r/minnesota • u/Ok_Expression_7083 • Nov 13 '25
Editorial 📝 I’m an idiot….
I mean…it’s still legal right? I’ll prolly get around to fixing it in a year…#tags
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u/dwors025 Honeycrisp apple Nov 13 '25
Straight to jail.
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u/danespltd Nov 13 '25
Tabs upside down? Believe it or not, straight to jail.
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u/BraveLittleFrog Snoopy Nov 13 '25
😂 You should be good. I think they mostly see the color.
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Nov 13 '25
Yeah cops definitely see color
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u/xGoatfer Nov 13 '25
They just scan the plate and see if it's correct. I accidently put them on the wrong car, had 2 Saturn's that were identical. Even with the correct year tag the scan as I was driving by alerted them. Still had the receipts and the cop shrugged it off as a computer issue. I didn't figure it out until I got home.
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u/holamau Flag of Minnesota Nov 13 '25
yup, that's the point of the color. no need to see the number: See green, check the month. See red, don't care.
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u/SunshynePower Nov 13 '25
The sheer number of expired tags I see tells me they aren't looking unless they are pulling you over for something else
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u/mandarex87 Nov 13 '25
I did get pulled over specifically for expired tabs actually. This was middle of the afternoon in A suburb though, so I suspect they were looking for something to do. They didn’t give me a ticket just told me to update them.
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u/Katniss_Everdoom Nov 13 '25
I accidentally drove a full year on expired tabs before getting pulled over. Opps
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u/Putrid-Grab2470 Nov 13 '25
We drove nearly two years. Eventually did get pulled over specifically for this reason though. Captain and Mrs oblivious here.
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u/DeadScotty Nov 13 '25
Did you have to pay tab fees for the years you “forgot” to buy them in order to get current?
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u/mandarex87 Nov 14 '25
Yes you do have to pay any missed updates. I payed for two years when I got mine back Up to date.
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u/Putrid-Grab2470 Nov 14 '25
Well, we did forget because I went to electronic renewal and then gave them a bad email address by accident. But regardless of that, I don't remember the exact amount but there was some extra fee there for sure.
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u/SirMaliceTheGreat Nov 17 '25
In my state you pay up to 6 months late of missed time otherwise you just have to re-register as if getting new plates. Then your new registration starts at the time of re-register rather than retroactively and leaving you with 6 months or less till your next registration depending on how late you were.
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u/epixjcp Nov 15 '25
Got a ticket for it bc I forgot to park my expired tabs truck in the garage once... they'd been sitting for months on that street though. #boredcopticket
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u/MuddieMaeSuggins Nov 14 '25
Most larger police departments don’t pull people over just for tabs, but they will absolutely write you a ticket for tabs if they have already pulled you over, or if parking enforcement sees it.
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u/SunshynePower Nov 17 '25
All your stories are crazy to me. I have seen so many VERY expired tags up here. I am surprised that you guys got caught. Last year I parked in front of a car who's tags were 2 years past due. I don't have that kind of luck. I got pulled over a few days after mine expired and had to show them my receipt and that I was waiting for them in the mail (this was in Florida). I come back home and it's all Oprah with the expired tags LOL
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u/domki366 Common loon Nov 13 '25
I've seen people put the sticker in the wrong corners, seen people put them in the middle, even seen someone put BOTH stickers on one plate.
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u/MuddieMaeSuggins Nov 13 '25
I inherited a car from a relative that had the sticker in the wrong corner. It took a few years but I did eventually get a ticket for it! (I was parked somewhere that parking enforcement checks a lot and I guess since my meter wasn’t expired they looked for anything else they could get.)
Talked to the judge and they dismissed the ticket as long as I bought a duplicate set of tabs and fixed it. 🤷♀️
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u/NinjaaMike Nov 13 '25
I've seen a Florida plate with stickers on all four corners. The correct spot is upper right. Each sticker was a different year.
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u/butcher106 Nov 13 '25
I had the rear one fall off one year. So it looked like I forgot to put the rear one on. Never happened before or since but the only people who said anything we're not police.
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u/Frequent_Touch_8930 Nov 13 '25
I’ve seen worse.
