"Adventure is worthwhile in itself." Amelia Earhart

#Trending

A Beginner's Guide to NFTs

Okay so, two weeks ago in the newsletter we covered the Bud Light NFT story. Not only do they sell the greatest beer on earth but they are entering the NFT market (as Julie Andrews famously belted: these are a few of my favourite things!).

We received feedback and questions, so we’re here to break down WTF a NFT is, and why they matter. Let's start with a standard example. Actually, we will start with the antonym of non-fungible, fungible and break it down from there.

You and a group of friends each throw a $10 bill onto a table and mix them up. Does it matter which one you take afterwards? No. As long as your friends aren’t swindlers (ba doom ch) each bill is worth $10. They all maintain the same value. 

Now, what does non-fungible mean? You and the same group of friends are each holding a Michael Jordan rookie card. At face value, they all look the exact same. To the regular eye nobody can spot a difference, but they aren’t the same, only one of the cards is  authentic. Therefore, you cannot shuffle and each take one and be satisfied with the outcome. This is non-fungible. The authenticity of a one of a kind thing/object/item, can’t be replaced.

Unlike traditional art, sports cards, or other collectables that have to be authenticated by humans, NFTs do not. This removes the potential for human error or fraud. Look up how Logan Paul paid $3.5 Million for a fake pokemon box that was “authenticated”. He most definitely got f*cked. I digress, let’s move on. Each NFT project is built on a blockchain. Most common projects are built on Ethereum. This means that every single transaction is publicly recorded and authenticated with a unique code that is stored on the blockchain. This code is like a thumbprint, unique, always present, and forever associated with a project when it is released. 

Here’s a curve ball in the form of a bold statement. Within the next decade, every large brand will be using NFTs in some shape or form and here is why: 

• The NFT market has exploded the past few years. In 2018, the NFT market stood at $40.96 million. In 2021, that number had surpassed $40 billion with a “B". That's exponential growth that only the shortest of kings could dream of. 
   
• NFTs are not just images. If people argue otherwise, they probably read Facebook news headlines and call that research. Also, they definitely pee with the door open.
   
• NFTs present a form of utility. Don’t get me wrong. There are some junk projects that are just looking for a quick buck and have no roadmap whatsoever. Do your research. Utility equals access. This can mean access to real life events the general public can’t attend, spaces within the metaverse, people etc. No forgery, no BS, nothing. 

Coachella, arguably the most sought after music festival of the year will be selling a NFT that will give you lifetime access to their show. A good example of value proposition NFT’s can provide for their holders.  

Digital artists are the new Picasso. A small example; purchasing Fortnite skins is partaking in the earliest form of value NFT’s provide. Most kids under the age of 18 would prefer to have digital collectables rather than physical. It is becoming a symbol of cultural significance and status.

#Trailblazing

Dying to Know Who Viewed Your TikTok Profile? 

In a move that has us seriously scratching our heads, TikTok recently announced they resumed testing and are working on bringing back the functionality that allows creators to see who viewed their profile. Last year, they removed the feature due to investigations into the back end data sharing process. I wonder why that is? I mean, tracking every click of a button you make on the app has to be good for targeted marketing right? This is the bread and butter of consumer psychology. How many times do you click on a profile that you don’t follow or watch a full video and don’t like it. Why? That’s the question they want to know.

TikTok, TikTok, TikTok…. Can we think about this one just a little bit? This is a move that the middle school “Queen B” would pull. You know that one girl who bled drama and craved conflict? Maybe I’m being too much of a narcissist but seriously? Is this really what we need?

On the flip side, it is interesting to see who may come across your profile/video and why that is. Other than that, I see limited value propositions for creators. I actually anticipate this to do more harm than good. The only winner here is TikTok. No official word from TikTok as to whether they will release the option after testing is complete. We say “immediately, no”.

I feel TikTok needs to direct its efforts into something a little more relevant. Perhaps why accounts just keep getting banned for no reason? I mean IDK? It might be worth their while but who am I to say. Why not throw in a little bit of gasoline on to a fire of toxicity. What do we have to lose?

#Traveling

Travel Wanderlust

1. Aokighara, Japan: Located in the foothills of Mount Fuji, this enchanting forest is also know as the "Suicide Forest". More than 500 people are reported to have committed suicide amongst the trees, with many visitors reporting feeling hauntings and viewing strange occurrences during their visit.
    
2. The Stone Forest, China: A different kind of forest can be found in China - one with very little greenery. Replace trees and brush with towering limestone formed over an area of 100,000 acres and you have your forest of stones.
    
3. Uluru, Australia: Many will recognize the mighty sandstone rock in the middle of the Australian Outback. Ayers Rock, as the site is more widely know also features pre-historic petroglyphs that mark the caves nearby. Australian Aborigines believe it’s one of the last remaining sites of the beings who forged the earth.
    
4. Crooked Forest, Poland: Located just south of the city of Szczecin on the border with Germany, this small pine tree forest has caught the attention of travelers for years. The entire forest appears to be bent over almost 90 degrees at the trunk, before twisting back straight again. There are many theories of what caused the trees to bend like this, but nobody knows for sure.
    
5. Longyearbyen, Norway: North of Greenland in the Arctic Sea, is a town whose name actually means ‘long year town’. If you long for daylight - this is the place from you from April 20 to August 23. For over 4 months, you won't see a stary sky, as the sun does not set. This phenomenon is often referred to as the midnight sun.

#WeeklyTopPicks

We Go Along Top Picks

#AlexFoodReview
El Sinaloense Hot Dog Cart | 1526 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ

Sonoran Hot Dog: For this week's food review, I took a little trip down to El Sinaloense Hot Dog Cart. They had a nice little set up going on with the typical cart as well as a nice tented area where you could sit and enjoy your food. Based off all the local recommendations for this place, as well as the reviews from Google it appeared to be THE place for a good Sonoran hot dog. So you know, I just had to try it for myself. Sonoran hot dogs originate from Sonora, Mexico and consist of a bacon wrapped hot dog that comes in a bolillo roll (soft bun) and is topped with the following: beans, onions, mustard, mayo, green salsa and tomatoes. Upon trying it, I must say I definitely understood the hype that surrounds these hot dogs. They are relatively cheap and loaded to the fullest extent. They provide lots of flavour and all around just taste amazing. If you ever find yourself in the Tucson area I definitely recommend heading over and trying one for yourself. Overall, my experience was quite pleasant with good tasting food and excellent customer service.
Overall Rating: 8.0

#Flix
The Tinder Swindler | 2022 | Documentary | Netflix

A group of women who were the victims of the dating app based swindler join together in an attempt to hunt him down and recover the millions of dollars that were stolen from them.

#Facts
Random fact of the week

Y’all are DoorDashing…a lot. The food delivery company's stock popped nearly 40% after it said that customers placed a record 369 million orders last quarter, which is a 35% increase from a year ago.

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