Tag Archives: social media

Greg and Chad’s Power Half Hour Episode 22: Unnecessary Technology

AKA “Get Off My Lawn!”

Nostalgia is a funny thing. We can often look back at our youth and say, “things were better then” when compared to today. With that attitude in mind, on this episode Greg and Chad talk about what items we have today that didn’t exist during their childhoods they would delete if possible.  Even though the item might make some part of life better, the negative effect it’s had might be greater the good.

 

POSITIVE CYNICISM EP. 58: QUESTION EVERYTHING; TOM HARNESS

Social media is a tricky minefield to navigate. This edition of Question Everything, @chadsmart has the founder of Harness Digital Marketing, @iTomHarness on to discuss the reasons for why an online presence is important as well as how to brand yourself successfully. In addition to social media, the discussion also touches on Tom’s latest endeavor with a friend to start the Southern Illinois Film Commission in an attempt to bring more film production to the region known for it’s scenic beauty.

 

Five Heart Podcast Episode 54: Heart and Beating Iowa

When we publish a new episode on a Monday, you know that the train has essentially jumped the tracks. How and why we ended up recording at about 11:00 on a Sunday night definitely is mentioned. But what wasn’t mentioned was the fact that we should really try to plan better.

BUT TODDLERS DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR PLANS!

Moving on…a new Husker commit sent out an interesting tweet in response to “keyboard tough guys” (my word, not that of Cam Jones, a new commit at Safety who, according to Hoss, could transition to linebacker if necessary). He’s a big body, physical playmaker. But less about that and more about the tweet…copied and pasted here.

It hearkens back to why Brian and I named this show the Five Heart Podcast in the first place. “Stars” and ratings don’t tell the whole store.

Moving on…

It was a successful weekend for Husker Basketball, as the men and women both took care of #EvilIowa. And the Husker Wrestling team celebrated Senior Day with a win on Sunday at the Devany Center.

But we all know why you’re really here…to hear how Hoss would book a Wrestlemania Main Event if he could. But you have to stick around to the end for that gem.

Have a great week, everyone. GBR! WTDO!

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Positive Cynicism Ep17: Hate is Not a One Way Street

While it’s easy to condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville, VA as the result of Nazi scum unfortunately the hate has been building for years on both sides of the political spectrum. On this episode of Positive Cynicism, @chadsmart looks at the hatred that flows on a daily basis through social and mainstream media. Hatred that is not exclusive to one side.

WARNING: EPISODE DOES CONTAIN SOME LANGUAGE THAT IS NSFW.

For the record, Racism of any kind is unacceptable. White Supremacists and Nazis have no place in a productive society. (Just in case there was any confusion)

Positive Cynicism Episode 9: Can’t We All Be United

After a two week hiatus (aka mandatory therapy), @chadsmart returns with the latest installment of Positive Cynicism to share his slanted views on society. This week Chad looks at the United airline overbook flight situation which saw a passenger dragged off a plane instead of leaving voluntarily when asked. In typical cynical fashion, Chad explains why he thinks the general public overreacted and why viral outrage reflects poorly on society.

What We Can Learn from #ForceforDaniel

Perhaps you have heard of Daniel Fleetwood. Daniel was a man with a terminal illness, cancer known as spindle cell sarcoma. It attacked his lungs with such ferocity that he recently had just 10% lung functionality. In other words, tumors covered the other 90% of his lungs.

On September 1, 2015, Daniel was told by his doctors that he had two months to live.

Being a lifelong Star Wars fan, Daniel’s dying wish was to see Star Wars​: The Force Awakens before he passed. This led to an enormous amount of support on social media in the #ForceforDaniel campaign. Fans around the world, media, and even some Star Wars alum got on board to see Daniel’s final wish granted.

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J. J. Abrams​, Lucasfilm​, and Disney​ made that happen last week. daniel fleetwood Today is November 10. It was on this day we learned that Daniel Fleetwood passed away. He was 32.

Now whether you have heard of the #ForceforDaniel movement or not, I truly believe Daniel’s story holds a greater purpose than just him being able to watch a movie a few weeks ahead of release. Daniel Fleetwood and his wife Ashley are, or should be, reminders that we all have it inside of us to rise up and do great things. Their story inspired a movement comprised of family, friends, and largely strangers coming together out of love.

Love is many things, and being a Catholic, I think of Saint Thomas Aquinas who said “Love is to know, to will, and to do the good of another.”

Daniel worked as a counselor to the mentally impaired. Ashley teaches the visually impaired. Both had to take significant time off of work during the progressive and late stages of Daniel’s battle. These two lived a life of love not just for each other, but for the countless families they assisted.

As their story gained worldwide attention, they taught each of us touched by their story, those of us who were cheering for them to have Daniel’s wish fulfilled, how to love.

See, friends, you don’t need some grandstanding display of love. You don’t have to record some elaborately choreographed marriage proposal.

Love can be as simple as sharing a stranger’s dying wish to see a beloved movie. Love is someone meeting with more than 500 children in the Make A Wish Foundation system (looking at you, John Cena). Love is donating time or money (or both, as long as it comes from the right place) to a community food pantry, soup kitchen, homeless shelter, animal shelter – the list goes on and on.

There are countless ways to love one another. The Fleetwoods gave us a small opportunity to lift them up in love, and when Disney, J.J. Abrams, and the extended Star Wars family took notice and granted Daniel this special screening, we all cheered in exuberance.

When you’re invited into something like this, you truly cheer with the highs and mourn at the lows. One of the last Facebook posts Ashley made before her post about Daniel’s passing, she described hearing his discomfort. I have “borrowed without permission” from her Facebook page enough, but it is heart-wrenching to hear what they had to endure in his final hours. Ashley, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry for the pain you and Daniel had to endure. And I completely agree with your sentiments. “Screw cancer. F it in the a-hole.”

If you have the means, please visit the Fleetwood’s GoFundMe page. 

Friends, this isn’t a pitch to get you to spend money. More than anything, I want your take-away from this post to be about love. Smile more often (I say these words in my head as I type them, and my wife will appreciate that I just pronounced the “t” in often, something I bemoan). Greet strangers with warmth and kindness. 

We’re coming up on a time of year where we’re supposed to be cheerful. The Christmas season wants you to smile and be friendly. Maybe I’m old, but I think Daniel’s life should remind us that we can be kindhearted all year round. We don’t need commercials and stores to tell us to be friendly. We’re the human race. We have proven time and time again that we have the power within ourselves to be decent to one another.

Make it a part of your everyday routine to be kind. Then you won’t have to try. As Jedi Master Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no ‘try.'” Let love flow through you like The Force. Yoda also says: 

For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.

Rest in peace, Daniel. And May the Force be with You. 

Nerds United Episode 28

On Episode 28, I visit with Dan Milano – a social media guru working for Dailymotion. Dan is also a passionate Ghostbusters fan who has been following the idea of Ghostbusters 3 since the early days of the internet.

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Proton pack equipped. A young Dan is ready to battle the supernatural. (Courtesy Dan’s Facebook page)

Dan was gracious enough to join me to talk Ghostbusters 1 and 2 as well as the lost opportunity of Ghostbusters 3. But there’s good talk about Ghostbusters the Video Game and the planned Ghostbusters reboot.

Sweet Ghostbusters diorama that Dan has - though we didn't get into where it is located.
Sweet Ghostbusters diorama that Dan has – though we didn’t get into where it is located.

I’m hopeful this is the first conversation of many with Dan, so leave all the positive feedback and we’ll check our schedules to get him on again soon. And remember…iTunes and Stitcher – just search for “Nerds United.” Thanks as always. Share, comment, subscribe, etc.