Fishing - The Greater Hong Kong Fly Shipment...

On Nov 9, 6:37 am, wrote:
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:44:08 -0500, jeff
wrote:

rw wrote:
wrote:

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:11:18 GMT, wrote:

my "pitch" as it were, was to help riverman turn some kids on to
flyfishing. As to weather they meet some criteria for need was not my
call nor did it matter. If you had come here and asked for flies, I
have done the same thing. Like I did with riverman I would not ask
for any type of means test, I would take you on your word that you
wanted some help.
I did so as a donation and at my cost and or less. If you think I did
this make a dime your sadly mistaken.
As for helping kids... I agree, you have no idea......but lets just
say that chemo makes doing a half hitch difficult.

Fair enough. You're entitled to your opinion, I'm entitled to mine, and
if they are in opposition, that's the way life sometimes plays out. Like
you, it isn't my call who helps or who doesn't, or how. I understand
Myron's reasons for asking for the flies and also understand that folks
might want to send his class some flies. If they send flies from you,
that's their choice. You making or not making a profit really didn't
and doesn't matter to me. As far as I am concerned, this issue is
closed. I have no personal animosity toward you nor would I publicly or
privately suggest that anyone not do business with you.

R

But that's exactly what you did, publicly. I know you apologized, which
must have been difficult, but now to say that you would never do such a
thing makes your apology ring hollow.

I'm not sending any flies to Myron's rich students, BTW. If I were I
certainly wouldn't crow about it on ROFF. I more-or-less agreed with
your logic, but your manners were a disgrace.

i'm sending some flies to the rich kids in hong kong...well, with
harry's help. ...and i applaud both harry and myron for their efforts. i
didn't consider it part of my annual charitable giving or public
service. i did consider it a return and continuance of the better spirit
and purpose of this place...a place that originally throbbed with
friendships and sharing...not rancor. it was simply a favor being
returned to a "friend"...a way to say thanks.

i have been the beneficiary of the kindness and gifts of many of the
well-off folks who have posted or once posted here. their charity was
undeserved and certainly not needed or required. however, it made a huge
difference in my life and affected some of my own views and conduct ...
for the better. i learned valuable and important things, that in turn
inspired me to share and participate in ways i might not otherwise have
done. in short...kindness and unconditional gifts have a power that
shouldn't have a narrow or rigid focus. ultimately, i think it serves us
all...rich and poor, fortunate and unfortunate.

And I'd generally agree with this, almost completely even, except that
when "well-off folks" give gifts to other presumably "well-off folks"
(i.e., you), it ain't charity, it's, well, well-off folks giving gifts
to other presumably well-off folks. And IMO, that's fine, normal, and
natural, and certainly is a sign of fellowship and friendship. Good
things, indeed. Plus, such things are generally a two-way street, as it
were. But let's not confuse it with "helping" anyone in the purely
practical sense and that is by simple necessity of the situation purely
a "one-way street." Unfortunately, there are many more people in this
world that need the practical help to be able to survive to get to the
warm and fuzzy parts many of us take for granted or think of as our due
than there are those that can participate in a scheme involving well-off
folks exchanging gifts out of friendship.

TC,
R

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The value of a gift is the joy and pleasure it brings the reciever.
It's not the monitary value of the gift but the thought that goes into
it's selection. You don't give things you give thoughts.
If I had the time I'de like to send Myron some flys ( not much warning
on this one) with some pictures of what they caught etc. I'm sure
Myron could arrange a trip ( probably right in Hong Kong ) to a sweat
shop where flys are tied by the bushel. It's not about flys.
Hopefully he's ( and those on roff who have donated ) giving them an
appreciation for the environment and the natural world. So the kids
have money, they are also the future leaders of China. China with one
new coal fired plant per day is a threat to the quality of our fishing
( if we live long enough or our grandchildrens if we don't).
He may only influence a dozen kids but it's a start, somebody else
will get a dozen and so on.
Maby we should revise Confusius to "Give a man a fly and he's gots
some bird parts on a cheap hook. Teach a man to flyfish and you may
save the world."