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Elliot´s Trackside Diner - May 2014 Edition

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Posted by Cederstrand on Saturday, May 10, 2014 11:03 AM

Italian Roast coffee in a SANTA FE mug.

Lots of rain today. Not the best conditions for the Mother's Day Powwow about 30 minutes from here. Need to go get my once a year Fry Bread fix and catch up with a few friends.

Cheers! Cowboy Rob

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Saturday, May 10, 2014 12:04 PM

Got the new printer ribbon, installed it and did a test print using a listing of my boot disk greeting program. Working great. At some point in the future I can get started on typing up rosters of my locos and rolling stock.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
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Running Bear Enterprises
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beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by galaxy on Saturday, May 10, 2014 3:21 PM

well,

we drove the hour and a half out to the military cemetary to the MIL's grave site. We haven't seen it since the stone was put up. MOH also wanted "alone time" with MIL. So I saw it and walked away leaving MOH alone. WE took this HUGE arrangement MOH ordered to go there. MIL LOVED flowers, so for Mother's Day it was appropriate, we would have taken her some kind of {potted} flower anyway.

Stopped at a Bob Evans Restaurant. I used to be a  cook in a restaurant and even once dated a waitress co-worker {often a bad idea to mix work adn pleasure...not in this case, though she did move away}, so I am aware of the inner workings and pay scale of wait-staff in particular. Here in NY they only get $2.19/hour as wait-staff minimum wage, and are taxed based on what gets rung up under their # for food sales. They may or may not also have to share their tips with: busboys, hosts, cashier and, oddly enough, in at least one case that shocked me on TV, the cooking staff! Now the cooking staff usually gets paid relatively well { at elast I always did}, usually quite a bit above Fed. minimum wage{$7.25/hr. Here in NY and some other states is higher by law}. The host/cashier may only get paid based on Fed. minimum wage{or state}, too.

Now i say this because I saw 2 little old ladies {70s or 80s} in my field of vision straight ahead to the left of  the aisle finishing up their complete meals and sodas, and have desserts. Probably at least  $25 tab without the desserts. They left only  a single dollar on the table. SOme people are under the impression wait-staff just "rake it in", but not on $1 tips for a half-hour sitting on a $25 tab.

So, I was gonna leave a 15-20% tip anyway {I always do, unless service was particularly bad-not the food, as food is NOT  wait-staff's control-you send it back to the kitchen -or ask to see the chef or cook- if not satisfied with the food in any way}, but bumped our tip up to a bigger tip to help make up for the old ladies who essentially left her no tip. A $1 tip on 2 meals and drinks and desserts now-a-days is considered "no tip". Unless you had a coffee only.

Some people just don't know, and I hate to say it, but the older they are, the less likely they are to tip appropriately. It is hard to understand if one doesn't know the rules inside workings of a restaurant. They also "live in the days" when you left two pennies or a nice shiney nickel with the quarter for coffee only, and that was a "fine tip",and figure a $1 is a grand gesture on their part. Or they figure 10% only is enough,and so on a $10 entree that appears to be a proper 10%, but they fail to consider the cost of their drinks and desserts, too, if applicable. any "special resquests" also deserve extra tip.

that is why some places state on their menu...that "a tip should be between 15-20% of the total dinner price", AND/OR add a 20% tip for "large parties" as often to have help with the table, 2 or 3 wait-staff are needed and they share the tip. AND to make sure the wait-staff doesn't get a $1 tip for 6 meals and drinks.

My FIL is one who tips only a $1 per meal, he thinks they get Fed/state  regular minimum wage{the $7.25, or here in NY $8.00}, and that he does them a favor by leaving a tip, even at only $1.

Personally I think tipping should be abolished here in the USA-they get paid like the cooking staff does {only the lowly dishwasher in the back of the house gets the fed/state regular minimum}, then there would be less confusion over the issue!

Not being "political" just sayin'.

It was a nice meals and we both brought home leftovers for later.

MOH insisted we stop at my mohters grave on the way home. The plots next to my mother's plot {3 of them apparently} is new recently. Only one party of the marriage had passed, so the dual stome was marked incomplete for the living party. It sure 'crowded" my mother's ample stone.My father spared no expense and had a big stone and a  vinyl "permenant" portrait of mother installed in a recess on the stone. He will be buried at her feet in his cremation urn or box. The military plaque he gets will be bolted to the back of her stone. There are 3 other family plots, one in which, unless we move somewhere else, will be the plot MOH and I share. My brother is there too. Funny thing is the next door neighbor that I and my parents hadwhile I was growing up and who's son still has  the house next door, well when the neighbor passed, they buried him in the plots next to ours. so My mother and the neighbor's  wife {still going at 97} who was dear friend to my mother will be "neighbors" with her husband "afterwards" too.

Both cemateries looked nice, though the military is better kept, I think. $250 "perpetual care" fee doesn't buy you much.

Enough about that, I am sure I bored you.  

was a NICE sunny day in the early 70s untill we got home, then thunderboomers Lightning Umbrella set in up from the PA border.

WEll, Jeffrey is certainly excited about what came today. I can see why, I think? All I got was a bill and "junque mail". Usually all the bills mostly come between the 12-22 of the month, SOme i think are 'moving up' to an earlier date on me! Used to be only one bill was a straggler from the norm there. But not now.

well, we will rest the rest of the day. MOH has already gone for a nap, I think I go join with the puddy!

