Which Nazi Ideas am I Supposed to Debate for Your Profit? – Daily Kos

I am behind on this, of course, but the leaders of Substack have responded to the letter voicing concerns about the monetization of Nazi newsletters on Substack. I signed the letter, and Substacks leadership was quite clear that they intended to go on making money from people who wish to kill and oppress their fellow humans. I am not surprised the VC class as a whole seems very alt-right/Nazi curious. I havent decided what to do with this newsletter. Moving it would require money, something this newsletter definitely does not make. But I am coming back to this because one aspect of the response stuck out to me:

I just want to make it clear that we dont like Nazis eitherwe wish no-one held those views. But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don't think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go awayin fact, it makes it worse.

We believe that supporting individual rights and civil liberties while subjecting ideas to open discourse is the best way to strip bad ideas of their power.

Emphasis mine.

This comment leaves me with a question: Which Nazi ideas, specifically, does the Substack leadership think have power? I mean, we have seen Nazism in its full glory: it led to a massive world war, oppression of anyone the Nazis did not like, and perhaps the worlds first industrialized genocide. Which of those ideas am I supposed to debate? Which violent eliminationism is worthy of further refutation? Is it the genocide? The demand for others land for themselves? The idea that once race is inherently superior to others and thus can oppress and murder the others at will?

See, my mothers family is Polish. By which I mean they all immigrated from Poland. Some of my uncles were old enough to have lived through the Second World War. I dont have all of the details (gee, Uncle Frank, what did you do in the war? is not a question a child asks of the obviously very angry, very damaged man who survived), but I do know that the Nazis debated with my family members and their countrymen with a bullet to their heads. Explain to me, again, why that idea is worthy of monetization? How, precisely, is a parlor debate about whether my relatives, and anyone who doesnt fit their notion of a true human, deserve to live in anyway going to refute the idea more effectively than the outcome of WWII?

Because Nazis dont respect democracy. They dont debate in good faith, and they arent interested in the give and take of a pluralistic society. They demand power and they seek to attain through violence. The idea that you can talk them down from that position is insane. All allowing them on your platform does is allow them the infrastructure necessary to spread their hate.

De-platforming works. Not all speech is deserving of support. You cannot shout fire in a crowded theater, to use the cliche, and companies make decisions all the time about what does and does not constitute acceptable speech on their platforms. Substack leadership knows both of these positions are true: they ban porn and sex workers from their platform. No, pretending that you can reason with people who wish to destroy democracy is nothing more than a disingenuous attempt to profit from pro-genocide and other anti-democratic positions while providing a fig-leaf to keep others from abandoning their platform.

There are no Nazi ideas with power. History has thoroughly refuted them to anyone who wishes to see. You are not required to give platforms to people who wish to destroy your tolerant society. But the Substack leadership obviously cares more about the money the Nazis bring them than about preserving democracy or a tolerant, pluralistic society.

As I said, I am not sure what I am going to do with this newsletter. It is a hobby. I have roughly 120 subscribers, and dont even have a paid option. Even if I did, it is unlikely I could bring in enough to pay for other services. But I do know that I am not going to play the Substack leaders game and pretend that I must take seriously the disproven ideas of the people who wish to destroy my family, my friends, and my society. No amount of money should be worth that.

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Which Nazi Ideas am I Supposed to Debate for Your Profit? - Daily Kos

Council to consider limiting powers of the mayor after removal of Confederate statue | Jax Daily Record – Jacksonville Daily Record

A discussion began Jan. 2 at the City Council Rules Committee about the extent and limits of the power of Jacksonvilles mayor that could ultimately require proposed changes being put on a ballot for the public to decide.

Council President Ron Salem, responding to Mayor Donna Deegans action to remove the Women of the Southland Confederate monument from Springfield Park on Dec. 27, called city General Counsel Michael Fackler to appear before the committee to answer questions about his offices advice to Deegan that led to the removal without consulting the Council or seeking its approval of the action.

Several times during the discussion, Salem said his concern is about Councils authority, not about the statue or whether it was appropriate for it to be displayed on city property.

I feel our powers were infringed upon, Salem said.

Salem said he plans to file legislation Jan. 3 to clarify the mayors power to authorize such an action in the future.

Many of his questions to Fackler were related to Deegan basing her decision to have the statue removed on a draft opinion from the Office of General Counsel that was neither dated nor signed, rather than a formal, final document.

Fackler said the draft was an internal document prepared by his office that was used to advise the mayor.

It was a way to get our thoughts on paper and make sure we were comfortable giving the advice, Fackler said.

