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Showing posts from March, 2018

On the decline of Facebook

Facebook has become a hot topic of discussion lately. NPR  and CNBC , not to mention plenty of other sources, reported that the company's stock is down $80 billion in value, following news that the company allowed the data of more than  50 million users to be sent to third parties without their permission. Like a lot of people, I made my Facebook account to stay in touch with friends after I graduated high school and everyone, for the most part, went their separate ways. I've never been a huge fan of Facebook, that's not why I've used it for so long. I use it because, simply, that's how a huge number of my friends and I communicate. It's also a good way to keep in touch with people I don't necessarily talk to more than every once in awhile. Back in 2009, Facebook was the up-and-coming app, the shiny new competitor to Myspace - the Pepsi to Myspace's Coke. This huge data leak is a big deal, and it should be treated accordingly. Still, especiall

Junk Drawer 3/21/18

And now, a series of thoughts I've had over the past week or so. "I've now been collecting 'Warhammer 40K' for the same number of years that I had been alive when I started." At least I didn't spend that money on bitcoin. "That novel I wrote in high school was basically me trying to create 'Stranger Things' before 'Stranger Things' was a thing." "We mostly eat 3 meals at 3 fixed points during the day out of habit. Yet plenty of people get plenty of nutritional value out of eating snacks. Snacks should be considered meals equal to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you should probably skip at least one of those if you eat snacks." "Before plastic bags, how did people cook all the recipes where you need to cover something in plastic? Did they just put it in a bowl with a rag over it or something?" "I should really think of an article idea for Thursday." "People always talk abo

What the hell is up with cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency has been a joke for a really long time. As unsettling as it is, this joke is turning into a reality that will, someday soon, affect every one of our daily lives. Frequent Internet users, particularly Redditors, will be familiar with this "magical Internet money" from at least some form of exposure, even if it's from some dude who plays Minecraft on Youtube making jokes about it. I've taken part in the fun, too - I've ripped on longboarding vape-happy crypto bros a time or two. We all have. The scary thing is that cryptocurrency, like bitcoin, isn't as much of a joke anymore. People got laughed at in 2010 for investing $100 in bitcoin, which at the time was worth fractions of a penny. Now they're laughing in between haughty swallows of Bowmore 25-year because that shitty investment has made them rich - I'm not talking about millions. I'm talking about fucking billions. Bitcoin is currently selling for $8000 per coin. Y

Updates 3/8/18

Sorry, no new posts this week...so here's a cute lil' guy eating a banana. I started two new jobs about a month ago, and I've been mostly trying to figure out how to fit everything around my new work schedule. In addition to this blog, I'm doing work with the Fulton Street Collective in downtown Chicago, I'm writing original stories for various publications, and I'm still trying to work on getting podcast projects off the ground...all while balancing a social life, my crippling "Warhammer 40,000" addiction, and if there's room left, keeping myself sane, which is easier said than done. Basically, I am 100% going to continue doing this blog, but I don't know if I can do 1-2 posts per week currently. I also think Tuesday is a terrible day to post stuff given my current commitments - so I'm going to start posting on Thursdays only. The goal is quality and consistency, and for that, I need plenty of wiggle room in my schedule. That&