Baseball Card NFTs - Topps Series 1 NFT Giveaway

Around 3 years back, Dodgers came up with the digital bobbleheads. The digital blockchain bobbleheads were giveaway collectibles. MLB NFTs have come a long way since then. Topps, whose Mickey Mantle rookie baseball card sold for a cool $5.2 mn recently, will be creating digital baseball cards for collection and trading in the cyber space. In a few hours from now, Topps in association with Worldwide Asset Exchange (WAX) will be releasing NFT baseball cards. Standard and premium card packs will be available with artwork from the Topps Series 1 physical series. 

Will there be a TOPPS MLB NFT giveaway? 

Looks like the first people to sign up might actually get a digital collectible. Check out the Topps twitter for the latest

https://twitter.com/ToppsDigital 

Digital Collectibles are the way ahead. From what I understand, the earlier one gets on the digital bandwagon, the more the chances of getting a good price on the rare and limited tokens. Each non - fungible token will have its own unique ID and each will be a non-replicable collector item. What makes these digital tokens valuable is that there will be limited numbers of them and each will be unique. 

All one needs is to pay for them and download them to be added to the crypto wallet.

The MLB NFTs can be found at the MLBc App for secondary market trading, plus there are quite a number of private traders that one comes across on twitter. 

You can always try you luck for a giveaway and maybe you will be the one to strike gold with a rare collectible!

Others have also got onto the NFT bandwagon. Even Tom Brady is going the NFT way with an initiave called "Autograph". So will it be autographs of sports and rock stars?

Check out the Topps MLB NFT collectibles here

https://toppsmlb.com/

Here is where you can create the Wax Wallet cryto account.

https://on.wax.io/wax-io/

More on NFTs

https://momposition.blogspot.com/2021/04/what-are-non-fiungible-tokens-nft.html

What are Non Fiungible Tokens? NFT - Opportunities and Threats

Lets break down Non Fungible. It is such an interesting term that its meaning is bound to arouse some curiosity.

Non Fungible of course comes from Fungible. Fungible is derived from the Latin word "Fungi."

As per online dictionaries, fungible means mutually interchangeable. Something that can be substituted by something similar of equal value. "Similar" and "equal value" are the key words that render the fungible goods interchangeable. 

One great example that I found is that your House may not be fungible, but the dollars with which one buys it is. 

Now coming to the context of NFTs.

The normal cryptocurrency 

Cryptocurrency is a digital, virtual currency. Bitcoins are the most recognisable of them. They are enabled by the blockchain technology. They operate out of the normal banking system, so the user base is still limited to those with an understanding of the digital world. However you dont really need to know coding to own cryptocurrencies. One can buy them using normal transactions. However each place has its own legal implications with regard to trading and mining cryptocurrencies.

It was a matter of time before crypocurrencies became more specialised. There comes NFTs. 

Can you believe it, in the world of NFTs, a cat, or more appropriately a kitty, assumes a significant role. Crypto Kitties, creating and selling digital art of kitties, is the basis of one type of non fungible token. Cryptokitty is a video game where one can collect or breed ones own furry friend!

So is there opportunity in owning NFTs or Cryptokitties?

https://www.theverge.com/22310188/nft-explainer-what-is-blockchain-crypto-art-faq

It is early days yet. But the experience of bitcoins have showed, the opportunities are immense. Newer and more complicated NFTs are going to come into effect, some will take off, many will fall by the wayside. Cryptocurrency mining is limited, so the more people show an interest, the harder and rarer it will be to come by thus increasing its value. What makes NFT even more rare is that each one is supposed to be unique.

Like a collector of rare arts and artefacts, each NFT will have its own space on a collector's shelf, in an ideal world. Other than graphics, tweets, videos, green ideas are some stuff that are on the way to be NFTS.

So watch out! and err... keep mining or ..loooking out for virtual gold.

This one sold for more than 6 mn USD!!!

https://niftygateway.com/itemdetail/secondary/0x12f28e2106ce8fd8464885b80ea865e98b465149/100010001

Sm R

What Does Non Binary mean?

To understand what is non binary, one has to be clear what binary means.

Binary comes from bi - or two , two choices, options or alternatives. A binary number system is when your choice is between zero or one. Binary gives you just two alternatives, one versus another, two choices, etc .

So from that one can safely say non-binary means when the alternatives are more than two. 

