NewsScan Daily, 16 December 2004 ("Above The Fold")

NewsScan Daily, 16 December 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"  
       What Prospect for Change in Copyright Policy?
       Searching for the Future of TV
       Geico Case Against Google Dismissed by Judge
       Another Round in the Apple-vs.-Real Networks Fight
       Illinois Legislation to Regulate Over-the-Top Videogames

FEATURES
       Flash Card
       Worth Thinking About: Mascara
       Mailbag: The World As We Find It

WHAT PROSPECT FOR CHANGE IN COPYRIGHT POLICY?
     On the issue of protecting music and movies from Internet piracy,
Senator Orrin Hatch (R, UT), a songwriter himself, has been the
entertainment industry's most powerful ally in Congress, but in 2005 Sen.
Arlen Specter (R, PA) will replace Hatch as chairman of the Senate Judiciary
Committee. Will there be much change? One aide says that Specter "has been a
follower rather than a leader on these issues" and therefore might let Hatch
keep holding the reins. However, David Green of the Motion Picture
Association of America (MPAA) predicts that Specter will rise to the
occasion: "Copyright issues are important and they're going to percolate up,
and it's really impossible for him to ignore them. He might be right now
more interested in something else, but because these issues are important to
America they are going to be important to Arlen Specter." (Washington Post
16 Dec 2004)
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4003-2004Dec16.html>

SEARCHING FOR THE FUTURE OF TV
     The startup search engine Blinkx will allow users to search the Web for
selected video clips from 15 television channels, so that, for example, if
you type in "Kofi Annan" Blinkx will offer a selection of digitized clips
cued up to the point where the U.N. secretary general is mentioned. Coming
soon with similar services: Yahoo, Google, and Microft. Blinkx, which has
analyzed and indexed 42,000 hours of video, says "fair use" provisions of
copyright law allow it to show a clip of up to 30 seconds. But attorney
Daniel Harris, an intellectual property attorney, warns: "It definitely
sounds like an area where there could be lawsuits." (Wall Street Journal 16
Dec 2004) 
<http://www.wsj.com>

GEICO CASE AGAINST GOOGLE DISMISSED BY JUDGE
     A federal district court judge in Virginia has dismissed a key claim in
the trademark infringement suit brought against Google by Geico, the auto
insurance company. Geico had argued that the Google practice that allows
Geico's competitors to buy ads linked to searches for "Geico" and "Geico
Direct" confuses Web surfers who are looking specifically for Geico, but the
judge ruled that there was not enough evidence the Google practice actually
confuses consumers. One intellectual property attorney not involved in the
case predicts: "It will not be binding precedent. That's how cases get to
the Supreme Court."(New York Times 15 Dec 2004)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/technology/15cnd-google.html?oref=login>

ANOTHER ROUND IN THE APPLE-VS.-REAL NETWORKS FIGHT
     Apple has begun blocking the technology that RealNetworks created to
evade the copy-protection shield used by Apple's iPod. When RealNetworks
introduced its Harmony technology this summer, it hoped to dissolve some of
the barriers created by incompatible, proprietary digital music standards,
and said it had reverse-engineered Apple's copy-protection code to allow
songs purchased from non-Apple online outlets to be playable on the iPod. To
deal with Apple's new move, RealNetworks now says it "will look at the Apple
upgrade and see how it'll make Harmony work once again with the iPod."
(AP/San Jose Mercury News 15 Dec 2004)
<http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/10425219.htm>

ILLINOIS LEGISLATION TO REGULATE OVER-THE-TOP VIDEOGAMES
     Illinois may be the first state in the country to regulate the sale and
rental of violent and "adult" videogames, including ones such as "Grand
Theft Auto: San Andreas," where players kill cops, steal cars, solicit
prostitutes and then beat them to get their money back. Two bills being
promoted by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich would make it a crime for
retailers to rent or sell such violent or sexually graphic material to
minors. The videogame industry seems ready to shrug off the governor's
proposals, and a spokesman for the Video Software Dealers Association says,
"Every time there's a major new release, or a new release of technology, you
see new attempts to regulate this industry." (Los Angeles Times 16 Dec 2004)
<http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-na-videogame16dec16,1,1401685.story?coll=la-headlines-technology>

*****

FLASH CARD
     "There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the
proportion." (Sir Francis Bacon)

