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 York, the day of the council meeting brought about ten balloon professionals together, A representative from The Balloon Council (TBC) also came to our aid loaded with facts and figures to help educate the town council on the misinformation being spread by local politicians and by a representative of Greenpeace.

I learned a number of interesting things that afternoon on Long Island:

1. Come prepared to a meeting like this. Others will ask questions of you and you better be ready with a quick and balanced answer.
2. Speak clearly and calmly when in front of a meeting like this as it adds to your presence and authority on the subject matter.
3. Always find a way to put the opposition in YOUR shoes, as I did in my speech, by including politicians as our customers. Probably everyone sitting on that council has used balloons at events to forward their own political careers. It was then awfully hard to disagree with me or be against something you have used or enjoyed before.
4. “Facts” can be nothing more than well-dressed fiction.
5. We all agreed foil balloons should NEVER be released. Latex balloons released in the hundreds (not the thousands) seemed fair and reasonable to launch.

I also was reminded I am not a big fan of balloon launches because they DO pollute the atmosphere. However, and more importantly for our industry, releases PROMOTE balloons. Making people happy by releasing our product can only help endorse our product. After all, anything that can be done to help sell balloons is good for our business.

My biggest concern with regards to banning balloons is the connotation a “ban” puts on anything. A ban is a prohibition, exclusion, or an outlawing of something. To ban balloons is to forbid or disallow them. In the wonderful book Fahrenheit 451, books were banned, rounded up by firemen and burned. The status quo went along with that because the government said books were bad. If the government “bans” balloons, isn’t the implication that the product being banned is bad? Why would anyone want to sell a product that needs to be outlawed in some circles? Doesn’t that sound like a bad business to be in?

Some of our best customers will never spend a dime on a balloon. Speaking demographically, they are the most impressionable customer group we have. They want what we have and will often beg for or implore others to get them. They have occasions and affairs quite often where our balloons are needed. These “customers” of ours are a never-ending resource that helps feed this industry. Who is this highly motivated group? They are our children.

But most children are vulnerable to what may or may not be truly right and wrong. Tell a child something is bad and they believe it. Tell children they should not do something and, even if they do it anyway, they will know it is wrong. Tell a child balloons should not be released or mommy or daddy will get “arrested” and what does that child learn? Tell children balloons pollute the atmosphere and what do they proclaim? Enlighten a child with the supposed “facts” about balloons killing scores of animals and wildlife and what will that child think?

And therein lies my conviction to keep laws like this off the books. A ban of any kind is a great big negative in the minds of the buying public. Ban five balloons as a release and what’s next? No more tent or pool décor? No more street vending? No more arches over street fairs? No balloons at indoor events because five balloons might accidentally get away and get someone a big fat fine? It could happen.

So next time someone wants to ban anything, take a good long look at the “facts” of the matter before you render your opinion. What is fact and what is fiction can be easily switched. Sound convincing enough and your own opinion could easily become the whole truth and nothing but the truth in an instant.

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 also the president and founder of a 22 year old entertainment and décor company called Life O’ The Party and the president of a balloon delivery and decorating service called Balloonacy.

If broken down, life, at it’s simplest, could be described as birth, then moments of joy and wonder, opportunities in careers, personal challenges, plateaus reached and finally death. Balloons are there for all of it. Though today, some of you might not want to hear that or even think that, it’s true.

I won’t embarrass any of you here by asking how many times you have been to an event or just been at hand where balloons have been present. But they HAVE been there. As sure as there is a band or DJ or food at a party – balloons have been there.

In your workplace to help launch a new product, celebrate an achievement or just to be received at your desk when you are feeling low – balloons have been there.

A politician’s best friend is a balloon. Imprinted with one’s name and more, it has become a calling card for nearly everyone in or hoping to get into politics today.

Balloons are a marvelous, wonderful and colorful part of our everyday lives. There is no denying it.

This brings me to why we are here. You have or will be hearing the matters of “facts” relating to balloons and who or what they may have harmed.

The fact of the matter is balloons are not the enemy. Setting a precedent of banning balloons or fining someone for releasing them makes the balloons themselves seem like an illegal substance in our society. There are tens of thousands of LEGITIMATE businesses that depend on balloons for their livelihood and hundreds of millions of people around the world who derive great joy from balloons.

Grapes probably kill more children each year than balloons ever will, but we do not ban the use of grapes in our society. We do not fine shoppers who buy them or grocers that sell them – but they do kill. Prevention of a tragedy is not to ban grapes, but to educate parents how to cut them properly, at what age to feed them to a youngster, etc.

Wheeled toys are the leading killer of children in reports issued by the National Safety Council, but we do not ban the use of these items in our society. We make them safer, we handle them more carefully, we educate the owners how to operate them with caution.