In recent times non-binary is being taken to refer to gender. A non -binary person could mean someone who doesn't identify with the traditional binary gender system of male / female, but identifies with an alternate sexuality. It comes under a spectrum of gender identity that is being accepted widely now with the conventional masculine / feminine falling at either end of the spectrum.

Going into non - binary further, life is not "either" or "or" or black and white. The majority of life is somewhat grey, somewhere in between "either" or "or", which would perfectly describe non - binary.

Non- binary is increasingly coming with it's own vocabulary, beyond he and she, her or his. The scope for gender neutral language seems to be immense and presents a novel opportunity for linguists and grammarists. 

What else can non binary entail or challenge? Traditional modes of address, clothings, roles in society, life, customs? Can it challenge the big "R"? Or Religion, which is the last to ever embrace change, if it ever does? 

What is Archegos? Why is it in news?

 What is Archegos? 

Archegos is a private investment firm, hedge fund, family firm call what you will.

It came in the news after it botched up spectacularly and went down in a cascade like a terrible April Fool joke gone wrong.

When these investment firms come undone, one hears of ridiculous figures of losses that are stunners for the lay men. It is like a competion among big losers to add one more zero to outdo the other in losses. How many zeroes in a billion? let us add one more to make it more... and more. 

But wait, we have come to see that in the world of High Finance, the more you lose, the higher you are rated. 

Apparently so was the case with the owners of Archegos, who had a history apparently of financial wrong doing. 

Then how were such big names in the investment banking world like Credit Suisse and Nomura left holding those empty bags as the erstwhile Tiger slipped away? Well you go back to the theory - the bigger a loser you are, the more your ability to maipulate (apparently) and the higher you are rated for even the big bosses to look up to you!

Check out some of the interesting stories of Archegos' rise and fall here!

https://slate.com/business/2021/03/archegos-capital-management-dumbest-financial-story-2021.html

Watch SuperBowl '21 online Free Streaming - Really?

The SUperBowl LV is HERE. LV = 55th. The 55th Edition of the Super Bowl, the big fight that's bigger than a RaFa - Federer matchup, or (maybe) a Barca - ManU game (definitely in one part of the world) or a Red and Blue war. Its the match up that will resolve almost all differences (now why doesn't America have Super Bowl every quarter- don't you think it will solve many issues?). For the Super Bowl, color doesn't matter, its an all out territorial war!

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Kansas City Chiefs in this edition, the LV, Super Bowl. The wild card Buccaneers, the wildest and eeriest team, will actually be playing at home at the Ray Jay, and that's never happened before, an actual home team in the Super Bowl! How do they feel? They got a wild card into the Championship and have so far won 14 out of their 19 games. Only 6 wild card teams have won so far, but I guess playing at home nullifies many other statistics. Will they be making their 20th game an unprecedented championship victory? We know who the (limited) crowd of 25000 will be rooting for anyways! They even beat the HIGHLY rated Packers with their terrific offense, in their Conference Final. As good as it gets - right? 

But we can't forget their Superstar QB Tom Brady. 10th Super Bowl! First for the Bucs. Great greater greatest - how do you define this achievement? To make the NFL is the hallmark of a great player in the intensely competitive American Football scene. Then to win a Conference is something to be proud of. And if you actually win a Super Bowl and you are star quarterback - well you are assured greatness. But to make it for 10 seasons!!!! 10 Super Bowls. The Bucs cannot help but be where they are, and playing at home. They have Thomas Brady in their midst after all. This 43 year old will be looking at adding a fifth MVP to his Super Bowl Cap. He is already the oldest MVP in Super Bowl. 

The Chiefs are slightly ahead as favorites and defending Champions. And they have the reigning MVP in Mahomes.

Only 25000 fans will be allowed to attend the Super Bowl Live in the stadium. Wont those 25000 people have some fireside story for their grand kids??!!!

So what will you watch the Super Bowl for (is that even a question?)

Date  and Time for Super Bowl 2021 Kickoff- 7th February 2021, 6.40 pm EST

1. Tom Brady

2. Tom Brady

3. Tampa Bay playing at home

4. Patrick Mahomes

5. The Half time show by Weeknd (8 pm EST)

6. You are from Kansas

7. The Advertisements - each spot costs $5.5mn apparently!

8. You always watch

9. Wild Horses won't drag you away.

10 . You actually get to watch Super Bowl LV in the stadium!!! 

