Random thoughts thread

Stokdgs said:
..Dang it, I still have much yardwork to finish too..
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Yeah, that`s what bugs me. It takes forever to do our property and many of the leaves aren`t close to falling yet. The hostas weren`t even ready to be cut back until just the other day and that`s generally the first step when it comes to that part of it.
 
Nizmo said:
And yes the differential is a nice plus, and it seems like it`ll be an awesome place to work. It`s a little more laid back than what I thought it would be and the opportunities are endless.
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Another advantage with 3rd shift, is the lack of management. We knew how to do our job and we did it. NO senior management walking around acting like they know how to do our job.
 
Tc99m said:
Another advantage with 3rd shift, is the lack of management. We knew how to do our job and we did it. NO senior management walking around acting like they know how to do our job.
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That`s true to an extent. This is pretty much a 24/7 operation except for Saturday`s. Drove up Saturday night and the parking lot was pretty much bare! Walked inside and it was me, my supervisor, and one co-worker. After Thanksgiving it`ll be a whole different ball game, especially after Cyber Monday. But what I do like is what managers that are there are more laid back and the coworkers are great. My one co-worker is my friends stepdad, so that is working out great. My supervisor is already going to push management to let me go out in the field by myself already. Guess that`s the advantage of being a contractor for the company for over 3 years; I already know 80% of what`s there. Already have a rhythm down with a couple of my coworkers, something needs done we all do something without saying. It`s also great to have a supervisor(s) to see your potential and not be abused. The better benefits and pay are just the icing on the cake.
 
Random vent. My employer just raised the top tier insurance plan $598.38 per pay check. OR a whopping $15557.88 above what I paid this year. This doesn`t even include dental, vision, etc, etc. Goodbye Copay and hello HSA. :angry:
 
Tc99m said:
Random vent. My employer just raised the top tier insurance plan $598.38 per pay check. OR a whopping $15557.88 above what I paid this year. This doesn`t even include dental, vision, etc, etc. Goodbye Copay and hello HSA. :angry:
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Yep, our medical premiums went up 16% this year. I went to HSA a few years ago, drop $3K in account at beginning of year and that`s our out-of-pocket max limit for me/wife in addition to monthly premiums. Stuff ain`t cheap...that`s for sure.

Getting to be where, for average folk, salary of a job is secondary to insurance as we get older. And elder-care...forget about it...$100k a year for somewhat decent facility.
 
BudgetPlan1 said:
I went to HSA a few years ago, drop $3K in account at beginning of year and that`s our out-of-pocket max limit for me/wife in addition to monthly premiums. Stuff ain`t cheap...that`s for sure.
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My out of pocket maximum for my Family is $10500. My wife doesn`t work. She said she is willing to go back to work to help offset the cost. I told her just go part time for now.

I`m just happy she was able to stay home and raise our son for 7 years. A lot of families can`t even do that.

Ok Rant over. Back to the real world of work, work, work.
 
Cost of medical insurance and procedures in America is insane. Coming from Ontario (Canada) to Georgia was a huge shocker. I`m lucky my work has good coverage. I pay about $570 per month for the entire family and that`s the top tier coverage they offer including dental and vision. I also get life insurance and ad&d through work at a reasonable price.

I have friends who own their own small business (as probably many here) and they pay close to 2K per month for the family. Must be something that can be done/ reworked to truly make it more affordable!

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RaydiantDetail said:
Cost of medical insurance and procedures in America is insane. Coming from Ontario (Canada) to Georgia was a huge shocker. I`m lucky my work has good coverage. I pay about $570 per month for the entire family and that`s the top tier coverage they offer including dental and vision. I also get life insurance and ad&d through work at a reasonable price.

I have friends who own their own small business (as probably many here) and they pay close to 2K per month for the family. Must be something that can be done/ reworked to truly make it more affordable!

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I know what you mean. I’ve got insurance through the VA which pays for me and my family, but I see the bills that are sent to the VA for outside procedures and they are huuuuge. I vote Democrat as they seem to be the party that pushes for health care reform even though I will never need it. Sometimes we need to think about others. Medicare for All would keep Americans from going bankrupt just to pay for needed medical procedures. The Republicans are trying to take away existing conditions protections and that is just wrong. If Trump wants to do something like pulling out of NATO then the money should be spent on health.
 
I think it`s sad that GM, who should have the wisest people working there, has gone to this.. Feel bad for all those that work at those plants; hope they can get work elsewhere if this happens..


I think that by the time all these electric cars need that big, expensive, battery pack replaced, then we will see how great an idea this really is...

Yes, yes, many benefits to not burning gasoline or diesel, I get it..

Since automakers have absolutely zero experience with this technology and apparently not enough years of it to have figured out best practices, etc., there still is that door to go through...

And even the best electric car made today - Tesla - has still not made a profit...

