Are Online Casinos the Answer to Economic Recovery in the US?

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September 2, 2020

After months of a nationwide lockdown in the US, an economic crisis was inevitable. The country depends on businesses that involve face to face transactions immensely. And since they had to close down for safety reasons, there was little anyone could do to protect the economy.

Luckily, not every industry has been hard hit by the lockdown. Some sectors like online casinos have been thriving amid everything happening in the world. So, should every state legalize online gambling? Could online casinos provide a solution to America’s economic challenges?

Over One Million Jobs

One of the most devastating impacts of the nationwide lockdown regards job losses. CNBC reports over 47 million Americans have lost work temporarily or permanently since March. That translates to 32.1% of the nation being unemployed.

Against that backdrop, there’s a dire need for job creation. Could online casinos be the answer? Legalizing online gaming countrywide would help create at least one million jobs according to financial experts.

To expound, Britain’s online gaming sector employs 107,000 people. And the UK is a fraction the size of Texas. New Jersey, one of the few states where online gaming is legal, has already recovered the 11,000 jobs lost after five casinos shut down in 2014.

Better yet, the Garden State has added 35,000+ jobs since it legalized online gaming in 2018. If every state were to add a similar number of jobs through online casinos, at least 1,750,000 new jobs would be created.

$20 Billion in Revenue

Last year, New Jersey casinos generated $3.4 billion from the casino industry. Pennsylvania’s gambling sector generated an almost equal amount of money. This shows there’s immense potential in the iGaming sector—only that more states haven’t realized it yet.

In all fairness, New Jersey and Pennsylvania host almost all of the best online casino sites in the USA as discussed on the bestonlinecasino.com. That’s because of their progressive gaming laws. They were also two of the top four to legalize online casinos in the country.

With that in mind, there’s hope things will get better starting next year once the economy opens up fully. Britain’s remote gaming industry generates the country roughly $7 billion each year. And as we mentioned earlier, its market is significantly smaller than the US.

Britain has a mature online gaming market, though. And it took decades for the island to have an industry that generates so much revenue. That said, America’s gigantic market means it could dwarf Britain’s gaming revenue in just a few years.

$1Billion+ Tax Income

Online casinos are a taxation cash cow for countries and states that have legalized it. Take New Jersey as an example. It generated $36 million last year through direct tax income from online casinos.

Across the Atlantic, Britain generated $3.8 billion in the same period. The income was an increase from 2018 despite the fact that a new law was introduced to limit betting amounts in the country.

Interestingly, Britain has a significantly lower tax rate than many US states where remote gaming is allowed. New Jersey is an exception with a 13% tax rate although it also charges gamblers. Britain does not.

As an estimate, American states could generate a combined $2 billion if they taxed casinos in the same way New Jersey does. But considering some jurisdictions charge up to 50%, online casino tax could become a critical source of income for many states.

Protection from Future Lockdowns

As the US prepares to open up after months of a lockdown, experts are asking for one thing. America should consider online-based jobs. Not everyone will get employed in the remote gaming sector.

In fact, online casinos are only one industry of the many Internet-based sectors not affected by the lockdown. However, they provide proof that America’s economic future lies online. More people should consider Internet-based jobs for a quick recovery of the economy.

Some organizations like Facebook and Google are a step ahead and will allow their employees to work from home until 2024. These companies believe an online-work environment is feasible and needed to avoid the sort of economic loss suffered this year.

Is it possible for all businesses to move online? Most likely not. However, many industries can move some sections of their departments online. That way, whole industries don’t have to be shut down during future pandemics.

Casino Gaming as a Profession

So far, we’ve said online casinos could add nearly million jobs through professions like dealers, managers and customer service agents. But there’s one more position we haven’t mentioned yet: gaming as a career.

Some people don’t believe it’s possible to play casino games professionally. Yet, professional gamblers exist. A huge portion of them bet on sports and poker. But there’s a small group that also delves into blackjack, slots and roulette.

Professional casino players choose their games carefully. They have strategies, goals, and tactics for maximizing their profits. Some of them also take online classes and subscribe to magazines just to sharpen their skills.

With that in mind, most casino millionaires made their money through sheer luck. They took a risk with a small bet, spun the reels of a slot machine and hit the jackpot. The luckiest winner is a British ex-soldier who won £13.2 million in 2015.

Ending the Black Market

Legalizing online casinos could shutter a black-market worth billions of dollars. It’s already happening according to the American Gaming Association (AGA). Before 2018, the majority of bets in America took place through unregulated casinos.

But after the landmark SCOTUS decision in 2018, black market sports betting has decreased by 25% based on a study by the AGA. The American Gaming Association also discovered 74% of Americans want the country to legalize online casinos.

In other words, the people who drive the black-market are willing to end it under proper circumstances. Of course, the conditions in question include legalizing all forms of online gaming in every state.

Another condition is to provide a friendly tax environment. States could end taxation for player wins or keep it low. That way, casino players will no longer have a reason to gamble at unregulated overseas gaming websites.

Delaware Casinos Thriving After Reopening From Lockdown

By

Abdar Grincoli

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September 2, 2020

Delaware’s casinos have been performing incredibly well post lockdown and for good reasons. For starters, they are now free to welcome patrons albeit with strict rules. On the flipside, online casinos in the state have grown in popularity and are witnessing an upsurge of new customers.

Unlike many states, Delaware has some of the most progressive gaming laws. And thanks to these regulations, the state’s gaming sector is one of the first industries to open post lockdown.

In all fairness, Delaware’s legal casino industry is small. It consists of three brick and mortar casinos and three mobile gaming websites. Generally speaking, land-based establishments have dominating the market for long. But as we’ve outlined below, the Internet-based gaming is quickly overtaking land-based casinos.

Map of Delaware Casinos

Dover Downs Hotel is the biggest casino in Delaware with a land size of 165,000 square feet. It features a gaming floor with 3200 slot machines and 41 tables. Add 18 poker tables to this list and you have a house capable of providing any gambling tournament.

