July Fourth on the Net

This week’s websites range from a free way to keep documents online
to finding what time a particular movie is playing at your favorite
theater.

Happy Birthday, America. Celebrate by reading the text of
the Declaration of Independence or view a high-resolution version of the
original
document. The National Archives has produced a comprehensive
history of the Declaration, while the Library of Congress offers a
short version of
the document’s background.

Independence Day for Kids. At Yahooligans,
youngsters can find holiday-related crafts as well as links to July 4
websites that will interest — and be safe for — them.

Virtual Fireworks. What’s the Fourth without fireworks? Watch them on the
Web accompanied by your choice of music: The Star-Spangled Banner,
America the Beautiful, Liberty Bell March, the Battle Hymn of the
Republic (played on a banjo) or even Turkey in the Straw. Fortunately,
there’s a “stop” button to turn off the music. You can also download the
file.

Fireworks Trivia. Captain Cosmic presents 20 Things You Never Knew
About Fireworks.

Your Backyard Picnic. Need some ideas for Sunday’s cookout?
Better Homes & Gardens’ Food Planner offers
a menu and recipes, but scroll down to see even more great-sounding
dishes — grilling specialties from the four main sections of the
country — Southeast, Midwest, Texas and the West.

Spit Those Seeds. While BH&G’s suggested dessert for the
Fourth was Towering Brownie Sundaes, surely you’re going to resist
temptation and end your backyard picnic traditionally by consuming your
share of the 3 billion pounds of the sweet red fruit that Americans eat
in an average year. Produce Oasis’ watermelon
guide tells you everything you ever wanted to know about watermelon,
including some great tips and trivia. Did you know that the world’s
record for seed-spitting is 66 feet 11 inches?

Stephen King Updates. If you’re a fan of the master of horror,
you can keep updated on his condition via the website of the Central Maine Medical Center,
where he’s recovering from his accident. If you’d like to send a card or
post a get-well message, head to the author’s official site.

Amusing Physics. Summer is the time for trips to amusement
parks. Parents tend to think that the only results of these trips are
sunburn, upset stomachs and extreme exhaustion. But they actually can be
educational for teens. Amusement Park
Physics not only explains all the science behind the rides, but
allows visitors to design their own roller coaster. Fun Physics lets you see
what objects would look like if you flew past them at the speed of light
and what you would weigh on other planets.

Round And Round You Go. One of amusement parks’ most popular
features, the Ferris
wheel, dates back to 1893, when it was introduced at the Columbian
Exhibition held in Chicago.

Keep Your Documents Online. If you travel a lot, if you need
to share documents with others or if you switch from work to home
computers, you’re a candidate for Web-based document storage. No more
e-mail attachments that half the recipients can’t read, no more not
being able to add to spreadsheets while you’re on the road, no more
being out of touch with documents your work group has produced while
you’re gone. Document storage is free at three sites: My Docs Online, Net Floppy.com and
Visto.

Summer Movies. At Film
Frenzy, you’ll find reviews of the latest releases, movie and
theater listings and a search engine to help you find local movie show
times, wherever you are. If you want to be a couch potato, they provide
updates on new home videos. You can also sign up to receive the latest
movie info via e-mail. Enjoy “Austin Powers — the Spy Who Shagged Me”?
Check out the movie’s official website.

Frank And Louie. Obviously, not everyone finds the Budweiser
lizards nearly as annoying as I do. At their home page, you can
read “bios” of the two reptiles, download a screensaver (for Macs as
well as PCs) and choose from among six different kinds of Frank and
Louie wallpaper for your computer.

Chatting Online. On Wednesday, June 30, at 4 p.m. PDT (7 p.m.
EDT), you can chat with racing driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the
legendary seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, at Excite
chat.

On Thursday, July 1, at 4 p.m. PDT (7 p.m. EDT), talk with mystery
author Lawrence Block, creator of the Matthew Scudder and Bernie
Rodenbarr series, at Barnes and
Noble.com.