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.