OT - NO POLITICS Only 2 1/2 more months of 2020

[Dr Hook]

Interesting. Thanks!

I've heard people rave about them and the eye doctor said it couldn't hurt to try them.

I've got some vision issues due to my concussion so short of sitting in the dark all day, any help to relax my eyes is welcome.

Oh, also I started practicing the 20/20/20 rule on days where I am having to be on the computer for long periods: every 20 minutes, stare at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This reduces eye strain and I can attest that it works.

 

[Smitty93]

Any fellow HR people working on benefit renewals? We are looking at probably at least a 20% increase this year.

Unfortunately, I have to admit I'm on the dark side of benefits, but I don't do medical. Just Life and Disability, with some dental. Without getting into specifics, it's been a weird year, and the increases will be worse next year, so be prepared for that.

 

[17of26]

Don't know about FSA. HSA limits are going up a little but not much.

Our broker told us he's seen premium increases as high as 52% for some groups but the average so far has been around 27%.

We've been contributing $2 for every $1 put in to the HSA by employees, up to a certain amount per pay period, for the last couple years. If we renew, I expect that will be lowered. But I have no idea what our execs will decide on the renewal.

Ought to be an interesting few days....

Is this health insurance premiums?

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

I am not in HR but out benefit premiums did not go up. We have about 10k employees and use United health.

This will be my third year maxing out the HSA. I have been paying out of pocket for medical expenses and letting the HSA get invested in index funds. It’s better than a IRA because you don’t pay social security/Medicare on the contributions. Have almost $15k now. Work puts in $2k and I do $5k. I try to get as much savings taken out in my check so I can’t spend it haha.

another Morris tip, calculate about how much taxes you will owe at the end of the year and take your refund and add it to your 401k contributions/reduce your withholding. You will end up saving more $$ because you won’t be paying taxes and probably still get a small refund.

 

[Bruinaura]

Is this health insurance premiums?

Yes

 

[Bruinaura]

I am not in HR but out benefit premiums did not go up. We have about 10k employees and use United health.

This will be my third year maxing out the HSA. I have been paying out of pocket for medical expenses and letting the HSA get invested in index funds. It’s better than a IRA because you don’t pay social security/Medicare on the contributions. Have almost $15k now. Work puts in $2k and I do $5k. I try to get as much savings taken out in my check so I can’t spend it haha.

another Morris tip, calculate about how much taxes you will owe at the end of the year and take your refund and add it to your 401k contributions/reduce your withholding. You will end up saving more $$ because you won’t be paying taxes and probably still get a small refund.

Yeah, the HSA is great. I've maxed it out for at least the last five years. But I know nothing about investments. I should probably learn...

 

[17of26]

Yes

Blah. The healthcare and education costs in this country are absurd and unsustainable.

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

Yeah, the HSA is great. I've maxed it out for at least the last five years. But I know nothing about investments. I should probably learn...

invest 80 to 90 percent in a S and P 500 index fund and the rest in a bond index fund. Done

 

[McGarnagle]

invest 80 to 90 percent in a S and P 500 index fund and the rest in a bond index fund. Done

if you're younger than ~35 you can cut the bonds down to 5-8% really and load up on small cap/international equity. but S&P 500 is generally reliable to keep gaining.

 

[GabeTravels]

A year ago today my wife and I flew home from the Philippines!

Can't believe it's been a year... And also can't believe it's been only a year. Quarantine certainly messed with my perception of time!

Been a challenging year, but we're doing well.

 

[Troublesome 85]

Thanks to YT this popped up. Made me incredible sad. Las Vegas has a bad homeless problem and no one really talks about it. Thousands of people live in the underground tunnels. I actually sometimes catch a few walking around in the morning on the way to work. Its only going to get worse out here. I know I'm not "supposed" too but whenever I see one I try to give them change or a dollar. If I'm someplace getting food and I see someone with a sign I will buy them food. Used to always see them at In N Out and get them burgers. Shits just sad and whats sadder is some people don't want help.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

You're welcome. I have migraine issues so am concerned too about eye strain and flickering and crap. I always wonder a bit about optometrists, though because often they are selling you glasses or coatings etc. Here is what the opthalmologists say, the "party line" if you will:

Blue Light and Digital Eye Strain

My son in college got it added to his latest pair of glasses (for $500–frames n all) and said he sees a noticeable difference; my high school daughter got a $20 Non-prescription pair on Amazon and said they make a huge difference. FWIW.

Could be psycho-somatic, but hey, if your brain believes it that’s the objective, isn’t it?

 

[Dr Hook]

My son in college got it added to his latest pair of glasses (for $500–frames n all) and said he sees a noticeable difference; my high school daughter got a $20 Non-prescription pair on Amazon and said they make a huge difference. FWIW.

