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Tom Carmichael asked:


Wish Lanterns, Sky Lanterns, Chinese Lanterns- whatever you want to call them- shouldn’t just be limited to the category of ‘festival entertainment’. Weddings are another celebratory occasion at which a lantern should have pride of place. You may have seen a recent article which highlights why Wish Lanterns are the perfect wedding accessory. They are great for large weddings because they create a spectacle that soothes rather than rouses, they couldn’t be easier to assemble, and they won’t blow your budget. Not even close. At Wishlantern.co.uk we also offer a wedding package which includes; pens for your guests to write wishes in honour of the happy couple, customized wish tags, and personalised inserts, all bundled up in pretty packaging for that extra special feel. When you think of all the many brides who want to make Wish Lanterns part of their special day, it makes one wonder at what other occasions Wish Lanterns could make their mark.

What about christenings? As a symbolic gesture- similar to the wetting of a bay’s head- you could launch a lantern into the heavens whilst praying for the long and happy life of the new born. Or, for the non-religious, launching a single lantern in honour of the baby could oust the christening ceremony altogether. Why not launch a lantern at a birth, to welcome a new baby into the world? Wish Lanterns could even have a place at more sombre occasions. At funerals, the ritual launching of a few Wish Lanterns could mark the glory of someone’s life, a fantastic way of celebrating a loved ones time on earth.

Wish Lanterns don’t even have to be limited to ‘official events’. Why not release one after a dinner party (as I did the other night), during a picnic on a fine day, or just by yourself one evening in a moment of quiet reflection…There’s something ethereal about Sky lanterns that speaks to the average Joe Bloggs. For some reason we never fail to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at the spectacle of a floating object. Whether at a birth or death, a marriage or a regular tuesday night, Wish Lanterns will always have a place.

Jo Bedford asked:


Launching a Wish Lantern- or sky lantern if you prefer- is a relatively straightforward process, but you’d be surprised how many people miss a crucial step and swiftly turn a fun, simple, and rewarding activity into a frustrating one. This needn’t be you. if you follow my simple guide to a successful lantern launch, you’ll be releasing your lanterns left, right, and centre, positively reeling with the simplicity of it all! And believe me when you see your beautiful lantern rising gracefully into the skies, your very own personal light display, you’ll realize how worth it the whole thing really is.

The first thing to do when you receive your Wish Lantern through the post, is to unwrap the plastic packaging very carefully. A lot of people rip into the plastic covering and inadvertently tear part of the lantern body. This must be avoided at all costs! The next thing to do is to carefully remove the tissue paper protecting the fuel cell- again handle with care.

Once these two steps have been completed. You will need to hold the lantern upright and fan out the rice paper so that the air gets through your lantern and it looks as it would once lit. When you’re satisfied that the lantern is resembling a tulip shape and that none of the paper is touching the fuel cell, you can light your lantern. Some people prefer to do this in a pair with one person holding the body of the lantern, while another lights all four corners of the cell, but this can be done single-handedly as well.

When the fuel cell is fully alight and roaring with flames, wait. Yes wait. This is crucial. The lantern must fully inflate before you release it, or either it may rise incredibly slowly, or worse, not rise at all! You’ll know its fully inflated the same way you’ll know when to stop puffing into a balloon. You’ll see the body expand and feel the hot air straining inside. Then release. 

If you follow these steps you will have a guaranteed successful launch. All you need to do now is get on the website and order your lantern today.

Marita Martinez asked:


Many couples looking to get married are often searching for new and fresh ideas to give their wedding something special that sets them apart from the crowd. It seems people are growing tired of the old fireworks displays or the releasing of doves at the end of their ceremony or reception and are now looking for unique alternatives to create a visual spectacular that symbolises their love. Fresh from the shores of Thailand comes an exciting product called a Wish Lantern. When Wish Lanterns are released en masse they create a stunning noiseless display in the skies. To see Wish Lanterns in action visit http://www.wishlantern.co.uk/film_gallery.html

 

Typically used in Asian festivals, the release of a Wish Lantern sends your wishes up into the sky above in the form of a paper balloon that stands 108cm tall and 66cm wide. Made of flame retardant paper and bamboo, Wish Lanterns are safe and easy to use as you only need to light the already attached fuel cell in the centre of the lantern, then stand back and watch as it floats gracefully into the sky. Why not ask your wedding guests to write a wish for the newly weds on the Wish Lanterns prior to launching to wish them well for their life together?

 

Wish Lanterns can be launched singularly or together as a group, for weddings it is advised to launch a minimum of 50 Wish Lanterns to create the ‘wow’ factor.

