No one can accuse the Times Square Alliance of dropping the ball on energy efficiency; when the clock strikes midnight tonight, a brand-new New Year’s Eve ball will light up Times Square and give the world a dazzling display of kaleidoscopic, cutting-edge LED technology. A hundred years ago, the first-ever Times Square New Year’s Eve ball—a 5-foot-diameter iron and wood contraption lit with 100 25W light bulbs—was dropped down a flagpole. The ball has been upgraded five times since then, most recently in 1999, when a Waterford crystal ball was created to commemorate the millennium.Tonight, we’re getting a New Year’s Eve ball that’s truly suited to this energy-challenged century; it’s still made of Waterford crystal, but the halogen lights have been replaced by LEDs that are twice as bright but use only a fraction as much energ–equivalent to 10 toasters, according to the AP. What’s next, solar panels on the White House roof? Oh, wait! Jimmy Carter already tried that, like, thirty years ago. Too bad Ronald Reagan took ‘em down. Talk about a dim bulb.

Clashes errupt between police and rioters in Kenya after the re-election of president Mwai Kibaki resulted in the suspension of live television broadcasts by the Kenyan Television Network. Raila Odinga’s opposition party, Orange Democratic Movement, has accused the government of rigging the elections, with incumbent Kibaki narrowly winning by 231,000 votes out of 8.9 million cast.

The Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan and non-profit organization, has made it its mission to track the money going in and out of not only the presidential candidates’ coffers, but also those of US congress members, political parties, and advocacy groups. Want to know the top overall and individual donors? Curious about donor demographics? How about who’s raised the most money and who has spent the most?

And the million dollar question: How does this $$$ affect policy and election outcomes? See for yourself on opensecrets.org.

Benazir Bhutto’s 19-year-old son has been chosen to succeed her as chairman of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party. According to Ali Hassan of Human Rights Watch, choosing Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the leader of the PPP has been done to capitalize on widespread anger and grief over the assassination during the elections. The PPP, which is the largest and most popular political party in Pakistan, has demanded that the January 8th elections take place as scheduled, despite a diminishing security situation in the country. For more a more in depth look on the PPP’s succession decision, click here and here.

Two years ago I had one of the best New Year’s Eves I can remember. My dreary boyfriend at the time, and two friends of mine went to Prospect Park in Brooklyn and rang in the New Year with a 5k race at 11pm, followed by fireworks and hot chocolate in the park when the clock struck midnight. At the exact moment when everyone yelled “Happy New Year!” my boyfriend was nowhere to be found. I was alone, starring up at the exploding lights in the sky with a cup of steaming hot cocoa in my hand, feeling healthy, sober, and happy.

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An increasing number of Google’s millionaire veterans have been taking on the role of venture capitalists to start-up technology companies. Some have joined up with larger investment firms, while others have decided to bankroll these start-ups on their own. Google graduates are still keeping it in the family, turning to each other to help identify investors, entrepreneurs, and new tech talent for hire. Click here for a full report from the NY Times.

I just saw the stupidest NutriSystem commerical. I know, I know, all NutriSystem commericals are stupid but this one was really , really stupid.It features Sarah, a gal who lost 60 lbs so now she can go to nightclubs and men actually talk to her! Way to go gurrrrrl!I think a healthy body is awesome. I think fitness is fantastic. I think looking good and feeling good is super important. But I think quick results in exchange for false hopes of popularity and love is stupid.I went to Youtube to try and find Sarah’s advertisement, instead I found this…Yup that’s Topanga aka Danielle Fishel. The same gal who was on the Tyra Banks show for the annoying “So What” episode where she discussed celebrating women’s bodies in all sizes. I dunno, I just feel like NutriSystem and positive body image doesn’t mesh. While NutriSystem may indeed be a healthy weight loss method ( I have no idea) and while the results may in fact make a person feel more positive about their body, I just think the NutriSystem campaign focuses too much on the superficial rather than the nutritional and emotional. But I suppose it is the superficial that lures consumers.With the new year approaching and many of us (yet again) resolving to loose weight and eat better, let’s also resolve to do so in a healthy way both physically and mentally.For more on positive body image visit bodypositive.com

Do you know which presidential candidate has a 1,000-bottle wine cellar? How about a $1.03 million dollar beach house on the North Carolina coast? And a walnut-paneled cigar room in a $5 million dollar apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side? Curious about how the other half lives? Check out the “humble abodes” of the presidential candidates.

In the midst of the agonizing over who’s to blame for Benazir Bhutto’s assassination (candidates range from Musharraf, to Bush, to herself) has emerged yet another question of arguably equal importance: how exactly did she die?

The Musharraf government revised it’s initial version of the attack, first citing her cause of death as being from gunshot and shrapnel wounds and now declaring that she’d essentially killed herself, hitting her head on the sunroof.   Bhutto’s party denies the government’s claims as a ‘pack of lies.’  There’s no doubt that the way she died is of critical significance:

CNN national security analyst Ken Robinson, who worked in U.S. intelligence in Pakistan during the Clinton administration, said he suspects Bhutto’s enemies are attempting to control her legacy by minimizing the attack’s role in her demise.

“They’re trying to deny her a martyr’s death, and in Islam, that’s pretty important,” Robinson said.

Bhutto, he said, threatens to become more influential in death than she was in life. “Her torch burns bright now forever. She’s forever young; she’s forever brave, challenging against all odds the party in power and challenging the military and Islamic extremism.” [cnn.com]

What would Jesus think? Two groups who make it their mission to feed West Palm Beach’s homeless have been forbidden to give away free food in public places. The groups, Art and Compassion and Food Not Bombs, are suing to have the ban overturned, the Palm Beach Post reports, citing the absurdly vague wording of the ordinance:

The measure prohibits anyone from giving away food. Strictly applied, someone sharing an extra sandwich with a friend could be arrested and charged with a crime, punishable by a maximum $500 fine or 60 days in jail.Since the measure was passed on Sept. 24, the groups have continued to hand out free food on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons in Centennial Square in front of the library. Although police have watched, they have not stopped either group from handing out meals.

Mayor Lois Frankel explained that she felt compelled to instigate the ban in response to residents and business owners who complained “that the homeless who gather for the free food are unsightly and dangerous.” Lucky for all those unsightly, dangerous, and no doubt hungry down-and-outers, the cops don’t feel compelled to enforce the ban.Learn more about Food Not Bombs here.