547- "I FORGOT WHAT YOU LOOKED LIKE, Daddy...."....

A) Learned, as a kid, to develop my "memory bank" abilities by going over details in my mind of the day's ADVENTURES...knew, some way, that I could use that 'silly' attribute one day? And, yes, over the years, have developed that skill in becoming a published author many times...over 160 newspaper essays, national and regional mag articles! Worked...works! This "secret" to writing and speaking is yours for the development and use.
B) BUT....sometimes the "skill" has to be "turned off" when negative reminders pop up that you don't need and want for the moment...you can control it with a bit of practice.
C) Once, when little Sarah came out for her weekend "visit", she immediately said: "Daddy, I was trying all week, and I couldn't 'member what you looked like." Then she smiled. "But now I 'membered! Can we go on some really neat adventures this weekend?"
D) A-D-V-E-N-T-U-R-E-S!!!...little ron rascal introduced them to myself as a munchkin. And guess what? ADVENTURES play an extremely important role in my first novel, THE SERPENTINE BOND!........wait...and...read!!!
E) Hey, bloggers, what do YOU think? Go for it! Learn and practice YOUR OWN fine art of storying DETAILS in your own "Memory Bank" for later use.....

546- BRUNO, CALIFORNIA...the NATURAL GAS CATASTROPHE This Week!....

A) An entire neighborhood in Bruno, during the night, was totally flattened, as a result, we assume, from a natural gas explosion....
B) One of my many goals in life has been to, during the summers, and even weekends, actually work at many, many different jobs for the experiences and to earn $$$ for more educations. That included a fast-food burger joint...picking peaches...gardening...lifeguarding...dipping ice cream and much more. So, one summer I did work at a large natural gasline company---with the crew's assignments to go over a thick booklet list of reported natural gasline problems and decide which ones to tackle for the day and week. There were, by the way in this Shenandoah Valley town, hundreds of leaks. I deciding at the end of the summer that this one town would NEVER get to all of them...only a few every week!
C) One day, a longtime employee and only me, were sent out to check a leak. As I dug, by hand, down towards it, gas began to spew straight from the road. Yes, I freaked out a bit. My colleague calmly picked up a water bottle and poured some on a small pile of dirt, forming mud! Then, he stuck it on and in the gas leak spewing out...stopping it. He was in no hurry or pressed to proceed further. "I'll call the office and get 'em to send over a backhoe. Just sit down and rest a spell 'til they get here."
D) During that summer, I began to ask questions, as usual, and discovered from other company employees there so much that ticked me off. I also began yet another research project for discovery on the natural gas system all across our America! And, yes, since came to the shocking conclusion some time ago that our country was just waiting for many towns to explode!...really. All across America? Tens of thousands of natural gasline pipes, I surmise, have been in the ground for way over 50 years or more...that's OLD pipes!!!
E) As a matter of fact, that same premise, about Natural Gaslines being so old and decrepit, has been included as one of many serious problems near the concluding chapters in that first novel of mine---THE SERPENTINE BOND!---that many towns in our country sit on the verge of blowing up! Hmmm...and look what happened this week...........

545- Again, QUESTION with DIGNITY!...MAINTAINING A BIT OF SKEPTICAL NATURE...AND A SAVVY SENSE OF KNOWLEDGE of the FACTS!...

A) Do not take anything on face value, unless it is YOUR choice. At least pause for a moment or three to surround the facts thrown towards you.
B) Ask thinking-style questions...ponderables...WHY?...WHY NOT?
C) Asking savvy and curious questions is a sign of natural intelligence! You'll catch on to this neat process quickly for the rest of your life.
D) Watch a child when they ask lots of questions of a parent....or a teacher....
I CRINGE whenever I witness a parent or "adult" telling a child to 'SHUT UP'...or worse yet, slap them!
E) But observe a child when a parent is loving, patient and caring with a child....the child will, most assuredly, develop and grow into one unique, questioning adult if not sooner.
F) I pause and marvel at how this little guy, moi, back when, made it without being put through a sieve or three. Think it must have been pure fortitude!!

