this is the previous post. is this how I use reddit?
Okay. Hear me out. That last post was just a spearhead. Something to get something started. It's part of my process.
And since then, I've had some conversations with notable people (not you, but now's your chance). Some good pushback. Some challenges fronted. From people who have dreamt and tried.
Expectations from this post: This is the new revision and after you'll see a clearer vision of an innovative approach and ways (not yet) to get involved but will be soon available if you stay tuned. A business plan is forthcoming. Funding TBD.
I'm well aware by now this is Reddit and the most upvoted comment will the one that best cuts this all to shreds. I welcome it. Fight me and make this all better for it.
First will be context and then I'll share the idea. Read at your own pace.
Context: It's gotta be NYC. If it's not NYC then where's it gonna be? There's many places that won't matter for the start of this. So that means rent is high; competition is high. Innovation is required. There's already a bitcoin center and we could be a little doily on their skirts until we get too successful, with their cold corporate halls and stockmarket adjacency. We could go to SF! There's no punk rock in SF. London.. don't even get me started. L.A. worships "the industry." It's NYC or it's nowhere. but it needs to be somewhere. but the challenges exist... NYC has lots of costs, rules, and other barriers. But also, we have notable people in Monero from NYC that live in NYC. NYC doesn't have the mark of Monero yet. Also, there's more to monero than its own existence.. it's an idea. So, again, innovation is needed. Location and square footage are extremely expensive in NYC. Chicken might not cut it. Chicken barely makes it where it does.. and that's when your only goal is selling chicken. What succeeds? The single most epic marker of success is adaptability. So let's innovate there. Let's make it not just adaptable, but also capable of revenue in many places. I don't just want a scatter-shot. I want a scatter-shot of excellence in each grain that just lets what succeeds to succeed. You see it.. every operation working a certain way and they bank on it working according to plan.
Idea: I have 6 system requirements for this thus far (and forgive my use of language to my fellow system engineers among you. you'll understand, no doubt):
it needs to improve monero economy in ways that benefit everyone
it needs to be financially soluble. Shouldn't need any cash influxes "for da cause".
it needs to have a solid emphasis on monero at all times.
it must be easily referential
it shall be "transportive" when you walk in the door
it needs to have a "feel" on the exterior
It shall in no way be a surveillance or LEA-friendly place. You're free and relieved here.
It will expand based on an example of cypherpunk ethos. The whole thing is nexus for cypherpunk.
Location must be accessible and notable
The working name: "freetown NYC"
"but dMartian you said there were only 6 requirements but I see 9" Yeah cuz I'm extra. Keep up. (this is great fodder to cut me down. use it)
The walls: they're going to all be cypherpunk art. Working theme is the ride "it's a small world after all" with cypherpunk distortion.
The kitchens: now this is innovation: you've heard of a food truck. they sit around a lot. But what we're going to do is make a "roll-in kitchen." It's something 2 people can roll out of a food truck and make a kitchen in a brick and mortar store. Then they can roll out and make revenue and make presence for xmr where it's needed. Or not if there's no need. An old food truck payments are much cheaper than rent in NYC. Then what do we do with the rest of the square footage? I'm not going to sit here and sell you on my excellent chicken or probably more excellent curry and tacos. We can find people that do that part no problem.
Events: So there's going to be hanging LCD screens from the ceiling, not covering our artwork on the walls done by cypherpunks. During whenever.. it'll be NFTs people can buy. The house gets a cut which incentivizes putting up the ones that sell. Which gives that a budget. Wanna be cool? Hold your event at Freetown. put your powerpoints on the screens. Duality.. always. Anything doesn't work has so many options. Chairs will be stackable. they work for fika and they work for presentations.
Inspirations:
Freetown Christiana, Copenhagen
Various ghetto fleemarts
Bitcoin center
Café Tu Tu Tango, Orlando
Many more...
The next steps:
I need to refine this down to a business plan. Then we can see who wants to invest. That's a big question bc it defines how we want to go about this. Should I court financiers? Should I do a CCS? For instance, if I go CCS I can't make it free funding for a for-profit business. It's social entrepreneurship.. figuring out how to help a cause without needing charity. So we'd need a way to give back to donors in some commensurate way or maybe something else.
Here's where the 5 year plan comes in:
monero has an uncanny way of attracting excellent talent. If you buy something with monero, odds are it's really good stuff. so we can stock limited quantities of what's already available for monero. Accept cash or goldback but give discount on monero. but we have limited quantities (think back to adaptability). What sells well will run out of stock and then we'll have limited quantities only available for monero. Then we figure out what works and what doesn't. Limited quantities, right? And those items will become increasingly out of stock unless you get monero. What does a cash-only place do when someone doesn't have cash? They point you to the ATM they have. We'll point you to where you can get monero. Then you'll be educated on monero. you'll have monero. and you can buy the good shit that we know is the good shit bc it's what sells.
The prologue: I'm not really an arrogant prick. At least, not as much as I am here. People don't think that about me that know me, but I went with the approach here. I hope it was mildly entertaining while also getting the point across :)
The main question for you as a donor is if you're expecting it to be a tax deduction. If so, you might want to let give a heads up.
Donors don't have to report anything, though. So if you don't want to report donations, you don't have to. For you, it doesn't matter whether the donation gets reported by the receiver.
The issue is if the same tax agency sees a donations being charitable donations being claimed that exceed the reported income from donations, because then they know someone reported incorrectly.