“Requiring people to standup in public for their political acts fosters civic courage.”
-Justice Antonin Scallia
Our community could really use some civic courage right about now… but even more so, we could use some give-a-shit. Courage will have to wait until we find a solution to the rampant apathy in the vaping community.
Sure, a lot of people are saying that all the restrictions and regulations can’t stop them from vaping. They’ll make their own e-liquid, they’ll vape at home. Sure, you can do that, but is that really the world you want to live in? a world where vaping is shamed rather than seen as a pathway away from combustible tobacco, away from nicotine addiction, and out from under the thumb of big tobacco? But before you answer, consider the real issue, because it isn’t whether or not you and I can vape, it’s whether or not the option is even available for the millions of other smokers.
It’s time to get angry! It’s time to get up and DO something. Something more than posting anonymous comments on Facebook and Reddit. It’s time to get together, to be seen, to yell and scream and get our voices heard. It’s time to attend city council meetings and state senate meetings and get involved everywhere that the issue is brought up.
And we need everyone involved. We can’t afford for any of us to think that we can sit back on the sidelines and watch other fight the fight for us. Why? Because all of us have lives, we have rents and mortgages, and car payments. We have children to care for and appointments to keep and jobs to go to. In other words, none of us can attend every hearing. So in order to have a presence we need everyone to get mad and get active, because right now we, as a community, are acting like a bunch of angry sullen teenagers… well, its time we grow up, and act like angry adults!
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
SB 648 Died in Committee Last Week. Cause for Celebration? or Cause for Concern?
SB 648 died in committee this past week. I wanted to write about it sooner, but owing to a flu outbreak at my house I didn't make it to the hearing. I decided that I should, at the very least, watch the video of the hearing before putting my opinions about it into words.
I have now done so. Several times. And I’m sticking to my initial reaction that the death of SB 648 is not a good thing, in fact, while many are enjoying a celebratory drink, or a congratulatory self pat on the back, I firmly believe that the death of SB 648 is a bad thing
I also believe that the ANTZ have gotten to the committee members
First, lets consider what happened the last time SB 648 was in committee that didn't happen this time… Last time the committee criticized those opposing the bill, they were chastised for focusing on the omission of text that would have defined an e-cigarette as a cigarette rather than focusing on the intent of the bill. They were even accused of wanting to put electronic cigarettes into the hands of children. The committee didn't do that this time. The same committee looking at the same bill and hearing the same arguments… and yet they acted very differently.
The only reasonable interpretation is that, away from the committee room, in the hallways and offices of the capitol, or maybe over pricey dinners and drinks nearby, the Anti Tobacco and Nicotine Zealots influenced the committee members. Likely with money, or the treat of withholding money.
Before going further, you may want to view the video if you haven’t already… it can be viewed here
Pay special attention to what was said by Kally Hampt(?) on behalf of the American Heart and American Stroke Association. She complains that the bill “Takes us two steps back in our efforts to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products”
…And Alicia Sanchez – California medical association This bill “…would undermine our intent to see e-cigarettes regulated as other tobacco products
There it is. Stated right out in the open for all to hear. It was never about “the children” it’s about efforts to classify electronic cigarettes as tobacco.
And they've gained enough support to kill a bill that would have created a common sense restriction on electronic cigarette sales in vending machines based only on the fact that the bill did not also define electronic cigarettes as tobacco.
In other words, this insanity is getting worse.
Of course California law already defines e-cigarettes. Section 119405 of the Health and Safety Code paragraph b reads: ‘“Electronic cigarette” means a device that can provide an inhalable dose of nicotine by delivering a vaporized solution’
Think about that for a moment. California law states that an electronic cigarette is a device… your box mod, your mechanical, your Ego battery, combined with an atomizer is, according to California law, an electronic cigarette. With or without nicotine. In fact, with or without e-liquid at all, it only needs to be a device that “can” provide inhalable nicotine. If we then allow electronic cigarettes to be legally classifies as tobacco products, then that copper, stainless steal, or brass tube with the battery in it will be regulated, and taxed, as if it was made from the leaves of a tobacco plant. Never mind that under current law tobacco products are defined in Revenue and Taxation Cod Sections 30121 and 30131,1 to include “all forms of cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and any other articles or products made of, or containing at least 50 percent, tobacco, but does not include cigarettes.” Now I don’t know about you, but looking at my mods… none of them are either made of, or contain 50 percent, tobacco. Not a one. Not even when I add e-liquid. In fact, since nicotine is the only tobacco derived ingredient in my e-liquid, it would have to be 500mg/ml nicotine before it was “50 percent” tobacco.
Please not that I am not suggesting that anyone should ever make, or use 500mg/ml e-liquid. At best it probably wouldn't taste very good.
So the push is on to legally classify electronic cigarettes as a tobacco product in California despite the contradictions that it would cause between existing state laws covering tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes, and the defeat of SB 648 for the sole reason that it listed electronic cigarettes explicitly, and distinctly from tobacco products is evidence that our opponents are winning support…
…After all, it’s a public health issue. Right? Well, yes, but not in the direction that the public health officials are trying to present it… quite the opposite in fact, because when more people quit smoking that is a public health benefit.
I have now done so. Several times. And I’m sticking to my initial reaction that the death of SB 648 is not a good thing, in fact, while many are enjoying a celebratory drink, or a congratulatory self pat on the back, I firmly believe that the death of SB 648 is a bad thing
I also believe that the ANTZ have gotten to the committee members
First, lets consider what happened the last time SB 648 was in committee that didn't happen this time… Last time the committee criticized those opposing the bill, they were chastised for focusing on the omission of text that would have defined an e-cigarette as a cigarette rather than focusing on the intent of the bill. They were even accused of wanting to put electronic cigarettes into the hands of children. The committee didn't do that this time. The same committee looking at the same bill and hearing the same arguments… and yet they acted very differently.
The only reasonable interpretation is that, away from the committee room, in the hallways and offices of the capitol, or maybe over pricey dinners and drinks nearby, the Anti Tobacco and Nicotine Zealots influenced the committee members. Likely with money, or the treat of withholding money.
Before going further, you may want to view the video if you haven’t already… it can be viewed here
Pay special attention to what was said by Kally Hampt(?) on behalf of the American Heart and American Stroke Association. She complains that the bill “Takes us two steps back in our efforts to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products”
…And Alicia Sanchez – California medical association This bill “…would undermine our intent to see e-cigarettes regulated as other tobacco products
There it is. Stated right out in the open for all to hear. It was never about “the children” it’s about efforts to classify electronic cigarettes as tobacco.
And they've gained enough support to kill a bill that would have created a common sense restriction on electronic cigarette sales in vending machines based only on the fact that the bill did not also define electronic cigarettes as tobacco.
In other words, this insanity is getting worse.
Of course California law already defines e-cigarettes. Section 119405 of the Health and Safety Code paragraph b reads: ‘“Electronic cigarette” means a device that can provide an inhalable dose of nicotine by delivering a vaporized solution’
Think about that for a moment. California law states that an electronic cigarette is a device… your box mod, your mechanical, your Ego battery, combined with an atomizer is, according to California law, an electronic cigarette. With or without nicotine. In fact, with or without e-liquid at all, it only needs to be a device that “can” provide inhalable nicotine. If we then allow electronic cigarettes to be legally classifies as tobacco products, then that copper, stainless steal, or brass tube with the battery in it will be regulated, and taxed, as if it was made from the leaves of a tobacco plant. Never mind that under current law tobacco products are defined in Revenue and Taxation Cod Sections 30121 and 30131,1 to include “all forms of cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and any other articles or products made of, or containing at least 50 percent, tobacco, but does not include cigarettes.” Now I don’t know about you, but looking at my mods… none of them are either made of, or contain 50 percent, tobacco. Not a one. Not even when I add e-liquid. In fact, since nicotine is the only tobacco derived ingredient in my e-liquid, it would have to be 500mg/ml nicotine before it was “50 percent” tobacco.
Please not that I am not suggesting that anyone should ever make, or use 500mg/ml e-liquid. At best it probably wouldn't taste very good.
So the push is on to legally classify electronic cigarettes as a tobacco product in California despite the contradictions that it would cause between existing state laws covering tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes, and the defeat of SB 648 for the sole reason that it listed electronic cigarettes explicitly, and distinctly from tobacco products is evidence that our opponents are winning support…
…After all, it’s a public health issue. Right? Well, yes, but not in the direction that the public health officials are trying to present it… quite the opposite in fact, because when more people quit smoking that is a public health benefit.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Once more into the fire...
Okay, so it's likely that there will be many more trips... but...
So it looks like another trip to Sacramento is in order,,, SB648. As you probably know, it was amended to be a common sense restriction on vending machine sales to prevent minors from purchasing electronic cigarettes… something that both vapers and industry can support. It also removed language that would have defined electronic cigarettes as “cigarettes”. This did not sit well with groups that want limit electronic cigarette use by applying all of the pre-existing anti tobacco laws and regulations. Well, those groups have been pressuring the bills author (Corbett) and the bill is due to be read in committee on Wednesday August 6th. We can only assume that there will be some changes. At this point we don’t know what changes were made, but we need to be prepared to oppose or support any changes, depending on what they may turn out to be. At the very least, we will be displaying support for the vaping community and industry as part of the voting public.
If you can make it… The bill will be heard at 9:00 AM in Sacramento at the State Capitol, Room 4202.
So it looks like another trip to Sacramento is in order,,, SB648. As you probably know, it was amended to be a common sense restriction on vending machine sales to prevent minors from purchasing electronic cigarettes… something that both vapers and industry can support. It also removed language that would have defined electronic cigarettes as “cigarettes”. This did not sit well with groups that want limit electronic cigarette use by applying all of the pre-existing anti tobacco laws and regulations. Well, those groups have been pressuring the bills author (Corbett) and the bill is due to be read in committee on Wednesday August 6th. We can only assume that there will be some changes. At this point we don’t know what changes were made, but we need to be prepared to oppose or support any changes, depending on what they may turn out to be. At the very least, we will be displaying support for the vaping community and industry as part of the voting public.
If you can make it… The bill will be heard at 9:00 AM in Sacramento at the State Capitol, Room 4202.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Good Reason To Vape #5: Zombies
We all know that the Zombie Apocalypse is coming. It’s inevitable. The dead shall rise and walk the earth looking like so many graphic anti-smoking images. And they shall devour the flesh of the living.
And as the dead rise, civilization shall fall, taking with it all the comforts that civilization brings… like running water, and showers.
As people struggle to survive they will face, not only the walking dead, but also the stench of their own unwashed selves… a stench sure to attract zombies eager to dine on living flesh… But gather a dozen or so survivors, each armed with a mechanical mod and a dripping atomizer, and the scent of unwashed flesh can be masked with the aroma of vanilla custard… or gummy bears… or well, as long as you aren’t vaping meat-liquid it won’t matter what it smells like, because zombies have no interest in baked goods, or candy, or fruit, or, well, anything other than flesh. Faced with the smell of sweet vapory goodness the zombies are sure to turn their attention to.
But what to do if zombies are closing in and you’re in an enclosed space? What if there is no where to run and they are going to get close enough to see you? Quite simply, you blow massive clouds and hide unseen in the resulting fog of vapor.
Please note, the above mentioned strategies do not work so well on the living. Using the smell of vapor to confuse your wife or kids, or hiding from them in a cloud of vapor has proven to be wholly ineffective!
And as the dead rise, civilization shall fall, taking with it all the comforts that civilization brings… like running water, and showers.
As people struggle to survive they will face, not only the walking dead, but also the stench of their own unwashed selves… a stench sure to attract zombies eager to dine on living flesh… But gather a dozen or so survivors, each armed with a mechanical mod and a dripping atomizer, and the scent of unwashed flesh can be masked with the aroma of vanilla custard… or gummy bears… or well, as long as you aren’t vaping meat-liquid it won’t matter what it smells like, because zombies have no interest in baked goods, or candy, or fruit, or, well, anything other than flesh. Faced with the smell of sweet vapory goodness the zombies are sure to turn their attention to.