The draft, a public document, was provided to the media Dec. 26, Fackler said.

Salem said he learned about the advice given to Deegan from news reports.

The media showed me a draft document I didnt know anything about, he said.

I never want to see a draft document used as long as I am on City Council.

The advice given to Deegan was based on the fact that the reported $187,000 used to pay for the statues removal came from private donations, not revenue accounted for in the city budget or the Capital Improvement Plan approved by Council.

Fackler said the advice to Deegan was based on the fact that the donations did not flow into the city budget, so the money was not in Councils jurisdiction.

The mayor was advised that we didnt see anything that would prevent her from accepting gifts to use for removal of the statue, Fackler said.

Salem asked whether Deegan or a future mayor could use private donations to remove other statues from city property, such as the statue of the late U.S. Rep. Charles Bennett in James Weldon Johnson Park.

There is a possibility it could occur again, Fackler said.

Council member Kevin Carrico asked why Council was not advised before Dec. 27 that the statue was going to be removed.

My impression is that if the removal was announced it could have created a furor and a security concern, said Bill Delaney, Council liaison for Deegan.

Council member Jimmy Peluso

Council member Jimmy Peluso said he agrees with the decision to not announce the removal before it began.

The last thing we want is for Jacksonville to be on CNN for political violence, Peluso said.

Council member Matt Carlucci said the draft opinion merely repeated what is in the city charter and the ordinance code and he supports Deegans decision to have the monument removed.

This has been a thorn in the side of Council and somebody had to take leadership, Carlucci said.

I support the strong mayor form of government. We need a strong mayor in emergencies, like a hurricane. In my opinion, the mayor overstepped herself in this case, Salem said.

Fackler advised that if any changes to the mayors power sought by Council require amending the city charter, the changes must be approved by a majority vote in a referendum. He said he will work with Salem to craft the proposed legislation.

Deegan is the second Jacksonville mayor to act to remove Confederate statues.

In June 2020, former Republican Mayor Lenny Curry committed to remove all the citys Confederate monuments and city crews worked overnight to remove a statue of a Confederate infantryman in Hemming Park south of City Hall.

In August 2020, the Council voted to change the name of the park in honor of writer and civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson.

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Council to consider limiting powers of the mayor after removal of Confederate statue | Jax Daily Record - Jacksonville Daily Record

2024 Will Be The Year I Finally Play Cyberpunk 2077 – TheGamer

The history of Cyberpunk 2077 is fraught with disappointment, anger, and backlash. After years of hyping up the games release and overpromising on gameplay mechanics, CD Projekt Red launched an infamously broken version of the game in 2020 which led to Sony delisting the game from the PlayStation store until it was fixed. Since then, the studio has been fighting an uphill battle to mend its reputation, fix the game, and get it closer to what it was always meant to be.

This has given us one of the great video game redemption stories of the decade, though many are still disappointed that the end product wasnt the same game that they were promised from the start. The Phantom Liberty expansion has been generally praised by critics and fans both, but not as much as the Cyberpunk 2.0 update. The free update reworked the skill and perk systems, added vehicle on vehicle combat, updated police AI, and more.

Now, with patch 2.1, CD Projekt Red is finally putting Cyberpunk 2077 aside. This patch will be the games last major update, adding a usable metro system to Night City, allowing radio use when on foot, and adding new vehicles, among other changes and additions. The studio will now be focusing on the next game in The Witcher series, which has likely been somewhat neglected due to the studios campaign to redeem Cyberpunk 2077.

I had no desire to play Cyberpunk 2077 until update 2.0. When it first came out, I was freshly out of university, severely underpaid at a lifestyle writing internship, and had already heard all the discourse on how broken it was and how it wasnt all it had been hyped up to be. Already short on funds and even shorter on time, I decided Id skip it until a better time came. When I had more money to spend, and when I wasnt exhausted from being overworked, Id buy it and play it, I decided. Years went by, but I just never got around to it. It still wasnt that good, there were other, better games to spend my money and time on, and besides, they were still making changes.

Finally, Cyberpunk 2077 is as complete as it will ever get, and by all accounts, its a good game even if its not perfect. Plenty of people I know have finished it, plus the expansion, and enjoyed the experience. I get paid a living wage, and part of the reason I get paid that wage is that I know things about video games, so I can justify the time I spend on the game as me doing industry research.

