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We want to keep you posted and publish occasional newsletters that can include news, information, opinions and data. Read everything we know.

Manifest Photos for Lodging Properties

By Joseph Romain
Published: 12/16/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Everyone shoots advertising photos for their properties, but smart owners and managers also shoot manifest photos to document anything and everything about their properties for insurance and customer service use. Read more

Setting Property Refund Policies

By William May
Published: 11/08/12 Topics: Comments: 0

There are good reasons why Guests may be due a full or partial refund on their stay. And other reasons which can severally and unfairly affect the property owners bottom line. Setting reasonable and logical cancellation and refund rules is just good business. Read more

Vacation Rental Huts on Wheels

By William May
Published: 10/15/12 Topics: Comments: 0

How about a vacation rental on wheels, and no its not a mobile home Not exactly. Tom Kundig is an architect who had an interesting problem and more interesting solution. They're called Rolling Huts. You'll want to know more. Read more

Bed Bugs Are a Matter of When

By William May
Published: 09/11/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Bed bugs have nothing to do with cleanliness. Sorry to gross you out but all they need to survive and thrive is warm fresh blood - maybe yours. But lodging operators can take steps to limit and eliminate those buggers when they arrive. (Notice we did not say if!) Read more

Vacation Rentals Enhance the Neighborhood

By William May
Published: 08/15/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Going to a grand hotel for grand service will never go away. Stopping for a quick night at a convenient motel makes long trips easier. And now Vacation Rentals allow property owners to share their homes with responsible guests. It lights up the neighborhood, keeps home in good condition and shows the communities hospitality. Read more

Netiquette - How to Write an Email

By William May
Published: 07/18/12 Topics: Comments: 0

RSVP: Not everyone remembers what this means, but if you need a response include it and/or remind the user to respond such as "Please let me know your thoughts one way or the other." Read more

Ocean Song Cottages Joins Goldener Resorts

By Taylor May
Published: 07/03/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Goldener Resorts announces that Ocean Song Cottages have joined its network so that the updated but traditional beach cottages can be offered to a wide group of visitors. Read more

Stealing Music for Your Video is Expensive

By William May
Published: 06/23/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Creating a swell video for your vacation rental home is easier and cheaper than ever. You'll be tempted to use your favorite song to set the mood and reel in more renters. But be careful with which tune you pick or it will cost you dearly. Read more

Government Officials Driving Tourism Economy Away

By Ron Lee
Published: 06/01/12 Topics: Government Comments: 0

Tourism is a clean, responsible industry that brings in visitors anxious to shop, attend events, tour attractions, rent lodging, and pay the taxes that go with them. So why do local government officials want to drive away vacation rentals and turn away the easy spending guests who want them? Read more

Sponsor: VRAI – As a fast growing industry we need your help and support. Join today to learn, share and promote your properties. – VRIA.org

Good News Comes to Television from Unexpected Source

By William May
Published: 05/15/12 Topics: Comments: 0

After decades of criticizing television for its negative portrayal of news, dramas and other shows an unexpected source of good news comes from reality TV with unreal situations but very real human reactions. Read more

Sponsor: Vacation Rental Angels – Owning a vacation home provides enjoyment, satisfaction and a sense of security for those families blessed enough to afford one. Now they can get something even more important - a chance to be a real life angel. – VacationRentalAngels.com

Glorious Days on Washington State Beaches

By William May
Published: 05/15/12 Topics: Comments: 0

It is time to plan your summer at the beach? Vacation Rental managers are not yet sold out but will be soon. To get your choice place get off the couch and make that call today. Read more

Fighting Over Vacation Rental Scraps

By William May
Published: 05/01/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Washington State's open-membership, open-forum, not-for-profit trade association for managers, suppliers and supporters of the vacation rental industry. Read more

Professor John Edwards: Insects & Music

By William May
Published: 04/01/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Professor John Edwards
Professor John Edwards

Did you know that insects live in very cold places? John Edwards knew.