Dinner will be leftovers!

Geeked

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by Packer on Saturday, May 10, 2014 3:24 PM

Afternoon guys

Been working on some cars for someone else again. These ones are a bit unusual. I'm putting Kadees on the Roco and a Flieschmann (sp?) coach. The former got the NEM adapted kadees I pulled off of a trix UP 40' boxcar when I body-mounted kadees to it. The later got body-mounted Kadees. I need to get some standard-shank underset couplers for that. I have longs on it and they are too long...

It's supposed to rain today, so I'm not doing anything outside if I can help it. We really don't need any more rain as some of the ditches around town have a lot of water (someone sank their car in one) from the flooding last week.

Dennis, nice job on that RS1.

Ulirch, you could paint one, but I'd smooth out the bumps in the walls first (I never liked those things, but it seems every house has them. Why I don't know)... Looking good so far.

JR, It's for the comissary. The downside is it's only temporary "summer" work that ends in September. Hopefully they decide to keep me afterwards though.

Galaxy, I hope it includes those. I just hope taxes aren't gonna make it to where the difference is moot. (like my current job's overtime; the tax rate on the overtime pretty much knocks it back down to regular pay)

Cederstrand, Fox Valley Models are still around. But I think the Haiwatha set was a limited-time thing like everything else today. I'm trying to find a few of their SOO boxcars, and maybe a couple in BN. They seem to be focusing on N-scale though. They recently annouced a Southern Silverside coal gondola.

Jimmy, sorry to hear about your cat.

Vincent

Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....

2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.

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Posted by galaxy on Saturday, May 10, 2014 3:39 PM

Packer

Galaxy, I hope it includes those. I just hope taxes aren't gonna make it to where the difference is moot. (like my current job's overtime; the tax rate on the overtime pretty much knocks it back down to regular pay)

 

They say {and it works out that way} that for an hourly person, only 8-10 hours of overtime is "worth it", as beyond the 8-10 hours, the law of "dimishing returns" takes over as the "extra taxes" will eat up more of the OT pay. 

What always got me {from my accounting days} is that if I earn $200/week regular, and get $100 OT, that I would pay MORE taxes on the $300 total, than compared to a person who's regular pay WAS $300/week!!!

Never made sense to me.

I always was willing to, and often did work  the OT, up to about 10 hours then I would refuse any more. Unless it was "mandatory" {usually for gov't work contracts} to keep my job...

It is also illegal to work someone more than 14 days in a row without a whole day off. It is by law mandatory {here at least and I think it is FEderal law}that  the 15th day be totally off from work. I had to push that issue a few times when asked to work extra hours i would not usually turn down, but couldn't because it would have been the 15th day in a row, I turned it down and had the day off. doesn't mean the 16th day didn't start a whole new 14 in a row again...

just sayin'

Enjoy you new job! be glad you got one in this economy!

Geeked

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, May 10, 2014 4:38 PM

Sir Madog asked:

Is my English that bad?

Nein, Ulrich, dein English ist ausgezeichnet!

Herr Beasley

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by fec153 on Saturday, May 10, 2014 6:49 PM

And a heck of a lot better than my German.

Happy Mothers Day to all our Ladies.

Prayers and Blessings to all.

Flip

 

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Posted by cudaken on Saturday, May 10, 2014 7:05 PM

 Evening Dinners, Good Evening Ulrich!

 Flo Beer Pleases.

 What a great day, sunny, nice breeze and 80 degrees! So in the Mattress Busniess that means Dead! Boy was it ever dead! My only customer was did not come into 2:45? Second customer was Davies and she came in at 4:45. I blew out of there at 5:00.

 Seems yesterday I got into some kind of posion plant while cutting the backyard. I think I know which one it was, need to take a photo and post it here. Rash is about the sizes of a siliver dollar, itches a little, but not bad.

 Jimmy, I as well know the pain of lossing a pet! Guess it was little over 2 years ago we lost Tiffiny, she was just a tad away from being 17.

 ">http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Personal/IM000345.jpg.html]

 We lost Shaddy the Irish Wolfhound this January.

 ">http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/photo3.jpg.html]

 Luckly we found Sparkie, The Rocket Dog.

 [/URL]">http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Sparkie%20The%20Rocket%20Dog/Sparkie3-25-14019_zps0c917174.jpg.html]

 He pretty much saved Sue she was grefiving so badly over the Shaddy. I could just tell in the morning she had no reason to get up. Sparkie is a great dog.

 Ulich, I will say one thing, your spelling of English is much better than mine! Whistling I did order your spikes and they should be in Thursday.  As luck would have it, I am off Monday and Tuesday. I am normally off Tuesday and Fridays so I don't know if I will get to pick them up this week. K-10 use to be open on Thursdays till 9:00, if they are I should still beable to pick them up.

 Galaxy I did read about your visit to the ER. While what you went throght was bad, you where not under there lack of care for 2 years! My wife told me the other night that in a western state the VA is beinging aduted and being held accountable for the death of 48 Vets that did not recive care. Like my self, no fall up care, not in the ER.

