I finally saw the ugly TV advertisement the Wall Street Journal used
to push up its sagging circulation. They make it appear fishermen are
just one step above morons, too dumb to survive on their own, forever
relegated to the bottom of the pecking order. I was amazed they would
run such trash. Many fly fishers I know read their nasty paper. We have
investments to manage and look to it as one of the information tools we
should use to make sense of a market that seems to have no relation to
reality. After reading it daily it seems I'm not the only one who drinks
Fosters Lager and more single malt scotch than he should.
Not all fishermen are paupers. After I returned from the Asian conflicts
I decided where I wanted my life to go and proceeded to do what was
necessary to accomplish my goals. I managed to live in a nice area and
put both of my children through college, no small accomplishment in
this time of rising tuition, and maintained a fishing lifestyle fostered
by my father. One of my fly fishing friends who lives south of me
didn't do too badly either. My sister-in-law lived in his development
and recently sold her house for half the national debt. I guess he did
pretty good for an illiterate fly fisherman. He uses the Journal to light
fires in his fireplace and wrap the garbage. It would seem he is an
enlightened reader.
Another friend of mine who is really into fly fishing in the same general
area, according to my spies, got a $200,000 bonus this year, that will
buy a lot of Moon pies and Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer. When he learns
to read the Journal he might be able to afford a decent car. I won't
mention the head of an engineering company, or an optometrist I know
or even my dentist, who seems to own five blocks of the local high
dollar suburb. Not all fishermen are poor.
The average income of 47% of the readers of FAOL is over $60,00.
Ask Fly Fisherman Magazine about the average income of its subscribers or
better yet, look in their classifieds. Where else do you see two to four
million dollar residential properties for sale each month, and on occasion
a $5000 Payne rod, which is probably a bargain.
Financial worth isn't the real measure of success. A person has to have
a dry place to sleep and enough food to eat, anything else is a luxury. I
know many who have less than I do who have a richer life; I try to learn
from them. One of the happiest people I know is a northern fishing guide
who just seems to 'go with the flow.' Thirty years ago he would have
been a hippie. Today in him I see some of what I have lost. I hope I
regain my perspective.
With regard to the Journal and all its wisdom, I have invested all I have
in real property. I was at one time fearless. I have done things that would
scare Silvester Stalone and was lucky enough to have survived. I have
no money in today's over valued market. I fear companies they tout
which will probably never make a profit. The Journal doesn't have
the courage nor the foresight to tell it like it is. If a company doesn't
make a profit, or never will, why promote it as the next great market
investment. Those who look to these high tech stocks are in for a rude
awakening. Some "dot com's" may cause their investors to fish for lunch.
Will these investors be glad they read the Journal?
The TV advertisement isn't the only dumb thing I've seen them do. It
will be interesting to see how they justify a 25 dollar stock at ten to
fifteen times it's value in the future. All such bubbles eventually burst.
Remember, the old ways will prevail. Companies that make money
will survive, those that don't, won't. Eventually taking an ugly girl
to the dance will cause regrets, and the NASDAQ today has plenty
of ugly girls looking for dates.
Some of the most successful family orientated people I know fly fish.
They have their priorities in order. My fly fishing friend Tim never
stayed at home living off his parents, but he is putting his three children
through college and looking out for his parents. I think he's one of my
heros. He's there along with Joe D (If you have to ask 'who' you are
too young to have watched good baseball). Tim, we need more people
like you.
Those of you who still take the Journal wrap your trash in it tightly
tonight and take its advertisements and advice with a grain of salt.
~ Old Rupe
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