In fact, Professor John S. Edwards was known around the world as one of the pioneers of insect developmental neurobiology. And I was fortunate to be able to call him a friend. He died this week and I find his passing more unfortunate than any public leader or celebrity.

Some years ago, a friend invited me to help out with an organization called Gallery Concerts; a group dedicated to having period music instruments perform chamber music in the small spaces there were designed for. The concerts are sheer delight.

At one of the first meetings I sat next to a gentle white haired man with a goatee who glowed with his enthusiasm for the music. Later I was to learn he glowed about just about everything. If the term "twinkle in his eye" was created for anyone it was John.

He was a leading scholar in the ecology of high-altitude insects, cold tolerance of Antarctic insects, the role of insects in ecosystem regeneration following volcanic eruptions, and the evolution of insect flight. A New Zealander, John earned his Ph.D. at Cambridge. At the University of Washington John taught entomology, human ecology, served as the Director of the Undergraduate Biology Program, Director of the UW Honors Program, and was appointed Emeritus Professor of Zoology in 2000.

Although a humble man, others noticed his exploits. He earned a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Senior Humboldt Research Award, and a Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award. He was a University Liberal Arts Professor, named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the Royal Entomological Society of London. He served as Program Director for Developmental Neuroscience at the National Science Foundation.

Art Davidson says, in his account of the first winter ascent of Denali (Minus 148°), "My first meeting with John reaffirmed the legend. I had traced the sounds of a concert through several corridors at the Institute to a short figure hopping about from leg to leg while vocalizing the entire woodwind section of an orchestra. "

Other than the fact he was a professor in biology, I knew none of this even after years of attending meetings and concerts with him.

I made a particular mistake once - by mentioning to John that my son had applied to attend the University of Washington. He prodded relentlessly and learned that Taylor was interested in Biology, specifically astrobiology. I could see John's temperature rising. He wasn't "Hoping from leg to leg" but almost.

He asked in that pleasant way that borders on professorial curiosity, that Taylor simply must telephone him for a tour of the department.

After reading about the Professor on line, it took Taylor several weeks to summon enough courage to call. But when he did - John needed no prompting to remember his name or why he was calling. A whirlwind tour took place a few days later where Taylor was introduced to everyone with such lavish praise that my 6'6" son stood even taller than usual when retelling the tale.

American Pika Mount Denali National Park
American Pica

Some years before John had patiently suffered through my telling of how our family had driven to all the way to Mt. Denali (Mt. McKinley) that summer and Taylor, then age 12, had found and photographed a rare Pika; which sent the visitor center biologists into a tizzy.

Who could know an important professor would remember such a small thing from years earlier; but during the UW tour John quizzed Taylor relentlessly about the Pika, where it was found, what time of day, what type of terrain.

Taylor was impressed at John's curiosity. He was proud to be considered important but then somewhat astonished when John casually mentioned, "You may find it hard to believe but I was on the expedition that did the first winter ascent of Denali."

When Tay recited this story at home hours later I saw in his eyes the look of admiration that a young boy can have someone suddenly explodes his idea of what is possible in life. You can be a scientist, you can climb mountains, you can write eloquently, you can win awards, you can be a gracious considerate person, you can be an impressive senior citizen who still cares about what a 12 year old boy cares about. Astonishing.

Today when we learned that John has passed away, things stopped for a few hours for Taylor and I. We went about our work but cared about this man we spent little time with. We admired his work. We admired his attitude. We admired him.

Although I did not have the chance to see John much in the last few years, Taylor and I did think of him occasionally. When watching a science TV show, when the subject is insects, biology or science in general, when daring people climb tall mountains, when university life is depicted - the Pika story is retold and then someone inevitably says, "you might find it hard to believe. . . ". And we smile.

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Author: William May, MayPartners Advertising
Blog #: 0204 – 04/01/12

Housekeepers Discover Black Lights

By Deresa Norman
Published: 03/01/12 Topics: Comments: 0

In a cruel twist of science, housekeepers have discovered a thrown-back from the 60's that helps them clean properties faster and better. Read more

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