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[–] 65 points 1 year ago (5 children)
  • [–] 15 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_ray_visual_phenomena

    Cosmic ray visual phenomena, or light flashes (LF), also known as Astronaut's Eye, are spontaneous flashes of light visually perceived by some astronauts outside the magnetosphere of the Earth, such as during the Apollo program. While LF may be the result of actual photons of visible light being sensed by the retina,[1] the LF discussed here could also pertain to phosphenes, which are sensations of light produced by the activation of neurons along the visual pathway.[2]

    Researchers believe that the LF perceived specifically by astronauts in space are due to cosmic rays (high-energy charged particles from beyond the Earth's atmosphere[3]), though the exact mechanism is unknown. Hypotheses include Cherenkov radiation created as the cosmic ray particles pass through the vitreous humour of the astronauts' eyes,[4][5] direct interaction with the optic nerve,[4] direct interaction with visual centres in the brain,[6] retinal receptor stimulation,[7] and a more general interaction of the retina with radiation.[8]

    The main shapes seen are "spots" (or "dots"), "stars" (or "supernovas"), "streaks" (or "stripes"), "blobs" (or "clouds") and "comets". These shapes were seen at varying frequencies across astronauts. On the Moon flights, astronauts reported seeing the "spots" and "stars" 66% of the time, "streaks" 25% of the time, and "clouds" 8% of the time.[10] Astronauts who went on other missions reported mainly "elongated shapes".[9] About 40% of those surveyed reported a "stripe" or "stripes" and about 20% reported a "comet" or "comets". 17% of the reports mentioned a "single dot" and only a handful mentioned "several dots", "blobs" and a "supernova".

    A reporting of motion of the LF was common among astronauts who experienced the flashes.[9] For example, Jerry Linenger reported that during a solar storm, they were directional and that they interfered with sleep since closing his eyes would not help. Linenger tried shielding himself behind the station's lead-filled batteries, but this was only partly effective.[11]

    There are a lot of not-immediately-obvious benefits to being on Earth.

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  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Drug-free hallucinations for no additional charge? Hell yeah! 😃

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  • [–] 24 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Ireland, hands down. I've been twice, and both times I've been absolutely enamored with the country. I'm from the Midwest, so a lot of it is probabky just the differences and the fact I'm on vacation. But the castles and walkabke cities, and rolling hills, and so much green instead of brown or yellow! I'm also a fantasy nerd, so I'm a sucker for anything that can have a medieval spin.

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  • [–] 36 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    Well if money is no object, I'm guessing I'm a sociopathic billionaire in this scenario. With that in mind, I'm going to live in Manhattan. Specifically, in a home that flaunts wealth in the greatest act of poor taste imaginable. I will buy up and bulldoze an entire block of dense Manhattan real estate. Then, surrounded by skyscrapers on all sides, I'll live in a mobile home with a block-wide chain link fence around the property. There will be at least three cars on blocks in the yard.

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  • [–] 31 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    There are more issues like language and culture which might be bigger issues, but yeah money can fix some of them.

    I think I would like to live in a different country every couple of years, to experience many different ones.

    For now I lived in:

    • Poland 11 years
    • Germany 15 years
    • Sweden 15 years
    • South Korea 5 years

    And the most surprising thing is how little real difference there is between them.

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  • [+] -17 points 1 year ago (3 children)
    • Poland 11 years

    Not a car-culture country.

    • Germany 15 years

    Not a car-culture country.

    • Sweden 15 years

    Not a car-culture country.

    • South Korea 5 years

    Not a car-culture country.

    Þese are all countries where most people can walk to do basic shopping. I suspect þis plays a huge part in þe similarities.

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  • [–] 14 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

    Just because these countries are much more walkable than other countries doesn't mean they don't have a massive car culture.

    Germany and cars are the equivalent of Americans and guns. And Poland has a growing car culture that definitely gets overlooked

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  • [–] 14 points 1 year ago

    I love it when people think Europe is this car-less utopia... Cities usually have excellent public transport, but in the countryside you still have to drive to get your groceries. Hell, there aren't even sidewalks on half the roads here, just pavement-ditch-field.