While it’s big in size, Dover Downs lags behind Casino Delaware Park in ratings. That’s probably because Delaware Park has a horse racing track, a golf course, restaurants and bars. Or maybe people just like Delaware Park’s games better.

The only way to find out is to visit both casinos and experience their products. In case you’re wondering, the Delaware casino map at casinos.us provides more details about these two casinos. It also shows a map of how to visit all the casinos and racinos in the Diamond State.

The third land-based casino in Delaware is Harrington Raceway & Casino. It was created to host horse racing events primarily. But with time, it added gaming positions like slots, poker and roulette games. It also supports real event sports betting, so you can wager on both sports and casino games.

Online Casinos in Delaware

Delaware’s online gambling legal environment is a tad complicated. It features one system managed by 888 Holdings. Under this system nearly all forms of online gaming are authorized. That includes slots, video poker, roulette, blackjack, poker and bingo.

Although Delaware permits online gaming, it hasn’t authorized many online casinos. That makes it an excellent target for foreign casinos that provide casino games in states with legal gambling environments.

These foreign online casinos are the reason there’s an uptick of online gaming in DE. Most of them are licensed in Malta, Curacao and Britain. But more importantly, they are famous for these outstanding features:

Frequent Bonuses

Many of the casinos that target players from Delaware are international corporations known for their generous bonuses. They give out bonuses to all new customers although the offers are optional.

Should you claim these offers? It depends on what you get. No deposit bonuses, for example, let you play casino games for real money immediately you create an account. They are fantastic offers for testing a new gaming website.

On the flip side, first deposit bonuses are an excellent choice if you want to increase your bankroll. Some casinos give you a more bountiful reward—say 400% your deposit. The betting credits magnify your stakes and help increase your winning chances.

At the best DE casinos, bonuses don’t stop at the welcome gates. You receive rewards weekly or monthly. And if you increase your bet sizes, you become an esteemed VIP customer.

Massive Game Libraries

Foreign casinos feature massive game libraries because they’ve been around longer than most US online casinos. They also have access to the world’s best software developers: Playtech, Microgaming, NetEnt, Betsoft and Evolution Gaming.

The best part of online casino games is that they provide more than variety. They feature highly paying software. What’s more, they are jam-packed with in-game features, including progressive jackpots that pay up to $20 million.

Thanks to technology, online casinos also provide social gaming through live dealer games. You can play Texas Hold’Em with your friends or blackjack against a human dealer. Crucially, you can see and interact with your opponents.

Another benefit of online games is that they are mobile responsive. If you have an iOS or android device, you can play hundreds of slots or card games at the comfort of your home.

User Friendly Interfaces

Today’s gaming websites are designed to provide a smooth gaming experience for both new and experienced players. For that reason, they feature neat, professionally designed websites and apps.

Finding games or bonuses at a top-rated casino is a breeze. All you need is to use a search bar or navigate through game categories. This makes searching for a game much easier than it’s at brick and mortar casinos.

User friendly interfaces also ease the gaming process. That’s because every game responds fast and smoothly. And since the websites are maintained regularly, they rarely have downtimes.

Variety of Payment Methods

You can deposit and withdraw money from Delaware online casinos in many ways. On the one hand, you could use Visa, MasterCard or Maestro. On the other hand, you can opt for a direct wire transfer.

If you’re looking for a faster payment method, you could choose PayPal, Skrill, Neteller or any other e-wallet. Crypto fans could also choose Bitcoin or Altcoin to benefit from their low fees and fast transactions.

Better than payment variety, online casinos in Delaware facilitate payments fast. Deposits reflect in your account almost instantly. In contrast, withdrawals take as fast as five minutes for e-wallets or a few days for bank payments.

Safety and Fairness

One of the biggest fears people had before Delaware legalized online casinos concerned safety. People weren’t sure whether they could trust gaming websites. These days, Delaware provides a safe, regulated market for online casinos.

Regarding foreign casinos, Delaware might not handle their regulation. But that doesn’t mean they are unsafe. Some of the companies are extremely reputable overseas and that’s because they are safe and secure.

Foreign online casinos provide fairness by encrypting your data and following strict regulation laws. They also invite public auditors to verify their games are safe and fair.

Benefits of Smoking Kratom

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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September 2, 2020

In recent years you have probably heard about Kratom, but you may still not know what it is and what it is used for. Mitragyna speciose, also known as Kratom, is a tropical evergreen tree from the coffee family. It is native to Southeast Asia and indigenous to Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Since the early 19th century at least, it has been used in various traditional medicinal practices. Since it has stimulant effects, nowadays it is mostly used by workers in laborious and monotonous professions who must stave off exhaustion. In addition, it is a mood enhancer and a painkiller.

Kratom has different benefits and it can be argued that it can be useful for a wide variety of people. Similar to therapeutic drugs and (in)famous drug-like items, it can be smoked and it is one of the most popular yet controversial ways of intake. In this article, we will explore the benefits of smoking this plant and tell you why you might be inclined to try it. To learn more, make sure to visit oasiskratom.com.

Smoking Kratom

Kratom powder is a much more popular way of taking the plant, as it can be used in various ways. Smoking on the other hand is often looked down upon because many are related to some illegal drugs. Therefore, customers are much more willing to buy powder products.

While smoking is less efficient than powder use, it is a great way to treat addictions and habits of using other, more serious smoking substances that harm the body. The Kratom leaf is easy to burn, making it more than a viable option for smoking. However, considering how dominant powder use is, there is not enough data on how much smoking works. Despite the lack of knowledge in the West, people of Southeast Asia have been smoking Kratom leaves for decades.

What they know from their long experience of smoking Kratom is that it is much less powerful than powder because most of the ingredients burn up quickly, like they do in the smoking of most other substances. Considering this fact, a higher dosage is needed for the Kratom to be effective. To get the equivalent of an average oral powder dose, there should be between 20 and 25 grams of leaves. Depending on the user’s health and body shape, this may further vary. As the power of the plant is lost in the burning process, one needs more of it to get the effects and results.

Although it is possible to smoke Kratom powder, the same problem is present since more of it is needed to feel its benefits. The powder will also burn away rather quickly and you will need more of it to feel the same effect you would from taking it orally.