But what to do if zombies are closing in and you’re in an enclosed space? What if there is no where to run and they are going to get close enough to see you? Quite simply, you blow massive clouds and hide unseen in the resulting fog of vapor.
Please note, the above mentioned strategies do not work so well on the living. Using the smell of vapor to confuse your wife or kids, or hiding from them in a cloud of vapor has proven to be wholly ineffective!
What's In Your Vapor Tool Kit
This past weekend I went out and bought myself an ultrasonic cleaner. I bought one of the less expensive models because I wasn’t really sure how much use I would get out of it. I’m going to take just a moment to say that it’s awesome for cleaning drip tips and atomizer parts! Anyway, I had just spent $40 on a gadget for cleaning vape stuff, and it got me to thinking about all the various supplies and equipment that I use in support of vaping. So, aside from mods, atomizers, and drip tips what other items might you need for vaping? The list can be rather long, but to be fair, it doesn’t have to be that way. When I first started it was with an eGo battery, a charger, tanks, tips, coils, pipettes, and an occasional tissue or Q-tip for cleaning. Switching to mod with removable batteries increases the amount of ‘stuff’ needed… using rebuildable atomizers adds even more.
So here it is, a list of vape supplies not including mod/atomizer parts or e-liquids.
Because I vape:
• Q-tips
• Toothbrush
• Pipettes
• Ultrasonic cleaner
• Safe or other lockable storage to keep e-liquids in so that kids/pets can’t get to any of it.
• Tissue
• Needle top bottles
• Small funnel for filling needle top bottles
• Syringes, various sizes
• Blunt tip needles for syringes… also in various sizes
• Case/box/crate/bin/chest to hold vaping related tools and supplies.
Because I use 18xxx mods:
• 18650 batteries. Lots of them. AW IMRs at first, but now Sony VTC5s
• 18650 case(s), because loose batteries in your pocket are not a good idea.
• Chargers. Two of them. Gotta have one at home… gotta have one at the office.
• 18650 pvc wrap
• Heat gun, to shrink the pvc wrap.
• Telescopic magnet, to hold 18650s while shrinking the pvc wrap.
• Label maker for labeling rewrapped 18650s
Because I use rebuildable atomizers:
• Kanthal… 24g, 26g, 28g, 30g…
• Cotton
• Mini Screwdrivers. For those mini screw posts on RDAs and sometimes for wrapping coils on.
• Small pliers
• Tweezers
• Toothpicks
• Locking forceps
• Drill pits or similar small diameter metal rods for wrapping coils on.
• Ohm Reader (or multimeter)
• Volt Meter (see above)
• Wire clippers
• Nail clippers
• Silica wick
So here it is, a list of vape supplies not including mod/atomizer parts or e-liquids.
Because I vape:
• Q-tips
• Toothbrush
• Pipettes
• Ultrasonic cleaner
• Safe or other lockable storage to keep e-liquids in so that kids/pets can’t get to any of it.
• Tissue
• Needle top bottles
• Small funnel for filling needle top bottles
• Syringes, various sizes
• Blunt tip needles for syringes… also in various sizes
• Case/box/crate/bin/chest to hold vaping related tools and supplies.
Because I use 18xxx mods:
• 18650 batteries. Lots of them. AW IMRs at first, but now Sony VTC5s
• 18650 case(s), because loose batteries in your pocket are not a good idea.
• Chargers. Two of them. Gotta have one at home… gotta have one at the office.
• 18650 pvc wrap
• Heat gun, to shrink the pvc wrap.
• Telescopic magnet, to hold 18650s while shrinking the pvc wrap.
• Label maker for labeling rewrapped 18650s
Because I use rebuildable atomizers:
• Kanthal… 24g, 26g, 28g, 30g…
• Cotton
• Mini Screwdrivers. For those mini screw posts on RDAs and sometimes for wrapping coils on.
