New Year’s resolutions started more than 150 years before the birth of the Christ. During the early days of the Roman Empire the mythical King Janus was placed first on the Roman calendar, thus, making January the first month of the year. Legend has it that Janus was of two faces, one which could look to the past and one that could see into the future. It was believed that Janus had the power to forgive the people’s minor transgressions. Many Romans felt that Janus would bring blessings on them for the coming year if they gave small gifts to each other, or made a self-commitment to atone for previous misdeeds.
Here we are several thousands of years later at the beginning of a new year. The tradition of New Year’s resolutions continues. Some resolutions include such matters as visiting Aunt Minnie more often, avoiding that second helping at dinner, reading more books, cleaning out the closet, etc. Most resolutions will be forgotten or dropped in short time. What if we extended our New Year’s resolutions beyond our thoughts of correcting some petty self-indulgences and make New Year’s resolutions about something having a greater meaning?
Since much time is spent watching mindless programs on television, or rushing to see some celebrity, a resolution can be made to give some of life’s precious moments to attend ceremonies that honor those who served this country so faithfully and honorably, both living and dead. These men and women deserve as much attention and honor as some athlete or television celebrity.
Trent Williams' and Fred Davis' resolution is to put down the pipe, the joint, the bong, whatever you bought at your local head shop. I'm not here to judge. When your football career is over, do what you want, but if you're extracurricular activities affect your job, then it's a problem. No employer wants an unreliable employee, or teammate in this case.
Nationals owner Ted Lerner's resolution is to keep spending on the big league club despite the first-year miss with Jayson Werth.
Jayson Werth's resolution is play like the guy that was in Philadelphia. This is not Philly. D.C. fans are easygoing but like anyone else, we have our breaking point.
Bryce Harper's resolution is to stop cheering for the Yankees immediately. We have not had the pleasure of seeing your game at the big-league level and we have a bit of a complex around these parts. Any player that is ever good ends up leaving and becomes a success with other franchises. Most of us expect you to sign with the Yankees someday, just don't be so obvious about it. Let us enjoy this while we can.
Maryland football coach Randy Edsall's resolution is this: if you want your players to be held accountable, then practice what you preach already. Clearly your approach was not right last year. The 2-10 mark, exodus of players and empty seats at Byrd Stadium prove it, not to mention the hire of an offensive coordinator (who is one and done) that played a system that was not to the strengths of your talented young QB Danny O'Brien.
The "dream job" after just one season has been a nightmare for the Terps faithful. Guess what coach: your fingerprints are all over it. Call your buddy Tom Coughlin and ask him how he lightened up.
London Fletcher's resolution is to start campaigning now for the 2013 Pro Bowl like one of those Heisman candidates, because clearly letting the play do the talking is not working. The other idea is just embrace your inner Susan Lucia and roll with it.
Rex Grossman resolution is to come into a post-game press conference and own his mistakes. Stop blaming others.
Teddy Roosevelt's resolution is to win a damn race already!
All American New Years: (8 p.m. Fox News Channel).
New Year's Eve Live Coverage: (9:30 p.m. CNN).
New Year's Eve With Carson Daly: (10 p.m.; 11:30 p.m. NBC).
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve: (10; 11:30 p.m. ABC).
American Country New Year's Eve Live: (11 p.m. Fox).
Coldplay New Year's Eve: Austin City Limits: (11 p.m. KOCE).
NYE in NYC 2012: (11 p.m. MTV).
MOVIES
Jaws: Nothing says "Happy New Year!" like a shark attack. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw star in this 1975 blockbuster directed by Steven Spielberg (7:06 p.m. Spike).
The Eagle: Channing Tatum stars as a Roman soldier determined to find a golden icon that would inspire his legion in this 2011 adventure (8 p.m. HBO).
SPORTS
College basketball: Louisville at Kentucky (9 a.m. CBS); Virginia Tech at Oklahoma State (9 a.m. ESPN2); Providence at Georgetown (11 a.m. ESPN2); Illinois at Purdue (1 p.m. ESPN2); UCLA at California (1 p.m. FS Prime); Ohio State at Indiana (3 p.m. ESPN2); USC at Stanford (3:30 p.m. FSN); Gonzaga at Xavier (5 p.m. ESPN2); Oregon at Washington (7 p.m. ESPN2).
College football: Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl: Northwestern vs. Texas A&M (9 a.m. ESPN); Sun Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Utah (11 a.m. CBS); Liberty Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt (12:30 p.m. ABC); Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Illinois vs. UCLA (12:30 p.m. ESPN); Auburn vs. Virginia (4:30 p.m. ESPN).
CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin from Times Square at 11 p.m. Cooper anchors with CNN correspondents providing reports from celebrations across the USA and around the world.
NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly at Times Square at 10 p.m. Guests include Drake, Jessie J, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, Jimmy Fallon, The Roots and Tony Bennett.
Fox TV’s American Country New Year’s Eve Live at 11 p.m. from the Las Vegas strip and Times Square, hosted by comedian/actor Rodney Carrington and co-hosts Rick Harrison and Austin “Chumlee” Russell of Pawn Stars, with performances by Joe Nichols, Eli Young Band, Toby Keith, Lauren Alaina and Rodney Atkins.
Fox News’ All American New Year at 11 p.m., hosted by Megyn Kelly and Bill Hemmer, with performances from Big & Rich, Trace Adkins and the cast of Rock of Ages.
You can join thousands of other Middle Tennesseans — and people from around the country — in Nashville for the annual Music City New Year's Eve Bash on Broadway, featuring headline performer Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The free downtown street event kicks off at 7 p.m. today on First Avenue and Broadway, with live performances from numerous bands, and culminates with the dropping of a 15-foot tall red music note.
The "Music Drop" will trigger a fireworks display and confetti cannons after its 115 descent in the seconds prior to midnight.
For those sticking around Rutherford County, there are ample local venues where you and friends can ring in the new year right.
