Hi, Steph,

No harm, no foul.

But there are some good general rules that I practice...

1. Get to know a person via JSH emails. If the relationship is going to
go anywhere, a good bit of emailing won't stop it, no matter how eager
the other person is.

2. Talk on the phone, several times. Get a sense of the PERSON who is
behind the voice and the emails. Again, no hurry; if it going to be a
solid relationship it isn't going to go away.

3. Planning the meeting: make sure you have all his contact info before
agreeing to meet. Phone number, address, etc. And do not give him your
address. If he is savvy, he will understand why you are being cautious
and won't object.

4. Meet in a public place at a time there will be plenty of other people
there. A quiet place is best, with few distractions. (I once met a lady
in the bookstore at my suggestion. Boy, was that a mistake, I got caught
up in looking at books and forgot about her. At least I got some good
additions for my library, and had plenty of time to start reading when I
was alone that evening

5. A good time to choose is one that makes it possible to continue the
date if it is clicking, or to leave gracefully if it isn't, e.g. 10:00
am, or 3:00 pm.

Hope this helps....

Stay safe, and enjoy life!

Oceans

Thanks, Spider,

Would it make sense to talk here about these other events then?

You've got me curious, bro!



Oceans

Sushi...a nursing puppy! Great metaphor.

Nusalor -- me too, about what is holding the darn plane up. Flying still
is magical to me.



Oceans

Well said, Lulu, about the immigrant workers (legal or not). The bill
just leaves me confused and I have not been able to make any
recommendations. Maybe it will help, that is everyone's hopes, but it
has a bunch of stuff squirreled away in it that made me pause.



Oceans

Sheesh! Quieter than a dormouse. Does the Bible have nothing direct to
say about the current conflict or its solutions? Or what is likely to
happen?

Hi, Imkeys!

Agrred. But now what?

I'm looking forward to your solution.



Oceans

I've witnessed the unrolling of several major scandals here in
Washington, including Watergate.

The thriller question seems always to be: how high will it go? The
prosecutors try to nail the leaders who are responsible; the leaders try
to get their subordinates to take the blame.

The Scooter Libby affair is a classic example. Clearly VP Cheney was
behind Libby's deceptions, yet he takes the blame, goes to jail for a
while, and emerges the darling of the neocons, with Cheney forever in
his debt.

The Abu Ghraib torture scandal is the same: the grunts are targetted,
though it is clear they were doing what they thought they had been told
to do my Army and CIA interrogators. Perhaps the most disappointing
thing about what we now know of Abu Ghraib is that US Army medics stood
by while the torture was being carried out.

Washington was quick to 'control' the Abu Ghraib scandal, by suggesting
that is was only a matter of a few 'bad apples.' The reality that the
procedures for torture came out of the DoD itself -- with pres Bush
signing off, and the VP Cheney pushing for even more sadistic techniques
-- is conveniently ignored.



Oceans

Good afternoon, everyone.

I am off to a discussion on the Israeli occupation, one of many panels
reviewing the occupation, 40 years after.

There seems to be an increasing recognition within Israel that the
occupation was not only unjust, but that it weakened Israel's position
in several ways. The discussion this evening will in effect be a debate
about this.

The hopeful thing about the discussion is that it is organized and the
invitations to it are extended by Jews themselves; they style it as a
'discussion within the family.'

My deep hope is that this may lead to a profound reexamination by Israel
and its supporters about not just the occupation, but the foundational
premises of the State of Israel. If they can do this successfully, we
may be able to create a path that stops the killing, the massive
injustice to the Palestinians, and the warping of Jewish morality that
is now associated with the present configuration of Israel.



Oceans

Happy birthday, MsTeddy!



Oceans

I can too cook. I just can't clean up. I mean, where in the world do I
put all those dirty dishes??? And that little peeler-scrapper thingy?

Seeking a German Shepherd for Activity Partner and Possible Long-Term
Relationship.



Oceans

Hi ho! Hi ho!

It's off to work I go.

May the infidels today be smitten.



Oceans the Tripolar

Tis me only defense....

So confusing...I don't know who I am anymore.

Quick someone, send me a url so that I can find out who I am!




Oceans

I do not, though, deny the instinctive desire, but I will NOT chatter on
about it publicly.



Oceans

To all my friends,

Some cheeky fellow has swiped my identity and is making lewd comments.

I disclaim all responsibility.



Oceans

Sorry everybody. I don't know who has been posting in my name. Whoever
it is swiped my picture.

You all know I wouldn't post anything lascivious. I am the serious one,
here.

And whoever YOU are, quit it.



Oceans, the Real One

Me bad....tis true. You are naught but a young lass.

I was just trying to quell my instinctive desire....



Oceans

Well, at least JSH has plenty of members...

Well said, TJ.

Hi, Andrea, you old lurker-sneaker!



Oceans