• Small pliers
• Tweezers
• Toothpicks
• Locking forceps
• Drill pits or similar small diameter metal rods for wrapping coils on.
• Ohm Reader (or multimeter)
• Volt Meter (see above)
• Wire clippers
• Nail clippers
• Silica wick
Sunday, July 20, 2014
The Perfect Glass of Strawberry Milk... In an E-Liquid.
The e-liquid:
Quick Straw by Tasty Vapor
50% VG
6mg nic
The Setups: Tugboat RDA with dual parallel coils @ .64 ohm on V3 Flip
Sometimes it takes a little while to decide how you feel about a particular e-liquid flavor. You try it, you think about it, you try it again, Maybe you take a sip of water to clear out your taste buds and then try the flavor one more time. Sometimes it’s like that. Not this time.
This time I’m trying Quick Straw, a soon to be release flavor from Tasty Vapor. And this time I immediately found my self asking if the flavor should be just a tiny bit stronger… but then I always had the same problem with the real thing. Mix up a glass of strawberry milk and I would always think that, surely, if it tasted so good, wouldn't it taste even better with more strawberry flavoring added?
You see, I didn't spend any time trying to identify flavors, contemplating subtle nuances, or thinking about how close the flavor was to its description. Instantly my mind went right where it always did with a glass of Strawberry Quick… because this e-liquid is just that good. It is the perfect reproduction of that particular brand of strawberry milk…
but what if you don’t like strawberry milk?
Well, then it’s possible that there is no hope for you… that, and you probably wouldn't like Quick Straw, because this e-liquid is instant nostalgic yum. Instant cool, refreshing, sweet, strawberry and milk goodness.
Geoff and his team over at Tasty Vapor have done something amazing with Quick Straw. It’s not a flavor that’s reminiscent of its namesake, it’s not a close approximation, it’s a dead on taste-alike. So if you have ever enjoyed strawberry milk, you know what you have to do. Just don’t buy too much of the stuff, save some for me. I’m going to need lots of it!
50% VG
6mg nic
The Setups: Tugboat RDA with dual parallel coils @ .64 ohm on V3 Flip
 |
| Can you guess what this tastes like? |
This time I’m trying Quick Straw, a soon to be release flavor from Tasty Vapor. And this time I immediately found my self asking if the flavor should be just a tiny bit stronger… but then I always had the same problem with the real thing. Mix up a glass of strawberry milk and I would always think that, surely, if it tasted so good, wouldn't it taste even better with more strawberry flavoring added?
You see, I didn't spend any time trying to identify flavors, contemplating subtle nuances, or thinking about how close the flavor was to its description. Instantly my mind went right where it always did with a glass of Strawberry Quick… because this e-liquid is just that good. It is the perfect reproduction of that particular brand of strawberry milk…
but what if you don’t like strawberry milk?
Well, then it’s possible that there is no hope for you… that, and you probably wouldn't like Quick Straw, because this e-liquid is instant nostalgic yum. Instant cool, refreshing, sweet, strawberry and milk goodness.
Geoff and his team over at Tasty Vapor have done something amazing with Quick Straw. It’s not a flavor that’s reminiscent of its namesake, it’s not a close approximation, it’s a dead on taste-alike. So if you have ever enjoyed strawberry milk, you know what you have to do. Just don’t buy too much of the stuff, save some for me. I’m going to need lots of it!
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Todd vs. Ameravape? Or is it Ameravape Vs the Vaping Community?
You couldn't be blamed for expecting that all of this nonsense would have died down by now. It hasn't. Why? You may ask, well you probably already know why, but just in case… it hasn't died down because the guys over at Ameravape don’t know when to keep their mouths shut!
They need to stop posting to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
They need to take a step back from the drama and hope that the public forgets.
They need to re-invent themselves, and quietly release a new, high quality, reliable product.
They need to step delicately while slowly rebuilding a positive public image…
Right now, what they are doing bears more resemblance to moshing in a minefield than stepping delicately.
So let’s pretend that you've been hiding under a rock for the last several months, or that you need a refresher coarse because there might be a quiz on the subject tomorrow.
