Quick! Grab your CD soundtrack for Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and skip to Track #17. Now ignore the first 1:43 minutes and close your eyes. (If you don't own it, I'll forgive you this time but you'll have to pick something else right away!) What are you picturing in your head? I'm obviously talking about a Fireworks scene so I'm hoping you're busy painting one! Listen to the whole song and then rewind it back. Do you still picture what you thought originally? Or are you stuck picturing that same scene that you created for this song years ago? If your displays are going to improve then you will have to not be more creative but practice it.

The Fire Protection Research Foundation and their standards council may adjust the overall scope of the technical committee on Pyrotechnics to the point of excluding retail sales of fireworks. The council will accept written comments by May 9th and have a public hearing at 8a.m on June 2 at the NFPA's World Safety Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas. The report can be found at: www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/Research/PyrotechnicsLiteratureReview.pdf

The Chinese New Year is upon us but is China ready to celebrate? With many obstacles in the way the country celebrates the year of the Rat. Weather is being blamed for delayed production for not only the local market but that of the world. If you add this to the situation involving the Olympics, increased production costs, and increase transportation fees it will make the 2009 firework season very interesting! Check out Skylighters blog: http://blog.skylighter.com/fireworks/2008/02/winter-storm-wa.html or this news story sent to us from the inside: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/02/content_7552445.htm

Canada Post has been in talks with the CFA about what to do about their next Celebration Mail Stamp. It took us several months to educate them on the industry and they went forward to create a Fireworks Stamp for 2008. Run, do not walk, to your nearest Post Office and pick up this collectors item! Our industry has been recognized yet again. If you remember last year was a Fireworks Quarter which we handed out to presenters at our last Convention. Canada Post says, "The Celebration stamps evoke feelings of excitement and happiness." Designed by illustrator and designer Michael Zavacky of Ottawa's McMillan Digital Art he "added an exclamation mark to the word, "Canada" - a first for Canada Post."

In an interesting move by the city of Taipei they are offering residents a free CD of Firecracker sounds. This idea was moved forward to increase the safety and minimize any injuries on using Firecrackers. It's the hope that people will just listen to the 'Pop, Snap, and Bang!' on the CD. If they offer a scratch and sniff of the black powder smokey smell that comes afterwards I don't see why this wouldn't be so bad! More info at: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2008/01/26/140668/Taipei-City.htm

On Saturday, January 26, all Western Australians are invited to gather on the Perth Water foreshore to show our pride on Australia Day. As the City of Perth, Lotterywest, Channel Seven and MIX 94.5 present Lotterywest Australia Day Skyworks 2008, the biggest Australia Day community celebration in the country which is designed and produced by Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics. The theme for the 2008 Lotterywest Skyworks is ‘Cultural Diversity' and the soundtrack will feature a wide variety of traditional music from cultures around world and music from Australia's most popular artists. An estimated 400,000 people head to vantage points be they their favourite regular spots or new ones each year, around the Swan River to watch the skies light up to a custom designed MIX 94.5 soundtrack exploring Australia's diversity and saluting the many great artists and cultures that call Australia home.