WORTH THINKING ABOUT: MASCARA
     In her new book " Inventing Beauty: A History Of The Innovations That
Have Made Us Beautiful," New York Times patent columnist Teresa Riordan has
created a record of the successive inventions devised to help women beautify
themselves as public tastes gradually came to embrace artifice:
     "When it comes to flirtation, the eyes can cast a potent spell. An
intense gaze is one of the most effective ways a woman can broadcast her
interest in a man. (Believe it or not, scientists have actually quantified
this.) But how is it that eye makeup, particularly mascara, became a
standard implement in America's cosmetic toolbox?
     "Mascara became legitimate in the United States only fairly recently in
the historic scheme of things. Many a proper Victorian lady, who had no
qualms about inflating her breasts with rubber bust enhancers or
upholstering her rear end with a bustle, was vociferously opposed to
altering her face with any type of cosmetic. Indeed, the late 1800s brought
furious catfights over the legitimacy of rouge pots and eyebrow pencils.
Were they the province of sophisticated beauties or the downfall of wanton
souls?
     "Charlotte Smith, editor of The Woman Inventor, argued against the use
of cosmetics while the entrepreneur Madame M. Yale vigorously supported
women's right to use them. Both women testified on the subject of cosmetics
before the House of Representative's Agricultural Committee in 1892. Madame
Yale -- 'young and lovely, with masses of blonde hair' -- was a successful
businesswoman who had built a company worth $500,000 selling cosmetics,
soaps, corsets, and a facial steaming machine.
     "Described by the Pittsburgh Leader as a 'priestess of the cosmetic
art,' Madame Yale lectured on cosmetics at the Chicago Opera House on March
17, 1892, arguing that they should be included among exhibits featuring
female inventors. Yale complained volubly about the formidable Bertha
Palmer, who, as the head of the board of Lady Managers at the Chicago
World's Fair of 1893, decided what did and did not belong in the Woman's
Building of that fair.
     "The logic of Madame Yale's pro-cosmetics argument to feminists was
inspired: 'Training and skills being equal, the woman who looks better will
get the job, so why not make the most of your appearance?' Mrs. Palmer was
unswayed. She decreed that such nonsense was not worthy of the Woman's
Building."
     Source: Teresa Riordan, Inventing Beauty: A History Of The Innovations
That Have Made Us Beautiful,
                    ***
[To purchase a copy of Riordan's book visit:
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767914511/newsscancom/ref=nosim> or
to find a library copy of
Valerie Steele's "Fashion and Eroticism Ideals of Feminine Beauty From the
Victorian Era to the Jazz Age" go to RLG's RedLightGreen.com:
<http://www.redlightgreen.com/ucwprod/servlet/ucw.servlets.UCWController?ACTION=EDITION&WORKID=24341352&>
Note: We donate all revenue from our recommendations to adult literacy
programs.]

MAILBAG: THE WORLD AS WE FIND IT

LYRICAL LINES IN THE STAND
Re: <http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=11827>
     I really enjoyed the featured lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It's one of
the great features of NewsScan Daily. And writing this email reminded me of
a teen's comment years ago on American Bandstand: "I liked the beat, the
music and the words, but didn't like the lyrics." :) (Rick Cullen)

THOSE PESKY EXPONENTS
Re: < 
http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=honorary_subscriber&id=868
>
     Exponents are hard to do in typed text! I can suggest three ways to do
it: 
       x^n + y^n = z^n (caret symbol implies exponentiation);
       x**n + y**n = z**n ("**" borrowed from FORTRAN syntax);
or use 2 lines, hope recipient uses fixed-width font
       n n n 
       x + y = z 
I can't resist the cheeky observation that ^2 an exponent seems to have
crept into your text unexpectedly in your Honorary Subscriber article on
Sophie Germain. :-) (Steve Coulson, Director, College of Engineering
Computing Services, Kansas State University)

THAT PESKY TOLKIEN
Re: < 
http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=honorary_subscriber&id=868
>
     Something didn't sound quite right about "Sir Gawain and the Blue
Knight." A google Search for "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" yields 60,300
English pages. A search for "Sir Gawain and the Blue Knight" yields no
documents. A search for "Sir Gawain and the Blue" yields one very
unfortunate document link which I did not pursue. (Mike Barnes)

