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Puppy Pass IV

One month in and half way done. :thumbs:

Let's keep this thing cranked up so we can get it back to Jim by Thanksgiving!
 
I posted this in the "Morning Chuckle" thread, but thought it would be appropriate here as well:

Why Dogs Are Better Than Wives:

1. The later you are, the more excited your dogs are to see you.
2. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.
3. Dogs like it if you leave a lot of things on the floor.
4. A dog's parents never visit.
5. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across.
6. You never have to wait for a dog; they're ready to go 24 hours a day.
7. Dogs find you amusing when you're drunk.
8. Dogs like to go hunting and fishing.
9. A dog will not wake you up at night to ask, ‘If I died, would you get another dog??’
10. If a dog has babies, you can put an ad in the paper and give them away.
11. A dog will let you put a studded collar on it without calling you a pervert.
12. If a dog smells another dog on you, they don't get mad. They just think it's interesting.
13. Dogs like to ride in the back of a pickup truck.
14. If a dog leaves, it won't take half of your stuff.
 
Thanks, Gregor.

Another thing that's really easy to do that will help raise money for all sorts of charities (there are many animal-related groups, but plenty of other kinds of worthy causes as well) is to sign up with igive.com and go through there whenever making an online purchase.

It doesn't cost anything, doesn't install any malware or insidious cookies on your computer, sell your info, or engage in any other nefarious deeds. After registering and selecting your cause (ours is the greyhound rescue and adoption group we got our girls through--Friends of Greyhounds, Inc.) all you have to do when shopping online is to go to igive.com first and then use their menu to go to whatever store you're shopping at. It's pretty simple.

Not every online merchant is there (and sadly, the only cigars they have are middling samplers available through buy.com) but many are, whether small, niche shops or nationwide retailers. If you're looking for a specific product but don't care where it comes from, you can search that way and select the best price, etc.

Each merchant will donate either a flat amount or a percentage (usually 1-5%, but I've seen a few 10%+ periodically) of your purchase to your cause. If it's something you were buying anyway, it's nice to know that part of your purchase went to help a cause you care about. My Christmas shopping alone last year ended up being about $20 for my cause. It takes a little while for the money to get to the recipient (they build in a buffer time to allow for returns, etc.) but last I heard, Friends of Greyhounds had raised almost $1,000 from iGive, and that's made the difference for a good number of dogs. Not too shabby...

http://www.igive.com/welcome/
 
Got the box this morning, and I'm just charting out the stick inventory, what I have, and what I can turn into trades.

What reference are we using for the Fuentes and other HTF sticks, if applicable?
 
I'm opposed to subjecting the dogs to this type of thing, but since my wife put them through the ordeal and documented it, I figured it would be a shame not to at least post the outcome.

Grace dressed as her alter-ego, Kimberly Can (that was her racing name) and Wingo dressed as Little Red Riding Hound. The costumes stayed on for all of two minutes before they started to destroy the house in protest.


doggie126.jpg



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doggie125.jpg



doggie124.jpg
 
Here is a tentative P/T for review. I would like feedback from everyone, inasmuch as possible. I am using box prices to determine equivalence and keeping each within (-0.10, +0.75)

1. Put: La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero, Take: Diamond Crown #4
2. Put: Montecristo Media Noche No. 3, Take: Arturo Fuente King B
3. Put: Padilla Achilles Salomon, Take: Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art Maduro
4. Put: Graycliff 1666 Pirate Take: Fuente Don Carlos #2

Alternate:
Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill, Take: Camacho Triple Maduro 6x60
 
PS. The "Perdomo Master Blend 3" needs to be corrected to "Oliva Master Blend 3"; also, what size is it?
 
Jim, I got the 5er today in the mail. Very nice selection of sticks, thanks.
 
Here is a tentative P/T for review. I would like feedback from everyone, inasmuch as possible. I am using box prices to determine equivalence and keeping each within (-0.10, +0.75)

1. Put: La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero, Take: Diamond Crown #4
2. Put: Montecristo Media Noche No. 3, Take: Arturo Fuente King B
3. Put: Padilla Achilles Salomon, Take: Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art Maduro
4. Put: Graycliff 1666 Pirate Take: Fuente Don Carlos #2

Alternate:
Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill, Take: Camacho Triple Maduro 6x60
The WOAM my be considered a premuim HTF.

Brian
 
The WOAM my be considered a premuim HTF.

My apologies - it's readily available at Holt's, so I assumed that it was no longer a HTF. I will either revise or remove this suggestion.

Are there any additional comments on the existing trades and alternate?
 
Sorry... been one of those weekends from hell.

I'll look these over in the morning when I'm not needed, sober and get over a few things
 
Here are the revised puts/trades. I'm consulting a spreadsheet which I built which uses the current retail box unit price, then five pack unit price if boxes aren't available, then single stick unit price if 5's aren't available, to determine value. Prices are rounded to the nearest 0.10. Arithmetic errors are mine alone; I made them last time, I probably made them this time too.

