Squidoo Lenses by EditorDave

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Here is the list of Squidoo lenses by Lensmaster EditorDave,
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1. Japanese Movies - The Old, Modern, Fun, and Bizarre! News!

My first glimpse of a Japanese movie? When I was a kid, my sister and I would watch the Saturday matinee "Creepy Creature Feature" on our local TV station (we only had 3 in those days). The set was B&W, the sound was scratchy, but we saw our first Godzilla movie and I was hooked! We later enjoyed...
Entertainment & Media - Fri, 18 May 2012 06:46:29

2. Cubicle, Homesweet Cubicle--Time for a Cubicle Makeover News!

If you are going to be stuck in a "cubicle" for 8 hours a day (one third of each day!)--you might as well fix it up a bit and decorate it. Make it a comfortable place to work (of course, there are limits to how far you can go before the boss has a fit and your co-workers revolt--but then again, p...
Business & Work - Fri, 18 May 2012 06:33:08

3. Tilapia - Fish Farming in the Philippines News!

Tilapia are some of the most farmed ("cultured") fish in the world--right up there with carp, catfish, trout, and salmon--and are considered the fifth most popular seafood eaten in the U.S. During a recent trip to the Philippines, I saw various methods of fish-farming--in particular, the methods...
Pets & Animals - Fri, 18 May 2012 06:17:30

4. Submarines! Submersibles! Undersea Boats! News!

My fascination of the underwater world probably started when I read Jules Verne's book, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Then, watching the Disney movie of the same name in the theaters probably got my interest going even more. Click Here To See a Cool Website on Disney's Nautilus Photos and Trivia...
Sports & Recreation - Fri, 18 May 2012 06:57:43

5. Komodo Dragons and Relatives - the Monitor Lizards News!

My experience with the Western Pacific monitor lizard, Varanus indicus--also known as the mangrove monitor--has been over 12 years of living on the Western Pacific island of Guam, with side visits to Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Belau (Palau) (The big lizards have been frequently shown on CBS's "reality...
Pets & Animals - Fri, 18 May 2012 05:12:46

6. Quonset Huts, Well-Rounded Architecture! News!

A Quonset hut is a particular kind of elongated, prefabricated structure (many times resembling a "building" -- just kidding! --) of corrugated steel with a semicircular/semitubular cross section--if a bunch were side-by-side and painted yellow, they'd look like giant Twinkies. (Hey, I'm hungry w...
Home & Garden - Fri, 18 May 2012 05:19:14

7. Guam - Where America's Day Begins - A Tropical Paradise! News!

View of Storm Approaching Cetti Bay on Southwest Side of Guam -- at the horizon is the deepest spot in the ocean, "Challenger Deep" of the Marianas Trench, 35,000 feet deep - Photo taken from Cetti Bay Overlook Folks sometimes ask me what it's like to live on Guam... well, it's tough to describ...
Travel & Places - Fri, 18 May 2012 06:12:35

8. The BD-5 "Microjet" -- Tiny, but Fast in the Air!

It's a classic scene -- James Bond (Roger Moore) in the movie "Octopussy" is doing some undercover investigation of a hostile foreign country's new radar units on their fighter jets... he's dressed like a high-ranking military officer of that foreign country (Cuba?). He's snooping around the airc...
Entertainment & Media - Thu, 17 May 2012 07:41:15

9. Cardboard Boxes as Kid Activities -- Keeping Them Busy! News!

Let's say it's a miserable rainy or bad-weather day or your kids are stuck at home with the sniffles. How does one keep the boredom from getting to them (and to keep them from causing you to loose your mind)? Chances are good that you could go out into your garage and find a cardboard box or two ...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Fri, 18 May 2012 05:27:32

10. Tropical Plants - Addition to Your Garden? News!

One thing you will notice about the tropics is that they are GREEN! Very Green. When my mom and dad packed up our family and moved from New Mexico to the Western Pacific island of Guam, we saw LOTS of Green. The island was just Squishy with Green. Tropical Plants. And, we then used Guam as "home-...
Education - Fri, 18 May 2012 06:06:34

11. Geckos - Wall-Climbing Lizards! News!

Found in warm climates throughout the world (mostly the tropics--but also in desert areas in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas), geckos are amazing critters! Belonging to the family Gekkonidae, they have specialized toe pads that enable them to run across walls, across ceilings, and even...
Pets & Animals - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:15:15

12. Sea Turtles - Nomads of the Sea News!

From a purely biological point of view, there are 3 reptiles that have the thing called a shell, or better term, carapace, which causes folks to lump them under the general term, "TURTLES". However, TORTOISES --If the animal lives primarily on dry land, has a high-arched carapace, and has almost...
Education - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:12:15

13. Aircraft and Flying! News!

Folks have probably wondered about flying ever since they first watched birds and bees cavorting in the air. They saw that birds and flying insects (and even bats) could fly (not glide) and could manuever around objects and over barriers--and they most likely wanted to do the same. Maybe that's w...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Fri, 18 May 2012 07:25:56

14. Japanese Gardens - There is a Zen to Their Beauty

Japanese gardens and Zen gardens have a unique arrangement and structure that makes them tranquil and peaceful places to relax, refresh, and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. Ancient garden planners and gardeners who would now be considered landscape architects created miniature worlds with t...
Home & Garden - Wed, 02 May 2012 04:36:36

15. Hawaii - Tips to Make Your Tropical Vacation More Enjoyable! News!

ALOHA! The State of Hawaii beckons to most temperate zone folks as a place to vacation, a place to enjoy tropical pleasures (such as warm sun, water, beaches, and scenery!), and a place to refresh from those dull days fighting traffic to get to a dismal office. Maui Morning Art Print Westmorelan...
Travel & Places - Wed, 02 May 2012 05:30:28

16. Tropical-Style Luau Party! Hukilau! News!

I had never thought much about tropical-style parties until I moved with my family to the tropical island of Guam, where it seemed that every weekend (and even sometimes on weeknights) you could find "tropical-style parties"! The main ingredients? Well, of course, you need some great kaukau (Ha...
Holidays & Celebrations - Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:47:55

17. Boonie Stomping - Hiking the Guam Way! News!

Although as a kid, I liked to wander off into the desert of Southern New Mexico--sometimes alone and sometimes with my Boy Scout troop--it wasn't until my family and I moved to the Western Pacific island of Guam that we learned about tropical hiking... affectionately called "boonie stomping" on G...
Sports & Recreation - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:51:35

18. Bamboo - Versatile Tree-Like Grass for that Tropical Look News!

Bamboo is an amazing plant, although it has come around in the continental U.S. only recently as a decorative landscaping option or as a flooring material or furniture alternative, it has been respected and used for all manner of things in the Orient. I hadn't really paid much attention to or wa...
Education - Mon, 07 May 2012 06:43:42

19. Tapa cloth -- native fabric of the Pacific tropics

Tapa cloth got my attention when my family first traveled through Hawaii on the way to our new home on the Western Pacific island of Guam. It was fascinating to watch folks creating this interesting fabric at the International Marketplace in downtown Honolulu and then again at the Polynesian Cult...
Home & Garden - Thu, 17 May 2012 07:58:23

20. Tsunami, Tidal Waves, Storm Surge - Floods From the Ocean News!

The images on the TV news stations of the March 11, 2011 tsunami resulting from a massive earthquake near Honshu Japan dramatically demonstrated the devastating power of these disastrous waves. The video images were akin to the horrifying images that came from Thailand, Indonesia, and the Indian ...
Education - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:37:31

21. Pineapples - The Well-Traveled Tropical Fruit (Good for You, Too!) News!

Pineapples. Members of the Bromeliad family. Pineapples are from Hawaii, right? Pineapple Field, Hawaii Art Print Buy at AllPosters.com Well, now you can get them there--but they are originally from south Brazil and Paraguay--where they were native before the local tribes and exploring Europea...
Education - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:18:19

22. Horned Lizards or Horny Toads, Spiny Desert Critters! News!

When my family first moved to New Mexico, I was a kid... and I spent a lot of time fooling around and walking through lots of desert. And as any youngster, I became fascinated by some of the critters that lived in the desert. One of the most interesting critters I found in the desert was the horn...
Pets & Animals - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:17:17

23. The Hawaiian Hula and Tahitian Tamure - Polynesian Dance! News!

My first glimpse of Hawaiian hula and Tahitian Tamure was when I was a kid in New Mexico watching the TV series "Hawaii-50". The music was so passionate and the dancing so exotic that it made me want to run away to a paradise isle. Little did I know, but in another year, my family would be flyin...
Travel & Places - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:05:53

24. Rocks - In Rock Gardens, of Course! News!

It wasn't until our family moved from Montana to New Mexico that I saw my first "rock garden". At the time, I thought it was quite strange--just a pile of rocks. But then again, I was only 7 years old.... so for me to see a yard full of rocks... well, let's just say it's good that there weren't t...
Home & Garden - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:43:31

25. Carabao - The Domesticated Water Buffalo of Southeast Asia

The Carabao. The Water Buffalo. Bubalus bubalis. Sort of like a four-legged, non-gas-burning tractor. Can help with hauling sugar cane. Can handle the mud while plowing rice paddies. Can swim very well. Can get rid of a water hyacinth problem. Useful for rural tropical transportation. Can haul tr...
Education - Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:32:13

26. Trains - Riding the Rails News!

With the price of fuel going through the roof and with more and more concern about the environment--as well as the traffic congestion with all of the world's city streets and highways, trains are becoming a viable and attractive alternative to cars and trucks. Shinkansen or Bullet Train, Osaka, ...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:11:12

27. Humuhumunukunukuapua'a - The Little Fish with the Big Name News!

The funny little fish, Rhinecanthus rectangulus that seems to have a name longer than the fish itself--the common triggerfish, or as known in Hawai'i as the humuhumunukunukuapua'a is a common fish on the coral reefs of the Pacific Islands. One of the protective measures triggerfish use to avoid p...
Pets & Animals - Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:28:38

28. Cone Shells -- Beautiful Beachside Danger News!

Don't let its size or the fact that it resembles a "snail" fool you--a cone shell has the stealth, speed, and deadliness of a stealth fighter! It's always a thrill to find a beautiful shell when you are walking along the beach or snorkeling or SCUBA diving. Believe me--I've had the experience of...
Education - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:02:49

29. Sea Anemones - The "Flowers" of the Sea News!

Relatives of the corals and sea jellies (jellyfish), box-jellies, and hydra, the 900 types of sea anemones comprise a group of oceanic bottom-dwelling, predatory animals of the order Actiniaria of the Class Anthozoa, of the Phylum Cnidaria. Like their other Cnidarian cousins, the sea anemones al...
Education - Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:29:05

30. Gout - An Inherited Ailment. Hyperuricemia. News!

Wow! Although I'm not the "poster boy" for GQ or even reasonably "fit", I never expected to be hit by an ailment like gout. hyperuricemia! GOUT! Note: As a Hyperuricemia (aka "gout") sufferer, I do NOT endorse the products displayed on this site as cures for this ailment! I have a degree in b...
Healthy Living - Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:29:23

31. Oceanography and Marine Biology -- a Curriculum Starter News!

Whether you got your first inspiration for becoming interested in Oceanology, Oceanography, and Marine Biology from watching the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau films, or reading about the Nautilus submarine in Jules Verne's book "20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea", or watching the weekly series ...
Education - Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:46:04

32. The Tracy Arm -- One of Alaska's Inside Passage Fjords

When we had scheduled our September cruise vacation to Alaska, the Tracy Arm was not on the itinerary. After leaving Seattle, Washington, we were planning on spending a day at sea, then stopping at the ports of Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan in Alaska, and then Victoria, capitol of British Columbia...
Travel & Places - Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:03:38

33. Business Cards -- Tips for Miniature Billboards Working for You News!

Twenty-Five Tips for Improving Your Business Cards (And Make Your Business Cards Work Harder For You!) Whether you are just planning to start your business, or you already have a business, you must maximize your profits while minimizing your expenses. Although one of these expenses will be your b...
Business & Work - Thu, 17 May 2012 19:14:50

34. Sea Cucumbers - Vacuum Cleaners of the Sea! News!

Sea Cucumbers are interesting creatures. Yup, they are animals, and not plants or--as their name might imply--vegetables. Sea cucumbers are relatives of the starfish and sea urchins, of the phylum Echinodermata--Echinoderms have radiating parts--and are also known as Holothurids of the Class Holo...
Education - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:18:48

35. Terrapins - The "Turtles" You Commonly Find In Pet Shops! News!

There's a lot of confusion out there about the term "Turtle". Most folks use it to mean any type of reptile that has a somewhat hard shell (also known as a "carapace"). But there are major distinctions between the animals assigned this designation. Turtles are really the large ocean-going...
Education - Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:29:56

36. Lizards! The Living Descendants of the Dinosaurs! News!

I've enjoyed observing lizards ever since I was old enough to walk in a New Mexico desert on the way to school. Many times, I was sort of late getting to school because I spent my time chasing elusive lizards among the cactus and yuccas. We had only a few kinds of lizards in the New Mexico desert...
Education - Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:25:44

37. Surf's Up! Get a Board and Find a Wave! News!

Surfing. Body surfing. Boogie boarding. Skim boarding. Hitting the waves! You could be catching the waves in Bali, or Guam, or Hawaii, or Hermosa Beach, or Monterey, or Miami, or Costa Rica.... thrill of riding the waves can make all of these places seem special. Hawaii Masterprint Buy at AllPo...
Sports & Recreation - Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:37:29

38. The Philippines - My Experiences There News!

The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of more than 7,107 islands, of which about 4,000 are inhabited and which are clustered into the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. With more than 171 spoken languages, and with the different cultures also represented by these languages, the...
Travel & Places - Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:28:04