In Providence, there's always Bright Night in Providence. They've got an evening of celebration including poetry, comedy, a food court, skating, discounted tickets to a masquerade ball, music, storytelling, theatre (stationary and roaming) and dancing. Tickets are available day-of and online, $15 before Dec. 31, $20 after (kids and seniors $15).
In East Greenwich, the Greenwich Hotel is planning a year's end celebration coinciding with their regular Open Mic night. There's no cover, a free grand buffet, champagne toast, party hats and noise makers, according to the hotel's facebook post.
In Narragansett, head down to the Village Inn for a family-friendly New Year's event to benefit LINKS. Enjoy a blackout bash for the adults while the kids enjoy a neon PJ party in a separate room. Learn more here.
In Woonsocket, revelers can turn to Chan's where the Fat City Band will perform during their New Year's Eve Bash with dinner buffet, entertainment, hats & noise makers, champagne toast at midnight and dancing.
City Side also has a celebration planned with What Matters providing music for their festivities from 8 p.m. till 1 a.m.
In Cranston, you can watch the ball drop at Mardi Gras nightclub on Oaklawn Avenue for New Year festivities. The nightclub is throwing a bash featuring a Champagne toast, DJs, live music by AC/DC Tribute Dirty Deeds, Godsmack tribute Voodoo and Good Ol Boys. Along with the music comes a complimentary grand buffet at 7 p.m. and prizes including a 32-inch flat screen TV, Bruins tickets and a snow board. Cover is $20.
Or, stop by Rhodes on the Pawtuxet for a New Year’s Eve Ballroom Gala. Join Randy Deats and Kathy S. Jean for dancing, music, a seated buffet in the historic 15,000 square foot ballroom. It also includes a show by Nikolai Pilipenchuk and Natalia Skorikova, the 2011 World Professional 10-Dance Champions.
Wellington City Council's city events manager, Lauren Fantham, says it is disappointing to have to make the call but the forecast is not showing signs of improvement. A fireworks display in Wellington at midnight is also cancelled.
"We think it's better that everyone stays indoors, dry and happy tonight."
A New Year's Eve event at Mount Maunganui's main beach was earlier cancelled due to poor weather but fireworks will still be let off on the Tauranga side of the city's bridge.
Rain is continuing across much of the North Island, with heavy rain forecast for Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and northern Northland.
The already drenched Nelson region is cleaning up so the party hotspots of Queenstown and Wanaka in the South Island look like the places to be weather-wise.
Police Commissioner Peter Marshall says there will be extra police on duty in popular holiday destinations in the Coromandel, as well as Queenstown and Wanaka, but he's confident there won't be much trouble.
"If this weather keeps up, there certainly won't be too many issues," he told Radio New Zealand.
Plastic ponchos will be in hot demand among those heading to Coromandel Gold, a two-day outdoor music festival near Whitianga. Festival-goers who brave the rain will be treated to performances by a host of Kiwi acts including Shihad, Shapeshifter and Fat Freddy's Drop.
The partying may give way to transportation chaos, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported in its online edition. Of the city’s 6,000 taxis, 2,500 won’t be operating because of owners who’d prefer to steer clear of drunken customers, the newspaper said. More than 65 trains, 500 extra buses and 29 additional ferries will be on duty, it said.
To safeguard Sydney’s festivities -- dubbed “Time to Dream” -- from crime, New South Wales police announced that “Operation Vela” tonight will include mounted officers, a riot squad, a marine command and an airwing patrol. “Don’t start 2012 with a criminal record,” police said in a statement yesterday.
In the northern hemisphere, more than 3 million people will walk through the precincts of Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine tonight and during the first three days of 2012. Temple and shrine visits are a New Year tradition in Japan, drawing more than 98 million people across the nation.
Lady Gaga, whose “We Pray for Japan” bracelet raised more than $250,000 for disaster-relief in 48 hours, will appear by satellite on Japanese public broadcaster NHK’s Red vs White, a New Year’s Eve sing-off between teams of the nation’s most popular male and female recording stars. Last year’s broadcast drew a viewer rating as high as 41.7 percent, according to Video Research Ltd.
New Year in Serbia is traditionally celebrated extensively. Indoors, families celebrate New Year's Eve with an abundance of food. Decorated "Christmas"-trees are predominantly related to New Year, hence called "novogodišnja jelka" (new years tree). Around or after midnight, Deda Mraz (Santa Claus) visits houses and leaves presents under the tree, to be unpacked then or, if the family is asleep, only to be discovered in the morning.
Restaurants, clubs, cafes and hotels are usually fully booked and organize New Year's celebrations with food and live music.
However, Serbian New Year's celebrations are most known for the outdoors festivities in Belgrade, and several other major cities such as Novi Sad and Niš. As of mid-December, cities are extensively decorated and lit. The decorations remain until way into January due to the persistent influence of the old, Julian calendar. Throughout the region, especially amongst former Yugoslav republics, Belgrade is known as the place to be for major parties, concerts and happenings. It has become common for large groups of Slovenes to visit their former capital and celebrate the beginning of a new year. Especially since the mid-nineties, street celebrations grew into mass gatherings with hundreds of thousands of people, celebrating New Year on one of several locations throughout Belgrade. During former President Milošević's mandate, the gatherings had a strong political connotation as well. As of 2000, every year the City of Belgrade organizes several concerts with major national and international performers on Belgrade's major squares; the Republic Square, Terazije Square and in front of the Serbian (formerly Federal) Parliament building. The concerts commence early in the evening and last well into the morning. Usually, there are separate celebrations and concerts organized for small children (Slavija Square) and for elderly (Kalemegdan park). Midnight is marked by major fireworks fired from suitable buildings within the city.
On January 1, the central Svetogorska street is closed for traffic and used to hold the "street of open heart" festival; food and warm drinks are served and open air theater plays are performed, while families with children as well as politicians (often including the President) walk down the street. The evening of the first of January is reserved for the so-called "repriza", a repetition of the previous night; people often go to the club, friends or square where they were last night to celebrate once more. Slightly down-scaled festivities are organized.
