beaches

The origins of Memorial Day date to the aftermath of the Civil War, when people would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers to honor their service. The holiday still retains its reverential and patriotic spirit, but its economic consequences, though smaller than those of other holidays, cannot be overlooked.

Oil from the broken well has befouled beaches and wetlands in Louisiana, Florida and Alabama over the last two months, killing wildlife and dampening the normally vibrant tourism industry.

A consortium of 11 Gulf Coast tourist destinations in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida has requested a grant from BP to fund a marketing campaign aimed at luring vacationers back. While the group hopes to entice tourists to the region, it will also need to be honest about the current state of the area's beaches.

Spirit Airline's latest endeavor in tasteless advertising may have gone too far this time, prompting the company to pull an ad that implored viewers to "Check Out the Oil on Our Beaches."

Clean up the beaches. Sweep Disneyland's Main Street (is it ever dirty?). Polish the Golden Gate Bridge. Tourists are on their way back to California. After a disappointing tourist count last year, visitors have the Golden State in their sights once again. California's tourism officials predict...