mattwurst

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: Jan 23rd:

Talking about “Web 2.5″ means showing how and where and why and who amongst large brands are moving into the Web3 space (over time). First up today:

1. L'Oréal’s NYX Makeup Brand is going to create and launch a DAO, along with Ethereum NFTs to ‘Redefine Beauty.’

2. Why it makes sense to put community-market and community-product fit before product-market fit.

3. And finally, I’ve been on a rant lately that the #Web3 community needs to use more accessible, understandable terms and explanations -- more benefit, less tech. But agreeing on language to use is challenging. Here’s a good place I’m going to start: How to market web3 terms. 

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: Jan 21st:

National Geographic, the 135-year-old nature-centric magazine, was met with harsh backlash online when marketing its first NFT collection this week.

NFTs Are A ‘Trojan Horse’ Coming at Record Labels. Are you ready for the music revolution with Web3?

Game developers aren’t so hot on NFTs, the metaverse, or huge acquisitions. Yet. But we expect that to change.  

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: Jan 20th:

Getty Images is suing the creators of AI art tool Stable Diffusion for scraping its content. Getty claims that the generative AI tool “unlawfully copied and processed millions of images protected by copyright” in order to train its AI models.

Igloofest Montreal, the electronic music festival, launched an NFT treasure hunt activation. The Yeti Hunt contest invites attendees to collect Yeti-inspired NFTs, which will be minted on the Polygon blockchain. And, thanks to the festival organizers, this Web 2.5 newsletter edition got a rhyming subject line �� .

Tribeca Festival’s new NFT collection offers the chance to party with Robert DeNiro. The NFT serves as a VIP ticket to unique festival experiences and is available exclusively via the OKX NFT marketplace. Related, apparently the festival no longer uses its former middle name, "Film." Go figure?!

[mattwurst]

Happy National Editor’s Day

Happy Editor's Day! 

Okay, no, this isn’t a real thing, but it should be. July 3rd, 1776 is the key date that critical edits were made to the Declaration of Independence after independence had actually been formalized. that’s right: little known fact... July 2nd is actually the day of legal American independence!

Follow this timeline: On June 11th, 1776, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston were named to a committee within the Second Continental Congress to draft a declaration of independence. The following day, Thomas Jefferson began working on a draft, at the request of the committee, that lasted nearly two weeks. That initial rough draft was reviewed by the committee on June 27th, before being submitted to the Congress.

On June 28, a fair copy of the committee draft of the Declaration of Independence was read to the entire body of Congress. After the weekend, Congress began debating and revising the draft of the Declaration of Independence.

On July 2nd, delegate Robert Henry Lee's official resolution to Congress stating that the colonies should become independent was approved by the entire body. By all pseudo-legal post-dated recognition, this was officially the day we declared independence. The Lee Resolution was adopted by twelve of the thirteen colonies, but the official public proclamation had yet to be shared.

Final tweaks continued into the day on July 3rd, edits that were minor in the greater context, but gave the final version a splendor and weight that birthed a nation. A local printer, John Dunlap, printed several dozen copies of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, two of which are in the Library of Congress. One of these was George Washington's personal copy. We celebrate the public proliferation of the words on July 4th, but not the process that led up to it. 

So by all accounts, today should be National Editor's Day (though not internationally recognized).

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: April 30th:

After a few weeks off recovering from the arrival of our new puppy, I’ve finally found time to read again. That’s great because: A. It means I’m getting sleep when I’m supposed to, and B. You get to see what I’m reading again:

1. More Parenting Advice: This time, it’s all about letting your kids get hurt. Or at least that’s how I interpreted this piece about how and why to stop helicoptering.

2. Avoiding Loneliness: They say it’s harder to make new friends when you’re older. But making the effort is critical to our health and happiness. 

3. A Running/Ruining List: A lot of things have gone wrong thanks to Trump over the past 16 months, and while most policy can be reversed in the coming years, the damage to the environment is the most troubling. Here’s a running list of how the Dumper in Chief is changing the environment. Book mark it and get angry pretty much daily. 

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: April 11th

1. What Up, G: Ok, so it’s not exactly Bull Durham, or even baseball, but the NBA has its feel-good story of the week thanks to the big splash made by career minor league, recently of the NBA G-League, Andre Ingram in his Lakers debut last night. I may or may not have written about this guy back in 2007.

2. Like, Comment, Share: After watching Mark Zuckerberg talk about Facebook yesterday, the two key takeaways are that A) our Senators are old, out-of-touch digital failures; and B) Facebook is not to blame for most of the this... they are simply an amplifier that brings out the best and the worst of people.

3. Meet the Mets: Not to jinx anything at all, because it’s still April and they’ve been able to stay healthy, and get lucky, and also because it’s still April... but the Mets are the best team in baseball right now. 

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: April 10th -

1. Preparing for the Worst: Sure, the Mueller hammer seems to be coming closer to Trump, but that won’t impact your daily life. What does? The economy. And here’s proof that the recent GOP tax cuts are making things worse.

2. Read About Reed: Masters champion Patrick Reed continues to be an intriguing story, with his estrangement with his family to the fact that he gives no fucks about what you think of him. Sounds like his wife is also a bit off her rocker, but that’s just my POV from afar. 

3. Becky As the Good Heir: I’ve known Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon for 15 years, and while I was initially intimidated by her intensity, I ultimately befriended her, made her my flag football teammate and have rooted for her ever since. She’s the real deal - smart, sharp and courageous. No matter what she does or where she goes, she’s a winner. 

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: April 9th -

1. PB&P: This is the most disgusting sandwich recipe I’ve ever seen. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. I mean, how bad can it be? Actually, it doesn’t sound terrible. Maybe we should try it? Hmmmm, I’m intrigued.

2. Flower Power: Turns out, the more you cut it down, the stronger it gets. I’m talking about roses, not politicians. 

3. California... Knows How to...: Profit. Look at good ol’ Jerry Brown. He’s going to leave office with the biggest budget surplus you’ve ever seen. So maybe that liberal California economy isn’t so terrible, after all?

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: April 7 -

1. The Blue Wave: A lot has been made about the coming midterm elections, and the potential for Democrats to eat away at, or eliminate, their minority in either or both houses of Congress. As of now, according to a nonpartisan analysis, 55 House races are in the “toss up” or “lean-left” columns, and still gives Democrats a slight edge in taking House control in 2018.

2. Don’t You Forget About Me: Molly Ringwald’s piece for The New Yorker recounting her role in the most popular teen movies of the 80′s, and a harsh take on John Hughes’ treatment of girls and women.

3. Extremely Prickish Asshole: What if the EPA could keep its acronym, but re-brand itself after its leader, Scott Pruitt. Because that’s exactly what this d-bag is... a crook, a liar and ruining our planet. 

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read - April 2

1. National Champion: Tonight’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game pits the powerhouse Villanova Wildcats against the surging Michigan Wolverines. For Michigan, it’s their second Finals appearance in five years, and it’s wise coach, John Beilein. Many may not know him by name, but these lessons for life transcend the basketball court. 

2. Pardon me? Thanks to our President and his tough stance on women, April is now National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Because of course it is. 

3. Cost of Living: Sadly, but not at all surprisingly, our healthcare infrastructure is failing. Call it capitalism, call it bad government, but millions of people skip doctor visits because of costs. In the battle of health vs poverty, guess what is winning...

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: March 30th -

1. By the Numbers: Professional accountant and Chicago resident Scott Foster was asked to serve as the Blackhawks emergency goalie on Thursday night. The former collegiate hockey player hadn’t played any game in years, and wasn’t likely to get into the game last night either. But that all changed, Foster lived a dream and looked impressive in shutting out an NHL team over 15 minutes of action. #Jealous

2. Putting The Work In: I’ve worked with some incredible moms in the advertising industry, and the mother of my children is an incredibly dedicated and talented professional. Working and parenting aren’t mutually exclusive, but they can pose challenges, stresses and dilemmas for the women who look to find that balance.

3. No She Won’t: Hillary Clinton has put in too much effort, too much passion, too much time into public service to just shut up and go away. Also, no one has ever told the men who’ve lost Presidential elections to shut up and go away. 

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: March 29th -

1. We’re Terrible Parents: This should come as no surprise, but the dangers of iPad screen time for kids are even greater than people realize. Except, we know this and aren’t doing much to combat it. 

2. Keep Calm and Carry Your Bags: After nearly two years of conversation, debate, votes, more conversations, Brexit is really happening. But what does that mean, reall?y 

3. Journalism vs activism: In this age of digital news, twitter, blogs, tv news channels, bombastic presidents, school shootings and MORE school shootings, what is the role of today’s journalist? Is it an “and” or “or” thing?

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: March 28th -

1. All the Eats: The Major League Baseball Season kicks off tomorrow, but for a large percentage of casual fans, the in-stadium foodie experience has become the REAL show. 

2. Video Games Killed the Reality Star: Really interesting read from a middle-aged literary critic on how to create a second life in the gaming world. 

3. Islands in the Stream: If Netflix is taking over the world, maybe all of our next jobs should be working for them. 

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: March 27th -

1. Amend the Amendment: I’ve written before, and will write again, that the second amendment has been grossly misinterpreted. But now retired SCOTUS justice John Paul Stevens, a GOP-appointed jurist, is on board with amending the amendment. Both sides continue to dig in, and the Right is now using the march enthusiasm and gun control activism to promote NRA membership. An all-out repeal of the right to bear arms will not happen anytime soon, but clarity around control and limitations can and must. 