On January 13, a large part of the population[citation needed] celebrates "Serbian New Year", according to the Julian calendar. This time, usually one concert is organized in front of either City Hall or the National Parliament (in Belgrade), while fireworks are prepared by the Serbian Orthodox Church and fired from the Cathedral of Saint Sava, where people also gather. Other cities also organize such celebrations.
Ano Novo ('New Year' in Portuguese) celebration, also known in Brazilian Portuguese by the French word Réveillon, is one of Brazil's main holidays, and officially marks the beginning of the summer holidays, that usually end by Carnival (analogous to Memorial Day and Labor Day in the United States).
Brazilians traditionally have a copious meal with family or friends at home, in restaurants or private clubs, and consume alcoholic beverages. They usually dress in white, to bring good luck into the new year. Fireworks and eating grapes or lentils are some of the customs associated with the holiday.
The beach at Copacabana (in Portuguese: Praia de Copacabana) in Rio de Janeiro is regarded as the location of one of the best fireworks displays in the world at New Year.
The city of São Paulo also holds a famous event: the Saint Silvester Marathon (Corrida de São Silvestre), which traverses streets between Paulista Avenue and the downtown area.
In other regions, different events also take place. At Fortaleza, Ceará, there is a big party with fireworks and live music shows by the Praia de Iracema area, which attracts more than one million people in recent years
Spanish New Year's Eve (Nochevieja or Fin de Año in Spanish) celebrations usually begin with a family dinner, traditionally including shrimp or prawns and lamb or capon. Spanish tradition says that wearing new, red underwear on New Year's Eve brings good luck. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, one on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays, the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonymous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine such as cava or champagne, or alternatively with cider.
After the family dinner and the grapes, many young people attend New Year parties at pubs, discothèques and similar places (these parties are called cotillones de nochevieja, after the Spanish word cotillón, which refers to party supplies like confetti, party blowers, party hats, etc.). Parties usually last until the next morning and range from small, personal celebrations at local bars to huge parties with guests numbering the thousands at hotel convention rooms. Early next morning, party attendees usually gather to have the traditional winter breakfast of chocolate con churros (xurros amb xocolata in Catalan), hot chocolate and fried pastry.
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the incoming year. Other individuals may observe the evening with a watchnight service. The observance of New Year's Eve generally extends through midnight of January 1 (New Year's Day).
In English-speaking countries, a few popular songs are associated with New Year's Eve and it is common to hear them on the radio these countries on, or shortly before, December 31.
"Auld Lang Syne" (a song with words by Robert Burns, the song most closely associated with the holiday)
"Happy New Year" by ABBA
"Imagine" by John Lennon
"It Was a Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra.
"It's Just Another New Year's Eve" by Barry Manilow.
"Let's Start the New Year Right" from Holiday Inn by Bing Crosby.
"New Year's Day" by U2
"Same Old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg
"What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
During the festivities for the year 2000, Prince's "1999" was re-released and enjoyed increased popularity due to the song's namesake year. Will Smith also released a song titled "Will 2K", which also proved successful, owing to the lyrics' celebration of millennium parties. Robbie Williams enjoyed a similar success with his 1998 single "Millennium", as did Pulp for their 1995 song "Disco 2000".
New Year's Eve is an occasion celebrated with elegant formal parties and family-oriented activities; New Year's Day is a public holiday in the United States. Celebrations often center upon dropping or raising an item of worth during the countdown, especially in the East coast.
Since 1907 the "ball dropping" on top of One Times Square in New York City is a major component of the New Year celebration. The 11,875-pound (5,386 kg), 12-foot (3.7 m) diameter Waterford crystal ball located high above Times Square is lowered, starting at 11:59:00 pm and reaching the bottom of its tower sixty seconds later, at the stroke of midnight. (After fifty seconds has passed, the crowd will count down the final ten seconds along with the hosts of various New Year's Eve shows. Toshiba's Times Square advertising screen will also tell the viewers when the New Year officially starts, which debuted in the 2009-10 edition.) From 1981 to 1988, the city dropped a large apple in recognition of its nickname as "the Big Apple".[citation needed] Similar ball drops are performed in many towns and cities across the United States. The custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors.
From 1972 onward (except 2005), Dick Clark has hosted televised coverage of the event called Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, shown on ABC, and now renamed Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest for the arrival of 2009 with Ryan Seacrest handling hosting duties. On December 31, 1999, the show was integrated into ABC 2000 Today, with Dick Clark reporting during the "ABC 2000" broadcast and an introduction from Peter Jennings, saying some would not consider it the New Year if Dick Clark did not count it down. Between 1951 and 1976, Ben Grauer was known for his live television coverage of New Year's Eve at Times Square in New York. From 1956 to 1976 on CBS, Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians serenaded the United States from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City. After Lombardo's death in 1977, the Royal Canadians continued on CBS until 1978, and Happy New Year, America replaced it in 1979, continuing until 1995. The song Auld Lang Syne has become a popular song to sing at midnight on New Year's Eve, with the Lombardo version being the standard. NBC also has hosted New Year's coverage; traditionally, the networks' late night hosts have hosted special editions of their regular shows (including a special Central Time Zone-specific countdown on Late Night with Conan O'Brien), but since 2005, the network has opted for a special entitled New Year's Eve with Carson Daly in which Carson Daly hosted the program. Fox, CNN, and Fox News Channel also have their own New Year's specials along with the Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision.
New Year's Eve is traditionally the busiest day of the year at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim, California, where the parks stay open late and the usual nightly fireworks are supplemented by an additional New Year's Eve-specific show at midnight.
Over 60 cities nationwide celebrate First Night, a non-alcohol family-friendly New Year's Celebration, generally featuring performing artists, community events, parades, and fireworks displays to celebrate the New Year.
In the Roman Catholic Church, January 1st is a Holy Day of Obligation honoring Mary, Mother of God. It is required that all faithful Catholics attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on January 1st. However, since in the Catholic Church, a vigil Mass may be held on the evening before a Holy Day, it has become customary to celebrate Mass on the evening of New Year's Eve.