39. Tiki Time! Tiki Culture! Tiki Bars! Tropical! News!

It must have been a Tiki Bar/Restaurant that I saw when I was a kid in New Mexico or maybe even in Montana that got me interested in "Things Tropical" and "Tiki".... (it could have also been the resemblance of the Pacific Northwest totem poles to tikis), or... maybe it was the TV show "Gilligan's...
Education - Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:43:57

40. Sea Urchins - Spiny Relative of Starfish and Sea Cucumber News!

About 1,000 species of sea urchins live in marine habitats ranging from the intertidal zones and shallow coral reefs to the deepest submarine trenches (such as the Marianas Trench--Challenger Deep near the island of Guam) up to 6,800m. Sea urchins live in all marine environments--including the Ar...
Education - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:31:41

41. Komodo Dragons Versus Crocodiles

Komodo Dragons Versus Crocodiles Let's see, we might not be able to see a Jurassic Park style fight between an Alosaurus and a T-Rex... but we might be able to see (or at least imagine) a battle between a crocodile and a komodo dragon! (Or, a komodo dragon and a crocodile!) Here's What I Think: C...
Pets & Animals - Fri, 06 Apr 2012 02:15:13

42. The Meaning of Masks -- Masked Meaning?

Probably the first masks I remember seeing when I was a kid were those worn by trick-or-treaters at Halloween or those worn by the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Zorro, and Batman on the popular TV shows when I was growing up. We'd sometimes have cut-out masks on the sides of cereal boxes, and if my mom ...
Holidays & Celebrations - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:36:54

43. San Francisco Minivacation News!

The "City by the Bay" or also known as "Baghdad by the Bay", San Francisco is a wild mix of cultures and customs--an amazing place to visit, an amazing place to live. There are neighborhoods that represent seemingly every culture and custom--Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Irish,...
Travel & Places - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:12:37

44. Jellyfish - Pulsating Sea Creature with a Sting News!

Relatives of coral and sea anemones (and also of the Portuguese Man-O-War and the Australian Box Jelly), Sea Jellies or "Jellyfish" are marine invertebrates belonging to the class Scyphozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. These free-swimming creatures live in every ocean in the world and in some fresh w...
Education - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:50:43

45. Digitizing Color Transparencies -- What You Should Know News!

When I stumbled over a large box full of color transparencies (35mm slides) from my early photography days, I wanted to see them again. Although I had spent many years of taking pictures using transparency films such as Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Agfa, Sakura-Color, Fujicolor, and 5421film, I neve...
Arts & Design - Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:29:57

46. Transportation Types News!

For many, many centuries, humans walked around to get places. Then, they devised ways to either ride on other animals, or they cooked up wheels, sails, and eventually engines and wings to move their carrying contraptions. The capability to move folks along at about 15 miles an hour was arrived at...
Education - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:18:36

47. The Amazing Maze in the Maize -- Corn Mazes! News!

The first time I got lost in a cornfield, it was terrifying. The corn was way over my head and the rows were not well defined because of the underbrush. (This was more than quite a few years ago, before more advanced farming methods provided open rows between the cornstalks.) But that experience ...
Home & Garden - Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:22:47

48. Colorado - Rocky Mountain High! News!

The "High Country of Colorado"? The Whole State is HIGH! Colorado is the only state in the USA that lies entirely above 3,281 feet (1000 meters) in elevation! And MOUNTAINS? High Ones? Colorado has more than 500 mountain peaks that exceed 13,123 feet (4,000 meters) elevation. Mount Elbert at 14...
Travel & Places - Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:04:09

49. Hong Kong Island News!

The Chinese characters for Hong Kong (pronounced "Heung Gong" in Cantonese) mean "fragrant harbor" or "incense harbor". The name was originally applied to what's now known as Aberdeen Harbor--a small harbor on the south side of Hong Kong Island across from the island of Ap Lei Chau. (Aberdeen is ...
Travel & Places - Wed, 02 May 2012 04:57:47

50. New Mexico--The Land of Enchantment News!

No, you do not need a passport (at least not from the United States!) to visit New Mexico! Yes, you can drink the water! Yes, they have things like airports, trains, freeways, and cars in New Mexico (most of the stagecoaches are in the museums!). And yes, you can get by with speaking only Engl...
Travel & Places - Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:15:51

51. Space? Space Shuttle? Space Station? Space Science! News!

January 28 marked the anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. I was at work when we were told to listen to the radio--and we found out about the explosion of the shuttle minutes after it had launched and was streaming towards its orbit. It especially affected me -- because I...
Education - Mon, 07 May 2012 09:22:42

52. Soviet Era Jet - Flying the L-39 News!

I've got a lot of experience being "around" jets--but never being closer than a few yards--until recently. When I was a kid growing up in New Mexico, some of those years were spent in Alamogordo--sort of the home of America's testing in preparation for Space Flight and Exploration and the home of...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Tue, 08 May 2012 05:16:24

53. Journals, Blank Books - Places to Store Your Writing

Perhaps like you, thoughts occur to me all the time. The problem is that many times before recently I've not had a pen or pencil and pad handy to catch that thought. I've always been an avid reader. I like reading other folks' writing. But I also like to recapture some of my own memories and rea...
Education - Tue, 01 May 2012 02:49:31

54. Boracay Island, Philippines News!

If you are ever in the area of the Philippines, you should definitely make the effort to catch a domestic flight from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Domestic Terminal) or from the Macapagal Airport at Pampanga's Clark Airfield to head for Caticlan Airport on the island of Panay and ...
Travel & Places - Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:05:18

55. Mango Mania! Dont Mangle Your Mango! News!

Do your hands itch when you peel and eat a mango? It may be because you are highly sensitive to the urashiol that naturally occurs in mango tree sap, leaves, flowers, and fruit skins. The medical name for this allergic sensitivity is Toxicodendron Dermatitis or urushiol-induced contact dermatitis...
Education - Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:17:33

56. Lantau Island, Site of Hong Kongs New Airport and More! News!

If you are going to be visiting Hong Kong and arriving by air, you will be landing at the new Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on Lantau Island. The airport, also known as Chek Lap Kok Airport has been established on reclaimed land (landfill and build-up to provide firm ground for the airpo...
Travel & Places - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:53:12

57. Sharks - The Jaws of the Sea - Endless Eaters News!

Fascinating critters, the sharks. From the little ones that are only 4 inches long as adults to the huge ones that reach almost 70 feet long as adults. From the docile bottom-dwelling crustacean eaters or open-ocean krill eaters to the ones with rows of huge teeth that are willing to eat everyth...
Education - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:28:58

58. A Classic Car -- 1970 OLDS RALLYE 350 Cutlass News!

Rare configuration -- no tail fin, front bench seat. Lots of chrome. Only a few of this configuration were made. Here's a good link for this Olds Rallye 350. If you contact these folks, please tell them that Jeff Scheibner's brother-in-law, Dave, referred you. (I have seen [pictures prove it, rig...
Cars - Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:34:39

59. Rushing into Learning Russian? News!

Dostoyevski, Tolstoy, Pushkin ... Russian authors... and maybe it would be fun to read their work in the original language. So, how would you go about learning Russian? Well, we've had some experience with learning this interesting language and we'd like to share some ideas with you. Of course,...
Education - Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:26:30

60. Coconuts - A Tropical Fruit News!

Coconuts and Their Trees - The Coconut Palms. I saw my first coconut (real one) when I was a kid growing up in New Mexico--it was the brown, fuzzy, rounded football-shaped thing with the three "eyes" at one end that my Mom brought home from the supermarket. I don't know why my Mom bought it and b...
Education - Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:44:16

61. Bananas - An Appealing Fruit! News!

Time flies like an arrow--fruit flies like a banana! Or, something like that. The fourth largest fruit crop in the world and the most popular fruit in the U.S.--the banana--is botanically considered a "berry". And although the things they grow on are large enough to be considered "trees"--they ...
Education - Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:34:14

62. Totem Poles -- the Craft, the Art, the Culture

I've known about totem poles and their meanings and symbols for almost as long as I can remember. I was born in Montana, and although this area was not near the coastal Pacific Northwest of North America where totem poles are most prevalent, my adopted grandpa had married a native Flathead Indian...
Culture & Society - Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:33:21

63. The Brown Tree Snake - Boiga irregularis

When we lived in Montana and New Mexico, we frequently encountered snakes--bullsnakes, garter snakes, and, of course, rattlesnakes--but when we moved to the Pacific Island of Guam, we soon came "face-to-face" with an invasive tropical snake species--the brown tree snake--Boiga irregularis. Actual...
Education - Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:20:27

64. Coconut Crabs - Giant Land Crabs of Tropical Islands News!

If you ever visit tropical islands--particularly those in the South or Western Pacific, you'll find stories of the giant land crabs... also known as coconut crabs or robber crabs. These giant crabs (sp. Birgus latro) are members of the "hermit crabs"--but get so big and mean, they eventually don'...
Education - Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:39:34

65. Cycads - of the Rainforests and Jungles of the World News!

If you want to imagine Jurassic Park, you'd have to include members of the cycad family of plants as some of the predominant greenery around which the prehistoric critters roamed. *Whew!* I saw my first live cycads when my family moved from New Mexico to the tropical, western Pacific island of Gu...
Education - Thu, 03 May 2012 06:02:22

66. Hurricanes, Typhoons, Tornados--Dangerous Winds: How to Prepare News!

Early spring is already bringing tornados to the area of the U.S. called "Tornado Alley"--and areas of Dallas, Fort Worth, and nearby towns were hit pretty hard by these monstrous storms. News programs were showing amazing images of semi-truck trailers and other large items and debris being caugh...
Education - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:44:54

67. Starfish! The "Constellations of the Sea" - Echinoderms News!

Although I had heard of and seen "starfish" or "sea stars" before when we lived in New Mexico, it was when my family moved to the western Pacific island of Guam that I was able to see these interesting creatures in their natural habitats when I was snorkeling on the coral reefs. The variety of st...
Education - Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:10:20

68. Aircraft and Aviation Careers News!

Whether it's in the cockpit of an aircraft, or working on the engines or other aircraft equipment and vehicles, or dealing with the luggage or cargo, or working with the customers with either their ticketing or public relations or some other role, you can find a lot of jobs in the aviation indust...
Business & Work - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:25:48

69. Cultural and Language Differences Make for Great Movies! News!

Cultural and language differences add spice to our lives--sometimes just visiting the neighbors across the street is a new cultural and linguistic adventure! Sometimes, however, folks want to go to the extreme and travel to a foreign country that has a drastically different culture and language. ...
Relationships & Family - Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:24:41

70. Views from the Sky! News!

Looking down on the earth -- whether it's cities, towns, oceans, jungles, or mountains -- gives you a whole different perspective on this planet we live on. The views are impressive and will change your ideas of space, time, and distances. When you look down on a city and see cars and buses small...
Travel & Places - Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:36:05

71. Kowloon - Across the Harbor from Hong Kong News!

The Chinese characters for "Kowloon" represent the words, "Nine Dragons". Kowloon is the bustling metropolis across the Victoria Harbor from Hong Kong Island (and the City of Hong Kong facing Kowloon across the harbor). When folks mention "Hong Kong", they may be also thinking of the Kowloon pen...
Travel & Places - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:32:56

72. Accounting and Bookkeeping

Though numbers have not always kept my interest (I'm a biology and words nut, not a math nut), it's when a dollar sign is put in front of those numbers that they sort of spark my interest -- if only a little. When I was in college, I was a biology major/chemistry minor... and fooled around with ...
Business & Work - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 05:16:24

73. Artistic Homeschooler Flying High! News!

It started with the crayons that I played with when I was a kid. Not only did I color inside the lines, but my folks said I made my own lines. By the time I was about 6, my folks let me go to semi-private art classes each week where, along with fellow homeschooler kids, I was able to explore wate...
Education - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:00:37

74. Kokopeli - Character of Southwest U.S. Tribal Lore News!

Kokopeli (known also as "Kokopelli" in American English--for linguistics basis of this, see some of my other lenses)--a hunchbacked little fellow with a few feathers in his cap and playing a flute. Boogying to some ancient tune. Found mostly in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico petroglyp...
Culture & Society - Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:12:12

75. Koi and Koi Ponds... the Colorful Carp! News!

The colorful koi have been treasured in the Orient for centuries--Japanese gardens usually have a koi pond... and tropical gardens also provide a nice area for koi ponds. Koi are a type of carp. And, yes, they are edible (lots of bones, though). Wildlife know about their edibility quite well--if ...
Home & Garden - Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:53:09

76. Grammar and Parts of Speech - How Language Works! News!

This lens is based on lessons I taught when I was an English grammar and composition teacher and when I was teaching grammar and composition to homeschooling students. (And also from experience from my studies of linguistics and foreign languages and 27 years as a published writer/editor) Rudolf...
Education - Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:18:11

77. Ballooning - Hot Air, Helium, or Hydrogen? News!

It's a strange feeling to be walking along and hearing a voice come from out of the sky.... and then to look up and see a fellow leaning over the edge of a basket of a hot-air balloon... asking for directions? When we lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico--home of the annual October Hot Air Balloon Fe...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Fri, 11 May 2012 06:39:30

78. Flower Arrangements - Put Your Petals to the Metals! News!

It's one thing to see flowers (wild or otherwise) growing outside, but there's also sheer pleasure in seeing them brighten your dining room, your living room, your bedroom, your bathroom, or your office. The varieties of colors, patterns, and forms flowers have can add sparks of interest to your ...
Home & Garden - Thu, 03 May 2012 06:58:30

