Got any good New Year’s Eve plans? We’re gonna welcome the New Year with new people, meeting most of them for the first time. One of my friends at Microsoft has invited us to a small, casual New Year’s Eve party. At first, I thought it was a trick - he’s the same guy who kicked my ASCII in Doom 2 a few weeks ago. Well, this New Year’s Eve, I’m better prepared. Not really, but just in case he’s reading this… I’m trying to psyche him out. So, just like Ponzi asked, what are you doing this New Year’s Eve? I, however, don’t care what you’re wearing.

“Happy New Year!” That greeting will be said and heard for at least the first couple of weeks as a new year gets under way. But the day celebrated as New Year’s Day in modern America was not always January 1… [More]

With an ailing king, two would-be successors and a ubiquitous substitute, New Year’s Eve on television has more subplots than a party with three ex-girlfriends. Dick Clark and his “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC has been the go-to party for 32 years, but he’ll be away from Times Square this Friday as he continues recovering from a stroke. Regis Philbin will fill in for him. [via CNN]

And here’s what MSN is doing:

A full century after the first official New Year celebration in New York City’s Times Square, people around the world will experience this New Year’s Eve tradition in a way never before available through an exclusive live webcast on MSN® Video. MSN is the exclusive online provider of the official Times Square New Year’s Eve 2005 celebration. Starting around 6 p.m. EST, when organizers light and raise the world-famous New Year’s Eve Ball atop One Times Square, and continuing through the ball drop at midnight…