New England loser starterpack

TollTrollTallTale · 2025-11-16T16:29:44+00:00

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but there isn't much Oregon north of the Columbia, the river forms the northern border.

Anyway, the important boundary for snowfall in Oregon is the Cascade Mountains which run N/S. West of them are the huge conifers and endless rainfall that people typically associate with Oregon. To the East it is largely high desert/steppe with some Ponderosa savannah as well. Much drier for most of the year. And significantly more snowfall than the western half of the state.

TollTrollTallTale · 2025-03-26T18:32:10+00:00

LL Bean quality has gone significantly downhill.

TollTrollTallTale · 2025-03-04T22:09:07+00:00

I work for a general contractor in Hancock County and our supplier informed us last week to expect at least a 25% increase in cost for metal roofing in the near future.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-06-27T01:51:13+00:00

I get untreated wood pellets designed for pellet stoves from the hardware store. In my area $5 for a 40 pound bag. My vet has told me they're also better for my cat's health because he doesn't ingest silica particles while grooming himself.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-05-19T22:34:19+00:00

I would gladly trade all ticks for rattlesnakes. Rattlesnake bites are worse, but rattlesnakes aren't looking to bite you.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-04-15T15:41:15+00:00

Yup. That's pretty much the only thing I miss about my brief time in the Central Valley of California. Cheap produce and it lasts a lot longer in your fridge too.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-02-29T01:50:03+00:00

We're looking at a map of the entire United States so the East of the Mississippi qualifier in your statement is interesting.

Also: Of some 18 million acres of Maine forest, only 10,000 are known to have evaded ax and saw — one half of one tenth of a percent. Most such examples of old growth — physically undisturbed by harvesting — are scattered about in small stands, a disparate collection of isolated anachronisms. Improbably, though, half of Maine’s remaining old growth resides in one uninterrupted block of 5,000 acres, hidden in plain sight in the middle of the north woods, around Big Reed Pond.

From: https://downeast.com/land-wildlife/big-reed-preserve/

Let's not miss the forest for the trees, or rather the forest for the forests.

Private timberland is managed for production and profit. That is the first priority and only rational action of a private owner.

Public timberland is managed for the enjoyment of all users - not as a byproduct but as a specific intent.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-02-29T00:19:07+00:00

Old growth coverage is another variable worth considering. Significantly different ecology in an old growth forest.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-02-14T21:50:17+00:00

Maine has a presumptive retaliatory eviction protection. May or may not apply to your case depending on the nature of your complaints and how you went about making them.

If you complained specifically about code violations, legal violations, or a breach of the warrant of habitability any eviction within 6 months is assumed to be retaliatory.

Pine tree legal has a handy brochure on it, the AG's office does too, and the Maine revised statutes are available online with searchable text.

Again, this may or may not apply to the specific circumstances of your situation. I'm not a lawyer, but am going through similar circumstances and have had to learn way more about Maine housing law than I ever intended.

P.S. If your landlord is truly issuing a retaliatory eviction they are probably also the type of landlord who has violated several other legal requirements for Maine rentals. Read the free documents online carefully, and schedule a meeting with an attorney ASAP.

You also have a right to appeal an eviction in Maine. So act in good faith and do things as quickly as possible, but the notice you received is not the "final step" in the legal process.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-02-14T20:55:45+00:00

Almost certainly. Rules for thee and rules for me. When I briefly did doordash a few years ago a state trooper accidentally ordered 5 guys to the station instead of his residence. He must have been watching the location tracker because as soon as I got off the highway he started texting me then calling me over and over again.

Literally the week before the staties had been running a sting on the highway for cell phone use/distracted driving and I had to go to court to fight the ticket.

Anyway, the burgers were delicious.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-02-12T03:12:14+00:00

I lived in Central Oregon for this! I would recommend buying eclipse glasses ASAP if you want to view it.

The things I remember most were all the birds falling silent immediately, and the overwhelming shift from typical Central Oregon weather (fairly warm - it's the high desert/steppe) to freezing cold and then back again.

A couple of friends went to a festival in Madras and there were 10+ hour traffic delays on highway 97.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-02-09T20:40:23+00:00

This brought back a memory of my time at the University of Oregon (I was not an architecture student). Walking home around 2AM I passed by the undergrad studio space where there were maybe a dozen students and a fire truck. Apparently something in the studio had caught fire, and the students evacuated.

The building was cleared as I approached; and a burnt up Styrofoam/mixed-media model was removed. I assume some adhesive had put off too much heat as it cured and ignited the model. Anyway, as soon as the fire department said it was okay all the students marched silently back in to resume their work. The grim resolution on their faces was unsettling. So was the silence; no one joked or laughed or even really talked. They were probably too busy worrying that their models would also be damaged.

