Lithium batteries aren't good for smoke detectors because their voltage drops off much more quickly than alkaline batteries. That means the low battery chirping sound will only last a short amount of time before the battery dies.

Companies often get around this requirement by writing the position's requirements to specifically match the H1B candidate's resume. The odds of getting another candidate with the exact same skill set are astronomical. I have witnessed this practice in person.

I can't disagree with this statement more. Business is about competition. Companies play these games because if they don't, their competitors will. If you make it illegal, and enforce it, the competitive landscape remains level. Everyone's costs go up. Sure, the costs will get passed on to the consumer. However, the company won't lose business, or market share won't be impacted.

The only downside is the risk of imported "goods" (I use this term loosely as it could be a service as well) from a competitor based overseas. We saw this in the manufacturing sector in the past. However, I'm not sure that would apply to other fields.

That reminds me, houses don't have solariums anymore. Not one of those crappy things they used to attach to Burger Kings. A proper room to put plants. I want one of those.

I'm against burglar alarms. They just alert you that your stuff has been stolen. I want closed circuit television cameras so I can get a picture of those bastards to give to the police!

There should be a name for this room. I know! A water closet!

I believe it isn't approved in the US over concerns with fire safety. Something about lining your walls with hydrocarbons doesn't sit well with some people...

They probably just have to do some demonstrations that prove it isn't more flammable than traditional drywall.

I would try to get my heating and cooling costs as low as possible. Something similar to the Passivhaus standard. I might not be strict to the standard if the cost benefit becomes too extreme. I would probably also use some sort of geothermal system as well.

When the power goes out, it would be nice to have some sort of battery backup and/or renewable source of electricity on hand. I also like the EPA certified wood stoves that are now available, like those made by Quadra-fire. They're much more efficient than old fashioned stoves, and don't require electricity. However, their output is likely too high for a house that meets the Passivhaus standard.

What can I say, I work in the energy field. Saving energy is fun to me.

Stingray phone tracking has been going on in secret for a while now. Even by some local police departments.

Verizon is forcing Lollipop on me in the US. I know I'm mad about it. Maybe some middle ground would be to offer a disclaimer like, "this software is buggy, update at your own risk." Of course, no one reads those anyway. People just click "Ok".

Yes! and go to Bogleheads.org

Low cost index funds are the way to go. "Financial adviser" is just a fancy term for salesman. They don't act in your best interest, they are getting a commission on what they sell you. Your chances of beating the market are very slim, your best bet is to keep costs down. Read Bogleheads.org They are a great resource!

I don't know, the University of Chicago doesn't have much experience with nuclear reactors.

Actually, there are professional engineering licenses in many US states. They are only really only valuable in the civil engineering field. As an ME, I sat for the "Fundamentals of Engineering" (FE) exam. Passing that exam allowed me to register as an "engineer in training". However, I've found that certification carries little to no value in my field, and so I never went on to get my PE.

I suspect most H1-B candidates went to school in the US under student visas. They likely have taken the FE exam as well, so I doubt it would have much impact.

Here is a link to the data Go compare salaries somewhere with a lower cost of living.