Benefits

1. Addiction Treatment

As mentioned earlier, one of the most important benefits of smoking the leaves of this plant is how it helps addictions and abuse of other substances. There are no major side effects and it is next to impossible to develop an addiction to Kratom, as one would to Marijuana for example. Therefore, it someone is looking to break a bad habit, switching to Kratom is a great way to keep doing virtually the same thing while escaping the detrimental effects of other illegal and controlled plants and drugs. All in all, Kratom is a much safer and healthier replacement for anything else that is smoked, be it drugs or regular tobacco cigarettes.

2. Lack of Addictive Chemicals

Kratom does not develop an addiction in users because it lacks the chemicals that tend to build up dependencies. On the contrary, this plant provides a soothing effect on the mind and body as it is completely natural. While it could be argued that the ingredients influence the receptors of the body the same way as some opioids, there is far less risk involved and therefore no addictions nor health problems.

3. Treatment of Various Issues

There are different types of Kratom plants, but all of them are famous in Southeast Asian cultures for their amazing abilities to reduce both physical and emotional pain. They have been also used as mood enhancers and confidence booster by anyone who is feeling down. Common problems like joint pains and stiff movements are often treated with Kratom too. If higher doses are used, Kratom is an effective tool in fighting chronic anxiety and depression, and it can even work as an effective natural aphrodisiac that lacks all of the dangerous and annoying side effects of medication and other artificial libido supplements.

Potential Issues

Like most things, Kratom leaves and powder for smoking are not without their bad sides. For one, storing large amounts of it can be troublesome, and you need large amounts if you mean to regularly use it because of how much smoking requires. What is more, there are plenty of low-tier products out there, so finding the right one can be challenging. Some manufacturers mix low-grade Kratom with light amounts of top-quality plants, a practice you should try to avoid. Furthermore, if you live in a country or region that is not so open to the ideas of smoking plants, you might end up in legal trouble since some people may think you are consuming something else. An obvious negative side for beginners is the lack of definite information on how much to use. It seems that it greatly depends on the person and their limits, as well as their body constitution and health history. In case of respiratory conditions, you should definitely smoke Kratom, but this is true for any kind of inhaling no matter the plant or substance.

Final Thoughts

While smoking Kratom is not the most efficient way of consuming it, and although most experienced people think it is not worth it, there are many who like the general practice of smoking either because they used to smoke something else, or because they find it convenient and interesting. For breaking other addictions it is more than useful. In summation, it is up to each individual and what they enjoy doing whether or not they will like smoking Kratom leaves or powder.

10 Best Logo Templates for Photoshop

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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September 1, 2020

Nowadays, everyone understands the meaning of a logo in the normal functioning and development of any company. It is an identification mark, a kind of brand marking. That is why well-known companies don’t mind spending money for the logo development. They just know that all of this money will more than pay off in the future.

Logo development is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Some of them are designed by entire studios and teams of professional designers and marketers. However, even the best design studios use specialized programs that are available in the public domain to create logos. One of these programs is Photoshop. It is perfect for you if you need to make a simple logo on your own. You can, of course, make a more complex logo in it, but this will require a very good knowledge and ability to work with the program.

It is also worth noting that Photoshop was not originally developed for drawing illustrations, logos, and other branding elements. However, the latest versions have all the necessary tools for this – the ability to draw freely, edit shapes, and add ready-made raster elements. Due to the fact that the work process is strongly tied to layers, you can interact simultaneously with a large number of graphic elements and quickly make any adjustments to them, if necessary during the work.

As an example, we can cite the famous Apple logo. Before the release of each new apple smartphone model, customers take a few weeks to queue in front of the company’s brand store. They just want to be the first to buy a gadget on the backside of which is a recognizable bite of an apple. And it’s not about the best features of the smartphone, but only the brand!

Are you creating a new logo for your company or personal brand? And looking for fresh original icons that could be the basis for it? Then let us make your search easier. In this article, we present a selection of the 10 most famous and popular logo templates for Photoshop, such as Template.net.

So, they include:

1. Free Floral Logo Templates in PSD, AI, EPS

Source: free-psd-templates.com

These logos are often used by beauty salons, florist shops, cosmetic brands, and companies that provide floral services. Such an image is also suitable for other organizations that try to give the emblem sensuality and tenderness if it concerns their occupation. An interesting fact is that floral logo templates are chosen by many owners of photo studios and coffee bars. They are completely compatible with Adobe Photoshop.

Enjoy these templates from Free-Psd-Templates!

2. Animal Series – A to Z

Source: behance.net

Look at these logo templates of animals and birds designed in a modern and minimalist style to convey a certain mood and character. Such images convey an emotion that is inherent to a particular animal, attract attention, and often help reflect the company’s occupation. Pets, birds, and other animals are often used by pet shops. Shelters use images of the animals they worked with, security companies bear the image of predators, animal activists – any animal.

3. 15 Free Minimal Logo Template

Source: behance.net

These minimal logos templates help companies cut off everything superfluous and focus on the most important thing. Today, many brands are beginning to use minimalism. It leaves things simple to understand and directs them in the right direction. In this case, the purpose of branding is to make someone think and feel the same way as you do. The simple design makes it easy to remember.

4. 12 Nature Logo Templates

Source: dribbble.com

Would you like to make a logo for a florist? It is so easy to use greenery and flowers depicted in these logos. This collection consists of 12 beautiful images of plants for florist companies or beauty salons. It is so obvious to use the image of your product in the corporate identity of the company.

5. Delightful – Logos Pack

Source: dribbble.com

These logos templates for women emphasize beauty, elegance, harmony of images, smooth curves of the silhouette. They can be both minimalistic, with just a few strokes, and more complex, combining several techniques, for example, the image along with the lettering.

6. 12 Floral Logo Templates

Source: dribbble.com

Look at these floral logo templates. Flowers are always a joy and a feeling of a holiday, a feeling of the moment. Each flower in its own way gives a special world of fragrance and beauty so that a person begins to feel loved. That is why people decorate their lives and the lives of loved ones with flowers. With the help of flowers, your company can convey to a person the most intimate thoughts and feelings.

