Virtually auld lang syne

So, you've already ordered the pizza and you've splurged on an expensive bottle of bubbly--because after all, it is New Year's Eve.

All you need is a place to go.

But why bother with sweaty drunks, crowded highways, and rooms that you can't just leave with the click of a button. By using the Web, you don't actually have to go anywhere. You can have your pizza and party too--all in the privacy of your own home, thanks to several live New Year's Eve events on the Net.

Have you always wanted to go to Times Square on New Year's Eve but your Mom always said no? Now's your chance. While it's true you could venture there any day and check out the live cameras, tonight, there are some special things in store. At Yahoo's New Year's Eve Party site, you can watch the ball drop, share your New Year's resolutions, and check out New Year's celebrations from around the globe

If it's talk you want, well, you know what they say about that. It's cheap and easy on the Net. Just go to your favorite chat site to find people of like minds to help you bring in the New Year.

The WebChat Broadcast System, a site dedicated to--you guessed it--Web chat--is promising a party of global proportions with New Year's revelers from around the world.

If you want to know how people are getting away from all that rain in San Francisco, you can head to the MediaDome, a site sponsored jointly by Intel and CNET. There you can pick up live concerts given by Chris Isaak, Los Lobos, and others without having to brave the crowds.

There are also plenty of live events on the Net that although they aren't directly related to New Year's Eve, will happen tonight. NetGuide Live lists the events including several online concerts and a Kwanza celebration.

But maybe it is crowds you want--with people from the three-dimensional world (flesh and blood people not on your computer) and you're just looking for a party. Don't sweat it. The Net is the place to go. Try doing a search for parties at DejaNews, which will help you find all the postings on Usenet that relate to New Year's Eve.

Or a simple search of New Year's Eve parties on your favorite search engine will yield all kinds of interesting results.

Like this one: a New Year's Eve book burning party being held somewhere in Ohio. Hey, you never know. Could beat eating pizza--burned or otherwise.