 Jeffery, far as you working on old computers, is that just because you enjoy doing it? If so, I can understand. All so I have a question for you about XP. Mirosoft is no longer supporting XP so do I need to up grade? Or will AVG keep it safe?

 Mopar Friends. Have had one reach out to me about coming by and helping me get off my butt and work on Miss Lumpy! All I need is a little nudge (spell check all most typed nude), no rain and the darn grass to stop growing! I hate live grass! Laugh

 See you all Sunday!

 Ken

 [/URL]">http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/1-9-05-4_zps735888ab.jpg.html]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate Rust

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Posted by galaxy on Saturday, May 10, 2014 7:14 PM

Sir Madog

 

 
TMarsh
That, and you're German so you can say things most of us don't understand, but sounds good while you do it.

 

Is my English that bad? Smile, Wink & Grin

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and Todd will probably correct me if I am wrong:

No, ULRICH: I think you mistook what he was saying.

Ihr Englisch ist sehr gut, Herr Ulrich. {your English is very good, Mr. Ulrich}

I think he was basically saying this: German is not exactly an easy language {at least for some of us English speakers} to learn and speak. It can be a tongue-twister for some of us. That, and some german  words are very long.... one long tongue-twisting word.

So, I think he was saying some of us can't understand some of the things you would say in german, but when you say it, it sounds so good the way you say it {in german}!

For many of us German is like trying to say the {English} medical condition that is the longest English word in the dictionary according to Guiness Book of Records {45 letters long}:

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis 

{a disease: a disease caused by the prolonged inhalation of fine siliceous dust {volcanic ash} } {can be attributed to coal miners and other miners}

{ FOr those who have trouble, to pronounce it, break it into parts:

pneumono  ultra microscopic   silico  volcano co ni o sis

{new-moe ultrah microscopic sil-i-kovol-kane-o ko knee oh sis}

The words-within-the-word kinda tells you what it is.

OR, to listen to it pronounced, try the video here:

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081006153610AAt52g7

 

 

Machen Sie es ein großer Tag, Herr Ulrich!

Geeked

 

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Saturday, May 10, 2014 7:16 PM

cudaken
Jeffery, far as you working on old computers, is that just because you enjoy doing it? If so, I can understand. All so I have a question for you about XP. Mirosoft is no longer supporting XP so do I need to up grade? Or will AVG keep it safe?

Ken: I work on them for the same reason you work on your cars. I enjoy it. On the XP question, AVG is doing a great job of protecting my fathers computer and it's had XP since I upgraded it from Win98 some years ago. Keep the AVG updated but don't upgrade it unless you absolutely have to.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by JeremyB on Saturday, May 10, 2014 7:48 PM

Evening guys,

Spent all day yesterday and today working outside. Also got in 12 miles on the bike this morning and plan on getting more in tomorrow morning. They are calling for rain and alot of this week so want to get biking and outdoor work in now.

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Posted by galaxy on Saturday, May 10, 2014 7:51 PM

cudaken

 Galaxy I did read about your visit to the ER. While what you went throght was bad, you where not under there lack of care for 2 years! My wife told me the other night that in a western state the VA is beinging aduted and being held accountable for the death of 48 Vets that did not recive care. Like my self, no fall up care, not in the ER.

 

Yes, Ken, I was merely illustrating that it isn't only the VA that is getting lax in health care, It can take 2-3 weeeks to get in to see my GP on a good day! Granted, that is not in years, but it is not the old days of getting in within 2-3 days if not the day you call for an appt.!

The VA, nationwide, is being audited, not just one state or facility!

WIth your complaint, I was gonna ask you if you had seen that on the news, it has been all over the news lately. VA ignoring veterans for years until they die.

And all the VA hospitals/Dr.s are being investigated and audited NATIONWIDE.

So your complaint is not unfounded!

What gets me, and I play "devil's advocate" here: is that the veterans in question did not seek medical attention anywhere else, and with serious illnesses just waited forever to see the VA???!! I don't care if the VA is "free" for veterans who may not have any  other kind of health insurance, but if you are serously ill, a trip to the ER, if nothing else, is in prompt order!

What Many people apparently don't know, is that {many} hospitals/health care systems have an {apparently  little known} Program to reduce by 100%, 75% or 50% the cost of any hospital services low-to medium income people receive, IF THEY APPLY FOR IT.

FOr example, the Hospital I complained about has a program that if you apply, with supporting documentation, that with an annual household income of up to 350% above the Fed. Poverty level...that is a 2 person household with income of up to $55K a year can still get a 50% reduction  in the unreimbursed or copay costs of that hospital-incurred or Company Dr.s bills! That applies only to the hosptial and the hospital supported Doctors and outside satellite office  and walk-in office visits., the ER Drs. are a contract company so they bill differently.

If a 2 person household makes less than $31K a year {200% over Fed poverty level}, they get a whole magical 100% discount! ITs FREE! Yes FREE!

The Dental clinic  we go to is in another hosptial that also has a program..up to 60% off dental services, depending on income. We should still get 40% off our share of the co-pay of what the dental insurance we have won't cover.

SO SEARCH out these programs by asking for the PATIENT FINANCIAL ADVOCATE at any hospital. ALL hospitals {at least the ones who take Medicare} are required to have a PFA, and they represent the PATIENTS, NOT the hospital! They can point you in the right direction!

