In our world today, there is plenty of saturation. It seems that everybody wants a piece of the cultural pie. The way by which you stand out is through differentiation. Find something that interests people that not many people are doing and go forth tenfold! Why not become a skateboard photographer?
The motion of a skateboard can be difficult to keep up with. Maintaining control of the camera can be even harder. But where there is a will, there is a way. The hardest step is always getting started.
Once the camera is in possession, you should always keep some other items on your person to be a successful skateboard photographer.
More tools for skateboard photographers
Always bring along a skate tool and pliers for your subjects. This is a symbiotic relationship and if there is no skateboard, there is no photograph.
Also, this will allow your subject to adjust their settings and prepare for the shoot. Some tools you might need are pliers, a “skate tool,” a box cutter, and a multi-tool.
A rambunctious & rebellious group of teens traverse through NYC (via Cary Woods/ ‘Kids’ movie)
Additionally, use wax. A rail that is dry as the Sahara is not conducive to successful skateboarding photography. Rub the wax upon ledges or flat bars to smooth the surface and allow for greater yield and range of imagery.
Pack extra/keep spare parts
Stay hydrated and promote yourself, fool!
Man grinds his gears away in search of that gnarly trick (via Xtreme Sports)
Also, keep spare parts and shoelaces. This includes extra wheels, gears, screws, and first-aid. Therefore, you can be on the spot no matter what happens. Everyone knows skateboarding is a game of uncertainty.
Finally, keep an external hard drive & charger
Always back up your work and make sure it is possible to continue working.
With this collection of items, you are sure to impress your subject and build strong rapport. Having these things shows that you are prepared, knowledgeable and willing to do what it takes.
Find what drives you, torments you, and bullwhips you, and then go for it!
Above all else, network your tail off! Talk to anyone and everyone within the skateboarding subculture and be genuine. I can only give you so much game until it is time for you to go ten does down and dive into it. So what are you waiting for? Get to snappin’!
In a contemporary political moment fraught with violence, artists across mediums are collaborating to uplift their creative communities. The breakdancing world in particular has been gaining traction as a competitive sport on International Dance Day. And largely through the help of Red Bull Dance and breakdancing photography, the day has garnered global recognition for an art form created by and for BIPOC.
Photographers offer their unique skills to frame and capture the fluidity of breaking in a whole new light. The two art forms are naturally compatible, bringing out the dynamism of photo work and the electrifying movement of breaking.
From the streets of the Bronx to the 2024 Paris Olympic games, breaking has evolved in the last few decades. The community values that have remained on International Dance Day, however, have allowed activism to find a natural home in this creative space.
Red Bull Dance
The recent spike in AAPI racism has rocked the diverse group of dancers at Red Bull Dance. Leaders and activists in their own right, Red Bull One dancers have continued their work with a renewed commitment to amplifying social change.
Red Bull BC One Hypest Rounds via Red Bull BC One Youtube
Red Bull BC One dancers are at the forefront of AAPI representation and continue to raise the bar for breakers. This is a curated group of sixteen b-boys and 16 b-girls chosen from thousands of breakers. These dancers will compete to represent at the Red Bull BC One World Final, which takes place in Poland this year.
In advance of International Dance Day, we spoke to breakdancing’s finest about what inspires them, and how breaking can be a vessel for change.
Logan Edra
This natural starlet has been at the top of the game for almost a decade now – despite being only 17 years old.
Logan ‘Logistx’ Edra poses for a portrait in Miami, FL, USA on March 22, 2021 // Red Bull Content Pool
Logan Edra is an international dancer. She first made it into the public eye a few years ago when she appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show. Since then, the young artist has continued to hone her craft and put the platform it gives her towards the good of the community.
A natural-born dancer since she was just 8 years old, Edra is turning her attention towards mindful ways to make use of her platform.
KH: What inspires you to take your dancing to the next level?
LE: There are many things that inspire me to take my dancing to the next level; and it is always changing as I continue to evolve as a human, artist, and athlete. My main source of inspiration as of recently has been to simply be a voice for the voices that are silenced. There is too much suffering on this planet to not use our art to uplift others.
I find a powerful source of drive in alchemizing the negative energy I’ve had through countless moments of getting life thrown at me in ways that seem unfair and/or the multiple times of “not getting it” despite my hard work. It’s a way for me to release hard feelings and deal with tough emotions in a healthy way.
If I see some of my friends get a new move, take their footwork to the next level, or up their battle tactics, I take it as a reminder to see what I need to work on so that we can all consistently evolve and help the culture/dance evolve.
B-girl Logistx from the USA competes at the World Urban Games in Breaking Category in Budapest Hungary on September 14th, 2019 // Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
Breakdancing’s effect on social change
KH: Can breakdancing amplify efforts towards activism and social change?
Therefore, us being a community of mostly BIPOC who might have chosen this craft due to it’s low demand in expenses and have maybe come from/deal with marginalization in some way, we are already a walking symbol of social change, diversity, inclusion, things of this nature. Can we continue to evolve our ways of amplifying social justice? Yes, and we are.