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  • [–] -4 points 1 year ago

    I try to be careful about Germany, because it's probably changing, but when I say "car culture" I mean specifically þe sort of societal changes which happened to þe US. Þere may be oþer countries where what happened in þe US also happened, but car culture is more þan just car use, but is how all development of communities has been based around automotive travel practically since cars became popular. To be a car culture, you have to

    • have developed residential areas entirely cut off from shopping
    • have almost no or only rudimentary public transportation in most urban cities
    • have no practical way to travel between most urban areas

    Car culture is drive-in movie þeaters. It's drive-in restaurants. It's sprawling suburbs wiþ no local shopping. Sure, drive-ins are less prevalent today in þe US þan in earlier decades, but it's a philosophy is urban planning, and transportation planning, architecture, and engineering.

    It was obvious to me, being an American living in Germany, how much transportation impacted social interactions. It was probably þe biggest single source of culture shock for me. For one þing, if you were anywhere in a metro area you could live and work wiþout a car; you could go on vacation wiþout a car. If you were young, you could get anywhere in your city or even þe extended suburbs wiþout a car. I knew so many 20-someþing's in Munich who didn't own a car. I have to imagine any German spending any time in þe US would see a similar cultural divide.

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  • [–] 15 points 1 year ago* (1 child)

    New Zealand

    Edit; although there's a strong case that has been made for Canada recently, proximity to my own powder keg of a country scares.

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  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago

    Probably Finland, Iceland, or Norway.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago

    Somewhere in Scandinavia

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    My own country (the UK).

    That's a weird response to the question, given that I do currently reside here. However, I don't feel like I'm doing much living. There's so much more that I could be doing if I wasn't constantly struggling for money

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • [+] 7 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    just as a counterpoint, I live in the forest and it would take a very, very serious problem for me to even consider moving to a small town. nonetheless a city.

    we lived in a bunch of different countries and a bunch of different cities over the last 15 years and I intended to never live in another city again.

    having the forest friends follow me around as I do morning chores is how life was meant to be. if I could just find a way to stretch that into my whole day I'd be the happiest man on Earth.

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    [–] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    TLDR, most likely Canada, but honestly, I wanna travel around a bit first before actually settling down.

    Hmm honestly I wanna just live in Taiwan for like maybe a year or two just to see how different it is from mainland China. Relearn Mandarin (Traditional writing systen is probably gonna be a pain in the ass tho).

    Then um...

    See, if money wasn't an issue, I'm probably gonna try get some sort of Diplomatic Immunity thing from a western country (so I don't get arrested in case PRC government found out about my political views) and then visit mainland China, I'll visit Guangzhou and visit where I used to live to see if that helps with the childhood trauma I've endured there. (or it might backfire, but it's worth a try if I can safely enter the country). Probably visit my parents villages, see if it bring up any memories from when I was a kid. Then leave quickly before anyone recognize me (because I hate the idea of them being like "Oh is that [father/mother]'s Second Son? You came back to visit from America? How are you?... etc...." nah fam, sorry don't wanna talk lol, too much social anxiety, I'm just here for nostalgia, I'm gonna gtfo soon after.)

    Then I'll go to Hong Kong, I have very faint memories of being there as a kid, I have seen photos me being there, but I can't really remember much. I'll see if I could bring up some memories.

    Then I'll probably wanna live in like Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Norway, Finland, UK, each for like maybe 6 months to a year. These are countries I just always had in the back of my mind for some reason.

    Then after this sort of "world tour", I'll just chill in Canada, get a bunker and suvivak supplies in case. But since money isn't an issue, I'd be doing a lot of lobbying. I'm probably being hypocritical if I had a lot of money then funding progressive policies, but whatever.

    See, Canada is very multicultural just like America, a lot of ethnic Chinese, so I'd fit in fine. But the most important thing is, no guns for most people. And as I rich dude, I could just get an exemption very easily (yes I know, peak hypocrisy lolol). Canadians seem much less crazy with the mass shootings. Europe seems fine too, much they seem less diverse because they aren't much of immigration countries, I mean I wouldn't really call myself a "German" or a "French" even if I get citizenshop there, because those are actual ethnicities, but I could call myself Canadian if I got citizenship. As for the US wealth tax thing... bro I'm still keeping the Citizenship, I'll just do what rich people do, not pay the taxes lolol.

