News In Brief

A different Y2K bite

The imminent arrival of the new year has some companies in a name-changing mood. For instance, Computermaker Gateway 2000 has dropped the number from its corporate moniker, which is now simply Gateway Inc. Shell Oil is no longer selling SU2000 gasoline. Even children's-book hero Harry Potter has been given an upgrade. Harry's "Nimbus Two Thousand" flying broomstick, used in early volumes of the series, has been traded in for a "Firebolt."

Graded by an expert

When Blair Knox, a junior at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C., got an "A" for some essays on presidential powers, he received the approval of someone who knows the subject. Former President Jimmy Carter marked Knox's work at the request of Bob Morgan, the former US senator from North Carolina, as they flew south with the US delegation to Dec. 14 ceremonies transferring the Panama Canal to Panamanian control.

'Tin Lizzie' and British Mini named top cars of century

When the Car of the Century selection process began three years ago, 200 candidates were in the running. At the end, the Ford Model T stood alone in the eyes of 133 automotive experts from 32 countries assembled by Car of the Century International, a worldwide group of car enthusiasts. Vehicles were evaluated on the basis of their design, technology, longevity, and impact on the auto industry. The Model T, sometimes called the "Tin Lizzie," accounted for 56.6 percent of global auto production by 1921, when it sold for $260. The runner-up British Mini was the original front-wheel-drive compact. Point total and the years of manufacture of the top finishers:

Ford Model T 742

1908-1927

British Mini 617

1959-present

Citron DS 19 567

1955-present

Volkswagen Beetle 521

1946-present

Porsche 911 303

1963-present

- Reuters

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