Blog
BookingSync.com is right about photography
By Noel Poage
Published: 07/01/15
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We have to hand a prize to Sébastien Grosjean, CEO of BookingSync a vacation rental software and channel management company. In his recent video posts he covers the basics of shooting photography. But how about HDR? Read more
Cell Phone Photos Are Not Just Fine
By William May
Published: 06/01/15
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Would you think that major vacation rental websites would know photos are the number one method to attract more guests, more bookings and higher rates? So how come some think taking snaps on a cell phone is good enough. When good enough never is. Read more
Drones Will One Day Be Old News
By William May
Published: 05/01/15
Topics: Hotels, Photography
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Hoteliers are all anxious to get aerial photos of their properties from drones. Good idea and we do them. Here is why they would be better off to invest I High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photos instead. Read more
Website Magazine Warns Blogging Copyright Infringers
By Joseph Romain
Published: 04/01/15
Topics: Copyrights, Legal, Photography
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Website Magazine covers everything digital and in now is taking a strong stand to educate readers about how stealing copyrighted materials is a big no-no and one that will cost them lots of money when copyright holders catch them in the act. Read more
How to Choose a Vacation Rental Photographer
By William May
Published: 03/01/15
Topics: Photography
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Guest give websites but a few scant seconds to decide if it's professional, if it has what they need, and whether they are willing to look further. In one seconds, people read only a few words but glancing at a photo reveals dozens of thoughts and conveys quality, emotion, and content. Read more
Expert Says Photos Best Return on Investment
By Joseph Romain
Published: 02/01/15
Topics: Marketing, Photography, Vacation Rentals
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Matt Landau, founder of VactionRentalMarketingBlog.com has some surprising insights into the top 10 steps that can help property owners and managers increase bookings and revenue. His research reveals much about photography. Read more
HDR Photography is not HD
By William May
Published: 01/01/15
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Only one in every ten thousand amateur photographers, and only one out of a thousand professionals have an understanding of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos. That terminology has nothing to do with the common High Definition description of TV's and monitors. Everyone in lodging should know the difference. Read more
Crowing about VRA Mobile Websites
By William May
Published: 11/01/14
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It may not sound earth shaking but Redstone Systems, creator of the HelpBook.me software has just added their evolutionary new mobile websites to their system and has donated the capability to the VRA.org website and those that use VRMLS.org. Check it on your mobile phone now. Read more
A Map, a Map, My Kingdom for a Map
By William May
Published: 07/20/14
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Folded like origami (Japanese paper art), maps have been an indispensable tool for travelers for centuries. But today with Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and Smart Phones, travel can be much easier but it does require some common sense. Read more
What I do for a living
By William May
Published: 04/08/14
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After a tragedy that has taken dozens of life in the small town of Oso Washington State, first-responders open the door to untrained volunteers after realizing they are better equipped at working in such difficult conditions. Read more
Coming to Skippy's Class ill Prepared
By William May
Published: 12/11/13
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Looking back it is astonishing to realize that a world class scholar was teaching in a small community college off the beaten path in the Northwest corner of the country. She would have wowed any student in the finest college anywhere. Read more
Vacation Rental Huts on Wheels
By William May
Published: 10/15/12
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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
Vacation Rentals Enhance the Neighborhood
By William May
Published: 08/15/12
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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
Government Officials Driving Tourism Economy Away
By Ron Lee
Published: 06/01/12
Topics: Government
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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
Glorious Days on Washington State Beaches
By William May
Published: 05/15/12
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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
Professor John Edwards: Insects & Music
By William May
Published: 04/01/12
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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.
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.
Author: William May, MayPartners Advertising
Blog #: 0204 – 04/01/12
Twas the Night before Vacation Rental Christmas
By Jan Covey
Published: 12/31/11
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The Christmas and New Years Holidays are a big season in almost every vacation rental market. Read how one plucky manager gets through the hub bub. Read more
March, April & May best months to visit old & green land of Umbria
By Giuseppe Nuzzaci
Published: 02/02/11
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The Umbria region is located exactly in the middle of Italy . And it’s the best charming headquarters to stay and to discover all the central Italy regions: from the now commercial Tuscany to the most wild and real Umbria, Le Marche and Lazio. From Florence to Perugia, From Siena to the medieval Gubbio, from Pisa to the Spiritual and lovely Assisi, from Rome to Crotona, from Spello to Ancona or to the see of the funny Emila Romagna region with the towns of Riccione and Rimini. Read more
Vacation Road Trips Start at the Dentist
By Gail Adair
Published: 04/01/10
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Operating a vacation rental business can be fun and profitable but it also an opportunity to do some good in the world. Now property owners and managers can do that by participating in a public program that offer Read more
Sunbanks Resort - Little known Secret Location
By Penny L. Taylor
Published: 03/31/10
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Warm weather took me on a drive to Central Washington state, to little known Banks Lake and SunBanks Resort. Toasty hot in summer it boasts warm water unlike most big lake resorts. Read more