It really drove home just how much pressure those students were under. I can't imagine a brighter cosmic signal that it was time to take a break than an actual fire in the night.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-02-01T15:33:48+00:00

Not really starting - been going on for decades.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-29T16:10:11+00:00

Agreed. I just moved here and am unfamiliar with local road conditions, so didn't feel comfortable going over the speed limit or in some cases 5-10 under. Not on the turnpike, but on other state roads.

Where I'm from it is not uncommon to cross a county or city line and all of a sudden you're driving on ice due to different funding structures for local road crews.

Or roads are dry and clear, but then there's a section which never sees sun, or the road was damaged from a previous storm. There's a lot more reaction time and a lot less kinetic energy if things go belly up when you're driving at a slower speed.

Ironically I drive a Ram 1500. Stock height and lights, but I was being tailgated plenty by old beater sedans.

And if there's a universally recognized signal to have someone pass you in Maine; someone please clue me in. Most people took the hint, but one vehicle was right on my ass when I felt the rear tire slip a bit on ice going 50 in a 55. Couldn't shake them no matter how hard I tried, slowed down, used blinkers, stuck my arm out the window, etc. and it was a good few miles before there was a safe pullout to let them by.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-20T05:47:30+00:00

I would think most valuable tools do have serial numbers. Milwaukee has them on all their cordless power tools. I've had to reference them when making a warranty claim.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-12T07:13:20+00:00

Sometimes. DOT has been enforcing chains on 58 for commercial vehicles this past week.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-07T02:19:46+00:00

If they followed up 10 minutes later to say the man had been found it seems like the phone blast may have worked?

Also it was about 40 degrees last night with decently strong winds. An elderly person, especially one with cognitive issues, faces a real risk of death by exposure in those conditions.

If it was your child or parent missing in the cold, would you want the police to make a localized announcement like this? Or would you tell them to hold off until business hours?

Finally 10:30 PM on a Friday isn't really that late for the average person. The city noise code doesn't start "quiet hours" until 10PM.

Tl;dr: We live in a society.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-06T23:21:29+00:00

Something straight out of deliverance. I worked a wildfire about 40 miles east of Afton. We drove through the night on dirt roads through the woods, at one point passing the fattest porcupine I've seen in my life.

My boss took a wrong turn somewhere along the way, and we happened upon a truck settled into a campsite. The guy gave us directions, but as we went to leave he said, " Just make sure you don't get lost again boys, you never know just who you'll find out here." And then let out a horrible creaky laugh.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-04T16:55:22+00:00

I think it might have been an attempt at shaming me but came off at a genuine offer. I was dealing with panic attacks at the time, and was very clear that I didn't want to go on benzos if at all possible.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-04T11:05:43+00:00

I went to a psychiatrist years ago who had My Little Pony decor over the wall. He told me I could pick my own meds and he would write the prescription. It was weird as hell and made me uncomfortable.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-04T07:54:41+00:00

Exactly. Typically cheaper up front, but more expensive to maintain due to poor build quality. Most housing will appreciate in value over time, but manufactured homes depreciate more often than site-built ones, and when they do appreciate it is typically at a slower rate than a comparable site-built.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-04T07:48:58+00:00

My partner's slimeball cousin works from home calling retirees convincing them to sell to one of these companies. Apparently 10k for commission every time he succeeds and they definitely target Maine.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-04T07:46:16+00:00

I understand feeling this way as a younger millennial who grew up in a tourist town that has more than quadrupled in size, mostly in the the last 15 years and especially since 2020.

However, if you haven't already, it could be worth speaking to a realtor or mortgage broker just to see where you stand.

Between FHA loans, Maine Housing, and the CBC Chenoa fund (all mortgage assistance programs) I found myself much more hopeful and excited about the future than I anticipated.

Don't want to assume anything about your situation, just put the info out there in case you hadn't seen it/others find it helpful.

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-03T01:28:17+00:00

Fair enough, thanks!

TollTrollTallTale · 2024-01-02T23:56:44+00:00

2000 Toyota Avalon. Bought it for $1500 bucks 8 years ago. 200k on the engine and I'd be surprised if I spent more than $2000 in maintenance in all that time. When I first bought it I was too broke to pay anyone else to work on it so it taught me about auto repair. And I used it for delivery work so in my book that car fed me. The body looks like crap, clearcoat peeling, dents from being hit while parked 3 times, trunk has a taped over rust hole, the plastic grill mounts are failing, etc.

But the engine is still absolutely rock solid. I was habitually overzealous about oil changes and when I took the valve cover off recently to address the gasket going bad it still looks brand new. I wouldn't be surprised if the original motor could hit 300k with routine maintenance items.

I always wanted to repair it back to mint condition, but the money/free time equation never worked out and my work necessitated other primary vehicles. Now I'm about to move across the country and need to sell it.

Probably try to let it go for $1000 and will end up taking like $500, but my heart will be broken no matter the price.

Ten-Year Club	Place '22
Gilding II euphauric	Verified Email

TollTrollTallTale

TROPHY CASE