Do you work with a bunch of drunks?

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tree md said:
To tell the truth, it's kind of comforting knowing that I am not the only one who is slow right now. :cry:
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Its always been dead for me in the winter (part of it could be because I hate the cold so much), over time I've learned to not even bother looking for work. If something comes in fine, but other than that - screw it!

Sitting around draining the bank account (and the twelve packs, lol) does suck though.

I've got plenty of projects going on, but nothing beats cutting trees. I find it hard to motivate for much else really.
 
tree MDS said:
Its always been dead for me in the winter (part of it could be because I hate the cold so much), over time I've learned to not even bother looking for work. If something comes in fine, but other than that - screw it!

Sitting around draining the bank account (and the twelve packs, lol) does suck though.

I've got plenty of projects going on, but nothing beats cutting trees. I find it hard to motivate for much else really.
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Yeah, I don't mind the time off either. Gives me lots of time to hunt which is my passion.

However, I do look for it to pick up in Feb. though. Had one come in this time last year for $5400. Another one of those would set me right about now. ;)
 
tree md said:
Yeah, I don't mind the time off either. Gives me lots of time to hunt which is my passion.

However, I do look for it to pick up in Feb. though. Had one come in this time last year for $5400. Another one of those would set me right about now. ;)
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We had a pretty good ice storm last winter that helped. That was around 5k worth of work I think. I also sold my old chipper for 8500, that probably saved me. The money does go quick when you aint workin though.

I do get sick of things being so tight (on account of payments) in the winter though. On the other hand it sure is nice to have a yard full of equipment when it comes time to whip up the trees full time again.
 
Last winter we were pretty booked straight thru. Leftover from hurricane. False sense of security. NOBODY is working around here and we just got capped with a foot of snow. Can't wait to get my toys out and play with them.

Oh well, Andy Griffith is on now, something important to do, see ya in a half hour.
 
treevet said:
Last winter we were pretty booked straight thru. Leftover from hurricane. False sense of security. NOBODY is working around here and we just got capped with a foot of snow. Can't wait to get my toys out and play with them.

Oh well, Andy Griffith is on now, something important to do, see ya in a half hour.
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Seems like anytime there is a major storm the next year is a bust. I guess everyone who needs work done gets it done right after the storm. At least that has been my experience. We were bust for about a year after our ice storm in 07 then it picked up a little last year. A lot more people doing preventative maintenance as well as some insurance companies requiring potentially hazardous limbs to be removed. I did one in Dec. that was required by the insurance company for policy renewal.
 
scavenger hacks come in and clean your town out of tree money too. Drops the price of tree work substantially too. It was good at the time, but in the long run....?
 
Geez! I turn my back on this thread for just one morning and you guys go tearing it up (along with each other). I hate to admit it, but I feel a small sense of pride that my little "drunk detector" thread has turned into one of the hottest flame throwing matches I have seen for some time.

It was great reading, and I really like it when you guys spank the children that way. More abuse please!

Now if I may exert a little steering...

For the clever fellows with the rapier wit: Try not to be so clever that the victim of your scathing retorts misses the point. Even though the rest of us will enjoy it immensely, we really like to see those comments score direct hits that scar the psyche of the recipient.

For the hotheads that just like to throw insults: This isn't the 7th grade. We could all listen to our children call each other names if we wanted. Most of are reading this drivel so that we can either learn something, or be entertained. Try to do both by coming up with more innovative insults. The more colorful and clearly understood, the better. If you could try harder to understand your opponents, you might be more able to hit them where they feel your insults, rather than throwing them wide of the mark.
 
EdenT said:
The antabuse idea is good, but how many alcoholics do you know that drink public water? Oh, and it might kill some people. Oh, and please do not encourage the government to put anything in the public water supply. Interesting film on this subject - Serenity. Sort of space adventure but some wicked comments on governmental control of citizens through environmental tampering.
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Ever wonder what extra fluoride does to living organisms. :dizzy:
 
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EdenT said:
Hey pdqdl, damn it I'm back. Couldn't resist FTA's inspiring posts. Totally agree with what has been said. I still think selling the stuff should be treated as a capital crime. I think growing some in your backyard for personal use is OK, but the minute you try to sell it, goal. If you sell or push it to a minor then warm up old sparky, time to ride the lightning.

I think you are dead right about government not taxing drugs. Look at the war on tobacco - what a joke. I am not against testing in the workplace, I am against the results being misinterpreted.

Now back to the booze. I was thinking about your problem of having to give people the day off when they come to work under the influence. Rather than giving them the day off, what about making them sit in your yard, without pay until they are capable of passing the breath test. Heck, I reckon if I had to nurse a hangover in a noisy yard, bored out of my brains, and not being paid, I would not be keen to repeat the experience.