 

Wish Lanterns are 100% biodegradable and are completely safe for the environment. To learn more about Wish Lanterns, or to place an order please visit www.wishlantern.co.uk

Jerry Shepard asked:


Millions of people love to show off their backyards and other portions of their landscape. They will research all of their options. They will design the flower beds, the trees and shrubs as well as fences (stone or otherwise). One of the final touches that they will contemplate is the proper lighting for their masterpiece.

Let us face facts, without proper lighting your perfectly manicured landscape will only be able to be appreciated during the daylight hours. So the would-be landscape designers will then start researching their lighting options. Many will focus on different types of wall lanterns in order to illuminate their yard as well as provide some security in certain areas. Given that energy costs are at an all time high these days, homeowners naturally gravitate to the option of solar wall lanterns. These lanterns are discovered to provide the same light as the more traditional wired alternatives and quickly become the preferred option for three reasons.

The first reason is that solar lanterns can be placed anywhere. The lantern can be placed anywhere you want it. The distance from an electrical outlet does not need to be considered and no ground needs to be dug up to provide a power line to the lamp. This allows you to show off more of your landscape for a reduced cost.

The second reason that solar lanterns are preferred is that they use no electricity. The inclusion of solar in the name is the big tip-off here. So long as the lanterns get as much as 8 hours of sunlight they will return almost twice that in night-time illumination. So not only are they less costly to install, but they save you money each month that you use them. Imagine your electricity bill not going up but your backyard still lit up every night.

The third reason that solar lanterns are preferred is that they are better for the environment. This point is also self-evident. If the lanterns themselves use no electricity, then they are not using power that is generated by a power plant that is run by burning fossil fuels. Global climate change is a real concern to some people and their buying decisions reflect this concern that some people have.

As an option for backyard illumination, solar lanterns are inexpensive install, are low on-going cost to maintain and operate and are Earth-friendly. Not a bad option to consider when you want to entertain guests and dazzle them with your landscape on a warm summer night, huh?

Jerry Shepard asked:


Most people like to show off their backyards to their friends and neighbors. They will pour hundreds, if not thousands of dollars into their landscaping but at the end of the day, they realize that they will only be able to have their friends over during the daylight hours. So they look into buying outdoor lighting to illuminate their landscapes. One way of illuminating their landscapes is for them to buy and use outdoor candle lanterns.

Outdoor candle lanterns serve a dual purpose for any landscape. They serve a utilitarian and aesthetic function at the same time. Outdoor candle lanterns can illuminate problem areas to improve security and safety. Have a spot in your backyard that is always dark? Install an outdoor candle lantern. Have a spot where steps can trip guests in the moonlight? Then outdoor candle lanterns might do the trick. The aesthetic part of the dual functionality is usually what sells homeowners on the idea of installing outdoor candle lanterns.

Most lanterns are made of metal and can be shaped in numerous ways and with many different styles. Depending upon your style, you can go with an Arabic inspired candle lantern. If your backyard is designed as a homage to a Japanese rock garden then Zen or Pagoda lanterns might fit the bill. Still, if you live in the United States and you want your backyard to harken back to the frontier days, a rustic styled lantern is always the best way to go.

But all of these lanterns are made of metal. Many people throw parties where they want to shake things up. So for these party throwers, they can replace their metal lanterns with some alternatives for the shindig. One of these alternatives include paper lanterns.

Paper lanterns can be a fun, yet inexpensive way to brighten up your backyard. They are usually run on a string between walls or posts. Most paper lanterns are made of fire retardant material that is stretched over bamboo ribbing for support. The lanterns themselves usually have holes in the bottom to allow excess wax to escape.

However, for some homeowners, they will want to run the lanterns over the gathering area and not want their guests getting hot wax on their heads. For these landscapers, there are battery-operated LED candles which mimic the flickering of real candlelight. When placed into the area where the real candle usually sits and hung up, the party-goers will never know the difference as they compliment you all night on your choice of lanterns.

When considering your options for outdoor lighting, outdoor candle lanterns and more specifically, paper lanterns are an excellent choice to spice up your backyard under the stars.

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


When you plan a camping trip you will find it best if you have all of the items that you need ready to be packed. Of the multitude of camping gear that you should have is that of lighting. To find the best lantern you will need to think about the needs that will require a lantern.

At first you might not see the need for having any type of lantern but if you take the time to reflect you will soon understand why you should think about taking a lantern along with you. As traveling to your camping site can take place over rough terrain you should look at Coleman lanterns which have the ability to take this rough treatment.

There are stores which will have a wide selection of Coleman lanterns. You will need to see what the price of these lanterns like. You should understand that each lantern will need to be inspected before you make any final decision. Now if you don’t manage to find the Coleman lantern that you want from one of these camping supply stores, you can try the online Coleman stores or even different camping stores.