You also CANNOT be denied ER services at any hospital, even if you don't have insurance, are underinsured, and/or don't qualify for your state's medicaid program! there should be signs all over the place in hospitals ! They have to fully treat you, OR at least get you stabilized to go to a facility that can treat you {say a Burn Center hospital that specializes in major burns, for example}

So there ARE programs for the lower {and even to middle} income people and NO ONE should be denied or wait forever for health care.

If you can't find a for-profit hospital with such programs, seek out a good nearby  Catholic Charitable hospital...they are all over the country , it doesn' t mean you have to be Catholic..the hospital of which I speak and go to is one. They HAVE to treat everyone! Like the sign and law says!

Have a great  day tomorrow, Ken, I don't think you will have a busy day tomorrow {SUnday} either, if you are open, not many people will take MOTHER out On  Mother's Day to a matress place!!!

Geeked

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by howmus on Saturday, May 10, 2014 9:00 PM

Evenin' folks!

Janie, I'll have a nice hot cup of decaf please...

Went to my sisters this afternoon.  We drove up the lake to the place that has been for many, many years the best source for trees and many garden plants in this part of the country.  We knew it had been bought by a place in the midwest, but thought it was still open here.  Nope!  Totally closed and empty...  We weren't the only ones to find that out today as another car pulled in right after us.  So we went back to Canadaigua to a place owned by a former student of my sister.  They now have many varieties of trees and such as well as flower pots, seedlings, etc.  I was looking for some strawberries to plant.  He had strawberries in stock, but not the everbearing variety.  Sold out already.  He has more coming in so my sister will pick up a couple boxes for me next week.  I did spend some $$$ to get a couple hanging baskets for out on my deck.

 Packer and Galaxy (and others).  Taxes are ultimately paid on your yearly income after deductions!  (you know that April 15th. thing...) You do not pay more (%) because of overtime unless overtime brings your yearly income into a higher tax bracket (and even then you only pay higher taxes on the portion in the higher bracket not the whole amount you earned...)  Therefore you never end up with less earnings because you work overtime.  (There are some certain corporate types that would like you to think that and want to pay you less so you will actually make more money [for them] ...ahem..).  Now, that said....  In a given pay period, your witholding assumes that your gross for the pay period is what you make every pay period and so may withold on a higher level because of it.  But in the long run you do not lose money by working overtime and usually do not even have to pay a higher rate (but what they take out may be more because it is a percentage of the total).  Here it is straight from another source:

"You may wind up in a higher tax bracket if you regularly work a lot of overtime, however you will ALWAYS be $$$ ahead in the end as long as the tax rate is below 100%. Given that the maximum tax rate is 35% you will always be money ahead.

Most employers withhold taxes on any individual paycheck as if you earned the same amount every pay period. With 38 hours of overtime that will result in a higher percentage in tax withholding than if the employer annualized your income and withholdings. Few employers do that, though I've worked for a couple that did.

At any rate, it will all even out at tax time next year when you file your tax return. Your tax liability is based upon your total income and all wages are lumped in together whether straight time or overtime."

Also remember that you only pay a higher amount on the $$$ that are over each tax bracket.  Lets say (I don't have my tax info in front of me) that the tax rate changes at $20,000 for this conversation...  If you, without overtime, would make 18,000 per year (after deductions) and with overtime now make $22,000 in that year (after deductions), the higher tax rate only applies to $2,000 of your income, not the whole $22,000 you earned.  So go ahead and work that overtime and enjoy getting some extra $$$!

OK, I have to be out at the museum early for Crew Call so I will be calling it a night soon.  Have a great one!  My prayers for all in need.

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Saturday, May 10, 2014 10:26 PM

Good evening. 70° and a little cloudy tonight and no rain. Can't say the same about tomorrow.

Did some cleaning on the printer today but had to stop. I ran out of Goo-Gone. At least I got some of the dirt and grime off it. It doesn't look quite so old now.

The $20 motherboard I had picked up on Ebay that was advertised as good turned out to be a dud. After some back and forth with the seller I settled for a $10 partial refund as there's still parts on it I can use. Some good news is the manual for the serial card that runs the printer will be here Monday.

That's it for now. Time to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, May 10, 2014 11:22 PM

Good Morning (Morning to you, Ken)!

3 hours of sleep are not enough for a big fella like me, but that´s all I got this night. I could hardly breathe, my head felt like being hammered on. I suppose it´s an allergic reaction to the fumes of that paint. I hope it´ll go away soon.

galaxy
some of us can't understand some of the things you would say in german

That´s the story of my marriage! Petra always complains that she does not understand what I am talking about Whistling

Nobody loves me, everybody hates me
Think I'll go and eat worms
Long ones, short ones, fat ones, thin ones
See how they wriggle and squirm

I bite off the heads, and suck out the juice
And throw the skins away
Nobody knows how fat I grow
On worms three times a day
Ohh...nobody loves me.

Ken - thanks for your help! Is this a recent picture of you you posted? You seem to have lost a lot of weight!

Vincent - I won´t paint the backdrop onto the wallpaper. I will mount a 2 by 11 ft. sheet of masonite to the wall, on which I will paint the backdrop using latex paint.

