Sorry, I'm commenting to remove a bad mod (I'm sure I didn't click Redundant).

I love the idea of intercontinental hobos though. Containership Willy, riding the currents. Would their bindles be low power outboards?

Very true. I was told by a Holywood producer that a Holywood movie should have the following structure or forget it -

The hero must try to overcome their 'problem' three times. The first two times he must fail, but the failures allow him to learn and grow as a character. Thus he succeeds in the last desperate attempt.

You don't? That's sad really and I guess explains why they get away with it.

I'm playing OpenTTD (http://www.openttd.org). I played Simutrans a few (many?) years back and it was good, but the concepts are so different from Transport Tycoon that I find it hard to pick up when ever I try - it hurts my head because its similar yet so different.

I love the optimisation aspects of openTTD - maximising the throughput on busy lines and stations - the money aspect I couldn't care less about and always give myself a few hundred million when I start. I think I'll be playing it till the day I die.

But if you go back further, to pre-industrial times peoples work was slower with many more holidays - http://groups.csail.mit.edu/ma...

It keeps getting suggested that pre-industrial people worked longer hours but the evidence just doesn't back that up. http://groups.csail.mit.edu/ma...

Wish I had mod points for you, but this matches my feelings. Its one reason I have left the world of 'IT' recently and started a company well away from technology (well, a franchise) where I work in the morning and prospect for work in the afternoon when I want to. Money is tight at the moment but I'd never go back even if I have to live off left-over rice.

Many argue that our pre-industrial ancestors actually worked less - http://groups.csail.mit.edu/ma...

If you like your work (or money) enough that you want to spend your whole waking life doing it then all kudos to you. For many of us though money isn't everything, and doing anything for 40 (+) hours a week, week in and week out, just isn't our ideal life style choice.

I wouldn't be that surprised if he was. I know its a cliche but I still suspect that the most anti-gay are really grappling with their own hidden feelings and (unjustified) self loathing. Otherwise why would they care so much?

How I wish I had mod points today, although not sure if I'd mod it funny or insightful ;)

I'm no Bitcoin apologist (couldn't care less either way). However -

"Scots cafe becomes first to accept online currency Bitcoin as payment

13 Jan 2014 00:01
THE Brooklyn Cafe, in Glasgow's Shawlands, is the first restaurant in Scotland to allow customers to settle their bills using the internet-based digital currency system, which is faster than using traditional debit or credit card."

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-cafe-becomes-first-accept-3015672

Which bit? As far as I can see we still have feudalism, where an elite control the means of production.

Let's see -

Feudal England - the wealth is controlled by an elite 1% of the population
USSR - the wealth is controlled by an elite 1% of the population
Modern USA - the wealth is controlled by an elite 1% of the population

Don't get me wrong, I'd rather not be violently oppressed, but I sure do think we could do better.

Well I suspect many people in the world would be happy not to receive a salary if their needs were covered (and by needs I mean food, reasonable luxuries, a regular standard of living). For Marx is wasn't the peasants that would rise up and create a communist utopia - it was the middle class that would evolve into one.

I find it quite sad that you would see this as a goal where food is effectively free (or a "gimme" as you said).

Personally I'd rather do away with money if money wasn't a 'requirement' for buying food.

I think you'll find that 99% of the populace see work as the only way they have to get the stuff they need to live (and the stuff they want to make life enjoyable).