Balloons are messengers of only positive energy. DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER. True balloon professionals are taught to work with all their pertinent materials carefully and safely. That is our job.

I have talked about all the wonders of balloons and the happy times they help emote from and for our customers. As I stated previously, balloons are part of all aspects of life from birth till death. In just a few days one of my company’s will be providing balloons for a launch. This special balloon release will be to honor the loss of 334 New York City Firefighters on September 11^th of last year. One balloon for each of these fallen heroes. Balloons were chosen to honor the dead, to help bring some closure to loved one’s suffering. Is it really the duty of this proceeding here today to keep these people from honoring loved one’s lost in this special way? Are the people running this event criminals? Am I? I respectfully say to you all – no we are not criminals. But if your law is passed we will be considered lawbreakers.

My colleagues and myself are not criminals. We are law-abiding citizens who are trying to make a living by selling happiness through the use of balloons. I beg you not to take the first step in telling the general public we’re not selling happiness, but rather death disguised as something fun. We are not disguising anything we sell; we are celebrating what we do to make people happy.

Please don’t take the first step in “enlightening” the public on the supposed evils of our business.

I thank you for your time and consideration.

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 Saturday, too. To ensure you make the most of your time and money this weekend, following these Fourth of July shopping strategies.

Make a plan and research prices.
With so many sales happening, you may feel overwhelmed and overspend without realizing it. Consider items you were already planning to purchase and research prices ahead of sale time. This way, you’ll know if any retailers inflated the original price to make a deal look like a better value! More importantly, it will help you narrow your search so you don’t fall into the trap of buying a bunch of stuff just because it’s on sale.

Head to the outlet center.
The best time to shop at an outlet mall is during popular holiday weekends as most of these stores offer additional savings and exclusive coupons on already-reduced merchandise. Get ahead of the sales by registering with your local center to receive a coupon booklet for extra savings. Expect additional discounts of up to 50-percent off!

Snag summer clothing clearance.
You’ll find the biggest discounts on summer merchandise now as retailers gear up for fall and back-to-school. Keep in mind, t-shirts and tank tops can be used throughout the year as layering pieces, while women’s dresses and skirts can be worn with leggings for warmth through the winter. Swimwear is also a great deal, so if you’ve been putting off the task of finding a swimsuit, now is the time!

Save time and stress online.
You don’t have to battle parking lot crowds and long lines at your local mall or shopping centers. Luckily, most of the Fourth of July deals are available online with many offers featuring free shipping so you don’t have to worry about delivery charges. Save time by reviewing sales and coupons by category at sites like CouponSherpa.com, where you can find discounts like $5 off $50 from Target, 15% off Famous Footwear and 20% off $50 apparel orders from Sears.

Prep for back-to-school.
Your kids likely think it’s way too early for back-to-school shopping, but prepping for the upcoming year with holiday weekend sales can help you save big on classroom essentials! Look for deals on backpacks, tablets, smartphones and sneakers. For instance, FinishLine and Nike are both offering up to 50-percent off footwear, plus coupons for extra savings. eBags has savings of up to 65% on backpacks, and you can even pick up ink for your kids’ various book reports at 20% off at Staples.

Shop big-ticket items for big savings.
New styles of furniture debut in August, making July a great time to browse showrooms for deals on both indoor and outdoor furniture. Patio sets will only get cheaper as the season comes to a close, but July offers the best selection. In addition to specialty stores, warehouse clubs, home improvement stores and even grocery stores will be slashing prices on their patio furniture inventory.

Buy a daily deal.
Daily deal sites like Groupon are even getting into the patriotic spirit by offering additional savings on select local deals. Now is a great time to scoop up a discount voucher for a new restaurant, spa service or activity. Don’t go overboard and buy a bunch of deals before reviewing the terms, however, and and make sure you’ll have time to use those certificates before they expire!

Book a trip.
Airlines, hotels, car rental companies and third-party travel booking sites are all promoting Fourth of July deals this weekend. For instance, Hotels.com is offering up to 50% on accommodation in select cities. Be flexible on where you go and you could save a bunch of money on your trip! What’s more, you can find savings on travel essentials and gear for upcoming vacation like beach goods, camping items and suitcases. 

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. As a sought-after media source, she has been featured among such top news outlets as Good Morning America, Today, CNN, Dr. OZ, New York Times, MONEY Magazine, Huffington Post, Forbes and many more. For more information, visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.

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:

1. After Party

After Parties are an amazing, fun, way to end your special day. Reggae bands are the way to go. What is better than handing out flip flops and continue the dancing in comfort and a cool new space?

