Happy birthday, Pinback

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

He left all web forums. But we can still wish him one - one! - happy day.

I will step up as a content creator with him gone.

[Tdarcos]

I didn't know he had left, but I'll say it too.

Happy Birthday, Ben.

[Mama Blue]

Aww, he left???

If you're reading this,
Happy Birthday bud!

[ChainGangGuy]

Aww, he left???

He left.

MVP

[bryanb]

Happy birthday, Ben! I noticed he hadn't been posting recently, but didn't realize he was gone gone. Is this a temporary break situation thing or a long-term lifestyle change? How do you just quit BBSing after all those years? We didn't even get a goodbye post!

We should send him care packages containing printouts of JC posts, hot sauce, and printouts of JC posts smeared with hot sauce. Vark could mail in vintage newspaper clippings and doodles. It'll be just like having the crazy off the grid grandpa we've always wanted!

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

He has left forever. He's gone.

You and I will never see the likes of him again.

We should all look inward. What could we have done to make him stay?

[bryanb]

On the bright side, at least there's no longer anyone to drive newcomers away. We can finally start growing and kick the asses of all those other lamer forums. Webby Awards, here we come!

[Mama Blue]

He left all web forums. But we can still wish him one - one! - happy day.

I will step up as a content creator with him gone.

Uh, why did he leave?
I hope I had no part in that.

[bryanb]

Uh, why did he leave?
I hope I had no part in that.

Don't blame yourself. If you bear even the slightest measure of responsibility for this unfortunate outcome, it's only because you haven't kept the General Mathematics thread very active recently. That was one of the very few things that continued to bring pinback joy towards the end.

[cassie_91]

how long had he been here? Seems weird to just up and leave afer a long time..

[bryanb]

how long had he been here? Seems weird to just up and leave afer a long time..

Yeah, it's super sketch. He had been here from the very beginning of this incarnation of Jolt Country in 2002. Before that, he was on the old Reviews From Trotting Krips forum and Groucho. 25 years of association basically.

At least the last time a long-time member almost left permanently he went on a mini farewell tour and posted lots of animal pics for us. It was downright heartwarming and everyone got the chance to say goodbye. This, though...it's so detached and cold. Why, pinback, WHY?!

Never leave us, cassie.

[Tdarcos]

Well, after threats to leave, for years, I guess he finally did.

[cassie_91]

Are any ofyou in contact with him other ways? anyone ask? That is weird though im new here so I probly dont know all the history

[Jizaboz]

Are any ofyou in contact with him other ways? anyone ask? That is weird though im new here so I probly dont know all the history

Yup, a couple of us talk to him via chat. I think he's just trying to focus on other things atm.

[Mama Blue]

Uh, why did he leave?
I hope I had no part in that.

Don't blame yourself. If you bear even the slightest measure of responsibility for this unfortunate outcome, it's only because you haven't kept the General Mathematics thread very active recently. That was one of the very few things that continued to bring pinback joy towards the end.

Damn. It really is ALL my fault.

[bryanb]

Damn. It really is ALL my fault.

No way. None of us have clean hands here. Other than cassie who actually has remarkably clean hands. The rest of us all had moments where we thought to ourselves, "I could put my time and energy into doing something to entertain pinback and make him want to stick around for another quarter century...or I could do something else. Yeah, let's do something else!" Now we must reap the bitter harvest our choices have sown.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not completely sure pinback is really gone. He usually goes on vacation around the time of his birthday and doesn't post for a while. So what's happening now is kind of what happens every year except the silence started earlier this year. Jolt Country has had its fair share of pranks and hoaxes over the years...hopefully this will turn out to be one of them. Today we must grieve, but tomorrow we may laugh.

[Flack]

Are any ofyou in contact with him other ways? anyone ask? That is weird though im new here so I probly dont know all the history

None of us know how to get a hold of him, except for the half of us who talk to him everyday.

[cassie_91]

ooo the cool kids club, how do i get a membership card to that ?? lol

[ChainGangGuy]

Uh, why did he leave?
I hope I had no part in that.

Oh, but you did. We all did. I think it may have been the polls. He simply tried to access the pulse of the JC community and inquire our opinions on a wide variety of topics, everything from the problems of society to chili cooking procedures, and he was always eager to fine-tune and optimize his polling methodology. And yet time and time again we completely failed him. How often did we greedily click that "Other (Explain Below!)" option, only to leave our man hanging?

It was us who poled him. Again and again. Until finally, at long last, we let him shuffle and stagger out from behind the dumpster in the unlit alley with his pants around his ankles and tears streaming down his face.

Shame on us.

[Mama Blue]

Damn. It really is ALL my fault.

No way. None of us have clean hands here. Other than cassie who actually has remarkably clean hands. The rest of us all had moments where we thought to ourselves, "I could put my time and energy into doing something to entertain pinback and make him want to stick around for another quarter century...or I could do something else. Yeah, let's do something else!" Now we must reap the bitter harvest our choices have sown.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not completely sure pinback is really gone. He usually goes on vacation around the time of his birthday and doesn't post for a while. So what's happening now is kind of what happens every year except the silence started earlier this year. Jolt Country has had its fair share of pranks and hoaxes over the years...hopefully this will turn out to be one of them. Today we must grieve, but tomorrow we may laugh.

Lol, it was totally sarcasm.