7. 25 Delicate Feminine Logos

Source: dribbble.com

These templates are used by companies with features associated with “traditional” femininity, such as grace, softness, warmth, elegance. If you want to emphasize these features in your branding, choose a classic feminine logo. Use calligraphic, handwritten fonts, intricate lines, curved shapes as well as pink or other pastel colors.

8. 8 Free Logo Templates & 3 Photoshop Styles

Source: Photoshop Styles

You can use these logo templates whatever your company is: a restaurant, store, beauty salon, or bakery. They are not just pictures but important aesthetic elements in the design of the goods or services. You can use it for personal or commercial use.

9. 200 Minimal Logos Template

Source: behance.net

These logos, crafted with refined elegance, embody the art of simplicity, making them perfect for companies aiming to communicate their essence in the clearest way possible. Designed in Photoshop, each logo ensures clarity and immediate recognition, effectively telling the story of the brand it represents. This collection emphasizes minimalism, using Photoshop’s sophisticated tools to strip away unnecessary elements, focusing solely on what is essential. For businesses striving to make a sophisticated statement without overwhelming their audience, this array of logos offers discreet yet distinctive options. Ideal for those looking to convey their brand identity with a touch of class, these templates leverage Photoshop’s capabilities to create logos that resonate with elegance and simplicity.

10. 20 Hands & Logo Templates

Source: behance.net

It is a large collection of logos, the authors of which decided to take stylized images of human hands as a basis. These templates depicting hands express friendliness and kindliness. The image of the hand as an important means of human communication is used in logos of many organizations, public and charitable foundations, medical and social institutions.

Company logos play an important role in its promotion and development. The purpose of the logo is to convey its idea to the target audience of the company. Qualitative logos distinguish the product and the company from a competitive environment. In the eyes of attentive consumers, the corporate identity of the company solves a lot, if not all. At different stages in their history, companies use different variations of their emblems which emphasize its values, loyalty to traditions, community, and other qualities. This article will help you choose a successful logo for your organization.

What is Growth Hacking?

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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September 1, 2020

The Age of Innovation is here to stay, along with all its buzzwords, one of them being ‘Growth Hacking’. Simply put, ‘Growth Hacking’ is an umbrella term for the various strategies that encompass growth in a business. Simple enough, right? Well, there’s obviously more to it than just that, or there wouldn’t be experts in the field. Still seem a little vague?

A Little More About Growth Hacking

It’s important to note that Growth Hacking is an adaptive way to grow your business. A key goal of Growth Hacking is to acquire more customers, using low-cost strategies. Essentially, as a Growth Hacker your job would be to grow your company’s customer base, with as small a budget as possible.

The Growth Hacker’s Mindset

If you decide your dream job is to become a Growth Hacker, it’s important to know the characteristics that would make you successful. Since this is a non-traditional, out-of-the-box concept, it’s only natural that you would need to be that kind of person to fit the role. You would need to be a creative-thinker, adaptive to change and savvy in budget planning – a multi-faceted person.

It would also help to have a background in marketing, as a key part of Growth Hacking, is, well, lead generation and client acquisition, which is an important function of marketing. In addition to being creative, you also need to be analytical and critical – after all, you would need to evaluate your strategies and adapt them as and when it’s required.

How It Works

By now, you might have heard about the Sales Funnel, the customer’s journey from awareness to eventual purchase. This is a key component of the Growth Hacking strategy, in that the essence of what you’re trying to achieve, is growing your customer base.

The Sales Funnel, especially in Growth Hacking, begins with Awareness, generating more traffic to one’s site. From here, the goal is to turn those site visitors into users or customers. Finally, retaining those customers for future business becomes the final step in the process.

Growth Hacking Strategies

Growth Hacking strategies form part of Advertising, Content Marketing and Product Marketing strategies. Content Marketing is a popular, cost-effective form of marketing, in line with Inbound Marketing concepts. Where Inbound Marketing is a deliberate approach, Growth Hacking is slightly more experimental, although both employ similar tools to achieve growth.

Growth Hacking Examples

1. Dropbox

There was a space in time when Dropbox used a referral campaign to generate new business. Remember that? That was a great example of Growth Hacking. It was a simple, cost-effective campaign that offered 250mb of extra storage space for every friend one referred. They grew from 100 000 users in 2008 to 4 million users in the beginning of 2010.

2. Airbnb

Airbnb is now a global entity. It’s crazy to think they started as a group of broke guys in San Francisco that let strangers pay to stay in their place when hotels in the area were sold out. Something that started as a crazy idea, has led to one of the most disruptive business models in our decade.

They went through conventional marketing tactics, like attending industry events and appealing to early adopters. But it was actually the simplest hack that improved and grew their business – photography.

By improving the quality of the photos on their site, they were able to grow their business. Interestingly, now, hosts with professional photos of their accommodation, earn 40% more than those who don’t.

3. YouTube

The Internet has evolved so much over time and Youtube has become one of the biggest inventions relating to it. Previously, uploading video content to the internet was a tedious task – having to convert file formats that would be compatible to the web.

Youtube created a platform that allows users to upload and embed content straight away, simplifying a process, making uploading and watching content accessible and easy. This in itself was a Growth Hack; by simplifying a process, one can grow a market.

4. Electric Surfboard Company

The founder of an electric surfboard company used a very clever little growth hack to drive awareness about his brand and consequently increase sales. As electric surfboards are big ticket items he chose a few upmarket beach locations in California and Florida where he got friendly with the lifeguards. Once he had built a rapport with these lifeguards he gave them each an electric surfboard to use both in their spare time but also whilst on duty. You can read more about electric surfboards on Beginner Surf Gear.

This achieved two things. Firstly, it created brand awareness because the lifeguards are positioned in prominent and visible positions on a beach, and are viewed by most beachgoers with a level degree of reverence. Secondly, whenever there was a rescue to be made the lifeguards would use the electric surfboard wherever possible which added an additional level of credibility to the brand. Needless to say, at the end of the first summer season the sales of his electric surfboard company had soared by over 280%.