2. Cool Specialty Refreshment Stations

These are a lot of fun! For example, at the Inn, we have an Infused Snow Cone Station and it is a big hit! Some other fun things: An adorable, vintage infused lemonade stand and Sangria bar

3. Cigar Bars

These are a wonderful gift to your groom ladies! Have some of his favorite liquors for dipping: Glen Fiddich, 18 year, Johnnie Walker Blue, etc.

4. Outdoor Ceremonies

These are beautiful in gardens, overlooking water fountains or ponds with a refreshing breeze! (Not to mention the putting green for a fun photo opt for the groom and his team!)

5. Gelato Truck

What better way to end the night?!

© 2015 CNW Group Ltd, all rights reserved
© 2015 Groupe CNW Ltée, tous droits réservés

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 people make is when it comes to setting the table.   For example: all forks go to the left of the plate except the dessert fork which goes above the plate and cocktail fork which goes to the right of the plate. The bread and butter plate goes above and to the left of the main plate.  All drinking glasses are above and to the right of the main plate. The linen napkin sits on top of the dining plate and the place card sits on top of the napkin.

-          Do your homework: Find out ahead of time if any of your guests have food allergies or other dietary restrictions and plan your menu accordingly or prepare a buffet with a variety of items. Keep it simple and serve what you know.  Tried-and-true recipes are best, not something you’ve never served before.

-          Have a variety of beverages on hand:  The mark of a good host is to have a few bottles of red and white wine along with plenty of nonalcoholic beverages for the teetotalers in the group.  Don’t forget juice and milk for the kids.  A glass of water at each seat is also recommended.  Don’t forget to set up your coffeemaker and put cream, milk, sugar, and sweetener in decorative containers.

-          Iron your linens:  When you are serving cocktails, provide linen cocktail napkins or, at the very least, decorative paper cocktail napkins.  For dinner, choose linen napkins because they’re more elegant than paper ones.  Make sure they’re ironed and neatly arranged on the table.

-          Set the mood:  Candles are an easy, inexpensive, quick way to make any home more inviting. Scented candles should be placed around the house, and a few unscented candles should go directly on the dinner table. Don’t forget the tunes.  Create a dinner party playlist on your iPod or iPhone or preset your CD player so there’s music in the air when your guests arrive and keep it playing throughout the evening.

http://www.etiquetteexpert.com/

http://jacquelinewhitmore.com/

“Easter will be the perfect segue into spring for both consumers and retailers who have longed for warmer weather for quite some time,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “As one of the busiest times of year for several retail sectors and as shelves begin filling with both traditional spring and holiday merchandise, retailers are looking forward to welcoming shoppers with attractive promotions on home goods, garden equipment and traditional Easter items.”

Consumers this year will use Easter as the perfect opportunity to spruce up their spring wardrobes. According to the survey, 45 percent of those celebrating will purchase clothing, spending more than $2.9 billion on bright colored apparel items for themselves and their families. However, more people plan to buy food for the holiday: 85.7 percent will purchase food for a family meal or other festivity, spending more than $5.3 billion on Easter fare.

Children and sweet-tooth craving adults will also purchase candy this Easter: 87.1 percent of those celebrating say they will buy candy, spending more than $2.2 billion on jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and flavorful chick-shaped Peeps. Consumers this holiday will also spend $2.4 billion on gifts, $1.1 billion on flowers, $998 million on decorations and $695 million on greeting cards.

With a laundry list of items to buy, 58.6 percent will head to discount stores to purchase their holiday merchandise. Another four in 10 (40.7%) will shop at department stores, while nearly one-quarter (23.8%) plan to shop at a local or small business. Additionally, 21.8 percent will head to a specialty store like a florist or jewelry store and 18.8 percent will shop online.

NRF for the first time asked consumers about the activities they are planning for Easter Sunday, and the survey found many of the traditional aspects of the holiday will be in play this year. The survey found nearly six in 10 (57.4%) plan to visit with friends and family, half (50.8%) will go to church and 12.9 percent plan to open gifts. Not forgetting the little ones, three in 10 (30.9%) adults will plan a special Easter egg hunt for the children in their lives.  Additionally, 15 percent of those celebrating will opt out of doing dishes and head to a restaurant to celebrate the holiday and 24.1 percent will browse the Web throughout the day.

“Easter remains a beloved affair for consumers young and old, and this year it looks like families are ready to dig into their budgets to make the most of the special day,” said Prosper’s Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow. “The warm weather should help fuel some interest in celebrations, especially given the record-breaking winter much of the country experienced the last several months.”