Logan Edra for Ysa Perez // Red Bull Content Pool
KH: How do you stay committed to your craft when you’re faced with obstacles?
LE:One, I take a step back to look at my life as an observer before moving forward. Sometimes obstacles can cause confusion, so in order to find clarity I automatically know that I need to just “oversee” rather than being “in it”.
Two, I power through the obstacle(s) with the motivation to overcome what is trying to hold me down.
Perspective and alchemizing these emotions plus having healthy outlets—such as meditation, breathwork, and other Therapeutic techniques—have all helped me stay committed to my craft when facing obstacles.
Victor Montalvo
Victor Montalvo // Red Bull Content Pool
No one in the game has more championships to their name than Victor Montalvo. Having toured around the world and won multiple solo competitions, Montalvo is the current record holder of most international titles in a year.
He is far from letting his notoriety get the better of his talent though. Thus, the world-renowned dancer is dedicated to the lifestyle, art, and community of breaking.
KH: What inspires you to take your dancing to the next level?
VM: What inspires me to take my breaking to the next level is just the art of breaking. It’s a never ending cycle of creativity and expression. I want to leave a legacy behind and become on of the best to ever do it!
Victor on the streets of Tokyo // Red Bull Content Pool
KH: Can breakdancing amplify efforts towards activism and social change?
VM: Definitely breaking can help towards social change. Breaking is a melting pot of different cultures, ethnicity’s and people. Hip hop in general is all about peace, love, unity and respect. That’s something we stand for.
KH: How do you stay committed to your craft when you’re faced with obstacles?
VM: The way I stand committed to my craft is by becoming more open-minded getting inspired by not just breaking but things, places, music, concepts, ideas and implementing them into my breaking. Make it feel more exciting and new.
Ronnie Abaldonado
Ronnie Abaldonado // Red Bull Content Pool
Abaldonado, a Red Bull BC One All-Star and member of multiple top dance crews, was originally an architect major.
Since he made the switch to breaking, Abaldonad has made a name for himself as a record-breaker with power moves. He’s been a member of Full Force, and Super Cr3w, a team that won the second season MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew.
Over the last decade, the dancer has expanded his work to include teaching breakdancing to children of all ages at his art studio, District Arts.
KH:What inspires you to take your dancing to the next level?
RA: The endless possibilities of creating new moves, and the evolution of dance continuing to reach new heights.
B-girl Sunny competes at the Red Bull BC One B-Girls Cypher USA in Houston, TX on May 18, 2019 // Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
KH: Can breakdancing amplify efforts towards activism and social change?
RA: Yes.
Since Breaking is part of the Hip Hop Culture we live by these words “Peace, Love, Unity and having fun.”
Ronnie Abaldonado
B-Boy Ronnie poses for a portrait in Mumbai, India on April 12, 2019 // Ali Bharmal / Red Bull Content Pool
KH: How do you stay committed to your craft when you’re faced with obstacles?
RA: Breaking has actually helped me navigate through life’s obstacles. When times were tough, breaking was my remedy.
Support Red Bull Dance below
Today, on International Dance Day, we can draw strength and inspiration from these artists. Showcasing the beauty of photography and breaking, these dancers are keeping their craft alive.
Support Red Bull Dance and more breakdancing photography here.
After the impact that recent times have had on everyone’s mental health (with the pandemic and the ensuing restrictions), it would not be at all surprising if you are one of the many people eagerly searching their smartphones for their next holiday.
When thinking about these prospective holidays, it is nice to imagine them as being something where you can completely detach yourself from the day-to-day components that make up your standard schedule.
However, although you might be inclined to turn off your smartphone for the duration of your holiday, there are some ways in which your handheld device could prove useful for you while traveling.
Let it be Your Holiday Guide
One of the most famous and widely used aspects of smartphones is their ability to deliver accurate GPS services that can help you to become more familiar with unknown environments.
You do not need to look any further than how useful it can be in areas you already know, to see how much it could benefit you in a different space entirely.
The idea of being knowledgeable about your new surroundings before traveling to them is nothing new, maps have always been incredibly useful tools on holiday the only difference now is the means by which you access them.
Opting for the digital version instead of a physical map saves space and makes them easier to understand for those who struggle with orientation, only emphasizing the benefits further.
You can also download a travel guide on your holiday destination so that you have tips on local customs, places to eat, and highlights for your trip all a few buttons away on your smartphone. You can look up recent reviews rather than having to rely on any research done before your holiday.
A phone is also an easy way to stay in touch with news at home or in your local area – so that you can keep up to date as much as possible and not miss out on any exciting opportunities, if whales have been spotted off the shore for example.
Do Not be Afraid to Cut Loose on Your Smartphone
This should go without saying due to the very nature of a holiday but sometimes people can feel as though one type of relaxation is more valuable than others, which is entirely subjective of course.
