During my walk...

this cancer scare is such a joke, they really have no idea what causes cancer. they are just making stuff up.

I see liberal jerks abound no matter where one is in this "once great republic" of ours.

if you was carrying a 5 gallon bucket of toxic waste, would she of still aproached you? or went the other direction? i wouldnt let people like that upset you, as you still had your cigar, but all she has is an attitude.

While jrinam may be right in a very basic and philosophical sense regarding his gut feelings, let's keep in mind that while everything we say about women may be symbolically true, everything they say about us is also true.

Therefore, since philosophically it may be possible to see the truth in any hard edged, gut feeling, "locker room type" verbiage, let's try to soften our hard edges here. Not only do we want women to stick around here, and enjoy the place as much as we men, but the management of the web site(s) is also determined to keep the hardest edge of our personalities from showing too much in order to maintain a sense of dignity and propriety, and I agree with that.

Therefore, I am requesting jrinam edit to soften his previous post a bit. Like I said, while I have no major problem with pure, gut reactions to various societal inequities, they belong in PM's, e-mails or conversations with people that we are totally comfortable with. Being a public forum, it is not only proper and respectful to maintain dignity and propriety, but downright righteous. It doesn't make someone a hypocrite to say such things to their best friends, but soften their edge here.

I'm no prude, and this message isn't just for jrinam either. If it was, I'd have utilized usual procedure and contacted him privately by PM. This is merely a polite, soft reminder that we need to keep our gut feelings in check. Castle Crest and others can tell you that once upon a time in my three and a half years on another web site I did not do that. I learned from the backlash, as well as the support. I made one major enemy and turned a few people off. A lot of people came to really like me, which not only astounded me then, but still does today. The conciliation and goodness that has come from that group is still evident in my life today, and never ceases to amaze me or cause me to give thanks.

Nonetheless, one is never too old to learn anything, and when called to be a Moderator for this web site, I had long since realized that even in the capacity of just a poster, swinging from the heels is for home run hitters and the privacy of get togethers with those who love you the most. I'm an equal opportunity bigot. I can dish about Blacks, Jews, Chinese, Irish, Scandinavians, welfare moms, corporate CEO's, rich, poor, men, women, but in the end I have to realize that I may face a Day where I'm standing outside the gates of The Kingdom next to Hitler and God pops his head out the door to say "there's only room for one left." There's only one right thing for me to say, and it's NOT "take me."

Cigar smokers have a tendency to swing from the heels more than most, and I'm aware of that. While it may at certain times be sociophilosophically correct to kvetch about women, let's soften the edge and keep the vulgar out of it. Also keep in mind everything they say about us is true, and we're a lot worse than them when you get down to it, no matter what's happened to our culture in the USA over the past 40 years.

Bloofington,

amen.

100% right bloof. not trying to degrade women, just making a statement about people with this attitude. and i got a little fired up. sorry if i offended anyone

Thanks.

Driving your car a mile buts out more toxins then a whoe box of cigars. Next time anyone bitches at me I am going to ask them if they drive to work or walk.

I must say I am absolutely blown away by Bloof's post. As a woman a very much appreciate your stance. In offering a womans opinion, I drew from the situation that the woman walking her dog was simply a health nut lacking the education to know what a cigar consists of and it's health risks. Before making outright and actually quite rude judgements and remarks towards people she does not know, she should realize that cigars, while not the best thing for your health, do not contain the same toxins, poisons and chemicals that are placed in cigarettes. Completely aside from the fact that the cigar was being smoked outdoors where smoke from it can easily be avoided and it was ridiculous to single him out to make that sort of comment. Something like that would have ruined a relaxing cigar for me I can tell you that! I commend Markus for his quick wits and calm demeanor, I would have been tempted to say something more! So getting on with my opinion, I just don't think many people know much about cigars, at least not enough to make an educated decision, one way or the other, about them.

Bloofington: The responsibility of being a moderator is huge, and I appreciate your coming to the plate. You hit a home run.
We- as cigar smokers- are the bag guys and bad girls- in most others opinion.
We just have to be low key, and unfortunately must take a passive position when our cigar smoking offends others. It's OK to be greatly irritated, but it must be internal.
In Maryland it is against the law to smoke in your own vehicle if you have a passenger.I have never heard of any citations but the law is on the books.
There are a handful of good cigar bars in Maryland. One is Ruth Chris Steakhouse.They have a upstairs Havana Lounge.I don't like it.It's hard to enjoy my cigar with all the oposing smoke flavors when they have a large crowd.My last visit was bad. At a table next to me was a pipe smoker that was smoking a cherry blend.That just waked my nose. My glass of Port even tasted different.
A lot of you are much younger than me.When I was in my twenties- not many people could tell me what to do or how to act.I lived large and fast- just as young men and women should. Society was different in the 1960's- there were less rules.You guys and girls have it tougher than I did- but you are smarther and better informed. I think the youth of today is bigger, better,smarter and just far superior than anytime in our past. Go for the gusto- you deserve it. Just be smart.
Malone

I admire you for taking a long enough walk to enjoy a cigar

Also from a female perspective--some women are nuts and annoying, just as some men are nuts and annoying. Just think of how miserable her (and her husband's) life must be to have to feel the need to rail on you.

The other issue is, if you were all outdoors, isn't there enough air for all of you?

I, on the other hand, would have probably followed you closely to try to get as much second-hand smoke as possible.

Good call Woodgirl. I'd be more inclined to ask for a puff or two before I'd ever complain about it!

woodgirl, dont know if you read my post before being altered. but that is exactly what i was saying. my version was a little crude.