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2009 - Economy Dampens New Year's Celebrations...

New York, Hundreds of thousands of revelers rang in 2009 from frigid Times Square as the famous Waterford crystal ball dropped, signaling the end of a historic and troubled year that saw the election of the first black U.S. president and the worst economic crisis in decades. As the clock struck midnight, a ton of confetti rained down while the partygoers hugged and kissed. The wind chill made it feel like 1 degree (-17 Celsius) in the area, but that didn't deter the throngs who were cloaked in fur hats and sleeping bags. "We're worried about the economy but hoping for the best," said Lisa Mills, of Danville, Ohio, visiting Times Square on Wednesday night with her husband, Ken, and 17-year-old daughter, Kara. Former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton, who will become President-elect Barack Obama's secretary of state on Jan. 21, helped Mayor Michael Bloomberg lower the the famous Waterford crystal ball atop 1 Times Square for the countdown to midnight.