SENC

Have you talked with the vendor to see how they completed the customs document for the shipper. Could have been an error at the vendor... or, as in my recent case, could be that the shipper didn't input data from the submitted customs document correctly. Either way, the vendor is likely the most capable (and interested) in helping resolve.

Don't ditch you're old one, rebuild it as a backup. They're dead simple and nearly every part in them can still be found (NOS).

Follow-up on my previous post. DHL finally got it figured out and seem to have calculated the duty fees more accurately. But they also added a $17 fee of their own. After inquiring further about this, DHL is charging 2%, or $17 minimum, for any duties they pay then collect from recipients. Seems they're going to turn it into a bonus profit center. I can't fully blame them, but will opt for other shippers until I find they're all doing the same.

They do know how to play the game, they've been dealing with this a lot longer than we have as VAT has no de minimus and their import duty de minimus is very low. I've received a number of bottles of vintage Whisky over the years marked (accurately) "old glass bottles". And been asked to send Lotus bits over marked "old parts for repair"

Wish I could join, but this Fall is going to be busy (culminating in daughter's wedding in November). Have fun!

Nice! Wish I could join, but this Fall is going to be busy (culminating in daughter's wedding in November). Have fun!

It seems the major shippers are now back online from the UK to US, I had several options presented by a well-known UK vendor (of dog training goods) when I ordered about 10 days ago. The package was shipped quickly and within about 36 hours my choice, DHL, sent via email and text a notice of duty fee. On following the link, the fee seemed extremely high (80% of the value of good purchased), but not detail was offered. I called and eventually got through to one of their international service agents who promised to email me the detail, but he also reviewed it and felt it was in error and would request correction. The following day, I received a detailed invoice, now for about 60% of the value of goods I purchased. On reviewing the duty fee calculation, it was immediately obvious that they had entered the wrong value for the goods purchased - roughly 3x the purchase price. I contacted the vendor, who sent me a copy of the customs document they provided DHL with the actual purchase price/value. I've forwarded that to DHL and the vendor is contacting their DHL rep on their end, as well. All this to say, shipping seems back on (unless a particular vendor wants to protest or just doesn't want to deal with the initial hiccups as shippers implement new processes)... but be sure to review the duty calculations before paying. I will say that both the vendor and DHL (once I finally got off hold) have been very helpful and responsive, and I have no doubt they will get this right.

No doubt there are capitalistic ventures that attempt to fill gaps our current system creates. Urgent Cares are an effort to put "cheaper" healthcare as close to where people live, shop, and work in hopes of reducing unnecessary and more expensive ER visits. Unfortunately, because they generally require payment at the time of service, they are underutilized by those with governmental coverage. There are, increasingly, physicians who are practicing outside of the system - providing care for payment at the time of service or even doing monthly/annual membership type fees. These are often much lower cost... but used primarily by those who can afford out of pocket expenses. And they, obviously, don't provide much in the way of acute, emergent/urgent care. Outpatient diagnostics are another example where there are capitalistic options. In states that do not have regulatory restrictions on expensive diagnostic equipment (such as MRI and CT), there are often small businesses that have set up to provide such services - at much lower cost than provided by hospitals and physicians. On the whole, these represent a small percentage of our overall healthcare system and expenditures - and though I appreciate and support the general idea and model they represent, in our mixed (and heavily centrally-managed) system, they actually tend to exacerbate the overall problem as they "cherry-pick" the healthiest and most capable of paying patients, leaving the sickest and most expensive to traditional providers (who have much smaller margins).

My career was in healthcare administration, largely medical practices and hospitals, so I know that sector best. Prices are largely set by the government. Hospital and physician charges have been largely irrelevant to what they get paid since the 80s. Yes, somewhere around 30% is "commercial", but much of that is based on a percentage of the government fee schedule. What's more, the government (since Obamacare) has prescribed what services must be included in most commercial health plans. I'm not pointing political fingers - the current President appears dead set on applying price controls in the pharmaceutical side of things, too (there is certainly a LOT wrong in how drug pricing works, much due to how hospitals are reimbursed for drugs - again, mostly government set). On top of regulated pricing, regulations determine what services are included or excluded in bundles, and determines what services can even be considered. The administrative burden of these and other regulatory requirements is HUGE. In short, very little of healthcare today is between patients (consumers) and their providers (hospitals, physicians, drug companies, etc.) - much/most is driven by third party and governmental reimbursement regulation. Much of the underlying cost of healthcare is driven by regulatory and reimbursement costs, and by defensive medicine. Unfortunately, I think the estimates often bandied about that 30-35% of healthcare costs today are driven by such non-value-added costs are accurate, and maybe low. A free market system where consumers make decisions based on cost/benefit would have, in my opinion, yielded a more efficient and effective system (for most) - but the incredible perplexity of our reimbursement and regulatory system has spurred the high fixed cost system we have today. Unfortunately, again, in my opinion, going back to pure free market wouldn't solve those issues for many years, and would cause a lot of pain in the process. Sadly, our system is quite broken. I'm not sure I see a great path for lower costs per capita short of blowing it up and starting over.

Now that's pure comedy gold right there! Our healthcare system hasn't had but the barest connection back to capitalism for 40+ years now. Having said that, I agree completely with your sentiment about healthcare costs, they are absurd. But we're so far down the road (50% is now gov't funded), I'm not sure a return to a capitalistic healthcare system is possible.

I believe I'd get a new GP. Hard to imagine a GP not ordering a vax after a phone or electronic chart request (assuming you're an established and regular/annual visiting patient).

I was curious, so looked at who already has similar laws passed... Hawaii and AZ don't change, but because the current fed law doesn't allow DST as the standard they remain on ST year-round. California and Florida were first (in 2018) to pass trigger laws similar to the one TX just passed. Alabama (2021) Colorado (2022) Delaware (2019) Georgia (2021) Idaho (2022, for northern 1/2 of state) Louisiana (2022) Maine (2019) Mississippi (2021) Montana (2021) Oklahoma (2025) South Carolina (2020) Tennessee (2019) Utah (2020) Washington (2019) Wyoming (2020) And now, Texas joins the list.

Who knew that there were 18 other states with similar laws already in place?!? Fascinating.

Thread drift? Here? Say it ain't so!

Less than half of the max. As I recall the manual says 20 all around. That isn't squishy in the least - these cars are so light they just don't need a lot of pressure. I have the Pirelli Cinturatos referenced above - have really liked them.