Posted on: Sunday, Januaray 1, 2005
The hot and the not
Advertiser Staff
| WHAT'S HOT 2006 |
WHAT'S NOT | AND WHY |
| Hybrid cars | SUVs | Despite gasoline price controls, Hawai'i has seen the highest prices in gasoline ever. Move over, gas guzzlers, and make way for electric cars — and maybe more interest in biodiesel? |
| “Laguna Beach” | “The O.C.” | Marissa’s got nothing in the drama department on Kristin and L.C. |
| Low-cal | Low-carb | Go ahead, eat bread. |
| Postpartum depression | Tom Cruise | Little did the Scientology-promoting A-lister know his criticism of medication for postpartum depression would only put the illness in the spotlight. (Just wait until Katie gives birth, Tom.) |
| Michelle Wie | Jasmine Trias | Hawai'i’s American Idol had her 15 seconds. The newly mega-rich golf phenom, we suspect, will last a lot longer. |
| Fitted shrunken jackets | Boxy blazers | Every woman, regardless of size, looks better when curves are revealed, rather than camouflaged. |
| Hurricanes | Tsunamis | The Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed an estimated 230,000, is so 2004. But in 2005, Hurricane Katrina turned the nation’s compassionate eyes to the Gulf Coast and the region’s many displaced. |
| Splenda | Sugar | Sugar and Splenda are both sweet and oven-ready, but only sucralose is a no-cal substitute. And it’s made from the real thing. |
| Beard Papa cream puffs | Krispy Kreme doughnuts | Kids hawking Krispy Kremes on street corners have made the once hard-to-find treats too available. We’d rather stand in line for a Beard Papa. |
| Harry Potter | Anakin Skywalker | No one likes a whiny sci-fi villain. At least Harry’s got a wand — and a new book in the works starting this month. |
| Boy shorts | Thongs | More is — finally! — more. |
| Bev Harbin | Bev Harbin | One minute the outspoken, tax-evading small-business advocate is in, the next she’s out — at least, out of favor with fellow Democrats and Gov. Linda Lingle, who appointed Harbin to fill a vacancy in the Legislature’s lower house. |
| “Lost” | “Survivor” | Fans of the Emmy-winning ABC drama have cast their votes: “Survivor” is off the TV island. |
| World Poker Tour | National Hockey League | There’s no “All in!” in hockey, even after a strike. |
| Little League | UH football | The world champion West O'ahu Little Leaguers made Hawai'i sports fans believe in Cinderella stories again. The Warriors season, which ended 5-7, was more of a nightmare. |
| Podcasting | CD burning | Those who haven’t downloaded a podcast by now probably can’t burn a CD, either. |
| K-drama | J-pop | The Islands’ K-craze only grows. When it comes to Korean culture, fans are eating up more than just kim chee. |
| Avian flu | Mad cow disease | If an eight-week outbreak of this flu virus can kill 1,000 people in Hawai'i, then it has to be “in” — meaning in our minds. |
| Gas cap law | Bottle law | Forget bottle laws and sustainability for Hawai'i; fossil fuels are what the people want! |
| Sky groping | Campaign spending violations | Former state Rep. Galen Fox’s federal misdemeanor conviction for fondling a woman on a flight to L.A. took Capitol crimes to a new (and uji!) level. As one staff reporter put it: “Bathroom encounters are so last election.” |
| Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper | Diet Coke with Lemon | We actually found something better. |
| MySpace | Xanga | What’s Xanga again? |
| Grown-up glam | Hippie chic | That whole boho thing is such a relic of seasons past. Now we’re inspired by the elegance of Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Gwyneth Paltrow. |
| The Focker Method | The Ferber Method | Dr. Richard Ferber, who recommended parents let bawling babies “cry it out” and learn to go to sleep, recanted his controversial advice. Maybe Ben Stiller’s way is better after all. |
| Rusti the Orangutan | Giant clams | Rusti’s not only got a new pad at the Honolulu Zoo, he’s got a new roommate, Violet. The giant clams got back their old digs at the Waikïkï Aquarium after a disappearing act last year. |
| Angelina Jolie | Jennifer Aniston | Just ask Brad. |
| Core strengthening | Crunches | It’s not how many, anymore; it’s how intense. |
| Kenny Chesney | Renee Zellweger | Their four-month marriage proved one thing: Chesney has more talent. |
| Organic | Soy | Who doesn’t want 50 percent more vitamins and minerals than what you get in mass-produced veggies? Soy sorry, so ’70s. (And what’s up with that breast-cancer scare?) Plus, flavored edamame is so five years ago. |
| Kelly Clarkson | Clay Aiken | The original American Idol proved she wasn’t just some too-bubbly Fox puppet with her latest rock-infused album “Breakaway.” |
| Hula Bowl | Alcohol | At least at Aloha Stadium. |
