Foxy the greatest gift you can give your grandchildren is a knowledge of the truth remembering a hypocrit is dispised so you have to be a living appicle as they will read your life. Let love be the key to every thing yo do. God Bless
Regards Richie 10

Dear Foxy

While I rarely read Richie10's interminable sermons. I do agree with one point (in spite of his condescending need to instruct you with the bleeding obvious) and that is love is the way to go - and I get the irony that I am not exactly respectful to Richie10, but I am only human and not a saint and there is a limit to my tolerance for proselytising - which I find very disrespectful to you and others.

When we conduct ourselves with love for all life, then we may have a reasonable future for our grandchildren. One doesn't need to have any formal religion to treat others with respect, in fact the comments splattered over the pages of OLO by (aka Boaz) indicate that formal religion is an impediment to respect - in both directions.

I am lucky to have two little cousins who are growing into wonderful people, thanks to the love and care of their parents. If these children are our future, the human race has hope.

I am very happy you have finished reading the God Delusion and am looking forward to reading Dawkins' "The Greatest Show on Earth". In fact, I will book it at my library right now.

Thank the universe for libraries (and librarians).

Dear Severin and Richie,

Thank You so much for your inputs.

I agree with you - love is the greatest gift
we can give. And I will ensure that my
grandchildren will have plenty of it.

I attended a wedding recently and one of
the readings was on, "The Art of Marriage."

I'd like to share it with you:

"Happiness in marriage is not something that
just happens. A good marriage must be created.
In the Art of Marriage: the little things are
the big ones. It is never being too old to hold
hands. It is remembering to say "I love you"
at least once a day. It is never going to sleep
angry. It is at no time taking the other for
granted. It is having a mutual sense of values and
common objectives. It is standing together facing
the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers
in the whole family. It is doing things for each other,
not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the
spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation
and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is
cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and
a sense of humour. It is having the capacity to forgive
and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in
which each can grow. It is finding room for the things
of the spirit. It is a common search for the good and
the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in
which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual
and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only
marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner."

Foxy

The world is a better place with you in it.

BTW if any of us could manage even a third of the ideals expressed in the "Art of Marriage"... there'd probably no need for OLO.

Cheers

Foxy said;
>We don't need electricity to pump water
>over mountain ranges. We can use wind mills
>to push the water uphill and gravity takes
>it down the other side.

Still, it is energy we will not waste that way, it would be too expensive and too unreliable.

>We import food to balance our International trade.

There won't be any international trade, Globalisation is already
coming to an end. Furniture and steel manufacture has already moved
back to the US because of the increase in shipping costs over the Pacific.
Bunker fuel cost is laying up ships by the thousand.

>As for our deficit. The Government tells us
>that it will be repaid within 3 years.

Even if they do fix the deficit they still have to pay off the debt
and pay the interest. If China crashes it is unlikely that either
will happen. China will slowdown as they cannot keep up
11.9% growth, it is impossible.

>I'm not as glum about things. We've survived all
>sorts of things in the past

Oh we will survive and better than many countries.
I saw two documentaries on BBC TV yesterday, one was on Kenya and
the terrible situation of families that are selling their young
daughters into prostitution for survival money.
The other was Pakistan and the terrible situation of farmers there
who are suicidal because they cannot feed their families.

The numbers are so great and the shortage of energy is so bad there
now that the economy is collapsing. Electricity may be off for days
and only be available for an hour or two a day when it is there.

There is no way that the "West" will be able to help them, their
numbers are just too great. If China does collapse rather than just
have a slowdown then the situation will be really serious.
It seems almost certain that there will be a die off of a couple of
billion people. We did not take notice of those that warned of the
coming fuel shortages and now it is too late.

Dear Bazz,

I'll have to get back to you.
You've given me so much to think
about and I don't want to rush
things at present.

I'm about to go out. However, I'll
post again as soon as I can.
Thanks for your inputs. They
are greatly appreciated.

Dear Severin,

I want to give you a bear-hug.

I've said it before and I'll continue
to say it - You are a very special lady,
who has the gift to bring out the best
in others.
I feel privileged to be sharing not only
cyber-space with you, but this planet!