Odd Thoughts About Tobacco

[puffy]

Here in Carlonia we have to get our cars inspected each year before we get our license plates renewed.It's done by hooking a computer into the car and getting a read out.It costs thirty dollars.Today my car wouldn't give a read out.It had to be hooked to another computer and re programmed.Then it gave a read out and passed inspection.Total price a hundred and fourty dollars.I can tell I've got this pipe smoking thing pretty bad because as I was paying the bill all I could think of was how much tobacco that money would buy.Tomorrow it's another twenty eight dollars to get a sticker to put on my license plate for the next year.All total it's the price of five pounds of a decent quality bulk tobacco.

 

[terry]

That just sucks a big one! I understand where you are coming from!

 

[philip]

And don't forget you'll need to put at least another 4 ounces of tobacco into the gas tank to keep it running. Most of that will go to the state, too. At least we can all sleep well knowing that the state is getting it's fair share.
I might be mistaken, but I think California has a similar system.

 

[pipeinhand]

OK, that just sounds like a scam "sorry this computer can't read your car, you need the more expensive one" REALLY??? I had one guy in VA tell me my car didn't have catalytic converters and wasn't going to pass and new CC was 200 bucks. When I told him I worked for Chevy for 20 years and they are right here, he said Oh I thought it was a skid plate and passed it right away shooing me out the door. I should have reported his ass.

 

[dongreyface]

West Virginia is really bad. I don't know all the ins an outs as I live in Ohio and don't have to get it inspected, but I work in WV in an auto retail store, and the stories I hear about vehicles not getting passed is rediculous. Some places won't even pass the vehicle if they're missing a valve cap on their tire stem.

 

[aussielass]

All total it's the price of five pounds of a decent quality bulk tobacco

Aaah stop yer whinin' boy, that'd buy about 5 ounces here, and I don't mean the green stuff either!

 

[markw4mms]

Here in GA we have a Federally mandated emissions test if you live in an area with a large population,it costs $25 and is required to get your tag for all cars made after 1974. Even though my car would pass, it's nice living in rural GA where I don't have to deal with it. Speaking of thinking of potential tobacco orders when spending money elsewhere, I wonder how much PAD or TAD I could have with the approximately $6K out of pocket expense I'm going to be incurring with my surgery later today? Oh the Dunhills,Castellos, and pounds of tobacco I could have had. :crying:

 

[matchstickman]

This is going to sound greedy as hell, but I just finished up Christmas shopping today, and I couldnt help but think the same thing. I could have ordered so many tins/a pound of bulk/ a nice pipe with the money I am spending on everyone else. I also have to shop for a brand new brother in law this year, which has been a totally horrifying experience.

 

[spartan]

My whole christmas bonus is going towards gifts for these "other people" in my life... sheesh
WHAT ABOUT MY NEEDS?!

 

[maduroman]

ya all aint seen chit untill you see the hoops n costs of dealing with the dmv here in kalifornia. just the tags for my 1999 chevy p/u is OVER $300.
for my wife's 4 y/o 300 is over $350...
plus add in the $75-$100 for smog check....

 

[marmal4de]

Wait wait wait, you have to PAY for surgery, YOURSELF!? Sorry son, that's effed right up.

 

[jpberg]

Maduroman, I'll see your Kalifornia and raise you a big welcome to New York. I wonder when it's all said and done, which actually has the most all round in taxes?

 

[spartan]

$15 bucks for a registration sticker, and maybe $40 for an inspection and the sticker; no smog bullcrap.
I Love Texas...most of the time. ::

 

[chestercopperpot]

I'm just glad to be back in Indiana where the state gov isn't up your butt about everything. I lived the past few years in PA, I'm so glad to be out of there. We don't have inspections at all here that I know of, and plates are around $70. In PA I had a Jeep Cherokee I had to sell because I couldn't afford a repair to pass inspection. The drivers seat wiggled a little bit and I'd have to buy a new seat to pass, which I couldn't afford because I was going to school. After getting pulled over twice in a month because of an expired inspection sticker, I had to sell it. Fortunately my boss let me use her car to get to school while I sold my Jeep to buy another car, or else I would have been screwed. I never want to step foot in that state again. I can understand wanting safe cars on the road, but really it's a tax on poor people like me. I miss my Jeep

 

[markw4mms]

Wait wait wait, you have to PAY for surgery, YOURSELF!? Sorry son, that's effed right up.

Yeah, I have insurance, but only plan I could afford has a higher deductible, or out of pocket expense. Company provided health insurance ain't what it used to be, at least not where I work.

 

[matchstickman]

Company provided health insurance ain't what it used to be, at least not where I work

It is my understanding that you work at Wal-Mart, last I heard. I totally agree. I gave those assholes three years of my life that I will never get back, and my girlfriend works there now, and they take half of her paycheck for very sub par health insurance. I totally feel your pain on this one, man.

 

[markw4mms]

Yep, I work at Walmart,and to have the really decent coverage, it would take over $100 a pay period for the premium, and that's about 1/7th of my take home pay...way to much for me!

 

[marmal4de]

Wow, that's terrible, I'm sorry to hear that!

 

[rigmedic1]

But as far as the original post goes.... Yeah, when I have to spend money on my son's college books, or bills, or another tank of gasoline, I too think about how much Goedewaagen or Double Eagle or Penzance that would buy, or how much my TAD list would be shortened by, or that I could have purchased that one pipe...

Afterwards though, I am comforted by the fact that I am able to recline comfortably on the porch with a pint in my fist and a pipe in my teeth, and that I am able to acquire the basic needs and still have a PAD or TAD attack from time to time. There are many that cannot. And I am thankful that I live in a country where we have a right to complain, and to protest, and to not bleed or starve to death. ::

 

[lordnoble]

It's funny you brought this up, . I was just doing this the other day when I was grocery shopping. (Yes. I do the grocery shopping. I also do a good majority of the cooking too. And yes. My wife CAN cook, but that's only because I taught her how. I buy the groceries because I know what we need and what everyone wants for their lunches. But the most important reason I shop is because my wife HATES it and makes her happy that I do it. And if mama's happy...) When I got through the checkout, I say the total and thought, "My lord, I could've gotten that Peterson 2011 POY I've been eyeing between this week and last!" Sigh. I guess one day my family will appreciate the fact that I didn't steal food out of their mouths to satiate my PAD.
-Jason
*EDIT* P.S.- rigmedic, I'm lovin' the Doctor avatar you've got. Awesome. Simply awesome.