a) The issue has been discussed quite extensively, here and on MTS.
b) Packages are not bad,
some packages are bad. As I understand it, EA changed some of the coding so that objects cloned from certain items (including, but not limited to, the fig tree, foosball table and orchid vase) are gumming up the works of the game, which attempts to access them many thousands of times per minute and consequently lags like crazy. Use the
Process Monitor or something similar to figure out which files your game is attempting to access over and over. Take those ones out until the creators fix them.
c) Use the "edit" feature rather than double-posting.