2006 is history and 2007 has begun. Most people in the US are off from work on New Year's Day.  Many will gather with friends and go out to celebrate. Others will have parties at home and watch the ball drop via television from Time's Square in New York City. 

Americans have embraced many New Year's traditions which include the Rose Bowl Parade and Rose Bowl Game.  Katharine McPhee, of American Idol fame, will perform a first this year as she sings live from a float in the Rose Bowl Parade.  All other entertainment performances have been lip synced in the past. After the parade, college football fans can grab the munchies, and watch as the USC Trojans take on the University of Michigan.

Resolution setting is another important New Year's tradition.  People who want to make self improvements set goals and with determined wills, they strive for success.  Martin Luther King had a goal and worked very hard to realize his vision for a united America until his untimely assassination on April 4, 1968.  He was born on January 15, 1929 and his life is commemorated along with his accomplishments on a national holiday of the same date this year.

Microsoft's latest accomplishment, Windows Vista, will be released on January 30th.  Those who have purchased computers eligible for the Vista upgrade can look forward to receiving their express upgrade.  Business users will notice improvements aimed at desktop infrastructure and workforce mobility.  Home users will be thrilled with the new interface which includes three dimensional, real-time, animated views of open applications and documents as well as integrated search throughout the operating system.

On the entertainment front, NBC will debut the sixth season of The Apprentice on January 7th with a new twist, airing in Los Angeles instead of New York City as it has for the previous five seasons.  American Idol, Fox network's biggest hit, will begin season six on January 16th.

Related resources for January 2007:

• New Year's EarthCam:  Watch a webcast of the 2007 New Year's celebration in Times Square.
• Martin Luther King Day  - Offering information about the life of Martin Luther King along with links to activities and other resources.
• Microsoft: Windows Vista - Providing the official word on the newest operating system from Microsoft.
• The Tournament of Roses - Featuring the history, events, and news about the parade and game.
• The Apprentice: Season 6 - Find biographies of all of the candidates, previews, photos, videos and boards.
• American Idol  - Learn about the 4 hour season premiere, view videos and download past idol hits.