Month: September 2018

2016 Yamaha Wave Runner Glove Box Latch Repair

This would apply to various years of Yamaha Waverunners.  See photo below.

The cheap plastic glove box latch design has the latch pivoting on a metal pin which is secured by very thin plastic holes on each side of the latch housing.  The holes break away quickly.  Pitch the latch !

The fix is to use E6000 industrial strength glue (small tube about $7).  I used magnets about $10 bucks from Amazon, glued to the glove box cover and the glove box housing.  Magnets fit perfectly.   Magnets:

Creative Hobbies Ceramic Industrial Magnets -11/16 Inch (.709) Round Disc – 3/16″ THICK (.198″ or 5mm) – Ferrite Magnets Bulk for Crafts, Science&hobbies – Grade 5-100 pcs/box!   You will get 100 for the 10 bucks, but magnets are handy.

Here’s a photo: You can see the magnets glued to the glove box cover (top of photo) and2016 Yam VX Deluxe Magnets glove box housing (bottom of photo).  Glue takes 24 hours to set. Do the bottom or top first, separately.  Use clamps on the top cover (with it open).  Do the bottom magnets keeping the top open.  Maker sure you have the polarity correct.

On average about $10,000 machines — bad design, or, maybe just the cheapest way out.

In balance, great engines and drive trains !!!!

***** S&E *****

 

 

 

Hurricane Losses and the Tax Code

I just read the tax laws for taking a deduction for expenses from hurricane damage.  Here is a link if you are interested.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/top-10-tips-for-deducting-losses-from-a-disaster

A couple of comments: (1) you just can’t simply deduct the expense.  There are calculations described in several IRS Forms, Schedules, and Publications.  (2) It is a 10 step process which includes establishing the basis, adjusting for Fair Market Value, and on and on.  Generally, if your loss does not exceed 10 percent of your Adjusted Gross Income, you will not be able to claim the loss.

IRS ImageSo for those who have losses in the thousands from Hurricane Florence, they will probably be tapping IRA’s to cover the loss since most don’t have thousands sitting and available in bank accounts to cover disasters.  That would be a taxable event (withdrawal from IRA), more expense, NICE!

At the least, Congress and the IRS could forgive tax on IRA withdrawals to pay for losses from disasters.  Better yet, simplify the tax code so you could SIMPLY deduct the loss.

You and I probably won’t live to see that!!!

I would suggest that when a Congress Person uses the phrase, “in the best interest of my constituents”, It probably should be rephrased to, “in the best interest of my campaign donors and sponsors”.

***** S&E *****

Bringing the Group On board

(Mostly applicable to managers, supervisors, and leader’s assuming responsibility for a new department).

Here are some suggested talking points for the first meeting with employees; this should be an all hands meeting, open to questions at any time; discuss points to achieve understanding.

  1. I will not ask you to work harder than meLeadership
  2. Company values – expected to live within everyday work
  3. Our work directly affects others — quality, quantity, timeliness
  4. We are not a group of individuals doing work, we are a team
  5. The importance of objectives
  6. Performance reviews and pay for performance
  7. I will give you space to work and help you be successful
  8. It is my job to help you learn, advance you skills, provide development experiences
  9. It is my job to assist you with your career planning
  10. Work hard, be smart, be creative, be dependable, be responsible, and make a meaningful contribution.
  11. It is your job, you need to own it.
  12. When you are ready, I will assist with your promotion or lateral broadening experience
  13. If you are unsuccessful on the job, I will assist with your re-assignment
  14. When something goes wrong, 90% of the time it is usually poor communications
  15. My door will always be open

Some of the above will deserve separate meetings… luncheon meetings work well, particularly if the boss pays for the pizza.

***** S&E *****

Resistance Inside the Administration

If you have not read the “Op-Ed” article published by the NY Times on September 5th, you should.  Among all the chaos in  DC, I find it encouraging… or at least evidence of a balance within.  I am a half-full glass person. 

There is an ongoing search for the guilty associated with the writer.  I find it interesting that organizations like the KKK (why past disgusting and much worse) can exist, hiding behind the first amendment, but that amendment apparently, in the presidents mind, is not applicable this situation.

Here is the Times introduction to the article:

The Times is taking the rare step of publishing an anonymous Op-Ed essay. We have done so at the request of the author, a senior official in the Trump administration whose identity is known to us and whose job would be jeopardized by its disclosure. We believe publishing this essay anonymously is the only way to deliver an important perspective to our readers. We invite you to submit a question about the essay or our vetting process here.

Here is a link to the full article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/opinion/trump-white-house-anonymous-resistance.html

***** S&E *****