You may have missed, overlooked, ignored or discounted it, or maybe you’d just as soon leave it for others to discuss.
But along with the various waves of Covid variants, threats to democracy, vibrations of the stock market and climate disasters, the third great iteration of the worldwide web has washed in over our anklets.
Whether we wanted or needed it to come or not, the web is mutating again, which guarantees another round of insecurity for those who depend on it — which of course means everybody who is not hiding in a cave in Tora Bora.
Of all the people who are commenting on web.3, I’m probably the last person anyone should listen to. What do I know of the metaverse, blockchain, NFTs, bitcoin, or “digital scarcity”?
The answer is, of course, next to nothing. But I do know something about waves, having spent an inordinate portion of my life on beaches.
Waves come in patterns, they build, crest and break, and in the process they deposit new things at our toes. Actually, not so much new things as old things disguised as new things, like shells, driftwood, seaglass, jobs or investment opportunities.
Most importantly not all waves are created naturally. Any old boat can cause a wave in the right body of water.
That brings me to web.3. As with dot.com and Web 2.0, this third wave is being driven by developers, many of whom are idealistic and hoping to improve on the technologies and the social outcomes of the previous models, including doing a much better job of protecting the privacy of our personal data and establishing fairer ownership standards and exchanges of value.
Accordingly, a set of more democratic outcomes appears to be the goal of those constructing web.3. None of them want to further the centralization of the Big Data monopolies (Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook — sorry, Meta, Yahoo, Twitter, Microsoft) that arose from the first two waves.
And as we enter this new digital phase, it’s also worth asking if and how it is going to affect the biggest issues we face — poverty, climate change, authoritarianism, hopelessness — beyond generating a rash of new fortunes for a few, and endlessly confusing software iterations for the many.
On the other hand, you might say, no one else has come up with much to address those universal issues, so why expect the best and the brightest of our tech geniuses to come to our rescue this time around? That isn’t exactly fair.
No it isn’t fair.
So my one simple request of the new generation of developers and evangelists is that they do a better job at using words than the vague ones blowing in todays’ wind. Be precise, specific, honest, restrained, sensitive, kind, accurate and above all inclusive.
Languages fall into one of two categories — inclusive or exclusive. The outcome unfolds accordingly.
The words you choose matter. Stop excluding people.
TODAY’S NEWS:
Scientists Are Racing to Gauge the Threat of Omicron — The variant will spread quickly through the United States, experts say. What happens after that is less certain. (NYT)
Warily eyeing omicron, Christmas revelers curb celebrations (AP)
Stocks fell as investors worried about surging Omicron cases and wrestled with this week's hawkish turn from major central banks in the fight against inflation (Reuters)
Booster at least 80% effective against severe Omicron (BBC)
France bans nonessential travel to Britain over the Omicron surge. (NYT)
As omicron threatens to wipe out monoclonal antibodies, U.S. is saving up one that will work (WP)
Pfizer and BioNTech ask FDA to approve their Covid-19 vaccine for kids as young as 12 (Politico)
We Know Enough About Omicron to Know That We’re in Trouble (Atlantic)
CDC recommends Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 shots over J&J’s (AP)
Fox News Network lost its attempt to dismiss a $1.6 billion lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, a voting machine company that says Fox defamed it by amplifying conspiracy theories about its technology. (Reuters)
Jan. 6 Panel Subpoenas Retired Colonel Who Shared Plan to Overturn Election (NYT)
The US system is no match for Donald Trump — Absence of consequences for the Capitol riots makes it likelier that democracy will be subverted again (Financial Times)
FDA ends key restriction on abortion pill as justices weigh case challenging Roe v. Wade (WP)
A federal judge overturned a roughly $4.5 billion settlement that legally shielded members of the Sackler familywho stand accused of helping fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic, a decision that threatened to upend the bankruptcy reorganization of their company, OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma. (Reuters)
The Year of Inflation Infamy — Maybe the real takeaway should be how little we know about where we are in this strange economic episode. (Paul Krugman/NYT)
Supply shortages and emboldened workers: A changed economy (AP)
CDC finds coronavirus testing of exposed children in schools can safely replace quarantine (WP)
A millipede with 1,300 legs has been found in Australia. It's a new record by far (NPR)
In Boeing's factory of the future, immersive 3-D engineering designs will be twinned with robots that speak to each other, while mechanics around the world will be linked by $3,500 HoloLens headsets made by Microsoft. It is a snapshot of an ambitious new strategy to unify sprawling design, production and airline services operations under a single digital ecosystem - in as little as two years. (Reuters)
This week’s major storms pushed the Sierra Nevada snowpack from 19 percent of normal for this time of year to 83 percent. (SFGate)
Deforestation making outdoor work unsafe for millions, says study (Guardian)
Afghans push through snowy Alps toward new lives in Europe (AP)
Afghan currency slides and prices surge as already battered economy worsens (NPR)
Biden Administration Considers Sending Ukraine Military Equipment Once Bound for Afghanistan (WSJ)
Nato powers face re-engaging with Taliban and unfreezing the financial system or watching millions starve (Financial Times)
This new space telescope should show us what the universe looked like as a baby (NPR)
Why Electric Mail Trucks Are the Way of the Future (Politico)
Crews may have found 1887 time capsule in Lee statue base (AP)
Giant natural blue sapphire unveiled in Sri Lanka (NHK)
Somewhat Athletic Couple Gives Birth To Potential Division III Lacrosse Player (The Onion)
TODAY’s LYRICS:
“Please Don’t Tell Me…”
Kris Kristofferson
This could be our last goodnight together
We may never pass this way again
Just let me enjoy 'till its over
Or forever
Please don't tell me how the story ends
See the way our shadows come together
Softer than your fingers on my skin
Someday this may be all
That we'll remember
Of each other
Please don't tell me how the story ends
Never's just the echo of forever
Lonesome as the love that might have been
Just let me go on loving and believing
'Till it's over
Please don't tell me how the story ends
Please don't tell me how the story ends
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