Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 13, 1994 TAG: 9407070014
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: EXTRA3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Since stricter safety requirements were put in place in the 1960s, cars have added a host of features, such as padded dashboards and seat belts.
But when drivers feel safer, they take more risks, says Steven Landsburg. The result: more accidents.
``The regulations do tend to reduce the number of driver deaths by making it easier to survive an accident,'' Landsburg writes in his book, ``The Armchair Economist: Economics and Everyday Life.''
Yet ironically, the regulations may be partly self-defeating by encouraging reckless behavior.
What interests us?
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Interactive computer networks now enable millions of Americans at home to communicate and acquire information through ``electronic bulletin boards.'' They also provide an insight into their users' interests.
For example, Prodigy, a major on-line service with more than 2 million members, has over 40 bulletin board subjects, including books, television, medical, money, pets, arts, sports, food, science and technology.
The newest bulletin board is for ``Trekkies.'' It lets fans of the long-running Star Trek TV shows exchange every kind of information on their favorite topic.
Old place names
BOSTON, England - Place names common to both England and North America often have ancient origins. Boston, Lincolnshire, was originally called Botolfston or St. Botolf's stone, according to records of 1130.
Newark, in Northants, was spelled Newerche (New Fort) in the Domesday Book of 1075. In 1050, the Thames River town of Windsor was Windlesors, or ``place on the river bank suitable for landing.''
Records from 1110 also show that Cleveland in Yorkshire derived its name from ``Kliflond,'' meaning ``the hilly district.''
Train pioneer
PHILADELPHIA - Matthias William Baldwin (1795-1866), born in Elizabethtown, N.J., was an inventor and steam locomotive pioneer.
Baldwin designed and built ``Old Ironsides,'' one of America's first efficient locomotives. It weighed 6 tons and could travel at 28 mph while pulling 30 tons.
In 1854, Baldwin founded Baldwin Locomotive Works, which produced more than 1,500 locomotives for American railroads.
What's in a name?
NEW YORK - The names of diseases come about in many different ways.
Some names are translations of Greek and Latin words, such as arthritis and hepatitis. Some names are descriptive, such as blackwater fever, a complication of malaria in which damaged red cells darken the urine.
Diseases also can be named for geographic areas, such as Lyme disease. (Lyme, Conn.) or for groups, such as Legionnaire's disease (American Legion).
Other diseases carry the surname of an affected family, or honor discoverers or leading doctors. There are times a disease is linked to a famous victim, one of the best known being Lou Gehrig's disease, which refers to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Trees galore
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - This historic port city, home of Yale University, was founded by Puritans in 1638. It became part of the Connecticut colony in 1665 and was incorporated in 1734. Its first mayor was Roger Sherman, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence.
Located on Long Island Sound, about 70 miles northeast of New York City, New Haven is called ``The City of Elms'' for its tree-lined streets. Besides Yale, (here since 1716), New Haven is home to two other colleges, several museums, art galleries and sports stadiums and 15 city parks.
by CNB