Why is everyone so enraged over this? Just take it as a lesson learned (and cheaply as well). Once you donate something to any "charity", you lose ownership of said item(s), and you can't feel one way or the other about what happens to it. Who says anyone in Cuba is more entitled to Ultegra than someone here? At least they're still getting 105, which I'd be happy to take for free any day of the week. Beggers can't be choosers. The bike would've never been headed toward Cuba if it weren't for the girl spearheading the trip, why argue over ownership of a few parts? It seems overall she's still doing a good thing.

If you are that concerned with it, then don't donate (it's kind like gambling-if you can't afford to lose then don't play). I think at least the girl should have asked if it was OK to swap parts, but nonetheless once the bike was handed over, ownership and any say-so of where it's going to end-up is pretty sketchy.

Fuggedaboudit!!

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Have you hugged a Clyde today?

This is one of those situations where the person representing the charity saw an opportunity for her own personal gain at the expense of the truly needy. This is the definition of bad taste, fraud and misrepresentation. The audacity of even attempting pull off a stunt like this in front of the person making the donation is unforgiveable. I would have her assassinated.

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

While I certainly applaud the good intentions behind the donation and donations in general, I have to say I have become very leery of organized charities in general, and this girl's behavior simply reinforces the bit of human nature that causes my reluctance to donate.

I worked in a youth centre for a time, which was a United Way funded agency. All along we had to do up reports, or whatnot, so we could submit to the United Way why the centre should get more money(talk about the kids, etc.), but when funds were awarded, the use would be only partially for the kids, but someone's office got spruced up, or ther was a raise for the executive director(when others more greatly deserved it). When I questioned a United Way person why the agency held more funds in reserve than they brought in in an entire year, I could not get an answer that made any sense. Let's also not forget the uproar when the Red Cross wanted to put 25% of the money sent in for September 11th victims into a "reserve fund" for "the next attack". Just like MagicGirl, people did not send that money to sit in a reserve fund, and the uproar got them to stop that and send it to the victims. And why do we need 700 different cancer agencies, with the accompanying offices, overhead and other "administration" that eats up money that could go into research?

I find that if I'm going to do something, I would much rather give my time, or like another poster said, give it directly to someone who can use it. Adults have their own agendas, and the only way to ensure your donation goes as intended is to do it yourself. That's my humble opinion.

Having said that magicgirl, don't lose the desire to give to someone less fortunate over this episode. Like they said, lesson learned. Just see if there isn't a better way next time for you to be able to do it a little more directly rather than giving a "middleman" an opportunity to benefit for themselves.

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"I can endure more pain than anyone you've ever met. That's why I can beat anyone I've ever met." Steve Prefontaine, Without Limits

I would call it bad Karma

How did YOU get swindled? You gave the bike intending it to go to someone in Cuba. Someone in Cuba is getting the bike. Maybe it doesn't have the same components on it, but they still get a bike.

YOU have suffered no harm.

I think the question here is was your friend tacky for swapping parts off a bike intended for someone else.

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Lewis

I wonder how much other stuff didn't make it to Cuba?

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~ A penny saved is a government oversight.

oh...who fucking cares!? honestly...grow up.

you were donating the bike anyway. you really think a cuban guy riding a donated bike is going to give a flying f*** if it's 105 or ultegra?

it's a donation...i don't go into the salvation army looking for a record equipped colnalgo.

stop worrying about what the other person is doing. be happy with yourself for making the donation. it's not your job to run her life, it's your job to make an attempt to be a better person. if someone else ruins their chance, the onus isn't on you to fix it.

leave it be. if nothing else...she owes you one for nicer components and the cubans are still getting a bike anyway.

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"Anyone can work hard when they want to; Champions do it when they don't."

Bad day? :-)

2 flats, one snake that i almost ran over, a bee sting, mechanical problems like crazy, and chafing...

and i still have exams left...and it's raining this weekend.

short nerves...that came out worse that i had planned it i suppose. ;-)

after living with a huge bitch all year...i've gotten to the point where you just have to stop caring about what other people do around you. the world is full of morons and idiots and assholes...you can't change them, you just have to live your life positively and not let what they do affect you.

is it really worth your time/energy/stress to obsess about what someone else is doing? in the long run...no.

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"Anyone can work hard when they want to; Champions do it when they don't."

MagicGirl is not the "huge bitch", right? ;-) See where I'm getting? ;-)))

no...the 'friend' would be the one considered the 'bitch'.

but antagonizing the situation isn't going to make her feel any better...it's just going to stir up a whole new pot of trouble.

if it's not a life or death situation (it's not...), just leave it alone...

we have this standing joke in our house that 'everything is a big deal' when it comes to this one girl's live...ie crying over a flat tire, someone eating one of her bananas, etc

not really a huge deal...most people can deal with it, but she flips out. When she does that to anyone else, we just brush it off...it's not worth the effort of getting annoyed and stirring the pot...fun as it might be sometimes.

i don't see where approaching the 'friend' and getting mad at her is going to get magicgirl? it'd be even funnier if she was joking and she was actually getting slandered on an internet forum for having totally honest intentions and just making a joke. how'd everyone feel then...esp. with the 'how much other stuff is missing' comments.

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"Anyone can work hard when they want to; Champions do it when they don't."

The solution to this problem is so obvious that I can't believe it hasn't already been said.

1.) Hydrate the hell out of yourself before your Master's workouts.

2.) Move into her lane.

3.) Swim in front of her and piss away.



You're welcome.

A few hundred years ago St. Augustine wrote that in order for a war to be just, it must be winnable.

You'll never win this war. The other person won't see your point, you'll never get the bike back, she's not going to donate $100 to CAF.

She's a crook. She stole something from the intended recipient - and she knew it - and she had no qualms about talking about it to you in front of her husband. He knows her, and doesn't care.

You, on the other hand did what most of us would - just stand there dumbfounded, waiting for her to tell you she's joking.

But she wasn't.

I would let it go - rubbing her face in it won't change anything. It won't make you feel better. Really, it won't, because in the end she'll stare at you like you're from Mars.

I'm glad your real friends (in your circle) wouldn't do this to you. A number of years ago I told my sister that if she needed anything to call my buddy who lived around the corner from her. She couldn't believe that I could trust him like that. She asked how I had such good friends..."Because if I can't trust them, they aren't my friends any more, and I have nothing to do with them."

My advice, chaulk it up as a lesson learned, and move on, train hard, and do great at your next race.

On behalf of the person who got some kind of bike over in Cuba - Thanks!!

mike

Heee heeee...

give her the link to this thread and let her read all the wonderful comments about her