Alpha Bites #001

June 01, 2022

Welcome to The Vested. Thanks for joining us - get ready to take on the wild and incredible new world of web3. Been to a recent party and someone is talking about Luna? Your boss is asking you if you should do a web3 event? Or do you really just want to know wtf Blockchain is when it’s brought up at dinner? We’re here for all of it - to kick off what you need to know, whether you’re crypto confident, crypto curious or just need some soundbites to show you know what’s up ;).

The space can be overwhelming, but it can also be fascinating, fun, and even very rewarding. There’s a lot happening, it’s ever-evolving, but the best part is that it’s just beginning.

So we’re here to navigate it together and keep you up on those soundbites and what’s happening on a digestible weekly basis. WAGMI (we’re all going to make it)!

Here is your weekly 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Hot Tip: Set aside at 10 min a day to jump in

5 IG Accounts to Follow: fill up your feed

4 Terms to Know: bc blockchain is buzzy af

  • Blockchain - a digital form of record-keeping, and the underlying technology + backbone of all things web3. A blockchain is the result of sequential blocks (think: containers holding info) that build upon one another (visualize a string of blocks), creating a permanent and unchangeable ledger (a record) of transactions (or other data).

  • Smart Contract- a computer program or a transaction protocol (ex: application/software) that is intended to automatically execute, control, or document legally relevant events and actions according to the terms of a contract or an agreement. Set it and forget it. These are used for NFTs. 

  • Immutable- a word used when describing the unique capabilities of blockchain, but a word we never use otherwise. But it means, can’t be changed. All those blocks holding the data can’t be copied, deleted or edited.

  • Token- a digital asset that is stored a blockchain. It represents a tradable asset or utility (its purpose) that allows the holder to use it for investment or economic purposes.

Check out Miss O Cool Girls IG Guides for more terms to know! 

3 Articles to Read: with your morning coffee

2 Podcasts to Listen to: for the next time you’re folding laundry

1 Project to Know: the more you know !

Each week we will be highlighting a different web3 company that we think you should know about! We think these are all amazing projects with an even greater mission behind them. But of course, as always remember to DYOR*!

The Miss O Cool Girls are a series of 10,000 randomly generated NFTs. Inspired by drawings Juliette Brindak Blake did when she was 10 and illustrated by co-founder, Hermine Brindak, a mother-daughter duo, the Miss O Cool Girls celebrate that there is no one definition of what it means to be a girl. Featuring unique and diverse traits of young teen girls – acne, braces, gap teeth – the mission is to empower and build self-esteem in girls to continue to offset how current media and social media consumption are leading to toxic bullying, trolling, and negative role models.

The rarest girls have the realest traits and we love them so much for that.

Check out their collection here!

MAKE AN IMPACT:

For anyone who mints* a Miss O Cool Girl through June 5th, 50% of the sale will go to Everytown: a movement of parents, students, survivors, educators, gun owners & concerned citizens fighting to end gun violence and build safer communities.

Also, check out the End Gun Violence Collection. The artist for Miss O Cool Girls, Hermine Brindak, created a piece for this collection curated by The HUG, where 100% of profits go toward ending gun violence. Featuring 21 artists, the youngest in this collection is 9 years old!

*DYOR: do your own research

*Mint: The creation of a new NFT token. Refers to the process of turning a digital file (.jpg, .mp4) into a digital asset on the Ethereum blockchain.

What should I do until the next newsletter hits my inbox?

In the weeks to come, we will be highlighting different Twitter accounts that have a knowledgeable and impressive presence in web3.

So… time to get back on Twitter! Even though you may not have logged in since 2013, Twitter is where it's all going down- from influential figures offering their guiding takes to community accounts spreading the news about their newest projects, becoming one of the leading central platforms for all things web3.

Hot Tip: Check out who we’re following + go from there

Apply: Want to learn how to mint + get $100 worth ETH? Check it.

P.S. If you or someone you know has a web3 platform that we should share, drop us a line here: [email protected]

Weekly How-To’s

Get a Digital Wallet:

This is where you keep your Ethereum and NFTs. The wallet that is most used is MetaMask. Follow the instructions, write down your keys and passwords and NEVER give them to anyone. If you lose this, or it gets stolen, you can’t get it back.

🎥 Watch this super short step-by-step tutorial

Buy Ethereum:

We suggest setting up a Coinbase account. Think of this like your bank account for cryptocurrency. Ethereum or ETH is a type of cryptocurrency powered by the blockchain with smart contract functionality. NFTs are associated with Ethereum blockchain technology. 

Once you are ready to buy an NFT, you can send your ETH to your Wallet ID to use for purchases.

Hot Tip: Sometimes it takes a few days for the money to transfer from Coinbase to your MetaMask wallet, so be aware of that in case you are trying to use funds for a drop!

🎥 Watch this super short step-by-step tutorial