    To summarize: Canada, very maple syrup, very cool.

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago

    Visa requirements seem to be less of an issue the more money you have. That being said, I'm going to space

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    If money was no object, I'd stay here in Sweden, and I would probably buy a farm mannor in need of renovation.

    I'd have the main building carefully renovated to preserve the herritage but modernize it, I imagine the property having a stable or other large old storage barn, I'd gut as much of the interior as possible, keeping the exterior look and build a "man barn", basically make it an entire man cave, I mean a combined area for hobbies, a small LAN party corner, air rifle sooting range, full racing sim, full flight sim, electronics workbench, a separate room for dirtier hobbies like wood/metal working with separate ventilation, but with a glass wall between the areas, top floor of the barn would jave several guest rooms with a separate external access, I would also dig an underground tunnel between the mannor house and the barn, with a deep cellar for extra storage

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    Not worrying about money or visa?

    .... Like. Tierra del Fuego. Or one of those remote areas of Canada/Alaska

    Basically a cold, cold place that rarely sees heat. I detest heat.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    I'd give New Zealand a go. I lived in Australia for a while and liked it for the most part but what I heard of NZ made me think I'd like it even better.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago

    Buenos Aires. But its not visas or money that's stopping me, it's their mini Trump president.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

    If I am being realistic, probably Berlin, Brussels, or Paris (maybe also Frankfurt). Specifically these cities, not anywhere else in the associated countries

    I'm using the following metrics (and possibly some personal bias):

    • A highly developed region that is internationally well-connected and has a strong passport... which leaves us with parts of Europe and some Asian countries. I'm personally excluding UK because of Brexit
    • OP didn't mention that "culture weren't an issue", so sadly most of Asia/Scandinavia/Central Europe are out due to difficulty for outsiders to integrate... and among the rest, choices are limited to large, diverse cities that are easy to integrate
    • A place that is resilient to climate change, so the entirety of the Netherlands is out (or maybe I just hate NL)

    The conclusion is that I should really get aggressive at learning French and German now just in case

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    That's interesting because in my limited experience, Berlin and Frankfurt are verrry different cities within the context of Germany. Personally, as a foreigner looking to integrate, I would pick Berlin 100%, but maybe that's just me.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago

    Estonia – yes, I’d have a hell of a time with the language, but EU citizenship and politics that don’t sound completely fucked are really appealing

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago

    If we're including borderline fantasy options, a private Zeppelin might be neat...

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I don't know if I'd want to stay there forever, but a house in a settlement or very much in the wild would be great. Nobody around you, but nature. Somewhere close enough to the poles for it to snow in winter.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    I'd stay in Canada as long as I could travel someplace warm for a couple of months in the winter.

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  • Estonia. Nearly all government services are done online and people there are in control of their data.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Switzerland (Fribourg) or Norway, I'd try each before making a final decision.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Haha why specifically Fribourg? I was there a whiles, it's cute and livable I suppose, but got dull very fast.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Politically the area leans pretty left, as opposed to the majority of Switzerland which is rather right-leaning. I've never lived there of course, so maybe I'd end up hating it, but with how things are going in Europe generally, the list of places where people share the same general ideas is getting smaller and smaller. Also, I speak French, so there's that aha.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    That probably helps a lot. I hoped to get "in" with the small alternative crowd but the language got in the way, I guess. I do still think they suffer from the same Swiss syndrome of just not being very open to newcomers. And they all go to bed at midnight haha.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Yeah speaking the language is essential. The Swiss are very protective of their culture, without a doubt, but I live very close to them so I'm pretty used to their way of thinking.

    And I'm an early riser to boot, so no problems there!

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Likely stay in my own country (Latvia)

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Scotland. Preferably Highlands but really anywhere in Scotland

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  • Somewhere close enough to the equator do have a decent amount of sun all year. But also close enough to mountains with snow and lakes and oceans. Then I would build a massive climate controlled dome. From that dome I would build high speed trains forme to get to the other places in about 15 minutes. I don’t like humidity or too much heat, but I do like a lot of sun and water. Snow is great for hot tubbing.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    Ireland is looking nice, or Scotland if they ever decide to free themselves from the Empire.

