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The Most Popular Types of Neon Signs

For over 100 years, neon lighting has lit up big city streets with a colorful glow. Cool dude, Georges Claude, invented neon tube lighting in the early 1900s, showing off his work at the Paris Motor Show in 1910. It was a huge hit in France, but the United States didn’t catch on to the hip lighting style until 1923. Earle C. Anthony purchased a couple of signs for his Packard car dealership in Los Angeles, California. The style quickly became popular all across the U.S., characterizing popular resort towns like, you guessed it, LAS VEGAS.

Most people I know who have neon signs now like them for the nostalgic retro vibe. Most of men decorate their man cave walls with neon signs, and handful of bars and clubs that still sport neon signs.

So even though neon lighting hasn’t been insanely popular in the last forty years, signs are still being manufactured and sold – thank god. If you’re interested in learning more about neon signs, I put compiled a short list of the most popular neon sign categories. Check it out:

Beer/Alcohol

Obviously the most popular category because who doesn’t love beer and alcohol? I’ve seen this kind of neon sign most often in man caves and bars, but they look great in other places as well. There are a ton of different styles, so Budweiser connoisseur’s can get their favorite sign and plain old beer lovers can add to their simple decor with a foamy beer mug.

Restaurants/Businesses

In the heyday of neon signs (think 1950s), many restaurants and businesses displayed their names in bright neon lights. More people started driving longer distances in the 1950s, so businesses used the neon signs to attract customers. Pretty smart idea. Inside and outside these businesses customers would find additional neon lights that the business used to advertise their products and services, such as Coca-Cola. The Las Vegas strip is probably the most famous example of business neon signs – if you find a business that isn’t lit up on the street, then something is definitely wrong.

Sports

Where would America be without her sports? This category is another popular one among men; I’ve seen quite a few in my friends’ man caves and some sports bars. Most public places that have sports signs display uber-popular NFL and MLB teams. A quick browse of the internet proved what I already know – sports signs range all across the board: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, even swimming!

Motorcycle/Automotive

Car dealerships, gas stations, and automotive shops across the United States would advertise their business and services with neon signs. A lot of these signs came down, when cheaper lighting alternatives were invented, but you can find new and old signs from various dealers.

I’ve found that motorcycle neon signs are mostly in biker bars, which are a lot of fun. If you’re not particular about style there are simple motorcycle outlines, and there are more elaborate signs if you’re into that.

Big Rig neon signs are a real thing. I haven’t seen these in any particular places (other than the internet), but I imagine they would look cool in a truck stop diner.

Man Cave/Bar General

There are a few other bar/man  cave – type neon signs that don’t fit into their own category. Some popular signs I’ve seen in man caves are beer/alcohol, pool/billiard, and cars, but anything that reflects the interests of the owner is fair game – for instance, ladies’ men like women’s outlines and often use a pink neon sign to light up their spaces.

Bars are more likely to display their services and activities, such as pool, beer, and poker. Strip clubs are pretty similar, but they draw clientele in with large neon signs of half-naked women or a phrases like “Live Nudes” – works for me.

Popular Culture

Popular culture refers to movie, music, and other icons of the late 20th and early 21st century. Basically these signs take the form of titles/names, phrases or figure outlines (ie. guitar). I find these way more exciting than foamy beer mugs, but beer buffs may disagree with me.

If you’re like me, wishing there were more popular culture options, you can buy a customized neon sign from select manufacturers. Pretty cool, right? I think so.

Internet and Technology

What is the difference between Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a form of paid search engine listing (see the figure above, on the top right section). SEM is an advertising program, in which you bid against your competitors to rent the advertising space. Depending on your industry and how competitive your market is, the cost can be as high as $50 per click! The more competitive your market is, the higher the advertising rate (lead acquisition cost).

On the other hand, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a form of online public relations and technical wizardry, where you are ranked as the most relevant site when potential customers search for a product or a service using related keywords. It is also called natural SEO or Organic SEO. Achieving better web placements in such a globally competitive market requires exceptional technology expertise, marketing knowledge and creative skills.

The SEO cost is fixed, so after the initial investment is set, all your traffic is free. The best part is that your traffic can grow exponentially (no limit) without having to pay for each click. Your customer base grows while your marketing budget remains the same. The key challenge for all companies is that SEO technology and marketing is very difficult to master and the internet websites keep growing and content keeps changing, so very few companies have the necessary expertise to rank your website higher and maintain its ranking.

Can a company guarantee first place ranking for all my keywords?