Many Protestant Christian congregations have New Year's Eve watchnight services. Some, especially Lutherans and Methodists and those in the African American community, have a tradition known as "Watch Night", in which the faithful congregate in services continuing past midnight, giving thanks for the blessings of the outgoing year and praying for divine favor during the upcoming year. Watch Night can be traced back to John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who learned the custom from the Moravian Brethren who came to England in the 1730s. Moravian congregations still observe the Watch Night service on New Year's Eve. Watch Night took on special significance to African Americans on New Year's Eve 1862, as slaves anticipated the arrival of January 1, 1863, when Lincoln had announced he would sign the Emancipation Proclamation.
New Year's Eve has a hot date with Saturday night.
And as such, the courtship has prompted those who set the stage for such celebrations to take advantage of the rare pas de deux with all manner of events and parties.
The city of Gainesville's Downtown Countdown — which returns as the only free, public celebration inside the city limits — runs from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza and will offer two crowd-pleasing bands, streamers and confetti, and the sound of free noisemakers passed out to the audience.
The outdoor bash will start at 9 with classic rock and Americana sounds from the group Couch Messiahs, followed by the R&B/funk of Fast Lane, a group led by Scott Free, a longtime area singer and guitarist known for his association and performances with the plaza's namesake — Bo Diddley — after Diddley moved to North Central Florida in 1978.
"The first group, Couch Messiahs, will do about an hour, and then Fast Lane will get going and play to about 12:30 a.m.," said David Ballard, event coordinator for the city of Gainesville.
The usual security is bolstered each New Year's Eve by an army of extra patrol officers who use police barriers to prevent overcrowding and for checkpoints to inspect vehicles, enforce a ban on alcohol and check handbags. Revelers will see bomb-sniffing dogs, heavily armed counter-terrorism teams and NYPD helicopters overhead.
What won't be as evident are the plainclothes officers assigned to blend into the crowd and other officers keeping watch from rooftops. Many officers will be wearing palm-size radiation detectors designed to give off a signal if they detect evidence of a dirty bomb, an explosive intended to spread panic by creating a radioactive cloud.
The bomb squad and another unit specializing in chemical and biological threats will sweep hotels, theaters, construction sites and parking garages. They will also patrol the sprawling Times Square subway station.
The NYPD also will rely on a new network of about 3,000 closed-circuit security cameras carpeting the roughly 1.7 square miles south of Canal Street, the subway system and parts of midtown Manhattan. In recent years, police stationed at high-tech command centers in lower Manhattan began monitoring live feeds of Times Square, the World Trade Center and other sites.
Times Square isn't the only show in town this New Year's Eve — or the only security concern. Police also will be beef up patrols in Central Park, site of a midnight run, and at fireworks displays at the Statue of Liberty.
The NYPD harbor unit will keep an eye on 33 dinner cruises on the city's waterways. Add to the list the Phish concert at Madison Square Garden.
On a smaller scale in outlying neighborhoods, police are concerned about a phenomenon seen in past years: people who ring in the new year by firing guns into the air.
Temporary cyclone fences surround Sydney's best vantage points as the masses arrive with fold-up chairs, rugs, shopping bags and booze.
Excitement is in the air and the crowds are expecting a jaw-dropping start to 2012 with fireworks billed as the best in the world.
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"I didn't want to take any chances, so just stayed the night," said 26-year-old Brendan Mullen, who camped out overnight at Balmain to ensure a prime position.
"I reckon it'll be worth it."
Tourist Manuel Forgiarini said he planned to have the night of his life.
"I come from a small town in the north of Italy so we don't have these kinds of fireworks. It's usually just some small party with family," the 26-year-old said.
"I've always wanted to come here... We're just going to keep drinking until the police come and take our drinks away."
Security guards in yellow vests have spent the day checking bags at turnstiles blocking off the Opera House and Mrs Macquarie's Chair.
"I've never been here before," said software engineer Neda Hillyer, who moved to Australia from the US with her husband Sati Hillyer three months ago.
"We're pretty stoked. I've never celebrated New Year's Eve with 1.5 million people."
With her parents visiting from Los Angeles, Mrs Hillyer brought along a bottle of shiraz, unaware that organisers are not allowing spectators to bring in their own alcohol.
Mrs Macquarie's Chair, with a capacity of 20,000, is the biggest venue along the harbour foreshore, followed by the Tarpeian Precinct on the western side of The Domain, which can hold 6000.
Jennie, a software engineer from earthquake-damaged Christchurch in New Zealand, visited Circular Quay with her 14-year-old daughter in the early afternoon.
That probably in itself was the largest inspiration, given what's taken place all over the world, not only in Australia," he said.
"It really gave me inspiration, for want of a better word, to think about more optimistic things for the years to come."
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore was optimistic the weather would be good.
"I'm absolutely confident," said Ms Moore, who will watch the fireworks from the Opera House forecourt.
"There's no forecast for wind at all. We don't think it's going to be raining when the fireworks go off."
Skies above Sydney are cloudy but are gradually clearing as crowds begin gathering along some of Sydney Harbour's best vantage points.
Hundreds of revellers have already staked their ground at the Botanical Gardens, as well as the Opera House and the Balmain foreshore.
Melbourne plans to burst into gold with a $400,000 fireworks display lasting 10 minutes.
Gold-themed images will also be projected on to St Paul's Cathedral, the State Library of Victoria and the National Gallery of Victoria, as part of the celebrations which harks back to the gold rush era.
Families can enjoy free entertainment at Yarra Park, Birrarung Marr and Alexandra Gardens and earlier fireworks at 9.30pm (AEDT) at Yarra Park and Docklands.
With Sydney's fireworks containing seven tonnes of explosives, Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said, "If size matters, we're the biggest".
"The Harbour Bridge is beautiful, but when you see the gold that is the Melbourne moment this year, it will be absolutely spectacular," Mr Doyle said.