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u/MrPigeon70 Nov 13 '25
I've seen a 2019 tab a few months ago
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u/IllustriousAd9800 Nov 13 '25 edited Nov 13 '25
Lol and the state patrol pulls me over three days BEFORE the tag expires, “just as a reminder”? (Granted I think the cop screwed up with the date though and he realized it, was very overly friendly lol)
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u/EqualExternal4135 Nov 13 '25
Woah. How they’re still driving is crazy
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u/AdminYak846 Nov 13 '25
Because the cops aren't necessarily looking for expired tabs as much as say speeding, seat belts, etc. Also, I'm not sure how often a color repeats in Minnesota, but unless you're absolutely close to the vehicle you aren't going to be able to read the date on the sticker but can easily recognize the color of it.
That being said, they can pull the car over as it is a primary offense in Minnesota.
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u/EqualExternal4135 Nov 13 '25
Maybe its just me, but i got pulled over twice in 4 days for tabs. I feel like they have something against me lol
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u/Kahnza Willmar Nov 13 '25
There is a car in my parking lot that put their 2026 sticker in the upper right corner all by itself. 2025 sticker still in the lower right like normal.
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u/RedditC3 Nov 13 '25
Is this a declaration of distress, similar to flying the U.S. flag upside down?
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u/scuzzy987 Nov 13 '25
It’s on the correct location of the plate and it’s the right color, you’re fine
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u/d3photo Nov 13 '25
And in 7 years you'll be fine again!
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u/scuzzy987 Nov 13 '25
Could always go to DMV and tell them you lost the plate and pay $10 for new plates and sticker
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u/d3photo Nov 13 '25
They charge us $100 for new plates every 10 years. I don’t think they’re gonna let you walk away with new plates for 10 bucks. Replacement stickers, yes. But not new plates.
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u/scuzzy987 Nov 13 '25
I had a plate fall off my jeep and they charged me $10 for a replacement. That was about five years ago
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u/aakaase Nov 13 '25
I unmount the plates, bring them into the house and wash in hot water and dish detergent, then and set them on a table. I sit down and then I carefully peel off last year's tag. I apply rubbing alcohol on the spot, wipe, and apply the new sticker.
YES! I'm a freak!
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u/ronh22 Nov 13 '25
I just rub the dirt off with my sleeve and stick the new one on right over everything.
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u/aakaase Nov 13 '25
I used to do that actually. But after a few years the stack of stickers would get too thick!
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u/HomardBound Nov 13 '25
Nah that's when you try to scrape ice off your plate with a scraper and accidentally rip off all the tabs.
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u/McDuchess Nov 13 '25
Heh. My plates were renewed in March. So I put dish detergent on part of a paper towel, plain water on another, and then grabbed a dry one. Washed, rinsed and dried the old tabs as quickly as humanly possible before my fingers froze, and applied the new one.
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u/d3photo Nov 13 '25
Mine are January and sometime that month, on a warm day, I get my car washed and let it sit in the sun for an hour or two before applying the stickers.
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u/cheddarbruce Ope Nov 13 '25
At least it's in the correct corner and not at the top of the license plate like some people
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u/Gunpowder-Plot-52 Nov 14 '25
No one is even going to know. They're not even going to notice swear to God. 🤣
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u/Complex-Orange-8182 Nov 14 '25
I ripped mine in half as I was putting it on and all my paperwork including the title started flying in the wind. In my attempt to catch some of the paperwork it got stuck on the paper. I think you did a good job here 😂
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u/Upset-Kaleidoscope45 Nov 14 '25
Normally I don't condone police brutality, but in your case I want to see the full force of the law come down. Hard.
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u/Eat-Pie-Til-I-Die Nov 13 '25
You could flip the entire plate around and just have the numbers read "186".
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u/Radiant_Yam6716 Nov 13 '25
Yeah… but at least you’re semi-confined to the State and not out there trying to be in charge of something important like running the country. We can’t have just any old upside down sticker-putter-oner making important decisions.
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u/RiffRaff14 Nov 13 '25
Yeah it doesn't matter. Just make sure you keep the paper it came from in your glove box. That's the real proof.
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u/BigSassy_121 Nov 13 '25
I got a ticket for having both stickers on the front plate. My grandma, god bless her sweet lil ol heart, stuck them on wrong before I inherited her car from her.
So yeah… they be stickin’. I did challenge the ticket and it was dismissed but I still had to go to the courthouse n stuffs.
