In:
Cell phone hijacking
Out:
Cyberterrorism
Stop worrying about bin Laden launching our nukes through his laptop and start paying attention to your cell phone. Wireless technology is great, but it’s also vulnerable and cell phone hijacking is on the rise. Some involve tricking cell users into returning calls to what turns out to be the wireless equivalent of 900 numbers that bill callers for dialing in. There’s also bluejacking, named for the wireless technology Bluetooth, in which a person hacks into your cell phone and steals or corrupts your address book or, worse, commandeers the unit and uses up your minutes.
In:
Clippers
Out:
Lakers
It’s long been cool to say you like the Clippers. Lovable losers, right? Well, this is the Clips’ year. Really. Sure, they have a losing record against every other NBA franchise and a history of letting their best players get away. This time, though, team MVPs Corey Maggette and Elton Brand are locked up in long term contracts and coach Mike Dunleavy has the team playing unselfishly and with a maturity that belies its youth. Meanwhile, Kobe has run the league’s best player and best coach out of town.
In:
Pixar
Out:
Disney
What an absolutely lousy year for Disney. There’s the embarrassing lawsuit over Michael Ovitz’s severance and there’s also CEO Michael Eisner’s no confidence vote, but the worst news could be the Mouse House apparently ending its distribution of computer-generated hits from Pixar Animation Studios. It’s been billed as the result of an unhappy tussle between Eisner and Pixar’s Steven Jobs. Last-minute reconciliation is still possible (Eisner is on his way out, after all), but Pixar and Disney are more likely to say goodbye with next year’s final collaboration, “Cars.” Five for five, Pixar has churned out blockbuster after blockbuster, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” and this year’s “The Incredibles.”
In:
Gmail
Out:
E-mail
Microsoft and Yahoo might have boosted the storage capacity for their free e-mail programs, but it’s still only 250 megabytes. Get with the program, and sign up for Gmail, the new free e-mail from Google now being tested. Like Yahoo and Microsoft’s e-mail, Gmail is free, but it offers 1 gigabyte of storage space and the use of the Google search engine to access all e-mail the user has sent or received. The system also shows all replies to an e-mail you have sent, easing organization and placing mail in the context of a conversation.
In:
MySpace
Out:
Friendster
As the first Web site devoted to developing social networks not limited to dating, Friendster attracted more than 7 million members who logged on to find old school chums and perhaps a little romance. But it turned out that developing an online community was not so easy. Friendster was buggy, limited in functionality and, ultimately, got so overloaded its server seemed to take a weekly holiday. Now it’s MySpace’s turn. A next-generation version, MySpace is faster, more interactive and allows more uploads. It also allows racier pictures and language.
In:
Negroni
Out:
Cosmopolitan
With the merciful end of HBO’s “Sex and the City” has come the welcome fade of the cosmopolitan. In its place is the Italian classic, the Negroni. Made with equal parts gin, Compari and sweet vermouth, the aperitif comes in a martini glass and has a beautiful amber hue that’s much classier than the electric pink cosmo. Some stir it, others shake it. Whatever the technique, make sure it’s as cold as possible. A sweet touch: rim the glass with powdered sugar.
In:
Jon Stewart
Out:
Al Franken
They both wear liberalism on their lapels, but Jon Stewart is the funny and good-looking one. Franken starred on the struggling liberal radio network Air America (no longer available in Los Angeles), while Stewart had a banner year. His “Daily Show” has become a cultural touchstone and his bashing of “Crossfire” hosts Tucker Carlson and Paul Belaga made him a hero to many. It may also have helped sales of his book, “America (The Book),” No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list.
In:
Round-toed shoes
Out:
Pointy-toed shoes
Besides looking dangerous to both the wearer and those close to her, witches-hat pointy shoes are easily scuffed and can curl up to create that never-fashionable elfin look. Worse, they are uncomfortable and potentially debilitating. Breathe easier, ladies, it is again hip to wear a more reasonable shoe with a rounded toe. Just about everyone is offering the blunt-ended footwear this fall: Prada, Marc Jacobs, Christian Louboutin, Chanel. The pointed toe still serves as an effective deterrent against creeps hitting on you, but that seems contrary to the whole idea of dressy fashionably anyway.
In:
Pomegranate juice
Out:
Wheat grass
Sure, you still can find wheat grass juice at Trader Joe’s and Ralphs, but it has a tendency to induce nausea and look gross. Mostly, it tastes awful. Pomegranate juice is back as the drink for those looking for the fountain of youth. The ancient Greeks believed this fruit represented life, regeneration and marriage. Its medicinal properties include antioxidants and it helps prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the carotid artery). Plus, is there a more hip container in all of grocerydom than those bulbous POM Wonderful bottles?
In:
The euro
Out:
The dollar
The euro is gaining currency as the dollar fades on international markets. Though the greenback has started to recover from the record low exchange rate of $1.34 reached earlier this month, some speculate the rate could bottom out at $1.40 by mid-2005. The strong euro is a signal that the economy of the European Union is a force to be reckoned with, but the foreign currency game is never a black-and-white matter. A weak dollar makes foreign goods more expensive and encourages international visitors, but so many goods and services these days come from so many corners of the world that the winners-and-losers game can get confusing.
In:
Fixed rate
Out:
Adjustable
The dollar is weak, the balance of trade is off and the Fed is signaling more incremental increases in interest rates through 2005. Faced with that prospect, the reality of the balloon payment is settling in for homeowners in the third year of their five-year adjustable rate mortgages. Rates are still low, so why risk the uncertainty? Locking in for 30 years may mean a modestly higher payment each month, but the devil you know is looking pretty benign right now.
In:
Naming an NFL team
Out:
Finding a stadium site
Money and politics will determine where the NFL fields a “Los Angeles” franchise if it makes a return to the region in 2008. Where a team will play is limited to one of four sites: the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Anaheim and Carson. The real game is in naming a new franchise. Better start thinking of a moniker now, because if the stadium has an affect on the handle, L.A. might end up with the L.A. Olympians. Or the Tailbacks, or the Roses or even the Little Old Ladies.