Summary

Disruption. Another buzzword that flies around these days. It’s also a great way to describe what Growth Hacking is. In a world where the financial resources available to a company can determine their success, Growth Hacking provides a silver lining in a possibly dark cloud. Growing a business, whether a start-up or a large corporate is possible without seven figure budgets. Like growth hacking, product-led sales can be a high-ROI revenue strategy. For more information, visit https://www.paceapp.com/product-led-sales.

With creativity, critical and analytical thinking and collaboration between marketing, product and engineering teams, growth can be achieved. Whether it’s a disruptive campaign idea or a simple change like improving the quality of how you present your business, Growth Hacking is a broad topic, determined by a business, their specific problems and goals.

7 Best Places to Photograph in Los Angeles

By

Iva Aris

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September 1, 2020

Los Angeles is known as the City of Angels but also the city of endless photo opportunities. There are incredible beaches, theme parks, stadiums, museums, funky coffee shops, and endless modern architecture making this one of the most iconic cities in America.

It is nearly impossible to determine which direction you will be pulled in once you visit Los Angeles. There are literally countless attractions and places to take photos. Gregg Jaden is high on the list for the best commercial photographer in Los Angeles. He is @greggjaden_ on Instagram. Usually known for his travel adventures around the planet, he also frequents local treasures for some irresistible photos. Jaden gives us new perspectives while taking a break from landscapes and exploring the urban vibe of LA. “I usually shoot travel adventure landscapes but always take time for some urban vibes. LA is so diverse, I can shoot inside a cave at Palos Verdes and search for new angles around downtown all on the same day” says Jaden.

Gregg Jaden – The Broad Museum Downtown LA

For travelers seeking interesting angles at iconic locations shoot at a wide-angle to get the most architecture you can as you tour around downtown LA. A hot spot is a Broad museum. There are literally unlimited angles of this spectacular location.

“When I’m at known locations, I search for new angles and something happening that doesn’t usually happen to try to capture it in its natural element. The shots at Griffith and Santa Monica were all done spontaneously. These are people in their own moments captures as it happened” says Jaden.

LA is labeled as the third most photographed City in the World by Instagram. It is increasingly difficult to find a fresh angle.

Today, Los Angeles has been named the third most photographed city in the world by Instagram. Los Angeles is one of the most famous cities in the United States and of course also worldwide, thanks to its most representative places such as Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Disneyland, Santa Monica, the Walk of Fame, Downtown Los Angeles, among others. More and more people from all over the country seeking to visit and even move to Los Angeles increasingly motivated by visuals on social media.

Gregg Jaden – Ball-Nogues Santa Monica CA

Here is a list of the city’s most symbolic spots that tourists shouldn’t miss. In order to experience the essence of Los Angeles, it is important to explore each day. Tourist attractions can always be busy but some of the places off the beaten path will amaze your Instagram following beyond their wildest imagination.

1. Hollywood

The hike up to the Hollywood sign is probably the highest on the list among photographers. Don’t kid yourself this hike looks easier than it is. If it’s a hot day bring lots of water. Griffith Park is right where you will start your hike so plan enough time to do both locations. It can take all day or break it into 2 days. Shoot this one wide and telephoto. Try creative angles.

2. Best Photo Locations to Add to Your List

It’s imperative to visit Downtown Los Angeles and walk amidst its skyscrapers. If a tourist visits the civic center, he will be able to find out the nerve center of the city of stars. In this area, there are buildings that bear the emblem of the City Hall and Cathedral of Our Lady of Los Angeles. For those who like contemporary architecture, it is highly recommended to visit the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Bradbury Building, The Last Bookstore, Skyline/Freeway at the W 4th Street Bridge, and The Broad.

3. Palm Street

Palm Street is the exact street to take the picture with the palm trees lined up and the Hollywood sign in the background is on South Windsor Blvd between 4th and 5th Streets. This street is sort of a must-visit for anyone visiting Los Angeles.

4. Ocean Front Walk and Venice Beach

Anyone visiting the Venice area cannot leave without first taking a walk along its road called the Ocean Front Walk. There’s a kind of typical American muscle training at Muscle Gym which is famous for being frequented by celebrities like Justin Bieber or skateboarder Jay Alvarrez. The place is full of clothing stores, food stalls, ice cream parlors, gift shops, and even street artist shows. Next to the Muscle Gym, there is a large sports area with several volleyball courts, a bicycle area, and many basketball courts, where all kinds of people play games. This is one of the most interesting photography spots with the possibility of capturing a few NBA stars there.

5. Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills’ fame is due to the fact that many Hollywood star spottings happen here. It has been the backdrop of many TV series and films. In Beverly Hills, tourists will have the opportunity to see mansions on American trolleys (minibusses with the appearance of the old tram). They can also enjoy a walk through the famous shopping street Rodeo Drive and visit Warner Brothers (one of the most important film studios in the world). A photography opportunity you don’t want to miss is LACMA (Wilshire) at night.

6. Sunset Strip

Visiting the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles is almost a must. This neighborhood has its own charm and a very bohemian atmosphere. The city is known for its rock clubs, colorful billboards, “trendy” restaurants, and happening nightclubs. The Sunset Strip isn’t just nightlife … There are tons of boutiques and fashion shops where tourists can spend the day shopping for trinkets. Many famous locations along Sunset so do your research before you go.

7. Santa Monica

Bathing or having a drink on Santa Monica’s beautiful beach is another activity that will let everyone experience the essence of Los Angeles. Walking the streets and finding art displays around many corners. The famous wharf and Pacific Park fairground is a must-see.

There are thousands of places depending on what kind of photos you seek. Usually, most locations are online with easy to follow directions. Happy Travels!

All photos used with permission from Gregg Jaden

Flooding in Houston, TX

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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September 1, 2020

Being of tropical origin, Houston is highly prone to experience hurricanes and floods. The subtropical water bodies, support the formation of hurricanes, which is kind of a storm but has many adverse effects. In simple words, we can describe hurricanes as a storm with a maximum speed of constant winds as 74mph; the main reason behind this is the warm ocean water and humidity of the city. Apart from this, the usual coastal flood due to high tides is very common in the region.

