Miscellaneous Ramblings
by Sheena Beaverson
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This photo by Don Caldwell
showcases why we
love to work with balloons. |
Anti-Balloon Legislation: Reactions from Outside
the Balloon Industry
Reactions from outside the balloon industry in response to the proposed
California ban, State Bill 1499 (SB1499),
on helium-filled metallic balloons are coming to light;
the story is even getting picked up by news agencies outside California.
The Balloon Council's
Save the Balloons
informational web site
and our community as a whole can be proud that industry outsiders are
well-informed about the issue and the nature of different types of
balloons. If you are a resident of California, see the Take Action
section of the Save the Balloons web site to get information on contacting
your local California State Assembly member.
As we know, the proposed ban is of serious concern for more than just
those people that actually sell or use helium-filled metallic balloons.
The wording of the bill could be interpretted rather broadly to impact
any balloon filled with lighter-than-air gas; just about anyone that
uses balloons.
The radio segments from the KFI 640 show with John and Ken in Los
Angeles, California are well worth your time. John and Ken are a bit
brash; but, according to Wikipedia, "the program is the most listened to
local talk radio program in the United States, drawing over a million
listeners during the peak hour." Go to KFI AM 640
Podcasting and listen to the following segments:
- Balloon Ban 6PM Hr 5/29: starts minute 1:30
- - introduction to the issue
- - Treb Heining of Treb Inc. interview: starts minute 11:45
- Balloon Ban 3PM Hr 5/30: starts minute 1:30
- - day after bill passed in California State Senate, details read
directly from the bill, bill supporters listed
- - California State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth interview: starts
minute 6:00
- Balloon Anger 6PM Hr 5/30: starts immediately
- - references editorial by ContraConsta Times editorial from May 9,
2008 titled "Take Air Out of This Bill"
- - taking calls from the public
- Balloon Blame 3PM Hr 6/2:
- - references June 2, 2008 LA Times Article by Terri Adisian
- Balloon Business 4PM Hr 6/3: starts minute 3:20
- - Terri Adisian of Balloon Wholesalers International interview
- - California State Senator Jack Scott speaking about
Balloon Ban (audio clip)
- Balloon Show 5PM Hr 6/4: starts immediately
- - information about the upcoming Balloon Protest
- Balloon Council 4PM Hr 6/6: starts minute 2:45
- - Pete McDonough of the Balloon Council interview
- Balloon Woes 5PM Hr 6/9: starts immediately
- - Governor Schwarzenegger statement about balloon ban (audio clip)
- - George Quintero of Balloon Haven in Chino, CA interview: minute 3
- - discussion of statistics from Public Utilities Commission: minute 11
- Balloon Seller 3PM Hr 6/10: starts immediately
- - Andy Richmand of Allen Party Supplies in Cerritos, CA: minute 7
- - discussion sparked by LA Times Editorial submitted by State
Senator Scott
- Balloon Guru 5PM Hr 6/10: starts immediately
- - Treb Heining interview; Treb talks about his early
years in ballooning
- Balloon Rally 3PM Hr 6/11: starts immediately
- - protest starts, discussion of Scott editorial, many facts and
statistics
- - Pete McDonough of the Balloon Council, 45 million in mylar balloons
sold annually in California
- - effigy of Senator Scott introduced
- - Annie Banannie and Buster Balloon interview
- - top 10 power outages reported by PG&E 2007
- - petition against balloon ban bill and post cards to mail to
California state assembly representative
- - Amanda Armstrong of Top Hat Balloons in Mission Viejo, CA interview;
a former employee of a power company: starts about minute 26
- Balloon Rally 4PM Hr 6/11: starts immediately
- - listeners travel to visit Senator Scott's office building
- - George Quintero of Balloon Haven in Chino, Ca interview
- - Edible Arrangements, Thousand Oaks, CA interview
- - listeners enter in Senator Scott's office building and speak with
Senator Scott's district director
- - Treb Heining of Treb Inc. interview
- - top 10 power outages reported by So. Cal. Edison 2007
- Balloon Rally 5PM Hr 6/11: starts immediately
- - Annie Banannie and Buster Balloon present John and Ken balloon caricatures
