Is there a major problem with the EZPC server? This is the second time it's been down this week.

I have spent 300+hours trying to raise my swordmaking level to the point that I can make enough tria to pay for training. With the last update superheating and dunking blades no longer has any effect on the quality of the blade (so not true to life) which effectively puts me back to square one. It just cost me almost 10000 tria to pay for level 50 blacksmith. With the recent update I am gonna have to work 5-6 hours a day,every day, just to pay for training to get to the next level. I know you're gonna say this is true to life and that this should be an accepted fact if I want to play the game, but do you really believe people are gonna want to invest 800+ hours in this game just to master a crafting skill?? And how is this true to life? Doctor's may have to spend this much time in advancing their skill but when was the last time you seen a doctor in line at the soup kitchen??

I'm not sure what the purpose is for this "curse" or why somebody thinks it is necessary for roleplay, but I think it just adds insult to injury, especially in the early stages. Case in point, while trying to fulfill a quest for rat hides one rat took me from 244 hps  to 0!!! Luckily I knew the way out of the death realm and I think that should be punishment enough.  I could understand if I was making some unwise choices. But there is no skill involved in doing battle and no way to stop the attack once it has started, so I was marked for death before I even started. Then I had to sit on my hands waiting for the next 15 minutes before I could resume my game?? This is like no other roleplaying game I have ever played.