2. Look Up in The Sky...: It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s a crippled 9-ton Chinese satellite crashing to earth right over New York City! Or Rome! Or San Francisco! There are many acceptable and noble ways to die, but this is not going to be one of them. 

3. Lawyer Up? Lawyer Down: Poor President Gropey McGrabber can’t find a lawyer who wants to defend him these days. And who says the legal profession has lost its nobility? Anyone else picture his meetings like a team of Dr Evil henchmen sitting around the boardroom table waiting to be thrown to sharks with friggin’ lasers on their heads?

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read: March 26th -

1. Instruction, Not Destruction: Teachers don’t want to carry guns. Next idea?

2. The Platform Edge: There’s a fake photo of Emma Gonzalez ripping up Constitution going around the internet. People who believe it aren’t to blame if news sites and other platforms allow them to be spread, so what responsibility do the platforms have?

3. Weathering the Storm: While this is the best thing I read about Stormy Daniels story over the past 24 hours, it’s not about the sex, the affair or even the lying (well, maybe a little), but it REALLY matters if the bullying and abuse of power allegations are true.

[mattwurst]

Three Things I Read - March 25th -

Admittedly, there were about 1,000 things I’ve read in the past 24 hours, almost all of it about the incredible showing across the United States for A March for Our Lives, and people far better than this guy are curating them across the web this morning, but here are three things I read:

1. A March to Remember: We’re all going out like lions this March, after some of the most powerful, moving speeches, images and signs in the history of American movements. This is just the beginning...

2. Call It What it Is: We’re so fearful to use the word “terrorism” unless it’s tied to radical Islam, but terror is fear, and terrorism is the use of violence, or the fear of violence, to achieve a purpose. The NRA is a terrorist group, and this Austin bomber was a racist terrorist. Call them all what they are. 

3. Your Bias and Their Bias: No matter where you get your news, it’s likely to have some bias in it. The key is to be aware of that bias, acknowledge that bias and don’t ignore other news sources. To help, a long time ago, I created THIS twitter news list to get a sampling of information from a variety of sources, both extremely biased and more centrist. 

[mattwurst]

A March for Progress

Today is March 24, 2018, a date that will, hopefully, someday, maybe, be looked back on as a monumental day in American history, a milestone in our national progress that ultimately led to the end of our culture of gun violence.

Of course, that may be asking too much, thanks to a poorly written, misinterpreted, antiquated Second Amendment. An amendment, by the way, which was an afterthought to the Constitution only included to mollify those within the precariously new ruling class who feared short-term British vengeance and a forthcoming destruction of this “amusing experiment with American democracy.”

That didn’t happen (well, it almost did in 1812-1814), and the Constitution became our legal foundation as well as a political blueprint for a time when white people owned black people, the average life span was 35 years old, and news was spread through people yelling on the street.

The Constitution was groundbreaking at the time, but was written by very flawed men, who owned human beings, whose foresight has been proven inaccurate, and who prayed to dogs. The founding fathers had no foresight into gay marriage or iPhones, 9/11 or self-driving cars (or any cars, for that matter), private Facebook profile data or lunatics shooting people in schools, movie theaters and malls. Guns can now kill dozens of people a minute, men can become women, women can become men, white people marry black people, and news is spread through people yelling on twitter and cable channels.

Yet people continue to treat the Constitution as if it’s some all-knowing mystical force, beamed to us from outer space by omniscient alien gods who were absolutely certain of the facts that slavery should be legal, only white men over 21 could vote, and that presidents could serve in office for an indefinite number of terms.

Turns out they got those things wrong. But what they got right was knowing that the Constitution and even the Bill of Rights might have to change with the times. Article Five of the Constitution spells it out: "The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses [the House and the Senate] shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution . . ." and three-fourths of the states have to approve the amendment for it to become law.

Things change much more rapidly than our government and legal system can. There have been only two changes to the Constitution since 1967. But a lot has happened during the past 40 years. 

Shit, a lot has happened in the past 40 days. 

Changing the Constitution won’t be easy, but that doesn’t mean we should set that as a goal. Even if it takes years, and we accomplish smaller goals along the way, we need to keep our eyes on this prize, and this target in our sights (ok, bad metaphor...).

So as we march for gun safety today, engaging in a practice exercised by generations of Americans doing their own parts to blaze a path of progress...

Let’s celebrate what those founding fathers got right - our legal right to use our voices to force change - when protesting the things they got wrong; 

Let’s be both proud to be an American today, and let’s also be ashamed of what we have allowed that to mean; 

Let’s immediately start thinking and planning for what comes next AFTER today’s marches, our second act in this drama; 

Let’s keep the march going with elections, holding our lawmakers accountable and using courts when all else fails; 

and Let’s #NeverAgain allow the mistakes of the past to prevent a future of prosperity.