Mark Anderson wrote:

I started smoking in high school. At that age, I thought that I would live forever, so why not? After school I enlisted in the Marine Corps and ended up in Viet Nam. I could buy a carton of cigarettes for $2.00 at Freedom Hill PX. Every day, I didn’t know if I would see tomorrow, so why quit?
After many attempts, I finally quit smoking at age 33. A year later, I was doing a job building a practice green at a local country club. After a year of not smoking, the urge to smoke hit me hard. There were about six employees of the maintenance crew working with me. I asked if any of them had a cigarette. Nobody did, but one guy said that he had some Copenhagen and handed over the can. I took three fingers worth, and in about 10 minutes I was on my hands and knees puking.
I have never used or craved tobacco since then, which was over forty years ago. A little back of the napkin math; I smoked a pack a day, times 365 days a year times 40 years at today’s price let’s say 10 bucks a pack = $146,000.

P.S.
Years later my wife worked as a Para legal for the Law firm in Minnesota vs Big Tobacco. I thought at the time as many have that smokers are weak because they can’t quit that one thing that was controlling their life. My wife told me about the documents that were obtained from the Tobacco companies. They were manipulating the chemicals that kept smokers addicted. I feel fortunate that I was able to escape that addiction.

I started smoking in high school. At that age, I thought that I would live forever, so why not? After school I enlisted in the Marine Corps and ended up in Viet Nam. I could buy a carton of cigarettes for $2.00 at Freedom Hill PX. Every day, I didn’t know if I would see tomorrow, so why quit?
After many attempts, I finally quit smoking at age 33. A year later, I was doing a job building a practice green at a local country club. After a year of not smoking, the urge to smoke hit me hard. There were about six employees of the maintenance crew working with me. I asked if any of them had a cigarette. Nobody did, but one guy said that he had some Copenhagen and handed over the can. I took three fingers worth, and in about 10 minutes I was on my hands and knees puking.
I have never used or craved tobacco since then, which was over forty years ago. A little back of the napkin math; I smoked a pack a day, times 365 days a year times 40 years at today’s price let’s say 10 bucks a pack = $146,000.

I called our county’s assessor (Hennepin Co.) a few years ago to try to find out why my taxes had increased so much. This was when covid was ramping down. The assessor told me that the VALUE of my property, which includes a house, a detached three car garage and a garden shed, among other factors (+ or -) are based on what comparables in my area are selling for. Other factors may be improvements and condition.

He went on to explain that TAXES are set by politicians and bureaucrats by setting the mil rate levy according to expenses and proposed spending. The mil rate levied is subject to public scrutiny and votes at the next election.

I was at my cabin last summer (St Louis Co.) When the assessor came to my property. She reiterated what the Hennepin Co. assessor had told me. While she took notes of improvements that I had made, she also quizzed me on any condition issues which may lower, or at least limit the amount of any increase in value.

The percent of taxes to the value of both properties are similar.

All good suggestions. Also, check out Steve Chiasson Fishing on YouTube.
He has many videos on using and fine tuning the Humminbird Helix.

While casting a crankbait on Vermilion I pulled up a trolling rod with a Shimano Tekota 300LC. That was a good catch. Somebody else had a bad day.

That’s a great reminder, and to that I’ll add to also use the safety tether. If I get thrown out of my boat my PFD won’t do me any good if my boat circles around and runs me over.

To be honest the best hamburgers are the ones I grill on my charcoal grill. 80/20 beef, salt and pepper with Velveeta cheese and a raw slice of a sweet onion.
I also like the burgers at the Good Old Days Bar in Tower, MN. I would bring up third with Culver’s butterburger.
As far as the Lions Tap burgers, I always order with low or no salt.

I’m a retired excavator. I did many types of excavating but mainly I dug and backfilled basements. I recall doing some pressure treated wood basements back in the 70’s and early 80’s. At the time they were touted as 50 year foundations, which looking back is not that long.
The allure for builders was that they could use their own carpenters to erect the walls, plus they were easy to insulate and sheet rock. Typically in our clay soils I would dig the basement with only a 12 inch oversize. Pea gravel was then spread on the basement floor. The wall plates were set right on top of the leveled gravel, no concrete footings.
The walls were framed and stood up. The wall exteriors were waterproofed with a material that was applied with a long handled roller and heavy mil plastic was applied.
After the concrete basement floor was poured and the 1st floor framing was done to stiffen up the structure, the basement could be carefully backfilled with pea gravel. Proper drainage was key.
Back then a competent crew could put up a block or poured foundation in a day or so, so there really wasn’t much savings in my opinion, especially for an untested (at the time) 50 year product.

This model works well for me.

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I’m a retired 49er. The company that I worked for did excavating and grading. Most of our customers were high end builders. As a union company, they got, and had highly trained operators. The customers demanded and received quality work. The union employees got good pay and benefits with an excellent retirement waiting for them.

Lazy or poor workers were given one chance to improve and if they didn’t they were shown the door.

I really don’t understand the whining about unions. Maybe there are bad ones, you have to make the right choice. Before unions in this country there was 14 hour days, 6-7 day weeks, no health insurance or unemployment, dangerous working conditions and child labor.

Basically, unions balance power between labor and industry.

You know that GMC tailgate commercial that everyone has their mouth hanging open when they see the step tailgate? That’s what people do when they see me use my Drotto.

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munchy wrote:

Aren’t there winter weight restrictions on most roads nowadays? May that be part of the problem with hiring legitimate heavy haul companies? [/uote]

The road restrictions typically start about March 1st to the 15, and run until May 1st til the 15th to coincide with the frost coming out.

Using a voltmeter to keep track of remaining battery life in a LiFePo4 is probably not the best. Using a shunt device that measures amps out/amps in will tell you exactly how much life is left. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to install, especially with a single battery system.

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I smoked cigarettes and cigars for 17 years. When I was in Viet Nam we got a a pack of 4 cigarettes in our C rations. At Freedom Hill PX smokes were around $1.50/carton. Almost everyone smoked.

When I turned 30 I tried quitting, but ultimately it took me four years and many tries. Finally, after many attempts I was able to stop smoking.

After a year of no tobacco, I was working at a golf course building a green. The urge to smoke struck, and struck hard! I asked my co workers if any of them had a cigarette. No cigs, but one guy said he had some Copenhagen.

I swear, I put half a can of that nasty stuff tween my cheek and gum. After about a half an hour I got sicker than a dog eating grass.

It’s been 37 years since and I’ve never had the urge for any tobacco since.

I had a 1600 Fury tiller for four years. Mine had a 40 hp and had a top speed of 27 mph with 2 guys and gear. I have since traded for a bigger boat, but if I was buying a new Fury I’d max the horsepower, which is 40 hp for that hull. It’ll have better performance, especially if you bring that 3rd person. If it matters to you, the resale is always better with the maximum allowed power.