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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2019)
Friday, September 13, 2019 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com • A5 Geo-fencing: An invisible line in the sand W hile Seaside hit the height of summer activ- ity last month with thou- sands of visitors in the short span of time between the Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament and the Hood To Coast relay, the Visitors Bureau was running the opening steps of an interesting and novel advertising approach. Yes, we put a full-page ad focusing on stewardship in the Vol- leyball Guide. Yes, we partnered with KOIN TV to feature our mar- quee events during weather broad- casts with the Seaside cam. Yes, we even coordinated a live segment on the Oregonian’s Facebook page during volleyball weekend. But none of those are what I want to write about. What’s really remarkable, to me, is that during the month of August — one of the busiest times of year here — we put a geo-fence around the beach and downtown Seaside to build a potential advertising database for the shoulder and winter seasons. What is a geo-fence and how DIRECTOR’S CHAIR JOSHUA HEINEMAN did we put it up? Good questions. Six months ago I didn’t know the answers either. While this isn’t new technology exactly, the approach we’re taking with it is cutting edge stuff for the tourism industry. At basic, a geo-fence is a virtual boundary via GPS/RFID technol- ogy overlaid on a real-world geog- raphy that triggers a response when a mobile-connected device enters or leaves a designated area. We put it up by collaborating with experts — in this case, the Oregonian Media Group. As we all learned in kindergarten, it’s important to have the right friends. At basic, we’re building an anonymous list of mobile devices that were present here at Seaside in August and — this is important Jeff Ter Har Geo-fencing helps determine digital locations of visitors to Seaside, such as the thousands who came to the beach for volleyball. — quickly left town and returned to the Portland metro region. Imag- ine a family member of a vol- leyball player who only huddled around one of the hundreds of beach courts or an exhausted but thrilled Hood To Coast runner who just got a taste of the magic of an extended stay in Seaside. Starting this month and again in October, we’ll begin pushing hyper-targeted digital ads to exactly these kinds of folks inviting them to come back and experience all Seaside has to offer now that things are less hectic under our spectacular fall weather. From a marketing perspec- tive, it seems like a fair bet. We don’t know their names or personal details — the technology isn’t that creepy, thankfully — but we do know they’re familiar with Seaside and we know they’re within driv- ing distance. That’s a good place to begin the conversation. Next up we’ll evaluate the results of this experiment in the coming months and then iter- ate and reiterate the process to best results with fresh opportuni- ties in the new year. Or else we’ll abandon and move on to try other things. This is an experiment, after all. Each season we’re sure to build a bedrock of solid advertising through radio, internet, and mag- azines fi rst in order to serve as a foundation for these more eso- teric efforts. It’s the combination, I think, that will put us on the map with younger generations while staying connected to those who have come to Seaside for years (and will continue for years to come so long as we keep the wel- come mat out for them). Got a tourism-related comment or question? I’d love to hear from you. Write me at jheineman@city- ofseaside.us. Your dog is your best friend, but are you hers? D o you own your dog, or are you her guardian? (I know ... if your pet is a cat, she owns you.) Do you absolutely cringe when people call their pets “fur babies,” or are you a “pet par- ent”? If you show or compete with dogs, you are at least sometimes also a “handler,” and most of us would agree that we have “com- panion animals,” but if you had to give yourself and your dog a label, which would you select? I think it’s interesting that as a culture we ascribe human social rules to our dogs and don’t call our- selves out for anthropomorphizing. Then when we discover they got “into trouble” and supposedly “look guilty” for breaking those human rules, again we don’t call ourselves out for anthropomorphizing. Yet if I say my dogs are my children, I’m an anthropomorphizing heathen. That’s just a for-fun aside. Email me yours if you want to. It may seem like goofy fun and games, fi guring out how to label CANINE CORNER RAIN JORDAN & DAHLIA our pets, but there’s also serious political debate. Those who are anti-animal rights are adamant that we must remain “owners” while those who believe animals should have more rights prefer “guardian” or other less objectifying terms. But it isn’t that simple. Owning an ani- mal means the animal is personal property, and so far that has meant the animal is viewed more like a microwave than a separate living being if stolen or harmed. No Amber Alert will be sent out for a piece of personal prop- erty. Being the guardian of an ani- mal, it is argued, implies that the animal is a ward and thus may be more removed from a guardian if a guardian is accused of mistreat- ment or inability to care for the ani- mal. Note, however, that many an “owned” animal has been removed for the same reasons, while many children — aka wards, whether biological children or under legal guardianship — are mistreated by and remain with their neglectful guardians. These kinds of inconsis- tency are perhaps why the debate drags on. Sparing you my most esoteric musings, here is a summary of my thoughts regarding the question of labels: If you are not worried about your or your dog’s “rights” whether to ownership or anything else, but rather just wish to honor your dog as an individual, sentient being, then the labels “compan- ion,” whether companion human or companion dog may work for you, or simply “human” and “dog” as in “dogs and their humans enjoy beach walks” or “companion canines and humans relax over the long weekend together.” If you seek to express that you Community Calendar Saturday, Sept. 14 Monday, Sept. 16 Thursday, Sept. 19 Learn to Play Ukulele Jam Session SDDA Breakfast 9:45 a.m., learn how to play the ukulele with instructor Kathy Ryan; conference room, Bob Chisholm Community Center, 1225 Avenue A; sunsetempire. com.’ 6:30-8:30 p.m., featuring lo- cal musicians, Cannon Beach American Legion, 1216 N. Hemlock. 