kipo
Encourage your friends to commit to leaving if they have the means to do so. Within your friends’ lifetimes, the USA will never get better than it is right now (and overall it’s unprecedentedly bad right now).
To OP’s question: I don’t really consider their aunt’s ownership of a few houses to be a practical problem, and she is generally not who I am referring to when I say that landlords are terrible parasites, unless she overcharges (and no, I don’t mean above market rate) or treat the tenants with disrespect. She was told her whole life that investing in real estate is a smart thing to do and provides financial security.
The problem is with lack of regulations, such as how many buildings someone is allowed to own, corporate ownership, rent prices…things like that.
I backed the PS version of a game three years ago and they released it for PC but not for PlayStation. They still claim the PS release is coming. I don’t believe them, so I pirated the PC version.
Crowdfunding is scammy. You aren’t actually buying anything and have few rights or consumer protections. Stay away.
Media licensing has been the greatest boost to profits for Lego while simultaneously causing a shift away from creative/imaginative building. Meaning, more people (adults) than ever are buying lego sets but they build what’s on the box and then it sits on a shelf forever, instead of modifying the initial build or taking it apart and making something new.
I’m not trying to criticize anyone’s hobby, and I too have purchased an expensive licensed lego set, built it, and let it collect dust on my shelf. It’s such an expensive way to get or build a model of something though. I much prefer making my own creations. And i could take apart this cool, big, expensive batmobile, but I don’t because it reminds me of a movie i like. Contrast this with my lego space sets, which i took apart almost immediately after building in order to build an even cooler, bigger space station with.
It is absolutely horrible and unethical to make money on misfortune of others.
It’s not just making money on the misfortune of others; it’s active and intentional cruelty on the most vulnerable people who are the least able to fight back. It’s active choices that hurt these people, bankrupt them, or send them to their deaths, all for maximizing profits.
It’s cruel, it’s inhumane, it’s vile, and ALL the US health insurance companies do it. They are all guilty of these crimes against humanity.
“I’m sorry, we don’t currently have a code for ‘face intentionally ripped off by black bear’, so your claim was auto-denied.“
“I’m sorry, since you can still breathe and eat, your appeal of our initial denial was rejected, as the facial reconstructive procedures are considered ‘cosmetic’ in this case.”
“I’m sorry, your second level appeal of our denial was rejected because, in the year and a half it took to get this far, we changed the laws in our favor and are no longer required to cover the procedures and care required for your condition. It’s also nearly impossible to successfully sue us because we have infinitely more money than you and have congress in our pocket. Thank you for paying your ever-increasing premiums for absolutely minimal coverage.”