60+ year old thread.

Good Morning all. Everyone has different ideas and goals on retirement. I have been totally (no part time driving for the dealer) for 4 years and enjoying life. Travel has always been a big part of our life and as long as health holds out we will continue to do it. When the time is right to retire, just make sure your ducks are in a row and all your questions about SS and medicare have been answered. It is all good.
My motto^^^^^^
Rule #1 keep active and do what you want (or what the missus wants)
Rule#2 Follow Rule#1.

 

Evening all:
Just read an article where a metallurgist who worked for a company that produced steel for our submarines falsified reports for 30 years regarding the testing of the steel used to build them. So far I don't believe they found any problems with the steel, but the Govt. has spent 14 million dollars to have it retested. "OH, I'M SO SORRY", doesn't fly with me when it comes to the safety of those guys on those subs, hopefully she will end up being severely punished for her negligence, but I doubt it!

 

Jeezus Keee ri isto... Imagine how that kind of report is making some sub guys feel.

They should take the person responsible down in whatever sub fails the test. Remotely, of course.

 

Don't get me started on MY version of justice system reform.

 

I think you and I have similar thoughts on the current state of the justice system. Probably best that we don’t express them as it could bring the ban hammer down on us. Listen to the CW song whiskey for my men, beer for my horses by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson, a interesting approach to justice and a great song.
https://youtu.be/O0_QSmxKJ8M

 

Evening all:

Similar thoughts also, make them go on a shakedown cruise on every sub they OK'd the steel for, I would bet the steel would have been properly checked then!

 

30 months sentence.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/financ...ces-possible-prison-falsifying-160015313.html

 

About the best one can expect nowadays. Would've been nice to see an ending like that of the father played by E.G. Robinson in "All My Sons."

 

The article was interesting about the details of the test she considered “stupid”. And how her lawyer tried to play the “pressured by men” card so prevalent these days lol.

 

Good morning fellow Porchatonians!! Actually slept in to 4:11 this AM.

 

Two rules I live by daily! I want one of the pictured T-Shirt.

I was going to say she probably received a bonus to go away. Our service men and women already put themselves in harms was, they do not need any extra help.


Federal refund has posted to our bank account. Paid the accountant this past Saturday. Less than a week turn around. Thinking of taking a small skirt steak out of the freezer and making fried rice on the Blackstone Griddle for dinner tonight. Guitar lesson at the Senior Center this morning.

 

I wanted the T-shirt as well Tom, but my frugality said "do you really want to pay $28 for a T-shirt" (it was in a gift shop in Grand Caymans). Everything there is expensive.
Dinner sounds good. We have to restock the freezer when we get home. Hope prices aren't going to be toooo bad.
Have a good day all and be safe. Off to the beach today.

 

I went over to the cited report to see what sort of test the metallurgist had "falsified". After fifty years of being a practicing mechanical engineer and knowing what the Charpy "V-notch" tests are about (impact resistance) - I understand how someone could doubt the extremity required. Most of the impact requirements you and I would need are typically covered in what is a two tiered test. Impact testing steel at "room temperature" and at -40ºC/F is the norm. When you see the -100º number reported - it usually involves aircraft or space vehicle materials. A small 10 mm square bar with a precisely milled V-notch - with the steel "grain" running in the proper direction - gets chilled to temp and whacked with a controlled swing hammer. If the material survives the -40º test (and it always is on the test menu for high strength ferrous materials) - there is near certainty that it would also be good for much worse.

For excavator use (mining machines used in the arctic) we typically ask for 15 ft-lbs @ -40º. I often get test results that are double, triple or quadruple the 15 ft-lbs. Its probably the reason the Navy is pissed - but not taking the vessels out of service.

 

I was a technician in a specialty metals company for 15 years. The company makes stuff that goes into everything from thermostats, to guitar strings, to offshore oil rigs, to military aircraft landing gear, to stuff I can't talk about. I built test equipment and computer systems, and calibrated a metric buttload (that's technical jargon) of testing equipment. I worked directly with the ISO 9000 folks who pored over every inch of our testing regimens and methods. We tested our stuff to incredibly high standards that most folks would find ridiculous. We did it because those were the standards to which we were contracted to deliver, and also because we also knew where the material was going and what it would be doing. We didn't falsify anything, ever. We threw material out, often at considerable expense. But we didn't falsify tests. I can't understand how someone with a degree in metallurgy would conclude that one of those tests was "stupid." For 30 years! How did she possibly get away with it for so long?

