A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-28-07 to 1-1-08....New Year's Eve In Times Square

Aquamarine

[Aquamarine]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

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Every year as the clock nears midnight on December 31st, the eyes of the world turn once more to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. Anticipation runs high. New Year's Eve is in the symbolic center of New York City "The City That Never Sleeps".

New Year's Eve in Times Square is chaotic, crowded, and out of control. People begin arriving late in the afternoon on New Year's Eve. By approximately 6:00 p.m., the Bow Tie of Times Square (42nd to 47th Sts. Between Broadway & 7th Ave.) is fully closed to traffic.

Times Square has achieved the status of an iconic world landmark and has become a symbol of its home city. Times Square is principally defined by its animated, digital advertisements. Known simply as One Times Square, it is famed for the "ball" which "drops" from a tower on its roof every New Year's Eve.

The "New" New Year's Eve Ball

Each year, millions of eyes from all over the world are focused on the sparkling Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year's Eve Ball. At 11:59 p.m., the Ball begins its descent as millions of voices unite to count down the final seconds of the year, and celebrate the beginning of a new year full of hopes, challenges, changes and dreams.

On October 4, 2007, the co-organizers of New Year’s Eve in Times Square (Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment) unveiled the new LED Crystal Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball at a press conference at Hudson Scenic Studio in Yonkers, New York. 2008 year marks the 100th birthday of the New Year’s Eve Ball, a universal symbol of celebration and renewal.

Auld Lang Syne - Traditional

The world holds its breath...and cheers as the clocks strike twelve. As the famous New Year's Eve Ball descends from the flagpole atop One Times Square, an estimated one million people in Times Square, millions nationwide and over a billion watching throughout the world are united in bidding a collective farewell to the departing year, and expressing our joy and hope for the year ahead.

WATERFORD CRYSTAL created an exclusive “Let There Be Light” design for the crystal triangles on the new Ball. Designed and crafted by Waterford artisans in Ireland, “Let There Be Light” features a dramatically stylized, radiating sunburst on each of the 672 crystal triangles. Due to the new design and technical innovations, this represents an increase of 168 crystal triangles from last year’s Ball. And, for the first time, the crystal triangles will feature cutting on both sides. The double cutting maximizes the light refraction within the crystal triangles.

The new Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball is more than twice as bright as the old one, with enhanced color capabilities and state-of-the-art LED lighting effects. Waterford Crystal crafted a beautiful new design for the crystal triangles on the Ball. Philips Lighting provided new solid state lighting technology that substantially increased the brightness, energy efficiency, and color capabilities of the Ball. And Focus Lighting developed a spectacular and unique lighting design for the new Ball on its 100th birthday.

Times Square at 12:00 AM January 1





We will open the book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called "Opportunity" and its first
chapter is New Year's Day. ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce



History of New Year's Eve In Times Square
About The New Year's Eve Ball
Countdown To 2008 - In Video


Happy New Year 2008!

The Best Is Yet to Come
I've Got The World on a String
That's Life

Click on titles for music

03-27-07 ~ Hall of Fame #19 ~ Final

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-24,25-07...Merry Christmas 2007 12-26,27-07...Warm Fuzzy Wednesday & Thursday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[GodBlessUSA]

It would be great if I could get a chipmunk to come around. They are in this area. They are so cute.

[GodBlessUSA]

I am enjoying reading your posts. Nature sure is so calming and a blessing.

[MEG33]

Indeed it is such a blessing...My daughter in law and I sit on my big bed, visiting and looking out at the birds and squirrels..It is a very wonderful treat for me to share it with her.

..For Christmas she gave me a little angel holding up a little ball.. gazing at it and the angel is named “Wonder”..I was busy modeling the new outfit they gave me and did not truly read the box and see the personal meaning until they had left..It’s out of the living room and on my dresser now..It touched me. May we never lose our sense of peace and wonder enjoying God’s world.!

