THE LEFT LANE
Birthday memories

When Kimberly Fisher started her research into the beginnings of the YWCA on Richards Street, people came out of the woodwork to tell her how important the place was to them. "I learned to swim at the Y," one woman said. Another reminisced about learning to cook there.

As part of next month's 75th anniversary celebration, Fisher, the associate director of development, decided to collect memories and photos. She'd like to see them made into a video, but wants more importantly to gather the oral histories. "We want to have more connection with women's lives, what they did back then and what they're doing now," she said. If you have memories or photos about the YWCA, send them to Fisher (kfisher@ywcaoahu.org), or snail-mail YWCA Oahu, 1040 Richards St., Honolulu, HI 96813. Photos can be returned, she said.

'Harry' hits DVD

It's time to fall in love with Harry Potter all over again.

It's been seven months since Harry and his precocious Hogwarts cohorts charmed moviegoers with their mix of magic and mayhem. Now they are set to invade Muggles' homes through the release of a two-DVD set, available today.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" ($26.99, Warner Home Video, 152 minutes) colorfully chronicles the first book of J.K. Rowling's popular series. The first disc contains the standard ingredients: movie, scene selection, language options and cast list. Disc 2 offers hours of click-friendly goodies, some in plain sight and some half-hidden. A word to the wise: Watch the film closely to pick up clues for working your way through the bonus features.

Navajo insights

The long-delayed film, "Windtalkers," partly shot in Hawai'i in the summer of 2000, is due from MGM June 14, and now the publishers of a book on which the film is based are releasing a movie tie-in version. "The Navajo Code Talkers," by Doris A. Paul (Dorrance, paperback, $17) is a comprehensive historical account of the contribution of the Navajo tribe to America's World War II victory against Japan. Specially recruited American Indians used their little-known language as a code to keep secrets out of the hands of the Japanese. The book is in stores, or order online from www.dorrancebookstore.com.