OK, a bit more time on my hands now, a DPG Serie JJ done with and a movie with wife watched 
)
Just to give you a bit more perspective. Take a look at the recent Wine, Etc, forum for a thread posted by someone seeking advice on making wine (at home). Someone chimed in, from memory a long standing board member from MD, with some advice that I contradicted. The guy was obviously pissed at me and the thread died quickly at that point. For the record, I make wine for a living and serious wine geeks know me and my wines as well as people on this board know and follow the likes of Pepin Garcia. I decided not to continue with the thread since it was obvious to me that no matter what I say I won't be taken for much since I am a "newbie" arguing with a long standing member. Never mind that I was most likely smoking cigars before this long standing member even knew what a cigar is to begin with (as applies to most people in the Cuban cigars thread and this board, in general). How was I to respond to an obvious faulty info the guy posted? On the subject I know better than anyone on this board, wine?
Same thing in the Cuban thread. Da Klugs (Dave?) supplied some info, most of it good BTW, yet by his own admission he has been smoking CCs for just the past 5 years and it is obvious that he has no real perspective into what CCs used to be in years past flavor nor construction wise (no critic on him in any way, simply a reference point). The only person attempting to argue with me stated that CCs went through blend changes in '99-01, which is correct, yet even he didn't understand nor know why (new inferior fields being planted as I posted). Is it amazing, from my pov, that these CC "mavens" have no idea what is really going on with the Cuban cigar industry? Well, yes. After all, they are the ones giving advice to newbies while they themselves seem to be clueless on the subject. Someone posted about "strength" in large CC vitolas and well, it is a known fact that the larger the size the milder it is (actually easy to separate fakes from the real deal this way). Just some points that are well known to any CC lover, yet I was astonished how little is really known by the board.
But, after being told I do not know shit by someone who made garage wine 3 times in his life, I have no idea why I am surprised by the Cuban thread. If my real world experience making wine doesn't count for anything, then I should not be assuming that my pretty deep cigar knowledge would count for much as well (a bit of sarcasm here, sorry).
I, and many others, left internet cigar boards in the '90s in disgust, exactly for the behavior that is displayed in this thread, childish behavior on the level of 5th grade. Pack mentality. Posting info that is absolutely erroneous. Mocking anyone you're disagreeing with without any willingness nor ability to offer counter arguments nor any relevant info to support a counter point. Another reason for me leaving online boards in the '90s was a proliferation of people selling fake CCs, whether "fresh" or "pre Castro" (a truck load of these were appearing on a daily basis, it seems) and many people were burned buying these. I ran a Bay Area cigar group at the time and got into this exact argument with them when I told them their "newly found" friends were taking advantage of them, big time and to the tune of thousands of dollars, a con scheme if I ever saw one. They didn't like my pov and I decided to say Good-bye to them. I then ran into one of the guys in early '00s and he told me how sorry they all were for not listening to me, losing a serious chunk of money in the process, and were hoping I can re-start the group. As you can imagine, I had no desire at that point and decided to leave well enough alone. One thing I will hold dear is that the group I led actually pointed me to wine, last year we herfed together (roughly twice a month), so no matter how bad the memories, I can only be grateful it pointed the way for me, career wise.
Hopefully, it is clear why this particular subject is close to my heart and why I know so much about CCs and cigars in general. It also helps since I make wine these days and the process is somewhat similar in many ways. But hey, someone smoking CCs for the past 5 years or less, as seems with most who mocked me, is now an expert. Times do change.
You know, I joined this board after some search in hopes of finding some like minded souls to share cigar info and herf with. I was also hoping that after years went by all this ASC crap won't rear its ugly head, we should be more civilized as time goes by. Well, seems I was way too optimistic in my read on humanity, it never fails to disappoint, that's for sure.
Now? I am not even sure I want to share a cigar with this bunch.
Sorry for the long reply.
But no matter what, I'd love to hear what points of mine you disagree with and what you consider to be non-factual.
PS. Just to see how childish people get, take a look at the EPL Pool thread. Even though I indicated I am interested, the thread goes on like I don't even exist. And people are mocking ME? Unreal...