 

Good Morning Porch! All this testing talk kinda makes me giggle! Was in charge of that for quite a bit - in the lighting business. Most required tests were simple enough, and almost all safety based. You'd have been amazed at how some of my bosses were eager to even cheat those, and the construction regs too. Sounds a lot like all this "doesn't apply to me" bs....

On happier notes, haircut. Didn't get to mulch. Too much sucess in the morning; requested help from Masterbuilt - got an email within an hour. Gave them more details - got an email within the hour. They will send me a new probe, AND a new controller because the Amazon bought probes "probably are not compatible, and may have damaged the controller". Under warranty. AND, in a running battle to correct my plates in the TX Tag system for toll roads, I finally got it corrected. Just one letter! Long story.

Made my box. Filled it mostly up with foam insulation behind plastic (so I can pull apart). Paint to follow.

 

That explains how I bought a six pack of store brand light bulbs and three in a row failed when I turned them on the first time. In fact one fizzled and popped, and two started on fire. I called the corporation and they seemed entirely unconcerned and advised me to return the product to the store. Needless to say I did without trying the remaining three.

 

David & Mike,

One thing I have told other engineers who retire is "fine I will help you with your issue. $500 per hour, Eight hours minimum" Set up terms "phone calls billed at one hour minimum". You don't work for free, so pay up.

One did help his old company, never saw a dollar of it.

Others made sure the manager and HR "signed his contract" and got paid his eight hours upfront. He gets called in once a month, but for $4,000 figures not a bad day at all. 1099 so he just pays 25% into quarterly taxes.

Keep all records, every deposit, every check. One of the guys was paid $100,000 for his time. The end of the year rolled around and was issued 1099 for $1,000,000. It seems the CFO was writing off 10 contractors at 10x their pay rate. Books looked correct, but $1,000,000 in consulting was booked at $10,000,000. He delayed sending out 1099, long overdue. Skipped town with $9 Million. Hasn't been seen nor heard from, but he had one hell of a legal battle with the IRS. Still on-going.

https://playingintheworldgame.com/2014/07/19/the-chalk-mark/

 

I informed managers Monday that starting this week I will be working only two days a week as we agreed, this should force them to move quicker in getting someone to take my projects a little faster. So today I’m off wheeee Already had a call this morning lol, but it was only 5 minutes.
I am fortunate to work contract engineering through a very good agency, I go W2 not 1099, working from home. I may slip online and work a couple hours today on a couple of things but I charge anytime I work.

 

UPDATE: My wife is back home.

One hell of a week. She was at 10% kidney function, electrolytes all over the place. She was stable enough for surgery, once regular and sodium back up to normal levels, finally got to come home after seven days in the hospital. With two fistulas (tunnels from the colon to outside the abdomen), the body is amazing what it can do. Once the kidney was above 50% and sodium levels up, discharged.

She should have gone into LTAC (Long term acute care) but wanted to be home. Non-compliant (she gets up to go out to smoke or get wine), so I'm back to playing Nurse Rachet when she asks for ice water (she is supposed to be up and moving to avoid bedsores).

Her surgeon is just facts, no-nonsense, and told her she needs to be in Hospice. The fourth time she was septic. He was shocked she survived the Omicron infection. He wants her healthy gaining weight (she is back on TPN), as her colon surgery will take three specialists about 12 hours of surgery. So a few months away, provided she doesn't smoke nor drink.

His comment to me was, "if her kidneys shut down again, it's a peaceful way to go to sleep." Oh crap, he is honest but amazing to me with her bounce backs.

Meanwhile, I have to keep up with my boxing and cycling to keep exercise and cardio up. I am brushing up on medical journals on Sodium & Potassium balance.

Caregiving is difficult, so Nurse Rachet is checking in.

 

Glad to hear your wife made it home Tom! You and her have been through a lot and are still going through a lot from the posts I’ve read. My prayers are with you both.
Does the roundrock in your user name come from being in Round Rock Texas? I was there for a week one summer and boy was it hot! Also went down to Austin for the music and food.
David