Confessions of a So-Called Preferred Member

[flyguy]

On November 20 I became a preferred member, which is proof that if one "stinks-up" this website for a year and posts regularly, there is that ultimate reward.
When I joined the site, pipe smoking was tortuous activity for me. Even though I had smoked a pipe off and on for 40 years, I seldom enjoyed it. I unlearned improper techniques and replaced them with the tried and true techniques of the masters on this forum. One of those masters was Rothnh. He was faithful at answering all of my stupid questions and except for a few differences in taste, gave excellent advice. At 15k+ posts, he was quite an asset.
On my return from out-of-town, I learned he is no longer on this forum. At his departure, I want to give him a belated "Thank you". I also want to give my take to the whole affair:
1. Rules are rules. (It chafes a might to acknowledge this)

2. You can't expect an ex-journalist (Roth) to shut his "pie hole".

3. Ultimately, this is Kevin's forum (since he pays the bills) and not ours.
I don't know all of the facts but I wish things would have turned out differently.
Thanks to Harris, Bradley, nsfisher, Lawrence and many others for your help over the past year. I would also like to thank Kevin for this site and Pipe's Magazine Radio.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

Yeah, he was posting only a couple days ago and then ... nothing.

 

[batdemon]

Very well put, flyguy.

 

[gray4lines]

Ive been out a while (back to cigars for a while! But now it's pipe season), and coming back it's a little disappointing to hear he is not around. Dunno what happened and dont wanna stir up whatever it was, but he sure as hell gave good advice and like you I owe most of my pipe related knowledge to him!

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Congrats on your Preferred Status

 

[scottishjohn]

I will greatly miss Rothnh also. He was one of our assets to these

forums. Not knowing the details of our loss, I will refrain from

any further comment. I will miss you sir. :crying:

 

[woodsroad]

I am not privy to all that went on, but I am certain that there was a communications breakdown. Tempers flared on both sides and rash decisions were made. We can not undo what has transpired, but perhaps by discussing what went wrong, we can avoid similar problems in the future.

 

[quincy]

Roth is gone??? Oh man. That really bums me out.

 

[edgreen]

Sounds like many of you have a similar story as mine. I started smoking a pipe in the mid-70's, but not for long, as I happened into a large walk-in humidor that contained beautiful cigars and some were from Jamaica (probably Temple Hall) like Bob Marley and Big Youth. I came back in June of this year and because of this sight, Kevin and Brian's radio show and other sites I have gained a lot of information in a short time. I now own 3 dozen pipes and many wonderful tobaccos. Roth was a great help, but so have many of you. I pretty much homebound now and it's been a great addition to my life at a time life's been kicking my ass. Thanks to all of you.

 

[mso489]

I couldn't follow exactly what happened. A post wandered into political issues, and people lost their cool.

I thought Roth had quit, but perhaps it was one of those quit/fired scenarios. Roth is a true scholar of the

tobacco pipe and an interesting soul. I think it is reasonable that a pipe forum stay with pipes and tobaccos.

Some of the non-pipe topics are enjoyable and add a little personality -- I have posted on bad men's styles

and shirts with collars. But the real benefit of Forums is in the information and knowledge we share on pipes

and tobacco, which is also the basis of the virtual community here.

 

[admin]

Sorry guys, but this subject has been beaten to death.