Could be psycho-somatic, but hey, if your brain believes it that’s the objective, isn’t it?

Absolutely. Placebo effect is a real thing. I wish it worked for me sometimes

 

[Troublesome 85]

It’s sucked ass out here

Las Vegas to add heat record for blistering 2020

 

[TD Charlie]

Remote learning rant

My twin 5 year olds are each on an IEP. School in general is difficult, remote learning is just that much more difficult. They are home today with their sister, myself, and my lady friend, everyone at school/work. The boys are at each others throats on a good day, and now they are expected to sit in front of a tablet in their home for an hour and remain laser focused? We have to separate them in the house due to audio feedback, so one is at the kitchen table and the other is jammed into my desk with me. They need to navigate headphones, mute/unmute, keep the tablets from falling over, and keeping their heads in the video frame...oh, and pay attention at all times. IT IS NOT A REASONABLE ASK OF A FIVE YEAR OLD. I'm sorry, it's just not feasible.

I lost count of how many times this teacher scolded someone for fidgeting or adjusting their headphones, not unmuting/muting quick enough, and it wasn't just my kids either. She was cold and military like in her approach the full hour. Again, THEY ARE FIVE. At one point she asked the kids to take out their markers and letter boards (it's just a dry erase board, but I'm not sure why she asked them to take these out...) and she starts going over vowels on the screen, asking random kids what letter is this and what sound does it make? One of my boys starts writing vowels. He's bored outta his mind, he is not being engaged, but he's staying somewhat on task. He gets called on. As he's unmuting the teacher jumps on him and says he needs to be faster to unmute because they only have an hour. He unmutes and says it's the letter i. She asks what sound it makes and what the picture is and points to a monkey itching himself...my boy says "monkey" and she lowers her tone and ups the aggression in her voice "It's a monkey but what is the sound? If you were paying attention instead of writing on your white board, which I never instructed you to do, you would've heard another student already answer this question and you would've known."

It took every bit of self control not to throw my kid out of his chair, take his place on the zoom meeting and rip into this teacher. After their lesson I pulled both boys aside and told them how proud I was and how awesome they did, I know it's hard to learn at home with the tablets. One boy lights up like a Christmas tree and the other sulks and says "well, not really." This teacher has shattered this poor kids confidence so bad that he can't take over the top praise from his father. I am so f***ing heated right now.

Thanks for listening, hffam.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

Remote learning rant

My twin 5 year olds are each on an IEP. School in general is difficult, remote learning is just that much more difficult. They are home today with their sister, myself, and my lady friend, everyone at school/work. The boys are at each others throats on a good day, and now they are expected to sit in front of a tablet in their home for an hour and remain laser focused? We have to separate them in the house due to audio feedback, so one is at the kitchen table and the other is jammed into my desk with me. They need to navigate headphones, mute/unmute, keep the tablets from falling over, and keeping their heads in the video frame...oh, and pay attention at all times. IT IS NOT A REASONABLE ASK OF A FIVE YEAR OLD. I'm sorry, it's just not feasible.

I lost count of how many times this teacher scolded someone for fidgeting or adjusting their headphones, not unmuting/muting quick enough, and it wasn't just my kids either. She was cold and military like in her approach the full hour. Again, THEY ARE FIVE. At one point she asked the kids to take out their markers and letter boards (it's just a dry erase board, but I'm not sure why she asked them to take these out...) and she starts going over vowels on the screen, asking random kids what letter is this and what sound does it make? One of my boys starts writing vowels. He's bored outta his mind, he is not being engaged, but he's staying somewhat on task. He gets called on. As he's unmuting the teacher jumps on him and says he needs to be faster to unmute because they only have an hour. He unmutes and says it's the letter i. She asks what sound it makes and what the picture is and points to a monkey itching himself...my boy says "monkey" and she lowers her tone and ups the aggression in her voice "It's a monkey but what is the sound? If you were paying attention instead of writing on your white board, which I never instructed you to do, you would've heard another student already answer this question and you would've known."

It took every bit of self control not to throw my kid out of his chair, take his place on the zoom meeting and rip into this teacher. After their lesson I pulled both boys aside and told them how proud I was and how awesome they did, I know it's hard to learn at home with the tablets. One boy lights up like a Christmas tree and the other sulks and says "well, not really." This teacher has shattered this poor kids confidence so bad that he can't take over the top praise from his father. I am so f***ing heated right now.

Thanks for listening, hffam.

yeah, you know my stance on remote learning garbage.
Its a joke. We dont have our daughter go on zoom for more than 1 hour. Instead of the 6. She does all the paper work with us away from the stupid chromebook.
And never mind the emails. They are sending us parents 5 emails a day and expecting us to post pictures of the kids work after we get out of work! LOL
They also expect a 7 year old to read and retrieve emails?? They also have had 5 different schedules of how to do things in the past 2 weeks. Its an utter disaster.