It all started when the Manhattan mod blew up in Ameravapes face. And by that I mean that a respected reviewer, Todd, didn't give them a favorable review. He questioned the venting capabilities of the Manhatten and compared it to a ‘pipe bomb’
But that was just the trigger.
The actual explosive event occurred when Ameravape responded… and not nicely… not nicely at all. Forget, for a moment, who’s right and who’s wrong about the Manhattan, forget about its venting. When someone threatens a well respected reviewer over an unfavorable review, the public sees it as an attempt to silence any criticism. This doesn't go over all that well.
*Boom! Right there Ameravape detonated a big poop filled fragmentation bomb all over themselves, because their little exchange with Todd was in writing… and was made public.
At the same time Ameravape was facing another problems... and preparing to react badly to it. You might say that they had another fuse burning on another public relations pipe bomb.
You see, Ameravape had arranged for a machinist to produce their Manhattan mod at the cost of $100k including materials. They paid $30k upfront, but when it came time to settle up, they only paid an additional $20k… leaving the machinist holding a bunch of unfinished mods and $50k in the hole. Now there are conflicting stories as to what exactly happened. One is that Ameravape just broke their contract and refused to pay for what they had ordered, the other is that half of what the machinist produced was defective and Ameravape declined to take delivery. Either way, what happened next is that the machinist decided to recoup his losses by finishing the Manhattans and selling them.
Ameravape responded by launching a campaign against cloned mods. Mind you, I don’t disagree with taking a stance against clones… in principle. But there are problems,,, One is, Ameravapes very public, petulant, comments. It was like watching a couple of pre-schoolers throw a temper tantrum on social media. And what with public opinion already turning against them over their treatment of Todd’s review… well… much mockery ensued.
And then someone pointed out some older review videos made by the Ameravape guys. Videos with them and their associates gleefully using and reviewing counterfeits of other companies’ mods and atomizers.
The mockery hit new levels of severity and ‘hypocrite’ was added to the list of words commonly used to describe Ameravape.
But like all good disasters, things just kept happening. This time it was the arrival of actual counterfeits/clones from China. Ameravape publicly stepped up their anti-clone dialog and even went so far as to cancel any future production of Manhattan mods and then make statements threatening legal action against Allibaba.com
While all of this was going on, while the vaping community was laughing at nearly every one of their public comments, Ameravape announced that they were in the process of moving to new offices and a new assembly shop and that they were starting work on a new mod… the Apollo. While these announcements did dispel the rumors that Ameravape was closing up shop over the Manhattan debacle they failed to do anything to address the negative public perception of either the company or it’s owners.
And that pretty much brings us to the present. At this point just about anything that Ameravape says or does is going to be met with ridicule, it doesn't help that their announcements and comments are rife with spelling and grammatical errors, but the real problem is that they keep saying anything at all.
There really doesn't seem to be much else for us to know, but we do need to decide how we, the vaping
community, will respond.
Even if the Manhattan, and soon the Apollo are the best mods available… a seriously questionable assertion in the first place, but even if they are… do we want to be supporting this company? A company whose owners have displayed childlike behavior and questionable character? A company that then calls into question the character of those that they do business with? A company that publicly states that there were quality issues with their manufacturing and still insists that their product is somehow the pinnacle of reliability?
Personally, I have a litmus test of sorts for those that I do business with… If I couldn't sit down with someone and enjoy their company over a cup of coffee, and that means being able to tolerate them for the time it takes to actually enjoy a cup of coffee, not just the time it takes to guzzle one, if I couldn't do that, then I don’t want to do business with them.
So ask yourself, could you sit down with the guys from Ameravape for 30 minutes to an hour? Would you enjoy their company? Or would you be wanting to bang your head against something before it was over? Then ask yourself if you want to be supporting these guys or not.
 |
| Competition Mod? or well marketed pipe-bomb? |
They need to stop posting to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
They need to take a step back from the drama and hope that the public forgets.
They need to re-invent themselves, and quietly release a new, high quality, reliable product.