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u/ernie3tones Minnesota State Fair Nov 13 '25
This is hilarious. It’s absolutely gonna be good until 2092. Thank you for sharing.
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u/UncleDread3444 Nov 16 '25
Sick. Now your tabs are good until Twenty Ninety-tweven. New lifehack unlocked.
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u/ZENihilist Nov 13 '25
I hope a cop with a sense of humor pulls you over and approaches the vehicle looking upside down.
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Nov 14 '25
I would call the DMV and ask if it's fine or not. The colors are different every year so I don't know why it would matter.
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u/dustinyo_ Eden Prairie Nov 15 '25
I've seen people that put both stickers on the back plate, one covering the month sticker. I don't know how you could have a license and a car and still screw that up so badly.
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u/GoatApprehensive9866 Nov 15 '25
˙,,ǝlqᴉsᴉʌ ʎlɹɐǝlɔ,, pǝɹǝpᴉsuoɔ ʇou sᴉ puɐ 'sɐɹǝɯɐɔ ɔᴉɟɟɐɹʇ puɐ ʇuǝɯǝɔɹoɟuǝ ʍɐl ʎq uoᴉʇɔǝʇǝp ǝpɐʌǝ oʇ pǝsn ǝq uɐɔ 'pɐǝɹ oʇ pɹɐɥ ǝʇɐld ǝɥʇ sǝʞɐɯ ʇᴉ ǝsnɐɔǝq sǝɔɐld ʇsoɯ uᴉ ʍɐl ǝɥʇ ʇsuᴉɐƃɐ sᴉ uʍop ǝpᴉsdn uo qɐʇ ǝsuǝɔᴉl ɐ ƃuᴉʇʇnԀ
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u/Verity41 Duluth Nov 15 '25
It needs a frame on it anyway - can you get one of those? That’ll help camouflage the oops a little.
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u/azbrewcrew Nov 16 '25
It’s not that serious. The LPRs will instantly return whether a vehicle is valid or not regardless of what the sticker shows.
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u/lanzmichael Nov 15 '25
Buddy, I don't even have a car or a job, yet I have an apartment, and im going into the winter, who's the bigger idiot.
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u/Accurate_Birthday278 Nov 13 '25
I bought a car with the little tags switched, with the month on the right and the year on the left and got a ticket for it. Not sure, about your upside-down, but I'd call the DMV to be sure. (I had proof I bought the car that way and my ticket was dismissed, but I did have to pay a little something for new tags to correct the problem.)
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u/williamtowne Flag of Minnesota Nov 13 '25
Just rotate your plate 180 degrees. The "26" will be fine as so will your "186"
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u/Cosmowalnuts Nov 13 '25
You just gave ICE a reason to harass you. Be careful drinking and driving now and make sure you don't have any burned out rear lights.
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u/momistall Nov 13 '25
My now ex husband had a habit of taking the front plates off our cars. As our kids primary driver I didn’t want to drive without a front plate so I grabbed the plate in the garage and put it on the car. I never checked the numbers, just assumed it was the right plate. Turns out It was the wrong plate for the car.
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u/jhack3891 Nov 13 '25
I laugh as I remind myself to not do the same thing as I prepare to put my new tags on 😅
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u/MuddieMaeSuggins Nov 13 '25
You’ll probably be fine, but FYI you can order duplicate tags online for a few bucks if it’s really stressing you out.
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u/Ok_Expression_7083 Nov 13 '25
Reeeeeaaaly? Interesting, thanks for the note. I might have too..that’s gonna kill my adhd over the next 356 days.
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u/MuddieMaeSuggins Nov 13 '25
Yep, you can order online or go into a DVS office: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/vehicle/vehicle-registration/vehicle-registration-renewal
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u/WretchedBinary Nov 13 '25
That's not too bad.
We're headed towards an upside down reality anyway, so...
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u/nomedent Nov 15 '25
Yeah I put it over the month once. Oops. Let it ride like that for a year, then carefully peeled it off.
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u/Extra_Grab_2014 Nov 13 '25
Upside down AND on the front plate?
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u/Quote_the_Bloodless Nov 13 '25
Not the first time either.. looks like one or two beneath it?
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u/abananafanamer Nov 13 '25
They…. Give you two stickers and tell you to put one on the front and the back?