    Spain is also near the top.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    Canada would be nice, more specifically the Vancouver area since I have friends out there. Maybe some European country like the UK.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    Nowhere, I'd travel. If money was endless I would be happily homeless because we could travel in style.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Ive heard nice things about Amsterdam, though there's the obvious caveat that the impression the internet gives of a place is rarely an accurate picture of how a place actually is.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    A good friend moved there a couple years ago. It really is a nice place.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    My current house. The problem is moreso about distance to friends and family than money and visa.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    If language was also not a problem, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, Australia, Norway, Brazil, maybe Hong Kong.

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  • Somewhere in the pacific. I love coral reefs and sailing

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    If money & visa requirements weren't an issue, I'd never live in ONE place. I'd be traveling the world all the time.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    About three quarters of a mile northeast of where I live now.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    If money is no object then I wouldn't stay put in one place, and I would probably also get an yash and stay in the high seas from time to time

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago
    [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Where I live now, Uppsala in Sweden, but in a fancier apartment, closer to downtown, with a proper garage.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    I like it here where I live. But if i had to go somewhere else I'd probably be Switzerland. Why you ask? Cuckoo clocks.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Just outside Inverness Scotland. Sadly. It will never happen.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago
    [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    I'd stay where I am. Nothing that's wrong in my life is because of where I live so I wouldn't expect things to be different elsewhere. Only thing that I don't like here is the long and cold winter but I don't think I'd appreciate summer the same way without it. Life needs contrast.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Norway. No question.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    I'd have to spend a long time travelling just to find the answer to this question.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    In a different part of this same city. I have children who have lives that I cannot break by moving away from here just now.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Italy! I like that they have kept their culture and their mentality which is so rich, diverse, profound and just overall positive. Italians are also so open and friendly!

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  • In the same part of the world, but closer to the heart of the city

    I love how peaceful and quiet it is where I live, but if money was no object I could have the same thing but with all the fun things to do on my doorstep

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    The South Pacific on a true blue water catamaran.

    Bounce around as many islands as I possibly could.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I'd start thinking about which country to move to if racism wasn't also an issue.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Canadian here, I’d stay in my country. But with that being said, not where I currently am for sure. If by money not being an issue you mean I don’t need to look for a job, then I’d build a house in rural Newfoundland right on the ocean. If I have to look for a job but just don’t need to worry about housing expenses, then a nice house, oceanfront, probably BC. Not a major city, I hate big cities, but if I need work then I’d go somewhere close to a big enough city that I could find work no problem. Being able to see the water when I wake up in the mornings would be a necessity in this hypothetical scenario. I’d prefer the ocean but could do a Great Lake too if need be.

    I don’t work in a field where it’s possible to work from home but if I did then I guess the same situation as not needing a job, as I can remote work in that case.

    That’s just what I’d want though. Realistically, I have my wife and daughter to think about too. Raising a child isn’t easy and having support from my parents and hers has been very helpful, so I’d probably stay where I am, just in a nice house. There’s some smaller bodies of water near me, or larger bodies of water not too far away, so lakefront in my general area probably.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Buy decently sized boat just sail every wich way . Tꝏ much world out there to stay 1️⃣ place

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Switzerland. It's got enough bunkers to protect the population during WW3, for starters.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Scandinavia sounds really nice

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Here. And they are not.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I haven't been to many countries/cities, but from where I was, I think London. I was truly enamored by it, it's a beautiful, walkable city with so much greenery, good public transport, and isn't too high up north.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    Probably Jamaica, but I'm open to suggestions.

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  • Where I live now. Imperial Beach, California.

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  • Barcelona was pretty awesome. I think I'd start there, maybe with a ski cabin right on a swiss mountain.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    toronto. im a city boy and I like its setup so this is not a canada thing even though canada would be a big step up. I also do like having four seasons. Money wise the big thing would be to live in a hirise connected to a transit station in the heart.

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