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Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Test Drop
(credit: Alex Silverman/WCBS 880)
December 30, 2012
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – There was a countdown and then cheering Sunday afternoon atop One Times Square, as officials in charge of the New Year’s Eve celebration tested out the massive shimmering ball for the big event.
The ball is comprised of 2,600 Waterford crystals and 32,000 LED lights and weighs 12,000 pounds.
“Truly is the largest crystal ball in the world,” Countdown Entertainment president Jeffrey Straus told 1010 WINS’ Glenn Schuck. “New Year’s Eve is a moment in time where we can all look back and sort of reflect on what’s happened. We look forward to what’s going to happen in the future and we celebrate today. And it’s really a good moment to all come together and feel good.”
“Here in New York City, you see people celebrating and watching a lighted time ball come down a pole,” Straus told WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman.
The ball drop is actually an old maritime tradition, Silverman reported. But it was adopted by New York City more than a century ago, in 1904, because the fireworks they tried in Times Square burned the revelers below.
“And that message where you see this sort of massive humanity celebrating together watching and counting down together, that’s the most amazing feeling,” Straus added.
The ball will begin its 130-foot drop at 11:59 Monday night as it rings in the new year.
read more at--
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/30/6-ton-times-square-new-years-ball-goes-on-test-drop-nypd-launches-massive-security-operation/