Azoreus

I can't recall who said the following, or how it exactly was said, but it was something in the line of: Fear makes us barbarians. Maybe it sounds a little corny, but it's still relevant today in any society and is well demonstrated by the aftermatch of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US.

Well, there are too many films that I've liked to remember and make a list, but a recent favourite film I've seen is Chicken with plums. It's originally a graphic novel by Sartrapi, but I've not read it. Even though I hate to watch well-made tragic movies since I feel awful at the end, it is still a definite favourite of mine. Personally I don't like epic movies that much, so I never got into movies like LotR and star wars...

The water-service in the Helsinki region in Finland is provided by a public authority (HSY). It works well and provides a small income for the municipalities which help to fund social services. I prefer to pay to my local municipality rather than a multi-national corporation that probably doesn't even pay taxes into Finland, or even Europe. I don't see a reason why the EU would have to force every country to privatize water services. Same goes for the rail services. If there is a need to stop countries to corrupt the competition (where these services are privatized) by subsidying their own enterprises, then regulate publicly owned enterprises from operating abroad. But let each country decide itself how it wants to provide basic services. Water is not free in Finland, but social security ensures that everyone can afford water.

Whether I purchase SC5 depends entirely on how modding is introduced into the game. If there are any notable constraints to it, for instance through micro-transactions or something, then it's an automatic no-deal for me. But we'll see... I can deal with origin and the cloud-save, no problem. And some of the features seem very promising. But I really want to see modding that will let the imagination and creativity of a large and devoted player community to flourish. Currently I think it's crucial in regards to my decision to buy the game. I won't buy it at the start of the release, since the complete set is quite expensive.

That looks great Soapy. What is that seawall?

well, I can only look in awe at the stuff people are working on and hope that I'll come with similar stuff at some point, but for the moment I'm working on an early 20th-century (eastern/central//northern?) european city: Larger picture: https://i.imgur.com/pszQiPd.jpg I was planning on extending the "old city" to the shore, and probably build the newer residential south and industrial across the river. I probably should start with the big outlines, but it always drifts to making one part of the city to the details at a time

The videos of the meteor are amazing and beautiful, almost wish it had blown over Finland. Perhaps the reason why it wasn't spotted was because it might have come to earth on a free ride behind the 2012 DA 14?

On slavery, it is indisputable that the British outlawing slavery within the entire commonwealth has contributed the most to ending slavery (even though it still does occur). Not only did the law effectively end it within the empire, but it also put forward the idea that every man is free. It's silly to argue that America had contributed significantly to the end of slavery when it simply ended in their country after a civil-war, and when the oppression of the blacks continued even after the second world war, unheard of in Europe. What one cannot dispute as well, is that America has been one of the strongest (in terms of military and economy) countries starting from the 20th century, and that a free market has significantly contributed to that. This, however, has little to do with arguing against the type of socialism that has been practiced in the Nordic countries of Europe.

It is practically impossible to begin to argue whether Capitalism prevails over Socialism, or the other way around. While Capitalism has quite a clear definition (small government, free ownership, democracy [in general]), socialism includes everything from the economic planning by the Soviet Union to the European socialism with free market yet a government that ensures social justice. In between you also have China, with a free entrepreneurship (except in heavy industries, harbours and such) yet a totalitarian government that can jump in between whenever it sees fit. I personally do believe that a free market is essential. A state cannot through X-year-plans create an efficient market, instead private entrepreneurship is what in general takes best care that the demand and supply of goods meet each other. There has never been a successful planned economy, they've always failed. But on the other hand there must be a government that controls certain sectors, and which through progressive taxation creates a socially more unanimous and fair society. The government should take care that the poor have equally good chances to fulfill themselves as those who are richer. Free education and health-care are amongst other public services which can ensure that. One clear mistake that has been done in the name of liberalism and capitalism was giving the banking sector free hands. Before the 80's (when globalization was really put forward) the banks couldn't loan out money just how they wanted. Officials monitored that the risks the banks took weren't too big, so that the depositors wouldn't lose all their money. This was demolished during the 80's and 90's in the US (under Bush the elders time, I believe), in Europe and other industrialized countries. Now, as the banks' risk-taking isn't regulated at all, the banks throughout the western world are collapsing and have collapsed when they've taken huge risks (such as the Sub-prime mortages in the US, ). This inevitably means hard times for tax-payers and the government. In Iceland the banks caused the entire island's collapse! So capitalism or socialism? Both, I suppose.