Where can you watch Super Bowl live online streaming, maybe FREE

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/superbowl/live/

https://www.nflgamepass.com/en/subscribe/plans/

Australia

https://7plus.com.au/Sport

https://kayosports.com.au/

Super Bowl Podcasts

https://www.nfl.com/podcasts/

https://player.fm/podcasts/Super-Bowl

Netspendallaccess.Com Login | Activate

Net Spend All Access Login

Netspend has an All-Access Account. Account opening is subject to id verification and identfication.

Netback is established by MetaBank, which is a Member FDIC.

The Netspend All Access Account has facilities like

- Direct Deposit

- Mobile Check Capture

- Money Pass ATM

Check this out to know how it works and the NetSpend Access Account features

https://www.netspend.com/bank-account/features/

https://www.netspend.com/bank-account/faqs/

What is Netspend

Net Spend is a provider of prepaid debit cards for commercial and personal use. As per their site information, Netback is established by MetaBank, which is a Member FDIC.

Once you sign up for NetSpend, and receive your card, there will be an activation feature which enables you to start using NetSpend. You will have to follow the printed activation and identity verification steps that arrive with the debit card. 

Happy Spending!!

PS - Please do your due diligence before signing up for any new financial products or features. 

Farmville SHUTS Down | Internet Gaming Saga Ends

Who hasnt played Farmville? Well if you are above 40 and a female and have used the internet for over a decade you are more likely than not an ex Farmville player. You belong to a community thats not exclusive by any means. An article on NY Times reports that there were 32 million Farmville users daily at its peak!! Farmville has apparently been shut down as of end of last year, 2020. So an icon sleeps. 

Those days of waking up at dawn to harvest your crops or collect from your animals may seem far off now, but facebook was farmville and vice versa for sometime in 2010-11 for many users. Users competed to have the best looking farms, with buildings, fences, accessories, exotic and commin vegetables, fruits, all kinds of domestic animals, beautiful barns, etc. It was an addiction, at once fun and dangerous. Dishes were burnt, kids school pick ups missed, babies were forgotten as people endeavured to harvest their farms on time. If one didnt have enough coins/gold (I forget), every vegetable had to picked by hand and planted individually. It was madness, fun, friends became enemies and enemies friends. FB friends got irritated as you desperately tried to add them or request them to send u whatever was urgently need for your farm. As if they had nothing bettter to do! 

The collective gaming, needed for optimum farming, was mass multimedia role playing at its peak, where one was a farmer, even if it was looked down by MMRPG afficianados. The graphics were excellent, gaming was easy so could be played by all. All one needed to play farmville was a good mouse to do hours of point and clicking!!! And some sense of basic minimum strategising. So while kids played with PS and Nintendos, Moms played Farmville on facebook on desktops or laptops, and equity prevailed at many homes!

So as the iconic game shuts down, here's raising a tosat to it! Long live farmville, addictive, enthralling fun, and opium for the middle aged. 

#Farmville #originalfarmville

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/technology/farmville-zynga-facebook.html

New Slam Dunk Movie | Anime | Manga

Manga Fans are excited about a new Slam Dunk movie. The Manga / Anime industry is popular amongst teenagers, young adults, pre teens. Looking at the variety and richness of content its no wonder. If one can adjust to the shrill voices, one can find some of the best stories of today in Manga. The Slam Dunk movie is a classic basketball anime movie with millions of young followers. All of whom will be excited today to hear the news of a new Slam Dunk Movie. The Slam Dunk has been serialized and there are also a series of Slam Dunk movies with the first one released in 1994. 

Am I Eligible for Government Benefits?

Benefit.Gov - To find out whether you are eligible for Government Benefits or not, check out the Government Benefit Finder. The Benefits you are looking for are scattered across various aspects. Are you looking for Covid related unemployment benefits? Are you looking for disaster related benefits? Are you looking for food stamps, health insurance, loans, a bit of financial assistance to tide over difficult times? There are many websites, consultants, agencies which will tell you which benefits you are eligible for. The best way to llook for a Benefit / some state Assistance is to go to an official website and check out the programs you are eligible for. A dot gov website generally means a government website. Here is the Benefit.Gov website which lists the various Benefits one is eligible for. One needs to fill all the required information, personal, financial, employment, etc depending on the kind of benefits one is looking for. There is a guide, video tutorial to take one through the website and help understand it better. As per the website, it was launched by the US Dept of labour in 2002creating the US Govt.'s official Benefits website

here's hoping you get the right Benefit you are looking for. 

https://www.benefits.gov/

Hocus Pocus Focus

Right now the focus is on Hocus Pocus. Sorry, couldnt resist the pun. There was a cult movie in 1993 called Hocus Pocus. A classic really. And obviously from Disney.  Watching the movie is a Halloween tradition and it definitely is the subject of many Halloween re-runs. 