G) Example: went to a local 'Walls-Mart' to order a new pair of reading glasses. On a Sunday, closing time was 5pm. When I got there at the 'glasses section', they were close...4:45pm...lights off.
I saw an empoyee walking around the darkened area, with ropes up, and politely asked what was the correct time...my watch must be wrong! She was very apologetic, explaing how they the "big" management at Walmart would NOT pay overtime, especially if a customer was standing there filling out papers to buy glasses. Therefore, the employees were forced to close earlier than the listed time for Sunday in front!!!! I realized that the employee was not the one at fault and asked to speak to THE main Walmart manager.....well, now.....
H) This past weekend: looked at a huge sign painted on the wall in front of a local CVS and their digital print cost. Sign announced that one-hour digital prints made on their machine at CVS was 19-cents each. When I used the machine to print out a batch, and sent to pay, the price had suddenly switched to 19-cents ONLY IF you printed 50 or more! Nowhere was that printed out for the general customer public.
I used my own "Customer Critique" form back home, copied it for records, and mailed. Explained the "bait and switch" scheme and politely gave that CVS five days to change the wall ad or the BBB would be contacted to begin a case. Also, sent a letter and e-mail to the national CVS headquarters explaing the "bait and switch" scheme with the same expectation. Beforehand, did look up NAMES and addresses of corporate and local officers ti hone right in on who was responsible.
H) Being SKEPTICAL can be a good "thang", for symbolic reasons.
I) This ponderer has gotten, years ago, tired of being taken advantage of by "ignorant" persons, meaning someone who doesn't understand, know or want to know the facts, with their own selfish reasons, in all walks of life.....hope this inspires you to do the same.

544- What Do YOU BELIEVE IN?...REALLY BELIEVE IN?.....

You're invited to ponder this poser for a spell. "I BELIEVE IN......"

A) I believe in myself...I like myself!!
B) I believe in "life" after life?
C) I believe in the sanctity of commitment in any form to a person. I believe in causes, like returning my America back to a freaking non-socialistic path!!!!!
D) I believe in 'education' as a primary goal?
E) I believe in KARMA?
F) I believe that my country, in general, is THE bestest in so many ways than ANY has ever been in the history of our planet!....I believe it! I will make NO apologies, like our current White House, to any other country!
G) I believe that I AM special as an individual and have a definite DESTINY....like some of you do!
H) I believe that I HAVE terrific talents, that I will develop them and use them to the fullest extent of my learned skills!
I) I believe in the philosophy of "pay it forward"...that it IS vital in our society to share at least something back, unannounced. For example: stood and opened the door at the local Wawa on Richmond Road, instead of flying thru and letting it bounce back into someone's face! Everyone actually said "thank you"...I returned with a "U R welcome!" This guy had almost given up on recognizing any appearance of social manners out and about!!
J) I believe in speaking up and out, even if my actions mean me standing out in left field by myself!
K) I believe, NOW, in exercising my bod, which in turn exercizes my MIND on!
L) I believe that: "Tell me what's wrong with me, and I'll listen to the end of nose; but tell me what's right with me, and I'll listen to the end of my---mind!!"
M) I believe in falling "IN LIKE" before romantically loving someone!
N) I believe in not giving up, not quitting...instead, figuring out and taking a chance, a risk, on another direction!...that "failure is success turned inside out...."
O) I believe that someone can....."turn scars into stars!"  Sure, it will take time and plenty of personal strength!
P) ....more......

543- MEET...DAMON DUNN!!!.........

***You're going to like and admire this guy who grew up in a rundown Texas trailer and hunted, fished to actually provide FOOD for the table!....ready?
A) Now, he lives in California, and this single parent son is running for his state's Secretary of State position this year!
B) Damon Dunn is campaigning for the California Secretary of State. Even though much of his formitable early life was spent in his natice Texas--high school honor student...Texas All-State football...valuing hard work--he earned a scholarship to Stanford University where he ran track, played football (quite well) and earned a handful of academic awards along the way! Yes, he remained in California, also "paying forward" in so many ways, mentoring and tutoring young Hispanics, Blacks and ANYONE locally, all without fanfare. He even found time to share his time at soup kitchens, too. Oh, he is now an associate pastor at Saddleback Baptist Church...heard of this church?
C) Damon, as a child back in his home State of Texas, knew what it was like to go to bed...hungry. But he also knew that he also had a duty to pay back, HAD to INSPIRE other youth! He likes, now, speaking to and with all types of listeners.