Crowds can travel home from the city on public transport for free from 6pm on New Year's Eve until 6am.
Hundreds of police will patrol the city and coastal hotspots including the Surf Coast, Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island to crack down on drunken revellers.
An extra 150 paramedics will be on duty across the state, with an additional 16 ambulances in the CBD and St Kilda.
New Year's Eve parties started a whole day early on the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, after a hop across the international date line transported the country 24 hours into the future — making it the first in the world to ring in the new year.
Samoans began celebrating under a rainbow of fireworks at the stroke of midnight on Thursday, Dec. 29 when the country skipped over Friday and moved straight into 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 31.
Samoa and neighboring Tokelau lie near the date line that zigzags vertically through the Pacific Ocean, and both sets of islands decided to realign themselves this year from the Americas side of the line to the Asia side, to be more in tune with key trading partners.
The time-jump revelry in Samoa continued throughout Saturday as the hours ticked down to 2012. Pools and beaches across the capital Apia were packed with Samoans and tourists celebrating the country's sudden position as the first in the world to ring in the new year, rather than the last.
Despite the extended festivities, Samoan police said there had been no reports of any problems.
"More than 90 percent of our people really appreciate the change, and that contributes to its success," said one official who could not be named as he was not authorized to speak publicly.
At the year's end, many in Japan were left reflecting on the fragility of life, while remaining quietly determined to recover.
"For me, the biggest thing that defined this year was the disaster in March," said Miku Sano, 28, a nursing student in Fukushima city. "Honestly, I didn't know what to say to these people, who had to fight sickness while living in fear about ever being able to go back home. The radiation levels in the city of Fukushima, where I live, are definitely not low, and we don't know how that is going to affect our health in the future."
People across Japan were expected to spend Saturday visiting shrines and temples, offering their first prayers for the year. The giant hanging bell at temples will ring 108 times to purify the world of evil and bring good luck.
Kouichi Takayama, a university student, said 2011 was a year he would never forget.
"It was a year I felt the preciousness of life with a passion," he said. "But I was also able to catch a glimpse of the warmth of human relations, and reconfirm my gratitude for family, community and everyday life. I hope I can connect meaningfully with more people next year to create a Japan that truly endures toward the future."
In the southern Philippine city of Cagayan de Oro, people were still reeling from deadly flash flooding sparked by Tropical Storm Washi. The storm killed more than 1,200 in southern and central Philippines, 800 of which were in Cagayan de Oro.
For Ana Caneda, a disaster relief official in Cagayan de Oro, the new year "offers a new ray of hope."
"It's going to be a relief to write the date 2012, not 2011," Caneda said.
In Hong Kong, more than 400,000 people were expected to watch the 4-minute, $1 million display of fireworks that will shoot off from 10 skyscrapers, lighting up the city's famed Victoria Harbour.
Raymond Lo, a master of feng shui — the Chinese art of arranging objects and choosing dates to improve luck — said he wasn't surprised that 2011 was such a tumultuous year because it was associated with the natural elements of metal and wood. The year's natural disasters were foreshadowed, Lo said, because wood — which represents trees and nature — was attacked by metal.
2012 could be better because it's associated with ocean water, which represents energy and drive and the washing away of old habits, Lo said.
"Big water also means charity, generosity," Lo said. "Therefore that means sharing. That means maybe the big tycoons will share some of their wealth."
Together as One The gargantuan shindig moves from the L.A. Coliseum and takes on an all-star lineup of entertainment, including Diplo, Chromeo, Duck Sauce and more. The night culminates with a multimedia countdown and fireworks display. Oak Canyon Park, 5305 Santiago Canyon Road, Silverado. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. General admission, $70; VIP, $150.
White Wonderland New Year's Eve Gala Giant's "Big Time" event has merged with Insomniac to create a party so huge it had be extended into a two-day festivity. Live talent includes Paul Van Dyk, Kaskade, Dada Life and more. Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Kantella Ave., Anaheim. 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday, 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday. $100-$250. http://www.giantclub.com.
Big Bang 2012 More than 5,000 revelers are expected to attend Hollywood's most expansive New Year's Eve celebration, which includes a slew of celebrity DJs, dancers and live performances from Cobra Starship and Lupe Fiasco. Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $75-$125. (323) 461-9800 . bigbangnye.com.
New Year's Eve Celebration Party in style aboard the historic Queen Mary ocean liner, with seven onboard parties and styles of music, including jazz, '70s, '80s, even a dueling piano sing-along. Includes party favors, dancing and a midnight fireworks display. Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. $99. (818) 566-1111 . http://www.queenmary.com.
Cleopatra's New Year's Eve Ball Celebrate 2012 in style along the Walk of Fame in the beautiful Egyptian Theatre courtyard. Enjoy DJs spinning dance tunes, balloon drop, confetti blast, a giant LED light show and much more. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 9 p.m.-3 a.m. $85.
Las Palmas Block Party One ticket allows revelers entry to the Hip Hop party at Las Palmas, the House Music scene at Premiere Supper Club and the rock stage at Angels and Kings. Each club will have a midnight countdown. Las Palmas, Premiere Supper Club, Angels & Kings 1716-1724 N. Las Palmas Blvd., Hollywood. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. General admission, $75 advance; VIP, $125.
New Year's Eve Gala The South Bay's largest New Year's Eve party brings Vegas-style entertainment to the coast. DJs spin house, hip-hop, top 40 and electro, plus aerialists, dancers and performers, not to mention a high-tech midnight countdown show. Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. $45-$65. (323) 378-5207 . http://www.maxentertainmentgroup.com.
Black and White Masquerade Ball The evening's festivities feature music by DJ Frankie, laser light show, complimentary hors d'oeuvres 9-10:30 p.m., and the mandatory midnight champagne toast. Masks and cocktail attire required. Wokcano, 1413 5th St., Santa Monica. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Advance tickets, $40; New Year's Eve, $50. (310) 497-6324 . http://www.wokanonewyear2010.eventbrite.com.
