by Adrian Daniel Schramm | Jun 30, 2016 | Local
St. Paul is a beautiful and historic city. It’s old, by Midwest standards, and retains much of its history through cobblestone streets, red brick warehouses, palatial mansions, and soaring political and religious monuments. It’s a striking blend of old world and new. Basically, it’s a great city to photograph, so we put together a quick guide for capturing some the best photos in the city and of the surrounding greenspace. Shots of the city: Downtown St. Paul features a diverse mix of styles. Deco and Moderne high rises and 19th century warehouses sit side by side with Mid-century and modern skyscrapers. The angular streets give unique views of these buildings, and the unique way they relate to one another. Start at Rice Park and head east. The park itself (older than Central Park in NYC) is surrounded by buildings you won’t want to miss. Fifth Street gives you great views of the Lowry Building with the First National Bank Building (with its iconic red “1”) towering in the distance. Other notable buildings to capture: 1st National Bank Building: 332 Minnesota St, St Paul, MN 55101 St. Paul Hotel: 350 Market St, St Paul, MN 55102 St. Paul Pubic Library: 80 W 4th St, St Paul, MN 55102 Landmark Center: 75 5th St, St Paul, MN 55102 Continue east, and you’ll eventually find yourself in Lowertown. Lowertown’s dense collection of late 19th and early 20th-century warehouses make a fascinating backdrop for any photo. From the alleys or straight ahead, layering as the reach toward the skyscrapers of downtown. Lowertown is an urban village that might best capture the heart of yesteryear; of St....
by Adrian Daniel Schramm | Jun 16, 2016 | Ideas, SOTW
There is a stigma about growing old(er) in America that translates, usually, into ageism. Growing old is not a death sentence. Let me rephrase. The way the young view growing old is that life is over after 30 (or 35 or 40 if you’re lucky), while those who have made it past 30 will tell you that you don’t truly start living until after that. Ageism is exactly what it sounds like: Discriminating against someone because of their age. It’s the only negative “-ism” that America not only doesn’t protest or march against, but seems to embrace. We celebrate youth in America like we’re worried “Children of Men” is going to become a reality. (Note: Of course America is not the only place where this happens. But for the purposes of this article, we’re keeping it here.) Growing old is something to be laughed at, poked at, ridiculed, and shamed. Even as we’re living longer, and hearing things like “30 is the new 20” and “50 is the new 30” it seems people are worried more than ever about growing old. But like your skin color or sexual preferences, it’s not something you can control. Here we take a look at some of the attitudes and mindsets the American culture has about aging; about growing old, and being old. This world was made for robots We treat our elderly the way we treat our electronics. When someone gets too old, they get replaced by something newer, sleeker, sexier, younger. And it’s without shame. So be a robot. There is routine. Follow the routine. Wake up, go to work, come home. This routine has worked...
by Adrian Daniel Schramm | Jun 14, 2016 | Ideas
You want to be smarter. We all do. “Smart” is not an objective term, however. Having a high IQ makes you “smart” but so does understanding the way a carburetor works, or recognizing sarcasm and satire. We aren’t here to define what being smart is, but rather give you a few ideas on how to unlock your own potential, whatever that may be. Live a smarter life Not necessarily a better life, that’s up to you. This isn’t a guide to launch the next Google, manipulate the global economy, or understand Russian literature. These tips and tricks are here simply to help your brain be the best brain it can be, no matter what you decide to do with it. Stay hungry Not for food, although we will discuss the impact of diet later on, but for new knowledge and experience. Have what some call a traveler’s mindset. The logic is this: When you travel, the difference in culture, language, and lifestyle puts a strain on your brain that allows (forces) it to create neurons. The more neurons you have, the easier it is for your brain to store, and access information. Neurons are your path to intelligence. You don’t have to blow your savings traveling abroad, however, just act as though you are. Most of us don’t have the time or money to travel around the world on a constant basis, and you don’t have to. Explore and be curious about the world around you here, today. Ask questions. Think critically. Stay in the moment and take in everything you see, hear, think, feel. View normal, everyday things in new and different ways. Try this:...
by Adrian Daniel Schramm | Jun 3, 2016 | SOTW
It was always only a matter of time before private companies got in on the space race. Taking over from NASA and other government entities as intrepid explorers of beyond our atmosphere, some pretty prominent voices have spoken up recently about conquering the cosmos. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Virgin’s Richard Branson, and, perhaps most notably, Elon Musk and his SpaceX program, have made rockets landing on Mars painted with a corporate logo an increasingly imminent reality. This isn’t inherently a bad thing. The private sector should always be able to step in where government hasn’t and, given the decline of governments all across the world to find and fund new missions to space, the potential is there to go further than we ever have before. But, as there aren’t really many rules governing the great unknown, and no one really seems to know who would enforce them if there were, Who would stop private companies from going to war over it? This is assuming that private companies/individuals find something worth fighting over, if gold was discovered on Mercury, for example (read more on space mining here: Space Mining Is Going To Accelerate The Military Space Race), as space exploration doesn’t offer much by way of riches. We know that long term domination of “the final frontier” would yield profit, sure; if we ever colonize Mars, being the first one there selling real estate with your logo stamped in the dust will surely be lucrative. First, we should establish what regulations currently exists. The “Outer Space Treaty” (full name: The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer...