No real plans for the day. I am pondering to fire up my soldering iron, but have to make sure we have stocked a sufficient amount of burn ointment Laugh

Make it a great day!

Ich wünsche Euch allen einen schönen Sonntag!

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Posted by galaxy on Sunday, May 11, 2014 2:36 AM

Ray: I won't argue with you, but I will post a 'rebuttal" of sorts, and you don't name your source.

The source to which I referred was/is a well known respected Financial Services publication. I may not name them here as we don't wnat to get into trouble here on this site.

Perhaps I didn't clarify enough: They ran a couple-page article whereby they tracked down the results that proved that OT beyond the 8-10 hours actually reduces your effective hourly rate. Lets say{being a bit arbitrary #s here}, after taxes your $10/hr job takes you home an effective rate of $8.25/hr. Now you work 10 hours OT and that takes you home an effective rate of $9.50/hr. BUT you work 15-20 hours OT, and now your effective take home pay is reduced to $7.50/hr BECAUSE you are now in that Higher tax bracket you mentioned, wihtout the consideration that you are really in a lower tax bracket.

Also, I had many practice problems for accounting classes in which we had to determine the payroll. That is where I learned time and again it came out to be that the more hourly  OT you earned, the less you got in take home, compared to the guy who makes that higher salary to begin with.

 

And to throw a further monkey wrench into the works, the bi-weekly people's taxing structure and the coinciding tax charts  is WAY different BECAUSE IF it WASN'T calculated differently than weekly payroll, The appearance of "doubled income" on the paycheck {for the two weeks total} would tax out as a much higher tax bracket than the effective weekly earnings would be. {example: lets say you earn $800 bi-weekly. the tax rate for $400 weekly pay might be, say 18%, but the weekly pay tax  for an $800 earner is 30%. You cannot tax the bi-weekly guy at the 30% rate as it is too high a rate for what his weekly pay average really is! SO, they created a totally different taxing table/structure for the bi-weekly people to be sure they were taxed properly, THAT I could assume you would know having been a teacher,and  most likely on a bi-weekly pay structure?!

I also know from working much OT in my time {at least the lower paying scale} that that is how it works out. The more I worked, the lower my effective after tax per hour rate came out to be. ANd, after reading the article, and going and looking at my checks and calculating the effective rates, I saw what they claimed was indeed, true. SO after that, where I could, I refused to work any OT over 10 hours.

I also worked at a place {to remain nameless obviously} where we were paid our regular 40 hours on a regular paycheck, but were paid OT in cash equivalent to our regular hourly rate. Obviously the cash was not taxed at any rate, and it was cheaper for that employer to pay out the cash {allowable in that state}. I never did like that program.

Because OT DOES throw you into another {higher} tax bracket, you get less pay effectively.

Geeked

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by galaxy on Sunday, May 11, 2014 2:41 AM

morning coffee in the diner...

GOOD SUNDAY MORNING!

Today is Sunday,

May 11th, 2014!

It is Mother's Day 

here in the USA!

Special thoughts, prayers

and healing energies for:

Johnboy, Flip, Barry,

Ulrich, Jeffrey, anyone

I missed,

and for World Peace.

A golden-eyed tree-frog from Mali
Fell in love with a swamp-bat from Bali,
said the frog to the bat,
"I like your new hat,
It looks like a painting by Dali." 

 

There was a young person from Brent,
Who to a large prison was sent,
And as sentence was passed,
She screamed out, "Someone grassed!
'T'weren't stolen, ah swear, i' was lent!" 

-Francis Wessel

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!

Recht auf Sie zurück, Ulrich! {that may NOT be 'correct'}

Geeked

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 11, 2014 2:56 AM

galaxy
Because OT DOES throw you into another {higher} tax bracket, you get less pay effectively.

Galaxy - no one who is still in command of all of his/her senses, would ever work overtime nor thrive to get a better paid job, if that were to be true.

I think you are right and wrong at the same time. I think you will still have more money on hand, if you work overtime, yet your average hourly rate after taxes goes down - see that little table:

 

               
  Time Rate Earnings Tax Tax Earnings Earnings
  hrs. $/hr. $ % $ net Average/hr.
               
  40 $9,50 380,00 € 20,00% 76,00 € 304,00 € 7,60 €
  15 9,50 € 142,50 € 25,00% 35,63 € 106,88 € 7,13 €
               
Total 55 9,50 € 522,50 €   111,63 € 410,88 € 7,47 €

 

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, May 11, 2014 8:17 AM

 

Good morning. 

Happy Mothers Day .... in this forum, this is mostly for wives of the model railroaders. 

 

Looks like today's off-topic is overtime pay after taxes. I suspect the analysis Galaxy saw was for a worker who keeps the same job for a full year which may of may not be the case. .... Also, payroll taxes have a cap, and as soon as annual income exceeds the cap, there are no payroll taxes. ..... There are other consdierations besides taxes. Firstly, when the boss tells the worker he must stay late and work overtime, the worker should  do so if he wants to keep his job. ... Next, the overtime hours would not have any costs to commute to work because the worker is already at work...... Of course, any job is good to have in this economy. ..... How did we get on this subject in the first place?

