Where are they now?

[2BM2K]

I think we need to remember while we squabble, that there are really not that many on this little island

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

John Donne

 

[Officer Dibley]

Or perhaps one should say that a shared hobby maketh no-one above reproach.......

 

[Carl]

Or perhaps one should say that a shared hobby maketh no-one above reproach.......

Amen to that !

 

[269sqnhudson]

I came over from the Aero forum ( 20th Century somethng ?) in around 1998. There were some very unfriendly members at the time.

Me too, 1998. Can’t recall my username from those days though. Any way of finding out?

 

[unclegrumpy]

I think "newbies" should be welcomed with open arms...everyone has to start somewhere...and most people work their way into this over a number of years...that lessens the economic hurdles...some of which if you hang in long enough don't seem so bad in retrospect. Plus one day you might happen into a good deal, one that you might not realize is that good unless you have been doing your homework beforehand...so be patient...your day will come. One word of warning, if you are not careful, you too will be a grumpy old bastard before you know it!

 

[Dover]

After reading a lot of these comments I’ll just ask this question. Are newbies without vintage jackets fully wanted on this forum? If this is a good old boys club it should be made known any “commoners” without 1000’s of dollars or pounds to spend on vintage jackets should bugger off someplace else.

As a relative newcomer to this forum (less than a year) I feel qualified to respond to your question. I do own a couple of vintage jackets but I didn't spend thousands on them. In fact my latest purchase was a vintage G1 for $135. Despite my frugal jacket budget I've never been made to feel a "commoner" here.
On the contrary, these folks have made me feel quite welcome in the short time I've been here. I've asked a lot of newbie questions and gotten many answers. IMHO not a good old boys club just a bunch of guys with a shared passion for history.

 

[jeremiah]

Yeah I feel pretty welcome here. This is a good place. You can actually have some disagreements here and the staff aren’t in an uproar. I am a member at other forums including COW. That place is becoming a joke.

 

[Whatsit]

I never said for a minute I wasn’t made to feel welcome here. Anything but the truth. This is a great forum. I said and meant to say if I didn’t say it correctly is after reading some of these comments on here it seems like to some that this forum was meant to be a good old boys club. Only a few that could ever qualify. And If new people that have no way to ever afford a vintage jacket are on here and not knowing it’s not meant for them then they should be told before they are welcome on here. There’s lots on here that I consider great friends and one a very close friend. So in no way did I ever say I didn’t feel welcome. I’m comment on a couple of the comments I read on this thread. Thank you

 

[jeremiah]

I think maybe you could take a deep breath?
Ok. Now. No one that I can see is accusing you of saying you don’t feel welcome. You have made that quite clear now in the last few posts. Ha.

You do need to concede that your initial post about “an old boys club” could infer that maybe some might not be welcome here?

 

[Geeboo]

I think the problem is that in these forums, advice is given out for free. Whom would like to continually give out free, Valuable advice accumulated through years of experiences & $ spent, despite receiving some verbal attacks sometimes or the bottom line , without receiving any respect ? This scenario is seen in quite a few of forums I participate here in Hong Kong & China. & is particularly serious in forums where the moderators are not active in regulating the threads or not capable of regulating.
We all love this hobby - but not to the level of Agape.
In this regard, I have my high regard towards Ken of Aero. He is so knowledgeable & yet can remain quite impartial or controlled in response to attacks or -ve comments over him. I would have guessed he might have deep feeling about this or otherwise would not started this thread.
The problem is that these forums would recruit anyone, those in their 1st day of buying a mall jacket to those seasoned collectors with tens of years of experience. Someone had said it so good here, some members may not know what they are talking about a comment on others that they made. I think this is in sync with what Unclegrumpy had said earlier in this thread. There lacks a grading system the current system used is often by the no. of posts posted but not by years of experiences.
So, those with performance desire turns to arena where they can CONTROL the conversation, they be the host, like fb or others.

 

[B-Man2]

If I can just make an observation, it seems this thread has gotten off track . The conversation as initiated by Ken had to do with the recent departure of some well known members of this forum. It has sort of taken a turn and seems to be dealing with a number of different issues at this point. As I said , just an observation.

 

[Pilot]

Hi Burt
agree somehow...
Point was some old farts here were not so happy and friendly to newcomers...
I personally experienced the same when I came in...beeing immediatly accused of forging ELC Irvin zippers on my own ( untouched unworn) 2 years before purchased IRVIN jacket..!!! my own unworn...!!!
Never ever an apology... ( no need anyway.. the same “great” old farts tried to buy it privately a few days later.....ask for the best I can do...) .., one member left due to other „contractual discussions“... the others still around but quieter...playing the honest mistaken victims...
Happy to send all posts if doubts..
So lets be positive ...welcome to all... if honest and open minded...
The old farts... please come back if you are happy with the newbees..

 

[John Lever]

Pilot the reaction to you was because your first posts were mainly in Buy/Sell something which has been universally unpopular for a decade

 

[Pilot]

Pilot the reaction to you was because your first posts were mainly in Buy/Sell something which has been universally unpopular for a decade

and..? unpopular b/c new .. can live with it.., accusing of faking forgin...etc... keeping going...
hmmm welcome in the old fart-mens club... sorry no go... worse never an apology ... plus some later offers from the „elephants“....
Give all newbees a break and a chance... we are not all criminals and profit seekers like other older here..

 

[John Lever]

Keep going...to the door...

 

[Pilot]

Keep going...to the door...

Happy to go, if involved mods want me out b/c speaking facts.

 

[John Lever]

I invite you to just stop muck raking for the sake of it please.

 

[Pilot]

I invite you to just stop muck raking for the sake of it please.

OK..I zipp it.

 

[John Lever]

Thanks much appreciated and apologies for any past possible misjudgements on my part

 

[Pilot]

Thanks much appreciated and apologies for any past possible misjudgements on my part

OK, accepted...we are done/even and no harm done..no hard feelings...Thx John.
Cheers
Brice