79. Tangen-tangen (Leucaena leucocephala) News!

Education - Sun, 06 May 2012 04:02:21

80. Palau -- Republic of Belau News!

Two seasons of the television reality show "Survivor" have been filmed here in Palau--the Republic of Palau (including the most recent season 16!). Check out the Survivor Micronesia Website -- you can see more sights of the beautiful Rock Islands of Palau as well as you can vote for your favorite...
Travel & Places - Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:17:35

81. Crocodiles, Caimans, Gharials, and Alligators News!

The crocodiles, caimans, gharials, and alligators -- in the crocodilia order of large reptiles of which there are 23 recorded species in three families (Crocodylidae, Alligatoridae, and Gavialidae) -- live in mostly salt or brackish water in the tropical regions of the world. As representatives ...
Education - Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:11:48

82. Project Planning -- What's A Project? What's "Planning"? News!

If what you are working on has a defined goal (whether it's building a darkroom for your photography hobby or building a nuclear submarine), you are working on a project! Plan 9 from Outer Space Masterprint Buy at AllPosters.com (If you are working on the same thing over and over everyday with ...
Business & Work - Sat, 24 Mar 2012 06:42:13

83. Narita Layover -- Tips to Make it Interesting

Many folks flying between the nations bordering the Pacific Ocean will find themselves having a plane/airline-change layover at the New Tokyo Narita International Airport in Japan. If your layover is only 4 to 5 hours, you don't have much time to do any exploration outside the airport grounds--yo...
Travel & Places - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:06:42

84. Helicopters - The Rotary-Wing Aircraft Originally Thought Up By Leonardo Da Vinci News!

Helicopters are amazing aircraft -- they resemble the dragonflies (and the Ancient Chinese made toys that incorporated some of these features that include the major principles of helicopter flight). These aircraft can not only can move forward (like regular aircraft) but with a skilled pilot can ...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:14:47

85. San Antonio, Texas - Remember the Alamo! News!

Any youngsters learning American history will have encountered coursework about the Texas Revolution. Pivotal to that war, and most famous conflict, was the Battle of the Alamo in what is now San Antonio, Texas. The citizens of Mexico were becoming more and more unhappy with the dictatorial gover...
Travel & Places - Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:45:17

86. Old Sacramento - Historic Time Capsule for California and the United States

The part of Sacramento, California, next to the Sacramento River, called "Old Sacramento" is a California State Historic Park. And it doesn't take long walking through the streets of Old Sacramento to see the historic significance of this area of the U.S. Most of the buildings here represent the ...
Travel & Places - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:11:45

87. Snorkeling - A Mostly Tropical Aquatic Activity! News!

Snorkeling! Until my family moved to the tropical Western Pacific island of Guam from New Mexico, I had never considered swimming, let alone snorkeling! But once we got to Guam and saw the beautiful, warm, clear, and calm turquoise waters beckoning from the wide uncrowded beaches, a friend bringi...
Sports & Recreation - Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:25:28

88. Rice News!

When we lived in Montana and New Mexico, rice was not high on our list of starch-foods to eat. In Montana, we ate primarily potatoes --and after we moved to New Mexico, we ate primarily beans. Once in a while, my Mom would buy a box of "Uncle Ben's Rice" or "Rice-a-Roni" - but frequently, we'd ha...
Education - Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:42:26

89. Fruitbats - The Friendly Flying Foxes! News!

The Flying Foxes, Foxbats, or Fruit Bats, of Asia and the Asian Pacific are the largest flying mammals (They really fly... not glide. Flying Squirrels and the Japanese Momonga --a type of flying squirrel-- glide, but don't flap wings to fly). These bats make up a single suborder, the Megachiropt...
Pets & Animals - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:55:43

90. Resumes - Tips for Job-Getting Resumes! News!

I volunteered my Resume and Cover Letter Editing/Writing services the other day at a job fair sponsored by our local Chamber of Commerce, the Employment Development Division (Unemployment Department), and some of the employers in our area. It was an experience that inspired me to post this Squi...
Business & Work - Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:24:29

91. Blue Room -- Fighting Winter Blues -- with Tropical Moments!

After living on Guam for twelve years and traveling all through the tropical Pacific, I'm a "tropical boy" at heart! So, when we moved to Northern California (where it got down to 20 degrees a few nights ago), the cold really bothers me. When my son moved out of the house a few years ago, my wif...
Home & Garden - Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:19:44

92. Sitka, Alaska -- Rugged Outpost of the Russian-American Frontier

When my wife, daughter, and I traveled by cruise ship from Seattle up to Alaska, we were originally going to travel to Sitka as one of the stops of the cruise itinerary. A former colleague from a previous job had moved to Sitka for a new job--and he said that he would roll out the welcome mat for...
Travel & Places - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:07:07

93. Wind Energy in Use - Sail Boats and Sailing Ships News!

The sailboat. From when the Pharoahs had their sailing palaces gliding up and down the Nile River, the Phoenecians traversing the Mediteranian Sea with their trading vessels, through when the Vikings ventured out to explore the coastlines on both sides of the Atlantic, and then to Columbus with t...
Education - Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:28:33

94. Jackfruit - Strange-looking Fruit of the Asian Tropics News!

If you are walking around in the Philippines, India, Australia, or many of the Pacific tropical islands such as Guam, Palau, or Hawaii, you may find a tree sporting an interestingly huge fruit--the Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), also known in the Philippines as "Langka". This fruit can be ...
Education - Sun, 06 May 2012 05:52:26

95. Lion Fish, Turkey Fish - Venomous No Matter the Name! News!

Beautiful but dangerously venomous--the "Turkey Fish" or "Lion Fish" or "Feather Fish" (it's known by many names--depending on where you see one!)... also known to "Bond, James Bond" as "Pterois volitans" (He recognized it in a bad guy's submarine aquarium in the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me")... ...
Education - Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:27:37

96. Corn - The Amazing Maize News!

Corn (Zea mays sp.), a member of the grass family--therefore, it's a Monocot - meaning "one seed"-- is an annual plant that grows 7 to 10 feet tall. Strong roots called prop roots help support the cornstalk. A tassel grows at the top of each jointed cornstalk and contains hundreds of small flower...
Education - Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:06:10

97. Clown Triggerfish - Colorful Pacific Coral Reef Fish News!

The clown triggerfish, Balistoides conspicillum, is an impressive fish with its large size and multicolored scale pattern. It is common on most of the coral reefs of the Pacific Islands. Clown Triggerfish, and Cleaner Wrasse, Indonesia Photographic Print Fleetham, David... Buy at AllPosters.com ...
Education - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:21:35

98. Coral Reefs - Living Rocks or Jellyfish Cousins at Home? News!

Coral reefs are misunderstood by most folks who are unaware of the biology existing there. Coral reefs are not dead areas of rocks just beneath the surface of the sea, but are complex communities of diverse animal and plant types, which provide for much of the oceanic food chain. Coral reefs are...
Education - Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:44:13

99. The Haunted Jungles of the Tropics

Most of us associate creepy Halloween ghost stories with the haunted castles of Europe, the pyramids of Egypt, or the haunted, cold graveyards of the U.S.. However, ghost and supernatural stories are not limited to the cold and desert climates. When I first moved to the Western Pacific Island of...
Holidays & Celebrations - Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:26:19

100. Alien Worlds - How About Our Own? News!

After watching the movie "Avatar", I realized how much of the movie was strangely familiar to me. But then again, I was a biology major and chemistry minor in college (and a great fan of science fiction... which is generally based on science to make it all somewhat believable), so I had seen some...
Education - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:59:50

101. Reading - Getting Meaning from Symbols!

Reading has become an essential part of our modern lives -- although you might not think that it takes much when you see your teenager texting on her cell-phone. From installing a new software application to learning about how insurance works to understanding a notice from the government -- read...
Education - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:41:20

102. Dihydrogen Monoxide - A Misunderstood Chemical in Our Environment News!

Because environmental consciousness is something that is growing around the world and because pollution has a possible affect on climate change and global warming, I'd like to share some of my insights and concerns about dihydrogen monoxide through this educational Squidoo lens. If you are going ...
Education - Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:30:11

103. Cooking with Spam News!

I guess I sort of grew up with SPAM. My Dad and Mom were school teachers... but before they became school teachers, my Dad manage to survive a stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II. And when he was on the ship and at the various battle locations for what seemed like endless days, my Dad sai...
Food & Cooking - Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:31:51

104. Venomous Snakes - Rattlesnakes, Sidewinders, Cottonmouths, Copperheads News!

Growing up in Montana and New Mexico, I had plenty of chances for learning about some of the most dangerous aspects of hiking, camping, and otherwise enjoying the great outdoors in those areas. Most of the time (except when they are molting), the rattlesnakes will be "kind enough" to "warn us" wh...
Education - Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:38:16

105. Enter the Dragon -- The Dragons in Our Midst

Dragons have played a large part of my life -- starting from when I was young in Alamogordo, New Mexico where my family would sometimes eat at the Chinese Dragon Restaurant and where I pursued learning martial-arts after being inspired by watching Bruce Lee in the film "Enter the Dragon" to later...
Culture & Society - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:47:51

106. Economics Lessons You Won't Find in a Classroom! News!

If you are a business owner (of any kind, whether home-based, online, or traditional brick-and-mortar), you will most likely be more able and willing to discuss how economics works and maybe even to show your kids first-hand how you generate an income that you use to support your family. However,...
Education - Mon, 26 Mar 2012 05:47:13

107. Anoles - Wall-Walking Lizards! News!

When we lived on tropical western Pacific Island of Guam, we frequently had things crawling up our walls (including my Mom--but that's another story). Although most of the time, the lizard type of things were geckos, we also had another type of lizard zipping up our walls--the anoles. Fascinatin...
Pets & Animals - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:02:30

108. Costume Party! (Halloween or Not, Loads of Fun!) News!

One of my favorite occasions or events when I was a biology major studying at the University of Guam, was the annual UOG Marine Laboratory halloween party. It was a major party... yes, there was always excellent food (potluck, Guam-style!), usually excellent location (aka warm, perhaps a gentle b...
Holidays & Celebrations - Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:32:51

109. Pandanus - The "Tourist Pineapple" News!

The Pandanas (Pandanus sp.)--the natives jokingly refer to them as "tourist pineapples" in Hawaii and Guam. Because many times, tourists to the islands see the Pandanus fruits and make the assumption that they have seen pineapples! They do sort of resemble pineapples, but they are not even closel...
Education - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:38:41

110. Model Trains -- Imaginary Trips to All Over!

I was probably about 6 years old when I got my first train set. It was a battery-operated plastic thing with a black steam-engine, a black coal-car, a blue box car, and a red caboose. The train ran on a perhaps three- to four-foot diameter circular plastic track. After my Dad showed me how to as...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:47:51

111. Alternative Energy -- Moving Electrons! News!

Let's eliminate Oil Dependency! With Oil now Passing $100 a barrel, it's Time to Kick Butts and Find Alternate Ways to Provide for our Energy Needs! Okay, so the price dropped a bit. Big deal. You can probably guarantee that the price will inevitably go back up again. So, it's best to prepare! ...
Education - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:49:00

112. Papayas - Carica papaya - Full of Healthy Enzymes

The papaya, Carica papaya, is a fruit native to the tropics of southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. However, it is now cultivated in most countries with a tropical climate--including Brazil, India, South Africa, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. The papaya tree is...
Education - Sat, 14 Apr 2012 06:01:48

113. Squid! News!

Education - Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:52:55

114. Bees and Honey, Honey and Bees News!

Honey Bees are communal insects of the Order Hymenoptera and Family Apidae. They are related to ants and wasps -- and can sting like them as well. Unlike ants and wasps, however, when bees sting, the stinger (which is barbed) and venom sac are ripped out of their bodies and the bee dies. The stin...
Education - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:24:34

115. Kapok -- The "Cucumber Tree" News!

Have you ever seen a "cucumber tree"? For some folks on Guam, Palau, Hawaii, and other parts of the tropics--whether in the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean Islands, Asia, the Americas, or in Africa, they think they may have. When U.S. mainlanders arrive on Guam or these other tropical areas, the "...
Education - Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:17:53

116. Agritourism and Ecotourism - Fieldtrips School Never Gave You! News!

Education - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:42:06

117. Bond, James Bond. The Books. The Movies. The Adventure! News!

Whether it's Dr. No, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, or any of the other books and movies in the James Bond series, you can count on having a thrill a minute and settings from exotic places from around the world. Oh, and did I mention the absolutely gorgeous "Bond Girls"? Yup... James Bond book...
Entertainment & Media - Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:50:01

118. Stonefish - A Boulder Variety of Fish

I had never heard of the venomous stone fish when I lived in New Mexico, but when my family packed us up and moved us to the Western Pacific Island of Guam, we occasionally encountered these critters on the beautiful coral reefs around the island. As part of our "orientation" to the island, we at...
Education - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:52:41

119. Beaches - Getting Sedimental About Them! News!

This picture: White Beach, Boracay Island, Aklan Province, Philippines The most common image of a "beach" is one with palm trees overhanging a white or light-tan stretch of sand bordered by turquoise tropical waves gently lapping the intertidal zone. You see this "visual stereotype" on travel pos...
Education - Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:54:10

120. Chemistry - Its Elemental, Watson! What Really Makes Our World! News!

Aaaarrgh! You have CHEMICALS in your WATER! The other day, a door-to-door canvasser came to our house to sell us a "water filtration system"... and he said that we have to get rid of chemicals in our water. I was amused (not enough to let the guy in, however-- besides, we already have a water fil...
Education - Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:56:23

