Now it is real (although limited in scope to creative projects):
http://www.kickstarter.com/
It's interesting, although now that I see it in action it feels too much like people begging for money. "Help fund my album." Many of the dreams seem self-serving, rather than other-serving.
I was also sad to see that while people are willing to over-fund a comic book based on a video game, a mural for the children's wing of a hospital doesn't even have a dollar.
People need to dream bigger and better dreams.
