Changing Hawaii
ON Dec. 31, the last day of the century, 'twas a crazy, noisy, smoke-filled, firecracker-popping, aerial-happy New Year's Eve in the islands. Paradise sounded more like a battleground, with the booms of huge bombs and snapping of smaller explosives dominating the night. Musings as
new century
dawns in HawaiiThe bedlam was made more bearable by this comforting thought: It would be the last time fireworks will be legal in Hawaii. If a death, injuries, fires and the inability to breathe aren't reasons enough for restrictions, all incumbents should be ousted.
Non-revelers like me, hunkered down at home after sunset, remained worried that a stray rocket would come flying through the window or land atop the roof. To amuse ourselves, we witness the turn of the century on TV as it crept westward across the globe.
Surprisingly, the coverage of midnights around the world was thrilling! Watching gargantuan aerial displays, it seems, can still bring out the kid in all of us.
The Y2K doomsday hype managed to enrich computer geeks, survivalist stores and the bottled water industry. Consumers who did stock up are in good shape for the next natural catastrophe -- or weekend camping expedition.
As for folks having a fit because this is not the "real" millennium, kindly lighten up. OK, OK. You're smart; we're dumb. Let us celebrate in ignorant bliss.
With good intentions, I make some resolutions and wishes on behalf of the entire state and its inhabitants, namely that we:
Or are we too busy and/or self-absorbed for our own good?Strive to be more tolerant of each other and our varying opinions.
ON Jan. 1, the first day of the century, 'twas 6 a.m. when this editorial page editor drove to the newsroom to check on the Saturday Insight section.
The streets were so deserted, it made me realize how lonely we'd be without one another. Made a mental note to remember that next time I'm stuck in traffic...
It's said that what you do on the first day of the year portends what will happen the rest of the calendar.
This is why the Japanese clean their houses and make sure their vehicles are washed and vacuumed by Dec. 31 (did you see the line into McKinley Car Wash last week?). It's a symbolic gesture to have sparkling homes and autos every single day.
If that belief holds true, my early-morning pilgrimage to the Star-Bulletin on Jan. 1 was an insurance policy of sorts.
This paper almost ceased publishing in 1999, but keeps rolling off the presses after a rallying cry from readers both in Hawaii and away, and after -- surprise! -- vehement objections to our shutdown by state and federal authorities whom we criticize regularly on these pages.
Do we dare dream the Star-Bulletin will be around until the end of the year, or even -- as space ranger Buzz Lightyear put it in "Toy Story" -- to infinity and beyond?
We can only hope. Now, if I can master the art of writing 2000 and not nineteen-ninety-something on my personal checks, this new century thing will be firmly under control.
Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
dchang@starbulletin.com, or by fax at 523-7863.