 

[TD Charlie]

yeah, you know my stance on remote learning garbage.
Its a joke. We dont have our daughter go on zoom for more than 1 hour. Instead of the 6. She does all the paper work with us away from the stupid chromebook.
And never mind the emails. They are sending us parents 5 emails a day and ecpecting us to post pictures of the kids work after we get out of work! LOL
They also expect a 7 year old to read and retrieve emails?? They also have had 5 different schedules of how to do things in the past 2 weeks. Its an utter disaster.

it's truly insane what is being expected of us, and the kids. We were getting our remote assignments not just the morning of, but assignments would come in during that day as well. So I would start the day planning for 2 zoom calls with my twins, and that morning would find out we have to complete x # of math pages...then during the day they get assigned additional work. Excuse me, this is kindergarten.

You have SIX hours of zoom per day? That can't be good. I bet even high school kids would struggle with that.

 

[Gee Wally]

My unsolicited advice for those who know me, stock up now on those items that were difficult to obtain back in Feb, March & April.

Just sayin’.

 

[TD Charlie]

My unsolicited advice for those who know me, stock up now on those items that were difficult to obtain back in Feb, March & April.

Just sayin’.

Yup! It might already be too late. I've come up empty three times in the last week.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

it's truly insane what is being expected of us, and the kids. We were getting our remote assignments not just the morning of, but assignments would come in during that day as well. So I would start the day planning for 2 zoom calls with my twins, and that morning would find out we have to complete x # of math pages...then during the day they get assigned additional work. Excuse me, this is kindergarten.

You have SIX hours of zoom per day? That can't be good. I bet even high school kids would struggle with that.

6 hours. Yup. We put the stop on that after seeing our 7 year old crying because she couldnt get into one of the meetings. And the reason she couldnt get into the meeting was because the teacher didnt have power. So they sent an email to the students. Like they are supposed to check emails. LOL. We flipped because the teacher couldve just used her phone to get in the meeting or drive to a hotspot. Instead she did nothing. So we decided we arent wasting our days on the chromebook anymore.
And they dont do any work anyways. If you sit around and listen to the stuff they do during the day, its nothing. I swear these teachers are on strike.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

My unsolicited advice for those who know me, stock up now on those items that were difficult to obtain back in Feb, March & April.

Just sayin’.

If there is a shortage on beer this time around I will kill myself

 

[TD Charlie]

6 hours. Yup. We put the stop on that after seeing our 7 year old crying because she couldnt get into one of the meetings. And the reason she couldnt get into the meeting was because the teacher didnt have power. So they sent an email to the students. Like they are supposed to check emails. LOL. We flipped because the teacher couldve just used her phone to get in the meeting or drive to a hotspot. Instead she did nothing. So we decided we arent wasting our days on the chromebook anymore.
And they dont do any work anyways. If you sit around and listen to the stuff they do during the day, its nothing. I swear these teachers are on strike.

Sometimes it feels that way. I understand that they weren't prepared for this type of work, truly I do. However, the students aren't prepared for it either, nor am I qualified to be a teacher. As it stands, parents are doing more instruction day to day than the school is. Which that's fine if that's how it's gonna be, but don't be chastising my kids because your remote model is failing them.

 

[JRull86]

Oh, also I started practicing the 20/20/20 rule on days where I am having to be on the computer for long periods: every 20 minutes, stare at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This reduces eye strain and I can attest that it works.

I've never heard of this, but I'm going to try it, as I am on the computer constantly

 

[LSCII]

My unsolicited advice for those who know me, stock up now on those items that were difficult to obtain back in Feb, March & April.

Just sayin’.

Once the hard to find items started coming back in stock, we assumed there would be shortages later down the road if it spiked again, so we've been stocking up the entire time. Only a matter of time. The only thing we've had a difficult time finding is rubbing alcohol for some weird reason. Disinfectant, wipes, TP, and canned goods are all fine. Freezer is stocked with beef and chicken.

 

[roflstomper]

Sometimes it feels that way. I understand that they weren't prepared for this type of work, truly I do. However, the students aren't prepared for it either, nor am I qualified to be a teacher. As it stands, parents are doing more instruction day to day than the school is. Which that's fine if that's how it's gonna be, but don't be chastising my kids because your remote model is failing them.

Teachers fail miserably nationally even with in person classes and always blame the students/families. Can't even imagine how worse they fare with this online garbage.

Also, did you guys ever stop and think the localized shortages are from people panic buying a ton of shit they don't need to. Lmao.