It rained here all day and quite hard at times turning into a soaking down pour...
And since the only work that could be done had to be indoors, I decided that it was time to tackle that mirror that I had rebuilt by my friend Larry.. Remember we had caulked the glass mirror into the rebuilt frame and left it to solidify in the garage.. And it did just that with the caulk becoming quite firm.
Originally it was glued to the inside wall of the coach with construction adhesive, and then nailed to the wall with an air staple gun. The brads were just short of being long enough to go completely thru the wall and extend out the outside...
I have an air staple gun, and my brads are 1 3/4 inches long, which would have protruded completely thru the wall... Easy, go buy shorter brads..... But the only wood these nails are going into is the 3/16 ths panel under the wall paper, otherwise it is just styrofoam.
So I decided to use some dry wall screws.. They were short enough to not go all the way thru, and they have some thread on them to help bite into that flimsy wall....
I did use about half a tube of tub surround liquid nails on the back of the mirror frame first and then I drilled holes thru the frame for the screws. After setting about half of the screws into the holes, Loyce and I carefully lifted and placed the mirror on the wall. We only had one time to get this right.. The glue grabbed almost instantly, as we tried to correct the placement for straight up...
While Loyce held the mirror in place I started to set the screws home... They pulled the glue into compression remarkably well.. I used a bunch of them... And they look kind of tacky, as you can see the heads.. But they are black and phillips which almost looks like the factory did it that way...
We left the coach out in the driveway as it was time for the Iowa game... Which I can happily report we won in overtime.... I about had a heart attack watching...
But tonight the coach is back over in storage with the mirror on its wall, and the drive over there didn't seem to hurt the mounting scheme any... And I am much relieved....
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In reading the Tin Teepee tonight, I ran head long into a discussion on Obama Care... Where the US folks are expressing their fright, and several of my Canadian friends are wondering why we are so concerned...
So I am taking an attempt to explain what I feel the problem here might be.. I don't think anyone is concerned with the additional coverage and protections of the plan, as they are all nice and help with prior short comings of the system...
But as an accountant that worked with taxes for most of my life I feel the problem is the additional taxes especially on employers... It is very punitive on small businesses that have more than 50 employees... In 2014 many of these companies will be eliminating anyone that might not be absolutely mandatory to their operation... We haven't seen anything yet as far a people out of work... I found this discussion on these taxes on About.com.. Please read it to help your understanding...
Taxes under Obama Care
Our economy will remain in the tank as far a jobs are concerned with these provisions hanging over our heads as small business employers will not hire anyone new. There just isn't enough profits in today's economy to sustain these costs......
You may disagree with my take on this as I realize that it is the conservative line... So the comments are open, go ahead... and I will not delete anyone as long as it is respectful of others views... No flaming or name calling...
Retired Rod
RAINY AND OVERCAST DAYS.
15 minutes ago
Obamacare is most definitely not just a healthcare bill--it has a tremendous trickle down effect.
ReplyDeleteI've been talking to some small business owners about this and most of them have said they will just pay the penalty on the tax return because it's cheaper than the insurance will be. Others are doing what you posted, letting folks go and not hiring to stay below that 50 limit. There just has to be a better answer.
ReplyDeleteThere is a fundamental difference between Obamacare and the Canadian Health Insurance Plan. Obamacare just requires everyone to have insurance, whether it be through your employer or on your own, along with some provisions forcing employers to either provide insurance or be penalized.
ReplyDeleteThe Canadian system provides that insurance. It has nothing to do with your employment status. Although it is co-funded by both the Federal and Provincial governments it is a Provincial responsibility so each jurisdiction is slightly different although they all need to provide a base level of care. In your link I saw a reference to $12,000 per family cost, not hugely different from the ~$11,000 cost that it is estimated to cost here in Canada. Some employers, mine was one, also offer enhancements to the regular plan, but that is really a component of their compensation plan and I think they believe it gives them a competitive advantage in the hiring marketplace. It does!
The government system in Canada, at least in our home province, does not cover eyecare costs for folks over 18 or under 65 or the cost of prescription drugs, so many company plans offer this component as well.
