May 12, 1993

Business Technology I.B.M. and Blockbuster, in a vision of the future of entertainment retailing, will develop technology for electronic distribution of musical recordings or movies to blank compact disks or videocassettes in stores nationwide. [ Page A1. ] The Government will be allowed to auction radio frequencies for the first time under a bill approved by a House committee that calls for the sale of frequencies for wireless telephones. [ D1. ]

The last time it was a near scorcher on May 11, a broken engagement was front-page news. The former fiance had been arrested for stealing $200 from the woman who still loved him. This time, the front-page news is a 16-year-old who took the A train on a joy ride. But a hot day is still a hot day. Which is why the next time the thermometers hit 92 on May 11, people will remember yesterday, the day that displaced May 11, 1896, in the record books.

President Clinton is considering sending American troops to the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia as one option for confining the Balkan conflict and preventing it from spreading to involve other countries like Albania and Greece and Turkey. Article, page A8.

As economic growth has slowed in the last few months, business executives have exhibited signs of nervousness. Many have scaled back expansion plans, put hiring on the back burner and held down capital spending. The uncertainty in Washington is clearly one reason for the hesitation. But even as executives keep one eye on Congress and another on the White House, many say their caution comes as much from their own modest order books and economic forecasts as from the political outlook. This wariness comes at a stage in the business cycle when attitudes normally turn more ebullient and is likely to help turn predictions for only moderate growth into reality.

ALL right, if Chuck Norris is such a tough guy, I decided, let's see how he handles Lutece. Mr. Norris, the great martial-arts, action-adventure, karate-wheeling movie star, was in town recently promoting his new film, "Sidekicks." The title refers to the asthmatic teen-age boy Mr. Norris befriends and inspires in the movie and to his own swift foot-in-the-belly predilections.