D) So....what do YOU think of Damon Dunn? You're invited to 'google' him to discover more.
When you do? You'll discover another neat surr-prise that you need to know about Damon Dunn...wait and see!

542- AND NOW THERE ARE EIGT (8) squire BLOGS!....http: //SquiresPonderables.blogspot.com/.....

A) Thanks for checking on all seven (7) blogs!

B) http:  //TheSquiresPoliticalViews.blogspot.com/
C) http:  //TheVirginiaCollegiateScene.blogspot.com/
D) http:  //TheSquiresMtTales.blogspot.com/
E) http:  //thesquiresview.blogspot.com/
F) http:  //SquiresPonderables.blogspot.com/
G) http:  //VisionarySurr-prises-Epiphanies.blogspot.com/
H) http:  //theSquiresSATIRESHumor.blogspot.com/
I) http:  //I-Can-Imagine-It.blogspot.com/

(They are posted around our Amer-i-ca and into 50+ countries!!)

541- BRIAN CARDARELLI....HE was one of the GOOD GUYS!...

Brian Cardarelli...grad last year from James Madison University...25-years-young...and doing so much good for the real people of Afghanistan....
Brian was one of 10 civilians murdered in an attack in the backcountry in the "land of Afghans." Another one was a dentist, Dr. Tom, volunteering to bring dental health for the first time to the children and their families.
Brian was a videographer for the expedition, recording the GOOD DEEDS of his fellow mankind. His family lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia...we are with you, Cardarelli family and friends!

540- "HONOR MURDERS"...Social Commentary....

A) Islam "honor killings" within our Amerian society. I will not label them as 'honor killings.'
B) Shari'a...suggest you look up this term, soon...it's coming closer to a country near you...you need to read and ponder.
C) Latest is the story of two beautiful, highly intelligent sisters here in America.....
D) New Year's Day 2008...the mother and two Texas sisters left the house to escape...the 'father' then persuaded the mother that he just wanted to take the girls (17 and 18) out to eat. Later, the two sisters, VERY close in their relationship over the years, were found bloodily murdered to in that taxi! Sarah lived long enough to call 9-11 and, in her dying words, said that her father had shot them!!!!
E) Even as a Sociology and American government educator, this guy WILL NOT use the term "allegedly", instead declaring that the father MURDERED the two sisters!!
F) At his house, the FBI uncovered hundreds of secret video tapes taken of the two. He is originally from Egypt and a Muslim. The mother has claimed that he regularly beat his wife for years.....
G) And, originally, the FBI, on the wanted poster, declared that the dastardly murders were "honor killings." Mysteriously, and quietly, the term "honor killings" was removed from the FBI poster.........
H) Latest?....he immediately disappeared that day and has not been seen in any way since.....! The FBI...cannot find him??????????

539- MY "ORIGINAL, EXCITING TV COMMERCIALS" AWARDS...WATCH For MARY!!....

A) Kleenex....yes, the Kleenex "BaBoom-Snaps-Shield" TV commericial is absolutely one that sticks in your, my, thinking mind!! The children, in a classroom, are singing and performing this catchy song of "BaBoom...." You have to pay attention because it moves quickly from there to down a looooong hall, all in sync! All in sync so well done that it's unbelievable in scope!!!! Don't forget...before you know it, it's over...need to pay attention.
***Can go to...http: //Kleenex.com/backtoschool/kit.html...scroll to last page with the song outlined!
B) Hey, think back to last year, please. That GEICO "pothole" girl. Absolutely original, clever and memorable. Wish the rest of GEICO's TV commercials could do likewise, instead of 'irrigating' the heck out of us...HIT THAT "MUTE" button!
C) Add that GEICO commercial from earlier this year, with the little girl on the phone with her grandmother, asking a GEICO Rep how to tell her gramma, in Spanish, how to do something. This sweet little bi-lingual little girl, MARY IS HER NAME, was absolutely, totally precious!
D)

538- And AMERICA'S ABSOLUTELY M-O-S-T "IRRIGATING" TV COMMERCIALS ARE.....?

