Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 77

ELECTION YEAR Bayh meets O'Connor Sure it's wild and crazy to forecast who'll run for president in 2000 but, hey, they call the primaries the Silly Season, don't they? So let's skip this election WEEKEND TO WEEKEND On this 10th dav of Christmas, residents of Prcstons- 3 bure. K.V.. won't have anv lords a-leaninn. but there'll be plenty of regular folks dancing, banjo-picking and fiddle-playing at the Jenny Wiley State Resort fork. "We try to keep the traditions of the early Scotch-Irish settlers of cast Kentucky," says Kathryn Frazicr, coordinator of Old Christmas in Preslonsburg.

"We began reviving some of the old customs from the late 1700s 30 years ago, at a party in the home of one of our neighbors. There was a lot of interest, and each year the event grew bigger." From Lexington, visitors can reach the celebration site by traveling east on Interstate 64 to Combs Mountain Parkway (Route 402) to fast-growing USA minority population. Shortening of words. It's happening now: Teens say "za" instead of "pizza." Marianne Flagg NEW AGES Prince Andrew, 40? Woody Allen, 65? How old will you be in the year 2000? Everyone will tum something in that much-anticipated year, some well-known people will hit numbers that add up to personal milestones: Helen I layes and Claude Pepper The grande dame of theater and the spunky politico ushered in the century, and sec it out with 100 candles in fall 2000. Sonny Bono and Woody Allen: Cher's ex and ex-hippie Bono turns 65, as does New York favorite son Woody Allen.

"Little" Stevie Wonder, Jane Pauley and Don Johnson: Is there life after 50? Ask them; they hit the big 5-oh. Scan Penn, Prince Andrew, Valeric Bertinclli and Timothy Ilutton: Born in I960, it's time in 2000 for those tacky turning-40 birthday gags. Kcshia Knight Pulliam: the littlest Huxtablc turns 21. Will the Cosby kid-no-more have her own place on her own show? Russell Shaw I Rnnie 1 14. For information, if mix SKIING CELEBS: Eikenberrv, Tucker exchange LA.

tar for Utah slopes. highlight of the four-day event call Frazicr at (606) 886-2185. f'ijfl Michael Tucker LU and Jill Kiken-berry are among the stars who will be on the slopes at the Steve Gar-vey Celebrity Ski Classic at the Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. The husband-and-wifc team and stars of A. Law will be joined by Reggie Jackson, Dunny Osmond, Dour and Candy Burk, Corbin Bemsen and others.

A will be an auction of personal The curtain rises Saturday at Broadway's Majestic Theater (impossible to predict! and plunge fear lessly into Campaign 2000. "The Democrats will be running Evan Bayh," dreams Democratic consultant Bob Squier. Bayh, 32, son of former Indiana Sen. Birch Bayh, is the Hoosicr secretary of state and plans to run for governor this year. For vice president? Squier predicts a big change, constitutionally speaking: We'll elect several.

"The rainbow coalition will have arrived, spread across several veep positions." And which Republican will vie with Bayh? Campaign consultant Eddie Mahe says a good bet is current Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, 57. "I think she'll leave the court to run for vice president, then president," Mahe says. One more prediction from Squier Voters will study the candidates, punch up position papers and vote from home all by computer. Jonathan Wiltert TRENDSPOTTER New Year's Eve, Merrymakers across th USA make It ad annual tradition to watch, In person or on TV, the lighted ban drop in New York City's Timet Square every New Year's Eve. Tama Starr, executive vice president of Artkraft Strauss, the sign company that has staged the couirtdown since 1908, looks ahead to the celebration that will usher year 2000.

"It's the end of the millennium, and the start of new one. We can't help but think about It, even now. For me, 197S seems like yesterday, so 2000 seems Ike tomorrow. "For that New Year's Eve, wel have the same basic elements as for every New Year's, but bigger and brighter. FUTURE TALK Accessing ways we'll interface verbally How will we talk in 2000? One thing fer sure: Some of today's slang still will be with us.

"If you're a Valley Girl now, it's possible you will be one (then)," says Stuart Flcxncr, editor in chief of the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Second Edition. Among his and others' predictions for USA Future Speak: More computer terms. Expect more "accessing" and "interfacing." Fewer phone conversations. We may speak more through home computers. Hispanic influence.

We'll borrow more words from this we'll really party TAMA STARR: Her fir win drop the ball is Half a mlllioa ri ns go crazy. "The ball wifl be rebuilt, and wel create a big new countdown device to show parts of seconds passing, building anticipation. "We're expecting many more people will 'see hf 2000. The normal crowd In Times Square wil A memorabilia from various celebrities on Saturday night Proceeds will go to the Utah Special Olympics. Pg I If you're considering buying a personal computer, a LAJ VCR or some other high-tech item, why not wait to find out what's hot at the International Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The three-day event, which begins Friday, "is the marketplace where numerous consumer electronic technologies and new products are introduced," says the show's Cynthia Saranili. About 100,000 people from at least 70 countries are expected to view nearly 1,400 exhibitions. The American Agriculture Movement, an organization representing family-owned farms around the USA, will have its annual conference in Wichita, Friday through Sunday. "We'll be celebrating our 10th year, so it should be a very exciting meeting. It'll be a good time to recall some of the early protests, and to reflect on how far we've come in the past decade," says national director David Senter.

"And because 1988 is an election year, we'll be taking a hard look at the presidential candidates. Whenever there's a change in leadership in Washington, it affects agriculture policy." None of the presidential hopefuls is scheduled to address the conference. when it's 1999 swell from about 250,000 to barf a nulkm. It will be the largest crowd In Times Square since the celebration at the end of World War IL "The whole country wil take part Even people watching the baD drop via TV in other time zones consider it the New Year when the ball drops. "The tradition is an ancient one from many cultures.

New Year's Eve was both pagan and ecclesiastical In origin. "What you see in Times Square is similar people celebrating the intercession of the sacred and the profane. It's OK to be crazy and kiss strangers. It's tasttortional-Ized madness. "The approaching millennium wil make it even madder." ftatitfl Shaw on the theater event of the year, the lindon hit Phantom of the Opera.

The show featuring the British cast of Michael Crawford, Sarah BriKhtman and Steve Barton, is directed by Harold Prince (fcvita, Caharet and A Little Night Music). The preview is a warm up for the gala opening Jan. 2 1 to be attended by Sarah, Duchess of York. But don't plan to go: Even with a top ticket pnee of $1,000, the gala's sold out bob Worthim PHANTOM: Open star Michael Crawford USA WEEKENDJAN. 13, 1988.