I've been cleaning up the layout room, and trying to get everything working well. We're having guests visiting from out of town this week. I'm trying reduce the chances of gremlins spoiling my fun. ... The visit starts with a couple from Michigan tomorrow. Following their visit, friends from Colorado will be here. .... Of course, there are many honey-do's for the rest of the house also. 

One honey-do chore was to replace light bulbs on this light fixture which hangs from the ceiling. I set up a ladder, and went to get the light bulbs. I returned to find Sassy the cat on the top step (8' from floor) waiting to assist me. 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 11, 2014 9:01 AM

Good Afternoon!

Nice picture, Garry!

The soldering iron stayed cold today, as we have run out on burn ointment and the pharmacies are closed on Sundays. The one open for emergencies is located 30 miles away from our place. Instead of starting on the wiring, I decided to give a try on the stone wall texture of the lighthouses foundation. I used a scriber to engrave the texture. 3 hours and a couple of blisters later, it looks like this:

In the meantime, it has received a coat of light gray paint, Some of the stones will get various shades of darker gray, some with a light brownish touch to them. When that is done, I´ll give the whole a wash of white to enhance the mortar lines.

 

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Posted by fec153 on Sunday, May 11, 2014 9:08 AM

Garry- Be thankful she wasn't up a tree and you needed to call the fire dept..             lol

Good looking cat I admit, tho I'm a dog lover.

HappyMOMs Day y'all.

Prayers,

Flip

 

  • Member since
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  • From: Williamsville, ILL
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Posted by TMarsh on Sunday, May 11, 2014 9:32 AM
Good Morning!!!
 
Coffee and the Sunday Breakf…….??? Where is it? Self serve coffee? What the heck?? Ooohhhh….Mothers Day. Everyone is off ‘cept Vinnie. No. I’ll cook it myself.
 
Beautiful day in store.
 
Laugh No Ulrich, you English is fantastic. Better than most English speaking folk. Myself included. Galaxy was mostly correct, what I was referring to was when something goes difficult (such as dealing with rusty parts on a oh, let’s say a outdoor BBQ grill that really should be replaced Whistling )  , some things we say may not be um,Hmm appropriate for certain ears. However in a language not spoken by all, you can get away with it while sounding…..good WinkLaugh.
 
Guy I know just wanted me to teach him swear words in Chinese so he could cuss and no one would know. I haven’t progressed that far yet. Hmm Don't think my learning program teaches that. At least so far.
 
I used to get a kick out of the KATUSA’s when they would actually correct a US soldier on their English.
 
Galaxy- I agree with you on the tipping issue. I think, and restaurant owners will cringe, ALL employees should be paid at least minimum wage. Tipping, should be at the diners discretion. And,(shhhhh) tax free. 
 
All I know about taxes is at the end of the year they ask me how much I made all together. Then after deductions I owe x amount of money based on x percent. It doesn’t matter what percentage, or how much they take out during the year, it all goes away on the 15th of April. As for the higher tax bracket…same would happen with a raise. If you’d turn down a raise or a higher paying job because you went to a higher tax bracket….I don’t know what to tell you. Your choice.
 
Welp, didn’t get the grill reassembled but I did get the angle stock I need to replace the bar that holds up the back of the burners. Yup, rusted through. Got a call to help go get 9 railroad ties….legally of course, then deliver. Heavier than I remember too. When I got back we went into town and tried this new Chinese buffet we stumbled across. I hope the waitresses didn't develop an attachment to me because I doubt we will return. Not that great. Anywho we did look at some grilles. I suppose there is one at the Walmart that would be ideal ifn this one don’t go back together good. I’m not giving up on her though….kinda like part of the family she is.
 
Oh well, best get back to fixing the grill so hopefully we can cook the steaks outside. If not….I’l have time to go get a new one and get it assembled…..Maybe…..Hopefully not.
 

 

Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!

Todd  

Central Illinoyz

In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.

I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk. Laugh

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: upstate NY
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Posted by galaxy on Sunday, May 11, 2014 10:31 AM

well, we went off to Lowes.

We looked at a regular Electric stove for $349 or $359, depending on which model you liked. Plus tax.

The only gas stove that had: a broiler IN the oven for me  {i DON'T like getting down on the floor to broil in the drawer!}; grates MOH approved of; a warming feature for the oven; and {extra not looking for} a self-cleaning oven was $599. Plus they will install it for $119 bucks...that is connect it  to the gas for us..I refuse to do that myself! They offer free delivery and haul away, so, plus tax, $749 total.

MOH was no help, but wants a gas stove "for even heat baking" {MOH bakes MAYBE twice a year. Guess who does the baking the rest of the year????!!!}. I would PREFER gas for cooking, but NOT  necessary! All restauarants I cooked in of course had GAS.

MOH said "I'm going to walk away and let you figure out what to do"....out of ear shot, I told the salesman "I will NEVER hear the end of it IF I DON'T buy the gas one...even though it is close to being double the cost of the electric!"

The other problem is that the gas stoves now need 110 electric plugged in to it. WHy? for the electronic crap they insist on putting in it to control the darn thing, and for the electronic ignitions. Now, mind you the closest outlet is about 18" across the counter from the stove's location. So that will entail an outlet restricted to the stove, OR to have an electriciton put in a dedicated outlet for the stove [probably the preferred method..another expense!}

SO...guess what they will be delivering this week sometime?