[jaycee]

Where do you put the fruit, G. B.? I couldn’t just put it anywhere because of ants (mostly in summer).

The map showed a huge area of the U.S. that had them in the winter and it had (non-breeding) in parenthesis and Tennessee was covered. Gee, I hit several bird sites and when I go back later sometimes, I will have to run through all again. Maybe they all have maps. I went to one site that showed feeders for different birds also!

Where do you live, G.B.? Meg is in Texas, isn’t she?

[jaycee]

God put a lot of beauty in nature and animals for all of us to enjoy and it doesn’t cost a penny! God is Good!

[GodBlessUSA]

I’m on Eastern LI, NY. I put the fruit up on an old miniature park bench, in the back yard. Sometimes the ants find it. Sometimes not. I try to wash them off if the are there. I have real trouble with yellow jackets. They chased off 2 Hummer visitors this past season. I have to find a solution to this. Very frustrating to lose Hummer visitors.

[MEG33]

A hanging tray feeder would be good..In winter I don’t have ants come on the patio so I would just put it on the patio.
I don’t see Robins or Waxwings in summer, just winter..(Central Texas)

[GodBlessUSA]

What a lovely gift they gave you to treasure. :) May we never lose our sense of peace and wonder enjoying God’s world.

I hope when my son marries, to be lucky like you and have such a nice DIL.

I’m so grateful. When we just moved into our otherhouse and Booboo was still a toddler, she said look. There was a Red-belly Woodpecker on a tree. I had never seen one. That day we ran to the store and got feeders and suet. It becomes a part of you. It's nice Booboo played a role in something we all enjoy and love now.

[GodBlessUSA]

I was thinking of getting something either on a pole or hanging for fruit. I notice the Orioles in the spring are apprehensive to come down so low to the ground to get fruit. I’ll have to look online. ;)

[MEG33]

Yes..I am enjoying my first raccoon visitor of the evening right now..There is nothing but sunflower seeds out there now as I don’t put out catfood until I see a raccoon..There are kitties roaming and they love to find the food if I put it out early.

[jaycee]

Do you have more than one raccoon??

[MEG33]

I have 3 now..My once lame and another are females I believe.This one is a male and very aggresive..I have to show him he is not scaring me running right up and hissing at me. He is beautiful.. My favorite one comes up close but is non threatening..I saw her “grooming” him..They may be a pair now...All three come at once at times.

[MEG33]

Do you have Wildbird Unlimited in your area..One is near my grocery store..I dare not go in often ... I got my feeders and dome cover from them in Houston while at my daughter’s.It’s a great place for birdlovers.

[MEG33]

It took time to get so easy with one another..I feel blessed.

[GodBlessUSA]

Yes, there is one nearby. But fortunately, not too close. LOL It is a great place to shop!

[DollyCali]

we have a LOT of raccoon friends here.. at one time even more as I was feeding 50 - 100 pounds of dog food on our back deck.. friend John a few years back REALLY got on me for doing so.. (we would have 20 or more on the deck eating etc. Got pretty expensive for our limited income.

We still have some who “visit” but less as the dogs chase them away.

[GodBlessUSA]

I am afraid of the raccoons here because we have so many. They have a rep for being nasty. Unfortunately, from time to time, they find they carry rabies here also.

Meg's sound like such nice polite visitors. ;) I’d love to see those masked bandits up so close. It must be so special for her to have them visit each evening! :)

[MEG33]

I was shocked at how very very close he ran up to me at first..posturing, defending ..maybe going for the cup of food but I learned to march right back at him , sometimes sweet talking somtimes scolding..I remind him who has the food supply! LOL

[jaycee]

I have never mentioned rabies as I didn’t want to scare Meg. I have heard they can carry it. You would have to be bitten to be in any danger though. Hers seems so calm, don’t they?

[MEG33]

I am well aware of rabies danger..also a danger in squirrels. I have enough experience with well raccoons that I think I could spot one who had rabies.