The antabuse idea is good, but how many alcoholics do you know that drink water? Oh, and it might kill some people. Oh, and please do not encourage the government to put anything in the water supply. Interesting film on this subject - Serenity. Sort of space adventure but some wicked comments on governmental control of citizens through environmental tampering.
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I hear what Eden is saying and what pdqdl is saying. I think pdqdl was not serious but was taking it that far, joking? Eden, If I got a guy with a hang-over come to work, I suspect he is some what drunk or has a hang-over, he will not be driving out of our yard. He will go to the job with the guys and sit in the truck and wait until I can come by the job-site to take him home. My yard is quiet in the day and he would love it. No, I would bust his ass on tough brush dragging. I get calls several times a day from guys looking for work. I take their app. Not getting a device to fire my guys- I will do it myself. Works too, Last time I fired a guy was over 4 years ago, I currently have 12; 8 climbers and 4 groundies. We have a great relationship as they know I climbed for 26 years and they cant BS me.:)
Jeff:)
 
Wishie22 said:
Ever wonder what extra fluoride does to living organisms. :dizzy:
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No, but if your avatar is actually a picture of you then I'm drinking nothing but scotch from now on! :cheers:

Actually I am aware that fluoride is amongst the most reactive chemicals going. If you have more information I am sure some of us would love to read what you have to say. :rock:
 
jefflovstrom said:
I hear what Eden is saying and what pdqdl is saying. I think pdqdl was not serious but was taking it that far, joking? Eden, If I got a guy with a hang-over come to work, I suspect he is some what drunk or has a hang-over, he will not be driving out of our yard. He will go to the job with the guys and sit in the truck and wait until I can come by the job-site to take him home. My yard is quiet in the day and he would love it. No, I would bust his ass on tough brush dragging. I get calls several times a day from guys looking for work. I take their app. Not getting a device to fire my guys- I will do it myself. Works too, Last time I fired a guy was over 4 years ago, I currently have 12; 8 climbers and 4 groundies. We have a great relationship as they know I climbed for 26 years and they cant BS me.:)
Jeff:)
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Yeah Jeff, I can see where your coming from, but you have to understand. If that guy injures himself (or herself), then they will not get insurance coverage and you will find yourself in a lot of hot water with OSHA and possibly even the state prosecutor.

How come you have 2:1 climbers to groundies? I would have thought the other way would be a more efficient mix unless your climbers are also expected to do ground duties (which is a good thing provided they are not too stuffed from climbing). A bad answer would be that the climbers are really, really, really slow!:clap:
 
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jefflovstrom said:
take him home. My yard is quiet in the day and he would love it. No, I would bust his ass on tough brush dragging.
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Maybe 40 years ago my climber called me in the early morning and said he was "hungover". I said come in and drag brush and keep your hands off the saws.

We started work and I went out to get gas. I get a call from the gm and he says the climber is on his way to the hospital with a cut from the 041 in the face. I get there and his head is taped up like the invisible man. I am sitting behind the door when his sister comes in and says "I can't believe you worked today I am still f'd up from (acid) we dropped and it is noon now". She didn't know I was sitting behind the door.

He had about a hundred stitches in his face and cut his eye lid in half and could see out of his eye with his eye closed and it didn't hit is eyeball.

Hungover with drugs or alcohol is just usually a lesser state of intoxicated to an addict.

Oh, and anybody ever met an "occasional user" of pot? I haven't and I am way older than most of you all and I have been around stoners my whole life until I sobered up 20 years ago. Somebody offers to light up a dube and everyone's in no matter what the plan for abstinence was for that day.
 
pdqdl said:
I wasn't sure which area to post this, so I stuck it here.

I have problems with alcoholics & drug heads working for me. I have at least solved the drunk problem with this jewel:

http://www.alcotester.com/al-7000.htm

This little toy fits in your pocket, costs less than $200.00, and quickly ferrets out the drunks before they get in your truck. It is damned accurate too.

There are a number of similar units on the market, but this is the only one that I found that is economical to operate and requires no calibration procedure. When it goes out of calibration after several hundred tests, it tells you to put in another $30 module. No shipping and waiting for your unit to be returned is involved, you can have a spare module ready for the next test in five minutes.

I'm still waiting for a similar testing machine for pot, crack, crank, and some of the other popular drugs.
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Pd You cwack me up you must attract some doozies up there. Of course I have to do my own work or would end up with cool stories like you have cause we got em too lol:cheers:
 

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