A new gas stove! AS soon as the subcontractor {who can install/connect the gas to it} calls to set up delivery time/date for this week.

Except Thursday afternoon, when i am busy, there should be no trouble getting it here. The bigger problem is getting it IN the house, as the front door was built worng. It opens into a wall, and the closet is eactly 2" deeper than the door is wide and directly acfross form the door. then there is the TV cabinet and the big Fish tank to get by. I think it can be done{i measured} , OR they will have to take it around to the back door and haul it up through the Narrow hall, just as tight! The washer/dryer is right at the back door, so not far to fanagle.

My father is going  to come over today to install some electrical stuff for us...{not the outlet for the stove, though} So, I will have a liver/onions/bacon dinner for him when all done.

So, I'd best get going.

later...

Geeked

EDIT: for this, I get top honors!

Daisy! Bring the

guy's bills to me!

ANd give yourself

a GENEROUS tip!

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Sunday, May 11, 2014 11:40 AM

Good morning. It's 79° with 81% humidity. The high will be 88°, very cloudy and a small chance of rain.
 with

No plans set in stone today. I may do some more clean up work on the printer. I have a little Krud Kutter that can be used on the areas that have some very hard to remove tape. Looks like watching movies and playing some old (prehistoric by many standards) computer games. I may give Lode Runner a run.





Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Sunday, May 11, 2014 4:59 PM

Well I did a major cleanup on the printer today. Using what little Goo-Gone and Krud Kutter I had left I got all the tape and adhesive residue off it. With the application of some elbow grease I got the dirt and grime off. It doesn't look like the same printer. It was a kinda sick looking yellowish color this morning. Now it's a buff white color and very clean looking. If the metal plate on the bottom is any indication it was a slightly off-white color before the plastic discolored from age. I also tightened any loose screws I came across.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Canada
  • 1,745 posts
Posted by JeremyB on Sunday, May 11, 2014 6:38 PM

Hi Guys.

Not much going on here. Went to dinners at my parents.

My brother and I were playing catch ( he has quite the arm ) he launched one and I missed it on the sun and took it square in the nose/mouth. Bled a little bit and have a sore nose and top gums but no swelling and more imporatanty, still have my front teeth. Also got another 20 miles in on the bike this morning but looks like rain all week so might not be able to hit the trails for a few days.

  • Member since
    December 2004
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  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Sunday, May 11, 2014 7:13 PM

Evenin' folks!

Janie, I'll have the pulled pork BBQ, a nice fresh garden salad and a cup of decaf for dinner tonight....  Thank you Ma'am.

We had a nice day for opening day out at the museum.  Not a great turnout though...  guess a lot of mom's would rather do something else than ride antique trains for Mother's Day....  Had about 100 people during the day.  The head of operations is taking the number for trips (205, there are two trips for each run.  Down to the museum and back to the Trolley at Midway) and seeing how much diesel fuel is used to to operate trains so we know better what our costs are to be open for rides as compared to using the track cars.  We run diesel trains again next week.  T'was a beautiful day to be riding on the train today, and I always have fun as car host.

TMarsh
All I know about taxes is at the end of the year they ask me how much I made all together. Then after deductions I owe x amount of money based on x percent. It doesn’t matter what percentage, or how much they take out during the year, it all goes away on the 15th of April. As for the higher tax bracket…same would happen with a raise. If you’d turn down a raise or a higher paying job because you went to a higher tax bracket….I don’t know what to tell you. Your choice.

 Todd is correct.  Galaxy is looking at the withholding on the actual paycheck not the real tax burden on the earnings over time.  Withholding and actual Tax are two very different things.  To be correct it has to calculated on the whole year, not the individual paycheck to be accurate.  (My quote last night was from here: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070818105836AAF4f67 ) There is a bit of fuzzy math in the expert writings that warn you to not work too hard... They are technically correct but should be taken with a grain of salt for most people.  When I used to work a second (or third) job part time, I always had them withhold $$$ with the rate at 0 deductions.  That would give me usually enough at tax time to cover the actual amount owed as it usually bumped me into a higher bracket for some of that and witholding would be at a very low rate as it was low wage..  It did mean a lot of $$$ was taken out of the paycheck to cover that.  But at the end of the year my actual taxes would be the same either way.  Just a matter of when I had the $$$ in hand to use.

Here is another example of "fuzzy" math on a completely different topic.  My Electric Bill.  This April my total electric bill was $21.80 and it said I used 45kWh of electric.  That would mean that each kWh cost me 48.44¢... WOW!!!  Holy mackeral!  What a rip off!!!  Guess I made a horrible mistake putting in solar!!!  Ahem...  If I look at the bill  $15.11 of that bill is the fee for having my house and the Solarvoltaic panels hooked to the grid.  That is paid even if I use no electric in a month from the grid.  A much better way of figuring it would be using the entire amount of kWh I produced and used instead of the Net Metering total the bill represents.  So I produced 505kWh and used 45kWh from the grid for a total use of 551kWh last month.  If I use that figure then my cost per kWh was 3.95¢ per kWh.  Big difference.  Of course I have to amortize the cost of the panels and other equipment over the lifetime of the equipment so that figure could be considered "fuzzy" math too.  Understand that connection fee also saves me about $20,000 which would be the likely added cost of me going off grid....  My actual cost per kWh is exactly the same if I did not have the panels if I drop the connection fee, rounded off, 12.5¢ per kWh.  That is probably the best way to figure it.  I hope you get my point and beware of those who say you lose money by working harder, they tend to be the same think tanks that say the poor are just .....  I'll stop there as that is close to the line!  Smile, Wink & Grin