However, if you are someone who finds themselves very much enjoying the time that they spend on holiday or vacation on your smartphone then that should not stop you from taking it along with you to fill those quieter moments of the holiday.
Having it available to listen to music as you take scenic strolls in a new environment can help breathe life into old songs and entice you to go exploring.
Additionally, finding yourself with free time can be filled as it always is; playing games on your phone through the app store or on online casinos such as spin casino, where you can find the same kinds of games you would expect to see in such physical venues (Or you can Google pay casino).
It is your holiday and you should allow yourself to relax in whichever way feels most appropriate.
Activism has taken on a whole new dimension with the rise of social media in the contemporary political landscape. And thus, it has been essential that the photographers covering activism be young and unjaded by perceived “norms.”
While the global nature of the internet has changed activism across physical and virtual space, it comes with its own set of complications.
Beauty in Pain, photograph by Wulf Bradley
Young photographers taking the reigns on an increasingly-unstable world
For photographers, the moral quandaries surrounding the coverage of protests have intensified.
Our contemporary media culture allows for widespread awareness. But it also requires sensitivity towards certain subject matters as well as curative agency.
The widespread coverage, for example, of the Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S. last summer raised a number of questions about the role of the press in these spaces. Often photographers can appear voyeuristic and exploitative of situations that should appeal to their sense of political responsibility.
On some occasions, the media coverage of political activism has threatened the safety of particular individuals or movements. This often occurred when individuals were identified and arrested via heavily circulated images.
The narrative that a particular image tells too, can be misused or re-appropriated with the intent to frame activism as innately dangerous.
Photograph by Kian Kelley-Chung, courtesy of the Washington Post
We move as a means of bettering ourselves as a collective, so being out there I felt a huge responsibility to just make sure that the people I was photographing were being portrayed in a ways [sic] that were 1) respectful to them but 2) showing them in a way where my message could get across to people who may feel differently than the ones who were there.
Photographing activism in a responsible way requires a newfound commitment to uplifting the political movement. In a time in which photographers wield unprecedented power, these young photographers are setting an example.
Vanessa Charlot
Vanessa Charlot’s work has always been concentrated on the intricacies of Black and brown life outside the white gaze. This awareness of the politics of whiteness and its cultural/physical violence also imbues her coverage of protests across the U.S.
Just as the male gaze has entered mainstream photographic consciousness, Charlot argues that the white gaze reflects in images as a social consciousness that subjugates Black people.
Instead of showcasing the humanity of individuals and relationships between Black people, the white gaze frames them in existing certain stereotypes.
Charlot’s photo work instead insists on the sacredness of work that is unique to the Black gaze. The young photographer is carving out space for Black photographers to tell their own story.
From the “St. Louis Protest: Resistance” series by Vanessa Charlot
Her coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement in St. Louis reflects these values. As is the case with support for the Black Lives Matter movement at large, Charlot laments the commodification of Black suffering as a shock factor.
Instead, she shoots mostly in Black and white to explore the timeless universality of experience. Her work humanizes activists with portrait-style photography amidst large crowds. As well as a focus on the details of facial expressions.
Charlot is able to capture the socio-economic, gendered, and spiritual forces acting on a subject. She does this through just the look in her subjects’ eyes as they gaze past the lens.
For freelance photojournalist Montinique Monroe, the death of 18-year-old Micheal Brown was both a tragedy and a call to action. It was while covering the protests in Ferguson, Missouri that Monroe discovered the crucial role that photographers play in activist spaces and their representations.
Monroe put herself on assignment to cover the death of Michael Brown at 18 years old. This was the same age Brown was when he was murdered.
Though she’s grateful for the success she’s been able to garner as a photojournalist, when she recounts having paid her respects at the graves of countless young Black people killed at the hands of the police, she knows there’s still a long way to go.
Our stories matter. Everyday when we wake up and look in the mirror, we see a reflection of the parents who were taken from us. We are their legacies.
The shock of hearing how her father was shot by police when she was only 4 months old filled Monroe with a moral imperative to tell his story. The photojournalist says her work is intended to share and protect the stories of families like her own.
Amir Aziz
Graphic artist and photographer Amir Aziz has been making a name for himself in his hometown of Oakland for years. When massive protests began to rock the Bay Area, Aziz credits the ease with which he captured the movement to his knowledge on the lay of the land.
What’s more, being a native of the community and city gives him an awareness of the historical context of each street, many of which have seen groundbreaking demonstrations before. Aziz’s photographs are imbued with intention. Down to the conceptual subjects of focus, and who takes center stage in his work.
I’ve been making it a point to document what the signs say and the creativity that goes into them. I’m also specifically making a point to photograph black people.
While we have a great number of white and other non-black allies in the protests, it would be a disservice to this movement fighting for black lives to overlook the very black people fighting for our humanity.
Angela Davis by Amir Aziz. Photography courtesy of The Oaklandside.