Busy Easter shoppers will take advantage of their mobile devices to help them find meal items, gifts, candy and more. According to the survey, 21.4 percent of those who own smartphones and are planning to celebrate Easter will use their phone to research products and/or compare prices, and another 13.5 percent will purchase items with their smartphone. Nearly one-quarter (24.9%) of tablet owners will research products and/or compare prices for their Easter needs on tablets; 16.6 percent will purchase something via their tablet.

* Total spending is an extrapolation of the U.S. population 18+

About the Survey

The NRF 2015 Easter Spending Survey conducted for NRF by Prosper Insights & Analytics was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to Easter spending. The poll of consumers was conducted from March 3-10, 2015. The consumer poll of 6,106 has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.3 percentage points.

Prosper Insights and Analytics delivers executives timely, consumer-centric insights from multiple sources. As a comprehensive resource of information, Prosper represents the voice of the consumer and provides knowledge to marketers regarding consumer views on the economy, personal finance, retail, lifestyle, media and domestic and world issues. www.ProsperDiscovery.com

NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s This is Retail campaign highlights the industry’s opportunities for life-long careers, how retailers strengthen communities, and the critical role that retail plays in driving innovation. NRF.com

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 business underpinning this supposedly amateur basketball bonanza. This includes everything from the $2K+ price tag for a pass to all three games in Indy to the $100 million in March Madness profits that Vegas casinos rake in each year.

Some of other interesting stats include:

• $1.9 Billion – Hourly losses by companies due to unproductive workers during March Madness
• $10.8 Billion – Amount CBS/Turner Broadcasting paid for the TV rights to the 2011-2024 NCAA tournaments
• 16X – The average NBA rookie earns 16X more per year ($1.9M) than the average annual value of tuition, room and board for a D1 NCAA men basketball player ($120K)
• 2X – Easier to win back-to-back Mega Millions lotteries than it is to fill out a perfect bracket
• 19% – Increase in pizza orders by fans after losses vs. wins

To check out more interesting stats and a cool infographic, please visit:
http://wallethub.com/blog/march-madness-statistics/11016/

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 Bil: Amount to be spent by the 38% of people buying flowers
• $4.83 Bil: Amount to be spent by the 21% of people buying jewelry
• 53%: Of women say they would break up with their significant other if they got nothing for Valentine’s Day
• 6 Mil: Proposals are made on Valentine’s Day

To check out the infographic, and find the code needed to embed it on your website, please visit:
http://wallethub.com/blog/valentines-day-by-the-numbers/10258/

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 example, Goldenshores Technologies, the company behind the popular “Brightest Flashlight Free” app for Android phones, agreed in 2013 to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s charges that the software secretly supplied cellphone locations to advertising networks and other third parties. The problem doesn’t begin and end with flashlight apps, though. Many seemingly innocuous apps that people carry around with them on their mobile devices have the capability to eavesdrop on their activities. “Consumers trust first and verify never,” Miliefsky says. “As a result, most of their smartphones are infected with malware that they trust in the form of some kind of useful app or game.” Miliefsky offers these tips for ousting those spies inside the phone:

•  First, assume you’ve already been compromised. It’s nice to think all is probably well, but most likely it’s not. Somewhere in the phone the spies are at work and it’s time to take the privacy behaviors and privacy policies of these apps more seriously.

•  Verify the behavior and privacy risks for apps before installing them. Do some research and ask the question: “Why does this app need GPS, microphone, webcam, contacts, etc.?” Most apps don’t need these ports unless they want to invade your privacy, Miliefsky says. Find an alternative before installing risky apps.

•  Do a smartphone version of spring cleaning. Delete all the apps you don’t use that often. Replace the apps that take advantage of too many of your privacy settings, such as GPS, phone and text-message logs, with similar apps that don’t.

•  Turn off WiFi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication and GPS except when you need them. That way, Miliefsky says, if you are at a local coffee shop or in a shopping mall, no one can spy using nearby (proximity) hacking attack. They also can’t track where you were and where you are going on GPS.

•  Check to see if your email has put a tracer on you and your phone. “If you use a Google email account and have an Android phone, you’d be surprised that even with your GPS off, it’s tracking your every move,” Miliefsky says. You need to go into the phone’s settings to turn off that tracking feature, he says. In your Android phone, go to “settings,” then “location.” Select “Google location reporting” and set “location history” to off.

About Gary S. Miliefsky

Gary S. Miliefsky is CEO of SnoopWall (www.snoopwall.com) and the inventor of SnoopWall spyware-blocking technology. He is a founding member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and serves on the advisory board of MITRE on the CVE Program, and is a founding board member of the National Information Security Group. He’s also the founder of NetClarity, Inc., an internal intrusion defense company, based on a patented technology he invented.