Flood are so impactful here that they can simply submerge an entire vehicle in less than an hour. The main factor behind such impactful flood is the heavy rain that gets accumulated on the ground, due to constant high-density rainfall. Houston even experiences “flash flooding”, this means, a sudden flood due to tremendously rising water along a low-lying area or a stream. Flash flooding is extremely abrupt, such that the residents of the affected area don’t even get time to evacuate. Hence, it causes immense loss to life and property. Even driving attempts are failed during a flash flood, as the vehicle may also get submerged or washed away due to the swift flood water. This causes a lot of motor accidents, and the probability of death of the victims is very high.

As mentioned earlier, Houston is a flood-prone area, so some preventive and flood preparedness measures are pre-required if you are a Houston habitant. For evacuating, during any disaster, you need help and support from other individuals. Instead of being selfish, a disaster requires citizens to be sympathetic and vigilant. Even the Government needs to step forth to help its citizens by setting up evacuation camps and emergency shelters with an adequate supply of food and other everyday necessities. Houston has seen many such Floods, so the Government is also well-aware of the requirements of the flood victims such as medical help, food supply, motivation talks, running tests for infections, protection from water-borne diseases, and so on.

Helpline

The Government and the citizens of Houston have devised a disaster warning system from their past experiences; the citizens can send a “Reverse 911” call to warn the neighbourhood people about the occurrence of flood or any other disaster. They can even get to know about the recent weather broadcasting or disaster alerts by calling the City’s Office of Emergency Management at 713-884-4500 or by listening to the NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts made throughout the day.

Let’s have a look at the categories of flood encountered in Houston, TX:

1. Fluvial Floods

In common man’s term, fluvial floods are known as river floods. The most common cause is due to overflowing of an adjacent water body like rivers, streams, or lakes. The probability of fluvial floods increases after hurricanes or excessive rainfall. They can turn more adverse depending upon the amount of precipitation. If any of the dams get damaged, then the severity increases further.

2. Pluvial Floods

They can be further divided into two sections, namely, flash floods and surface water floods. Both flash flood and surface water flood are abrupt as well as unpredictable. They can happen anywhere, even if a huge water body is not present nearby. Heavy rainfall in a short span of time leads to flash floods. They are more prone in hilly areas, where water slopes down into the valleys and gets accumulated. Surface water floods are caused mostly due to the failure or blockage in the drainage system.

3. Coastal Floods

As the name indicates, coastal floods are more prone in the coastal areas, where high winds blow during the high tides; this is also referred to as storm-serge. Due to a large number of hurricanes in the Gulf, Houston often experiences heavy rainfall, that ultimately leads to a flood. That’s why water damage in residential, commercial, and industrial properties is a pervasive issue faced by the people of Houston.

Some safety tips that you must follow during a flood:

What to do before a flood:

Always store important legal and educational documents on an elevated shelf.
You can install a water level sensor, that will give you a signal or ring an alarm if the amount of accumulated water exceeds a certain height.
Keep the contact details of the water restoration company handy with you.
Always arrange for cleaning and inspection of the drainage system to avoid blockages.
Have healthy vegetation nearby, to avoid soil erosion.

What to do during a flood:

Turn off the main switch and other heavy electrical appliances as soon as possible.
If the water level is rising continuously, evacuate or go to the upper floor.
Take your valuable document along with you.
Do not come in contact with floodwater, it might cause skin allergies or infections.
Do not stamp any naked wire lying on the ground; it might give you a shock.
If you’re inside a vehicle when the water level rises, abandon it and move to the elevated ground.
Don’t walk through the flood areas. Only 6 inches of water is sufficient to completely sweep you away.

What to do after a flood:

Do not enter the subjected property, until cleaning has been done.
During the cleaning process, wear a mask, gloves and other protective equipment to minimize exposure to possible hazardous materials.
Take extra efforts, like boil water before drinking to avoid getting water-borne diseases.
Don’t turn the main switch on until an electrician has inspected your home.
Clean and disinfect everything that was in contact with the floodwater.

Most of the homeowners are unprepared; these allow damages to overtake their property. If immediate action is not taken, water damage will start disintegrating the property, and secondary damages will begin like mould and mildew formation, that might lead to the rejection of the insurance coverage.

That’s why it advised contacting a water restoration company if any unforeseen situation happens; they reduce the risk of secondary damages, the experts have the right knowledge about the tools and the chemicals required, they help in collecting evidence for supporting insurance claims, they know all the methods of controlling mould and mildew formation, and so on. Instead of wasting time and letting the damage increase exponentially, call for restoration service as soon as possible or visit our website for any help https://hallmark-mc.com/restoration-services/water-damage-houston-tx/

Dealing With Insurance During a Restoration Claim

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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September 1, 2020

Why-should-you-hire-a-personal-injury-lawyer-1200x707 — Source: igreatlocalattorneysweb.com

Nowadays, many people have become aware of the fact that disasters may occur at any time and anywhere. Even if you are staying in an area with a pleasant climate and weather conditions which is away from the sea-coast, that has not experienced any disaster in the past few years; then also there is some probability of disaster occurrence. From our end, we are bounded by the ways of nature, so we can’t avoid any disaster, but we can be well prepared to face them so that the severities of their causes are reduced significantly.

As a remedy, many insurance companies have come up with disaster relief schemes to help the victims financially in restoration. These schemes are a boon to many who live in disaster-prone areas, every year, more than hundred-thousands of disaster claims are made. Alas! A few of them remain unsettled due to the terms and conditions of the policy or lack of documentation and evidence from the Client’s end. Many legal issues are also raised by insurance companies, reporting false claims made by some consumers. That’s why we advise both the ends to be vigilant enough to read all the terms and conditions mentioned in the documents carefully before closing the deal.