I'm going spend some time catching up with a few threads and just chilling out for a bit.  Catch you all later!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by cudaken on Sunday, May 11, 2014 7:15 PM

Evening Dinners and Good Evening Ulrich.
 Flo, Beer Pleases.
 Hope you all had a Great Mothers Day! Talked with Mom and Dad for 40 minutes today and enjoyed it. Dad seemed like his old self, he had been pretty sick for sometime. Mom is doing good at age 77 she walks 2 miles every day. Sue went out with our daughter for lunch and then shopping so she is happy. 
 Work Front. I am working with an IDIOT!  Bang Head Remember about a month ago when I had a customer come in while I was off and Dave the IDIOT Manager threw in a $800.00 Captains bed because her friends thought we ripped her off?Whistling    Well her ticket came up between Dave and I today. One of the things that bugged me and Paul the General Manager is by throwing in a $800.00 bed for free it just confirmed we where trying to ripped her off!  Bang Head  Dave just cannot not understand this point! He kept saying he saved the deal and I am just mad about losing $215.00 in commission, I am well past that!Whistling
 What do you think this lady is telling her friends? I could have done the same thing as Dave, but my job is to make the company money, not give stuff away. Memory Foam mattress she bought where a close out mattress. We get a big discount on them from the factory! At normal prices they would have a retail of around $1800.00 to $2100.00. We are selling them for $800.00, but with us buying them for $250.00 we can sale them for $500.00 and make the needed margin. It is like one of you folks buy a NIB Proto 2000 engine that retails for $150.00 and you pay $15.00 for it. Would you be ripping off someone for selling it for $80.00?
 
 I all so have to add the Captains never came up as a deal breaker when I made the sale. If it had, I may have buckled. Only thing said about the Captains bed is she would like one in the future. But that was all that was said!
  I have no idea why the font got bigger? Just new hosting is weried.
  On the XP question, AVG is doing a great job of protecting my fathers computer and it's had XP since I upgraded it from Win98 some years ago. Keep the AVG updated but don't upgrade it unless you absolutely have to.
  Jeffery that is what I was thinking, but I used the Mirocsfot updates, did your dad?
  Galaxy, yes I knew the audit was nation wide. Might be the reason Patty took time to listen to my tale.
  V8 Vega yes it was a slot car track to start with. Only reason I got bored with slot cars was because I could not find anyone to races with. At the old house where I had a good sizes track I had a few friends that came over every Thursday to races and drink Beer. When I bought this house never found anyone to races with. Plus I all wise love rains. What got the passion going was when I was on E Bay looking for HO scale trees. Bought a few lots that had train stuff in it. Then I stumpled across some cheap Pancake Motor HO Life Like train sets for $35.00. Then a guy at the slot car site I went to started telling about the good stuff, like Athearn, Proto and the such. Next thing I knew, I had the scikness bad. Whistling
 
 See you all later, Ken
 
[http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/WPFun/Y6Bcloseup.jpg.html]
 
 
 

I hate Rust

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Sunday, May 11, 2014 7:26 PM

cudaken
Jeffery that is what I was thinking, but I used the Mirocsfot updates, did your dad?

No. I set automatic updates on his computer to 'Off' when I set up WinXP. Since Microsoft is no longer supporting XP there's no reason to have updates turned on anyway. You can turn it off though it really doesn't matter.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
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  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,155 posts
Posted by tcwright973 on Sunday, May 11, 2014 7:59 PM

Evening all,

We had a busy, but very enjoyable weekend. Got in a couple of hours railfanning Norfolk Southern on Saturday. Unfortunately, it started to rain about 30 minutes after we got there, and never let up. So the day wasn't great for taking photos. But still, we managed to catch 13 trains in a litle over 2 hours.

This morning, we headed over to the other side of town to catch some CSX action. Best Sunday we have had there yet with 5 trains in less than 2 hours. Left there, stopped for lunch, & then went back to Norfolk Southern. They must have been celebrating Mother's Day as it kind of quiet with just 4 trains. But, a coal train had 2 Canadian Pacific engines on it, & another train had 2 Canadian National engines on it. Oh yeah, an interesting mixed freight over on CSX had 3 lease units as power. 2 HLCX & 1 OFOX. I like it when foreign power shows up.

For dinner this evening, we went to a local Chinese Restaurant. Got my Beef Chop Suey, along with my usuall take out order of Shrimp Fried Rice to bring home. We have been going there for many years on Mother's Day. It was where my Mother always wanted to go. After she passed away, I guess my wife decided to carry on the tradition, because that's where we end up every year.

Breakfast, grocery shopping & errands are on the schedule for tomorrow morning. It's suppose to rain tomorrow starting in the afternoon. I hope we get home early enough to get the grass cut, as it is high now and they are calling for rain for the next couple of days. Here's hoping you all have a nice week and stay safe.

Tom

Pittsburgh, PA

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