No company can guarantee first ranking for all your keywords. Google, MSN, and Yahoo spend tens of millions of dollars to develop and protect their ranking algorithms. A company that advertises such guarantees will face huge trouble with the search engines. Additionally search engines keep changing their algorithms every few months in order to protect against reverse engineering efforts. On the other hand, an expert SEO firm will have enough track record to show consistently higher ranking for their clients (for example top 10 results).

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What Is The Best Carpet Cleaning Method?

What is the best carpet cleaning method? This is the question that many people ask when they begin researching carpet cleaners. At first glance, carpet cleaning may seem like a simple task. When people consider the idea of having their carpet cleaned, they generally envision two methods: Do it yourself, or hire a professional carpet cleaner.

Many consumers choose to hire a carpet cleaner because they feel they can get better results if they let a professional do the job, and they are correct in that assumption. Some people will call a few carpet cleaners and get the lowest price for carpet cleaning. That is their first mistake.

Like many other things in life, you get what you pay for with carpet cleaning. If you hire the cheapest carpet cleaner in town, there is a very good chance that he will simply go to the local big box hardware store and rent the same equipment that you can rent. While he will be doing the work for you, he won’t be doing it any better than you could have done it for half the price.

So what do you need to look for when you want to hire a local carpet cleaning company? The first thing you need to do is ask yourself a few questions about what you want.

  • Do you want your carpets cleaned as well as they can reasonably be cleaned? The answer to this is, of course, yes.
  • Do you want your carpets to be wet for several hours to several days? Most people will answer no to this question. This leads us to a new question: What is the best carpet cleaning method?

There are currently four primary carpet leaning methods that are used by professional carpet cleaners.

  • Hot water extraction cleaning, also known as steam cleaning. Ironically, this method uses neither hot water or steam, yet soaks your carpet and leaves it wet for days.
  • Dry carpet cleaning. This method uses a dry powder and a powerful pile lifting vacuum.
  • Encapsulation cleaning, also known as chemical cleaning. This method uses an encapsulation chemical that traps the soil, and also a powerful pile lifting vacuum.
  • Low moisture carpet cleaning, also known as bonnet cleaning. This process uses a small amount of moisture, dwell time, and agitation to thoroughly clean carpet without soaking it.

Out of the methods listed above, I recommend the low moisture carpet cleaning process as the best carpet cleaning method.

Auto

Why A Tonneau Cover

There are manufacturers that sell a large selection of hard, retracting, fiberglass and folding tonneau covers, among others, so you will have a lot to choose from. However, there are advantages of one type over another.

Here are a few reasons why you need to consider a best Roll-Up tonneau cover:

You can have full bed access. The cover can be folded forward over the entire truck bed. What’s more, you can even haul around tall cargo and still have the lid closed! That’s not a possibility with other truck bed covers.

If you want part of the tonneau open, you can have that too. It’s very simple to open it up part of the way, reach in and grab something, and then fold it right back up. And accessing your cargo has never been easier!

You can also lock your cover up. It’s lockable and secure almost like a vault even. There’s no way a thief could ever get through it.

Installation is simple. There is no drilling involved. You can simply use the clamps for mounting, as no hole punching is required. Since folding tonneau covers are light, installation can be easy and quick.

They’re inexpensive, especially if you order online. Why? Many online retailers sell truck bed covers for affordable prices. You will also have more choices when using the internet.

They are clean, and easy to take care of. You won’t have to worry about your folding tonneau cover ever getting dirty or rusted. They are pretty easy to maintain, and can last for years.

Tonneaus can also save you a lot of money. Believe it or not, with your truck bed held down securely with a cover, you will use up less gas mileage and thus save a lot of money!

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Patent License Agreements

Sometimes a Patent Holder is not interested in practicing the invention himself/herself but is interested in making money by charging a fee in exchange for allowing someone else to practice the invention.

Under a License agreement, the Patent Holder (called a Licensor) permits an individual or company interested in the technology (called a Licensee) rights to the invention in exchange for a fee (called a Royalty). Importantly, the Licensor retains ownership of the invention. Licenses can be crafted in a variety of ways with a variety of payment schedules. Payments may be a single flat fee, a percentage of sales or any creative arrangement agreed upon by the parties as explained by Invent Help.

Licenses can be drafted using a variety of terms. The following are the most common types of licenses:

An Exclusive License is an agreement where the Licensor (or Patent Holder) agrees not to license the Patent to anyone except the Licensee.