This whole thing follows the same pattern that started with solar panels... Again, another place no one had been before, and as long as they have been out there, there is just now people figuring out - wow - these would really work best if they had battery storage...Duh.....

But many rush out to get that electric car... The few Tesla owners I have talked to when I Detailed their Tesla`s all rave about the car but rave more about the $$$ Rebate...:)
Perhaps the idea is keep it as long as you can before the battery pack needs replacing, and then unload it???

Dan F
 
While painful for those caught up in the closures, it`s probably better for the health of the company as a whole. Many of the cars being killed weren`t selling that well for various reasons, so it should help GM focus those resources on the next generation(s) of vehicles, whatever they may look like.

What every they do moving forward, they need to lean heavily on their dealership franchises and marketing to do a better job in trying to sell electric vehicles. If they want customers to actually buy the cars, they public needs to know they exist (i.e. Volt and Bolt adds are non-existant) and the dealerships need to actively try to sell those vehicles. Around here if you go to a dealership and ask to look at a Volt or a Bolt, the sales people either don`t know what you`re talking about, don`t have them in stock, or actively try to NOT sell you that car and put you in some gigantic SUV or trunk you don`t really need. Electric and hybrid vehicles aren`t as profitable, so the dealerships sabatoge sales.
 
No such thing as gigantic truck and SUV you don`t need...everyone needs one, they just dont know it yet. Lol

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minerigger said:
No such thing as gigantic truck and SUV you don`t need...everyone needs one, they just dont know it yet. Lol

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Yeah when gas is cheap right now they are easy sells. People panic and sales plummet when it gets in the 4s and 5s across the US.




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Stokdgs said:
I think it`s sad that GM, who should have the wisest people working there, has gone to this.. Feel bad for all those that work at those plants; hope they can get work elsewhere if this happens..


I think that by the time all these electric cars need that big, expensive, battery pack replaced, then we will see how great an idea this really is...

Yes, yes, many benefits to not burning gasoline or diesel, I get it..

Since automakers have absolutely zero experience with this technology and apparently not enough years of it to have figured out best practices, etc., there still is that door to go through...

And even the best electric car made today - Tesla - has still not made a profit...

This whole thing follows the same pattern that started with solar panels... Again, another place no one had been before, and as long as they have been out there, there is just now people figuring out - wow - these would really work best if they had battery storage...Duh.....

But many rush out to get that electric car... The few Tesla owners I have talked to when I Detailed their Tesla`s all rave about the car but rave more about the $$$ Rebate...:)
Perhaps the idea is keep it as long as you can before the battery pack needs replacing, and then unload it???

Dan F
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What exactly are we gonna do with all these dead battery packs when they need to be replaced as well?

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House of Wax said:
What exactly are we gonna do with all these dead battery packs when they need to be replaced as well?

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They will need to be recycled somewhere probably only a hand full places in the country, probably very expressive. Hopefully the truck transporting them doesn`t crash they would be a heck of a fire.
 
Despite the fact that our youngest is seventeen, it`s still a tradition in our house to bust out the VHS tapes of the old classic claymation/animated Christmas shows.
Last night was Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I never noticed as a kid, but Santa is an absolute jerk in that show.
 
House of Wax said:
What exactly are we gonna do with all these dead battery packs when they need to be replaced as well?

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The early adopters are the test subjects. So far battery life has been better than expected. Life spans are looking to be over 10 years with some degradation. Newer technology is being put into play every year. Right now it would be a second car for me, but in five years with VW getting into the game who knows?

When some these battery packs are past their serviceable life there are companies that are pulling them apart and making a new battery out of the serviceable cells. New industries are born when old ones die. The process sounds labor intensive, right now. New industry, new tech, new job creation. We need more tech schools and fewer diploma mills.
 
House of Wax said:
What exactly are we gonna do with all these dead battery packs when they need to be replaced as well?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Tesla started reusing them in their residential home solar products. Apperently, when the vehicle battery pack will only charge to around 70~80 percent capacity it is no longer usable for vehicle applications. However, the batter will still hold a signficant charge, so they repackage the batteries removed from the cars and use them as the off-line electrical storage for the the solar array in a home. Your home runs off that battery and only switches over to local power when needed.

If Tesla could come up with something, hopefully others will as well. If not, there will be a pretty big environmental problem when all these batteries full of rare earth metals start piling up.
 
Nutbread said:
Despite the fact that our youngest is seventeen, it`s still a tradition in our house to bust out the VHS tapes of the old classic claymation/animated Christmas shows.
Last night was Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I never noticed as a kid, but Santa is an absolute jerk in that show.
Click to expand...

A few years ago, we found that entire collection of movies on a set of DVD`s. It was a good thing since our tapes were wearing out.

My youngest is 17 and my oldest is 25, married, and out of the house, yet we still watch these movies together as a family as well. The holidays wouldn`t be the same if we didn`t!
 
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