Aziz is also a member of Youthful Kinfolk, a collective of young artists at the forefront of the Bay Area’s creative movement. There, Aziz chronicles protests that have followed the deaths and frustrating trials of unarmed Black men, bringing them together in a “collection of unity.”
The intention is to focus specifically on how young people of color in his community are engaging with the never-ending onslaught of devastating news. Aziz’s work garners visibility for people of color fighting for their lives. Even still as their neighborhoods are being gentrified every day.
Kian Kelley-Chung
Kian Kelley-Chung, a recent graduate of the University of Maryland, first appeared on Twitter when police confiscated his equipment at a protest. Kelley-Chung was held overnight after being taken into custody at a protest in Washington D.C. on Aug. 13th, 2020.
Washington, D.C., June 2nd. Photograph by Kian Kelley-Chung via the Washington Post
While he was released the next morning, the journalist’s two cameras and cell phone were not returned for over two months. During that time, Kelley-Chung borrowed equipment from his father, who is also a photojournalist.
Kian in action. Despite being fellow journalist, he is one of 41 arrested Thurs. Didn’t know til now, police have not given him back his camera or phone yet (which explains arrest).
Being on the ground and involved in activism efforts allows Kelley-Chung to make change not only through his work, but in demonstrations of his dedication.
The photojournalist also founded RXNIN LIFE, a platform to encourage creative artists like himself. And he did this from a dorm room his freshman year of college. His work has been featured in the Washington Post in several articles, including one in which his photos appear alongside his father’s.
Wulf Bradley
Wulf Bradley for the New York Times. Photograph by the artist.
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, Wulf Bradley’s coverage remains a powerful look into the human complexities of those moments. Traveling to Atlanta from his small town in Georgia, Bradley enters into protest scenes with an eye for storytelling.
I tend to look for people that I feel are the protagonist of the scene. The emotionally complex character in the frame that you first align with. The character that teaches you the moral of the story.
Bradley first got into photography in 2017 when he asked to borrow his mom’s camera. Since then, Bradley has quickly grown into a well-known photojournalist documenting life in Georgia along political axes.
Sunday Service, a photograph capturing the day of rest by Wulf Bradley
In a piece for Vanity Fair, Bradley’s photos show an almost haunting humanity and tenderness in a movement that’s often cast as a chaotic, and also violent space.
Approaching photography with mindfulness towards being personable, Bradley’s genuine regard for individuals shows in his photos. His projects capture a meaningful authenticity emanating from his subjects, each of which tell incredibly complex stories in a single shot.
It’s hard to get compensated to play competitive video games, and opportunity costs are not something many semi-pros can afford to neglect. One company, FirstBlood, aims to change all of this through their decentralized Dawn Protocol.
The world of professional e-sports has really taken off over the past decade, exploding onto the mainstream stage through live televised tournaments and — before the global COVID-19 pandemic — sold-out arenas.
This has helped legitimize playing video games competitively as a profession, but the market’s potential is still only emerging.
When it comes to the esports industry, the statistics speak for themselves. In 2016, alone, esports revenue totaled more than $492 million. In 2017, that figure had ballooned to nearly $700 million — with nearly 40% coming from sponsorships and more than 20% coming from advertising.
From 2018 to 2023, the total esports viewership was predicted to grow at a 9% compound annual growth rate, with revenue expected to top $1.5 billion in the United States, alone.
However, the esports industry is a firmly global one — with most of the revenue being generated in Asian countries, such as Vietnam, South Korea, and China. This global market has increased demand from advertisers seeking to expand their brands to other markets outside of their home territories.
Needless to say, esports is here — and it’s here to stay. However, at the moment, there exists a massive gap between the professional gaming industry and a talented pool of semi-pros who don’t have the funding to devote more time and energy into their craft.
It takes hours of dedication to become as good as the professionals, making having a full-time job — or even a part-time job — outside of gaming difficult.
Leveraging Ethereum to help gamers go pro
Dawn aims to create career opportunities for gamers who otherwise would not have access to funding and the resources needed to improve their craft. It accomplishes this through decentralized rewarding and matchmaking technologies.
As the original blockchain-based esports token, Dawn is built on the Ethereum blockchain — the world’s most popular network for decentralized applications (dApps), decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Thanks to the popularity of Ethereum and its smart-contract capabilities, Dawn is well-positioned to bridge the gap between mainstream gamers looking to go pro and the world of decentralized payments and financing.
Dawn allows for rewards from a multitude of AAA titles to be earned, wagered and staked. Users may earn Dawn tokens for excelling in tournaments set up for their favorite competitive games.
They may freeze Dawn tokens in an Ethereum-based smart contract to gain access to exclusive benefits and rewards. At the same time, users may build their reputations in the hyper-competitive esports market and push their careers into the mainstream spotlight.
For example, FirstBlood recently partnered with MakerDAO to launch Call of Duty: Warzone tournaments — in which gamers may earn DAI and Dawn tokens for out-performing the competition.
Dawn tokens may also be staked in FirstBlood tournaments for multiplayer online battle arena Dota 2, online multiplayer battle royale PUBG, and popular mobile title Garena FreeFire.
Dawn opens the door for gamers all over the world to earn professionally, based on their skills and merit, thanks to its decentralized and borderless nature. However, it is also developer-friendly and easily enabled — allowing for additional revenue streams for video game developers.
So far, the FirstBlood platform has served more than 350,000 users from 200+ countries while facilitating more than 1.7 million matches and dozens of professional tournaments. This has led to the distribution of thousands of prize pools.
Securing the right partnerships
FirstBlood has enlisted the help of leading decentralized finance protocol MakerDAO to bring decentralized stablecoin integration to its platform.
MakerDAO is the protocol behind the most popular decentralized stablecoin, DAI. By integrating with the FirstBloof platform, both semi-pro and pro gamers are able to earn rewards in DAI while playing their favorite competitive games.
Thanks to the decentralized nature of DAI, gamers around the world are now able to gain access to the decentralized financial system and — based on their performance and abilities — potentially fund their passions while developing their skills to make it on the professional esports scene.
Together with the Dawn token, DAI ensures that gamers everywhere may reap the rewards of their abilities.
In recent years, it’s only become more and more difficult to deny how critical it is for every company to have a CSR (corporate social responsibility) edge.
Simply put, it matters to consumers and can also help to solidify a company’s overarching brand. According to Fabrik Brands, “many businesses have found that CSR helps them to identify their brand purpose and create a personality that their customers can connect with on a deeper level.
According to one study by the Reputation Institute, 42% of how a person feels about a company is based on their knowledge of that firm’s CSR definition.”
“Definition” is a broad range that can encompass a company’s mission statement, how they give back financially, volunteer or pro bono hour requirements for employees, or otherwise.
The importance of this is simply in the need to do something social responsibility-geared to establish deeper trust with your target audience and further solidify your brand.
Consider the following tips to create a CSR that’s naturally aligned with your brand and give back while building deeper trust with your customer base.
Ask yourself what authentically matters to you as a founder
If you’ve created your company and brand from a place of alignment, it will naturally follow that what matters to you as a person or a founder will have a clear relationship to the value proposition of your company.
Say, for example, that you own a gardening company, and you naturally have a passion for sustainability and compost. These two elements align in a way that makes sense for a consumer.
Ask yourself why you got into your business to begin with. What good were you hoping to serve? How can you apply your talents, skill sets, and your team’s strengths to benefit the world from a social responsibility standpoint?
This may take some brainstorming, but one thing is for sure: people can always tell if someone’s initiatives and intentions come from the heart. This authenticity will give your CSR that extra edge.
Relate a CSR initiative to your industry and a need
Every industry has the potential for a social responsibility initiative. There will always be a group of people or a cause to serve. Here’s the key: if customers or clients are investing in your business, that shows where their values lie. They’re more likely to view you positively and continue investing if your initiative is also in this industry and serving a need that people can get behind.
One such example is eviivo, an all-in-one booking suite in the travel industry. In the light of COVID-19, eviivo created a #staylocal2021 campaign in lieu of their annual holiday party. To support the hotels and B&B’s their booking suite supports, they re-allocated the funds from the holiday party to provide for a night of stay accommodations for employees.
But they didn’t stop there: the purpose of the campaign was to encourage other companies to do the same, supporting independent hotels and B&B’s in the process.
This proved to customers that eviivo truly cares about the hotels and B&B’s they feature and support on their booking suite, which adds an extra element of trust. And, from a strategy perspective, creating a timely (COVID-19 based) CSR initiative within the same industry simply made sense. This brand alignment created a win-win-win for all involved.
Partner with companies or nonprofits that share similar values
If you’re a smaller startup and you don’t have the capacity to build out a full initiative, consider joining forces with other nonprofits or foundations that do work related to your industry.
This piece of advice doesn’t just apply to smaller companies, though. This might be a way to go on your CSR front if there’s a cause you’re especially passionate about, and the way the foundation is going about serving specifically stands out to you.
An example of this is GSK’s partnership with Save the Children. GSK is a healthcare pharmaceutical company, and Save the Children is a global nonprofit, considered today’s leading humanitarian organization for children.
Together, they’ve treated over 125,000 children for diseases like malaria and pneumonia, and helped over 108,000 children during and after emergencies.
In addition to the significant work that’s been done, this partnership is an example of how large corporations can give back in a way that’s aligned with the work they do, without allocating manpower or time to do it. In many cases, putting your money where your mouth is is enough.
If you’re feeling called to build a social responsibility initiative, look to local nonprofits you respect, or think through corporations that tug at your team’s heartstrings. Let that passion drive you to commit a certain percentage of your profits or team up for an event or fundraiser.
However you go about your own CSR, ensure that alignment comes first. There’s always a chance that the lines could get blurred and customers could get confused if you create an initiative that’s out of alignment or in a totally different industry.
