took the Lead in manufacturing them for Lap top computers and other products and Many american companies closed their doors in face of the Competition. Last year the . Government ruled that japanese companies had Quot dumped the screens in the United states at prices sharply below what it Cost to make them and levied duties to remove the advantage. But observers said the action came much too late to provide much help to struggling . Display makers. Two of the remaining . Display makers Standish industries inc. Of Lake Mills wis., and ois optical imaging systems inc. Of Troy mich., will be members of the Quot Core group Quot in the proposed consortium said Industry sources. Ois is the nations Only manufacturer of a a Active matrix displays one of the main technologies and most of its sales Are to the military. American computer makers such As Apple computer inc. Have bemoaned the Lack of a . Display Industry which has forced them to rely mainly on imported screens. The Lack of an american Industry also has potential National Security implications. In the future the screens will be used in military ships armoured vehicles fighter plane cockpits training programs and command and control centers. They also will be used in Wall mounted televisions videophones and space vehicles a nearly everywhere that information is displayed electronically. But american companies currently account for less than 5 percent of a $3,5 billion Industry one that is expected to swell to $7.5 bilion by 1995. In late september the defense advanced research projects Agency called for proposals for a manufacturing consortium that would develop the expertise and infrastructure needed to jump Start the Flat planed display Industry. The Agency already has provided Grants Over the past three years amounting to More than $110 million to More than two dozen firms and universities to promote work on a High Resolution Quot displays. A defense department official who asked not to be identified said that within the last few weeks companies discussing a possible consortium have Quot reached the critical mass Quot needed to move ahead with the  s a Bird it s a plane it s big sales for comic new York a the Man of steel is suddenly the Man of sales. The imminent slaying of Superman has set off unprecedented demand for the comic Book that leaves Lois Lane waiting at the altar and collectors waiting for a resurrection. An estimated 3 million copies of Superman no. 75 a the superheroes sort of Swan song a were scheduled to arrive in stores nationwide wednesday with the Issue expected to smash records for new York publisher do comics. Demand is about 10 times that of the usual Superman comic said Roger Fletcher of Baltimore based Diamond comics distributors. Quot this is definitely the biggest Buzz of any comic 1 can remember Quot said John Henegan of the forbidden planet comic Book store in Manhattan. A a it a much bigger than anything else a its the death of Superman. That says it All. Henegan said the phones Are ringing customers arc pouring into the store Advance orders Are piling up a and its All the work of the dearly departed hero. Henegan estimates the store ordered 2,500 copies about 50 times its usual order. He expects to sell out at $1.25 a regular copy and $2.50 for a special edition with a souvenir Black armband bearing the Superman logo and a trading card. Buyers will Likely run the Gamut from hard Core collectors to the curious Superman fans to speculators with a few nostalgic sorts sates people said. Quot the death of Superman is a very special Case Quot said Michael Audino manager at St. Mark s comics. Its not Krypton Ite or the red Sun that sends Superman 6 feet under it s his most lethal opponent Ever a doomsday. The immediate results of the death super Fiancee Lois Lane is left with her love unrequited. Superman a other pals Are left to mourn in a series of comic sales of he latest Issue of Superman Are expected to set a record Quot its much bigger than anything else a its the death of Superman. That says it All Quot says John Henegan or a Manhattan comic Book store. Books tilled funeral for a Friend. The Long term results Superman a resurrection some time next year through an unknown series of events. Do is closely guarding details of the caped superheroes  s remains believed found in crashed plane by the Kansas City Star Kansas City to. A soldiers training tuesday at fort Riley kan., found plane wreckage and a body a All that officials suspect Are left of a wild attempt by a 20-year-old Soldier to dash Home to Texas on halloween in a stolen plane. Although the body was charred officials believe it is a Soldier who was reported absent without leave oct. 31, the same Day the plane was discovered missing. The Soldier had told friends he was going to rent a plane to Fly Home said Geary county sheriff Bill Dep pish. Deppish said the plane apparently was stolen on halloween from the Junction City municipal Airport about 10 Miles from the crash site. Quot it was very inclement weather that night Quot he said. A a person flying an air plane that night would have had to be very stupid or very  he said there were Tricky winds and no visibility that night. Although the Soldier had a pilots License officials do not believe he was trained in instrument flying which would have been necessary on such a night. A i just done to think he was ready to Fly in those conditions a Deppish said. Quot he probably got disoriented by the weather and went into the ground before he knew what was happening. He went into the ground  the Soldier also was suspected of burglar izing and damaging several planes in Manhattan kan., including one that had its wings sheared off while going through a hangar door. The planets wreckage was found tuesday morning by soldiers in the rugged terrain of the Northwest Section of the fort located in North Central Kansas. The Remote land is used for tank Maneu vers. The wreckage of the single engine Turbo plane which can travel up to 200 Mph was scattered Over an area 200 Yards Long and 75 Yards  e supplements seem to help heart studies find new Orleans a taking daily doses of Vitamin e apparently cuts the risk of heart disease Between one third and one half two major new studies conclude. Researchers said they were surprised by the size of the reduction in risk among people taking the Vitamin supplements which May prevent the damaging effects of cholesterol. The results strengthen the newly popular belief that vitamins and other so called anti oxidants Are Good for the heart. The two studies a one in women and one in men a found similar dramatic reductions in heart risk in people who take Vitamin e. Quot we were very reassured to see these two studies come out so similarly Quot said or. Meir Stampfer who directed the women a study. However experts cautioned that More study is necessary before people Are urged to take Vitamin e and other antioxidants to help their hearts. Reports on both studies conducted at the Harvard school of Public health in Boston were presented tuesday at the annual scientific meeting of the american heart association. The studies found that the amount of Vitamin e in Vitamin Rich food was not enough to produce the Benefit. It Only appeared when people took at least 100 International units of Vitamin e per Day the amount in a single Vitamin supplement. Stampfer said that unlike some Vita mins people can take Large amounts wit Little fear of toxic effects. While he said he takes Vitamin e Hin self the benefits Are still not Etc. Enough to suggest that everyone Shou do the same. Last year Harvard researchers reported evidence that another Vitamin Bei carotene also appears to be Good for to heart. They found that this sub Stano which is the vegetable form of Vitamin appears to Cut the risk of heart disease t about 22 percent