Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.tech From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: tech Thu, Mar 12 1992 Date: Thu, 12 Mar 92 05:46:03 EST Message-ID: 03-12 0000 DECISIONLINE: Technology USA TODAY Update March 12, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network GOLDIN NOMINATED TO HEAD NASA: President Bush on Wednesday nominated aerospace executive Daniel Goldin to head NASA, sending an experienced private-sector manager to an agency plagued by political struggles over its operation and direction. The selection of Goldin, a TRW vice president described by Bush as "a leader ... and a man of extraordinary energy and vitality," surprised many lawmakers on Capitol Hill. (For more, see special Goldin package below.) BILL WOULD WAIVE IMPORT LICENSE: Rep. Dick Zimmer, R-N.J., introduced legislation Wednesday that could save NASA billions of dollars in development costs by making it easier for the space agency to purchase Russian space hardware and expertise. The legislation would eliminate the requirement for the NASA to obtain a State Department import license or clearance from the Pentagon before buying any former Soviet space hardware. MCDONNELL MAY BUILD TRAINS: McDonnell Douglas Corp. said in a report Wednesday that it is cutting production of its MD-80 medium-range jet to 90 from a 100 in 1992 and predicts negative cash flow the first half year. McDonnell also says it is looking into building bullet trains. But Paul Nisbet of Prudential Securities says the industry's history of expanding into non-defense businesses is filled with failures. MISSILE SALE TO KUWAIT PROPOSED: Congress has been notified of administration plans to sell $2.5 billion worth of Patriot and Hawk air-defense missiles to Kuwait, the Pentagon said Wednesday. The plan calls for the sale of 12 launch batteries and 792 missiles, made by Raytheon Corp., to the small Gulf emirate. Congress has 30 days to allow the sale or reject it. GAGE WINS ARBITRATION AWARD: George Gage, a former top executive with GTE, won a $5.3 million arbitration award from Cigna Securities for an alleged scheme to defraud him over investment decisions. Gage's lawyer says it is one of the largest arbitration awards for a customer against a securities firm. SEMICONDUCTOR BOOKINGS UP: Orders of semiconductors in the U.S. set an all-time record in February as the industry's key market indicator, the book-to-bill ratio, continued to climb. February bookings (orders based on a three-month moving average) were $1.5 billion, up 4.9% from January's $1.4 billion and 12.5% higher than the figure from one year ago, the Semiconductor Industry Association said Wednesday. BROADBAND NETWORK CALLED FOR: The USA must construct a nationwide broadband network to remain competitive, a report from the Economic Strategy Institute says. The reports says the U.S. gross national product could grow as much as $361 billion over 16 years in the network is built. Legislation that has been proposed by Senator Conrad Burns, R-Mont., would mandate construction of a broadband network. CELLULAR USED TO SAVE LIVES: Medical Center of Delaware and Medphone Corp. said Wednesday they have introduced the first cellular rescue program to provide remote medical assistance to cardiac arrest victims. Physicians at the medical center can send signals over the cellular network to the MDphone Cellular Rescue units and initiate remote defibrillation to help save victims of cardiac arrest. GRAMMAR CHECKER ON MARKET: Reference Software International is offering its newest version of its grammar-checking software, Grammatik 5. It is now available for DOS and will be available on Windows in early April and and on Macintosh by summer. With a suggested retail price of $99, Grammatik 5 provides enhanced grammatical analysis, in-depth help features and greater user friendliness, the firm says. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON GOLDIN: GOLDIN FACES POLITICAL PRESSURE: Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill questioned if Daniel Goldin would be a good choice as the new NASA head. President Bush nominated him for the job Wednesday. Lawmakers are concerned that Goldin will not be able to withstand the political pressures that led to the departure of his predecessor, Richard Truly, who resisted directions from Vice President Dan Quayle's National Space Council. SOME FEAR GOLDIN WILL BE PAWN: Lawmakers said they want assurances that the new NASA chief will be more than an administration pawn. Sen. Al Gore, D-Tenn., said that issue will be paramount in Goldin's Senate confirmation hearings, noting in a written statement that the nomination will receive "serious scrutiny." Gore raised concerns over Bush's pledge that Goldin would lead NASA by "working with" Quayle. SPACE COUNCIL IS A CONCERN: Gore said the power of the National Space Council is a cause of concern. It "operates out of the White House and is not accountable to Congress," he said. "Where does that leave Congress? If we approve NASA's budget, we may be scrambling to find money for programs that are substantially modified or junked ... because they are not part of the Space Council's agenda." GOLDIN HAS GOOD RECORD: In his 25 years at TRW, Goldin, 51, has established a reputation for finishing projects on schedule and within budget constraints, according to NASA and aerospace industry officials. As vice president of TRW's Space and Technology Group in Redondo Beach, Calif., Goldin's credits include work on NASA's Gamma Ray Observatory program and advanced communications satellite programs. (End of package.) Technology Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM