FitSugar

Play It Safe on Independence Day

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:15:00 PDT

Although there is a serious ban on fireworks in northern California this year due to all the fires, I know folks all over the country will be creating personal, home grown pyrotechnic displays. I would like to remind you to play it safe. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has cooked up a few tips for you and here are highlights:

Purchase fireworks from a licensed and reputable vendor.
Never give fireworks to children.
Read directions and inspect fireworks for defects.
Keep a bucket of water, garden hose or portable fire extinguisher close by.
Ignite fireworks outdoors, away from buildings or any combustible material.
Never attempt to fix or re-ignite malfunctioning fireworks.
Ignite only one firework at a time.
Make sure no smoldering fires or sparks from falling firework debris remain before going in for the night.

Have fun. Don't forget your ear plugs if you are going to big fireworks display. Happy Fourth of July!

Source

Katy Perry Matches Her Blue Hair to an Elie Saab Gown For the Grammys

Allie Merriam — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:20:37 PST

Katy Perry was all about blue on the red carpet at this evening's Grammys. She paired her bright colored hair with a similarly-hued dress from celeb favorite Elie Saab. Katy's up for two honors this evening. "Fireworks" is in contention for record of the year and she's also up for best pop solo performance. We'll see if Katy gets her hands on her first Grammy, as she's been nominated - for six previously - but hasn't won. She's especially excited for one of the show's performers. Katy tweeted earlier this afternoon, "You know it's a great day when you walk into the Staples Center and all The Beach Boys are physically playing on stage." Weigh in on Katy's look, as well as all of the others, with our love it or hate it polls!

Weddings Make a Bang With Fireworks

Tara Sharp — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:05:51 PDT

If you're going to do a holiday wedding on the Fourth of July, it's gotta have fireworks! But the bursting brights make a wedding extra special no matter what time of year it is. See some of my favorite explosive big days featuring fireworks that light up the night with their patriotic and romantic beauty.

Do You Think Cities Should Spend Money on Fireworks?

Emily Co — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:15:57 PDT

Fireworks, just like barbecue and American flags, are synonymous with the celebration of the Fourth of July. But since the country has just emerged from a recession, state and city budgets are looking worse for wear, and the light display doesn't come cheap - Chicago's 2010 fireworks show cost a pretty penny of $750,000, and Austin raised $150,000 for its display this year, which they unfortunately had to cancel because of extreme drought. Although cities like Chicago are downsizing their fireworks show this year, or in some cases doing without them completely, I'm wondering if you think this is a good move.

Do you think cities should spend money on fireworks for the sake of tradition or should they save the money for other uses?

To the Rescue: Fireworks Are Scary

PetSugar — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 04:00:00 PDT

Fireworks can be very frightening to a dog. Since it's the season of sparklers, I'm offering some quick tips to help your pets cope with these scary sounds.

While it's fun to include dogs in your activities, this is one they should definitely sit out! Please keep your animals inside during the noisemaking. If you've got a pet that goes out, make sure he does his business before the display or can wait until after it's done.
Close all doors, windows, curtains, and blinds. Turn on the television or radio to drown out the noise (as best as possible).
Try to distract your pet with special guests, brand-new toys, or rare treats right before the display starts, if possible in a room furthest away from the noises like a basement.
If your pet takes off into hiding, let him be. Trying to lure out a frightened creature while the scary stuff's still happening is not a good idea . . . and extra stressful!

If you're looking to build up your pup's ability to cope with the loud blasts, consider these free downloads (when you right-click). To use these audio effects with a pet, start playing at a low volume and build up to normal volume over time. If you play repeatedly, furry friends can get desensitized to the noise (at a level from inside the house).

Remember, if it's loud to you, it's definitely too loud for your dog - canines can hear sounds at an ultra-high frequency (like those "silent" dog whistles) and can register sounds three times greater than your ear can - keep your pets safe!

See a Smoking-Hot Sophia Loren in This Vintage Perfume Commercial

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:22:00 PST

If you adore iconic beauty and all-around awesome lady Sophia Loren, you really won't want to miss this amazing 1984 commercial for her eponymous scent, which is, as the voice-over guy intones, "the most female fragrance you'll ever experience." The ad is classic '80s all the way. It has a bit of everything: a lilting theme song, fireworks and fog coming out of the fragrance flacon, and a closing kicker from the grand dame herself. Watch it, and bring out the woman in every woman (or something).

How to Catch the Quadrantids Meteor Shower Wednesday Morning (Even If It's Cloudy)

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:14:09 PST

If the new year's fireworks weren't enough for you this weekend, fear not - a big meteor shower, called the Quadrantids, will be producing up to 100 falling stars an hour tomorrow morning, essentially creating a natural fireworks show the entire country can see. The light show kicks off in the Northern hemisphere on Wednesday morning at 3 a.m. local time, with meteors coming from the North sky and radiating out from below the handle of the Big Dipper. You should be able to see at least one shooting star per minute until 5 a.m. local time.

The good news is that the National Weather Center is predicting clear skies for most of the country, but if you do have clouds or fog above your head in the early morning hours (or, if it's too cold to hang outside for two hours), there are a few ways you might still be able to see the show with a few live cams. Check them out below!

Oak Grove Observatory - Take a peek into the skies with this camera from Louisiana.
Twin Pines Observatory - This California cam activates when the sun goes down.
Sandia Sentinel Fireball Camera Network - It's a bit of a blurry cam, but you'll be able to catch some of the brightest meteors on this live stream from Texas.

Daily Tech: A Color Explosion

GeekSugar — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:59:57 PST

An epic display of daytime fireworks - Tecca
The awful truth of these destructive film shoots - Cracked
Founding Apple contract papers sell for $1.6 million - Newser
Supercool geeky Nutcracker works of art - GeekTyrant
Nokia reveals Batman/The Dark Knight Rises limited-edition Lumia 800 - SlashGear
YouTube now running on Xbox Live - Engadget

Celebrate the Fourth Anywhere With a Fireworks iPhone App

GeekSugar — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 01:07:24 PDT

Sometimes you can't be in a place where you get to see fireworks on the Fourth of July - or like me, you're in a place so foggy all you'll see is some colored clouds.

So no matter where you are this Independence Day, get your dose of exploding pyrotechnics with the free Handmarks Fireworks App.

Pick one of your own photos as a background (or use one of four preprogrammed images), grab some music, and then let 'er rip.

Swipe the fireworks with your fingers to manipulate them and be mesmerized as you get your own private show, courtesy your iPhone.

Enjoy Fireworks - Save Your Ears

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:29:05 PDT

Fourth of July is right around the corner, and that means fireworks! Like a kid, I look forward to the colorful starbursts streaming across the sky. I do, however, hate to rain on your Independence Day parade: as spectacular as they are, the booming sounds that accompany the sparkling visuals can really damage your ears. Noise-induced hearing loss is as real as your mama's cherry pie. Once damaged, the sensitive hair cells of the inner ear never regenerate and can't be repaired, creating permanent hearing loss here.

For a point of reference, here are some common Summer sounds and their decibel (dB) levels:

Rustling leaves: 10 decibels
A whisper: 20 dB
Humming of a fridge: 40 dB
A conversation: 60 dB
Busy street traffic: 70 dB
Vacuum cleaner: 80 dB
Lawn mower: 90 dB
A large orchestra: 98 dB

See how fireworks and other loud noises measure up.