Vivid New Year's Eve The official Vivid Entertainment New Year's Eve party, with Mark Lewis, Armen, Anthony Shah, Angeline, Blackliquid and Gago spinning house and progressive, plus an outdoor tent of mash-ups and hip-hop by DJ Sklyler. Plus hundreds of porn stars. Ecco Ultra Lounge, 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood. 9 p.m.-4 a.m. $40. http://www.eccohollywood.com.
Pierro's Italian Bistro and Sky Lounge: There are dinner packages for two at the downtown Pierro's location at 217 Hay St. After dinner, the restaurant transforms into Sky Lounge and features a DJ, dancing, party favors, champagne toast and a countdown. Pre-book tickets for $10 per person, which will guarantee entrance into the club. To pre-book, call 678-8885 or go to pierrositalianbistro.com.
It'z Entertainment City: The sports bar, cigar bar and night club at 4118 Legend Ave. will host a party with party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. Admission is $15 in advance, and includes admission to the night club. Call 826-2300 or go to itzentertainmentcity.com.
Club Barcelona: The club at 1501 Skibo Road will feature a live ball drop, indoor pyrotechnics show, confetti and balloon drop. The Times Square ball drop will be shown on the club's TVs and projectors. The club is open from 9 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. Admission is $20. Call 483-2671 or go to clubbarcelona.com.
Club Hellas: The club at 3041 N. Main St. in Hope Mills will feature big-screen TVs showing the Times Square ball drop, a DJ, champagne toast and early morning breakfast. The downstairs sports bar will feature a band. There is no cover charge downstairs. The upstairs cover charge is $15. Call 426-4040 or go to clubhellas.com.
SpeakEasy Nightclub: New Year's Eve offers some options at SpeakEasy at 3983 Sycamore Dairy Road. You can party in the nightclub for a $20 admission, which includes party favors, champagne and a surprise at midnight. Or, you can hang out in the cigar and martini bar for no cover charge and still snag some party favors. The cigar bar opens at 8 p.m., while the nightclub opens at 10. Live entertainment will be provided. Call 339-2404 or go to speakeasync.com.
The Rock Shop Music Hall: The music venue is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a bash. Verrat will headline the concert and will be joined by Tonic Immobility, Any Color You Like, A Breath Forgotten and The Separate. Tickets are $10. The club is at 128 S. King St. Doors open at 6 p.m. Call 321-ROCK or go to therockshoplive.com.
VIA 216 Bar & Grill: The club in the Tallywood Shopping Center on Raeford Road will offer Latin music and dancing and a balloon drop with more than $1,000 in cash at midnight. Doors open at 9 p.m., and the party goes until 3 a.m. Must be 18 to enter and 21 to drink. ID is required, and dress code is enforced. Call 486-7832 or go to via216.com.
Big Shots Entertainment Sports Bar & Grill: Big Shots, now at its new location at 3138 Raeford Road, will host a Sunset to Sunrise New Year's Eve party beginning at 6 p.m. Admission is free before 10 p.m., and $25 after. Advance tickets available. The nightclub will serve breakfast and champagne to ticket holders. Admission includes favors, a mini bottle of champagne and a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas. The party ends at 6 a.m. Call 480-4883.
The Big Apple: The sports bar at 5900 Yadkin Road will offer a champagne toast, balloon drop, black/silver/gold theme and dress-up contest (in that theme). Admission is $8 for women and military members 21 and over, $10 for civilians, and $15 for under 21. The party starts at 10 p.m. Call 868-5559 or go to bigapplefay.com.
Club Xscape: The nightclub at 1940 Skibo Road will host a "Once In a Lifetime" upscale party featuring Foxy 99 DJs Tommy G Miix and DJ Weezy. The party is a 21-and-over affair, and will also offer a champagne toast and favors. Tickets are $15 at the door, with discounts for military. Call 802-7087.
Big Harry's Tavern: The bar, located at 3030 Fort Bragg Road, will welcome 2012 with a karaoke party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. There's no cover. The party includes champagne and breakfast. Call 484-9842.
Drifters Saloon: This Spring Lake country bar will offer a champagne toast, DJ and drink specials. $10 for singles and $15 for couples. 412 1/2N. Bragg Blvd, Suite C. Call 436-1092.
Holiday Inn Bordeaux: The hotel at 1707 Owen Drive will host the WCCG 104.5 New Year's Eve party beginning at 7 p.m. The event features two parties, as the fun will be spread across two floors, featuring multiple DJs, free food and champagne, and party favors for all, as well as prizes and giveaways. Tickets are $10 to $25 in advance and $40 at the door. Only 21 and older are admitted. Go to ez-tixx.com or call 877-993-8499 for tickets. Call 484-4932.
Double Tree by Hilton Hotel: The hotel at 1965 Cedar Creek Road is hosting a New Year's extravaganza featuring Reggie Codrington with Buddy McLeod and the 2 Reel Band along with DJs Gilbert Baez and DROC of Foxy 99.1. There will be a champagne toast and free hors d'oeuvres. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the Rogers Law Firm, 122 Bow St. in downtown Fayetteville; Edible Arrangements locations in Spring Lake, Hope Mills and Fayetteville; or by going to geminientertainment2011 .eventbrite.com. A special room rate of $109 (plus tax) for two is being offered with breakfast included. Call 964-5828.
Luigi's Italian Restaurant: The restaurant will host a New Year's Eve party featuring live music by Soul Decree, as well as a five-course, fixed menu for two. The cost is $175 per couple. The dinner includes party favors and champagne. Reservations for the special menu are required. A full dinner menu also will be available. Seating will be held from 5-10:30 p.m. 528 McPherson Church Road. Call 864-1810.
Circa 1800: The restaurant, located at 108 Person St., will offer a special three-course dinner for New Year's Eve. For $40 per person, the meal includes a choice of soup or salad, entree and dessert, as well as party favors for the late-night guests and a sidewalk view of the fireworks show at Festival Park. Call 568-4725.
