Pirates had a profound relationship with tobacco, alcohol, and, oddly enough, fine porcelain dinnerware. I'm talking about the pirates of yore, shiver me timbers and arghhh, matey, not the modern pirates who attack container ships with speedboats. Those guys probably smoke cigarettes, since they often drive cigarette boats, but it's the old-time swashbucklers, the pirates of the Caribbean, that are today's subject.
In the 1700s, Caribbean pirates occupied a settlement in Belize called the Barcadares (derived from the word for "landing place" in Spanish), and recent archeological digs have produced revelations. For one thing, those pirates smoked like fiends. Compared to other sites dug from the same period, the Barcadares revealed an impressive bulk of tobacco use. Thirty-six percent of the artifacts found were clay pipes, compared to 22 percent and 16 percent at the other sites. Archeologically, 36 is a very high percentage.
There must have been a lot of free time for these men. The time necessary for burying chests of gold, keel-hauling prisoners, or practicing sword fighting technique, could not have taken the majority of their time. They couldn't pillage and drink continuously, though they seem to have tried, so smoking had to fill their time, and they evidently did it well.
As for the fine dinnerware, there is little explanation. Probably booty, the pirates may have kept it around as a reminder of the finer things in life. They lived in fairly unsophisticated surroundings, with no houses, just platforms and canvas, so the highly fragile delftware found by archaeologists would have been impractical. The pirates must have simply liked having it around. And why not? Pirates deserve nice things too.
The settlement was on the Belize River, and the bend on which it was located became known centuries later for bottle diving. Very old glass bottles were easy to find by anyone diving in the area. However, bottles were valuable, not easily replaced in that Pirate era, so the bottles that ended up in the river were probably thrown there in drunkenness. Because they wouldn't have been discarded except accidentally, or in drunken exuberance, those thousands of bottles must represent a very small percentage of the alcohol that passed through the settlement.
However, the pipes are the main attraction. These outlaws smoked, and they evidently smoked all the time. So next time you think about pirates, with their cutlasses and bandanas, their eye patches and peg legs, don't imagine them without their more historically correct clay pipes.
Please note that any information provided below is done so as a courtesy to Milan Tobacconists' customers and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Milan staff.
How do I avoid "tongue bite or "dottle"? If you are experiencing "tongue bite" or "dottle" at the bottom of your pipe bowl, chances are you are packing your pipe too tightly. Even if you do not smoke all the tobacco in the pipe, it probably isn't the pipe, but the packing! Please read the answer to "What is the best way to pack a pipe?" below to learn more about packing.
Does the quality of the pipe and/or the tobacco really make a difference? Yes, it is true that high grade pipes and tobaccos smoke better, but if you have a pipe that is finished with carnuba wax rather than varnish, and pipe tobacco that has no chemicals (additives or preservatives) you should have a very enjoyable smoking experience. It is important to remember that a pipe is basically a filter. The pipe absorbs the moisture, disperses the heat, and affects the flavor and clarity of the tobacco. The tobacco is best enjoyed when moist and chemical free. That means no drug store tobacco! A quality pipe contributes to your smoking enjoyment the most.
What is the best way to pack a pipe? Pipe packing is basically a 3-step process:
Sprinkle the tobacco loosely into the pipe until it fills up to the brim. Sprinkling loosely is a concept that escapes even the experienced pipe smokers. Sprinkle loosely until the bowl is full, then press it down until the bowl is half full. If you have a tapered bowl, you may wish to press down the tobacco two-thirds full. At this point, draw on the pipe. There should be little, if any, resistance.
Sprinkle loosely again until the bowl is full. Press the tobacco down evenly until the bowl is three-fourths full. Again, draw on the pipe. There should be a little resistance.
Sprinkle loosely once more until the bowl is full and then round up the top so a little mound of tobacco rests over the bowl. The mound should be less than a half inch tall and nicely rounded. Now press down the tobacco flat, and even with the brim of the bowl. Last time, draw on the pipe. Again, there should be a little resistance. The pipe is now ready for lighting.
How do I keep my pipe lit? If you have problems keeping your pipe lit, even after packing it correctly, then take five or six puffs as you walk the flame around the whole bowl charring the entire area of the tobacco. Then tamp the ashes flat and even. Relight using another five or six good puffs and you should be on your way to an enjoyable, relaxing smoke! Many pipe smokers will pack and light their pipes correctly and still have problems keeping the pipe lit throughout the entire pipeful. The reason for this is likely tamping too hard. When tamping your pipe you should only be crushing the ashes flat and even; not pushing down tobacco. You may tamp as much as you like, but just push down the burning ashes onto the unburning tobacco. Keep it even and keep the draw consistent.
When should I clean my pipe and how? We recommend cleaning it before the next pipeful. If your pipe smells sour or tastes spoiled, it may be because you haven't been cleaning it regularly. As a rule, you should run a pipe cleaner through the stem and shank every time you smoke the pipe. Never pull the pipe apart while it is warm. Also make sure all the bits of tobacco are out of the bowl as this can lead to hot spots that will cause a burn out. Remember, because a pipe is a filter, it should be smoked only once a day. If you smoke three times a day you need three pipes. If you smoke it more than this, the moisture can build and spoil causing bad aroma and flavor. If this happens, take some whiskey or bourbon (the stronger the better) and pour it into the bowl. Let it sit for 15 minutes, pour out the liquor, and swab out the bowl with a paper towel. Let the pipe sit for 24 hours before smoking it again. You'll be amazed at the difference!
When the aliens landed, the event went unnoticed, because they were itsy, tiny aliens. Their craft entered the atmosphere and floated on air currents through an open window into a pipe smoker's office, landing next to a pipe waiting to be cleaned on the desk. They didn't know it was a pipe made by Jeff Gracik, one of the most talented pipe carvers on the planet. They didn't even know it was a pipe, or that it hadn't been cleaned in three or four smokes. The aliens had landed next to the lip button, and all they saw was a wide, oval cave, which they determined to explore in search of intelligent life.
"What is this place," asked Corporal Farbac, lifting his space boot and trying to shake off the tarry substance that was making it impossible to walk. "I stick to everything. Is it a trap? Are we about to be eaten?"
"Probably," said the Captain in disgust. "This environment is appalling. Goop dripping from the walls, unable to navigate, it's awful here. If this planet has any inhabitants, they must be disgusting slime monsters with no sense of smell. Can you detect that odor through your suit? I've never smelt such an evil atmosphere."
"It gets wider back here," called a crew member, "and seems to be made of wood, but it's saturated with the same slime. And it's blocked at the end by burnt shrubbery."
"Burnt shrubbery?" asked the Captain.
"Well, burnt plant material of some kind. Most inhospitable."
"Let's blast into orbit and nuke the planet," suggested Krantork. "We can't have innocent travelers end up in a place like this."
So the aliens destroyed the earth.
Scenario 2
When the aliens landed, the event went unnoticed, because they were cute little miniature aliens and unnoticeable as they flew through an open window into a pipe smoker's office, landing on the desk next to a pipe. They didn't know it was a pipe made by Jeff Gracik, one of the most talented carvers on the planet, or that it had been recently cleaned.
"What is this place?" asked Corporal Farbac, running his space-suited hand over the smooth, pristine vulcanite walls of the cave. "It's so smooth and welcoming."
"And it smells so nice," said the Captain. "I can smell the freshness right through my suit."
"Look further back," said Farbac. "The walls change to wood, and the grain is beautiful. And then it opens up into a wide bowl with the sky above."
"This is a terrific planet," declared the Captain. "We will welcome these people into our consortium and they shall be held in the highest esteem."
So you see, the condition you leave your pipes can have an impact on everyone world-wide. Keep them clean with B.J. Long pipe cleaners, available here, and avert the destruction of the planet by aliens.
Hard to believe: New Jersey Pipe Show coming up????? www.SmokersHavenNJ.com 470 Main St., Metuchen NJ (732) 321-1442 <<Father's Day Pipe Show for 2019 will feature Brigham Pipes and Lorenzetti Pipes and run from Mid May thru Fathers Day. Pipes will be at least 20% off our already low prices, so watch for more details (to follow)>>
I'd like to try skydiving, but I don't think I can smoke during a dive, so I've not pursued it, even with a wind cap on my pipe. I'd need some kind of anti-wind bubble around me to enjoy a jump, like a giant beach ball, and the potential bounce intimidates me. I have a similar problem with space exploration. I was destined to be an astronaut, but until they build smoking rooms in spacecraft, you can keep space travel. It's the same reason I don't scuba dive. I'd be an affluent treasure hunter by now if helmets would let me smoke underwater. It's a shame that such fine professions are limited by the unwillingness of engineers to accommodate pipe smoking.
