Since the new year has already occurred in the first part of the world to get to it

[RB TexLa]

aren't the rest of the elaborate costly celebrations just silly and wasteful?

[FSogol]

1. So, no one invited you to their party?

;-)

[Cyrano]

2. This year a "leap second" will be added added which

gave Bush/Cheney one more second in office. (I think it will be added at 7:00pm EST, but I'm not sure.)

This second was added because the rate of the Earth's spin is slowing and that second was needed to keep our atomic clocks, GPS systems, etc. accurate and in sync.

It's possible that there are some who envy the part of the world that got that extra second before us. I, on the other hand, consider it an intolerable extension of the time that our illegitimate "president" can hold onto power.