NewsScan Daily, 6 April 2004 ("Above The Fold")

NewsScan Daily, 6 April 2004 ("Above The Fold")
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NewsScan Daily is underwritten by RLG, a world-class organization making
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appropriate use of information technology. NSD is written by John Gehl and
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"ABOVE THE FOLD"  
       Linux a Contender, But Windows Owns the Track For Now
       CompUSA Offers Software To Go
       Digital Video Device for Vision Problems
       Australian Online Ad Market Grows
       RFID Technology for Airport Baggage-Tracking
       Who Killed the New York Times?

FEATURES        
       Flash Card
       Australian Football
       Worth Thinking About: Popular Song Lyrics (III): Frank Loesser.

LINUX A CONTENDER, BUT WINDOWS OWNS THE TRACK FOR NOW
     A Yankee Group survey of 300 large companies has found that 90% believe
that a major switch from Windows to Linux would be impractical. Lauro DiDio
of Yankee group says, "In large enterprises, a significant Linux deployment
or total switch from Windows to Linux would be three to four times more
expensive and take three times as long to deploy as an upgrade from one
version of Windows to newer Windows releases." (Reuters/Washington Post 5
Apr 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51906-2004Apr5.html

COMPUSA OFFERS SOFTWARE TO GO
     CompUSA's SoftwareToGo machine, which looks like a touch-screen ATM,
allows customers to search for software titles (by name, category or
publisher), place an order, then pick up the software on a CD at the
checkout counter. The company believes that the machine will revolutionize
the way people buy software. CompUSA president Tony Weiss explains: "It
broadens the number of titles without needing to carry the extra inventory,
and it will diversify offerings into things like Spanish-language titles."
But Gartner G2 research analyst Gail Daikoku warns: "Consumers always say in
surveys they would use something like this, but retailers haven't always
figured out the secret sauce." Microsoft is interested in selling some of
its software products through SoftwareToGo -- but not Windows or Microsoft
Office ("mostly because of security considerations"). (AP/San Jose Mercury
News 5 Apr 2004)
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/8361437.htm

DIGITAL VIDEO DEVICE FOR VISION PROBLEMS
     A device called Quicklook has been developed to help people with
uncorrectable vision loss from glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes, macular
degeneration and other diseases; it combines a tiny digital video camera
with a four-inch liquid-crystal display screen, and acts as an electronic
magnifying glass. Dr. Amy Horowitz of Lighthouse International says that
optical aids "contribute significantly to a decline in depression and a
decline in disability in the first six months" -- whereas "adaptive aids"
(such as large-print books, talking clocks and Braille watches) do not seem
to reduce depression. Horowitz says: "I think it's psychological," and
explains the adaptive aids might be felt as a surrender to vision loss."(New
York Times 6 Apr 2004)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/06/health/06EYE.html

AUSTRALIAN ONLINE AD MARKET GROWS
     The Australian online advertising market had a bumper year in 2003,
growing 41 per cent. A report for the six-month period through December 30
2003 indicates that online advertising spending grew 51% over the same
period in 2002, to $137 million. The report found the finance (personal
banking) industry was the top spender in general advertising with the
recruitment industry maintaining its position at number one for classifieds.
(The Australian 5 Apr 2004)
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,9194559%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,
00.html Rec'd from John Lamp, Deakin University

RFID TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT BAGGAGE-TRACKING
     Jacksonville International will be one of the first airports to track
luggage with RFID tags to increase security and help reduce the number of
lost bags. RFID stands for "radio frequency identification" systems, which
use electronic readers to record data stored within microchips encased in
plastic tags laced with metal bands that transmit signals to monitoring
devices. However, the cost of a disposable RFID chip begins at about 20
cents, which is 20 times what it costs to produce bar-code tags. (AP/USA
Today 5 Apr 2004)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-04-05-jax-bags_x.htm

WHO KILLED THE NEW YORK TIMES?
     Some newspaper-watchers say that deposed executive editor Howell Raines
seriously damaged the stature and credibility of the New York Times because
of the way he managed the newsroom and the news; others give the blame to
Jayson Blair, a Raines protégé who flagrantly plagiarized stories from other
newspapers and committed other editorial sins as well. Decide for yourself.
Raines justifies his own actions in a very long apologia called "My Times"
in the May issue of the Atlantic Monthly; for Blair's version of events, see
his recent book "Burning Down My Master's House: My Life at the New York
Times." Unsurprisingly, both versions of the story are distinctly
self-serving accounts of what actually happened. (Atlantic Monthly May 2004)
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2004/05/raines-excerpts.htm

*****  

FLASH CARD 
     "Where do the words come from? The same mysterious place, I suspect,
where notes of music go. They precede ideas, and are inseparable from them.
For myself, I bow my head, touch wood, and utter a small prayer that the
flow of them never cease." (Joseph Epstein)

AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
     We've gotten a lot of mail about our recent mention of Australian
football. Rather than include them in the next mailbag we'll just give you
the following typical message on the subject, which we received from Dr.
Peter Tylee: "Hi Folks, Out of my immense respect for your journalistic
standards I have to point out an error of fact in your take headed "Porn
Image Sparks Kids' Football CD Recall"; you incorrectly indicate that
Australian football of the variety managed by the Australian Football League
(AFL) is soccer. #eGads!#cough! splutter...choke!!# In Australia we follow
four major football codes: AFL, Rugby Union, Rugby League and soccer. AFL is
principally centred in one state, Victoria, with a single team based in the
capital of most other states. AFL is followed in Victoria with something
approaching religious fervour. What looks very odd to me is that the item is
attributed to John Lamp of Deakin University, which is in Victoria. If John
is indeed guilty of calling AFL soccer, he is in serious need of help." [No,
John Lamp doesn't need the help, it was entirely our mistake. -- J&S]
 
 WORTH THINKING ABOUT: POPULAR SONG LYRICS (III): FRANK LOESSER
     From time to time we pay tribute to the great lyricists of American
popular song, and today we honor lyricist and composer Frank Loesser, whose
best-known Broadway shows were "Guys and Dolls," "How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying," and "The Most Happy Fella." Even some Gen-Xers may
recognize some of his lyrics (though we're not sure we'd be able to say that
about Y, Z, and above).
     Give yourself a self-test to see if you know the melodies that go with
each of the following lyrics -- but don't sing too loud, unless your boss is
out of town.
               ***
When you see a guy reach for stars in the sky
You can bet that he's doing it for some doll.
When you spot a John waiting out in the rain
Chances are he's insane as only a John can be for a Jane.
When you meet a gent paying all kinds of rent
For a flat that could flatten the Taj Mahal.
Call it sad, call it funny.
But it's better than even money
That the guy's only doing it for some doll.
               ***
Ask me how do I feel
Ask me now that we're cosy and clinging
Well sir, all I can say, is if I were a bell I'd be ringing!
From the moment we kissed tonight
That's the way I've just gotta behave
Boy, if I were a lamp I'd light
And If I were a banner I'd wave!
Ask me how do I feel, little me with my quiet upbringing
Well sir, all I can say is if I were a gate I'd be swinging!
And if I were a watch I'd start popping my springs!
Or if I were a bell I'd go ding dong, ding dong ding!
               ***
I love you a bushel and peck
A bushel and peck and it beats me all to heck
Beats me all to heck and I'll never tend the farm
Never tend the farm when I wanna keep my arm
About you, about you
Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your pretty neck, I do
Doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle oo
               ***
I'll know when my love comes along
I'll know then and there...
I'll know...
At the sight of his face
How I care, how I care, how I care...
And I'll stop...
And I'll stare
And I'll know
Long before we can speak!
I'll know
I'll know in my heart
I will know and I won't ever ask
"Am I right, am I wise, am I smart?'"
But I but I'll stop, and I'll stare at that face in the throng
           ***
I've never been in love before.
Now all at once it's you,
It's you forever more.
I've never been in love before
I thought my heart was safe,
I thought I knew the score.
But this is wine, 
That's all too strange and strong,
I'm full of foolish song
And out my song must pour.
So please forgive this helpless haze I'm in,
I've really never been in love before!
              ***
I dreamed last night I got on the boat to heaven
And by some chance I had brought my dice along
and there I stood, and I hollered
Someone fade me
but the passengers they knew right from wrong...
For the people all said sit down, sit down you're rockin' the boat
People all said sit down, sit down you're rockin' the boat
And the devil will drag you under,
by the sharp lapel of your checkered coat
sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down
sit down you're rocking the boat.
        ***
Velvet I can wish you
For the collar of your coat
And fortune smiling all along your way
But more I cannot wish you
Than to wish you find your love
Your own true love this day
       ***
     Some other Frank Loesser lyrics include those for "Spring Will Be a
Little Late This Year," "Luck Be a Lady", "I Believe in You," "Wonderful
Copenhagen," ³No Two People," "Standing on the Corner," "Joey, Joey, Joey,"
"Once In Love With Amy," "My Darling, My Darling," "Baby, It's Cold
Outside," "On A Slow Boat to China," "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?,"
"Poppa, Don't Preach to Me," "They're Either Too Young or Too Old," and many
others. Besides writing the lyrics for his own songs, he wrote for such
other great composers as Hoagy Carmichael, Burton Lane, Jule Styne, Arthur
Schwartz, Frederick Hotlander, Jimmy McHugh, Alfred Neuman, and Lou Alter.
     Now get back to work -- knowing that velvet we do wish you for the
collar of your coat, etc.
                                        ***
See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000003FBL/newsscancom/ref=nosim
for a cast recording of the 1992 Broadway revival of Frank Loesser's "Guys
and Dolls" -- or look for it in the multimedia section of your favorite
library. (We donate all revenue from our book recommendations to adult
literacy programs.)

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