KeithB
Resident Half Fast Machinist
Talked to the folks at PBGC (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp) and hopefully got everything straightened out so that I can start getting one of my pensions next January when I turn 65. I worked for Bucyrus Erie for about 6-1/2 yrs right out of high school, they were bought out by Continental Emsco, which was bought out by LTV Steel. I never worked for either of the last two, I suffered a severe back injury helping BE move out. Normally it took 8 years of service with BE to give you a vested pension, but terms of the sale dropped that service to 6 years so I was in. That was almost 40 years ago. Somehow that pension plan became an orphan and it ended up in the hands of the PBGC. Next year I should start getting about $170 a month for life, and my wife also when she outlives me.
Won't even go into the 2 hour meeting we had yesterday with the insurance counselor about Medicare supplement policies. All I'll say is turning 65 triggers a lot of stuff.
Called Eli Lilly and complained about the insulin pens they sell that stop working with 1/2 the product left. I know a little bit about mechanical design and their pen delivery system is a POS. The one used by Novo Nordisk is MUCH better, and I called my doctor and had him switch me from Humalog to Novalog. Slightly different formulation but same basic effect, I monitor my blood sugar a lot so my doctor and I don't think the change will cause any problems.
Spent 6 hours cutting 72" of 4-1/4" diameter 6061 aluminum round stock into 1" thick wafers. Ended up with 68 pieces, enough to make 34 pneumatic tailwheel hubs.
We've gotten in so much work that I need to hire somebody; I've spent several hours working with my prospective employee, the Social Security Administration, and my payroll company (I contract that out to some pros) to make that happen. I'm hiring a guy on disability that is a friend of the apprentice and a former student of mine. He will work part time, he faces some income limits and some physical challenges but I've made it a point to make every job we get something that can be done by a disabled person (me!) so I don't anticipate any problems.
Now I plan to watch Thursday Night Football while I do a minor redesign on the tailwheel hubs to deal with some issues with the first batch.
Won't even go into the 2 hour meeting we had yesterday with the insurance counselor about Medicare supplement policies. All I'll say is turning 65 triggers a lot of stuff.
Called Eli Lilly and complained about the insulin pens they sell that stop working with 1/2 the product left. I know a little bit about mechanical design and their pen delivery system is a POS. The one used by Novo Nordisk is MUCH better, and I called my doctor and had him switch me from Humalog to Novalog. Slightly different formulation but same basic effect, I monitor my blood sugar a lot so my doctor and I don't think the change will cause any problems.
Spent 6 hours cutting 72" of 4-1/4" diameter 6061 aluminum round stock into 1" thick wafers. Ended up with 68 pieces, enough to make 34 pneumatic tailwheel hubs.
We've gotten in so much work that I need to hire somebody; I've spent several hours working with my prospective employee, the Social Security Administration, and my payroll company (I contract that out to some pros) to make that happen. I'm hiring a guy on disability that is a friend of the apprentice and a former student of mine. He will work part time, he faces some income limits and some physical challenges but I've made it a point to make every job we get something that can be done by a disabled person (me!) so I don't anticipate any problems.
Now I plan to watch Thursday Night Football while I do a minor redesign on the tailwheel hubs to deal with some issues with the first batch.
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