121. Monosodium Glutamate - Food Flavor Potentiator - Food Chemistry News!

I had never heard of monosodium glutamate (and didn't really know much or care much about salt or other seasonings, either) until our family moved from New Mexico to the Western Pacific island of Guam. Then, when we got to Guam, we were hearing about this Japanese seasoning called "Aji no Moto" -...
Education - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 01:22:06

122. Tour Guides -- The Ambassadors to New Places!

When I was a kid, our family would frequently go on summer trips, my dad and mom would have us research where we were going, find out about the history, the sights to see, and even plan our route to get there and beyond. Occasionally, we'd go someplace and it would be so exotic and strange that m...
Travel & Places - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:17:59

123. Island Life - Tied to the Water News!

After living on an island for 12 years (and having visited many other islands during and since that time), I'm sort of an island fanatic. Once you've lived on an island, you never are the same. I lived on Guam for 12 years... and from Guam, discovered many of the other islands of the Pac...
Travel & Places - Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:13:34

124. Cruising - On a Ship!

I've always enjoyed boats and ships--a fascination that began when my mom and dad moved our family (my sister and me) to the Western Pacific Island of Guam. Before then, I had rarely seen anything much larger than a canoe or ski-boat or fishing pontoon boat (this is what you'd usually find in Mon...
Travel & Places - Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:50:05

125. Mangroves - Whats a Swamp Without Them?

The saline coastal habitats (oceanic inter-tidal zones) of the tropics and subtropics are frequently lined by "mangrove swamps", also called "mangrove forests" or "mangals". The main plants of a mangrove swamp are plants belonging to the mangrove family Rhizophoraceae--specifically mangrove trees...
Education - Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:13:35

126. Do Your Co-Workers Drive You Crazy? News!

Many years ago, most folks worked in the fields or forests together. Those who were not cut out for that kind of work generally migrated to store fronts, and then to offices.... and their "workspaces" eventually became "cubicles". Nowadays, cubicles resemble padded cells without doors--and if the...
Business & Work - Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:56:57

127. The Artists of the Old West News!

When explorers started their journey from the Eastern United States to discover the Western United States, they encountered Native American cultures and communities and wildlife they may have never imagined. They encountered various Native American groups such as the Lakota Sioux and Blackfoot, ...
Arts & Design - Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:25:13

128. Bicycles - Pedal Power - The Quiet, Healthy Way of Wheeling News!

When I first learned how to ride a bike (in New Mexico), my folks had given me one of these single-speed, solid steel (seemed like cast-iron), balloon-tire "cruiser" bikes. The thing was heavy and awkward... and I fell off the thing more times than I care to remember. Then, my next bike was a thr...
Sports & Recreation - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:33:29

129. Shrimps! Even "Jumbo Shrimps" Aren't That Big. News!

Shrimps may have a reputation for being tiny, weak little things, but in the marine world, they not only play an important role in marine ecology, they also are formidable fighters. No, really. If you don't believe me, just stick your fingers under a rock on a tropical coral reef--such as those f...
Education - Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:44:09

130. Treehouse Haven (or is it Heaven?) News!

Who has watched one of the movies or read the book about "Swiss Family Robinson" and hasn't imagined what life would be like living in a treehouse? Especially a fancy treehouse like the one portrayed on the first Disney movie from the 1960s (or even the more recent one from the 1980s). If thinkin...
Home & Garden - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:59:20

131. Camping Styles - Location, Climate, and Campers! News!

Whether you are camping along the shore of Flathead Lake, Montana, or along the beach on the Western Pacific Island of Guam, the way you set up your camp and what you do while "camping" must be different. Obviously, when camping in places such as Montana, Alaska, Canada, many of the other Norther...
Sports & Recreation - Sun, 06 May 2012 04:55:05

132. Yurts - Well Rounded Portable Homes! News!

For thousands of years, the nomadic peoples of Mongolia, Tibet, and the Steppes of Kazakstan, Tadjickistan, and Kurgistan have used a tent-like dwelling for their living quarters. More sturdy than a regular tent, these dwellings, commonly known in the West as Yurts and known by other names, in Mo...
Travel & Places - Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:58:53

133. Laura Joh Rowland - Visions of Feudal Japan News!

Laura Joh Rowland has visions of Feudal Japan that she expresses in her books through the eyes of Japanese Imperial Detective Sano Ichiro as he works to solve mysterious crimes that occur throughout the ancient Japanese empire. While he searches for the culprits to bring them to justice, he also ...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Sun, 01 Apr 2012 01:49:16

134. Seattle, Washington

My wife and I first visited Seattle when we flew up there from our home in New Mexico for a business conference and to see a best-friend from when I spent high school and college on Guam. Although we spent most of those days at the business conference, my wife and I did get a great tour around t...
Travel & Places - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:24:06

135. Choosing Chinese - Mandarin as a Foreign Language News!

Mandarin Chinese is a good option for foreign language learning -- with the way the international business is going and with all the influences of China over the past few years, Mandarin is almost essential for participating in the business world. And now there are many ways that folks can use to...
Education - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:54:39

136. Tracy, California - Living in the Tracy Triangle News!

The Tracy Triangle - formed by I-5 on the East, I-580 on the West, and I-205 on the North Every weekday morning between 4:30am and 8am, the 3 above-mentioned freeways become slow-moving parking lots as California Central Valley residents pack-it-up and go through the Altamont Pass Gauntlet (you h...
Travel & Places - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:19:07

137. Pampanga Province on Luzon Island of the Philippines

Travel & Places - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:58:11

138. Sea Snakes - Theyre Tropical Reptiles, but Resemble Eels!

One of the stranger animals you may encounter when you are snorkeling or scuba diving on a coral reef would be the sea snake. It would be wise to give a lot of room to this oceanic reptile. Because sea snakes comprise some of the most venomous and deadly snakes known. A Banded Sea Snake Glides T...
Education - Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:17:27

139. Ketchikan, wild and southeasternmost metropolis of Alaska

As I always do before I visit a place, I researched what we might find when we'd visit Ketchikan, Alaska. We had scheduled a cruise up to Alaska which included visiting with a former colleague and friend who lived in Sitka and to visit my son, his wife, and my granddaughter who lived in Seattle.....
Travel & Places - Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:18:32

140. Cultural Crash Course! News!

How do people adjust to drastically different cultures -- the languages, the foods, the customs, the lifestyles? Well, sometimes you can gradually sneak up on a different culture by taking language classes in school, scooting across the border to a different country (although some states would al...
Education - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:16:45

141. Seagulls News!

Seagulls comprise 11 genera in the bird family Laridae. They are somewhat related to the terns (family Sternidae) and are only distantly related to other seabirds such as the auks, skimmers, and waders. (Earlier, gulls had been placed by scientists in the genus Larus, but after discovering major ...
Education - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:16:12

142. Food and Cooking as a Profession News!

When my son told us that he wanted to go for training sponsored by the CIA and FBI, we thought he was talking about going into espionage as a career choice. Then we found out that he was talking about the Culinary Institute of America and the Food and Beverage Institute. Whew! Our son was showi...
Food & Cooking - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 07:15:58

143. Sapporo International Snow Festival -- Niseko Skiing, Hokkaido Japans Snow! News!

The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. It was the first Winter Olympics to be held outside Western Europe and the USA, and only the 4th Games (summer or winter) held outside of the above mentioned regions, after Me...
Travel & Places - Wed, 14 Mar 2012 03:51:33

144. Workers Called "Robots" - Robotniks Doing Robota! News!

When I was a kid, robots were still mostly imaginary concepts presented by the science fiction writers and science fiction movie producers of those times. Bot now (pun intended), robots are everywhere--maybe not appearing as they did in the science fiction illustrations and movies from the 1950s...
Computers & Electronics - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:36:38

145. Cattails News!

Cattails are edible plants (species in the genus Typha of the family Typhaceae) that are not only established in all 50 states of the U.S., but found in most wetland areas of the Northern Hemisphere and also occurs in many freshwater marshy areas of the Southern Hemisphere. I first learned about...
Education - Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:33:19

146. Jobs and Work - What Do They Entail? News!

Income. Related to Work. Or Is It? And... how do we choose what we do for a living? And why? Some people are focused on a career field even when they are in elementary school... and they work toward that goal all the way through high school and higher education such that they get that job and lo...
Business & Work - Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:38:23

147. Llamas, Alpacas, Vicunas, Guanacos News!

The llamas, alpacas, vicunas, and guanacos of South America are the New World versions of the Old World camels--they are camelids. They have simularities in how they eat, walk, and even their personalities. Some, in particular, the llamas and alpaca, are domesticated and used as "beasts of burden...
Pets & Animals - Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:39:32

148. Mechanical Types - Keeping Our Transportation Going, and Other Stuff! News!

It used to be relatively easy (sort of) to do minor repairs and maintenance for our cars -- things like changing a headlight, or maybe an air filter, or the spark plugs, or changing a tire and things like that. But now, it seems like many of the newer cars coming off the manufacturing lines requi...
Cars - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:15:12

149. Teaching Writing (and Editing) to Kids -- A Curriculum Starter News!

This Squidoo lens is dedicated to homeschoolers, teachers, and those wanting to learn more about writing. Selections and sites in this lens will change frequently, so it's good to return here to occasionally to check out the changes. Later offerings will include curriculum materials and exercises...
Education - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:45:19

150. Morinda Citrifolia -- "Noni" -- A Tropical Fruit News!

Morinda citrifolia--the name of the tree that stood outside the Science Building entrance at the University of Guam. During the fruit season, the fruits would ripen and fall onto the sidewalk, resulting in a sort of stinky, slimey mess on the walkway. We'd have to tip-toe through the mess on the ...
Education - Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:52:04

151. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton's Imagination Running Wild! News!

As a former marine biologist as well as someone who studied tropical reptiles in graduate school--crocodiles, sea turtles, and monitor lizards--reading Michael Crichton's book Jurassic Park was vivid enough to scare the mess out of me (in a good way!). Watching the movie, however, was a whole 'nu...
Entertainment & Media - Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:19:10

152. Juneau, Alaska -- Capitol of the Largest U.S. State

Glaciers, wildlife, logging, fisheries, canneries, hunting, and tourism.... make for an interesting combination to create a unique Alaskan economy. It seems to a visitor that EVERYTHING in the state is huge! The state is larger than Texas (the second largest state in the U.S.), but so much more s...
Travel & Places - Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:05:55

153. Tagaytay, Philippines -- Home of Lake Taal News!

Just an hour or two drive south on the SLEX (Southern Luzon Expressway) from Manila will give you a chance to see one of the wonders of the world--a huge volcano caldera filled with water to create a lake, from which another volcanic island rises which is also filled with water to create a lake, ...
Travel & Places - Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:45:28

154. Bus? Where Are You Going? News!

Probably the way most of us were introduced to the BUS as a way of transportation was when we started school and had to ride the school bus--that big yellow thing without many amenities.... just a basic rubber-matted floor, vinyl seats, and not much more. Others of us maybe lived in major cities ...
Education - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:41:32

155. Sodium - the Element! News!

No, it's not "No", it's "Na"... the chemical element symbol for Sodium. Sodium is an element that's found in a lot of places here on Earth--including in our own bodies and in ocean water (it's what creates much of the "salinity"). Sodium is also found in a lot of places around our homes--in the ...
Education - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 01:32:41

156. Energy Efficient, Conservation, and Environmental Alternatives News!

Only recently (about the past 10,000 years or so) have humans used solar energy in the form of "carbon-foot-print" in the form of that all-power power called "fire". This is a good start to the story--but it's most likely really, really wrong. Because all living things--including humans--are carb...
Education - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:19:18

157. Caffeine - Coffee - Better Living Through Chemistry! News!

Ah, I can hear my chemistry instructor now... "Better Living through Chemistry!" ... Yup, for a while I was a chemistry major in college--and then, maybe I didn't get enough caffeine to stay awake in class, and certain grades made me inclined to change my major to biology. (I remained a chemistry...
Food & Cooking - Sat, 24 Mar 2012 06:53:07

158. Setting as a Critical Part of Fiction

Places can add to your story by providing additional things for your characters to interact with. Think about it--would Jack London's books "White Fang" or "Call of the Wild" be as dramatic and forceful if the Alaskan and Canadian Yukon winter ruggedness didn't play a part in the story? How abo...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Fri, 18 May 2012 04:46:48

159. Accent of Flowers in Decoration News!

Flowers and other plant parts can make interesting and fragrant decorations for your home, office, or event. If they are artistically arranged and presented, they can enhance the atmosphere even more! You can change the floral designs with each season or holiday to help provide a thematic atmosp...
Home & Garden - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:49:04

160. Flying Tour - A Different Way to See Sights! News!

Especially from the window-side, front-seat view of a Cessna 172! National Aviation Day in the United States was established on August 19th in 1939 by a Franklin Delano Roosevelt presidential proclamation to designate the anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday and to commemorate the development...
Travel & Places - Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:14:18

161. Bald Eagles

The Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, is a magnificent, large bird--a raptor--that has a range of much of North America -- From Alaska, Canada, and through the contiguous United States, to northern Mexico. Although they eat primarily fish, they also are opportunistic and will eat almost anyth...
Pets & Animals - Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:51:53

162. Dave's Tropical Bungalow Dreams! News!

The tropics! You can see why Captain Bligh's crew all wanted to bail and jump ship when his ships visited Tahiti and Bora Bora.... I mean, who'd want to be on a stinky, creaky, slow-moving ship and being forced to eat salt-pork and a few spoiled lemons for daily meals, when you can be frolicking ...
Travel & Places - Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:24:50