For a disaster victim, it is very common to become nervous. Still, you must try your best to behave as a responsible individual and try to be strong mentally and collect proper evidence of the disaster so that you can make insurance claims, later. If you are inexperienced, you can always approach your restoration company for getting the best assistance in settling insurance claims. Chrome water damage experts from water damage restoration Austin, TX, provides the most prompt restoration service, they have an incredible record in settling insurance claims.

Some steps that you must follow while dealing with insurance companies:

1. Ensure the safety of human lives

First of all, you must deal with the outstanding danger; it may be a flood, a fire, an earthquake or any other disaster. If the disaster is very crucial, immediately evacuate the place, with your necessary belongings and documents. If you are not able to manage the disaster site, immediately call for a disaster restoration company. When the situation is under control, that is, all the human lives and the subjected properties are safe, you can begin the procedure of making the insurance claim.

2. Contact the insurance company

When the life-threatening phase of the disaster is over, and the situation is somewhat better, inspect the site yourself or refer the report generated by the restoration company and inform your insurance company about the sorrowful incident. Many a time, the insurance company sends a team of experts to inspect the disaster site and severity for settling the claims later, this ensures that your request is authentic and shifts your claim on a higher priority. If they don’t provide on-site services, call them personally and tell them every critical detail about the incident and remind them of the policy coverage.

3. Assemble and manage evidence

Any claim appears to be unauthentic without the support of evidence. If you want to get a decent amount from your insurance company, then the evidence produced should be detailed and well-documented. You can take photographs of the disaster site before cleaning is done. From the first expense only, maintain a proper record of the amount spent by you, file the bills also, so that your claim looks verified. If a restoration contractor is the incharge of the site, then your job is already done, you simply need to ask them for the report of the incident, they are well aware of the format.

4. Set up a meeting with the insurance provider

You must meet your insurance agent as well as the officer-in-charge of your claim so that all the concerned issues are clarified; there should be complete transparency between the three parties. You can even include the on-site inspector. Generally, the insurance companies only set up the discussion, but if they seem to be inactive, you may take the lead.

Don’t go for the meeting without the relevant documents, like the photographs taken post-disaster, the receipts from the restoration company, the report from the restoration company, the treaty of your insurance claim. Try to approach the insurance office as soon as possible, preferably within 48 hours of the disaster. Discuss every expense with the officer, even the post-disaster cleaning expenses, the officer will tell you the coverage that are included in your insurance policy. You need to be vigilant throughout, when you purchase the policy, be very clear with the coverage that you need and the coverage that policy offers. If any coverage is missing, then and there only you must ask your insurance provider to add it.

5. Be patient during the process

The insurance companies only credit the amount, after they have carried out a thorough inspection of the disaster site and the victim. They even cross-check the bills with the restoration provider or individual vendors. This process is time consuming and sometimes even takes more than six months. From your side, you must take specific care that are all the documents that you attached are original and in the proper format. However, there is a deadline in which they will credit your reimbursement amount, till then, you must be patient and co-operate with the insurance company pleasantly.

We understand that for an inexperienced homeowner or business person, this entire process of making an insurance claim is crumble some and time-consuming. That’s why we advise you to hire a restoration company; they even help you in settling insurance claims. With their expertise, they do the documentation correctly, and their reputation authorizes your request.

It is observed that the claims made through a restoration company are settled earlier than individual claims. This is because of the quality of the paper-work. Always remember that for making insurance claims, your paper-work plays the key role. If a single invoice attached is fake or unauthorized, the chances of your claim being rejected become high. You can call us in any emergency or visit this website! https://chromewaterdamage.com/.

All you need to Know about Classic Wow Gold and Gaming Benefits of It

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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September 1, 2020

The excellent news for WoW fans around the world is that your favorite game is here again. The new WoW Classic is available on both Mac and Windows, and if you want to have a full experience, you need to have an existing subscription. If you are an experienced fan, and you already have a subscription, then you don’ have to worry since it is active. If you are a new player, the good thing is that getting a subscription is not that difficult, and you don’t need the latest computer to play this game, and you can find everything you need to start at ssegold.com.

In short, World of Warcraft Classic is the same game as in 2006, two years after the game was published, and before the release of the first full expansion pack, The Burning Crusade. That is the point (Patch 1.12: Drums of War) where the original World of Warcraft, a pre-expansion add-on, was most effective, as it had several years of whipping bugs and improving gameplay below its belt. However, back then, it was a much more difficult, slower game, encouraging teamwork to take on difficult enemies rather than encouraging today’s solo-friendly play.

Inside this excellent game, there was a need for in-game currency. This need was satisfied with WoW Classic gold. You need gold to survive in the game, but also to buy everything you need to make your life easier. One of the ways to earn gold is to buy it with real money, but the other one is much more fun and cheaper, and for that, you will need a high level of character. To earn gold in-game, first, you need a fully leveled hero because then you will stop gaining XP and start earning game gold for finished quests.

There are a few ways of buying gold for real money, and you need to be sure that you are making a safe transaction. One of them is to use the mailbox delivery. That is the way that old gamers prefer, but you should be sure that you are delivering the right character name, and you can expect a slight delay. You should give your character name during checkout and wait for the money in the game.

It may sound a little tricky, but the best thing is that this is one of the most secure ways, and you don’t need to be online and wait. The second way is the auction house, which is a part of the game. The procedure is simple, as you should only tell the item name that you want and wait for them to add it to your character name. There is a fee you need to pay, so be sure that you are getting enough for you, and the charge, and for example, if you want to buy an item worth 150g, you will pay a value equal to 157,5g.

The Auction house also represents a very reliable way of buying since every buyer is anonymous. The third way is face to face buying, and that means that you should be online when the seller is sending you your gold. Since this is the fastest way, a lot of people prefer that type of transaction. Bear in mind that for you to get gold like this, you would have to meet the seller in Azeroth, so you could “whisper” to each other. So in this way, you already have to have a rare item, or at least “green” which someone wants to purchase for gold from you.

As in real life, in Azeroth, you should also be wary and careful. Some players inside the game might want to trick you if you are new, sell you an item that is worth less than you might think, or buy an item from you that is worth much more than you realize. I recommend making some reliable and trustworthy friends inside the WoW community and inform yourself about the value of variant items. You could say that the rules of common sense from the real-world apply here as well. If an offer is just too good, maybe you need to think twice as hard about it.