1. Put: La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero (8.10), Take: Diamond Crown #4 (8.00)
ALTERNATE 1. Put Montecristo Classic Toro (8.40), Take: Diamond Crown #4 (8.00)
2. Put: Gurkha Gran Reserve Connecticut #4 (6.00), Take: Arturo Fuente King B (5.70)
3. Put: Padilla Achilles Salomon (8.00), Take: Oliva Master Blends 3 (8.00)
4. Put: Graycliff 1666 Pirate (12.00) Take: Ashton VSG Enchantment (12.10)
5. Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill (11.30), Take: Fuente Don Carlos #2 (10.00)
ALTERNATE 5. Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill (11.30), Take: Tatuaje Noella Reserva (10.20)

Concerns: 4 is slightly under, but still in range;alternate 1 is over and out of range; 5 and alternate 5 are over and considerably (over $1) out of range, although perhaps justifiable as a nearest approximation.

Question: is there a reason that everyone so far has made 4 p/t's, is it customary or just coincidence?
 
Here are the revised puts/trades. I'm consulting a spreadsheet which I built which uses the current retail box unit price, then five pack unit price if boxes aren't available, then single stick unit price if 5's aren't available, to determine value. Prices are rounded to the nearest 0.10. Arithmetic errors are mine alone; I made them last time, I probably made them this time too.

1. Put: La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero (8.10), Take: Diamond Crown #4 (8.00)
ALTERNATE 1. Put Montecristo Classic Toro (8.40), Take: Diamond Crown #4 (8.00)
2. Put: Gurkha Gran Reserve Connecticut #4 (6.00), Take: Arturo Fuente King B (5.70)
3. Put: Padilla Achilles Salomon (8.00), Take: Oliva Master Blends 3 (8.00)
4. Put: Graycliff 1666 Pirate (12.00) Take: Ashton VSG Enchantment (12.10)
5. Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill (11.30), Take: Fuente Don Carlos #2 (10.00)
ALTERNATE 5. Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill (11.30), Take: Tatuaje Noella Reserva (10.20)

Concerns: 4 is slightly under, but still in range;alternate 1 is over and out of range; 5 and alternate 5 are over and considerably (over $1) out of range, although perhaps justifiable as a nearest approximation.

Question: is there a reason that everyone so far has made 4 p/t's, is it customary or just coincidence?

Just coincidence, you can trade as much as you like unless the rules of the pass state otherwise.

Keith
 
Here are the revised puts/trades. I'm consulting a spreadsheet which I built which uses the current retail box unit price, then five pack unit price if boxes aren't available, then single stick unit price if 5's aren't available, to determine value. Prices are rounded to the nearest 0.10. Arithmetic errors are mine alone; I made them last time, I probably made them this time too.

1. Put: La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero (8.10), Take: Diamond Crown #4 (8.00)
ALTERNATE 1. Put Montecristo Classic Toro (8.40), Take: Diamond Crown #4 (8.00)
2. Put: Gurkha Gran Reserve Connecticut #4 (6.00), Take: Arturo Fuente King B (5.70)
3. Put: Padilla Achilles Salomon (8.00), Take: Oliva Master Blends 3 (8.00)
4. Put: Graycliff 1666 Pirate (12.00) Take: Ashton VSG Enchantment (12.10)
5. Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill (11.30), Take: Fuente Don Carlos #2 (10.00)
ALTERNATE 5. Put: Montecristo Media Noche Churchill (11.30), Take: Tatuaje Noella Reserva (10.20)

Concerns: 4 is slightly under, but still in range;alternate 1 is over and out of range; 5 and alternate 5 are over and considerably (over $1) out of range, although perhaps justifiable as a nearest approximation.

Question: is there a reason that everyone so far has made 4 p/t's, is it customary or just coincidence?

Hey Marco,
Sorry for taking so long. Been a weekend I'd like to forgot but most likely will never be able to.
Keith is right... there is no limit to the number of puts and takes you do, as long as they are fair and equitable. It seems 3 or 4 is a pretty normal number, but I've seen lots more!

As far as your main puts go, I believe they look good. If anyone sees something I missed, holler. Don't sweat yourself too had on getting EXACT value for value puts... at least in my pass ;) . A few pennies here and there is something I'm not going to go nuts over - my personal feeling and rule I kinda play by is 25 cents either way is ok by me. As long as your puts are not continually on the weaker side... that's when people start to get a reputation they don't want. Without saying it's the 'unstated rules', the truth is most people will overput to avoid issues and just to 'be nice'... and to look good :laugh: The hard part is the hard to find stuff... case in point, I would not have allowed your alternate #5, due to the fact that the Tat Noella Reserva is a 'thing of the past' - a GREAT cigar btw, just not found anywhere (that I know of.. if anyone knows of a source, PM ME DAMMIT!) anymore. So even a higher dollar stick, that is easily found and bought, does not cover it. You'd want to put something that was also hard to find... that's a harder rule for me than the actual cost involved.

Anyways... unless someone rasies a concern I'm missing (entirely possible and more than likely probable these days :laugh: ) go ahead and run with your main puts/takes.
 
Aha - it's a different Reserva Noellas than the one that the comparison shopper is showing. Gotcha. Thanks again for the guidance and advice on my first boxpass.

I'm somewhat worried about "ratcheting" the pass value - there's been some discussion of it on the GYFW pass thread, notably that the value of each spot on the pass moves upwards, resulting in more difficulty for the later recipients than the earlier ones. But if you're OK, I'm OK. I will leave the thread open for comment for another 24 hours, while I open the package, double-check the contents, and give Sammy the Huskydor his toys :)

Last but not least - hope you're doing OK. If I can be of any help, let me know.
 
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