Among the most sought after demographic, almost everyone is online. They also spend more while they are there. Higher-income Americans (95%) use the Internet, and 87% have broadband access from home. The numbers slip to 57% and 40%, respectively, among those with annual household incomes of less than $30,000. Whereas Internet use and broadband access drop off significantly among lower income households, cell phone penetration remains ubiquitous:

• 95% of those in households with annual incomes of $75,000 or greater have a cell phone, as do
• 93% of those in households with annual incomes of $50,000 to $74,999;
• 90% of those in households with annual incomes of $30,000 to $49,999; and 75% of those in households with annual incomes of less than $30,000.

Those with higher incomes also use the web more frequently.

More than half of those with annual household incomes of $75,000 or more (55%) go online from home several times a day, compared to 44% of those in the $50,000 to $74,999 income range, 42% in the $30,000 to $49,999 income range, and 31% in the less than $30,000 income range.

Thanks in large part to mobile devices and more robust services, the demo is more accessible than ever to inter-active advertising that truly resonates with their needs.

So, to reach the ‘money demo’ more efficiently, add inter-active marketing tools to the mix. Include email and text message campaigns that add reach to hand-held devices, all driven by Radio which, coincidentally, also reaches 95% of all households every week. That’s synchronicity.

(Source: “Use of the Internet In Higher-Income Households,” Pew Internet & American Life Project, 11/24/10)

Although there is some evidence to support the use of concrete in Ancient Egyptian society, the Romans were the first to embrace its incredible potential.  It is a testament to their ingenuity and the durability of concrete that many aqueducts, roads and temples are still standing two thousand years later.  The Romans were also the first known builders to employ admixtures (additives introduced to enhance the nature of concrete), using materials such as horse-hair for strength and blood to make the concrete more resistant to freeze-thaw problems.   (The Roman Pantheon/http://www.crystalinks.com/romepantheon.html)

Concrete, at its most basic level, is comprised of cement, sand, aggregate and water.  The cement acts as a binder, and the sand and aggregate extend the volume of the concrete (much like putting walnuts and chocolate chips in cookies).  The water is the catalyst which reacts with the cement to cause a chemical reaction referred to as hydration.  This creates an ideal material which begins as a liquid, allowing us to easily shape and mold it, but results in a very strong and rigid form after it has fully reacted.  Modern advances include the addition of steel reinforcement, which offsets the relatively weak tensile strength of concrete alone, as well as admixtures like fly-ash (a by-product of the coal industry) and fiberglass, which improves both compressive and tensile strength.  Also, in locations where freezing temperatures cause cracking, tiny air bubbles can be introduced into the mix to allow water molecules a void into which they can expand as the water freezes, maintaining the over-all quality of the end product.   (Millau-Viaduct, France/http://famouswonders.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Millau-Viaduct1.jpg)

There is no question that concrete provides an extraordinary value in the modern world.  Perhaps the real question is what will we have left as our own legacy two thousand years from now?

Written by Micheline Becker, Granite Construction Supply & Sign Shop

CCS designed a unique set of spaces, integrating the latest in high-tech A/V equipment, to engage visitors’ senses and cleanse them of the distractions from everyday life.  The seven rooms are all controlled by a Crestron docking station and can be managed by an Apple iPad.

Examples of some of the out-of-the-box creations include:
•    Transition Room:  entrance to series of conference rooms; offering sound protection foam and ceiling mounted speakers to cleanse the visitor of extraneous noise. A 46” LCD screen is mounted on the wall.
•    Demo Area One:  showcases a unique display of older technology; i.e.: record players, walkmans, typewriters, tape players, 8-tracks. A 46” LCD screen is on a tilt wall mount.
•    Outside Area:  designed to bring an outdoor experience to the visitor with NEC 2×2 40” LCD video wall, showing one image spread across four screens.
•    Collaboration Room:  offers a space for parties to meet, brainstorm and generate new ideas. A SMART Unified Projection System, two PC SMART Boards, 52” pole mounted LCD and cabling for laptop connectivity all controlled by the Crestron docking station.
•    Boardroom:  provides a large room to present ideas and conduct business. A 65” LCD screen on a tilt wall mount is the main focal point, ceiling mounted speakers, a Tandberg 3000MXP video conference system, multiple table microphones and wall mounted camera, all controlled by a wireless docking station, and an Apple iPad.

This online magazine is produced by a consortium of high quality businesses providing collaborative services to companies which are seeking to grow, or that are relocating to the area. Contact us for a free consultation.