What was that old Dennis Leary monologue about how all kids' toys in the 1950s were actually a Darwinian means of weeding out the weak and stupid before they could reproduce?
Older dude here. I've been running 30-40 miles a week for 20+ years, with no negative effect on my knees. Majority of people in my running group (some of whom are even older) fall into the same category: long-distance runners, minimal wear-and-tear. Obviously not everybody experiences 'payback' for a life of running; in fact, I'd argue a significant percentage of runners don't experience crippling side-effects over the course of their lifetimes.
It's a walkup in a pre-war building, not a high-rise. We're on 46th road; we found it through a friend who was giving the place up (it seems like that's a common theme for the better apartments people land). The problem with LIC right now is that those high-rise luxury condos along the water are dominating the rental discussion in the neighborhood; there are definitely deals to be found on the "landward" side of Vernon Blvd, but the closer you get to the water, the worse the rent gets.
My wife and I say that, if we have to move, we'll go deeper along the 7 line into Queens or up into Astoria. That's where the best rent-to-space-ratio seems to be at the moment; LIC still has some good ones, but they're further and fewer between as rich people realize how close we are to Manhattan and move in greater numbers.
Our amenities are very much off-the-books. Nothing like a doorman or in-house gym. We have a super who does everything, a couple of laundry machines in basement, etc. :)
My wife and I live in an enormous 2-bedroom a block from four subway lines, in Long Island City. We pay $2,000/month for that (with various amenities included). A friend of ours who lives a block away with another couple pays $3,000/month for a house with an enormous backyard. And we're not outliers by any means. My point being, if you live in Brooklyn or Queens, and you're willing to do a bit of looking, you can find a perfectly suitable place for far less than the price points you mentioned.
Try to land as high an advance as possible, because it's difficult to even earn out a modest one. I've published a handful of books at this point and only one (released in 2010) generates any royalties, and those checks are usually between $100 - $150 per year. My advances have been anywhere from $5k to $15k, depending on the publisher.
I would ask what sort of promotion the publisher will handle. Will they promise to submit it to reviewers, bloggers, etc.? That's great, and that'll help the book sell (which'll guarantee you'll be asked to write another, etc.). But be aware that some publishers will lie about the marketing campaign they have in store. I once wrote a book for a midsize publisher who not only promised me the moon in terms of promotion -- 'Wired' reviews, prominent bookstore placement, etc. -- but printed the exact same things on the pre-release marketing materials that go out to PR people, etc. When I got wind that this massive marketing effort was not, in fact, in the making, I called the publisher on it -- and they tried to placate me by offering 30 free copies of my own book. Things imploded from that point, at least behind the scenes. (At least the book did end up on the shelves in Barnes & Noble, etc.)
In addition to trying to score as high a royalty as possible,and getting a sense of what sort of marketing/sales muscle the publisher will throw behind the book, start thinking about how to promote it on your own. Well before the book's released, start making friends with bloggers who review books within your subject matter. Also, make a list of online places where you'd like the book mentioned/reviewed; when the book comes out, you may end up sending them a couple of your comp copies in order to generate press.
If Uber had raised surge pricing, they would have been seen as exploitative.
If they had forbidden their drivers from heading to JFK, their drivers would have protested that Uber was restricting their right to make a living.
*If Uber didn't surge (which it didn't), it would have been seen as 'strike-breaking.'
What course of action would have led Uber to "win" this scenario?