The Mash House: The microbrewery/restaurant will offer a free champagne toast at midnight. No cover. 4150 Sycamore Dairy Road. Call 867-9223.
FOR THE FAMILY
Flea Drop: The "Flea Hill Flea Drop" will be from 10 p.m. until midnight at the Eastover Community Center at 4008 School St. Admission is free. Alcohol is prohibited. For more details, see story on Page 9. Go to eastovernc.com.
Southern Pines: The Moore County town's annual First Eve celebration gets underway at 6 p.m. in downtown. The event includes live music, carnival games, singing contests, face-painting and more. It all builds up to the pine cone drop at 8 p.m. Call 910-692-7376 or go to southernpines.net.
FireAntz Hockey: The FireAntz play a 4 p.m. game Saturday against the Huntsville Havoc. Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $14 to $20. Children under 12 are $5. Call 745-3000 or go to fireantzhockey.com.
Round-a-Bout Skating: The skating center is offering a New Year's Eve Late Skate from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Admission is $12 and includes skates and party favors. Round-a-Bout is at 115 Skateway Drive and the Eutaw Shopping Center. Call the Skateway location at 860-8900 and the Eutaw location at 484-4465, or go to round-a-bout.com.
Lafayette Bowling Lanes: The lanes at 3313 Raeford Road will have a bash from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The cost is $30 and includes party favors and a buffet. Guests can win cash prizes in colored-pin bowling. Call 484-0113 or go to lafayettebowlinglane.lbu.com
B&B Bowling Lanes: The lanes at 3003 Fort Bragg Road will offer a family bowling party from 6 to 8 p.m. It includes a balloon drop, party favors, music, hats and leis and a grape juice toast. Cost, including shoes, is $40 for the lane. Up to six people can bowl on a lane. An adult New Year's celebration will be held from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. It includes party favors, hats, leis, music and a champagne toast at midnight. Cost including shoes is $20 per person. Call 484-5179 or go to bandblanes.com.
Payroll Tax Pseudo-Win
Obama's early proposals for a millionaire's tax, supported by Berkshire Hathway (BRK.A) billionaire Warren Buffet, were met with the demonizing "class warfare" misnomer early in the debate. Republicans successfully stifled any hope the president had of passing the tax. Then he flipped the script.
In a politically deft move, Obama married a sort-of-millionaire's tax with a payroll tax cut, forcing the opposing party to lambaste a tax cut that largely benefits the middle class in order to protect the rich from tax increases. It worked. Republicans went through a very public identity crisis within 48 hours, arguing that the tax cut doesn't work and must be paid for, contradicting two core principles of their ideology.
Jobs Numbers
How much of this is actually the president's doing is immaterial. The truth is that unemployment is at its lowest rate in more than two years, leading to a dip in concerns that his re-election bid will tank due to poor jobs figures.
That talk has quieted down slightly since Dec. 3, when new figures showed unemployment was down to 8.6 percent. It is still a far cry from the magic 7 percent threshold that has historically felled re-election bids. And the U.S. economy remains bound to the whims of a still-undetermined European government debt crisis, which still remains a strong liability in the United States, and could torpedo any recovery, however feeble.
Do Ask, Do Tell
The mandatory closeting of members of the military ended on Sept. 20, when Obama repealed the controversial policy that kept gays from serving openly. The move was hailed by liberals and civil rights advocates as a victory in a year that saw many for the gay community.
"I have always been confident that our dedicated men and women in uniform would transition to a new policy in an orderly manner that preserves unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness," Obama said in a statement. "Service members will no longer be forced to hide who they are in order to serve our country. Our military will no longer be deprived of the talents and skills of patriotic Americans just because they happen to be gay or lesbian."
The repeal, however, promises to be a topic of heated discussion during the 2012 election as Republicans will likely use the repeal as a wink-nudge to conservative voters.
Iraq War Ends
Obama entered the 2008 race promising to end the war in Iraq. He delivered on Dec. 18 when the last convoy of American troops left Iraq and entered Kuwait. The withdrawal came at a time when America's engagement overseas has taken a back seat to domestic economic concerns. The troops' departure lacked dramatic visuals, as the last troops left in the dead of the night. Still, in a year when Obama has few hard-fought victories, the ending of the engagement in Iraq when he could have justified a continued presence shows an obstinacy too often hidden.
Osama bin Laden: "Justice has been done."
The May 2 killing of the 9/11 mastermind bin Laden induced one of the most cathartic moments of 2011. Obama's decision to send in special forces into Abbottabad, Pakistan, to carry out a clandestine mission to kill the al-Qaida leader exorcised considerable demons that had been stewing for a decade. News of bin Laden's death (and subsequent burial at sea) sent many into the streets to celebrate.
The event could, however, be almost oxymoronic in its grandeur yet lack of political potency. Obama's predecessor would have been assured re-election with bin Laden's capture or killing. The current president's odds are much slimmer.
Mr. Obama may propose tax reform, attempting to use it to appeal both to his liberal base (a question of fairness) and independents (a reform to spur economic growth). This will fail, but not before boosting Mr. Obama's poll numbers.
• The Obama campaign won't corral high-profile Republican endorsements—as it did in 2008 with former Secretary of State Colin Powell—with the unimportant possible exception of former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel. It will also make a special effort to diminish the GOP's advantage among military families, veterans and evangelicals, with the last a special target if Republicans nominate Mitt Romney.
To intimidate critics and provoke higher black turnout, Democrats will play the race card more than in any election since 1948. Witness Attorney General Eric Holder's recent charge that criticism of him and the president was "both due to the nature of our relationship and . . . the fact that we're both African-Americans."
The economic recovery will continue to be anemic, leaving both unemployment and concerns about whether the president is up to the job high on Election Day. Because of this, Mr. Obama will lose as his margins drop among five groups essential to his 2008 victory—independents, women, Latinos, young people and Jews. While he will win a majority from at least three of these groups, he won't win them by as much as he did last time.
