If there is any sadness to be felt it should be by you Kikker....

If there is any sadness to be felt it should be by you Kikker. You were born in 1959 by the looks of your moniker. That makes you just shy of 60 by my count. I'm backing then you bought your own home (no matter where it is) for less than $100K. You probably have it paid off by now and may even have a couple of investment properties. If you do, I salute you and well played, but I am also creeping up on 50 (living in Sydney) and trying to both educate and provide for my two daughters (who will probably want to continue to live in our beautiful city).

My question to you is.......

.......Median house price (worldwide) is less than $100K.

Median house price (sydney) is fast approaching $1.2M.

Would you rather the "mums and paps" sign over to a life of debt slavery for themselves and their children (via the banks in real estate) or take a punt on a stock (particularly given recent oil developments) that could offer them financial freedom.

I'm not a ramper either way and I respect your point of view, but seriously every OPEC member (except possible Iran needs $70 oil to balance their national books). Russia needs more to entertain dreams of a return to superpower status. They are all now sh*t scared that Trump won. He is determined to make the US energy independent. Have a quick look what world demand looks like without the US buying.

I'm no genius, but with a basic job I have managed to save $100K for my two daughters who are now in Year 7 and Year 5. $100K would not buy them an open air car park in Sydney so I have invested that with 88E confident in the knowledge that they know the oil game a shed load better than Sydneysiders know the real estate one.

I wish you and your family all the best Kikker