This is normal. I'm originally from Michigan and have had some gloriously shitty shitboxes that would probably have immolated when they crossed the VT border. Vehicle inspections are new to me too. What you are describing seems par for the course.

I don't think scarf cutting a beer can with two hose clamps is an acceptable exhaust repair in Vermont btw.

On the flip side, it's awesome that you have had family gatherings and such that you miss now. I think it was Bob Marley who said "don't be sad it's over, be happy it happened.". Hold on to the good times and looks for new holiday experiences in the future.

I've seen a lot of folks mention volunteering for community events and dinners in the area. Maybe chasing down one of those breadcrumb trails might be worthwhile? Probably would meet a lot of interesting people in a similar situation. Don't have to volunteer. Could figure out what people are volunteering for and then show up to those events.

It is 23F here in Essex

I just wear waterproof hiking boots with heavy treads all season. Gets the job done 95% of the time. I keep micros spikes in my truck in case something goes sideways (literally and figuratively).

We have Bernie at one end and Phil Scott at the other. Everyone generally gets along. Awesome culture. Sure you have fringe idiots, but they exist everywhere.

Housing is crazy expensive and hard to find, but there is endless stuff to do if you are outdoorsy. Winters are dark and usually cold. Might be an adjustment. I love it, but have always loved this far north.

Do You Want To Build a Snow Dick is a classic song actually:

https://youtu.be/F0cPsmAXx8s

Had a snow storm back in 2000 back in Michigan that dumped 48" over 3 days. I haven't seen snow like that since. School was closed for an entire week. All the neighborhood kids had snowball wars pretty much that whole week. If you stepped outside, you were going to get pelted. About half way through the week, I was in a snowball skirmish. Got nailed by a huge snowball so hard that it split my eyebrow open. Turns out I got hit with a fastball from the starting varsity softball pitcher. We hit it off. Dated through high school and college. Ended up getting married. Never expected that we would end up being married with a kid in Vermont when she screwed me up with that snowball back in the day.

Ah Bummer. It's a good start to the season tho.

It will do good for a couple days maybe. Once that cardboard soaks through, it will leak like it isn't there. Definitely agree that he doesn't deserve to be shit on.

With most on-highway diesels, thee fuel pre-filters usually have an integrated hand pump primer or an electric priming pump.

It's been that way for a while. I think we have the oldest average resident age in the country or we did for a while there.

You are both half right. Paper gaskets are not made of cardboard box material. Paper gaskets are usually wax coated or impregnated. Can get plane sheets of gasket material for pretty cheap, but they still might be too much for the dude in the video. Maybe he just doesn't know about this option too.

Imminent domain? I don't think that is a barrier.

Absolutely!

I've only been a patient for 1.5 years. Sounds thing things went downhill fast.

Staffing. Had mass retirements the past few years. Can't get staff because they have nowhere to live. Most of the staff is contract workers who don't mind short stints in motels or campers.

Staffing. Had mass retirements the past few years. Can't get staff because they have nowhere to live. Most of the staff is contract workers who don't mind short stints in motels or campers.

It's all services right now. Can't get help because help has no place to live.

Really? I have MS and have generally had good experiences with the neurology department. I'm not trying to debate with you. I'm just pretty shocked because 18 months is obnoxious. Makes me nervous to have a flare (as if flares aren't nerve wracking on their own).

Side note, did you get MRIs with contrast? One of my earliest MS symptoms was debilitating migraines.

I'm a weirdo from Michigan too! My family finally pulled it off. We love it here in VT.

What are you on about? Enforcement can be state level, federal level, or both. The EPA will defer to state level enforcement for smaller cases like some bumkin dumping oil in a pond. They used to get heavily involved in massive cases like the Flint water crisis. I'm just bringing downhill to where you already are ;).

EPA can enforce standards, fine violators, bring up charges for violations, require cleanups, etc. The EPA will often defer to state level enforcement if their actions would be redundant. The EPA can and used to step in when cases are too big (like Flint) or local enforcement has failed.

The MI DEQ is shit, but the EPA operates at a federal level and was totally worthless during the Trump years. It is apples to apples because the EPA is not a state level agency. I'm sure the EPA has improved some since 2020, but it has a big hole to climb out of. I wouldn't count on the EPA to be real helpful right now.

I was originally from the Flint area. Moved just before the Flint water crisis just to get poisoned by the Huron River a few years later lol. The 6 months in-house water filters in Flint are going on a decade old. It is still bad in parts of the city and surrounding areas. Could have been fixed by now, but the GOP killed funding at both the state and federal level. Now the issue is mostly forgotten even though it is still ongoing for lots of people.

Yes

The EPA was completely neutered during the Trump years. Did absolutely nothing for my community back in Michigan when a chrome plating company poisoned the Huron River with PFAS and hexavalent chrome. No fines, no lawsuits, no work stoppage, no remediation efforts, etc. Not sure if it is doing better now, but it the damage to the agency was extensive and left it unable to respond to glaring issues.