)Just to give you a bit more perspective. Take a look at the recent Wine, Etc, forum for a thread posted by someone seeking advice on making wine (at home). Someone chimed in, from memory a long standing board member from MD, with some advice that I contradicted. The guy was obviously pissed at me and the thread died quickly at that point. For the record, I make wine for a living and serious wine geeks know me and my wines as well as people on this board know and follow the likes of Pepin Garcia. I decided not to continue with the thread since it was obvious to me that no matter what I say I won't be taken for much since I am a "newbie" arguing with a long standing member. Never mind that I was most likely smoking cigars before this long standing member even knew what a cigar is to begin with (as applies to most people in the Cuban cigars thread and this board, in general). How was I to respond to an obvious faulty info the guy posted? On the subject I know better than anyone on this board, wine?
Same thing in the Cuban thread. Da Klugs (Dave?) supplied some info, most of it good BTW, yet by his own admission he has been smoking CCs for just the past 5 years and it is obvious that he has no real perspective into what CCs used to be in years past flavor nor construction wise (no critic on him in any way, simply a reference point). The only person attempting to argue with me stated that CCs went through blend changes in '99-01, which is correct, yet even he didn't understand nor know why (new inferior fields being planted as I posted). Is it amazing, from my pov, that these CC "mavens" have no idea what is really going on with the Cuban cigar industry? Well, yes. After all, they are the ones giving advice to newbies while they themselves seem to be clueless on the subject. Someone posted about "strength" in large CC vitolas and well, it is a known fact that the larger the size the milder it is (actually easy to separate fakes from the real deal this way). Just some points that are well known to any CC lover, yet I was astonished how little is really known by the board.
But, after being told I do not know shit by someone who made garage wine 3 times in his life, I have no idea why I am surprised by the Cuban thread. If my real world experience making wine doesn't count for anything, then I should not be assuming that my pretty deep cigar knowledge would count for much as well (a bit of sarcasm here, sorry).
I, and many others, left internet cigar boards in the '90s in disgust, exactly for the behavior that is displayed in this thread, childish behavior on the level of 5th grade. Pack mentality. Posting info that is absolutely erroneous. Mocking anyone you're disagreeing with without any willingness nor ability to offer counter arguments nor any relevant info to support a counter point. Another reason for me leaving online boards in the '90s was a proliferation of people selling fake CCs, whether "fresh" or "pre Castro" (a truck load of these were appearing on a daily basis, it seems) and many people were burned buying these. I ran a Bay Area cigar group at the time and got into this exact argument with them when I told them their "newly found" friends were taking advantage of them, big time and to the tune of thousands of dollars, a con scheme if I ever saw one. They didn't like my pov and I decided to say Good-bye to them. I then ran into one of the guys in early '00s and he told me how sorry they all were for not listening to me, losing a serious chunk of money in the process, and were hoping I can re-start the group. As you can imagine, I had no desire at that point and decided to leave well enough alone. One thing I will hold dear is that the group I led actually pointed me to wine, last year we herfed together (roughly twice a month), so no matter how bad the memories, I can only be grateful it pointed the way for me, career wise.
Hopefully, it is clear why this particular subject is close to my heart and why I know so much about CCs and cigars in general. It also helps since I make wine these days and the process is somewhat similar in many ways. But hey, someone smoking CCs for the past 5 years or less, as seems with most who mocked me, is now an expert. Times do change.
You know, I joined this board after some search in hopes of finding some like minded souls to share cigar info and herf with. I was also hoping that after years went by all this ASC crap won't rear its ugly head, we should be more civilized as time goes by. Well, seems I was way too optimistic in my read on humanity, it never fails to disappoint, that's for sure.
Now? I am not even sure I want to share a cigar with this bunch.
Sorry for the long reply.
But no matter what, I'd love to hear what points of mine you disagree with and what you consider to be non-factual.
PS. Just to see how childish people get, take a look at the EPL Pool thread. Even though I indicated I am interested, the thread goes on like I don't even exist. And people are mocking ME? Unreal...