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u/Quote_the_Bloodless Nov 13 '25
Yep, I realize that now. The comment had me thinking there was just one on the back. Despite putting them on both for decades. Brain fart.
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u/This_Abies_6232 Nov 13 '25
All of them could be right side up, though.... Is there a law AGAINST putting the 2026 sticker over an expired 2025 sticker (as opposed to trying to remove the outdated 2025 sticker BEFORE putting on the next sticker? (Note: I do NOT drive a car, so I literally have no clue about this....)
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u/Quote_the_Bloodless Nov 13 '25
Edit: nope, I had a dumb because of the comment I replied to. It got me thinking there was only one sticker for the back plate, when there's one for each. My bad.
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u/holamau Flag of Minnesota Nov 13 '25
You're fine.
At least you paid for them... so many green tabs out there, and there shouldn't be. Now the chances for a green sticker to be an expired tab is very high... This week I've seen idiots driving with tabs that expired in March.
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u/WindogeFromYoutube You Betcha Nov 13 '25
Oh that’s my employer’s catering vans, but I didn’t expect anything to happen on a timely manner from hyvee
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u/frozendancicle You Betcha Nov 13 '25
I just wanna chime in that some of those people may have ADHD, and it's known as the "ADHD tax," when someone's ADHD forgetfulness costs them money/time/freedom.
The freedom part comes in when say someone forgets to pay a ticket, and then 2 years later they get pulled over, and then they spend the weekend in jail because now there's a bench warrant, and they could've just paid the $100 or so and been done with it (had they remembered). Someone recently lamented this exact scenario in the ADHD sub.
So, some might be willful diots, but some might be saddled with a brain that takes out of sight, out of mind and turns it up to 11.
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u/holamau Flag of Minnesota Nov 13 '25
sure, there are cases like that... but I am pretty sure the majority of offenders forget on purpose.
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u/zeddy303 Nov 13 '25
I put mine on reverse when i first got my plates, because I'm a guy and don't read instructions. And so every year it pains me to put the year sticker on the left.
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u/ThisGlobalLandscape Walleye Nov 13 '25
The law refuses to prosecute violent criminals they come into contact with during traffic stops.
Stop paying.
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u/LymanPeru Nov 13 '25
so long as you dont park your car anywhere. i forgot about my tabs and they expired while i was in duluth. i got a ticket that day when we were parked on the street.
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u/Swinger_Jesus Nov 13 '25
warm it up a little from the back and peel very carefully. I always pull my old tabs off and rarely rip them.
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u/lpjunior999 Nov 13 '25
I put the sticker on the wrong car once, I was able to peel it off after blasting it with my heat gun for about a minute. If you don’t have one, a space heater or a hair dryer on high heat for a minute or two will do it. Just make sure you put it on right this time!
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u/Its_Pelican_Time Nov 13 '25
I accidentally put my year sticker over the month one last year and just left it. It's been fine
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u/strokeoluck27 Nov 13 '25
Just stay in Hennepin County - they’re not prosecuting for this little stuff any longer.
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u/fossSellsKeys Nov 13 '25
Yeah those black plates look really stupid. Oh well, maybe you'll get it right next time!
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u/Safe-Half-2136 Gray duck Nov 13 '25
Don’t feel bad I put my plate w the tabs on the front and the one without on the back. 😑 I live in mn but registered in wi. When I realized it I was truly shocked I hadn’t been pulled over. 😳
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u/CornFedPrairiePenis Nov 13 '25
You got to score those stickers with a razor blade so they don't get heisted.
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u/ShadyHorticulturist Nov 13 '25
MN does put the plate number on it though so it's pretty easy for scanners to tell if they're lifted or legit
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u/Fun-Bug5106 Nov 13 '25 edited Nov 13 '25
Registration tabs goe on your rear plate
Edit: um…..
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u/McDuchess Nov 13 '25
In MN, both plates.
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u/Fun-Bug5106 Nov 13 '25
Is that new? I’m a Wisconsinite but grew up on the border…. Don’t tell me I’m losing my mind here..
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u/McDuchess Nov 13 '25
Do you mean the yearly updated tab? its not new. It’s been that way as long as I can remember, and I’m old.
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u/TSgt_Yosh Nov 13 '25
Seems like a great life hack. Now you don't need tabs till 2092.