Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Rearden Metal?

When I read that a team of researchers from the University of Connecticut had developed a material that is five time lighter and four times stronger than steel, I couldn't help but think back to Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged," in which steel magnate Hank Rearden develops just such a compound. When the government demands he turn over the rights to the process for the good of the country, Hank refuses...setting up a storyline that pits inventors and entrepreneurs against politicians and bureaucrats.

I know a number of people believe liking this book (and the 3-part movie, which maddeningly swaps out actors for each episode) is akin to admitting that one is a Republican (though today's Republican Party looks nothing like what it used to when that "connection" was initially made). I see it as a story about a fiercely independent woman running a railroad in the face of overwhelming adversity. I really don't care what meaning others have ascribed to Dagney Taggert and Hank Rearden and the rest of those that walk away from a world gone awry.

Anyway, good on UConn to do what Hank did (fictionally) almost 70 years ago. Now, when will we get this beaming up thing figured out?

New on the DMOU Podcast > George Franz

When the Houston CVB was folded into the Houston First Corporation, many saw the move as wrong-headed. But CVB CEO George Franz recently joined us on the DMOU Podcast us to share the advantages that were realized in being more closely linked to destination assets like the Convention Center and other visitor magnets. And now, the CVB has created the Houston Hospitality Alliance to marshal the power of over 800 members to advocate for the destination.

Cool stuff. And, there are over 100 other conversations waiting for you in the DMOU vault.

This is What We're Up Against

As we shared on our DMOU podcast conversation with Lynn Tillotson, Visit Portland ME does not receive room tax funding to power their impressive work on behalf of the community. They are currently pursuing a Tourism Improvement District to augment their private-sector budget.

In the article that shares this initiative with residents, this was one of the comments:

"Any money would go into a black hole of wages and benefits to whomever runs this program. Portland needs no advertising, there is no housing, there is no parking. All these companies built hotels (and) now they want their advertising paid for. If they can’t hang in, let them fail (and) then we will have apartments downtown. Which, by the way, everyone is screaming for."

If you're familiar with the movie "Slap Shot," it's time to put on the foil.

If you haven't seen the movie...treat yourself.

Image Credit: Jeff Bassett

 

Going Vertical

As TikTok continues to be attacked in some quarters over privacy and security concerns, there's one thing that can't be ignored. It has re-oriented video content from horizontal to vertical .

On Monday, our friends Dave Serino and Brian Matson of TwoSix Digital posted a video in which they discuss best practices for DMOs in utilizing vertical content on TikTok, Reels and Shorts with Nick and Andy Behling from MI Playground. If you've yet to take the plunge or are unsure of your first steps in Vertical Media, this video is a must.

While timing in at 57 minutes might be off-putting for some, the conversation gets really good at the 36:30 mark. But trust me, if you jump ahead, you'll likely go back to the beginning to see what you missed.

As the video does not feature visual examples, you could listen to the whole thing on your commute or workout, just as you would a podcast like DMOU (which, sorry for the delay...we had some issues with our platform provider and just posted our newest episode with Vail Ross yesterday).

Thanks TwoSix. Always leading us forward.

Rock and Roll Dance

In keeping with last week's theme (the dance thing...not the Russian thing), here's a great video my friend George Tzougros shared a few weeks ago in his Wisconsin Arts Board newsletter.

On this Music Friday, we give you Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth, et. al., dancing to the musical stylings of Led Zeppelin.

Too cool.

A Wicked Sense of Humor

OK...if you've never watched "Back to the Future," this won't make any sense whatsoever.

But you gotta love the sense of humor of whoever is behind the O'Reilly Auto Parts website...which says it is currently out of stock of the Flux Capacitor.

Saying Farewell to the Pay Phone

New York City staged an event last week to celebrate the removal of its last pay phone...though there are apparently a few more out there.

But, it is an interesting moment in time. Before mobile, this was our lifeline. When I was in college, it was the only way to call home...and because of the cost, those calls happened monthly. For the more inventive among us, some recorded the electronic tones of a connection and played them back to fool the pay phone into thinking that correct change had been inserted.

There was a pretty cool movie that centered around a pay phone that starred Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker and Colin Ferrell called, naturally, "Phone Booth."

How many years before viewers are totally dumbfounded by the concept? Or...is that now?

 

It's Still a Wonderful Life

This week, 75 years ago, the classic Holiday movie "It's a Wonderful Life" was released...to a fairly ambivalent reception at the box office.

Thanks to cable television, it found new life and became one of the most loved Christmas movies of all time after it was put into the public domain, which allowed it to be broadcast without licensing or royalty fees. So much so that a flick one could watch virtually every day of the season on a myriad of channels is now regulated, with NBC having exclusive rights to show it...which they do only on a handful of occasions to drive viewership.

In a world in which so many classic movies get a refresh, that there hasn't been a faithful retooling of this movie simply says this is one that got it so right that there is no need to go there.

Happy Holidays...and ring a bell so an angel can score their wings.

Assisting Videography

In what seems a million years ago, the DMO I once led had a couple opportunities to work with TV and movie producers to film in Kankakee County. That we were pre-Social Media, there was little chance that anyone knew what we did. But it was cool, regardless.

Today, we get to celebrate DMO work in real time...and Wichita Falls' DMO hit a home run in their work with Church's Chicken. The new spot features the city...but suggests that a nearby ghost town (called Bacon) be resurrected.

So cool.

 

Charlie Watts

Doesn't take a Harvard grad to know where we would take Music Friday today. While we've lost icons like John Lennon, George Harrison, Keith Moon, Prince, Tom Petty, David Bowie and Freddie Mercury...this one feels different as we bid farewell to Charlie Watts.

Maybe because he was, as Stuart Berman wrote in The Pitchfork: "the least rock’n’roll member of the World’s Greatest Rock’n’Roll Band—which automatically made him the coolest one."

Of all the tributes to the drummer that defied Rock stereotypes, I like the Pitch's Top 8 Charlie Watts moments best.

But, this moment in Martin Scorsese's epic film "Shine a Light," when the boys are out front making the crowd nuts on "Jumpin' Jack Flash," is possibly my favorite...because the song is shot from the drum kit.

Heaven just welcomed an extraordinary addition to the House Band.

The Stones will never be the same.