European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 07, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 the stars and stripes Money matters Friday january 7,1994 today s rates following1, Are fixed rates at which Community banking and credit Union facilities will sell for eign currencies to . Personnel for personal use German Mark. 1.70 British Pound. 1.53 dutch Guilder. 1.89 greek drachma. 243.06534 note Tho rates above apply within the Host country. Figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar following Are Interbank rates that fluctuate and should be regarded As the approximate value of the . Dollar to foreign Curren cies italian lira. .1,689.50 turkish lira. 14,630.70 Spanish peseta. 145.10 portuguese escudo. 176.77 austrian Schilling. 12.23 saudi Royal. 3.7498 Bahrain Dinar. 0.3767 kuwaiti Dinar. 0.29845 norwegian Krone. 7.499 danish Krone. 6.759 British Pound. .1.4835 German Mark. 1.7415 Swiss franc. 1.4775 French franc. 5.9115 dutch Guilder. 1.9479 belgian franc. 36.15 Canadian Dollar. 1.3188 note figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar Gold quote $390.60 an ounce Silver quote $5.06 an ounce. New York Exchange new York up the 15 most Active stocks in Newyork Stock Exchange composite trading on wednesday. Slock Merck & co inc at to company Elefonso of my Rwjr Nabisco hid Borden inc cml group incite Cora k Mart corp Wal Mart stores Etc Cor Abbott labs inc blockbuster in Tim corp Stone Container Bristol Myersq Sites 11,126,000 4,906,000 4,869,400 4,623.100 4,428.400 4,141,000 3,705,300 3,675,800 3,144,700 3,036,100 2,894,100 2,625,600 2,566,400 2.538,100 2,447,000 lift 37 /4 68vi Nitchel. Up 1 the Survey released thursday was based on 374 responses from 1,052 questionnaires mailed during the fall to elected officials in cities with a population of employees of Microsoft which last exhibited at the consumer electronics shown 1985, set up their Booth at the show on wednesday. Electronics convention plugs into everyday needs Las vegas a the Star of the Winter consumer electronics show the place where the next hot product has always been the focus of discussion is an idea this time. Many of the seminars and much of the chatter at the event which opened thursday Are about the growing use of computer and network technology in everyday items like television sets stereos and telephones. One sign of the importance of the idea is that Intel corp., the leading maker of the chips that run personal computers is making its first appear Ance at the event. Microsoft corp., the top maker of pc software has re turned for the first time since 1985. Robert Kavner a senior at Tex ecu Tive was focusing on the idea in his keynote speech. Kavner is leading the company s drive to develop advanced products and services that integrate voice video and data. Computer makers themselves have shown a greater presence at the event Over the past few years we have seen the computer Industry move aggressively into the consumer Market place and consequently we have had tremendous growth in this product area at each of our shows said Gary Shapiro group vice president of the electronic industries association. After years of focusing on business customers the computer Industry has turned to the potentially much larger consumer Market. Consumers have become More interested in their products which Are less expensive and Sim Pler to use. While consumer sales Are the fast est growing part of the pc business half of All buyers already own a pc. Recognition that a plateau in buying is near has led the Industry to pay closer attention to what consumer Swant. 10,000 or More. The officials identified gangs and Vio Lent crime As the second and third worst problems faced by City governments. The no. 1 problem according to 71 percent of respondents was the Impact of unfunded mandates or Federal rules with which local governments must com ply using their own Money. Eliminating mandates is one of the league of cities major thrusts and was included in the Survey for the first time. Other persistent problems identified by More than 50 percent of those surveyed were poverty teen pregnancy unemployment homelessness a Lack of affordable housing and the spread of aids Clinton balks at tax break for troubled air carriers Washington a the Clinton administration is proposing an overhaul of the Federal aviation administration but won t support a tax Cut to revive the aviation and airline industries officials say. \.  " / the plan which was to be unveiled thursday by transportation Secretary Federico Pena has been billed As the most comprehensive strategy for the air lines since they were deregulated in 1978. It is expected to include a Call for easing restrictions on foreign ownership of . Airlines and for changing bankruptcy Laws that some say give financially ailing airlines an unfair advantage Over competitors. The proposals Are the outgrowth of a bipartisan study commissioned by con Gress and president Clinton to help the airline Industry which has lost More than $10 billion since 1990. Revamping the Faa and assigning its Job of overseeing the nation s air traffic control system to a new government corporation is Likely to face a Tough fight on Capitol Hill. But even before thursday s announce ment the idea was welcomed by the air lines and air traffic controllers. The Faa has been accused of mismanaging the modernization of air traffic control. Faa administrator David r. Hinson said last month that one project for improving air traffic control has piled up More than $1.2 billion in Cost overruns and is More than three years behind schedule. He ordered a review completed by feb. 1 on How to get the project Back on track. The project involves a contract with ism to replace computer terminals and programs at All Faa control towers. The airlines had hoped the administration would support a tax break proposed last summer by a bipartisan commission headed by former Virginia gov. Gerald . But administration officials said wednesday that the panel s recommendation to Roll Back the airline ticket tax from 8 percent to its 1990 level of 5 per cent is not needed. Airlines already Are showing signs of recovering along with the rest of the Economy they said. The Faa proposal would create a Agency that would look something like Amtrak or the Tennessee Valley author Ity