A Non-Exclusive License an agreement where the Licensor (or Patent Holder) permits the Licensee to practice the invention BUT the Licensor (or Patent Holder) is also permitted to license the invention to others. There are helpful videos for inventors on Youtube where you can learn more.

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Choosing Reputable Carpet Cleaners

Regular vacuuming is not enough to keep your carpet clean and free from allergens. Deep cleaning every once in a while is necessary to eliminate pollutants, leaving your carpet with a clean and fresh smell. In order to give your carpet a thorough clean, you must invest in the right equipment and products. If you consider the hassle and time implications, it is better to enlist the services of professionals. There are several handy tips you need to consider when looking for professional cleaners.

Good reputation

Most businesses get clients through word of mouth. The best way to learn about the reputation of a cleaning company is by seeking referrals from people who have used their services before. Social media provides a platform where people can air out their views and experiences dealing with different companies. Most reputable carpet cleaning companies in Rochester NY, such as the Belview Floorcare have a website and social media presence through which you can follow them to see what their customers are saying about them. You can also read reviews posted by their previous clients to get a feel of what to expect as you can see from https://belviewfloorcare.com/carpet-cleaning-service-rochester-ny/.

Licensed and insured

Carpet cleaning is a business like any other and should be licensed in accordance with the local laws. A licensed professional is one that has met all the regulations and standards set for that industry. Proof of insurance is also very important. You cannot completely rule out the possibility of damages and accidents even when dealing with skilled technicians. To protect yourself from unintended liability, you need to engage the services of insured professionals. Ask for proof of insurance and check to ensure that it is valid. You must bear in mind that professionals will charge higher due to such costs as insurance and acquiring equipment. As such, do not let costs be the sole determining factor for choosing a particular cleaner. Further, not that going for cheap services will likely mean compromising on service quality and delivery.

Experience and know-how

Carpet cleaning is a task with more depth than most people think. There are many factors at play, such as chemicals, pH, drying, materials, time and other factors that influence the end result. It is evident that there are many intricacies involved in carpet cleaning and that is why it is wise to hire experts with a wide array of knowledge to achieve the best results. Carpets can get damaged when they are cleaned wrongly. Soap residue damages the fiber of the rugs and makes them susceptible to dirt. Experience and know-how are valid reasons to engage professional cleaners.

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Right clothing for exercise

Selecting the right clothing for exercise is not always easy. It is even more difficult if you are self-conscious about your appearance during the workout. Maybe you want to look stylish through your clothing and footwear, but keep them functional. There are many workout clothes available online and searching for attires that matches your needs will be a great idea.

Gym Leggings Are The Best

The gym is the most prominent place for most workout activities. Sport bras and gym leggings are the best apparels for women seeking fitness. The fabrics of these clothes should make you feel comfortable and well fitting for gym operations. Being passionate about active lifestyle should be proportionate to what you think of wearing in the gym. For instance, high quality Glyder Apparel such as leggings, tank tops, carpris and pants are very comfortable sports clothes for the gym. They look stylish.

Gym leggings are designed to fit and can be worn on their own and sometimes as a layering garment. At the gym, it is best to wear them on their own. They differ in color, length, size and fabric. Leggings are the best since they prevent chafing during exercises. They are very comfortable especially when they are made from polyester-blend. There are different types of leggings based on their lengths. They can be knee-length, ankle length leggings, stirrup leggings and Capri leggings. Choose the length that best fit you.

Pets

Getting Rid Of Fleas

The flea life cycle consists of four stages. They are the egg, larvae, pupae and adult biting fleas in your yard. Treatments should target each of these stages to break the life cycle. Adult fleas lay their eggs on the host and then the egg drops out wherever the host rests, lies, or plays. These eggs then hatch and go into the larvae stage. From there, they then move to the pupae stage waiting to emerge as an adult flea. The entire cycle takes approximately two weeks.

Many pesticides and other treatments target the adult fleas. In yard treatments often only address the adult stage while leaving the eggs or pupae to continue to hatch and grow. This is counter productive, leaving many continuing to buy pesticides that are only targeting a small part of the problem.

Killing fleas in the pupae stage is almost impossible. The key to keeping the infestation under control is to use a product on the egg and larvae stages to prevent them from getting to the pupae stage. There are natural products available that are designed for this purpose that will not only keep your pet free of fleas, but will not expose him or her to harmful chemicals.

