Hmm... Funny. I've been reading this and a few other threads and trying to put a finger on why Hangar in particular is hearing so much grief over his views. One thing that's definitely caught me as off-putting is the "I'm smarter and better informed than you and you can't prove me wrong. If you don't agree with me, you're wrong" tone in the majority of your posts.
You're a decent debater, and seem to know when to pull back a bit so as not to alienate too many people, but falling back every time on the "we just don't know" thing constantly and discounting dissenting opinions, studies, etc. the vast majority of the time denigrates, rather than disproves those opposing views.
I haven't trolled around for every thread you've posted in, and I can't claim to know you at all, but I can give my opinion on where you're coming from from what I have read:
First, your main concern seems to be to set yourself up as some kind of wise, fair, reasoning de facto authority. You are not, and that's a big reason you're catching some of the grief you're catching. And being a "newbie" (like myself) doesn't even come close to making you objective. Frankly, from the tone of your posts, you seem to have a case of "smokers guilt" and your main concern is to get yourself off of nicotine entirely. In that, I applaud you and wish you luck. Make what you feel is the best, most well-informed decision for yourself and your family.
Do not, however, discount the opinions and decisions of others with regard to their own choices or what studies, evidence, anecdotal knowledge, insight from the position of the stars on a hot summer night, or whatever "authority" they wish to utilize in their own decisions.
I find it interesting how often you use the word "I" with regard to who can, can't, should, etc. and keep it lower-case to kind of de-emphasize it a bit while throwing it out there so often. Methinks that's probably intentional, as a wise businessman such as yourself knows when to try to be subtle.
Hmm.. Brings me to another related point with regard to your demeanor. If we were in court or something, I'd put this under the "goes to show a pattern of behavior, your Honor" category.
That would be with regard to your posts in the Nebula pre-order thread. In that one, you're friendly, try to be helpful, informative, and empathetic with regard to customs, etc. Then 2 days later comes the "telling another businessman how it SHOULD be done" with regard to the pre-order charges. It's not how it "should" be done, it's how you'd like it to be done. Plus the not-so-subtle hint that you'd like to be compensated for your credit card interest. Just get the refund and quit with the snide remarks about customer service, etc. In that one, you mentioned Amazon in comparison, and that's not anywhere near a fair comparison, nor are whatever software things you do.
Frankly, you try to present yourself as fair, unbiased, a mediator, whatever, when what you really seem intent on is pushing your ideas on right and wrong, how things should be done, etc. You don't seem interested in meaningful discussion as much as you do "here's what I think, and if you disagree, you're stupid."
Damn, long post here. In a nutshell, you are not an objective onlooker, you are an opinionated participant. You have, from your account, had mixed results from your own e-cigarette experiences, wish to quit nicotine, and have had an experience with a supplier that wasn't to your liking. Rather than being an advocate for level reasoning, you come across as someone with sour grapes who wishes to instigate and make himself feel important.
That's what I, and I'm guessing a few other people get from your posts.