163. Banyan Trees - You May Know Them as "Ficus" News!

My first encounter with a banyan tree, was in Hawaii, when my family was on its way from New Mexico to our new home on the Western Pacific island of Guam. When we walked from our hotel in Honolulu to the International Marketplace on Waikiki's Kalakaua Avenue, we saw some banyan trees along the ro...
Education - Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:55:27

164. Montana, Big-Sky Country, the U.S.s 4th Largest State!

Montana is a large state. So large, in fact, that it's the 4th largest state in the United States. Only Alaska, Texas, and California are larger. The western half of Montana straddles the Continental Divide--the line which separates the direction that water flows to the oceans. Rivers on the west...
Travel & Places - Sat, 07 Apr 2012 01:20:24

165. Rodeos - The Way of the Cowboys (and Cowgirls)

When I was growing up in Montana and New Mexico, we frequently saw horses and cattle both in the fields and clearings as well as within various corrals. We had friends who had working cattle ranches, dairy farms, and other farms (mostly corn and wheat in Montana), and they'd always be busy with r...
Culture & Society - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:34:52

166. Carbon Monoxide -- Invisible Killer News!

The chemical compound known as carbon monoxide is usually the result of an incomplete oxidation of carbon. Carbon monoxide is a heavier-than-air gas that's invisible, tasteless, and odorless. And, it is a toxic gas for most organisms because it bonds with the hemoglobin in the blood such that oxy...
Education - Mon, 07 May 2012 02:08:33

167. Martial Arts Movies - Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan's Influence

I watched my first Bruce Lee movie when I was perhaps 8 or 9 years old -- and that experience helped me to decide to study martial arts. In my town in New Mexico, the only martial arts classes that we knew about happened to be that for Gojyu-Ryu Okinawan-style karate. Our sensei (instructor) had...
Entertainment & Media - Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:02:50

168. If You Write -- Edit It To Increase Its Effectiveness! News!

The world of writing has changed--maybe not the thinking part, but the tools used to get the words "out there". From pads and pencils (and before that, tablets and stylus), our writing has progressed through typewriters and then rudimentary computers with ASCII monocolor screens, to laptop comput...
Business & Work - Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:23:27

169. Sea Otters! Bridging the Gap Between Sea and Land! News!

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are seemingly an interesting cross between a seal and a weasel. They have a body shape of regular river otters and weasels, but they swim and cavort in and underwater in the ocean coastal areas like a seal. Their hind feet are webbed between the toes and these provide ...
Education - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:19:40

170. Alien Encounters - What Kind? News!

Aliens are a mainstay of science fiction - from the early stories such as "War of the Worlds" to more recent movies such as the most recently produced movie "Star Trek". It's fun to imagine beings from other worlds--with their different languages, cultures, civilizations, foods, and behaviors. So...
Culture & Society - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:56:04

171. Darkroom? It's possible to be negative and positive about it. News!

I learned my photography back in the Dark Ages--namely, when images on film and paper were still developed in dark rooms. The Darkroom. Although it truly is amazing what one can do with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator and other software... the magic of the dark room still beckons for the "...
Arts & Design - Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:17:33

172. Naugas--An Endangered Species? The World Source of Naugahyde! News!

Pets & Animals - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:04:33

173. Physical Fitness for Homeschoolers? News!

Homeschoolers (sometimes called "un-schoolers") have a wide variety of ways that they address the educational needs of their kids. "Education" is not synonymous with "School" and vice versa. Just because you are not in "school" does not mean that you aren't learning anything. Likewise, there's ...
Sports & Recreation - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:01:14

174. Martial Arts - The Movies, History, Legends, and the New Generation

In much the same way that Jackie Chan got much of his start as a martial arts and action movie star by working as an extra with Bruce Lee in his blockbuster action movies, the new generation of martial arts stars have gotten much of their start in blockbuster martial arts and action movies by bei...
Entertainment & Media - Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:33:11

175. Yucca! News!

For many, when a desert is mentioned, they think of cactus. Or maybe roadrunners. But others will think of Yucca!. I don't believe I had seen a yucca plant until my family moved from Montana to the Southwestern State of New Mexico (They are the "state flower" of New Mexico). Then, it seemed that...
Education - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:11:12

176. Carbon -- Our Planets Basis for Life News!

Yup, if you are a fan of Star Trek, you know that our planet is home for "carbon-based lifeforms" (as Science Officer Spock would call us and the other critters that inhabit our planet). Carbon is an amazing element--it has an atomic configuration with the number of free electrons in its outer s...
Education - Sat, 05 May 2012 17:38:20

177. Nikon Digital Cameras - From the High End to the Low End! News!

Nikon Corporation makes some of the finest cameras available--with a selection ranging from professional single-lens reflex bodies with interchangeable lenses to starter cameras that are good for beginners or those who just want to take casual pictures. The company was founded in 1917 as the "Ni...
Computers & Electronics - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:26:02

178. Burritos - Compact Meals Full of Flavor! Muy Sabroso!

We didn't see very many "burritos" when my family lived in Montana, but after my dad and mom moved our family to live in southern New Mexico (just north of El Paso, Texas), we quickly learned what burritos were--and we saw them (and ate them) seemingly all the time. During our first year, we liv...
Food & Cooking - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:37:42

179. Michael Crichton - MD, Archeology, Dinosaurs, and Time Travel News!

Whether it's bioengineered and cloned dinosaurs, intelligent nanoparticles, space-borne mutating viruses, diamond-mines guarded by mutant gorillas, airplane crash investigations, time-travel by archeologists, or robotic cowboys, or climate change and global warming explanations, Michael Crichton ...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:21:07

180. Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada!

When my wife, son, daughter, and niece and I traveled on a summer holiday to the Canadian city of Vancouver in British Columbia a few years ago, we had heard about and considered visiting Victoria, the capitol of British Columbia on Vancouver Island. However, instead of taking a ferry across the ...
Travel & Places - Sat, 07 Apr 2012 06:51:42

181. Breadfruit - Potato-like Food from the Tropics News!

Native to the Malay Peninsula and the Western Pacific Islands, the breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a distinctive large tree that grows to a height of 66 ft (20 m) and develops a large fruit that resembles a green basketball in size and skin texture. Lieutenant William Bligh (of the "Captain B...
Education - Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:34:21

182. Solar Heating, Cooking, and Hot Water News!

Anyone jumping into their car after a day at the beach will immediately understand how easy it is to capture the heat of the sun--especially if they've forgotten to cover their leather or vinyl seats with a towel before plunking their bare legs and arms on them. So, if it's so easy, then why don'...
Education - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:04:29

183. Reverse Osmosis Water Filters - The Chemistry of the Membranes News!

Osmosis is a common process in living organisms that is used to transport cellular fluids. Generally, pure fluid moves through cell walls (membranes) toward less pure or more concentrated solutions. Although mangrove trees, which obtain their transpiration water from the sea, use a physical ultra...
Education - Fri, 06 Apr 2012 01:07:25

184. Box Your Collection in Boxes - Or, Just Collect Boxes! News!

The box. The best ones have a lid. You can close them and open them. You can stash your stuff in them! Kids love boxes. Whether they are the big refrigerator boxes that they can make-believe are a spaceship or a castle or a giant dollhouse, or the tiny single-ring-sized boxes for tiny treasures...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Thu, 17 May 2012 19:13:22

185. Solar Electricity -- Charging Ahead News!

Although in many parts of the country, homes are still heated by coal, natural gas, log fireplaces, or "heat-pumps", there still are those who use heating oil or gas provided by the utilities companies to provide warmth for their houses. Likewise, the power for most cars out there and much of our...
Education - Tue, 01 May 2012 01:58:56

186. Jules Verne - Novelist and Futurist News!

From the first time I read Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I was hooked. Much of his imaginative ideas in his writings have come true--including nuclear submarines and space flight and moonlandings. After 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I read Journey to the Center of the Earth, From th...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Tue, 03 Apr 2012 05:16:23

187. Earthquakes - Are You Prepared? News!

The Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 was on April 18th. Each year, the City of San Francisco has a commemoration ceremony and other events to continue awareness of what earthquakes can do in our area. And we don't have to go back too far in history to see constant reminders of the power of ...
Education - Fri, 23 Mar 2012 07:20:35

188. Jeepneys - Uniquely Philippine Transportation News!

Jeepneys - The amazing form of transportation that is uniquely Filipino, seem to be more common on the roads and byways of the Philippines than the Yellow Cabs are in New York City or the Red, Blue, and Green Cabs of Hong Kong. They are open-air (usually) and come in a wide variety of lengths--ca...
Travel & Places - Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:08:03

189. Prickley-Pear and Beavertail Cactus

When I lived in the deserts of New Mexico, I frequently saw a wide variety of cactus when I hiked through the deserts. And I'd even see many kinds of cactus being used as decorations in people's yards. The beavertail cactus seemed to be particularly popular--it has beautiful flowers, large lucio...
Home & Garden - Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:58:06

190. Survivor - A "Reality" Show .... Does it Reflect on Reality?

When I saw the very first television show, "Survivor", many, many seasons ago, it got my interest because of the exotic locale and the premise of the story (whether "reality" or not) -- a group of people stranded in a remote, non-civilized location and through basically a "survival of the fittest...
Culture & Society - Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:54:44

191. Saving Money in a Crazy Economy! News!

With this crazy economy, many of us are cutting back on our expenses. We are squeezing each penny or pence or ruble or yen until we hear it scream. We're not going out to eat as much, and when we do, we go to places where we won't break the bank to have a meal. We're making our lunches at home an...
Education - Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:19:49

192. Verdolagas - Incredibly Edible Pussley - Portulaca Oleracea News!

My grandparents had a "truck patch" (another term for garden) in the Amish Country area of Pennsylvania... and I probably saw lots of this amazing plant growing amongst their rows of corn, beans, tomatos, bell peppers, potatos, and onions. I'm not sure if my grandparents knew of the food potentia...
Education - Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:59:30

193. Construction Work News!

From the pyramids of ancient Egypt to the great castles of Europe to the Great Wall of China, construction projects have always left a MARK on the world (including on the backs of the workers). But now you can work in construction without having to deal with supervisors who handle things using w...
Business & Work - Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:35:57

194. Secretaries and Administrative Assistants News!

Many professionals and offices in general have the stuff they were trained to do -- like dentists, doctors, lawyers, plumbers, accountants, writers, mechanics, scientists, engineers, and even government investigators --but we're swamped when it comes to the "administrative" stuff--the paperwork. ...
Business & Work - Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:24:59

195. Pacific Grove, California - Scenic Destination News!

This quiet community on the north-middle coast of California is sometimes overshadowed by its neighbors - Carmel and Monterey. But Pacific Grove offers a lot to see and do for a more relaxed vacation and break from the hustle and bustle of these other places. According to some sources, Pacific Gr...
Travel & Places - Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:48:46

196. Unemployment - From the Other Side of the HR Desk News!

Business & Work - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:45:14

197. Energy Independence! Catching Some Rays! News!

With more concern about global warming, environmental pollution, and an energy deficit looming, we must now turn to alternate energy to provide our sources for electricity and other power. After living on a tropical island for more than 12 years during which typhoons (Western Pacific version of h...
Education - Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:41:54

198. Jump at Learning Japanese! News!

After taking Japanese for three years in high school, and another three years in college ... and after 5 trips to Japan, I can handle the language fairly well. And then, when it came time for our kids to learn a foreign language or two, we started with Japanese (I was their "teacher" -- we homesc...
Education - Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:11:24

199. Sometimes Bullying Isnt Just in School -- It Happens at Work, Too! News!

When I was a kid, I loved reading comic books. (I was sort of a nerdy, bespectacled short-kid... and reading was one thing I could do really well.) And, in the back of those comic books, there always was that advertisement that pictured a skinny fellow wearing glasses on the beach with his girlfr...
Relationships & Family - Tue, 08 May 2012 03:43:54

200. Sushi - The Rice is Nice News!

When we lived in Montana and New Mexico, rice was not high on our list of starch-foods to eat. And Sushi? Not even on the radar. But that changed dramatically when we moved to the Western Pacific Island of Guam. Our family soon became very good at going through a 50-lb bag of rice each month. We...
Food & Cooking - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:08:14

201. Monterey, California - A Former Colonial Spanish Capital of California News!

On a north facing bay on the west coast of north-central California, the town of Monterey has a long history, beautiful scenery, and amazing wildlife. It's a site of many wineries, the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, and many historically notable individuals--including John Steinbeck. Established i...
Travel & Places - Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:34:55

202. Clones - Reproduction as Carbon Copies

When I was studying biology in college, one of the fascinating things that we learned about was that of genetically identical organisms that shared the same DNA code -- thus, they looked exactly the same and would have the same characteristics with regard to blood type, hair color, eye color, ski...
Entertainment & Media - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:30:23

203. Sugar Cane - Sweet Tropical Member of the Grass Family News!

When you think of eating grass (or using it as some sort of a food additive), most folks think of the "happy cows of California" out in the fields eating their grass. Maybe more well-traveled folks might think of the Thai "lemon grass"... but yup... cows having dinner is what most folks have in m...
Education - Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:54:08

204. Las Vegas, Nevada - Chevy Chase Vacation? News!

My first experience with Las Vegas was back in 1969... (yeah, I'm talking about prehistoric times, but hey... ) ... Back to the story. My Dad and Mom had just accepted jobs as teachers on the Pacific Island of Guam and we were on the end of our last summer "road trip" vacation (for a few years) f...
Travel & Places - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:01:01

205. Gift for Dad? How About Sky's the Limit?

Although I'm not a mechanical type, or a pilot type, I do appreciate the skill it takes to fly an airplane or to build or maintain one. So when I get a chance to be around airplanes or to get inside one (whether to fly in it or to just explore one staying still on the ground), I always enjoy the ...
Holidays & Celebrations - Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:00:48

