Golden News
Volume 14 - Number 8 - 22nd August 2000
The weekly newsletter of the Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile, Hong Kong.
Web site: www.rckgm.org
 
Don’t Criticise, Condemn or Complain
 
In 1931, when the world was not as sophisticated as today (?), German army soldiers were not allowed to file a complaint or criticise immediately after an incident. They had to sleep on a grudge first and cool off. Any immediate moan meant punishment. 
 
A well known American criminal known as "Two Gun" Crowley never blamed himself for anything. When he arrived at the electric chair he muttered, "This is what I get for defending myself?"
 
Al Capone growled, on his way to the same chair, "I have spent the best years of my life giving people the lighter pleasures, helping them have a good time, and all I get is abuse ....".
 
To this Dale Carnegie, who wrote "How To Win Friends and Influence People", one of the biggest selling books in the world, said, "If Al Capone and Two Gun Crowley never blamed themselves for anything, what about the normal people with whom we come in to contact every day of our lives? Will they  be likely to blame themselves and how will they react to criticism?
 
With that in mind, if the head honcho of a territory somewhere is criticized by a local university which starts publishing negative polls, would you expect him to take it lying down?
 
The answer doesn't concern Rotarians, although we might have another use for the cost of the recent enquiry. What does, however, is that if other people rarely assume the blame for something themselves, isn't it a good idea to avoid being critical of them? Furthermore, if we want to be successful in all our endeavours should we not therefore appreciate that the greatest managerial skill is the ability to relate to and interact with others?
Funny isn't it that having travelled the world from Hong Kong to Hammerfest in search of this kind of wisdom the first advice Mr Carnegie included in his famous book was "Don't Criticise, Condemn or Complain"!!!
 
 
Last Week's Meeting
 
Attendance – 55.3% (:->), but! including three naughties next door!!! President Cassidy opened the meeting at 1.22 pm somewhere after the soup and a great fellowship which commenced at 30 minutes past noon with a warm welcome back for Rtn Fellowship Hans Peter, who always sleeps on a complaint, (observing that it is better than feeling quilty). Rtn Sgt Clarissa among others fined the table exclusively occupied by gentlemen Rotarians. Rtn Neerja introduced PP George Harilela, Kowloon, PP MS Khalra Kowloon North and IPP Sharon Yu Wanchai. Next was Rtn Silva who introduced guests of Rotarians Rotarianne, needs no introduction Alice So and Winston Teng guest of Rtn Mukesh. Rtn Fellowship Hans then outlined next weeks visit to our mother Club, Kowloon, in the Peninsular Hotel, Walking and Sea Food - Lamma Island on Sunday, see separate circular from Hans! and the social highlight of the year - Octoberfeste - sometime in October if you like beer and singing!!........ and finally ..........
HarilelaMansionfeste - Courtesy Rtn George; details to be announced.
 
Then. Rtn Elissa introduced our speakers/dancers for the week, Ms Beatrice Remy & Mr Frederic Lichtenstein, with the history and a demonstration of the Argentinean Tango.  
"Ohhh ...... Eye ..... ache for the touch of your lips dear ....., but much more for the lash for your whips dear. You can raise whelps, like nobody elpse, as we dance to the masochism TANGO .... oley!!
 
                               Argentinian tango Hot Tango Mocha Lassie
Before the excellent demonstration, we were treated to a beautiful history of the dance which had found its way from its origins in warehouses .... in Argentina, to the far reaches of godowns in Hong Kong. The dance had to do with the frustration of new immigrants who lacked security and companionship and arose from the need to sublimate a basic desire to something more presentable in public but nonetheless just as basic. Two men could do it together and of course when possible a man and a women but not two women. Obviously this was to comply with the age old adage that dancing was a vertical expression of a horizontal desire. Which seems to go along with the other aspect of the Tango that there were more varieties of the dance than there were Chinese Characters. That ofcourse depends on how you define a Chinese Character (sit down Rtn Thomas Mo I was being academic) and could indicate that you can get more Argentinean immigrants into a warehouse than you can get Chinese into a godown. Which then depends on how big the various components are. But I digress. We should I suppose finish with a quotation the dancing the tango is like ice-skating on the mouth; although Rtn David, who professed to having two left feet and could play the banjo was not prepared to give an opinion except to agree with us all that it was a rattling good talk and demonstration and could we have another one next week to calm down Pres. Cassidy.
 
 
This Week's Programme
 
Speaker Ms. Regina Ip - topic The HKSAR: In Search of a New Equilibrium
 
 
 KGM Web Site 
By the Phantom 
Once again your erstwhile Webmaster was inundated with messages in response to his contest to correctly identify all eight (8) of the "visitor's voices" located under "Invitation" on the KGM web site. Thank you to both (!!) respondents, each of whom only correctly identified five (5) voices. No cigar and no free lunch, but thanks for trying.
 
Anyway, if anybody is interested (Hello ?), the identity of the voices for the subject audio clips are: 1. Groucho Marx 2. Austin Powers (Mike Myers) 3. Cary Grant 4. Elmer Fudd 5. John Cleese 6. Richard Dreyfuss 7. Homer Simpson 8. Jim Carrey.
 
Moving right along, your Webmaster has also added a six (6) part "Aptitude Test" for prospective new members, who are required to achieve a 50% pass-rate before they will even be considered by the Membership Committee headed by David Harilela. The test can also be found by clicking on "Invitation" at the top of the KGM web site.
 
Some of you will find the test to be challenging but, hey, we need to more selective with our membership, OK ? Check it out.
 By PP Vince the Phantom Web Master
 
 
From our Treasurer
 
OK folks, I've missed the last two (2) meetings, so I really don't know which of our delinquent members has finally paid up, so you all have until this coming Wednesday 23 August 2000 to bring your cheque for $1,500 in payment of your semi-annual dues along, if you have not already done so.
 
After that date, things get REALLY nasty, OK ? You have been warned.
 
  
Quote of the Week
 
Action without thought is the cause of every failure
                                          By the Chairman of the Stonecutters Power Company
Puzzle
 
What is one twentieth of one half of one tenth of 10,000?
 
Joke Of The Week
 
 
IF YOUR NOSE RUNS
AND YOUR FEET SMELL
YOU MUST BE UPSIDE DOWN
 
      
URCHIN
ps. apologies for the non appearance of the vocational spot which I have somehow misplaced. 2 next week!!
pps I have it on good authority that this week's topic has nothing to do with the Tango!!