Welcome to Y2K, Iowa Staters. Well, it’s a brand new year (notice I did not say “century” or “millennium”), and all the people who had “19—” pre-engraved on their headstones and didn’t die before New Year’s Eve are out of luck.

Iowa State — and just about everything else in the world — survived the Y2K test. Nothing blew up; no power went out; there were no Ames residents huddled in Hilton Coliseum planning their desperate survival in a post-apocalyptic world.

But although the Y2K “crisis” and all the hype surrounding it turned out to be the biggest non-story of the “millennium,” there were a few actual newsworthy events that took place while we were busy preparing for the end of the world.

So, as you drink your 30 gallons of stockpiled bottled water and ponder what to do with that extra generator, here’s a quick look back on just a few of the newsworthy events that went ignored as we all prepared for Y2K.

Representatives from the Israeli and Syrian governments met in the United States to discuss peace. These negotiations have not gone smoothly, and President Clinton seems to be about the only one really excited about them. But anytime folks from these two camps will sit down and talk about anything, it’s a very good thing. Here’s hoping peace in the Middle East will finally become a reality this year.

A 6-year-old Cuban boy played the rope in a political tug-of-war. Elian Gonzalez was found Thanksgiving Day clinging to an inner tube after his mother and stepfather drowned attempting to reach the United States after leaving Cuba. Now he is embroiled in a debate about where he should be raised — in the United States with his extended family or in Cuba with his father. Whatever the outcome, this innocent child’s life should not be a pawn in U.S.-Cuba relations. If the politicians and bureaucrats who can decide where to send him have any decency, they’ll make their decisions quickly, so Elian can get back to his childhood.

The presidential candidates stepped up their campaigns, especially in Iowa. Candidates from both parties are gearing up for the Jan. 24 caucuses by traveling across the state and participating in debates.

Even if you’re fed up with politicians and are tired of listening to them make fools of themselves, you have to appreciate the opportunity we as Iowans have. Because of the importance of the caucuses, Iowans get a chance to meet the candidates and ask questions unlike residents of almost every other state.

If you can, get out to meet at least one of the candidates, and if you’re registered to vote in Iowa, make it a priority to take part in the caucuses. This is our chance to make a difference. Don’t miss it.

Finally, nominations for the Grammys were handed out. This may not have been the most important event during break, but it was definitely one of the most frustrating.

Every year, the recording academy announces Grammy nominations, and every year, people bemoan the lack of intelligence among the recording academy. But this year, the nominations reached the point of ridiculousness.

Case in point: For the record of the year, our choices are the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” Cher’s “Believe,” Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” TLC’s “No Scrubs” and Santana’s “Smooth.”

With the exception of “Smooth,” all contain insipid and laughable lyrics, and none are by artists who actually PLAY their own instruments. Even “Smooth,” the highlight of an incredible comeback by guitar legend Carlos Santana, wasn’t that great of a song, but it stood out as wonderful in comparison to the others.

Yeah, I know, it’s easy to complain about music that you don’t like. But I can offer proof that the music being honored with Grammy nominations really is horrible.

You know that song “Bills, Bills, Bills,” by Destiny’s Child? The song is about a “scrub” (a word they admit they stole from TLC) who won’t pay the singer’s bills. The chorus goes something like this:

“Can you pay my bills? / Can you pay my telephone bills? / Can you pay my automo’ bills? / If you did then maybe we could chill / I don’t think you do / So, you and me are through.”

Even if you ignore the grammatical mistake and the forced rhyming (automo’ bills?), this songwriting is still really, really bad. Yet it’s nominated for both best R&B song and best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal.

At least members of Destiny’s Child helped write the bad lyrics to their song. That’s more than can be said for most other nominees. (Christina Aguilera? Britney Spears?)

But hey, who needs instrumental or songwriting talent when you can sell thousands of cheesy pop song-laden records to prepubescents with money to burn? As the recording academy must have realized, millions of 9-year-olds can’t be wrong.

We’ll just chalk up the craziness of the last few weeks to millennium madness. After all, we had to have a few Y2K glitches.

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Sara Ziegler is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Sioux Falls, S.D. She’s hoping the real turn of the century brings about some good music.