Mercifully, the release calendar for next year is bare. Once I finish Yakuza 6 in preparation for Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth and play that to completion, I have absolutely nothing else going on. Im not incredibly keen on any of the games coming out in the first quarter of 2024, which means I have plenty of free time to catch up on all the games Ive been dying to play but never got around to. That means I can finish all the Like A Dragon games, play tons of indies, and yes, finally play Cyberpunk 2077.

The fact that Im excited to play a game from 2020 that was panned across the board at launch is an achievement in itself on CD Projekt Reds part. I love an underdog, and I love a redemption arc Cyberpunk 2077 has gone from an industry meme to a respectable game that, at the very least, takes a decent swing at giving fans the game it was always envisioned to be. My hopes arent sky high, but Im looking forward to seeing just what it is that everybody learned to love about it. And, of course, Im looking forward to seeing Keanu Reeves.

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2024 Will Be The Year I Finally Play Cyberpunk 2077 - TheGamer

The Latest News on Meme Coins | Navigating the Meme Coin Hype in 2023 with Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Pepe Coin, and … – Finbold – Finance in Bold

This post is sponsored and not a part of Finbold's editorial content. For a full disclaimer, please . If you encounter any issues, kindly report them to [emailprotected]. Crypto assets/products can be highly risky. Never invest unless youre prepared to lose all the money you invest.

The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a surge of optimism, fueled by recent positive developments, while the ever-growing popularity of meme coins persists. These digital tokens, inspired by internet memes and cultural trends, are captivating both experienced crypto users and newcomers alike.

This article aims to demystify the world of meme coins, providing an informative overview for crypto users of all levels. Well explore the current market landscape, analyze the top contenders, and dissect the risks and potential rewards associated with these unique crypto coins.

What are Meme Coins? | Understanding the Hype

Unlike Bitcoin or other altcoins, memecoins ride the wave of humor and community. While first wave meme coins such as Dogecoin may have lacked inherent utility, more recent altcoins such as ApeMax stands out with its Boost-to-Earn staking utility, allowing coin holders to boost projects or their favorite entities and potentially earn rewards. Its important to note that while all meme coins mix blockchain and fun, they are all different from one another in many ways. In this article well explore some of these particularities of these different meme cryptos.

Meme Coin Market Overview | Current Landscape and Trends

The meme coin market has experienced explosive growth in recent years, with the total market capitalization reaching over $22 billion as of December 2023. This surge is attributed to several factors, including:

The Leading Meme Coins of 2023:

ApeMax (APEMAX)

ApeMax is exploding onto the crypto scene, grabbing peoples attention with its innovative approach to staking. This exciting new meme coin introduces Boost-to-Earn tokenomics, a revolutionary concept that lets holders potentially earn rewards while simultaneously boosting the projects theyre fans of.

Dogecoin (DOGE)

Dogecoin (DOGE) is the grandfather of all meme coins, predating the current trend by several years. Launched in 2013 as a joke, it quickly captured the hearts and minds of internet users with its Shiba Inu mascot and lighthearted approach to cryptocurrency.

Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Often called the Dogecoin killer, Shiba Inu has captured significant attention through its aggressive marketing and loyal community. SHIB has developed a wide ecosystem with several sub-tokens with specific purposes, and it has also recently launched its own Shibarium Layer-2 chain.

Pepe Coin (PEPE)

Pepe Coin is a popular new meme coin, inspired by the iconic Pepe the Frog meme. Pepe Coin implements a token burning mechanism which takes place on each on-chain transaction. This, combined with its strong community and unique branding, has propelled it to become a popular choice in the meme coin space.

What is ApeMax? | A Potential Game Changer in the Meme Coin Space?

With a rapidly growing community, ApeMax has quickly become a hot topic in presale discussions, gaining traction as a potential game-changer in the blockchain and presale space. In its current presale phase, ApeMax boasts an impressive 7,800+ token holders and a staggering 3.5 billion tokens staked. Moreover, eligible buyers during the presale can acquire exclusive discount Loot Boxes for a limited period.

Heres what makes ApeMax stand out:

ApeMax positions itself as a leader in the evolution of crypto presales and staking. Its innovative approach, combined with its passionate community and exciting features, makes it a new coin that new coin buyers are watching.

Whats The Future of Crypto Coins?

The short answer to this complex question is: its impossible to predict with certainty. Crypto is a notoriously volatile market and constantly changing, with new trends and use cases arising every year. However, 2023 has been a recovery year for crypto following a bearish year in 2023. Institutional adoption and a move into the mainstream could be in sight according to some crypto fans. For example, Paypal will soon allow its users to make transactions using cryptocurrencies, and that includes meme coins.

