Z Blog
Balloon Launch Speech – Shooting (Or De-Flating!) The Messenger
Back in the summer of 2002 I was asked to help defend against a bill being brought up at a Long Island, New York town’s council meeting. The bill, if passed, would ban the release of five or more balloons into the atmosphere by anyone in this township. The fine for releasing five or more balloons could be as high as $500! The fine could be levied on the person who releases the balloons and/or the person who sold the balloons (even if the seller did not do the releasing!). Spearheaded by Marty Greenstein of Enchanted Parties in Ronkonkoma, New...
read moreBalloon Launch Ban Speech
Here is the speech I was asked to make back in the summer of 2002 in hopes of stopping a balloon ban coming to Long Island, where fines for letting five balloons go could be as high as $500.00! I guess it worked because the ban never came to pass and the bill has been tabled ever since. My name is Mark Zettler. I am the publisher of BALLOONS & Parties Magazine, a 16-year-old trade publication for the balloon industry. Our mission to our 8000 readers around the world in nearly 50 countries is to promote balloons through education. I am...
read moreSalute-Worthy Shopping Strategies for July 4th Sales
In honor of America’s 239th birthday, many of us will be praising our country with sunshine, celebrations and savings! Life O’ The Party has many outdoor options for you to consider for just such an event. In addition to backyard BBQs and fireworks shows, Fourth of July weekend represents a great time for shopping the sales. You don’t have to miss out on Independence Day events to snatch up the savings, however; most retailers will roll out their sales starting Friday, July 2, with deals available for the picking on...
read morePlanning a Summer Wedding? Don’t forget these five must have summer wedding trends
Here are some interesting thoughts for your wedding this summer from Life O’ The Party. The number one reason people get married in the summer? The weather. It’s almost guaranteed to not be cold! At the Inn at New Hyde Park, we have a variety of outdoor and indoor options to take advantage of the latest summer wedding trends. Cynthia Pesce, the General Manager at the Inn suggests these five, fun things to keep in mind for you wedding: After Party After Parties are an amazing, fun, way to end your special day. Reggae bands are the way to...
read moreCustomer Is Still King and Looking for Loyal Retail Subjects: PwC
Annual Total Retail Study highlights the importance of full consumer experience Interesting “stats” from our friends to the North… According to the Total Retail Survey – Canadian Respondents, released today by PwC Canada, the most successful Canadian retailers will be the ones that understand their customers best and create a total retail model that generates an exceptional retail experience for the consumer, both online and in-store. Canadian retailers need to change their strategies, operating models and infrastructures to not only offer a...
read moreEtiquette Expert on Being a Hospitable Host for Easter Dinner
Easter Sunday is one of the most holy days of the year. Among the many traditions is Easter dinner, a time for friends and family to gather and spend some time together. If you’re hosting this special meal at your home this year, make sure you know how to be a hospitable host, which means much more than just preparing a good meal. Jacqueline Whitmore, an internationally-recognized etiquette expert, author and founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach, offers these tips: - Know how to set the table: The biggest mistake most...
read moreConsumers on the Hunt for Candy, New Spring Apparel This Easter, According to NRF Survey
WASHINGTON, March 23, 2015 – Hoping the temperatures will meld with their desire to celebrate, 80 percent of Americans this Easter are eagerly looking forward to a fun, family-filled holiday. According to the National Retail Federation’s Easter Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, the average person celebrating Easter will spend $140.62, slightly more than last year’s $137.46. Total spending for Easter, which includes purchases of apparel, decorations, gifts, candy, food, flowers and more, is expected to reach $16.4...
read moreMarch Madness
Basketball as a theme is very popular. Basketball balloons make your event lots of fun. Here are some great photos that show how powerful sports décor can be – http://lotparty.com/project/centerpiece/ But March Madness can be maddening if you’re a business owner or employee simply by the amount of off-line time it can cause your co-workers. The statistics are surprising: March Madness is in the air and the personal finance website WalletHub today released its NCAA Tournament By The Numbers report, which examines the billion-dollar...
read moreValentine’s Day 2015 By The Numbers
With just hours until Cupid takes flight, the personal finance website WalletHub today released its Valentine’s Day By The Numbers report, which highlights the dollars and cents associated with this expensive consumer holiday. This report is a follow-up to WalletHub’s Best & Worst Cities for Valentine’s Day in 2015 as well as its sister site CardHub’s collection of theBest Valentine’s Day Credit Card Deals. Some of the interesting statistics in the infographic include: $18.9 Bil: Total Valentine’s Day spending projected for 2015 $2.09...
read moreThe Spies Inside Your Phone – Many Apps Can Track Your Location & Share Your Information
You just had a flat tire along a dark country road. Luckily, you downloaded a flashlight app into your cellphone and now can put it to use. But that flashlight, handy as it is, may be just one of many doors you unwittingly opened to let spies take up residence inside your phone. “Most free flashlight apps are creepware,” says Gary S. Miliefsky, CEO of SnoopWall (www.snoopwall.com), a company that specializes in cybersecurity. Creepware is malware that spies on you and your online behavior, and could pass along information to others. For...
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