Virtual Fireworks Explode on the Web -- RealityFans

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 22:14:26 07/03/02 Wed
Author: Tweety
Subject: Virtual Fireworks Explode on the Web

Virtual Fireworks Explode on the Web for July 4
Wed Jul 3,11:20 AM ET

By Doug Young

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - What looks like fireworks, sounds like fireworks and even comes complete with patriotic music, without the hassles of crowds, traffic jams and those annoying ants known to frequent Independence Day picnics?

The answer: a cyber Fourth of July, brought to you by patriotic Web enthusiasts from across the United States as the nation prepares to celebrate its 226th birthday.

With a wave of patriotism still sweeping the nation in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and the ongoing U.S. "war on terrorism," July 4, 2002 promises to be an even bigger event than usual both at traditional venues and on the Web.

Indeed, the Web site http://www.fireworks.com, operated by Phantom Fireworks, has seen its traffic jump as much as 65 percent this year compared to last, said William Weimer, general counsel for Phantom parent B.J. Alan Co.

In June, traffic has been ahead on average by 35 percent to 40 percent, he added.

"Business is a little different this year," Weimer said. "We've seen an increased interest in fireworks, and we believe that's probably reflective of the generally heightened awareness in patriotism this year. We think there's going to be a lot more people staying home and doing family picnics and barbecues this year instead of traveling."

Holiday fare at fireworks.com and other patriotic Web sites includes July 4 history, trivia, recipes and e-postcards, among other things. And last but not least, fireworks lovers can find a slew of Web-based virtual pyrotechnic shows that run the gamut from the ho-hum to the downright impressive.

Not surprisingly, fireworks.com is one of the best places to get the party started.

After loading the site, Web surfers are greeted with a fireworks display, complete with the whistling of ascending pyrotechnics and subsequent bangs as they explode into multicolored bursts in different shapes and sizes.

Once inside, visitors can go to the site's "fun zone" to create their own fireworks show.

Options available include a number of city skylines that run the range from New York to Miami, Chicago and Washington. More exotic locales are also available, including the Egyptian pyramids and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

SHOWTIME

While fireworks.com has some of the best and most diverse shows, a host of other displays are out there as well for those seeking a quick fix of pyrotechnics online.

A show at http://members.aol.com/rivfs/July/4th.html is one of the prettier shows in cyberspace, featuring a full-screen night sky full of twinkling stars and fireworks shooting off in an array of different shapes and colors with patriotic tunes like "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "God Bless America" playing in the background.

Another site, http://www.aristotle.net/july4th/fireworks, allows viewers to shoot off their own fireworks to the tune of the "1812 Overture," with New York, Chicago, Washington and even Little Rock, Arkansas skylines available as backdrops.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has even gotten in on the act, with its own primitive but still entertaining show at http://www.lafd.org/virtualfw.htm.

But virtual fireworks are only part of the holiday-related Web fare.

At fireworks.com's fun zone, visitors can send patriotic fireworks and 21-gun salute e-postcards to friends and download fireworks screen savers and computer wallpaper.

True pyrotechnic buffs can even play a fireworks trivia game and learn how long cherry bombs have been illegal in the United States (answer: since 1966) and what is the most difficult color to create (answer: green).

TRIVIA TIME

Other sites contain a boomlet of other information on everything from facts about when the Fourth was first celebrated at the White House to holiday picnic ideas.

The site http://dmoz.org/Society/Holidays/Fourth_of_July/ contains links to a number of holiday-related spots offering up July 4 poems, history, clip art, picnic ideas, reflections on freedom and even the text of the document that started it all, the Declaration of Independence.

At one link, http://www.acplace.com/Special/Lpicnic.htm, surfers can learn that the first official state celebration of July 4 under resolve of a legislature occurred in Massachusetts in 1781, and that the first public Fourth of July reception at the White House did not occur until 1801.

For those wanting even more history, the site http://www.brotherspyrotechnics.com/historybot.htm contains the history of fireworks, which were invented in China, as well as sections on fireworks in literature and folk customs.

The site http://chemistry.about.com/cs/fireworks/ caters more to the science-minded, with links to information on the chemistry of firework colors and on how sparklers work. The site also contains a section on firework safety -- an element contained on many of the other sites, including fireworks.com and http://www.fireworksafety.com.

"We're very safety conscious," said Weimer of fireworks.com. "Fireworks are fun, but if you use them and get injured you're not going to want to use them again.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020703/wr_nm/column_livewire_dc_1

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]