Would you want a screen that's in danger of being crushed by a dwarf?

Ok, I had the prices of electricity completely wrong. Apparently I pay around 9 US cents per kWh. I thought it was three times that.

Plugging in the numbers, the 7750, which is the most energy efficient of the GPUs listed, needs a $25 price to break even if the hardware is free. That assumes a $0.15/kWh energy price, so if the majority has electricity in the 7-12 cents/kWh range you might be right.

I just checked a comparison of mining hardware and a mining profitability calculator. In essence, with the current prices ($120 last checked), GPUs are no longer profitable but a dedicated ASIC will pay itself back in less than a year even at $3/bitcoin.

Incidentally, I just realized how space based solar power could transfer the energy down to Earth. Just mine bitcoins in space, transfer them down and buy the electricity here.

They are probably mined as much as is economical to do. The main sign that this is happening is that mining without the latest generation of GPU is uneconomical. Any short term speculation that drives the price higher just makes it a better deal to mine more.

At the other end it's easy to imagine a situation where bitcoins aren't useful enough to be worth mining and the price drops below the cost to make them. As long as they're convenient for illegal transactions this won't happen.

I was going to just mod you up, but I had to personally commend you on being the first Slashdot troll ever to post in Dutch with a Canadian accent. Good job!

I'm not familiar with Aussie social security, but I assume you get some money if you have no other income. If you put the "new" minimum income at the same level and just adjust taxes to compensate, it wouldn't cost a cent.

Do realize that a minimum income isn't just randomly extra money that would need to be paid for with current taxes. You can always adjust the taxes to compensate.

We aren't the world, we aren't the children
We aren't the ones who make a brighter day
So lets stop giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
Ain't true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

I'd love to have something that could tell me the blood sugar level in real time. Alcohol level could be cool too, for getting that elusive perfect steadily rising drunkenness without blackouts or vomiting.

Honestly, this is not a bad idea. The sanctions can work if the population sees real effects of the governments actions.

And do you think the US will have high speed rail by 2033, let alone a man on Mars?

Thank you

In practice it's about restrictions on at what time of day you can show TV programs that have age limits. Dunno how widely it's possible to interpret.

Animal porn and violent porn are already illegal in Finland. Violent porn is obviously not completely undefined but it may be a bit unclear. I found a blog in Finnish with some references to clarifications. Violent porn that is "playful" or shows explicit consent is legal.

Section 12 - Freedom of expression and right of access to information

Everyone has the freedom of expression. Freedom of expression entails the right to express, disseminate and receive information, opinions and other communications without prior prevention by anyone. More detailed provisions on the exercise of the freedom of expression are laid down by an Act. Provisions on restrictions relating to pictorial programmes that are necessary for the protection of children may be laid down by an Act.

Documents and recordings in the possession of the authorities are public, unless their publication has for compelling reasons been specifically restricted by an Act. Everyone has the right of access to public documents and recordings.