206. Chili -- Hot Additions to Spice Up Your Food!

When I was growing up in Montana it was rare that we ever had food that was even mildly spicy --and definitely not "hot". Yes, the food was always tasty, but it just wasn't spicy. But later, when we moved to the fascinating state of New Mexico, we discovered that it was rare that we ever found f...
Food & Cooking - Fri, 18 May 2012 04:43:29

207. Books Don't Have to Be Dull... Some Are Downright Exciting!

I've been an avid reader (and writer) almost since I was old enough to hold a crayon and turn pages on a book. I believe that my current career as a writer has been widely influenced by my reading. And I read darn-near everything I could get my hands on. Yeah, I like to read novels. Lots of them....
Books, Poetry & Writing - Thu, 17 May 2012 19:17:12

208. Watergardens

Some water gardens comprise not much more than a retrofitted "bird-feeder" with some added water-loving plants around the edges and an occasional refill of water when it starts to get a little "dry". Other water gardens become massive productions with multi-levels, pumped waterfalls and fountains...
Home & Garden - Thu, 03 May 2012 02:18:50

209. Hammer Dulcimers - Unique Stringed Percussion Instruments

I'm not sure when I first saw a hammer dulcimer (or even if it was being played when I saw it). But the first time I remember seeing one being played was when I saw a Public Broadcasting Station playing some satellite transmissions relayed from the Soviet Union -- the old U.S.S.R. --and one of th...
Music - Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:26:16

210. California Wine Country -- And California Wines News!

One thing that amazed me after moving to California was the extent of the vineyards and wines! There were vineyards directly across the street from the apartment where my family lived during the first few months here--in a place called "Livermore"! I soon found out that there were more than 20 vi...
Food & Cooking - Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:56:14

211. Porpoises and Dolphins

It was while I was a kid growing up in New Mexico that I'd come home from school to watch the weekly series television show of Flipper--a show that featured a Marine Park Ranger and his family... and their sort-of "pet", a friendly and curious dolphin they named "Flipper". The show was a fantasti...
Pets & Animals - Fri, 06 Apr 2012 01:26:35

212. Homeschooling - It's an Adventure! News!

When considering homeschooling, for many folks it is a terrifying leap into the unknown. But they might also know folks who already homeschool--by seeing the example provided by those other homeschoolers, they can get a better familiarity with what potential exists with this method of bringing ch...
Education - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:20:00

213. The Tiger Mother (and Perhaps Dragon Father?) News!

Parenting techniques are probably just as varied from country to country as they are from culture to culture and family to family. Sometimes what we're taught in public school goes a long way to become what we pass on to our kids. And, if OUR public school was in some other country, then, yes, we...
Parenting & Kids - Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:43:17

214. Teachers -- Shapers of Our Future News!

Other than parents, teachers are some of the most influential people in the world. They help to form youngsters into the adults they will become. And, most likely, if you are reading this, you've been taught how to read .... by a teacher! We can all remember our favorite teacher(s), our best tea...
Education - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:48:47

215. Chemists and Chemistry as a Profession News!

Chemistry is FUN! *Really!* Yeah... I was a chemistry major in college -- and since P-Chem (Physical Chemistry) didn't agree with me -- I became a biology major (with a chemistry minor). But I still like chemistry and chemical things. When some folks think of chemistry, they think of the old sme...
Education - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:11:03

216. Sea Lions News!

Sea lions are large marine mammals of the seal family (the "pinnepeds", which includes the seals and walruses, as well). And if you hang out around the U.S. West Coast from California all the way up to Alaska, you may see these along the shoreline or out in the coastal waters. There are seven gen...
Education - Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:22:13

217. Crabs

When I was growing up in Montana and New Mexico, I had never seen a crab, let alone eaten one (at least not that I knew of). Then my family took my sister and me to the Northeast Coast of the U.S. -- and for the first time, probably in Massachusetts at my cousins' home, I tried crab cakes. They w...
Pets & Animals - Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:09:04

218. Map - and a Compass News!

Do you know why some compasses have mirrors on them? I've always wondered about that.... But I'll get to that later. I had an exposure to NAVIGATION very early in my life. Even before I figured out how to use a compass. You see, my Mom and Dad were teachers... and every summer that I can remember...
Travel & Places - Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:07:37

219. Halloween -- Creepy Stories are a Major Part!

When I was a kid growing up in New Mexico I enjoyed reading creepy stories --and these stories kept me up all night, particularly during those winter rain and snow storms. Some of these classic stories include Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein". But there were also the sto...
Holidays & Celebrations - Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:09:57

220. Herbs! Sometimes Spices, Sometimes Flavorful. Food!

When most folks think about "herbs", they probably think about small and aromatic plants such as basil, mint, lavender, oregano, chives, sage, and dill and so on--the flavorfull garnishes you add to a meal to make it even more delicious. But you might be surprised at what plants are considered to...
Home & Garden - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:45:16

221. Backpacking - Like Hiking, but Carrying Your Stuff With You! News!

Sometimes you go hiking, but sometimes you want to bring some more stuff to make the hike go longer or more enjoyable. You can't bring a suitcase (have you ever tried to carry a suitcase up a hill?). So, if you have a backpack, it leaves both of your hands free to grab onto things to help you cli...
Sports & Recreation - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:00:32

222. Pelicans - Birds with a Bill! (And a Pouch!) News!

Along most coastal areas in the tropics and temperate zones, you can find pelicans out and about--either swimming or flying over the water--searching for food. Their food? Any fish too close to that's small enough for them to swallow--and this can be a fairly large fish! Because they have a large...
Education - Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:52:45

223. Alternate Energy is Blowing in the Wind News!

Wind energy has been used for centuries. Ancient records show sailboats of the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Greeks, and the ancient Egyptians. The Vikings used their sailboats to cross the North Atlantic and to explore the coasts of Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, and North America. Sail pow...
Education - Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:24:07

224. Energy Efficient and Alternate Fuel Vehicles News!

Sometimes I hear of people not willing to investigate, use or buy hybrid or other alternate fuel vehicles because according to them, "they don't have very much efficiency". That's a ridiculous argument. Because, (duh) there are NO 100% efficient energy conversion/sources out there! Gas cars and e...
Education - Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:54:07

225. Vacations We Remember! News!

What are your vacations like? Do you pack up your station wagon (well, nowadays, your minivan or SUV) and head for the open road? Do you go out during the summer or do you go out for winter sports? Do you go out for the fall colors in the leaves or do you like the spring flowers? Do you gather u...
Parenting & Kids - Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:40:44

226. Clive Cussler - Adventure Novelist News!

Clive Cussler's books have it all! Fast reading, fun reading, and a thrill on every page. It's fun to occasionally find a character in his books named "Clive Cussler"--it's also fun to participate in the adventures of Dirk Pitt, his main character. Cussler's writing is vivid--easy to see in your...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Mon, 27 Feb 2012 02:32:54

227. Dentistry as a Profession -- Looking Down in the Mouth? News!

When I was a kid, I wasn't wild about going to the dentist. We lived in a tiny town on the flat plains of Montana... and going to the dentist meant killing a Saturday and taking 2-hour trip to Billings--the nearest, largest Montana city that had dentists (at least those dentists that worked on p...
Business & Work - Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:52:53

228. Sodium Chloride - Salt! A Common Substance in Our Lives! News!

Salt, or sodium chloride, is so common that most of us (at least those of us reading this Squidoo lens) have at least some of it in our house. But also, we've got a fair share of "salt" or sodium chloride in our bodies... with almost the same salinity as common sea water! It's a chemical compound...
Education - Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:43:42

229. Glaciers and Icebergs

We've all heard about and have learned about the North Pole and the South Pole -- the Arctic and Antarctica. And we've learned that these are cold and icey places. We've learned about the polar bears in the north (they don't live in the Southern Hemisphere) and we've learned about penguins (they ...
Education - Wed, 14 Mar 2012 03:59:21

230. Skinks News!

When I lived in New Mexico, I frequently chased lizards around in the desert while supposedly on my way to school and back. Sometimes these lizards were skinks. At the time, I didn't really know my lizards well--except for Gila monsters, horned lizards (aka "horny toads"), and all the other lizar...
Education - Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:32:00

231. Guitars! How Many Strings? It Doesnt Matter! News!

I grew up when the guitar was transforming music (yeah, I'm sort of an old geezer...). The Beatles were knocking the records off the charts and the likes of Buddy Holly, Ray Orbison, Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, were also competing on the airwaves for "ear-time". We lived in New Mexico--and this was...
Music - Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:57:48

232. Immigrant Oryx -- Native to Africa and the Middle East

Little did I know when I moved to Alamogordo, New Mexico, a bunch of years ago, that I'd be seeing African or Arabian Oryx during my drives through the desert between my home and Las Cruces, New Mexico. I had heard about these exotic animals living in the desert there, but it wasn't until an earl...
Pets & Animals - Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:03:42

233. Kayaking! As Long as You Can Float, You Can Kayak! News!

Kayaks! Ancient boat style that's still used today, but in more diverse locations. Sort of a cross between a canoe and a surfboard. And, if you are in one, you have a good chance of getting wet! The native Alaskans and others from the North Seas of North America - Eskimos, perhaps? -- from prehi...
Sports & Recreation - Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:04:16

234. Indiana Jones Movies News!

With his trademark bullwhip, fedora, leather jacket, and fear of snakes, professor of archeology Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr. (played by Harrison Ford in the 3 main movies and the next movie coming out this year!), takes us on adventures in exotic and mysterious locations and gives us an adrena...
Entertainment & Media - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:54:00

235. Neckties! The Ties That Bind! (and Strangle!) News!

When I was in first grade my Mom made me wear a clip-on tie when we were off to church, but after that it wasn't until after college I tried a gig selling cars *aaargh!*, then a gig selling insurance *more aaargh!*, and then a gig working in a cubicle farm where I was expected to wear a tie at "w...
Fashion & Beauty - Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:39:32

236. Arthur C. Clarke, Novelist News!

Arthur C. Clarke wrote many inspirational and fantastic science fiction novels and stories--among the most famous being "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Childhood's End", "The Nine Billion Names of God", "Rendezvous with Rama", "A Fall of Moondust", "The Hammer of God", "Prelude to Space", "The Sands of...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:57:50

237. Editing - The Art and Skill of Perfecting Text News!

Editing involves more than just checking for "typos" or misspellings or grammatical gaffes. Editing can improve organization, clarity, meaning, and purpose to your writing. Editing can ensure that your document is cohesive--that it is consistent throughout and thus "hangs together". There are so...
Education - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:43:06

238. Labrador Retriever Tales -- Our Frankenpuppys Fantastic Festivities! News!

Heidi has been our poochie dog for the past few years--and she's become one of our family... A yellow labrador, she came into our home when she was about a year old--so she still had some "puppyness" about her. She was an alpha female... and was driving her packmates and her family nuts by being ...
Pets & Animals - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:19:11

239. Fruitcakes we all love News!

When I was growing up, our kitchen would start to accumulate certain kinds of goodies during the holidays--and although my mom would be baking batches of brownies and cookies and fudge, I don't recall her baking fruitcakes. But for some reason, our kitchen always had a good selection of those, to...
Food & Cooking - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 05:32:01

240. Japan Memories -- Adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun

Japan is a country of contrasts -- with a long and proud history, a strong and crystallized culture, along with some of the most advanced technologies in the world. They have a rugged country that is frequently hit with natural disasters--namely earthquakes and the subsequent tsunami. They have v...
Travel & Places - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:52:42

241. Algae and Sea Weed--Powerhouses of the Oceanic Environment News!

One of the most prevalent and influential aspects of the oceanic (and even the world's!) environment are algae--also known as "sea weed". Algae are sort of misunderstood because they are assumed to be "plants"--but they more resemble bacteria in their structure. However, they do photosynthesize. ...
Education - Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:08:18

242. Barry Eisler, Novelist - Japan, Jazz, and Judo Action News!

You'll like novels by Barry Eisler! Barry Eisler says that his stories revolve around his main interests: Judo, Japan, and Jazz. Although my interests are just a tad different (I like karate/aikido/iado--martial arts; I like Japan!; and, I like Japanese Jazz --but also Japanese folk music), I li...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:58:07

243. Plankton - Soup of the Sea, Biosphere Food News!

Three-quarters of Planet Earth are covered with water--namely, the Oceans, and these waters are inhabited by the microscopic plant and animal life (Plankton) that contributes not only to much of the oxygen in our atmosphere but also provides much of the basis of the food chain for all other life ...
Education - Sun, 18 Mar 2012 07:55:01

244. Capturing Memories--Writing Your Autobiography or Memoir News!

To write about your life. Where to start? Instead of trying to "start from the beginning"--where you write, "I was born in such-and-such-a-year, and then, and then, and then .... and here I am." It's better to catch small glimpses of various times of your life--those moments that stand out in y...
Education - Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:33:58

245. Books! Energy Efficient and Economical Entertainment! News!

Books! I've had a love affair with books since I was old enough to hold one. The feel, the scent, the taste (depends on the ink *grin*), and the imagination stimulation from these wonders of the printing press or, recently, the photocopier are one of the finer joys in life. Well, maybe I'm biase...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Thu, 17 May 2012 19:18:43

246. Jack London Answers the Call of the Wild

The first Jack London stories I remember reading were "White Fang" and "Call of the Wild" -- these books were either birthday presents or Christmas presents from my great-grandma. My great-grandma grew up and lived during much of the time that Jack London's writings were considered "fresh writing...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:06:55