While there are some camping sites where you will find electricity for the most you will need to have some type of lighting to see what you are doing when it becomes nightfall. The different Coleman lanterns are an excellent form of lighting that you can choose. You will find that some of the Coleman lanterns are perfect for using in hurricane situations. The sizes of the lamps will be varied as each person has different needs for camping.

You will find that there are large sized Coleman lanterns. While these are a bit difficult to transport they are still ideal to give you lots of light. The next sized ones will still provide you with a goodly mount of light but these are more versatile than the large sized ones. On the other hand you will find small Coleman lanterns to be ideal for transporting from place to place while you are holding it.

You will find that as these Coleman lanterns are used for camping they are made from very durable materials. Additionally you will discover that unlike other lamps the Coleman lanterns are made so that they will not break. The sheer variety of Coleman lanterns will allow you to choose the ones that will help to make your camping trip a roaring success.

Virgil The Stroyteller asked:


Despite the critical success of the Green Arrow team-ups, the period was not a strong one in Hal Jordan’s history. His longtime girlfriend broke up with him, and that sent Hal traveling around the country doing odd jobs here and there. Also during this period, two new back-up Lanterns were introduced.

Guy Gardner premiered in the 1960s and was shown to be Abin Sur’s second choice after Hal for the role of Green Lantern. Stubborn and hot-headed, Guy has had many altercations with his fellow heroes. He’s also gone through a number of changes, among them wielding a yellow power ring and calling himself Warrior. Eventually, Guy Gardner would grow up, and be placed in charge of training the rest of the Green Lantern Corps.

John Stewart premiered in the 1970s and has been the “regular” Green Lantern during times in which Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner resigned their posts or were off world. John is famously the most stable of the Earth bound Green Lanterns, but his tenure has not been without grief. Most notably, he was unable to prevent the destruction of the planet Xanshi, and that failure would plague him for years.

In the 1990s, more change came to the Green Lantern comic. Following the destruction of Coast City by the Cyborg Superman, Hal went insane (this was later blamed on being infected with the parasite Parallax) and tried to destroy and remake the universe. Though ultimately unsuccessful, Hal caused plenty of other damage during his insane and evil days. He killed Sinestro, destroyed the Green Lantern Corps, and annihilated all but one of the Guardians. Though most of this damage was later retconned away, many longtime fans were truly disturbed and upset by the evil turn of their hero.

When Earth’s sun was threatened by a sun-eater, Hal redeemed his evil ways by nobly sacrificing himself to save Earth. Still not earning his rest, Jordan came back as the Spectre, the Spirit of God’s Vengeance for several years. This would change in the storyline Green Lantern: Rebirth, during which Hal Jordan came back to life and was freed from the influence of Parallax.

In the aftermath of Hal Jordan’s turn to the dark side, the one remaining member of the Guardians of the Universe, Ganthet, sought out a new Green Lantern. He chose Kyle Rayner, a young freelance artist from New York. Kyle’s painful introduction to the world of superheroing began shortly thereafter, when the villain Major Force killed his girlfriend, Alexandra DeWitt. A large bulk of Kyle’s storylines have dealt with his guilt over not being able to save her, and that guilt grew as other loved ones came into harm’s way and Kyle was unable to prevent their harm.

On a brighter note, Kyle has been a member of both the Titans and the Justice League of America. One of his closest friends was Connor Hawke, the second Green Arrow.

For a time, Kyle absorbed more energy than he could handle and he became the godlike entity known as Ion. Ultimately, after a heart to heart with Superman, Kyle decided to relinquish those powers. The excess energy Kyle relinquished was used to restart the central power battery on Oa and to help give life again to the Guardians of the Universe. This would be an important step in rebuilding the Green Lantern Corps to their former glory, one of the major current themes in the Green Lantern comics.

The powers and abilities of the Green Lanterns have depended on who is wielding the ring, but the power ring can be used to construct any object in the wielder’s imagination. In addition, it has given wearers the power of flight, telepathic abilities, radiation generation, invisibility, and force field generation.

Hal Jordan, Alan Scott, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Kyle Rayner are all currently alive and well in the DC comic book universe. Alan Scott enjoys his post as one of the elder members of the Justice Society of America while Hal and John continue to take turns patrolling Earth in service to the Guardians. Kyle and Guy are currently primarily off Earth, helping to rebuild the Green Lantern Corps in their own way.

Essential Storylines:

~ Hard Traveling Heroes

~ The New Frontier

~ Zero Hour

~ Final Night

~ Rebirth

~ Sinestro Corps War

~ Green Lantern: Mosaic

~ Emerald Twilight

~ Emerald Knights