I know no one cares about my opinion but here it comes anyway. Is the Canadian system better than the system in the USA, you betcha, is it better than the Obamacare plan, I believe so! Is it perfect, no. Is it sustainable financially, MAYBE but then again MAYBE NOT. Here in Alberta, probably Canada's richest province, Healthcare used about 35% or the provincial budget and that number is projected to climb to 50% by 2020.
Our system is truly a mix of public and private systems and we struggle to find the perfect balance between those components. Basic care here is supplied to all and we have a single payer system rather than a single provider system. Many procedures are done privately but the bill is always paid by the same entity. That seems to allow some leverage to remain with the payer rather than the provider, thus driving our costs down. Most doctors work for themselves, not the government, but their billing costs are significantly lowered because they don't have to deal with a multitude of different payers(read insurance companies).
Take it for what it's worth and remember it is only "one mans opinion" Thanks for the forum Rod.
Well said, JB - I agree 100% with everything you said - and that's a first, I think!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that all I ever hear from opponents of Obamacare are complaints - but no ideas, thoughts or solutions to help provide affordable and comprehensive health care for everyone. It's always easy to complain about someone else's efforts isn't it?
In Canada, we had those same discussions back in the early 1960's and through that dreaded, by some, word 'compromise' we managed to come up with our Universal Health Care System which has served us incredibly well ever since! I feel fortunate to have received excellent health care for me and my entire family for over 50 years now with almost zero out-of-pocket expenses for medical treatment. Plus, how much is no financial worry about a major illness' cost worth?
The U.S. seems so ideologically divided it's almost impossible to even think of the parties coming together on a solution. That's sad as millions of Americans, including many of our fellow RV'ers, will continue to suffer both financially and health-wise over this deadlock.
From what I have read you are in the fortunate position of being a retired Government employee and your wife is an ex-teacher. It is therefore fair to assume that you receive free healthcare benefits in your respective retirements and that you did not have to pay contributions whilst working. This scenario does not apply to all Canadians, retired or not. I know Canadians do not pay as much as Americans but it is easy to comment when you don't pay anything!
DeleteWhile Rick is a retired Government Employee, it is not fair to say he doesn't pay anything because he is taxed with all of Canada's extensive Sales and Gas taxes as well as his Income taxes... He could live much cheaper in the US, but then he would be paying Supplemental premiums on Medicare co pays.... Probably a push...!
DeleteHoly Smokes twice in one weekend I am coming to Rick's defense. I worked in private enterprise all my life, some as an employee and some as a consultant/company owner. One of the reasons I chose to leave my own company was the benefits I gained as part of my compensation package as an employee. Now I know not all Canadians are fortunate enough to get the little extras that that benefit package brought me but as an Albertan we are privileged to have our Alberta Healthcare supplied to all citizen/residents at no cost. No premiums, no co-pays, nada, so whether you are at or below the poverty line or making a million bucks a week you are afforded the same care in our excellent hospitals. Now the guy who makes a million a week obviously has some options open to him that are not open to the rest of us but other than flying off to Timbuktu for treatment if he stays home with family and friends he gets the same excellent care that the rest of us get.
DeleteNow over there on the "left coast" where Rick lives I know they pay a monthly premium for their healthcare but it is minimal and if you are struggling to make ends meet I am sure the government just rights it off as they did for folks who were struggling here in Alberta before they cancelled our premiums all together.
Now that's it Rick you can consider the debt I owe you for buying us lunch last year paid in full.
Very well said JB and Rick!! Very well! Several years ago Vancouver Island friends arrived with another friend, a woman, in tow--they had been to Sturgis, SD on motorcycles for the big bike rally. The woman, Diane, worked for one of the busiest orthopedic surgeons in British Columbia and the most amazing thing--was his ONLY employee. When I asked, "who puts his patients in rooms for him, who prepares his injections, etc." her reply was "he does." Amazing to me--there are probably only a handfull of doctors in the US with only ONE employee, most have at least a dozen. JB hit the nail on the head--a single payer system would be a step in the right direction--it would eliminate the need for several people in each office all there to deal with the various insurance companies. All this talk about our doctors leaving the US if we go to universal healthcare--duh--where are they going to go???
ReplyDeleteWell truthfully I am hoping a few of them come home Janna, but that is a valid point I don't think any of them are going anywhere.
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