September 16th, 2002

Neat Toys
By James Castwell


Hope I'm not wrong on this but I figured you might be interested in something that is happening here at FAOL. You see, when we launched this puppy five years ago all we had was a guts and a dream. However, we had not been up long before we attracted a Sponsor, neat, helped pay the bills on this thing.

Well, we grew. Now, here we are, publishing each and every Monday morning for five years, with a pretty impressive list of Sponsors. For the most part the idea is this; as they support FAOL, we try to help you, and you become their new customers. So far it seems to work, we are double in size from just a year ago. We held our prices for the full five years, no increases. The only thing we have increased is the size of our 'server,' just this week completely rebuilding and enlarging it...again.

We're fairly good sized these days and Sponsors are getting a great 'bang for the buck.' And we have kept the cost down to make sure we could keep bringing you the 'little guys,' those small operations who make the little things we all like to find at our local fly shops. It would be boring if all we had was the big manufacturers and none of the 'goodies.'

Generally speaking, any Sponsor you find on here was by invitation, some exceptions, but few. Lately, we have added some more but mostly they call us and ask if they can be one. We keep them all on one page which makes it easy for you to find them if you want to, but not in the way if you are after other stuff.

Here is something I want you to understand, please. If you do not see your favorite company here, don't worry, there may be many reasons why they are not yet with us. In advertising, budgets are set at least a full year ahead, then spread out over the year in many places. Or, they may be very happy with what they are doing somewhere else and that's fine too. A year ago 9/11 shook things up a bit, but even that is starting to level off, gratefully. You may be glad to know that you seem to have picked a winner, the greatest share of our Sponsors stay with us because you keep our numbers rising and support them in return, thanks.

But, please do not think, that just because your favorite is not on FAOL, there is anything wrong in any way. Sure, if you don't mind, keep supporting the ones here who spend their bucks to bring you this web site, but, do not blame those who do not. Although, it is a pretty good indication if you do find them on FAOL, it means nothing if they are not. I am sure they are fine folks and when the time is right, they will do what they can, in whatever way they can. You never know, we even may be in discussion with them now, working out little details on how to present them here.

So, just because they are not here it does not mean in any way they or their products do not meet our standards, don't hold it against them please. They are all hard working folks, just like you and I, trying to make a living bringing you neat toys to fish with. Let's just be happy we have them all, those who are now Sponsors and those who, as of yet, are not.. ~ James Castwell

Till next week, remember . . .

Keepest Thynne Baakast Upeth

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