Lowa Republican presidential candidate debate was very well done. Fox News people had good questions, Republican presidential candidates had good answers, and there was very little of the candidate nastiness that we had seen in earlier debates. The most successful candidates seemed to be Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Rick Santorum was nearly as good, and Rick Perry did better than he had been in the past.
What should be encouraging all of the Republican candidates is the lead a generic Republican has over President Barack Obama in the latest polls. The National Journal's December 15th Ron Brownstein piece—"Where Obama Has Slipped"—has even more encouraging news for the Republican candidates:
"Obama's approval rating is now 12 percentage points lower than his 2008 share of the vote among young adults (age 18-29); 11 points lower among African Americans; and 10 points among college-educated white women… Compared to his 2008 showing, he's tumbled 14 percentage points among independents, another group that provided him a narrow majority of its votes last time. [Among] upper middle-income families earning between $75,000 and $100,000 annually…. he's dropped from 51 percent of the vote with them to 44 percent approval."
The cause of the sinking numbers across so many demographic groups is, of course, the policies this administration has pushed for the last three years and the very negative impact they have had on our nation's economy. People are rightly scared by the programs Obama has put in place and worried that things will get even worse if these policies continue.
We essentially created our own jobs in the 1800s when we were somewhat independent in an agrarian society.
Along came industry in the 1900s and we got hired in urban areas. These jobs were at the mercy of corporate owners. Well, nothing has changed! Ninety-nine percent of our lives and our ability to eat and have a roof over our heads are still at the mercy of corporations or government who, even though they hire us, can fire us or lay us off at will.
Therefore, if we’re lucky to get hired, we’re at the mercy of the company store. Many of the firms we used to work for are hiring overseas, not here in the U.S. None of our local jobs or those overseas are created because all jobs can be disposed of, taken away from us or eliminated as a result of companies shutting down.
Those of us who see what’s coming (global catastrophes, climate change, the loss of ice in the Arctic and the Antarctic, huge increase in global populations, longer life of the elderly, shortages and overfishing, the end of cheap energy and the end of oil reserves) could band together and go back to an agrarian lifestyle, taking advantage of technologies such as solar heating and earth cooling.
We can’t control the vicissitudes of the stock market and the global collapse that we know intuitively is coming in a few short years, but we can educate our children and grandchildren to create their own jobs, so that they won’t be faced with the unimaginable crises coming and because you and I and our politicians are in denial with our heads in the sand.
We have invited to Asif Ali Zardari for writing truth we will publish as it is as you mail us at:wdcreporter@yahoo.com. Please write your article and mail us we will publish that at Washington D.C. Post
Zardari, who became president after the former prime minister was killed in 2007 following her return from self-imposed exile, is facing perhaps the greatest threat to the government.
In a jab at the Supreme Court, which is considering an investigation into a memo asking the United States for help against the country's powerful military and which could implicate Zardari, he asked about the as yet unsolved case of his wife's assassination.
"People ask what happened to Benazir Bhutto's case," he said. "I ask (Chief Justice) Iftikhar Chaudhry: what happened to Benazir Bhutto's case?"
No one has yet been charged with her assassination at a huge rally outside Islamabad.
Police estimated Tuesday's crowd at more than 70,000.
Colorful banners sprouted from the throng, which spread out beneath the white, marble mausoleum that contains the bodies of Pakistan's most famous political family.
The president in his fiery speech said that democracy was still in its infancy in the country, and it will take time to grow stronger. We will only fight for democracy, he said.
I am a constitutional president, added President Zardari, and (Gilani) is a constitutional prime minister.
In a jab at the Supreme Court, which is currently pursuing several corruption cases against Zardari, who currently enjoys immunity as head of state, he asked about the as yet unsolved case of his wife’s assassination.
“People ask what happened to Benazir Bhutto’s case,” he said. “I ask (Chief Justice) Iftikhar Chaudhry: what happened to Benazir Bhutto’s case?”
Police estimated Tuesday’s crowd at more than 70,000. Colourful banners sprouted from the throng, which spread out beneath the graceful, white marble mausoleum that contains the bodies of Pakistan’s most famous political family.
Speaking from behind bulletproof glass, Zardari appeared relaxed and healthy, which would likely calm rumours of his ill health.
Tensions are rising between Pakistan's civilian leaders and its generals over a memo that accused the army of plotting a coup after the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May.
"Who isn't fed up with Zardari? It's not just the opposition and the man on the street but people within the government too," said one military source who asked not to be named.
"But there has to be a proper way. No action is being planned by the army. Even if we tried, it would be very unpopular and not just with the government and the opposition but most Pakistanis too."
The Pakistani military spokesman declined comment.
General Ashfaq Kayani has pledged to keep the military out of Pakistani politics since taking over as army chief in 2007.
Any coup -- Pakistan has had three since independence in 1947 -- could further tarnish the military's public image which has already taken a battering after the bin Laden operation, widely seen in Pakistan as a violation of sovereignty.
But the army remains the arbiter of power and analysts say it has plenty of ways to pressure Zardari to step down, especially if a link is established between him and the memo, which sought the Pentagon's help in averting a feared coup.
Mr. Zardari's civilian government is facing mounting criticism over a secret memo, sent months ago, appealing for U.S. help to prevent a feared military coup.
Both the government and army officials have made recent efforts to diffuse the political tension.
Pakistan's Army General Ashfaq Kayani last week denied rumors that he was plotting an overthrow of President Zardari's increasingly unpopular government.
On Monday, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani denied media reports that he was planning to fire General Kayani and the head of the country's powerful spy agency, the ISI.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on Friday also moved to allay fears about a possible coup, saying a military takeover is out of the question.
The existence of the memo came to light in October, when Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz wrote a column in The Financial Times accusing Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani of writing a letter to garner U.S. assistance to prevent a military coup.
The letter was reportedly sent in May to Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military official at the time. The ambassador was forced to resign.
Prime Minister Gilani and President Zardari have faced increasing pressure to resign over the memo incident. Pakistan's Supreme Court is currently deliberating whether to order an investigation of the memo.
