Maybe there’s a use for all that methane leaking out of the melting permafrost?
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I think the helium matter is just an excuse. Party City is being undercut by the dollar stores on merchandise like disposable tablewear and party decor. Their only real specialty is costuming for Halloween, and even then they have all sorts of competition. As retailers go they are in a precarious position.
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That sure would teach kids a lesson when they pop the balloons. Or teach the parent since kids like that sort of thing.
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It’s already a frightening experience for them… Imagine if they were also smelly and explosive!
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I can’t even count the number of balloons I’ve had to pack out of the Boundary Waters Canoe area, I assume they floated there rather than someone packing them in for a party.
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I remember is school kids would always smash or pour an entire bottle of liquid fart or whatever it was called into the stair wells even though they had to walk through there all day with everyone else.
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Because it makes someone money, and that’s all that matters in a capitalist economy. I honestly don’t think it’s more complicated than that.
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NO CAKE FOR YOU!!
But yeah, seems a bit of a waste just to make a kid smile and then, inevitably, cry.
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I guess I mean “why don’t we hear more often from scientists that they are demanding government regulation or conservation of a valuable element that is rapidly dwindling” rather than hear about it from Party City complaining that it’s hard on their crappy business selling crappy party supplies.
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It’s probably the same reason, though, that scientists are considered a suspect class by the right wing party, and thus are kept at arms length by our center-right party in order to win over those right wing voters. At least party city is part of the “real world” instead of over there in some marxist ivory tower… I mean, I totally agree with you, that this should be an issue that scientists are discussing in public, as it’s part of our larger problems in society, but you also know how our society is right now, and how little respect that people who do research and scholarship (in whatever field) get.
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Or have lots of thermonuclear weapons tests!
That’s a terrible idea. Don’t do that
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Too many of our current problems fall into this category.
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Maybe you can harvest the helium from smoke detectors.
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I agree. Like making your voice sound silly.
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Sure that’s the reason we’re closing these stores. Helium Shortage. Sounds like a bunch of hot air to me.
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All too true…
That sounds like straight from the Onion, but could totally be real life. Just look at how they reacted to the green new deal… “THEY WANT TO TAKE OUR PLANES AND OUR JUICY STEAKS!!!”
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Ugh, I can just imagine the right wing radio talking about how scientists want to take away children’s birthday parties.
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Yes. The most frightening things in my childhood were smelly things, fireworks and… HELIUM BALLOONS! It was horrible. H o r r i b l e !
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Helium is extremely valuable and becoming rarer. Steps should be taken immediately to protect this commodity, and ensure that its only use is reserved for talking funny.
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If they had a fusion reactor, they could make helium from cheap hydrogen 
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