Clearly, I'm an adventurer at heart. My daydreams are filled with daring exploits of heroism, evading imminent doom with only my wits and my pipe, helping small, third-world countries overthrow anti-tobacco governments, and exploring deep jungles to discover vast caches of lost Sixten Ivarssons and Bo Nordhs.
I am afforded these adventures through my pipe, naturally. My days of alligator wrestling and civil disobedience are behind me. Now my adventures are internal, aided by the meditative act of pipe smoking.
While my pipe was a constant companion during my more youthful, impetuous days, now it has become a medium through which I enjoy adventures I could never have realistically survived. When I'm relaxing with a pipe, my mind drifts with the smoke, often to far places I don't recognize. From my armchair, I discover ancient temples, lost libraries, forgotten treasures, unknown manuscripts, and pursue adventures like I was Indiana Jones.
But I'm only me, and my internal life of adventure makes up for any lack in my real life. To be honest, I don't really want to fight barbarian hordes in the jungle; I'd rather sit and smoke and think about fighting barbarian hordes in the jungle. Smoking a pipe relaxes my imagination, setting my mind free as I climb paths unnavigable to my actual self, and I commune with the smoke and the daydream.
More on that "NJ Pipe Show" Father's Day Pipe Show and Sale info@smokershavennj.com
Father's Day Pipe Show for 2019 features Brigham Pipes and LorenzettiPipes and is now running thru Fathers Day in our Metuchen Store. Pipes will be at least 20% off our already low prices. Pipes can be purchased for as low as less than $40, and there are none for more than $180. We have almost 100 pipes in for this sale, so come in early for the best selection.
Wow! Turns out the Merde de Cheval blend we've joked about is a real thing! Who woulda thunk it?
<<A long time ago an old customer who was never happy with his pipe tobacco, finally found the right blend. He walked in the shop and said, "I want more of that horse shit tobacco you sold me." This light English tobacco, Merde de Cheval Blend, was born.>>
The Delayed Gratification Technique (DGT) for pipesmoking has changed my life. You may or may not be familiar with DGT, so I'll explain.
Simply fill your pipe and give it a solid charring light, then smoke a few puffs or maybe even smoke the first quarter bowl, and put it down. That's it. Pick it up later, after a couple of hours to a couple of days, but preferably the next day, in my experience, and smoke it. If you're like me, you'll find improved, deeper flavor, with the Perique slightly highlighted, if its present, and the other tobaccos tasting more married and smoother.
The first time I noticed this improvement was when driving long distance. I had filled and pre-lit pipes the previous night, because I don't like to perform a charring light while driving. If it's already charred, a single quick light ignites the bowl beautifully with no immediate relights or tamping necessary. The tobacco also stays in the pipe more easily when its surface has been charred than when it's loose, with the char acting as a sort of cap that helps keep the tobacco in place.
While convenience and stability are wonderful characteristics, flavor is our most important consideration, and the delay improved my tobacco. DGT is an unobtrusive, unpretentious technique, best used with Virginias and Virginia/Periques, though some find that it works well with English blends as well, as long as the tobacco is on the dry side. Aromatics aren't typically improved by DGT, possibly because of their toppings; Aromatics tend to smoke a bit wetter than other tobaccos, though your own experience may differ. Cavendish, though, is typically not the best choice for DGT.
When the tobacco is given the charring light and a few additional puffs, the smoke sifts through the bowl, leaving some of the collateral moisture from the smoke to be absorbed by the tobacco, along with smoke particles that deepen the flavor profile. I don't really know what I mean by "deeper," though no other word works as well. If the tobacco was music, the tone would be deeper; if it was thought, its complexity would be deeper. With DGT and tobacco, the flavor is deeper, lower, and more consistent.
The charring light is my least favorite part of a bowl of tobacco, though I still like it fine; it's just the least impressive portion of the bowl for me. So DGT also preps your pipes with no charring light necessary; it's already done. Even at the beginning of a work day, I sometimes fill three or four pipes first thing, and just pick them up and start smoking them later. No refilling when I'm busy, no light, tamp, relight, tamp, relight, tamp. The Delayed Gratification Technique actually provides instant gratification, ironically enough.
I have smoked tobacco that has been sitting in a pipe for up to a week, and it was okay, but not great. For me and the Virginia/Periques I smoke, one day seems to be the optimum delay. You might consider trying it with your own tobacco for different durations, if you don't already. DGT offers an additional dimension of flavor that everyone should experience.
Changes are coming to the Smokingpipes newsletter.
Twice a week for years, we have been sending this newsletter with an opening of some sort—a story, some pipe history, pipemaker profiles, or some trivia that we find interesting, things that we hope you’ll enjoy reading. We do that because we enjoy writing and thinking critically about pipes, but also to make these mailings more interesting and informative.
When I was a Smokingpipes customer instead of an employee, I wouldn’t open the mailings if I didn’t want to be seduced by potential purchases. I wanted to read everything, but I knew I’d be drawn into the pipes and tempted beyond my capacity to resist. If I couldn’t justify a purchase, I didn’t even want to see that mailing, so I missed out on a lot of interesting content. And if I was hungry for a new pipe or tobacco, I found myself skipping over a considerable quantity of excellent content to look at the great photos and learn more about specific pipemakers and their current work. We’ve been hearing similar stories from our customers. The diffusion of our messages is not the best way to serve our customers. We want to fix that.
Beginning on Thursday, May 23, in an effort to streamline our service, these newsletters will supply stunning graphics, lively commentary, pipe photography, and highlight the freshest and greatest pipes hitting our site. In addition, we’ve found a new place for the pipe research and writing that we do and are chomping on our pipe stems in excited anticipation. All of that content will be shared via email on Sundays in our new Weekly Digest, and will live permanently on our website in our newly-designed, updated Daily Reader.
On Mondays and Thursdays, you’ll continue receiving the latest updates of the most mind-numbingly beautiful pipes available on Smokingpipes (or anywhere). And on Sundays, you’ll now have more than the Sunday paper to read; you’ll also have the latest from the best source of information anywhere about the world of pipes and tobaccos.
Jorf News, a Syrian news site, reported that Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began a naval combat training course in Latakia province in northern Syria. Latakia is where Russia’s Khmeimim airbase is located.
Well, that's the final death knell of Syrian Latakia (which has been already almost totally replaced by Cyprian Latakia.)
Elsewhere, @jfreedy posted: << Here’s a good article from the PipeStud on the current state of Cyprian Latakia.
Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced the Tobacco-Free Youth Act, a bipartisan legislation that if passed would raise the nationwide minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping devices, from 18 to 21.
Both senators represent states that have deep roots in tobacco production and consumption but both senators also recognize the negative effects of youth tobacco use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2017 to 2018, youth e0cigarette use increased by 1.5 million and more than 1 in 4 high school students reportedly used tobacco products in the past 30 days. If passed, the Tobacco-Free Youth Act would take on high rates of e-cigarette use among youth by raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products on a federal level to 21. It would also make it unlawful for retailers to sell tobacco products to anyone younger than 21 and would grant states the right to hike the minimum purchasing age higher than 21 if they choose.
“Today, we are coming together to side with young people’s health. With this bipartisan legislation, Senator McConnell and I are working to address one of the most significant public health issues facing our nation today,” said Kaine in a press release. “Raising the tobacco age to 21 is a critical part of our efforts to improve public health and keep tobacco products out of schools and away from our children.”
“In recognition of tobacco’s history in our states and aware of the threat that all tobacco products pose now and for future generations, we introduced legislation to raise the national age of purchase to 21,” added McConnell. “We’ve heard from countless parents who have seen the youth vaping crisis firsthand, and together, Senator Kaine and I are addressing this public health crisis head-on. By making it more difficult for tobacco products to end up in the hands of middle school and high school students, we can protect our children and give them the opportunity to grow and develop into healthy adults. We’re ready for a national debate about the health of our children, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this bill.”
As governor of Virginia, Kaine signed a bill into law that banned smoking in bars and restaurants in the Commonwealth. He also signed an executive order to ban smoking in state buildings and vehicles. In April 2018, Kaine co-signed two letters to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and JUUL Labs, Inc., addressing concerns in regards to the use of flavored e-cigarettes. Along with other signers of the letter, Kaine and his colleagues questioned the marketing practices of JUUL and the ingredients in the flavored e-cigarette devices. Despite reports that the bill would contain an exemption for military members, the draft of the bill released so far contains no such exemption.
You can read a full draft of the Tobacco-Free Youth Act by clicking here. For all the latest legislation and FDA news impacting the tobacco industry, click here.
We have made some changes to our web store that we hope will provide a better customer experience. Being a small factory, we unfortunately do not have the resources to individually photograph every pipe so that each one is available for sale online. Often times there are only a handful of pipes showing, when there are so many more available to choose from. So we decided to fix that to help you find the pipe you are looking for. BriarWorks Classics and Originals have been changed to a catalog format using stock photos instead of individually photographed pipes. Moonshine Pipes were already displayed in this format. This allows for a much larger stock of pipes available. In fact, every pipe that we have in stock is now available to you on our web store. We also added some filtering/search options to make it easier to find specific shapes, finishes, or stem colors. If you have any issues or can't find something that you are looking for let us know at info@briarworksusa.com. Thank you for your patience and support! https://briarworks.mybigcommerce.com/
Comments
Pirates Loved Tobacco
Monday, April 29, 2019 by Chuck Stanion
Pirates had a profound relationship with tobacco, alcohol, and, oddly enough, fine porcelain dinnerware. I'm talking about the pirates of yore, shiver me timbers and arghhh, matey, not the modern pirates who attack container ships with speedboats. Those guys probably smoke cigarettes, since they often drive cigarette boats, but it's the old-time swashbucklers, the pirates of the Caribbean, that are today's subject.
In the 1700s, Caribbean pirates occupied a settlement in Belize called the Barcadares (derived from the word for "landing place" in Spanish), and recent archeological digs have produced revelations. For one thing, those pirates smoked like fiends. Compared to other sites dug from the same period, the Barcadares revealed an impressive bulk of tobacco use. Thirty-six percent of the artifacts found were clay pipes, compared to 22 percent and 16 percent at the other sites. Archeologically, 36 is a very high percentage.
There must have been a lot of free time for these men. The time necessary for burying chests of gold, keel-hauling prisoners, or practicing sword fighting technique, could not have taken the majority of their time. They couldn't pillage and drink continuously, though they seem to have tried, so smoking had to fill their time, and they evidently did it well.
As for the fine dinnerware, there is little explanation. Probably booty, the pirates may have kept it around as a reminder of the finer things in life. They lived in fairly unsophisticated surroundings, with no houses, just platforms and canvas, so the highly fragile delftware found by archaeologists would have been impractical. The pirates must have simply liked having it around. And why not? Pirates deserve nice things too.
The settlement was on the Belize River, and the bend on which it was located became known centuries later for bottle diving. Very old glass bottles were easy to find by anyone diving in the area. However, bottles were valuable, not easily replaced in that Pirate era, so the bottles that ended up in the river were probably thrown there in drunkenness. Because they wouldn't have been discarded except accidentally, or in drunken exuberance, those thousands of bottles must represent a very small percentage of the alcohol that passed through the settlement.
However, the pipes are the main attraction. These outlaws smoked, and they evidently smoked all the time. So next time you think about pirates, with their cutlasses and bandanas, their eye patches and peg legs, don't imagine them without their more historically correct clay pipes.
A guide to new pipe smokers
James Fox Cigar and Whiskey Store
A gentleman’s approach to the subject…….
(Click on the numbers, below)
1 A guide to the new Pipe Smoker - How to select your first pipe
2 A guide to the new Pipe Smoker - How to fill and light your pipe
3 A guide to the new Pipe Smoker - How to care for your pipe
4 A guide to the new Pipe Smoker - How to choose your tobacco mixture
Please note that any information provided below is done so as a courtesy to Milan Tobacconists' customers and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Milan staff.
https://www.milantobacco.com/politics_of_smoking.htm
How do I avoid "tongue bite or "dottle"?
If you are experiencing "tongue bite" or "dottle" at the bottom of your pipe bowl, chances are you are packing your pipe too tightly. Even if you do not smoke all the tobacco in the pipe, it probably isn't the pipe, but the packing! Please read the answer to "What is the best way to pack a pipe?" below to learn more about packing.
Does the quality of the pipe and/or the tobacco really make a difference?
Yes, it is true that high grade pipes and tobaccos smoke better, but if you have a pipe that is finished with carnuba wax rather than varnish, and pipe tobacco that has no chemicals (additives or preservatives) you should have a very enjoyable smoking experience. It is important to remember that a pipe is basically a filter. The pipe absorbs the moisture, disperses the heat, and affects the flavor and clarity of the tobacco. The tobacco is best enjoyed when moist and chemical free. That means no drug store tobacco! A quality pipe contributes to your smoking enjoyment the most.
What is the best way to pack a pipe?
Pipe packing is basically a 3-step process:
How do I keep my pipe lit?
If you have problems keeping your pipe lit, even after packing it correctly, then take five or six puffs as you walk the flame around the whole bowl charring the entire area of the tobacco. Then tamp the ashes flat and even. Relight using another five or six good puffs and you should be on your way to an enjoyable, relaxing smoke! Many pipe smokers will pack and light their pipes correctly and still have problems keeping the pipe lit throughout the entire pipeful. The reason for this is likely tamping too hard. When tamping your pipe you should only be crushing the ashes flat and even; not pushing down tobacco. You may tamp as much as you like, but just push down the burning ashes onto the unburning tobacco. Keep it even and keep the draw consistent.
When should I clean my pipe and how?
We recommend cleaning it before the next pipeful. If your pipe smells sour or tastes spoiled, it may be because you haven't been cleaning it regularly. As a rule, you should run a pipe cleaner through the stem and shank every time you smoke the pipe. Never pull the pipe apart while it is warm. Also make sure all the bits of tobacco are out of the bowl as this can lead to hot spots that will cause a burn out. Remember, because a pipe is a filter, it should be smoked only once a day. If you smoke three times a day you need three pipes. If you smoke it more than this, the moisture can build and spoil causing bad aroma and flavor. If this happens, take some whiskey or bourbon (the stronger the better) and pour it into the bowl. Let it sit for 15 minutes, pour out the liquor, and swab out the bowl with a paper towel. Let the pipe sit for 24 hours before smoking it again. You'll be amazed at the difference!
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F281786681215
From our friends at AlPascia.com
SEA-FOAM: THE COLOURS OF LIGHTNESS
https://www.alpascia.com/moments/en/detail/97/sea-foam-the-colours-of-lightnCanada Announces New Tobacco Plain Packaging Regulations
https://tobaccobusiness.com/canada-announces-new-tobacco-plain-packaging-regulations/Pipe Cleaning & Parallel Universes
Monday, May 6, 2019 by Chuck Stanion
Scenario 1
When the aliens landed, the event went unnoticed, because they were itsy, tiny aliens. Their craft entered the atmosphere and floated on air currents through an open window into a pipe smoker's office, landing next to a pipe waiting to be cleaned on the desk. They didn't know it was a pipe made by Jeff Gracik, one of the most talented pipe carvers on the planet. They didn't even know it was a pipe, or that it hadn't been cleaned in three or four smokes. The aliens had landed next to the lip button, and all they saw was a wide, oval cave, which they determined to explore in search of intelligent life.
"What is this place," asked Corporal Farbac, lifting his space boot and trying to shake off the tarry substance that was making it impossible to walk. "I stick to everything. Is it a trap? Are we about to be eaten?"
"Probably," said the Captain in disgust. "This environment is appalling. Goop dripping from the walls, unable to navigate, it's awful here. If this planet has any inhabitants, they must be disgusting slime monsters with no sense of smell. Can you detect that odor through your suit? I've never smelt such an evil atmosphere."
"It gets wider back here," called a crew member, "and seems to be made of wood, but it's saturated with the same slime. And it's blocked at the end by burnt shrubbery."
"Burnt shrubbery?" asked the Captain.
"Well, burnt plant material of some kind. Most inhospitable."
"Let's blast into orbit and nuke the planet," suggested Krantork. "We can't have innocent travelers end up in a place like this."
So the aliens destroyed the earth.
Scenario 2
When the aliens landed, the event went unnoticed, because they were cute little miniature aliens and unnoticeable as they flew through an open window into a pipe smoker's office, landing on the desk next to a pipe. They didn't know it was a pipe made by Jeff Gracik, one of the most talented carvers on the planet, or that it had been recently cleaned.
"What is this place?" asked Corporal Farbac, running his space-suited hand over the smooth, pristine vulcanite walls of the cave. "It's so smooth and welcoming."
"And it smells so nice," said the Captain. "I can smell the freshness right through my suit."
"Look further back," said Farbac. "The walls change to wood, and the grain is beautiful. And then it opens up into a wide bowl with the sky above."
"This is a terrific planet," declared the Captain. "We will welcome these people into our consortium and they shall be held in the highest esteem."
So you see, the condition you leave your pipes can have an impact on everyone world-wide. Keep them clean with B.J. Long pipe cleaners, available here, and avert the destruction of the planet by aliens.
Still, tnx for the info...
Bi-Partisan Tobacco to 21 Act Introduced in House and Senate
https://tobaccobusiness.com/bi-partisan-tobacco-to-21-act-introduced-in-house-and-senate/www.SmokersHavenNJ.com
470 Main St., Metuchen NJ
(732) 321-1442
<<Father's Day Pipe Show for 2019 will feature Brigham Pipes and Lorenzetti Pipes and run from Mid May thru Fathers Day.
Pipes will be at least 20% off our already low prices, so watch for more details (to follow)>>
Smoking Adventures
Thursday, May 9, 2019 by Chuck Stanion
I'd like to try skydiving, but I don't think I can smoke during a dive, so I've not pursued it, even with a wind cap on my pipe. I'd need some kind of anti-wind bubble around me to enjoy a jump, like a giant beach ball, and the potential bounce intimidates me. I have a similar problem with space exploration. I was destined to be an astronaut, but until they build smoking rooms in spacecraft, you can keep space travel. It's the same reason I don't scuba dive. I'd be an affluent treasure hunter by now if helmets would let me smoke underwater. It's a shame that such fine professions are limited by the unwillingness of engineers to accommodate pipe smoking.
Clearly, I'm an adventurer at heart. My daydreams are filled with daring exploits of heroism, evading imminent doom with only my wits and my pipe, helping small, third-world countries overthrow anti-tobacco governments, and exploring deep jungles to discover vast caches of lost Sixten Ivarssons and Bo Nordhs.
I am afforded these adventures through my pipe, naturally. My days of alligator wrestling and civil disobedience are behind me. Now my adventures are internal, aided by the meditative act of pipe smoking.
While my pipe was a constant companion during my more youthful, impetuous days, now it has become a medium through which I enjoy adventures I could never have realistically survived. When I'm relaxing with a pipe, my mind drifts with the smoke, often to far places I don't recognize. From my armchair, I discover ancient temples, lost libraries, forgotten treasures, unknown manuscripts, and pursue adventures like I was Indiana Jones.
But I'm only me, and my internal life of adventure makes up for any lack in my real life. To be honest, I don't really want to fight barbarian hordes in the jungle; I'd rather sit and smoke and think about fighting barbarian hordes in the jungle. Smoking a pipe relaxes my imagination, setting my mind free as I climb paths unnavigable to my actual self, and I commune with the smoke and the daydream.
Father's Day Pipe Show and Sale
info@smokershavennj.com
<<A long time ago an old customer who was never happy with his pipe tobacco, finally found the right blend. He walked in the shop and said, "I want more of that horse shit tobacco you sold me." This light English tobacco, Merde de Cheval Blend, was born.>>
Comprised of Burley, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, and Virginia
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/3655/f-k-merde-de-cheval
Now if I can just find me some of this other blend......
I second that emotion......
Newsletter Changes
Thursday, May 16, 2019 by Chuck Stanion
Changes are coming to the Smokingpipes newsletter.
Twice a week for years, we have been sending this newsletter with an opening of some sort—a story, some pipe history, pipemaker profiles, or some trivia that we find interesting, things that we hope you’ll enjoy reading. We do that because we enjoy writing and thinking critically about pipes, but also to make these mailings more interesting and informative.
When I was a Smokingpipes customer instead of an employee, I wouldn’t open the mailings if I didn’t want to be seduced by potential purchases. I wanted to read everything, but I knew I’d be drawn into the pipes and tempted beyond my capacity to resist. If I couldn’t justify a purchase, I didn’t even want to see that mailing, so I missed out on a lot of interesting content. And if I was hungry for a new pipe or tobacco, I found myself skipping over a considerable quantity of excellent content to look at the great photos and learn more about specific pipemakers and their current work. We’ve been hearing similar stories from our customers. The diffusion of our messages is not the best way to serve our customers. We want to fix that.
Beginning on Thursday, May 23, in an effort to streamline our service, these newsletters will supply stunning graphics, lively commentary, pipe photography, and highlight the freshest and greatest pipes hitting our site. In addition, we’ve found a new place for the pipe research and writing that we do and are chomping on our pipe stems in excited anticipation. All of that content will be shared via email on Sundays in our new Weekly Digest, and will live permanently on our website in our newly-designed, updated Daily Reader.
On Mondays and Thursdays, you’ll continue receiving the latest updates of the most mind-numbingly beautiful pipes available on Smokingpipes (or anywhere). And on Sundays, you’ll now have more than the Sunday paper to read; you’ll also have the latest from the best source of information anywhere about the world of pipes and tobaccos.
Well, that's the final death knell of Syrian Latakia (which has been already almost totally replaced by Cyprian Latakia.)
Elsewhere, @jfreedy posted:
<< Here’s a good article from the PipeStud on the current state of Cyprian Latakia.
MCCONNELL AND KAINE RELEASE TOBACCO-FREE YOUTH ACT
https://tobaccobusiness.com/mcconnell-and-kaine-release-tobacco-free-youth-act/
Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced the Tobacco-Free Youth Act, a bipartisan legislation that if passed would raise the nationwide minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping devices, from 18 to 21.
Both senators represent states that have deep roots in tobacco production and consumption but both senators also recognize the negative effects of youth tobacco use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2017 to 2018, youth e0cigarette use increased by 1.5 million and more than 1 in 4 high school students reportedly used tobacco products in the past 30 days. If passed, the Tobacco-Free Youth Act would take on high rates of e-cigarette use among youth by raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products on a federal level to 21. It would also make it unlawful for retailers to sell tobacco products to anyone younger than 21 and would grant states the right to hike the minimum purchasing age higher than 21 if they choose.
“Today, we are coming together to side with young people’s health. With this bipartisan legislation, Senator McConnell and I are working to address one of the most significant public health issues facing our nation today,” said Kaine in a press release. “Raising the tobacco age to 21 is a critical part of our efforts to improve public health and keep tobacco products out of schools and away from our children.”
“In recognition of tobacco’s history in our states and aware of the threat that all tobacco products pose now and for future generations, we introduced legislation to raise the national age of purchase to 21,” added McConnell. “We’ve heard from countless parents who have seen the youth vaping crisis firsthand, and together, Senator Kaine and I are addressing this public health crisis head-on. By making it more difficult for tobacco products to end up in the hands of middle school and high school students, we can protect our children and give them the opportunity to grow and develop into healthy adults. We’re ready for a national debate about the health of our children, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this bill.”
As governor of Virginia, Kaine signed a bill into law that banned smoking in bars and restaurants in the Commonwealth. He also signed an executive order to ban smoking in state buildings and vehicles. In April 2018, Kaine co-signed two letters to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and JUUL Labs, Inc., addressing concerns in regards to the use of flavored e-cigarettes. Along with other signers of the letter, Kaine and his colleagues questioned the marketing practices of JUUL and the ingredients in the flavored e-cigarette devices. Despite reports that the bill would contain an exemption for military members, the draft of the bill released so far contains no such exemption.
You can read a full draft of the Tobacco-Free Youth Act by clicking here. For all the latest legislation and FDA news impacting the tobacco industry, click here.
LONGTIME MEMBERS HAVE SEEN THESE ALREADY.......
@Kmhartle
I see your
and I raise you......