Up to about the 1980s, the popular magazines used to frequently run cartoons with ragged-looking people holding up 'It's the END OF THE WORLD!!!!' signs. Guess they ran out of variants on that joke. But Doomsday Prophets have been around for centuries (some made big money from it) ... and yet ... here we all are.

We humans like to scare ourselves, but observation seems to show that it's not a big worry. Will it all end, sure, some day. When? NOBODY KNOWS. Carpe diem, my friend ... seize the day. And go ahead and make plans and execute them. Save your worry time for the little things that are inevitable.

Me too! (I can only wish I could hear the Carlin version.)

Glad to hear that! I've got that problem too! Sometimes it takes hours to find the way out ... hours free of social media, boring or horrifying news (real or fake) ... today it was the Medici family history ...

Great film... and nobody but Robin could have done that scene so well. Phew.

IMO owning an unoccupied house thats off-market, or prohibitively-priced is probably a gambling chip.

IF there are ANY families in the same county that are homeless, it should begin being taxed as a gambling-chip. Sell-it very soon or it may used for a free shelter for however it remains unoccupied by the owner.

It's my opinion that housing is so basic a need that no house should be allowed to use for a gambling chip.

The 'housing market' needs to be broken in favor of individual ownership. (For many, speculation has driven ownership out of reach.)

Only individuals may purchase individual homes, and must agree to occupy them as their primary and only residences until they sell and vacate them. (Live-in landlords included, e.g. boarders.)

As part of the deal, they must first find another individual buyer (under the same terms) for their present home.

(Futher stipluations needed, but none that permit violation of the above principle. )

"We don't pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes." - Leona Helmsley. (~ 1989)

(Convicted of extortion; sentenced to 16 years; released after months.) Her husband's death left her with the Helmsley hotels, the Helmsley Palace and the Empire State Building. (Yes, that one.)

Hmm. Sure, Vlad. Wait: how much will that pay, per child per month?

Guess not, Gnome desktops have nothing on them.

MANY products have seen slow shrinkage over the last decade. 16>13 oz. chip bags, 13 cookies instead 16 .... That candy bar that used to be 3" across is now 2.5 " across? Result: 2/3 of the surface area = 50% more profit. The price stays the same and they hope you don't notice how much less you're getting. Another side of this is the drop in the quality of ingredients.

I ... don't get it. What is the purpose of a tax writeoff? Suppose it saves them money this year. But they lose a much larger profit. Is it being saved for later when their fortunes are lower?

While YT is playing its games, I've found a half-dozen other ways to get at the videos. Very educational. I'm thinking they are learning a whole bunch about what people think of their way-too-aggressive approach ... and how people usually respond to that behavior.