Long live BWE....

[JimHow]

I've been working on a case all morning, I have an argument before the Maine Supreme Court on Tuesday morning. I did take a call from a panicked BWEer, however, who expressed concerns that BWE was about to be deleted. This was in response to a message I posted about my response to a similarly emotional email I got from Nicola. It is also my understanding that those who have attempted to blow up BWE have also responded to the thread. I've decided not to read those messages, as it would likely tempt me to respond with more negativity.

I do want to clarify my message to Nicola, which of course was really directed to the many other BWEers who do not want to blow up the site with dramatic messages, but rather want to see the community continue for many years to come. I have said this several times now, and I will say it again: I have moved on. After the blow up last weekend I decided that I was just going to try to post some "regular" messages, about tasting notes, my renewed love affair with GPL, etc. It was my hope that this would generate some activity on the site and that we would move on. It did not generate activity, and I interpreted this as a malaise caused by the blow up from last weekend.

As I said to Nicola, if BWEers do not want to see this site disappear after 23+ years, then my best suggestion is that everyone move on from the controversy and spend your energies on posting tasting notes, etc. Do not rest your hopes on apologies or other plans to save BWE. The best thing you can do is what I attempted to do this week: Post some tasting notes.

I have been managing BWE for almost 24 years. Basically for 24 years I have monitored the site daily. I have posted over 50,000 messages between this site and the old site. It has been quite time consuming. From my perspective, I have done more than my fair share to make BWE successful. Once every 8 years or so some comment is made that causes me to be called names like bipolar, mentally ill, they hope I "get help," etc. These are just some of the lines I deal with as a benevolent dictator, and then I move on. Others have tried to start their own wine web sites and have failed, miserably. Folks need to understand that I have a very busy life. I juggle many things on a daily basis. I am one of the leaders of the criminal defense bar here in Maine, which is currently in a constitutional free fall. I have 176 felony cases pending, including 5 murder cases. I have a murder trial coming up in November in which a mentally ill 23 year old kid is facing life in prison. I have a very active personal and family life, and I have many, many other interests besides BWE. I simply do not have the time to fight with those who would seek to burn down BWE with their own grievances and imagined self-importance. Methinks the ladies doth protest too much. It is time to move on. If you don't want to post here, then don't.

But.... Having said that. For those of you who do value BWE, then it is time for you to step up and post tasting notes. I was talking to Mr. Vino this morning. He and Mrs. Vino suggested that we should have a policy that, at least for the time being, any further communications here should be limited to tasting notes and wine related matters. I told him that was an excellent suggestion, and was what I was trying to facilitate this past week by moving on from the controversy and limit myself to posting tasting notes. Mr. Vino advises that he is going to uncork a "special Bordeaux" tonight and will post notes on it. I look forward to it!

I have no imminent plans to delete BWE. However, if weeks and months go by and there is no activity, then of course I'm not going to keep paying the monthly and annual fees to maintain Hostgator and the BWE domain name. So, really, that was the message to Nicola. As far as I'm concerned, the controversy is over. As for whether BWE will continue on, that fate is completely in all of your hands.

Sincerely,
Your Kind and Benevolent Dictator
Jim How

[Comte Flaneur]

Nobody is trying to blow up BWE Jim.

[marcs]

I have to say Jim, it's quite rich for you to say " I simply do not have the time to fight with those who would seek to burn down BWE with their own grievances and imagined self-importance" when you yourself have repeatedly triggered these fights by posting publicly about your own grievances. Physician, heal thyself!

[robert goulet]

I have to say Jim, it's quite rich for you to say " I simply do not have the time to fight with those who would seek to burn down BWE with their own grievances and imagined self-importance" when you yourself have repeatedly triggered these fights by posting publicly about your own grievances. Physician, heal thyself!

We lost a valuable contributor and prolific poster, the great Orlando Bobby