They need to step delicately while slowly rebuilding a positive public image…
Right now, what they are doing bears more resemblance to moshing in a minefield than stepping delicately.
So let’s pretend that you've been hiding under a rock for the last several months, or that you need a refresher coarse because there might be a quiz on the subject tomorrow.
It all started when the Manhattan mod blew up in Ameravapes face. And by that I mean that a respected reviewer, Todd, didn't give them a favorable review. He questioned the venting capabilities of the Manhatten and compared it to a ‘pipe bomb’
But that was just the trigger.
The actual explosive event occurred when Ameravape responded… and not nicely… not nicely at all. Forget, for a moment, who’s right and who’s wrong about the Manhattan, forget about its venting. When someone threatens a well respected reviewer over an unfavorable review, the public sees it as an attempt to silence any criticism. This doesn't go over all that well.
*Boom! Right there Ameravape detonated a big poop filled fragmentation bomb all over themselves, because their little exchange with Todd was in writing… and was made public.
At the same time Ameravape was facing another problems... and preparing to react badly to it. You might say that they had another fuse burning on another public relations pipe bomb.
You see, Ameravape had arranged for a machinist to produce their Manhattan mod at the cost of $100k including materials. They paid $30k upfront, but when it came time to settle up, they only paid an additional $20k… leaving the machinist holding a bunch of unfinished mods and $50k in the hole. Now there are conflicting stories as to what exactly happened. One is that Ameravape just broke their contract and refused to pay for what they had ordered, the other is that half of what the machinist produced was defective and Ameravape declined to take delivery. Either way, what happened next is that the machinist decided to recoup his losses by finishing the Manhattans and selling them.
Ameravape responded by launching a campaign against cloned mods. Mind you, I don’t disagree with taking a stance against clones… in principle. But there are problems,,, One is, Ameravapes very public, petulant, comments. It was like watching a couple of pre-schoolers throw a temper tantrum on social media. And what with public opinion already turning against them over their treatment of Todd’s review… well… much mockery ensued.
And then someone pointed out some older review videos made by the Ameravape guys. Videos with them and their associates gleefully using and reviewing counterfeits of other companies’ mods and atomizers.
The mockery hit new levels of severity and ‘hypocrite’ was added to the list of words commonly used to describe Ameravape.
But like all good disasters, things just kept happening. This time it was the arrival of actual counterfeits/clones from China. Ameravape publicly stepped up their anti-clone dialog and even went so far as to cancel any future production of Manhattan mods and then make statements threatening legal action against Allibaba.com
While all of this was going on, while the vaping community was laughing at nearly every one of their public comments, Ameravape announced that they were in the process of moving to new offices and a new assembly shop and that they were starting work on a new mod… the Apollo. While these announcements did dispel the rumors that Ameravape was closing up shop over the Manhattan debacle they failed to do anything to address the negative public perception of either the company or it’s owners.
And that pretty much brings us to the present. At this point just about anything that Ameravape says or does is going to be met with ridicule, it doesn't help that their announcements and comments are rife with spelling and grammatical errors, but the real problem is that they keep saying anything at all.
There really doesn't seem to be much else for us to know, but we do need to decide how we, the vaping
community, will respond.
Even if the Manhattan, and soon the Apollo are the best mods available… a seriously questionable assertion in the first place, but even if they are… do we want to be supporting this company? A company whose owners have displayed childlike behavior and questionable character? A company that then calls into question the character of those that they do business with? A company that publicly states that there were quality issues with their manufacturing and still insists that their product is somehow the pinnacle of reliability?
Personally, I have a litmus test of sorts for those that I do business with… If I couldn't sit down with someone and enjoy their company over a cup of coffee, and that means being able to tolerate them for the time it takes to actually enjoy a cup of coffee, not just the time it takes to guzzle one, if I couldn't do that, then I don’t want to do business with them.
So ask yourself, could you sit down with the guys from Ameravape for 30 minutes to an hour? Would you enjoy their company? Or would you be wanting to bang your head against something before it was over? Then ask yourself if you want to be supporting these guys or not.
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