While the future is always unpredictable, Blockchain technology has the power to disrupt various industries, from finance and supply chain to healthcare and governance. These factors, combined with the current bullish market sentiment, could mean that 2024 could be an intriguing year for crypto with new surprises in store. As 2024 is just around the corner, larger meme coins such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu also continue to remain popular amongst meme coin fans.

Wrapping up 2023 | Positivity Towards a Bullish Market?

The meme coin market has experienced a whirlwind of activity in 2023, captivating peoples hearts and sparking discussions about the future of cryptocurrency. While volatility remains a defining feature, the year has also been marked by new developments, gearing towards a possible crypto bullrun.

Looking forward, meme coins seem likely to remain a crypto staple within the wider altcoin family. The increasing mainstream awareness, adoption by major platforms, and integration with real-world applications are creating a fertile ground for adoption. New meme coins like ApeMax, with their innovative features, are paving the way for a future where meme coins go beyond the realm of hype to offer new and creative forms of utility. It should be noted that this article doesnt serve as financial advice. Thorough personal research is crucial when engaging with meme coins or any kind of cryptocurrency. Its essential to be aware of the high risks associated as well as the volatility inherent to all crypto coins. For those interested in ApeMax coins, verify regional restrictions and buying eligibility rules on the ApeMax official website before proceeding.

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The Latest News on Meme Coins | Navigating the Meme Coin Hype in 2023 with Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Pepe Coin, and ... - Finbold - Finance in Bold

SantaCon Spent Charity Funds on Crypto, Burning Man

SantaCon claims to raise money for charity, but that apparently includes Burning Man and failed crypto investments.

SantaCon — that horrific event in which thousands of drunkards dress like Kris Kringle and descend upon New York City's bars in a boozy and ostensibly charitable push — may not be so philanthropic after all.

In an investigation, Gothamist found that over the past decade, less than a fifth of the $1.4 million the money the event's organizers have raised have gone to registered nonprofits. More than a third of those cumulative funds, meanwhile, have gone to Burning Man-affiliated organizations and individuals — and in a strange tech twist, more's even gone to questionable cryptocurrency investments.

What began as an anti-consumerist protest in San Francisco in 1994 has morphed into something far more boorish in recent years, as the NYC metropolitan area's normiest and most alcohol-oriented denizens take Manhattan to wreak havoc in red velvet. If you'd forgotten or never knew in the first place that the whole debacle is supposed to be about quote-unquote "raising money for charity," you'd be forgiven.

As the SantaCon NYC website exclaims, the proceeds from revelers' $15 tickets "will be split between the various charities listed on this page, as well as charities in line with Santa’s mission." Other than a second off-handed reference to the org's "charitable mission" on the event's press page, the website itself doesn't explicate what that mission is supposed to be.

As Gothamist reports, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that undergirds SantaCon, known as Participatory Safety, Inc., does have a mission statement: "to bring art to underserved communities." In remarks to the website, Stefan Pildes, Participatory Safety's founder and director, echoed as much.

"Our mission is to bring more art out into the world," Pildes said. "I want to continue to see more creative outlets and opportunities and more people in costume and more cheer being spread."

To that end, its largest named recipient, the makers of a documentary about unconscious or nonconsensual pelvic exams, received $66,340.

That figure pales in comparison, though, to the more than $832,000 that was nearly 60 percent of the funds SantaCon has raised since 2014, going to business expenses. According to Pildes, that figure has covered all manner of bills, from venue rentals and temporary staff fees to permits for street closures and DJs.

"It’s not a small undertaking," Piles told Gothamist.

And speaking of not-insignificant undertakings: in 2018, per the website's analysis, someone at SantaCon lost $17,498 in cryptocurrency investments, which equaled a third of its so-called charitable giving for the year. There's no telling how many shitty DJs or mediocre street vendors organizers could have paid for with that much dough.

As for the Burning Man-adjacent expenditures, Pildes had an explanation for that too. While admitting that SantaCon and Participatory Safety had spent money on multiple Burn-related art projects, he insisted that some of that cash was spent in the form of loans that were repaid.

The same year SantaCon lost so big on crypto, for instance, its nonprofit parent org spent $60,000 to rent out four floors for a post-Burn party. That was apparently a zero-interest loan, per Pildes, and saying it was repaid with a swiftness.

While legal experts Gothamist interviewed said they don't believe SantaCon or its not-for-profit parent company spent money illegally, its "charitable" nature seems fuzzy at best.

"Charities play fast and loose with how they account these things all the time," Lloyd Mayer, a Notre Dame law professor who specializes in nonprofits, told Gothamist.