- - Jim McCormick of Anagram Intl, foil balloon manufacturer
helps listeners sign petitions
- - listing of California Assembly Public Safety Committee members
- - interviews with young kids about how they like balloons
- - interview with party store owner (sorry, missed the details)
- - top 10 power outages reported by San Diego Gas and Electric 2007
- - Senator Scott effigy balloon destroyed (sorry Buster Balloon)
- Balloon Rally 6PM Hr 6/11: starts immediately
- - Terri Adisian interview rebutting Senator Scott's LA Times editorial
- - top 10 power outages reported by Sierra Pacific Power 2007
- - Denise Hogopian of Heavenly Choice Events interview
- - information about the Southern California Qualatex Balloon Network
- Balloon Strategy 3PM Hr 6/12: starts minute 1:20
- - update from Barry Broad, lobbyist for the Balloon Council
- - SB 1499 to be heard by the Business and Professions Committee of the
California Assembly (in June), then Appropriations Committee (August?),
then Assembly floor
- - listener contacts representative from Burbank Water and Power
- Burbank Balloons 3PM Hr 6/13 - starts immediately
- - Greg Simay of Burbank Water and Power speaks about metallic balloons
and power lines
- - Follow-up discussion on the issue.
- Balloon Fight 5PM Hr 6/23 - starts minute 3:50
- - discussion of California Assembly Business and Professions Committee
meeting to be held 6/24
- - update from Barry Broad, lobbyist for the Balloon Council
- Balloon Bill 3PM Hr 6/24 - starts immediately
- - update from Barry Broad on Assembly Committee meeting
- - statements recorded from the California Assembly
Business and Professions Committee meeting - starts minute 11:40
- update from Terri Adishian - starts minute 31:00
- Jack Scott 5PM Hr 6/24 - starts immediately
An LA Times opinion editorial published on June 2, 2008 titled
What's helium-filled, foil -- and harmless? is
excellent. This piece was written by Terri Adishian of Balloon
Wholesalers International. California Senator Jack Scott submitted a
rebuttal editorial, also in the LA Times on June 10, 2008 entitled Ban Mylar Balloons. This Senator was responsible for
the legislation, SB 1499; this is the point of view of our opposition.
A Balloon Ban Protest is being organized by the John and Ken Show of KFI 640 for Wednesday, June 11 at 3:00pm in Pasadena, CA. In
addition, Lorinda and Lorna Ferrell have posted a SB 1499 Action Alert for
California residents within the balloon community with follow-up
information on how SB 1499 was
assigned to the Business and Professions Committee.
Bending the Rules with Promotions on BHQ
Everyone, please read this article. Once again, we have been
getting a large number of complaints about blatent promotions on the
BHQ Email Forums. These forums are not designed as a means of
advertising products or events. Over time, the on-line user community has
come to accept, even welcome, one-time announcements of genuinely new
products, companies, or events. The community also appreciates sponsored
BHQ event coverage, on-line photo or trivia competitions, formal
partnerships with BHQ (Balloons Around the World is a good example), or
endeavors seeking to promote the industry on a not-for-profit basis.
We must be fair to BHQ Sponsors who place advertisements and BHQ
Members who post Classified Ads or educational Events by enforcing the
rules. Officially, you can not promote a product or event on the
mailing lists. Rest assured that we speak privately with people or
companies when an issue arises.
You risk driving away customers and alienating the community through
transparent tactics. Friends of promotors or manufacturers are not exempt
from the rules. BHQ list subscribers can easily discriminate from
honest, open discussions and 'voluntered' posts gushing regularly about
any given event or product.
With an average of over 5,000 page views per month, the BHQ Classified
Ad section is a cost-effective way to stay in the right side of the line
between sharing an idea and promoting a product or event.
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Students enjoying their holiday program of bees and hearts. |
Featured artist portfolio: Joan Foo Keow Eng
Joan Foo Keow Eng in Singapore has a portfolio full of colorful balloon
creations and happy people posing with them.
Visit the portfolio of Joan Foo Keow Eng