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR KNIGHT?
Re: < 
http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=honorary_subscriber&id=868
>
     I am sure someone else has already pointed out the problem here, but I
have to be certain: George Myers suggest that if you had included Tolkien's
scholarly work in which he translated "Sir Gawain and the Blue Knight" it
might have given further insight into his academic and perhaps spiritual
side; presumably George means _Sir Gawain and the GREEN Knight_ (my
emphasis). I studied this extensively in graduate school, both in the
original and in many different translations, of which Tolkien's is certainly
my favorite -- but in all of them, Gawain's mysterious opponent is green.
(David Sisk, Associate Director, Computing & Information Technology,
Macalester College)

BEFORE THERE WAS KINKO'S
Re: 
<http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=honorary_subscriber&id=867>
     Lest any of your readers think that Ptolemy I was being particularly
generous in giving the visitors nice, shiny, new copies of books, and
keeping the old, it should be remembered that books were copied by hand, by
slaves who might be more, or less, skilled at copying. The new copy was
certain to have more mistakes than the one surrendered, and everyone knew
it. Given a choice, under normal circumstances almost anyone would have
chosen to keep the older copy. (Michael S. Borries, Central Office, CUNY)

HOW MANY SIDES DOES A STATUE HAVE? SHOULD WE HAVE A CONTEST?
Re: < http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=11820>
     Cellini made an interesting observation, in abstract terms at least, in
saying that "a statue has eight views, and they must all be equally good."
However, if you could elucidate what those eight view are, I would be
obliged. I can only think of:
       top
       bottom
       front
       back
       left
       right, 
(unless you include inside and outside, but those are stretching it I
think). Can you provide more info?
(Mark H. Zollinhofer, Ph.D., East Mennonite University) [What say you,
NewsScan readers? -- J&S]

SEARCHING FOR A BETTER SEARCH TOOL
Re: < http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=11824>
     Hasn't Microsoft Windows always had a desktop search? Click on START
and then SEARCH. It works but is slow. Microsoft, Google and Yahoo are
getting publicity on new desktop search but there is little mention of
Coprenic Desktop Search, which is a free and mature product. I tried the
Google Desktop Search and did not find it useful. I tried the Coprenic
Desktop Search and found it to be a useful fast feature-rich desktop search
program. Anyone interested in desktop search should try it. (Dennis Zobel)

THE MODERN VERSION OF THE ALEXANDRIA LIBRARY
Re: < http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=11808>
     I wonder whether Simon Singh is aware that the modern version of the
Alexandria Library is being built, giving access to digital material all
over the world. According to its web site, "The Alexandria Digital Library
<http://webclient.alexandria.ucsb.edu/> (ADL) offers easy access to its
collections of geographically referenced materials. The library,
headquartered at the University of California at Santa Barbara, is hosted by
the Davidson Library's Map & Imagery Lab <http://www.sdc.ucsb.edu/> (MIL).
The MIL team is working with development teams throughout the world to
establish remote, independent, yet federated ADL nodes featuring local
geographically referenced collections." (Muhammad Abd al-Hameed, Lahore,
Pakistan)

TECHNOLOGY-MEDIATED CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Re: < http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=11792>
     Your story "Students In NYC, New Delhi Make Beautiful Music Together"
presented an inspirational portrayal of distance learning at its best. The
event was the catalyst for extensive learning about the music, dance, and
history of the other country and the videoconference, as described, sounds
like it was not only fun but a cultural exchange that was only possible
mediated with technology. I hope the innovation and creativity of this event
inspires others to consider the richness possible with distance learning for
people of all ages. And, as always, thank you for including such interesting
news in NewsScan Daily! (Lisa Neal, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief, eLearn Magazine,
www.eLearnMag.org)

FREQUENT FLYER NIGHTMARE I
Re: <Re: 
<http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=11809>
     Great! Just what we need! More inane and brainless chatter from
intellectually challenged cellphone users, this time in a sealed aircraft
with a captive audience unable to escape.  One of the things I always liked
about flying on aircraft was the fact that for a few hours, no one could
contact me or bother me. The solitude was wonderful!  To think that it might
now be destroyed forever is too horrible to contemplate. (John McNulty,
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada)
    
FREQUENT FLYER NIGHTMARE II
Re: <http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=11809>
     One reaction I had was to imagine with horror one of my frequent
long-haul international flights surrounded by people having those "where are
you now" conversations. They will use those wonderful, and blessedly silent,
online maps that give your location, speed, altitude, and outside
temperature to keep people informed for 13 hours. Yikes!! Happy holidays to
you and Suzanne and your multitude of readers who love this service. (Jean
Currie, Executive Director, South Central Regional Library Council)

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We call our news section "Above The Fold" to honor the tradition of the
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