247. Biologists as Depicted in the Media News!

Some of the things that influenced my decision to get a degree in biology were the movies and books I read that made the job and life of a biologist very interesting to me. I had always liked being around animals--I grew up in Montana near where the bears and the buffalo roam and the deer and the...
Education - Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:49:14

248. Lawyers as Depicted in the Media -- Order in the Court? News!

Entertainment & Media - Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:09:14

249. Technology: The Storys Villain or Hero? News!

It's one thing when you have a nasty part of "mother nature" coming after you, but it's a whole new story when man-made technology is the cause of your troubles. We've all read the stories and watched the movies of huge killer sharks, massive earthquakes, deadly Komodo Dragons, and even bigger, b...
Entertainment & Media - Mon, 07 May 2012 02:20:28

250. Mugs! Useful in So Many Ways! Collect Your Set Now! News!

Mugs. Ceramic, stoneware, plastic, tin, paper... They can hold your morning coffee, hot cocoa with marshmallows, savory soup, or milk for your cookies. Or, you can keep a few on your desk or counter to hold your pens, pencils, and markers. How did mugs come to be? In the early times, maybe just a...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Thu, 17 May 2012 19:10:15

251. Dragonfruit - A Strange-Looking Tasty Fruit from the Tropics!

I saw my first dragonfruit when my family and I were walking around the streets of Hong Kong and Kowloon. We walked by a stand full of these fruits that were bright red and festooned with spikey leaves. The first stand we walked by had the price of the fruit listed but the name of the fruit was o...
Food & Cooking - Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:02:05

252. Dave Barry--Novelist, Humorist News!

You Want to Laugh Yourself Silly? You Want a Belly Laugh? Dave's Novels and Essays Will Do That! Whether it's the tourists swarming in Florida, or a new study by NASA, or some inane comment by one of our politicians, Dave will latch onto it like a perturbed bulldog and will shake it until someth...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:29:14

253. Harbor Seals - Uh, You Can Find Them in Harbors? News!

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) (also called "common seals" or "harbour seals") are the most wide-ranging and common marine mammals of the seal, sea lion, and walrus family (known as "pinnepeds") that hang out along the temperate and Arctic beaches and coastal areas of the Northern Hemisphere, incl...
Pets & Animals - Sat, 03 Mar 2012 04:57:29

254. Lots to Do in Alamogordo, NM (zip 88310) News!

Alamogordo, New Mexico--Just about 80 miles north of El Paso, Texas... and about 75 miles north of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Home of the International Space Hall of Fame. I spent a lot of the early years of my life in Alamogordo--from the 3rd grade through 6th grade at Sierra Elementary School and ...
Travel & Places - Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:06:42

255. Demystifying Homeschooling -- Some Tips News!

I've always enjoyed learning things--maybe because my Mom and Dad were both teachers and librarians had something to do with it, eh? Nevertheless, I started as an English grammar and composition teacher at a parochial school on Guam (Bishop Baumgartner Junior High School in Sinajana, if you real...
Education - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 01:38:53

256. Librarians as Depicted in Media News!

When I was a kid in elementary school in New Mexico, one of my "projects" to keep me out of harm's way of recess and lunch hour was that I was a "library assistant" in the school's library. Our library consisted of a portable building next to the playground for a while, until the school district ...
Business & Work - Fri, 04 May 2012 03:43:11

257. Recreation Vehicle or Motor Home? It Works Both Ways! News!

For someone who spent a childhood traveling from Montana and then later, New Mexico across the United States all the way to Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jersey every summer vacation (Mom and Dad were teachers working in Montana and New Mexico--and relatives lived back East), being "on the r...
Cars - Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:57:04

258. San Diego Quick Tour -- So Much to See and Do!

My wife and I had the chance to zip on over to San Diego for a weekend -- one of her high school buddies was getting a surprise party and we were some of the "surprise" from-way-out-of-town guests. After a late drive after work on Friday night, we arrived at our hotel in the outskirts of San Dieg...
Travel & Places - Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:07:45

259. Wet & Wild Romance

Many folks meet their future mate in school--either elementary school, secondary school, or college. That's how I met my wife. In a college class. At the University of Guam. With the help of U.S. Marine Jungle Warfare Instructors! . I had been an awkward, bookish sort of guy ever since elementar...
Relationships & Family - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:25:21

260. Mousepad Mania! Dirty Mouse Balls, Blocked Laser Pointers. Check Your Mouse! News!

Really. Is Your Mouse... Sluggish? Jumpy? Uncooperative? It might be because you have a dirty mouse ball! No... I'm not talking about rodents here (although I might go with a different Squidoo lens on that subject later). What I'm talking about is that computer accessory that usually resides next...
Computers & Electronics - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:11:15

261. Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick, TICKS! News!

When folks and their pets venture into the meadows and forests of our parks and open areas for recreation they may be returning home with unwanted "guests" -- the Ticks Almost any forested or grassy area in the world will have ticks. Ticks are members of the arachnid family--more related to spide...
Education - Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:14:24

262. Dragonflies

What's amazing about dragonflies is that when you see one zipping by, you are seeing one in the last few weeks or days (or minutes) of its life. The previous 90% of its life has been as a "nymph" -- underwater. And underwater, it's also a lethal predator. A dragonfly is a ferocious underwater pr...
Pets & Animals - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 05:13:39

263. Computer Games We All Love!

I remember playing my first computer game at the Guam Okura Hotel on Tumon Bay around 1979 .... it was Pong! I was in college, working part-time as a teacher, and on Fridays, my buddies and I would gather at the lounge at the Okura for a drink and munchies. When they installed a few tables that i...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:34:33

264. Learning Foreign Languages -- Not As Hard As One Thinks! News!

After studying various foreign languages and formal linguistics for the past three decades or more, I've studied, used, and purchased a wide variety of language learning materials--some have been useful, others have been worse than useless. Using a language textbook without audio (CD, cassette, o...
Education - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 05:06:15

265. The Venomous Lizards - Gila Monster and Mexican Beaded Lizard! News!

I owe a lot to these venomous lizards--Gila Monsters--for the past 26 years of my writing and editing career. It was because of my love for lizards and an employer's love of lizards that I got my first job as a technical editor/writer. Go figure, eh? (More on that later...) These lizards are dan...
Education - Sun, 08 Apr 2012 06:40:37

266. Testing Preconceived Notions News!

How lame can one be? I don't know, so I'm going to try it here. Sort of as an experiment in psychology (I never did well in my psych classes at the University of Guam...but then again, maybe I psych'd them out, eh?). This lens is an experiment in fooling around with Squidoo. Can it be "psych'd o...
Education - Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:23:19

267. Emergency and Disaster Preparedness News!

Preparation is the key to surviving many natural and other disasters and emergencies. It's even a Boy Scout motto: "Be Prepared!". I've experienced and seen many natural disasters--particularly major earthquakes (like those on Guam and in California), typhoons and hurricanes (on Guam and in Alas...
Education - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:35:49

268. The PHD Guide to Photography with Disposable Cameras

Here are some tips that may help you with your photography: Even disposable cameras can produce good photos if certain aspects can be controlled. Here are some common causes of ruined pictures: Blurred--camera movement. Need something to steady the shot. Try leaning against a wall or on a table t...
Arts & Design - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:13:28

269. Meat-Eating Plants: Something From Science Fiction? News!

Although it sounds like something out of a science fiction story, there ARE plants out there that eat MEAT! I've seen a few of these plants (and I have pictures of them displayed here)--and I'm impressed. My first experience with carnivorous plants was when I was in maybe the 4th grade--my teach...
Education - Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:39:51

270. New Years Polar Bear Party!

The icebergs pictured here were floating along in Southeastern Alaska's Tracy Arm Fjord, between Juneau and Ketchikan, which is quite a ways south of the range of the Arctic polar bear (but well within the range of the other black and brown bears). However, the concept remains. A critical part of...
Entertainment & Media - Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:28:50

271. Developing Characters for a Fiction Story

Have you ever wanted to write a fictional novel, but had struggles with creating the characters in your novel? Maybe you should do some people watching! Where? In the mall, on the sidewalks downtown, at your regular job, and when you're out and about. What do you watch? Watch their mannerisms, ...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:24:43

272. Chambered Nautilus - The Shelled Cephalopod News!

Cousin to the Octopus, Squid, and Cuttlefish, the Chambered Nautilus is the only cephalopod that has a shell that resembles their other mollusk cousins--the "sea shells". These shy creatures usually live in very deep water in the Indo-Pacific area and occasionally their shells float to the top an...
Education - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:44:51

273. Isaac Asimov - PhD Biochemist, University Professor, Author, Novelist News!

Of the many science fiction books I read when I was a kid in junior high school and high school, those by Isaac Asimov (January 2, 1920 April 6, 1992) were probably instrumental in getting me going down the path of becoming a science major in college. He was one of the most prolific writer...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:29:20

274. Homeschool "Curriculum" -- What To Teach... And How News!

The cool thing about Homeschooling is that you are not TIED or CHAINED to a curriculum determined by *Ivory-Tower* "Boards of Education" such that your children will become Bored of Education! Sure, you can buy curriculum specifically designed and developed for homeschoolers--the ABeka curriculum...
Education - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:14:11

275. Calendars - Keeping Track of the Days! What's Your Schedule? News!

Education - Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:28:54

276. Conferences, Conventions, and Trade Shows -- What's the Big Deal? News!

Conferences, Conventions, and Trade Shows are events that can provide you with a convenient collection of experience and educational opportunities--from break-out sessions, seminars, round-table discussions, vendor exhibitions, and chances to meet others interested in the same venue, these events...
Business & Work - Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:18:55

277. Co-Working: A New Way to Do Business and Get Things Done! News!

At first, the work was described as "telecommuting"... but then, commuting works to get you to and from work. So, the term didn't quite accurately describe what some of us were doing. So, someone coined the phrase, "tele-working"... but even that doesn't cover what we're doing. So, someone came u...
Business & Work - Mon, 07 May 2012 01:51:14

278. Canon Digital Cameras - From High End to Low End

The cameras manufactured by Canon are considered some of the best in the world. They make everything from high-end interchangeable lens single-lens-reflex (SLR) units for professionals and advanced hobbyists to entry-level pocket-sized, automatic exposure cameras for beginners and those who just ...
Computers & Electronics - Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:37:11

279. Bears -- the Big Furry Kind -- Not the Teddy Bears

From almost when I was born, it seems that bears have also popped into my history at interesting times. My folks tell about when I was in my crib one afternoon at our home in a small town near Glacier Park, Montana, that bordered a dense forest by the Swan River. My mom heard a strange noise com...
Pets & Animals - Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:40:11

280. Dragonflies

When I was a kid growing up in Montana, our family would sometimes spend time down at the lake... and I'd be terrified at these huge insects buzzing overhead. We'd watch as the large dragonflies would zip through the sky and go after moths and mosquitos and other flying insects. But when they'd b...
Pets & Animals - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:03:29

281. Relationship Counseling from a Christian Perspective - Whats Next 4 U News!

When a relationship is over, there are stages one goes through. These stages include anger, sadness, depression, and denial. But eventually, one must move one and get on with their life. When you have a trained counselor to assist you when going through these stages and to help ease the pain and...
Relationships & Family - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 01:11:46

282. Presentation Tips -- For Seminars, Classes, Workshops, and Meetings

If you've spent any time in a classroom--whether in elementary, junior, or senior high school, or in college or with professional seminars--you have experienced good presenters and presentations and bad presenters and presentations. Unfortunately, most of us have not had the luck to always have ...
Education - Sat, 07 Apr 2012 01:05:47

283. Joe Vitale - Author, Marketing Expert, Hypnotist, aka "Mr Fire" News!

I first encountered the books by Joe Vitale when, as a new writer, I picked up a copy of "Hypnotic Writing" (I needed to learn how to write such that folks picking up my computer manuals would actually read the things!). I discovered an amazing world--a world of writing that we never learned in E...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:55:02

284. Octopus - The Eight-Legged Mollusk that Swims! News!

The Octopus--this alien-like, multi-tentacled creature caught my attention when I was a kid watching Jacques Cousteu's presentation on it many years ago. The animal--a cousin of the shell-fish phylum, Mollusca--is closely related to squids, cuttlefish, and the chambered nautilus. As such, it's on...
Education - Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:15:46

285. Homeschooled Kids - How Some Turned Out News!

Being that my mom and dad were both public school teachers and my wife and I also were both public school teachers before we got married and had kids, a lot of folks thought that we had totally lost our minds and had gone completely over the edge when we decided to homeschool our two kids. For a...
Education - Thu, 03 May 2012 04:16:50

286. Fun Pens, Pencils, and Markers! News!

If you are a teacher, a homeschooler, a writer, or an artist (or someone who just wants to make a MARK on the world), this lens is dedicated to you and should give you many moments of browsing for that perfect marking tool. Be sure to visit regularly--because the selection of pens, pencils, and m...
Education - Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:32:17

287. Ian Fleming - Creator of James Bond

Ian Fleming (1908 -- 1964) was born in London, England and worked as a banker and journalist before becoming an operative with the British Secret Service during World War II and learned about weapons and spy-craft through that experience. So it's no wonder that the essences of his experiences hav...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:53:01

288. Tony Hillerman - Novelist of the Southwest News!

The Four Corners area (where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico borders connect) forms the main setting for most of Tony Hillerman's novels. His stories show a deep understanding of Native American cultures--those of the Hopi, Zuni, Navajo, and Pueblo tribes--who live on the wide mostly-dese...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:52:08