More on nonprofits: There Are Now Zero Women on OpenAI's Board

The post SantaCon Spent Charity Funds on Crypto, Burning Man appeared first on Futurism.

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SantaCon Spent Charity Funds on Crypto, Burning Man

Populist gegenpressing: Why the EU shouldn’t expect Orban to back off – European Council on Foreign Relations

Just as football tactics undergo periodic reimaginings, it seems a similar trend is emerging in Hungarian politics. Before the 2019 European Parliament elections, Hungary was flooded with anti-Brussels posters featuring philanthropist George Soros, peering over the shoulder of then-European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. You have the right to know what Brussels is up to, noted the slogan. Now a fresh batch of posters has appeared, with current commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, accompanied by Soross son Alexander. The colour photos of 2019 have given way to von der Leyen and Soros in black and white, their expressions sombre, which creates an atmosphere of foreboding. The slogan is sharper and less defensive: Lets not dance to their tune, it urges.

This is in keeping with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbans strategic playbook. The poster campaigns combative and provocative style stands out within the consensus-seeking European Union. But Orban has preferred continuous attack throughout his career. Indeed, when he was re-elected as leader of the Fidesz party in November, a position he has held since 2003, he quoted a former coach of Hungarys parliamentary football team. That coach had once selected only strikers for the starting lineup, prompting Orban to ask who would defend. The coach responded, the opponent. This aphorism perfectly reflects Orbans political creed and what the EU can expect from him in the future.

Images of generations of the Soros family standing behind European Commission presidents support Orbans narrative that the EU is weak, partly because so the propaganda suggests it is controlled by a liberal speculator. In explaining this narrative, it is useful to draw a conceptual distinction. The cold-war era of state socialism saw official rhetoric differentiate between the construction of socialism and actually existing socialism. In the case of todays populist governance, it is advisable to draw a line between the construction of populism and actually existing populism, the latter being where the system is established and structures have taken flight and stabilised.

Across Europe, leaders from Poland to Italy have tried to construct populist systems; but only Orbans Hungary has reached the stage of actually existing populism. Paradoxically, it has achieved this with the EUs support. And, alongside Orbans attack-mindedness, actually existing populism can help explain why the hate ritual by poster is becoming a tradition. It can also shed light on why Orban insists on counter-pressing the EU, when another theme in his propaganda is: we are waiting for the money that Brussels owes us.

Across Europe, leaders from Poland to Italy have tried to construct populist systems; but only Orbans Hungary has reached the stage of actually existing populism

Firstly, there are structural reasons. Anti-elite sentiment is often a key feature of populism. However, in the context of populism in Hungary, where Orban has won elections with a two-thirds majority four times in a row, this sentiment could be problematic. That is, Hungarys political and economic elite is Orbans direct creation. To channel anti-elite anger, he therefore needs external actors such as the EU and Soros to blame for the countrys problems. Take Hungarys record inflation, expected to average 18.4 per cent for 2023,compared to the 5.6 per cent projection for the eurozone. Orbans propaganda claims that Brussels misguided sanctions against Russia are responsible for this, and he reinforces that message in another poster campaign.

The second reason is ideological. Orbans political success appears to have convinced him that his worldview is not only right for Hungary, but also for the rest of Europe. In this view, the EU in its present form poses a threat to Hungarys sovereignty hence Lets not dance to their tune. For him, the EU is a weak, decadent, multicultural, and ethnically diverse system on the verge of collapse. This is because the mainstream parties pursue a liberal-leftist or in Orbans vocabulary, communist agenda; while, as he put it recently: the French, Germans, Italians, and Austrians would give half their lives if they could have migrant-free countries again. So, Hungarys current interests may still favour EU membership, but Orban envisions a radical transformation of the bloc to align with his worldview.

This is all part of a larger game. Orban currently refuses to even entertain talks on Ukraines EU accession as part of the agenda at this months European Council meeting. It remains unclear whether he is attempting to build a stronger bargaining position or will hold firm on this stance. What is certain, however, is that the gegenpressing strategy is working to some extent: the European Commission could be about to release 10 billion from Hungarys blocked cohesion funds, which it had withheld due to concerns about the rule of law. It would be ironic if this support arrives from Brussels just as anti-EU posters again appear all over the streets of Budapest.

The European Council on Foreign Relations does not take collective positions. ECFR publications only represent the views of their individual authors.

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Populist gegenpressing: Why the EU shouldn't expect Orban to back off - European Council on Foreign Relations