Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Dirty Honey

It's that restless moment in every Spring where I just want it loud and krunky...before we slide into shag, beach and Buffett  music around Memorial Day.

If there was an up and coming band that was momentarily derailed by the plague, it was Dirty Honey...the first band to have a Number One song in the States and not be signed to a major label. And then, everything stopped.

They're back on the road in Memphis tonight and Atlanta on Sunday...then off for a Summer of shows in Europe.

On this Music Friday, this is "When I'm Gone."

Crank it up!

The Yin and Yang of Vacancy

As we travel this continent, it is sadly rare when we come upon a fully occupied downtown. More often, we are confronted with vacant storefronts, laced with graffiti covered plywood protecting empty windows; a cancerous look that implies danger. And, that hurts a community in more ways than just forfeited business opportunity.

While some vacancies are the result of the economy, the Mayor of Vancouver is advancing a concept to address a specific part of the problem: taxing speculators who buy and hold property, sometimes for decades, preventing a community from putting its best face forward. Your town may well suffer from one or more of these property owners.

On one side of the coin, it's their property and they should be able to do with it what they want. On the other, their actions (or inaction) is dragging down the neighborhood around it. It's kind of like the anti-vaxers. Yeah, you have the right to say no...but do you have the right to infect others?

To be sure, taxing speculators as a means to force them to actively lease their space has some inherent flaws (most of all that those that have squatted on buildings for decades have the means to do so...and an additional tax won't dissuade them). But, it should be interesting to watch this play out...if for no other reason than to figure out what will work to put these properties in our communities back in play.

Image Credit: Robert Merkel

Jude Cole

Today's Music Friday find has a number of interesting tentacles, including one that ties to last Friday's post.

Jude Cole is a singer, songwriter, session player, manager and record producer. He turned out five solo albums between 1987 and 2000...and another last year. His biggest hit, cracking the Top 20, was his first, "Baby, it's Tonight."

We first met him as Moon Martin's guitarist. He went on to guest on albums by Dave Edmunds. Patrick Simmons, Del Shannon, Jewel and Lifehouse, who he ultimately managed and produced. In 2003, he joined forces with Kiefer Sutherland to launch a record label called Ironworks and ended up co-writing and producing Kiefer's first two albums.

My favorite Jude Cole track is the title track of his third solo album. There is some Moon in there, for sure...but so many other influences, too. In both directions.

This is the sadly under appreciated "Start the Car."

Let's move...

Not Taking Chances

Niue is a stunningly beautiful island nation in the South Pacific, known for its limestone cliffs and coral-reef dive sites. It has some of the most magnificent dark skies in the world. Migrating whales cavort in Niue's waters between July and October and the island is home to roughly 1600 inhabitants. Since the world stopped in the Spring of 2020, just 7 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded (and no deaths).

I get that it's easier to stop the transmission of a virus on an island than a continent...but Niue proudly promotes that there are no active cases, even though international travel is allowed. 99.4% of residents are vaccinated. And here's the new plan: Visitors in May and June must isolate for 7 days and then restrict movement for 3...with a gradual loosening of restrictions to a planned return to normalcy on October 10th.

And a federal court (not a scientist or medical expert) just opened America's airways to no masks...just because they could.

Say what you will...but I respect Niue's stance. And, it certainly has been effective in protecting its people (though likely harming its economy).

Of course, isolating for a week on a hammock on a beach before spending another week exploring the island isn't the worst thing I could imagine. Hell, you're never whole for the first few days because of jet lag (if you're flying from North America). And, why would you want to race back home anyway? Stay a few weeks an unwind like you should.

Hey Niue? Come October, I'm looking at you.

Masks on a Plane

Let's be clear; a judge declared that the government did not have the right to mandate masks on planes. That doesn't mean it's not advisable as cases of the variant plague begin to rise.

Big difference (as a maskless woman is hacking up a lung next to me as we wait to board).

Just sayin...

A-Holes

We'll study almost everything. And, the University of Georgia decided to study assholes.

One of the key defining asshole traits that researchers identified was that they don’t seem to care that their behavior was bothersome to others.

That's exactly why we issued our set of Air Laws (though, sadly, so few are enforced). 

If you've yet to check em out...they are here.

Assholes. Our bane. Our target.

Kiefer

Terri and I ventured to a little club south of the border last month to see Kiefer Sutherland. The musician...not the actor.

While big fans of his work on screen and tube, we were intrigued when we watched a few videos of his work across three albums that have been quietly released...but offer some compelling tracks.

From the song exhorting you to do what you love to a plaintive realization that the relationship is over, this is sensationally good stuff on this Music Friday.

And the song that is our anthem.

Which will, sadly, be discounted because Kiefer is an actor.

Which is clearly a mistake. 

Enjoy.

The Beauty of a Sunflower

If you travel through DTW and ever traverse the subterranean passageway between concourses, you no doubt have experienced the light and sound show that has delighted travelers for years. Unless somebody has turned it off.

The option appeared a few years ago as officials at the airport became aware that the light show and sounds could be distressing for some people with hidden disabilities. The work-around? Buttons at each end of the tunnel that allow visitors to turn the show off for a few minutes as they make their way through to the next concourse. 

Airport officials at TPA, along with partners such as TSA, the Airport’s Police Department, airlines and others who assist passengers – have taken another step and became one of only a few dozen U.S. airports to launch the Sunflower Lanyard Program as another way to help visitors address the sometimes overwhelming stimuli faced by people with autism, PTSD, epilepsy or other conditions.

The Sunflower lanyard, which got its start in the UK, is starting to find adoption in the States. And it's an exploratory conversation that every DMO should be having with its airport and industry partners.

Playing the Exclusivity Card

Last month, the island of Barbuda launched a new campaign that acknowledges the destination's limitations...by turning them into a strength.

We just spent a few days in a coastal destination where walking the beach was, at times, a struggle because of the crowds. While we were elated that business was booming for our client's partners, we'd prefer a little more laid back vibe when we take some us time. And, with "one ferry, two flights and ten taxis," that's exactly what we're looking for in a beach destination.

Throw in 11 miles of pink sand? We're so there.

Enjoy the simple joy of this video.

Brilliant.

 

$25,000 for the Win

Destination Marketing Organizations across the land have marked National Travel & Tourism Week (traditionally the first week of May) for years. Celebratory luncheons, cook-outs, media conferences...all designed to highlight the advantages gained in our communities from a robust Visitor Economy and the role DMOs play in that ecosystem.

But, we've never seen a Tourism Week splash like what is being prepared by our friends at Visit Brookings. They're planning a $25,000 sweepstakes for workers within their hospitality industry. 

According to Visit Brookings Executive Director Laura Schoen Carbonneau: “When travel shut down in 2019, our friends who work in the hospitality industry were suddenly thrust into a world of uncertainty. First, they weren’t sure if they would have jobs. Then they worried for their own health as they served the traveling public. Now that travel is nearly back to normal, those same employees are finding themselves working incredibly long hours for little pay. This is a way to show them how much we appreciate their dedication to the tourism industry.” 

Very cool concept...and one that will be noticed.

Nicely played.