The quirky history of mascots and their impact on marketing
Many companies use mascots to engage with their audience and promote their brands. Turns out that lovable, quirky mascots are an effective marketing tool….
Author: Rick Good
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader's money, real estate, and business coverage.
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We really want to buy a house, but we are struggling to come up with a down payment. Any ideas? If you have a regular work history, a reasonable credit…
How a town disappeared under the sand
In the 1800s, it was possible to start a town, but not to save it from nature and bad decisions. The town of Singapore, Mich. was a town started by a…
Big bargains lurk in ghostly properties
If you think Lizzie Borden with her axe is scary, imagine you are the real estate agent trying to sell her house. Haunted houses can be a tough sell, but…
Brush up on table etiquette before the holiday season
Good dining etiquette is about more than knowing which fork to use and when — good manners are about respecting others and yourself. And a quick brush-up…
This cure for boredom also perks up the brain
You’ve got 900 channels and nothing to watch. Those cat videos are getting a little old. What do you do with those precious leisure hours? You could visit…
Skip the vegan diets for cats and dogs
Veganism is on the rise — according to the BBC, the number of people following a plant-based lifestyle in the U.S. grew about 600 percent between 2014…
Raw pet food may be risky
We all want the best for our dogs and cats, and so a minimally processed diet made of raw, whole ingredients (specifically raw meat) might sound like a…
The lady who cleans tombstones
After her marriage broke up and she endured a child custody battle, Alicia Williams needed peace. She wanted to scrape away the old and begin anew. So she…
Cemeteries aren’t spooky! They were once like public parks
As the moon burns bright on All Hallow’s Eve, maybe the spookiest place of all is a cemetery, but it wasn’t always that way. In the 19th century, there…