289. J.A. Jance - Novelist with Southwest and Northwest Adventures News!

Whether it's with J.P. Beaumont in Seattle or with Sheriff Joanna Brady in Arizona, J.A. Jance creates exciting and terrifying mysteries. Her stories are believable and are real page-turners. J.A. Jance describes her characters and settings with a skill that enables you to "be in the story"--whi...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:47:06

290. Writers as Depicted in Movies News!

How the public perceives writers (and maybe even editors) is perhaps influenced a lot by movies (and the novels that perhaps inspired the movies). Writers have a mysterious craft. Some call it an art, others call it a talent, and even others call it a skill. Writers? They get into all sorts of fi...
Entertainment & Media - Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:22:52

291. Sprint Car Racing: Fast-Moving Fun for the Whole Family! News!

If everything seems like it's under control, you're not going fast enough. --Mario Andretti This Squidoo lens is an attempt to provide you with information on the wild hobby, activity, and sport of Sprint Car Racing. I have a buddy who builds, maintains, and races his own sprint cars. As I learn...
Cars - Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:06:48

292. Mental Captures! Get Those Thoughts Before They Get Away! News!

Those fleeting images you get in your mind, in your imagination, in your dreams, in your experiences... do they whoosh off and disappear? Or, have you been able to capture these images? These mental images are moments of time. If you don't capture them, they whoosh off and are gone forever. Sure...
Arts & Design - Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:55:00

293. Clothing for Those Of Us Who Aren't Models News!

Many of us don't fit Hollywood's idea of starlet figures... we may be short, we may be a bit oversized, or we may be way too tall, but we still need to get clothes that fit and make us feel good as well as look as good as we can be. This Squidoo lens will show you some options that you have.
Fashion & Beauty - Fri, 18 May 2012 04:58:37

294. Salespeople as Depicted in Media News!

Really. If you have a RESUME in your hands, you ARE SELLING SOMETHING. When you are trying to pursuade someone to do something they ordinarily wouldn't do or you are trying to sway folks to going with your idea, you are selling. Unfortunately, when most folks think of sales, they think of the ob...
Business & Work - Fri, 18 May 2012 04:53:14

295. Boards, Cards, and Dice? Any of These Games Can Be Nice! News!

When my sister and I traveled with my folks (who were school teachers) every summer across the country from New Mexico to the U.S. East Coast and then back to Montana before heading back down to New Mexico, we'd spend each night camping at local or state or national parks--and after dinner, we'd ...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:38:33

296. Sandwiches -- the funny compactly assembled meal!

As kids, perhaps the first experience we had with a sandwich was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich -- fairly easy to assemble, even for a 2nd grader. Or, maybe it was the balogna sandwich. Or the bananas and peanut butter sandwich. Then, we advanced to hamburgers and cheeseburgers... and hot do...
Food & Cooking - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:48:35

297. Carbon Dioxide -- Greenhouse Gas News!

Carbon dioxide--CO2--makes up the fizz in your soda. In fact, if you mix carbon dioxide with dihydrogen monoxide, you get "club soda"! It's what animals breath out as a result of their metabolism. It's one of the main results when any type of carbon-based "fuel" is burned. It's the resulting comp...
Education - Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:40:52

298. Dragonfruit

I had never seen dragonfruit before until we took a trip to Hong Kong and the Philippines--and there, we saw them in markets everywhere. Then, after returning to the mainland U.S., we started to see them also in our local Asian supermarkets. I was curious, so I decided to buy some to experiment w...
Home & Garden - Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:48:53

299. Kevin J. Anderson, Novelist News!

Kevin J. Anderson brings a lot of background to his writing. I met him when we were working as technical editor-writers at Livermore National Laboratory. At the time, his writing resonated with me because much of what he describes in his books include my experiences at the lab in addition to plac...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Thu, 19 Apr 2012 01:07:09

300. Tara Tinsley -- Talented Californian Musician with a Unique Style

I remember meeting Tara Tinsley when she was working as one of my son's coworkers as a barista at a local coffee shop in our town -- and I was impressed that after her shift on Friday nights she would pull out a guitar and provide beautiful live music for those enjoying an evening java boost. La...
Music - Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:54:03

301. EditorDave - Lensography of an Editor-Writer-Photographer News!

If you like research, writing, photography, and expressing an opinion, Squidoo is a great place to practice them all! I don't even remember how I found out about Squidoo... but I remember starting my first lens in May 2007. It was a basic lens. Not much "meat" to it. Then a friendly "giant squid...
Squidoo Community - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:34:04

302. Techniques in Writing - Suggestions for Students

The Progression from Reports to Essays to Papers Your elementary and perhaps junior high studies sometimes required "reports". These reports were usually about an animal, a state, a country, a person, or a thing. The report usually dealt with facts (and photos)--those gleaned from various referen...
Education - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 05:36:44

303. The Best Gift for Dad from the Kids

After watching my two kids grow up, I've come to the following conclusions about what would be the best gift you could give Dad on Father's Day. From changing their diapers when they were very, very young. From warming the bottles for those late night feedings. From dodging flying food at the di...
Parenting & Kids - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:48:06

304. Residual Money Through Online E-Books and Reports

Over the past few years, folks seem to be considering more and more starting their own websites and developing other ways to generate incomes from their writing and editing skills. Squidoo is proof of that! As Seth Godin says, "All of us are experts in something." There will be a lot of trial an...
Business & Work - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:43:29

305. Quick Business Concepts for First-time Business Owners News!

Business and Financial Literacy This is a country built on free enterprise and capitalism. So why don't our schools and other institutions give fair time (or any time at all) to these topics? Why do most academicians show a disdain for free enterprise and capitalism (and seem to favor socialism a...
Business & Work - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:09:33

306. Buying Cars without Pain News!

Although I have a degree in biology and I've been an editor-writer for the past 25 years, there have been a few times in my career when the job market for editor-writers dried up. I've scrambled with other gigs--and twice, once in New Mexico and once in California, I've gotten a job at a car deal...
Cars - Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:37:07

307. Dihydrogen Monoxide Pollution - Something to Prevent! News!

I started this Squidoo Lens because as a former biology/chemistry major, I saw first-hand how dihydrogen monoxide pollution could mess up the environment. Dihydrogen monoxide, also known as hyaluric acid is so prevalent in our environment that it has been found in every living thing on the plane...
Education - Fri, 30 Mar 2012 01:40:22

308. Images by Dave News!

I have enjoyed photography since junior high school many years ago. Capturing the beauty of a moment in a photo is an ultimate experience that I like to share. I've shared more about my passion for capturing moments of time -- "mental images" or "mental captures", if you will -- in a different Sq...
Squidoo Community - Sun, 18 Mar 2012 07:33:23

309. James Rollins - Novelist with a Scientific Bent News!

James Rollins is a prolific science fiction writer who lives in Sacramento, California and is a practicing veterinarian. His books keep folks on the edge of their seats with adventures in mysterious and far-out places. The plots and the characters keep the books moving along, and the premises put...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Sun, 18 Mar 2012 08:25:54

310. H.G. Wells - Novelist News!

Some of the first books I read when in Junior High--and those that kept me awake at night turning pages--were from the imagination of H.G. Wells. His fascinating stories are well-written, well thought out, and have excellent plots and settings. What kid hasn't read H.G. Wells' book, The Time Mac...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Sun, 04 Mar 2012 04:20:10

311. Biological Control - Alternative to Pesticides? News!

When I was growing up in New Mexico, when my folks wanted to get rid of or prevent insect pests on the plants in our garden or in our fruit trees, my Dad pulled out his sprayer and gassed the place. We were pretty well gassed for quite a while after Dad's "application"... and then we moved to...
Education - Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:03:50

312. GPS - Global Positioning Systems - Its a Space Thing! News!

Your car guided by satellites? Yup. Your cell phone tracked by satellites? Yup. Your pet tracked by satellites? Yup. Your kid tracked by satellites? Yup... You are probably seeing a trend here. Lots of things can be tracked and guided by satellites--particularly if the satellites form a "visible ...
Computers & Electronics - Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:17:49

313. The American Wild Turkey News!

The most famous bird in North America?--Nope, not Big Bird. Nope, not the Eagle (well, maybe). The Turkey! There are two species of that big bird we know as a turkey (the wild kind, that is): the North American wild turkey, Meleagridinae gallopavo, and the Central American Ocellated Turkey, Mele...
Education - Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:46:42

314. Relationships - The Alien Next to You! News!

If you've been in a relationship for any length of time--particularly with someone of the opposite sex, you'll know what I'm talking about here. Sometimes it seems like you are sitting next to someone from a different universe, let alone a different galaxy, or different planet. Nope, ...
Relationships & Family - Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:26:27

315. Writing - How Information Development Works News!

When we write, we've processed thoughts in our head to put marks on a clay tablet, a scrap of birch-bark, a piece of paper, or to keyboard onto a computer screen. Sometimes we've assembled and distilled a bunch of thoughts of others that we've found recorded either in hard-copy or on the Internet...
Education - Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:41:56

316. Forest Fires? House Fires? Smokey the Bear Needs Your Help! News!

Fire. One of nature's most powerful forces. It can be helpful for humans by keeping us warm and by providing a way to cook food, but it can also be a deadly force--right up there with Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Tornados and Earthquakes. As someone who has lived for many years in Montana, New Mexic...
Education - Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:04:26

317. Fragrances - What Our Noses Know!

Does the scent of freshly baked bread bring back fond memories for you? Does it at least get you hungry and make you want to grab a loaf of bread for yourself? Sometimes the scents that surround us can generate fond memories or cause all sorts of other reactions. Depends on what our experiences h...
Fashion & Beauty - Sun, 22 Apr 2012 07:54:57

318. Spaceship Dreams -- Fiction and Real

Spaceships and spacecraft have been fascinating to me ever since I was a kid growing up in New Mexico. When we first got our television in New Mexico, I'd watch the Saturday matinee shows -- and some of these included the adventures of Buck Rodgers (yes, in black & white). Funky spaceships were p...
Hobbies, Games & Toys - Thu, 10 May 2012 05:23:06

319. TV Songs I Grew Up With News!

As I was growing up in the 1960s in New Mexico and in the 1970s on Guam, one of our forms of entertainment was watching the television series that were popular on the three major TV networks -- ABC, CBS, and NBC. I can still remember many of the songs and their lyrics to this day. Everything from...
Entertainment & Media - Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:35:42

320. Daves Goals for 2012 and beyond News!

I have a lot of projects on the "back burner". So many of my goals for 2012 include getting these things off the back burner and getting them cooking and ready to serve! Namely, I have a novel that I've written (keyboarded) about 300 pages for already--I need to finish it. And send it to some pu...
Squidoo Community - Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:14:49

321. Eight-Track Tapes - Flash-in-the-Pan and Now Gone? News!

Maybe Simon and Garfunkle or Jim Croce or the Carpenters, or maybe Santana, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, or maybe Glenn Campbell, Arlo Guthrie, Carol King, or maybe the Temptations, The Fifth Dimension, or even Englebert Humperdink.... what was your favorite music to listen to when you were cruisi...
Music - Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:53:37

322. A Passion for Pumpkins! News!

Pumpkins--the big, usually orange, gourds that are most prevalent in our fields, supermarkets, and homes near the end of September through December (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). They are also squash. Of the family Cucurbitaceae and the genus Cucurbita, pumpkins have a variety of species ...
Home & Garden - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:52:09

323. Rich Paloma, Novelist

Rich Paloma writes engaging and suspenseful mystery-thriller police procedural novels that are a great read for a vacation weekend or long commute. His characters are believable (I think we've all worked with folks similar to those he describes in his books), and the plots seem to be right out of...
Books, Poetry & Writing - Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:23:43

324. Getting It Done, Taking Risk, and Going for It! News!

Sometimes we just need to put our head down and barrel through the obstacles and get something done. Something we've been pondering for a long time; something we've studied for many, many years; something we've worked on to develop our skills... and so we now have the knowledge, the skills, and a...
Healthy Living - Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:20:54

325. Squidoo Curriculum - Using Lenses as Study Starters! News!

Yup. Like many, I'm addicted to Squidoo. I started one Squidoo lens on a whim - at the suggestion of a friend. And before long, I had more than 280 of the things keeping me busy. And there are more in the works. --sigh-- This is really a dilemma for someone who is a former English grammar and co...
Education - Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:31:34

326. Salute to Small Business! News!

It takes courage to break out of the mold beaten in to us in public schools and go on our own. When you aren't an employee, you seem to lose your security... but if you think about it, you are gaining a whole 'nuther form of security. With certain kinds of business in particular, your security be...
Business & Work - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:56:14

327. Halloween - Creepy Enough For You? Or Harvest Festival! News!

When I was a kid growing up in New Mexico, I looked forward to Halloween each year. Not because of the "creepyness", but because it was a chance to dress up in costume and be somebody else! Unfortunately, rather than buying the fancy costumes in the stores, my mom would find two old bedsheets, cu...
Holidays & Celebrations - Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:45:58

328. Bufo marinus -- The Cane Toad, an Alien Animal Threat

Generally, toads are good critters (amphibians) to keep around your yard--they will eat slugs, grubs, beetles, and other insect pests that might like to eat your garden. And because toads are so good at eating garden pests, a bunch of biologists who didn't do much of the correct homework decided...
Pets & Animals - Sat, 18 Feb 2012 06:24:14

329. Comic Book Heros - Who Are Your Favorites?

Comic book heros -- these were my "comforters" when I was a kid growing up in New Mexico. I was a geeky little kid -- yes, short for my age (still am), glasses (still have 'em), and not very athletic (still have that problem). I was also picked on by bullies quite a bit. So, it was quite an esca...
Entertainment & Media - Mon, 21 May 2012 06:10:38

Updated: Fri, 25 May 2012 15:26:07 GMT -

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