This year the focus is again on Hocus Pocus as Disney has announced a sequel. So what is the news on Hocus Pocus 2? Who are the stars? When will it be telecast? Will it be as good as the original? Will any of the original star cast be there? Will it be the same story or something entirely different. 

I started looking for the answer and here are they

When is Hocus Pocus 2 going to be telecast

The telecast date is not know, but Disney made the announcement in October last year and the optimist fans are hoping for a Halloween show. That seems unlikely though, especially considering the lack of information about the movie and what is happening on the sets.

The Star Cast

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, the original witches are likely to be involved in some capacity in the production. In fact bette Middler has come on record to say that she is positively looking forward to be a part of the movie.

The original was directed by Kenny Ortega, but Hocus Pocus 2 is likely to be directed by Adam Shankman of Hairspray fame.

Jen D'Angelo is writing the script as per online reports.

Will it be the original story

It looks likely that Hocus Pocus 2 will be a different story and a sequel and not a reprise of the original.

So here's looking forward to watching Hocus Pocus 2

Meanwhile you watch the original Hocus Pocus being streamed at the Disney Channel

movie.disney.com/hocus-pocus

Top 5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

It is stay at home time. With all the lockdowns, shutdowns, curfews, stay at homes, one is finally getting to spend more time at home. Time where one doesnt really hit the bed but gets to feel the house, the place one buys or rents spending a lot of money, mortgage and heartaching searches. The easiest way to have a pleasant physical time at home is to ensure that the Indoor Air Quality is ambient.

Indoor Air Quality or lack of it can really play havoc with a person's schedule. Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is the cause for a lot of issues that while by themselves dont look like much, but can affect productivity in a major way. SBS causes headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea. The major causes of  sick building syndrome are lack of ventilation, high CO2, ozone levels, presence of allergens, harmful microbes in the air, unhygienic conditions indoor, etc. The best way to improve personal health and productivity is to improve the ventilation / indoor air quality of the place where onespends the majority of a workday.

What are the ways one can go about improving the Indoor Air Quality?

 Letting in the outdoor air from time to time is the easiest and the cheapest way to improve ventilation in a house. Sometimes the air conditioner would just be recycling and cooling or heating the same polluted air. Open a bit of window, ensure cross ventilation multiple times a day. That is by far the cheapest way to ensure a better air quality.

Indoor Plants. Indoor plants are a great way to improve the indoor air quality. Two to three medium sized plant per son in a home ensures that your carbon dioxide gets sapped up to some extent.  They act as natural air purifiers and dehumidifiers. One can also use dehumidifiers in damp climates that are easily available.

Maintain household hygiene to ensure a better indoor air quality. Disinfecting the house regularly, keeping outside, cleaning shoes, outer garments, mopping, sweeping and dusting the home at regular intervals using natural disinfectants, vacuum cleaners, etc ensures that the microbes dont get to settle down and multiply. Bacteria and virus like a congested, humid space to grow. Ensuring personal and home hygeine ensures the chance of a better home quality.

Invisible pollutants are a major cause of sick building syndrome and poor air quality. These invisible pollutants come in our household paints on furniture and walls, glue used in furniture, the household cleaners, air fresheners, dyes, etc. These are all products with high VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Try to use products with low VOCs,  that are more natural or have been approved as green.

Air filters used in ours ACs and AHUs are another source of pollution. They need to be kept clean. The fresh intake air source in AHUs should not be near any contaminating source.

The easiest way to ensure that you get the fresh air you need is to install a IAQ measure in your house, especially if you need to use artificial ventilation more. This ensures that the IAQ stays at an acceptable level; else measures are taken. The difference between indoor and outdoor ppm* of CO2 levels should not be more than 600 to have an ambient atmosphere at home. More than that is a cause for worry.

* particles per million



Article by

Ar. Sanghamitra Rath


#stayathome, #airquality, #co2levels, #greenbuilding