{gizmodo.com}
What’s 12 feet wide, weighs 11,875 pounds and will be falling on Manhattan in a blaze of light in a matter of hours? No, not one of those YouTube meteor strikes, but the Times Square ball. It’s twice as large as last year’s ball and sporting quadruple the number of Waterford crystal triangles (2,668).
Philips, the Dutch electronics and lighting company that helped to equip the ball, said the lights will consume about the same amount of energy per hour as it takes to operate two conventional home ovens. The company also said the ball will be 20 percent more efficient than last year while still providing “a brighter, greener and more beautiful experience.”
This year’s New Year Eve’s midnight ball drop in Times Square also will involve cascading confetti and balloons, and the usual camaraderie with strangers from across the globe who jet in just to be able to say they were there. Among the special guests: The Jonas Brothers are scheduled for a late-night gig in Times Square.
