If ten doctors tell me I'll die in a year and I don't, and they keep saying next year for sure, by year 10, I'm not going to take them seriously.

I can go to the nearest WorstBuy and get any Windows machine. Or I can go into the Mac section and get an OSX box. But where are the Ubuntu machines? If I want Linux, I either have to hunt for it on the internet or install it myself, and 99% of the public can't/won't do the later.

I've seen rents on not very decent apartments in Missouri, of $500-600, so I figure about 1,000 if you want decent. At least twice that in California or New York.

Does it count when I fall asleep during those boring meetings at work?

Does that help with RSI, or does it add more wrist stress?

These days, they'd be better off asking that en espanol. :p

When I started my job, one of the programmers had a philosophy degree. I never worked with him, but my mentor told me that he was the best programmer he'd ever known.

An average family could buy an average house, an average car, and raise 2 average kids. These days, you have to be well off to buy a decent car, rich to buy an average house, and who can afford kids! Yes, even poor people have cool toys, but they're probably playing on their cellphones while begging on the street.

That should handle a few houses at California prices, but not many.

Moderate incomes, maybe. But there are all sorts of fees if you have less than a certain amount in there. The people who think 35K/year is a lot of money are the ones getting screwed by banking fees.

Here's the other side.

In some parts of the country, you don't have to spend 6 figures to buy a house. I have a good house for 1/4 of what you paid, though I will admit that the neighborhood can charitably described as "questionable". Repairs are a PITA, but I don't have them every month and I can often delay them if I'm in a financial pinch.

Also, $500-600 a month will get a house comparable to mine, or a 1-2 bedroom apartment with fleas. Plus I have freedom to do what I want to the house.

I will also say that I was at my previous house for 23 years and I might be here a similar time. If I planned to be there a shorter period, that would swing the scales toward renting. I can see why people prefer to own. I can also see why some people prefer to rent. Situations vary.

Might be hard to do if he lives in California and his power is still out.

Yeah, and that's why Trump is in and will be for another 4.

TBF, it's hard to fix all of the third world countries.

"Sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice".