Random Comments/Stream of Consciousness Thread

[cit74]

Scoogs - hope you friend is doing well.

I know this is random - how many Calvin and Hobbes fans are out there? I have found a charity site that had 5 copies of the complete Calvin and Hobbes - paperback 4 volume set - actually signed by bill Watterson. He only signed 5 copies and 3 are still left - this was for Parkinson's charity. Any signed copies of Watterson books are extremely rare. What do people think about this item? Plus they had another limited book that bill signed. Calvin and Hobbes was always my childhood favorite - with bloom county and the farside really close - and I already have the signed editions of those 2 collections.

[TwistedNadine]

Id be interested in that. Do they still have any left?
Love Calvin and Hobbes though Far Side is still and will remain the favorite

Scoogs - hope you friend is doing well.

I know this is random - how many Calvin and Hobbes fans are out there? I have found a charity site that had 5 copies of the complete Calvin and Hobbes - paperback 4 volume set - actually signed by bill Watterson. He only signed 5 copies and 3 are still left - this was for Parkinson's charity. Any signed copies of Watterson books are extremely rare. What do people think about this item? Plus they had another limited book that bill signed. Calvin and Hobbes was always my childhood favorite - with bloom county and the farside really close - and I already have the signed editions of those 2 collections.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Something I noticed on Lilja's site about the film adaptation of "Cell":

"King wrote the adapted screenplay with Adam Alleca."

[herbertwest]

I think that months ago, someone shared pictures about some pictures and/or items that they got from the period when King was a teacher? I dont seem to be able to find it anymore?
Was it Shannon maybe?

[Ben Staad]

It could have been. Shannon has a few school yearbooks he had acquired awhile back.

I think that months ago, someone shared pictures about some pictures and/or items that they got from the period when King was a teacher? I dont seem to be able to find it anymore?
Was it Shannon maybe?

[Ben Staad]

Crap. Just received the info for the company health insurance. The premium is 23% of my net, 20% co-insurance, and $3,500 deductible for each family member. Just three years ago I was paying 6% of my net, $2,000 deductibles, and no co-insurance.

The world is one crazy place. It is not to crazy to believe that 42% (or more) of my gross earnings could go to healthcare coverage next year.

[Bad Penny]

I think that months ago, someone shared pictures about some pictures and/or items that they got from the period when King was a teacher? I dont seem to be able to find it anymore?
Was it Shannon maybe?

Here ya go mate - I think this is the thread you're looking for ???

http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...961#post750961

[biomieg]

Crap. Just received the info for the company health insurance. The premium is 23% of my net, 20% co-insurance, and $3,500 deductible for each family member. Just three years ago I was paying 6% of my net, $2,000 deductibles, and no co-insurance.

The world is one crazy place. It is not to crazy to believe that 42% (or more) of my gross earnings could go to healthcare coverage next year.

That's insane! My wife and I both pay approx. €100 (~ $135) a month for health insurance, which covers all the basic stuff. This is less than 5% of our net monthly salaries. I think that even with maximum coverage, dental plans etc. it would not be more than €200-300 a month.

The only caveat is that each year, the first €350 (~$473) in expenses that are normally covered by our insurance need to be paid by ourselves (barring some exceptions that are always covered).

[herbertwest]

I think that months ago, someone shared pictures about some pictures and/or items that they got from the period when King was a teacher? I dont seem to be able to find it anymore?
Was it Shannon maybe?

Here ya go mate - I think this is the thread you're looking for ???

http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...961#post750961

thx.

For my health insurance : i pay 10€ a month (so : 120€ a year), and my girlfriend's through her work is free. And it covered her a LOT of expenses! (hospital stay, MRIs...) )

[George at C-Springs]

There's a lot to be said for socialized medicine, though the idea isn't popular in the US. I was hospitalized for a week in Italy with kidney stones; it ended up costing me about $90, the only thing I paid for was meals, and the care was great. Here in the states that would have cost me $50,000. The greatest military retirement benefit that I've got is healthcare ... $150 or whatever it is a month for the whole family. When my son broke his elbow at school two years ago, they charged us over $1000 just for the 8 minute ambulance ride to the hospital. Utterly stupid.

But 42% of gross? You'd be better off paying the Obamacare penalties and saving your money. Or find a job with a better plan.

[Ben Staad]

But 42% of gross? You'd be better off paying the Obamacare penalties and saving your money. Or find a job with a better plan.

We are still looking at our options. The option I listed above is out. That plan was a complete steaming pile for anyone. They had a option with higher co-pays, less coverage, and a $5,000 per person deductable...this was another pass for us.

The exchange has equally unappealing options so we will, like I said above, keep looking for options. I know this will come off poorly but with my childrens medical conditions we (my family finances) come out better with only one reported income. The cost of insurance, medicine, and speciality care is financially crushing for us. The new rules on insurance have made it, at the least, twice as tough financially.

I am so sick of idealogists running me along their grindstone slowly wearing me down to the bone. 'Nuff said.

[WeDealInLead]

Have you considered Canada? Your kids would be taken care of.

I don't remember ever in my life having an out-of-pocket cost. It's all paid through taxes. I'm sure there are things that would cost extra (like a private room instead of a semi-private). My dad had cancer and after a couple of consultations, two procedures and a follow up his cost came to zero cents.