8 a.m., Pig ‘N Pancake, 323 Broadway, Seaside, 503-717- 1914, www.seasidedowntown. com. Weekly speakers, discus- sions and a no-host breakfast. Special Olympics Car Wash TOPS Meeting 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Highway 101, Seaside, in front of the Cham- ber of Commerce building. Do- nations support Clatsop Coun- ty Athletes. Wes Wahrmund 6-9 p.m., classical guitar, clas- sical guitar, jazz and original tunes, The Bistro, 271 N. Hem- lock, Cannon Beach. Anna Gilbert 8-10 p.m., singer/songwriter, Public Coast, 264 E. Third St., Cannon Beach. Sunday, Sept. 15 Ice Cream Social and Music Barbecue and ice cream at noon; concert at 2 p.m., fea- turing IJehNeh; admission by donation, Pioneer Presbyteri- an Church, 33324 Patriot Way, Warrenton. Meet Matt Myers 2-4 p.m., meet Matt Myers, au- thor and illustator of “Hum and Swish,” Beach Books, 616 Broad- way, Seaside; 503-738-3500. Tuesday, Sept. 17 Rotary meeting 9:15 a.m., Take Pounds Off Sen- sibly focuses on healthy life- style changes for weight loss, meets weekly. North Coast Family Fellowship, 2245 N Wah- anna Road, Seaside; ncff church. org or call 503-738-7453. Button-making 3:30 p.m., teen event, Seaside Public Library, 1131 Broadway; 503-738-6742. Wednesday, Sept. 18 Good Morning Seaside 8 a.m., Weekly coff ee and net- working; Seaside Chamber of Commerce; contact for details, www.seasidechamber.com. Preschool storytime 10 a.m., Seaside Public Library, 1131 Broadway; 503-738-6742. Weed Warrior Wednesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m., North Coast Land Conservancy program at the Circle Creek Conservation Center, Rippet Road, Seaside; nclctrust.org. Thistle & Rose In Their Footsteps 1 p.m., John Colter’s impact on American history featuring Christopher Hodges, Lewis and Clark National Park; program Netul River Room of Fort Clat- sop’s visitor center; free; 503- 861-2471; www.nps.gov/lewi. Maggie & the Katz 5:30-8 p.m., Soul, blues and R&B; The Bistro, 263 N. Hem- lock, Cannon Beach. Send money in the moment. Right from your mobile banking app. 5-7:30 p.m., Americana, folk, blues and originals; The Bistro, 263 N. Hemlock. Emergency Volunteer Response Team 5:30-7 p.m., informal infor- mation night; learn how to become a part of community emergency team; Seaside Li- brary, 1131 Broadway. Noon, Seaside Rotary meets at Angelina’s Pizzeria and Cafe, 1815 S. Roosevelt. Senior Movie 1 p.m., movie title posted weekly at Bob Chisholm Com- munity Center; 1225 Avenue A. Floating Glass Balls 8-10 p.m., Bill’s Tavern, folk, Americana and “beachgrass,” 188 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach. Friday, Sept. 20 Earth and Oceans Arts Festival Noon-5 p.m., presentations at Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce from fi ve nonprof- it groups; gallery reception, 5-7 p.m.; 207 N. Spruce St., Can- non Beach. Class of 2009 Reunion 6-10 p.m., Times Theatre, 133 Broadway, Seaside. Bill Hayes 5-7 p.m., contemporary, folk and Americana; Cheri’s Cafe, 239 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach. Wes Wahrmund 6-9 p.m., classical guitar, clas- sical guitar, jazz and original tunes, The Bistro, 271 N. Hem- lock, Cannon Beach. The Savannah Sipping Society 7:30 p.m. Coaster Theatre Play- house, 108 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach; coastertheatre.com. CANNON BEACH LIBRARY’S ANNUAL l a v i t s e F l l a F SATURDAY, SEPT 28, 10AM-5PM 131 N. HEMLOCK, CANNON BEACH • 503.436.1391 together with Silent Auctions FOR HOTEL STAYS Gift Certificate Drawings FOR CANNON BEACH SHOPS Terms and Conditions Apply. Homemade Place bids & buy drawing tickets CRAFTS & BAKED GOODS FOR SALE Sept 2-28 see your dog as family/child, then perhaps parent/children is the way to go as that may be taken more seriously/draw less ire than “fur baby”; e.g., “dog parents and their canine kids are welcome to attend the party,” or “my dogs are my children and I’m the happiest dad ever.” If your priority is the rights of the animal and you feel certain you can protect your dog — and can afford an attorney if the need ever arises — then by all means, go with guardian. “I am the guardian of Zigster, a genius, affectionate cat- tle dog.” If you are happy with being a dog “owner,” you already have your label — the old standby. That is fi ne. It does seem to provide some assurances, and as much as I would love for my beloved animals to have more respect and status in the world, there are times when I am glad to have the label in order to have a little less worry for my dogs. I do also have my concerns, how- ever. For example, the fact that if a service provider harms my dog, they may be able to argue in court that my dog was only worth her “retail replacement value” is alarm- ing and emotionally disturbing. That would not sit well with me and I would be in for a fi ght. Addi- tionally, the idea that dogs could be divvied up like fl atware in a divorce settlement or other action is one of many ways that “ownership” meaning they are viewed as objects could do serious harm to them. One hopes that it never comes to that, and if it did, there would be ways to protect and keep them together. Did you know that only about 17% of all dogs in the world live in human homes? The rest roam freely, with a small percentage being owned but unconfi ned and the others free-ranging street strays and feral dogs. Rain Jordan, CBCC-KA, KPA CTP, is a certifi ed canine behavior and training professional. Visit her at www.expertcanine.com.