It’s nearly impossible to prevent fleas in the yard. Some improvements can lower the risk of fleas making it on to your property to begin with. Fleas move from one host to another and a stray dog or cat can wander through your yard leaving little presents as they go. Having solid fencing around your yard can prevent these visitors and their unwanted friends from coming over uninvited. In addition, keeping your pets on your own property gives you more control. Flea collars are also recommended and you can find best flea collar for dogs on the internet.

A good approach to flea control is multi-pronged. You can stop this from ever happening by making some simple changes to ward off an infestation of fleas. You can actually kill adult fleas in with a simple, all natural solution. Sprinkle food grade diatomaceous soil lightly in your dog’s bedding and in areas he likes to sleep. You can use the food grade DE in your home and garden to deal with fleas or bed bug infestations. In yard improvements and treatments will finish the life cycle of the flea leaving you and your pets happy and pest free.

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Rat Control

Pest control services are now indispensable aspects of modern living as pests continue to crop up even in major cities all over the world. The term pest control pertains to the management of unwanted species such as rats and rodents, which are considered as pests because they pose potential risks to health, to the ecology and even to the economy.

Unlike other pesky critters that can be exterminated by spraying some chemical formulations around your premises, rat control requires an entirely different approach. Rat extermination is a complicated process unlike roach or ant control. Rats are very smart animals and they can sense danger around them and avoid it to survive. They tend to seek warm shelter once the weather gets cold and your home can be very enticing indeed.

There are a number of ways that rats can invade your property and it could take a lot of time and effort to get them out completely. Moreover, dealing with a rat control problem can be quite difficult especially if you don’t know some effective methods of control. Hence, it is generally recommended to seek expert advice and assistance from pest control services.

Rats carry deadly diseases that can infect humans, pets and livestock. They can also cause some serious damage to your property because they can gain easy access to your home’s plumbing or duct work, and they just love to munch on electrical cords, appliances and furniture. To complicate matters, rats and mice have short gestation periods and they can start reproducing even if they are just three to four months old. They give birth to live young and can have more than eight litters each year. The litter has an average size of six young with a lifespan of 12 to 19 months. The bottom line is that rats and mice can literally take over your home and the problem may get out of hand before you know it.

Having said all these, it stands to reason that homeowners must take any signs of rat infestation seriously. While some opt to go for the traditional do-it-yourself techniques of rat control, it’s just not a practical approach and you can even cause further damage to your home. There are excellent service providers that have the expertise and the latest tools and techniques to get rid of rats for good. Hiring the services of a professional exterminator for rats can save you a lot of time and money in the long run and in most cases, the cost of hiring professional pest control services will turn out to be less than the cost of repairing the damage you can cause if you decide to take on the problem by yourself.

Finally, a reputable pest control company can execute the job while ensuring minimal disruption and impact on your family so you can rest assured that your home and loved ones are in safe hands. They also use effective but low toxic pest control chemicals to clear your home of rats and mice. In the end, they will give you valuable tips on rat control and techniques on how to prevent them from coming back.

Finance

Retirement Planning Basics

There are a lot of people in Charlotte NC who for one reason or another have yet to start thinking about or planning for their retirement. We all know that it’s important to build up some sort of retirement savings in order to allow us to live comfortably and independently once we leave the workforce, but unfortunately, many people really don’t know where to begin.

If you haven’t really begun thinking about investment vehicles as a way to save for your retirement, now is the time. If you’ve been setting aside money in a savings account, that’s great, but the low rate of interest you’ll receive from a conventional savings account won’t yield the kind of return on investment that you’ll get from a 401k, Roth IRA or other retirement planning options.

The idea is to make your money start working for you before you retire and hopefully, continue working for you even years into your retirement and that calls for careful thought and putting a plan of action into place or hiring a fiduciary financial advisor Charlotte NC.

Social Security alone probably won’t cover all of your living expenses after you retire, let alone allow you to live in comfort. Even if you anticipate having to scale back a bit on luxuries once you stop working, trying to live on your Social Security checks probably isn’t going to be a viable option for most people.

If you’re ready to start planning for your future, find out if your employer has a 401k plan or another kind of retirement plan. If they do, sign up and begin contributing as much as possible to this retirement savings account.

It’s one of the easiest ways to begin your retirement savings and since most employers who offer 401k plans provide some kind of matching contributions, you can essentially give yourself a small raise over and above your current wages or salary, with this extra money going into your retirement account. You’ll also be eligible for tax deductions based on your contributions, which gives you another incentive to save for retirement. Currently, you can contribute up to $17,000 per year to a 401k, so it’s easy to begin building your retirement savings in a relatively short time.