In the interest of full disclosure, my employer provides an additional 80% coverage which I hardly use because, well, I already paid it through taxes. My share of that additional coverage is $.25. That's twenty-five cents.

I'm in shock that there is a deductible on health. What a travesty. We're talking about human beings here, not dented fenders.

[George at C-Springs]

We are still looking at our options. The option I listed above is out. That plan was a complete steaming pile for anyone. They had a option with higher co-pays, less coverage, and a $5,000 per person deductable...this was another pass for us.

The exchange has equally unappealing options so we will, like I said above, keep looking for options. I know this will come off poorly but with my childrens medical conditions we (my family finances) come out better with only one reported income. The cost of insurance, medicine, and speciality care is financially crushing for us. The new rules on insurance have made it, at the least, twice as tough financially.

I am so sick of idealogists running me along their grindstone slowly wearing me down to the bone. 'Nuff said.

It'll all work out, it's just the time and pain of getting there. I'd forgotten you'd told me about your special needs requirements, that certainly does add to the difficulties. There's got to be better options available for you!

[Fsmdr]

I set down to watch what I was expecting to be a mediocre romance comedy STUCK IN LOVE last night. One of the character is a writer want-to-be teen. To my surprise they panned his bedroom with his rows of the complete Grant's editions of Dark Tower on the shelves. (Gunslinger was 3rd printing, but still) I smiled with glee when his girlfriend unwrapped his Chritmas gift and it was.......CD's gift edition of IT!. I was thinking how many viewers even know what that is?.

The biggest surprised was the character received a call from Stephen King (It was him, I checked the credits) saying how much King liked his short story and that King will forward it to the Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. That was hilarious.

[jhanic]

I set down to watch what I was expecting to be a mediocre romance comedy STUCK IN LOVE last night. One of the character is a writer want-to-be teen. To my surprise they panned his bedroom with his rows of the complete Grant's editions of Dark Tower on the shelves. (Gunslinger was 3rd printing, but still) I smiled with glee when his girlfriend unwrapped his Chritmas gift and it was.......CD's gift edition of IT!. I was thinking how many viewers even know what that is?.

The biggest surprised was the character received a call from Stephen King (It was him, I checked the credits) saying how much King liked his short story and that King will forward it to the Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. That was hilarious.

That's neat!

John

[herbertwest]

He was planned to do a cameo that turned to become that phonecall indeed

[Iwritecode]

I'm in shock that there is a deductible on health. What a travesty. We're talking about human beings here, not dented fenders.

Well we have to pay the 6 and 7 figure salaries of doctors and health companies CEOs somehow...

[Ben Staad]

Not trying to argue, and this is a legit question...Is there a difference between deductibles and taxes for this service?

Have you considered Canada? Your kids would be taken care of.

I don't remember ever in my life having an out-of-pocket cost. It's all paid through taxes. I'm sure there are things that would cost extra (like a private room instead of a semi-private). My dad had cancer and after a couple of consultations, two procedures and a follow up his cost came to zero cents.

In the interest of full disclosure, my employer provides an additional 80% coverage which I hardly use because, well, I already paid it through taxes. My share of that additional coverage is $.25. That's twenty-five cents.

I'm in shock that there is a deductible on health. What a travesty. We're talking about human beings here, not dented fenders.

[Dan]

I don't usually post here, but this is pretty random. Quite a similarity between Gov Christie and Billy from Thinner.

[WeDealInLead]

[QUOTE=Ben Staad;811099]Not trying to argue, and this is a legit question...Is there a difference between deductibles and taxes for this service?

There is no separate tax for health care cost. It's figured into whatever your taxable income is. You don't pay for most treatments at all. It's not free per se, but if you're a tax-paying citizen, regardless of the tax bracket you're in, you're covered. No monthly premium, no insurance company deciding how much you have to pay for the deductible on top of your monthly premium. So, if your hypothetical plan costs you $2000 a year and you have a $5000 deductible, that's $7000 coming from your pocket + whatever your taxable income is. Here you just pay the taxable income.

Again, some stuff isn't "free" like getting a massage, chiropractor etc but even the lowest of the lowest employers (basically, minimum wage slave drivers) like Tim Horton's have health plans that take care of 80% of that stuff.

[Iwritecode]

Not trying to argue, and this is a legit question...Is there a difference between deductibles and taxes for this service?

The deductible would only be paid by the people that have and actually use the insurance. Which is a much smaller pool that the number of people paying taxes.

The more people that contribute, the cheaper it is for everyone. Which is the basic idea behind Obamacare.

[Ben Staad]

HHG arriving on Monday. Please pray for me and my books.

[herbertwest]

Except a crap quick thing to do very early on monday to do not be annoyed during the rest of the week... i am in holidays for the Stephen King week in Paris

[Merlin1958]

HHG arriving on Monday. Please pray for me and my books.

You have my prayers for a good outcome!!!

[Ben Staad]

Thanks. I'm a bit apprehensive about seeing my babies. I hope they remember me! LOL.

HHG arriving on Monday. Please pray for me and my books.

You have my prayers for a good outcome!!!