The opportunity to do good, and to build trust and brand cohesion through these processes, is too powerful to pass up.
While performance-enhancing and the recreational drug culture is nothing new, you may have heard of a recently-trending class of drugs called “nootropics.”
Sometimes called a “smart drug,” these over-the-counter and prescription supplements are touted to boost brain performance, cognition, and memory skills.
College students cramming for exams, dementia patients, and active professionals hoping for a promotion might see great benefits in the possibilities here.
There is, however, a lot of conflicting information surrounding these drugs. So, what are they and how do they work? And, most importantly, can they really help with focus and cognitive enhancement?
What are nootropics?
The word “nootropic” is derived from two Greek words. “Nous,” which means mind, and “tropein,” which means to bend or turn.
They are currently defined as a substance that enhances cognition and memory and facilitates learning.
The term nootropic originally referred to synthetic substances that were purported to enhance mental abilities. But the name is now being used in a broader sense to apply to anything that supports cognitive function – including herbs and vitamins in dietary supplements.
A brief history of nootropics
Despite their recent upsurge in popularity, nootropics are nothing new.
The term was originally coined by a Romanian chemist and psychologist, Dr. Corneliu Giurgea. This was decades ago, when he was trying to synthesize a new and improved sleeping pill.
Instead, he accidentally invented piracetam, which he labelled a nootropic.
Dr. Giurgea’s guidelines for what should be considered a nootropic are far more specific than current trends tend to include. He specified 5 factors that make a nootropic:
Enhance memory
Improve behavior under adverse conditions
Protect the brain from injury by physical or chemical means
Improve tonic cortical/subcortical control mechanisms
Demonstrate a low toxicity and side-effect profile
Many of the “nootropics” on the market today would not meet the criteria he laid out 40 years ago. This is mostly due to the associated side effects and lack of demonstrable efficacy.
Although their effects are more subtle, vitamins and supplements might actually be more likely candidates for the term “nootropic” than their prescription cousins, due to their lack of withdrawal symptoms and long-term dependency.
Types of nootropics
While caffeine gives you more access to several chemicals (neurotransmitters) in your brain such as acetylcholine, which helps with short-term memory and learning, most people looking for brain stimulation or cognitive enhancement are not simply sticking to coffee and tea.
There are a number of different types of substances that fall within the broad category of nootropics. Some have higher proven efficacy than others.
Traditionally, many of the vitamins and botanicals on this list boasted substantial cognitive benefits. However, a 2015 study showed that there was no compelling evidence in favor of cognitive enhancement by any of the vitamins or supplements in this category.
It may be a failure of US regulation of the supplement industry, allowing for ineffective formulas or containing low-doses of the active ingredients.
Modafinil is intended to sustain “wakefulness” in people with narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, or shift work disorder, according to the FDA.
But when people without those conditions take it, it has been linked with improvements in alertness, energy, focus and decision-making.
A 2017 study found evidence that modafinil may enhance some aspects of brain connectivity, which could further explain these benefits.
Do nootropics work?
The way nootropics function in humans is by causing a shift in the brain’s levels of norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters. It’s not entirely clear that the effects are uniform in all users or that they are any more effective than a placebo.
While some young people have reported a significant “brain boost” with the use of Modafinil, there is no current consensus on what effects these shifts may have on a person’s health in the long run.
Also, some research on young people who use modafinil has found changes in brain plasticity, which could contribute to poor cognition down the road.
Because there are so many different supplements in the broader category of “nootropics,” it’s hard to give a definitive answer to the question of whether or not nootropics actually work.
The lack of widespread research on over-the-counter nootropics prohibits experts from confidently asserting the efficacy of these drugs improve thinking or brain function. Or that everyone can safely use them.
Not a magic pill
The idea that nootropics will magically make you smarter or increase your odds at a casino are sadly, unfounded.
Slots and online casino players, in general, won’t necessarily benefit from the use of nootropics. But they can increase their chances by utilizing free spin offers that require no real money risk to them.
There are, of course, serious side effects associated with nootropics. These include headaches, anxiety, insomnia, hallucinations, seizures, heart trouble, and even sudden death.
Therefore, nootropics should be taken with extreme care. While nootropics can (and do) provide many benefits for some users, anyone considering taking them should consult with a doctor before starting any new regimen.
Sports and big money is the perfect combination for a lot of people. In another trend that has taken over the world, the work of cryptocurrency continues to change the landscape of economics. Most recently, that is with NBA NFTs, with NBA Top Shot dominating the crypto sphere.
In a cryptocurrency world that has been filled with the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc., a new groundbreaking cryptocurrency has now hit the blockchain, basically the marketplace for cryptocurrency.
It is NBA Top Shot. Yes, you read that sentence correctly, the NBA, as in the National Basketball Association, is now a part of the cryptocurrency world.
NBA Top Shot launched in closed beta during May before its current open beta became available to the public in October. (Dapper Labs)
As with anything that has taken over the world, it is hard to find an angle that has not been discussed at length already. The same is the case for NBA Top Shot.
