The purists' time has finally come: on Dec. 31 we really will ring in the beginning of the new millennium. (After all, it's not like they called the first year "0.") But the pedants haven't exactly risen to the occasion:

--The Real Millennium Group will celebrate the new year at Slocum's Bowl-O-Drome, in Ewing, N.J., where founder Jim Bergevin Jr. is manager. The group's 49 members live around the world, though, so mostly nonmillennialist locals will enjoy laser bowling, disco lights and a buffet.

--Denver didn't officially celebrate on Dec. 31, 1999, because of Y2K fears, but will throw caution to the wind this year and stage a massive mall party. Mayor Wellington Webb has belatedly discovered the city was a stickler all along: it celebrated the start of the 20th century on Jan. 1, 1901.

--Jonathan Wetstein and his friends at Parsippany High School, N.J., made 01-01-01 TRUE MILLENNIUM T shirts, and plan to watch the ball drop in a pal's basement.

--Dick Marston, a retired California lawyer whose family is a "bit embarrassed" by the passion on his Millennium Mania Mischief! Web posting, plans to stay home and take down the site a few weeks into 2001.

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
MARTHA STEWART, when asked about the insider-trading scandal that, by her estimates, cost her company more than a billion dollars
For use in rail of Articles page or Section Fronts pages. Duplicate and change name as necesssary to distinguish.

Time.com on Digg

POWERED BY digg

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
MARTHA STEWART, when asked about the insider-trading scandal that, by her estimates, cost her company more than a billion dollars

Stay Connected with TIME.com