A new poll shows that Americans are ready to ring in the new year with a sense of optimism for the year ahead.

The AP-Times Square New Year's Eve poll finds their ratings for the year gone by are less than glowing.

On the whole, Americans rate their own experience in 2013 more positively than negatively. But the poll shows that when asked to assess the year for the United States or the world at large, things turn sour.

All told, 32 percent say 2013 was a better year for them than 2012, while 20 percent say it was worse and 46 percent say the two years were really about the same.

Young people were more likely to see improvement in 2013.

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