However, one angle that we feel doesn’t get discussed enough with new trends, is the reason(s) why they are trending? Why has NBA Top Shot created life-changing fortunes for many consumers?
The way that the pandemic has reacted with sports and big money is our answer here.
They are simply the three key reasons that the NBA has entered the NFT space. And why NBA Top Shot has pushed its way to the top of the world.
Let’s start with #1: The pandemic.
The pandemic’s effect on sports betting and NBA Top Shot
Anything in the world can be linked to COVID-19. But NBA Top Shot, like any cryptocurrency, has had a significant boost in popularity since the pandemic began.
Where does this passion come from? Well, with the pandemic causing people to live an insufferable amount of time in their homes, new hobbies will then arise. One of those hobbies, for many, is the Stock Market/Cryptocurrency world.
It seems that every other week a new cryptocurrency is taking over the world. It was Bitcoin three weeks ago, NBA Top Shot last week, and Dogecoin this week.
Now for the sports side of things…
Sports betting like with NBA NFTs is only going to get more popular
Fans cheer during a free throw attempt in the second half as the Houston Rockets face the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the playoffs at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, April 16, 2016. (via Bay City News)
For many people, sports are a big part of our lives. But as of yet, at least for me, cryptocurrency has had no importance in my life. However, that has now changed.
It takes a lot for people to try and understand the ins and outs of the cryptocurrency world because let us be honest, it is very confusing.
However, when an already established passion is involved, people will get excited, and in this case, sports is that passion.
For the sake of this argument, I will use myself as an example.
At the beginning of the pandemic, I told one of my friends I wanted to invest in the stock market. I tried to watch YouTube videos to understand what in the world was going on in the stock market, and simply how to make an investment.
That search got me nowhere, besides having even more questions than when I started.
However, now with Top Shot, I have found my passion for stocks and investments reinvigorated, because not only do I enjoy the NBA, but I understand that world.
I have no understanding of stocks, and what shares I should purchase. However, I know that a player like LeBron James is a good player, and is someone I should invest money in.
Big money means sports betting like NBA Top Shot will continue
Money is the most obvious answer to the rise in NBA Top Shot popularity. People are making an exorbitant amount of money from buying and selling sports highlights.
According to Dapper Labs, as of February 28th, people have spent more than $230 million buying and selling these NBA highlights. As of now, I can only imagine how high that price has reached.
This is not a fad, Top Shot will not go away for a while. Even more, with more sports leagues closing in on an affiliation with NFTs, this world will begin to take on a new version of trading cards. And the popularity is not expected to dissipate worldwide.
The interest is there, the excitement is at an all-time high, and the money just keeps on building.
Don’t be surprised if, in 10 years, Top Shot is still around and thriving more than ever.
From a birds-eye view, New York City’s architecture could be seen as pretty systematic. The city’s grid layout and prevalence of buildings could leave you believing that NYC architecture is too homogenous. But photography of some of the most stunning buildings proves otherwise.
We’ve taken the liberty of shouting out some of the most stand-out architecture in NYC. The buildings are organized from more niche to basic locations.
Hopefully, city photographers will use this beautiful photography of magnificent NYC architecture to their advantage and let it serve as an inspiration to want to be great!
This stunning castle was completed in 1871. It’s one of the most hidden pieces of NYC architecture, and this photography proves that.
Now, the castle is used as an observation deck and exhibition site. And, its surrounding nature can take your images back in time to a stunning dated Gothic era.
Gracie Mansion
The Mansion underwent an intense renovation in 2016 (Cred: AD).
The Gracie Mansion embodies some of the least stereotypical NYC architecture on the island.
The mansion has been situated as NYC’s mayoral residence since 1942 by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. It is overlooking the water on East End Ave. and 88th St.
The photography of this exquisite piece of NYC architecture is almost just as beautiful as the stunning building itself.
Moynihan Train Hall
A near empty train hall, earlier this year (NYTimes).
Not to mention, on January 1st, Penn Station unveiled its newest addition: the Moynihan Train Hall.
The project took three years and now showcases an astonishing, modern, industrial interior proving the aesthetic effects of minimalistic design.
Woolworth Building
The historic landmark, continuing to make a statement in the city skyline over a century after it was built (Cred: Viator).
Still, located downtown near the corner of Park Pl. and Broadway, The Woolworth building is an NYC architecture classic.
The building opened in 1913 and was known as the tallest building in the world until 1930. In fact, the 792 ft. tall skyscraper is now a residential building that hosts tours of the beautifully ornate lobby.
Grace Church
Sadly, I couldn’t find an image that fully encapsulates the size and sheer brilliance of this Church (Cred: Pinterest).
Furthermore, Grace Church feels like a castle that was accidentally placed in Manhattan. Built-in 1847, the Church occupies 43,560 sq. ft. with enamoring gardens, fountains, and also several theological buildings.
