Bob

I’m not the person you are replying to, but I do wonder what “third world countries” you are thinking of when you hear “Western Europe”?

As someone who has lived in both the US and Germany (one of those “third world countries” with significantly lower health care cost, for both humans and animals) and who has seen the benefits and drawbacks of both countries - it’s completely delusional if you actually believe that someone who is supposedly living paycheck to paycheck is getting better health care in the US. The German system certainly has its flaws, but it beats the US in just about every sensible metric (accessibility, cost, life expectancy, infant mortality etc.), usually quite significantly so. The US does a solid number of things better than other countries, entrepreneurship and innovation for example, but health care absolutely isn’t among those things.

What’s new to me (I had no exposure to the veterinary health care system during my time in the US) is that the inflated fantasy prices aren’t limited to humans only, but extend to pets as well. Anesthesia and extensive wound care, antibiotics, aftercare etc. are pretty standard therapies and they should cost little over a tenth of what you were quoted for your typical house cat.

You honestly might want to shop around, because even within the US, those rates are almost certainly inflated.

I don’t think the downvotes are warranted. That is an exorbitant amount for the planned vet procedure OP describes.

Vet rates in Germany, for example, are regulated and wound care under anesthesia is pretty standard treatment. Even with multiple, complicated wounds, a round of antibiotics, extensive after care, this would be a three digit bill - while likely more than 200€, it would still be far closer to that number than OP’s tenfold quote…

Heck, even surgery for a complicated fracture wouldn’t come close to the 2000€ mark and can often stay below 1000€.

We are all aware that the US healthcare system works with ridiculously inflated fantasy prices, but that this extends to veterinary care is news to me.

Do not taunt Superhappyfunland!

an x64 laptop that can run anything

That used to be true, but simply is no longer the case. Commercial streaming services are heavily restricting how and what you can output on your x64 PC.
You’re not only getting far better platform and format compatibility on your cheap Google TV or Fire TV stick, you’re also getting the far better apps and overall user experience.

That’s also nothing stopping you from installing Firefox on these devices or pairing a mouse with them, if you desperately need “browser plugins” and an less sofa compatible input device for whatever you’re doing in your living room.

That’s a clunky, ugly and pricey solution that’s not suitable for 99% of all people.

Just get a cheap Google TV or Fire TV stick (starts at $20 not $200), install SmartTube and you not only will get a remote control come with it, you can control it with your TV’s remote via HDMI-CEC. You can also install any other official or personal streaming solution you like with full features like HDR etc.

Given that this post is about YouTube on PlayStation the solution there is … don’t watch YouTube on PlayStation.

There’s no uBlock for PlayStation as far as I know. I don’t think there is a solution other than “subscribe to premium” or “don’t watch YouTube on your console”.

Also, isn’t that against EU laws?

Very likely, but the final verdict is still out on that one, as far as I know. There are several other services and sites that offer similar opt-out of tracking and ads for money schemes (albeit not as ludicrously expensive).

I believe that’s both against the spirit and any reasonable interpretation of the law, but I don’t think it has been fully tested in court.

One time payment option was just added.

15€ here.

Literally my two favorite (former) Reddit clients by a wide margin. This makes me happy.