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=, TT - ae oo ------ TE 6 - "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, JANUARY §s, 2001 PUBLISHER............. J. Peter Hvidsten GENERAL MGR.......... Don Macleod MANAGING EDITOR.. Jeff Mitchell OFFICE MANAGER.... Gayle Stapley ADVERTISING MGR... Deb McEachem Aocna Member Ontario Community £5 : WEEKEND . Lr od ve REPORTER HE Chris Hall Newspaper Assoc. roelance : Heather McCrae, John B. McClelland, Rik Davie. . : PHONE (005) CC Ciglced, Rik Davi Published every. Friday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - LOL 1B7 FAX (905) 985-3708 Distributed free in the following communities: Port Perry - Uxbridge - Sunderland - Little Britain - RR Lindsay Janetville E-MAIL: editorial @portperrystar.com Oakwood - Manilla - Seagrave - Greenbank - Brooklin - Ashburn - Columbus - RR Oshawa advertising @ portperrystar.com Zephyr - Udora - Leaskdale - Sandford - Caesarea - Blackstock - Raglan - Nestleton - Yelverton - Prince Albert BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, Kathy Dudley, Janet Rankin, Lesley West ADVERTISING: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gail Morse, Sandra Spears, Linda Clarke, Janet Archer, Malcolm Lennox, Lisa Monk PRODUCTION MANAGER: Pamela Hickey Production Staff: Trudy Empringham, Daryle Wright, Arlene Chee, Richard Drew OPINION The harsh reality Those awakening in the harsh bright light of morning on Monday probably grasped their reality in this order: It's morning; It's a new year; It's a new millennium (optional, depending on your devotion to last year's celebration), and, Oh My God, It's January. all Those whose faculties were altered by over-consumption the previous evening may have experienced these revelations in varying order, and degrees. But the general response to awakening on January First is optimism (perhaps, once again, mingled with surprise at having lived through the night, or just illness) and hope, which is quickly dashed by the dismal realization that it is deep, dark winter, and will be for some time to come. January can be a trying time, even for those of us who claim to enjoy winter. Frozen pipes, jammed car door locks, stinging fingers and faces, and all manner of misfortune await, whenever one ventures beyond the front porch. For those who hate the frosty season, it is the very nadir of one's existence, a time to question one's citizenship and, perhaps, sanity. Ah, but take heart, chilly Canucks. For this is the very stuff of which we are made: Bone-chilling, star-filled nights, wood smoke issuing from humble chimneys, and acres and acres of snow. And if you are not invigorated by brisk winter walks or dashing through the snow, there's always fruity cocktails, Island music on the boom box, and many hours of hibernation. " But we suggest you dive right in. Enjoy January, and remember: Spring is only 74 days away... B33 NEXT TIME, LET SNOT HAVE OUR THREE YEAR OLD HELP US IN WITH THE GROCERIES! Mitchell Crawford. age 2, seems unperturbed with the odd placement of his cap, as toddlers are wont to be. Ifyou have an interesting picture we could use for Photo of the Week, please drop it by The Star office, or give us a call at 985-7383. | | | i ; 3 i Now that you've done the math, what's the true millennial date? To the Editor, Even though it was obvious in 1999 that unless the basic laws of arithmetic were repealed, New Years 2000 could not have been the end of the 20th Century and thus the start of the new 3rd Millennium; it was understandable that this newspaper should report on 1999 preparations for the make-believe Millennium with a straight face. But given the Star's venerable record of truthfulness, | was mildly disappointed when a December 1999 "Page Seven" editorial appeared soundly affirming that New Years 2000 would be really the New Millennium, and maligning loyal readers who had actually done the math as "Nit Pickers" and "Basement Dwellers." A January 2000 letter to the editor seek- ing clarification as to how the 20th Century could be all over when only 1999 years had elapsed, was disdainfully printed under the headline, "Basement dwellers need reassurance" Now, with the 2000th year ended and much of the media having acknowledged that 2001 is the true start of the 3rd Millennium, one wonders what your edi- torial position might be. D. Denby Cartwright (It is our belief that the true date of the mil- lennium's arrival is of little consequence, so long as someone remembered to bring in the cat, and make sure there's gas line de-icer in the tank. Because it is the arrival of January - not the mil- lennium - that is of most concern to average Canadians. See Opinion, above - Ed.) Got an opinion? E-mail the editor at: editorial@portperrystar.com