When photographing this building, make sure to completely circle around it to get the full scope of magnitude. As far as photography goes for NYC architecture, it doesn’t quite get more historic than this.
United Nations Headquarters
The stocky building is an iconic symbol for peace and opportunity od NYC architecture (Cred: Arch Bishop of Canterbury).
Then, situated on FDR Dr. and E 42nd St. overlooking the East River, the UN New York Headquarters is one of the more culturally significant landmarks of our time.
The front’s reflective capacity serves also as a noble backdrop for the pridefully standing flags at the Headquarters forefront.
The Guggenheim
The iconic museum appears incredibly modern juxtaposed by its neighboring buildings,a building that makes NYC architecture unique. (Cred: InExhibit).
Of course, you can’t go wrong photographing both the interior and exterior of the glorious nyc architecture that is The Guggenheim.
In 1943, architect Frank Lloyd Wright was then commissioned to design the museum. One of the requirements was that it must be unlike any other museum; and to this day, it’s held up to that standard.
TWA Terminal Hotel
Inside the main communal room of the TWA hotel (Cred: Curbed).
Indeed, the TWA Terminal Hotel takes guests back to some of the most iconic elements of the 50s and 60s America.
It was modeled after the gorgeous structure of JFK in the 1960s. The hotel is a spitting image of the peak luxury that air travel used to be.
Not to mention, this is one of the latest NYC architecture additions, and the photography of it does not disappoint.
56 Leonard Building
The image serves as a gorgeous reminder of the NYC architecture and classic styles that can be found in NYC (Cred: Divisare).
Finally, the shimmering building is visible virtually everywhere in Tribeca.
In addition, the reflective nature of the tower mirrors the sky, making the tower look like a pixelated version of its surroundings.
And, the building feels like Tetris pieces placed atop one another and is truly one of NYC architecture’s most breathtaking buildings, as this photography makes clear.
Honorable mentions of NYC architecture photography:
The Met Steps
The Met blends a classic and modern aesthetic in their timeless entrance (Cred: RedBubble).
The Occulus
The breathtaking whale-fin exterior of The Occulus is arguably just as interesting as the interior (Cred: Medium).
The Vessel
The Vessel at Hudson Yards overlooks the High Line in one of New York’s most expensive neighborhoods (Cred: BusinessInsider).
Flatiron Building
The magnificent Flatiron building has been photographed and appreciated by city-goers since 1902 (Cred: Pinterest).
The Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel looks like a European castle overlooking one of New York’s most bustling Avenue (Cred: Orbitz).
A Chinese proverb says that “A person who continually gives will continually gain.”
Covid has led to 10.7 million Americans being out of work. That’s a steep 6.7% unemployment rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Worse, nearly one in three cannot make rent or mortgage payments.
A job is critical during the pandemic to ensure a steady income when there’s no end in sight to political, economic and monetary uncertainties.
Here are tips for getting hired through a personal network.
A slick way to get many ‘interviews’
Studies show less than 5-10% of applicants get a face-to-face interview. Only one in four interviewees get an employment offer.
That’s brutal and demoralizing because those stats were pre-pandemic.
The reason why it’s better to help recruiters find the best possible candidate (which likely won’t be you) is because they’ll answer your phone call, reply to an email, and even meet you for coffee (if you add enough value).
Such interactions are the interview!
Thus, you can earn continuous “interviews” with busy HR professionals by helping them get what they want. It’s more important that employers see you as a contributor who takes initiative and adds value. Rather than a nuisance who spams their inbox with a resume they won’t read.
Join LinkedIn HR groups in your field and contribute to the conversation.
Add value when you network
In such a restrictive environment and historic recession, it’s tempting to directly ask employers for a job. You tell yourself, “Just go for it in a straightforward manner.”
The problem is that, out of desperation, everyone does the same thing. Which means busy recruiters are bombarded with thousands of inquiries from strangers, many of whom are unqualified, underqualified or overqualified for the position.
It’s better to have a different mindset: Be a giver, not a taker. Ask how you can help match the right professional or gig worker with an open role.
By contributing to potential employers, you’ll gain a reputation as someone who adds value in the marketplace. That will immediately make you attractive in a sea of needy candidates.
Network with personal, professional, and social circles
Leverage current and past contacts to find out who may be hiring. This can be a powerful approach because these people have already known you for years. They’ll be more comfortable referring you to employers compared to a random stranger.
Moreover, the hidden job market is huge.
The vast majority of open positions aren’t actually published on online job boards. They’re quietly filled by colleagues, former coworkers, ex-girlfriends, and nephews and nieces without the general public knowing. Like it or not, that’s how the labor market works.
Online tools like https://checkpeople.com/ tap publicly-available databases so you can reconnect with family, relatives, friends, old college buddies, past coworkers and business associates. The site identifies contact info, addresses and social media info, according to Elvis Džebić, a company representative.
“To make a quick search, you’ll need to know a contact’s first and last name. However, if you’re researching a common name (like Bob Johnson), you can narrow the search to include city and state.”
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