There are also many benefits of buying WoW gold since that is a currency you need if you want to be a top player. One of them is upgrading your weapon to defeat your enemies easier since upgrade gives a higher damage power or an increase in some other stats. Also, you could potentially get yourself some flasks or other consumables, which are often necessary for more dangerous raids and can give you the edge you need in combat. Of course, one should never forget the role play and swag factor since with gold you can change your appearance in numerous ways, and you could buy cool looking items for your house or even that epic looking mount.

Since its release in 2004, World of Warcraft was the first thing that would cross the gamers’ mind when someone mentions MMORPG games. It speaks volumes that even 16 years later, WoW is as dominant in the gaming world. So many real players are playing the game that the world of Azeroth has developed its real-live economy, with auctions, in-game currencies, and laws of supply and demand. Probably the best characteristic, and maybe the most addictive thing that is the outcome of that, is that you can earn your subscriptions.

Since you can earn gold in-game, and you can purchase subscriptions with gold, if you are a good enough player, you can continue to play the game with only the initial real-life money you have spent. So not only that gold can get you better equipment, fancy armors that will make all your friends jealous if you like playing the game and play it well, and long enough, you can earn enough gold to proceed to play as long as you want and enjoy this excellent game.

How Technology Solves Human Problems

By

Дмитра Врачарић

-

August 31, 2020

Maybe the strangest thing about technology is that is solves some very human problems, like being too hot or cold, not knowing how to get from point A to point B, being sick, making payments for everyday items, and much more. The infrastructure of our modern world took plenty of years to create, so it’s no wonder that it does so much for us. What are some of the most basic needs we have, and how has tech come to our rescue? Here are the most central factors of human life that call for scientific, high-tech solutions?

Online Ordering of Goods and Services

The beauty of purchasing things online is that you can do everything from the privacy of our home or smartphone screen. You have the ability to peruse as many items as you like without being hounded by salespeople, can compare prices, read reviews, and hunt for coupons before checking out. The uniquely human task of shopping for necessary supplies, food, and medicine has been totally transformed by the web-based experience.

For example, all it takes to order something like a marijuana subscription box, one of the year’s hottest gift items, is to visit a site like Nugg Club, make a selection from multiple varieties, and place an order. Another advantage of ordering from a PC is the ability to purchase one of a kind, and hard to find items that are not available in retail stores. Marijuana subscription boxes are a case in point. You can’t walk into a brick and mortar store and get one. Instead, you need to find a website that offers them and get it there.

Programmable Thermostats

Source: A Path To Technological Satisfaction

Being uncomfortably hot or cold is something that has plagued mankind for thousands, perhaps millions of years. In the 2024s, all it takes is a $15 programmable thermostat to solve this age-old dilemma. The beauty of these little devices is that they appear so simple, but they do dozens of complex tasks that go a long way toward making a home comfortable. Their makers tout them as energy-saving units, and they certainly live up to that claim.

But even more than cutting household utility bills, smart thermostats are wondrous gadgets that can help our HVAC systems create exactly as much heat or coolness as we need at a given moment. Their small but agile memories are capable enough to hold data that tells the AC or heating unit to come on and go off with scientific precision. When it comes to low-priced, powerful gadgetry that makes any house comfortable and livable, you can’t go wrong with a smart thermostat.

GPS Devices and Traffic Apps

Whether you use a stand-alone GPS device or download one of the smart apps to your phone that does virtually the same job, there’s never been a better way to navigate busy urban areas, interstate highways, or rural roads that are infamous for lacking proper signage. Traffic apps are one of the “older” travel programs for city-dwellers who need help figuring out the ebb and flow of rush-hour on a given work day. For travelers and tourists, GPS and traffic tech are true lifesavers. Before the advent of this type of techno-guidance, anyone who was unfamiliar with a city’s terrain had to wrangle with books of paper maps and frustrating fold-out roadmaps that were endlessly confusing and always seemed to be outdated.

Virtual Medical Checkups

Getting help when faced with illness is a problem that’s been with humans as long as there have been humans. Many primary care physicians now offer video-conference check-ups, during which they can go through a list of questions and assess your general level of health. If the doctor feels the need for more information. you might be instructed to visit a clinic for a blood test or to have your vital signs read. Other than that, the medical community is veering into the universe of what was once called tele-health.

Contactless Payment Methods

The COVID pandemic pushed the development of contactless payments, but the machines and the tech have been around for at least a decade. If you shop at a store where you can pay by just waving a card over a reader, then you’ve already done a contactless transaction. When COVID began to spread, retailers who were still operating wanted to minimize human to human contact, so they ramped up their orders for contactless card-reading machines. Not only do the devices make transactions easier for customers, they also protect store personnel from having to accept currency and handle cards that are handed to them. That means less of a chance for viral transmission.

Vehicle Diagnostic

A decade ago, if you wanted to know what was wrong with your vehicle, you had to visit a mechanic and pay for a round of diagnostic testing. Now, with the help of a free app for your phone and a $6 Bluetooth-enabled device that plugs into your car under-dash, you can find out not only what’s wrong with your vehicle, but approximately how much it will cost to have it fixed, where to go for service, and how long the repairs will take. Yes, you still need to visit the shop, but you’ll go there armed with all the information you need to order specific repairs. Plus, you’ll already know the ballpark amounts for what the final bill will be.

Tax Software

Few normal people enjoy tallying up what they owe to the taxing authorities. Every April since 1913, U.S. citizens have been subject to income tax and had to send a written return to the IRS. For more than 20 years, makers of tax software have been perfecting their products. Finally, in the last few years, consumers have had access to inexpensive, easy to use tax applications that get the job done quickly and accurately. And, if you want the peace of mind that goes with professional preparation, you can save a few bucks by using the app first, and then asking a CPA or tax specialist double-check your work. Filing electronically has become commonplace, but taxpayers still need to prepare returns and make sure everything gets transmitted correctly.