#1) LaQuinta...sooo BAD, very BAD! Makes fun of vintage movie clips by inserting in stupid-to-the-max dialogue. And the images of "new" room decor look exacly like the early, cheap '50s.
#2) TaxMasters....this spokesman's(?) face NEVER moves a fraction of his, uh, face and is so frightening in his demeanor. He did, over the past year, grow a beard, now making him, uh, wooly! By the way, did GOOGLE to the company to check out pros and cons....guess what? Major ethical problems with TaxMasters! DON'T even think about asking them for help....
#3) GEICO's nearly entire series centering around a spokesman introducing it and then switching to....."the pig we-weeing all the way home!"..."the analysis and the 'poor' guy on the couch!"..."the snowball battle!"  Don't believe me?  See one!  Makes you want to watch and pay for "premium TV" forever!!
++++(Don't forget, though, that fresh, creative GEICO commerical with the 'talking pothole'....good!!)

537- A THINKING PONDERABLE!.....

A) I know that we have often heard that totally original expression, "Have a good day...." many times a day when you're out and about. BUT, when was the last, or even the first time, that you heard or used the following expressions:
"Have a good FALL?" or "Have a good Winter?"
B) If you look at a much earlier blog, you'll discover a more assertive expression, putting the phrase back into your own life to...."MAKE a good day...MAKE a good fall...MAKE a good winter!" Why? You're in control of YOUR life. If not, TAKE CONTROL of your life with this one little phrase...only if YOU want and decide to do so!

536- S-O-C-I-A-L......S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y????????

A) Wait until you hear about, know about and understand the following HUGE secret about our Social Security and what has been done to your, our monies that we HAD to pay into OUR system all of these years!!!! Remember, too, that our employer/s had to pay an equal amount to match your funds taken out every payday.
B) Are YOU ready?........those "sacred" monies taken out of OUR paychecks, for decades, have been-----pilferred, stolen! That means that OUR Feds slipped into those Social Security funds, taking millions of $$$ out from our S.S. to pay for "general funds'" other expenses.
Now, do YOU understand why "they" keep telling US, in recent years, that there will NOT be enough for us and YOU? All of those monies, for decades, taken out for Social Security by you and your employer has been STOLEN
Do you understand, now, how and why? The "federal government" freaking STOLE millions upon millions of $$$ from OUR Social Security payment funds over the years....to pay "other bills" and calling the OUR funds taken as "general funds."
C) WHO CARES ANYMORE about such chicanery, deception and pure LIES from our "government?"
D) Just look at the U.S. Representrative from New York....? His fellow congresspersons have been trying to figure out a way for him to take a "plea." That means he may get away with his crimes! Oh, it's predicted that he will be re-elected again in November by his constituents in New York City....go figure.
E)

535- THE POWER OF...C-E-L-E-B-R-I-T-Y!......

A) As a sociology teach, the term is relatively new and refers to any person or group who either seek/s out "fame in any way" or stumble upon it...AND..."savor" it as far as they possibly can, using that old "the end justifies the means" to their fullest advantage! "Go for it as long as you can in our society!" Take advantage....even with $$$$.
B) "FAD...or FASHION"...a hula-hoop or Pet Rocks were a FAD, coming up in full force and then subsiding. A FASHION comes up with full force and sticks around as another segment of our society. Blue jeans...min-skirts..."like"..."you know"....
C) Therefore, persons or groups do the same. Lady GaGa (GagGag) is milking her "power of celebrity" to its fullest extent, but look at her personal exhibitions of public polution and action. Gosh, what happened to the "balloon boy"? The U.S. Senate candidate from Georgia?

D) November of 2010..."Rent's Too Dam High! Party" in New York.  Anyone remember this political party  in November?  And, especially, it's originator, leader and his unique facial hair?  "Celebrityhood" became an instant recognizer for him!  A dool was, overnight, brought out for sale.  His expression, "Rent's too damn high!" became the celebrity expressionf for weeks!!  Now the middle of December...what happened to his instant celebrityhood?  Disappeared.....
E)

534- ANOTHER EXCELLENT PERSONAL THOUGHT.....

Borrowed...."No one can make you feel inferior without your consent!!"
Ponder this one for a bit.

533- A QUIET, UNDERRATED CLASSIC FILM......?

"The Princess Diaries".......
The same lead actress grows up to be a lead in "The Devil Wears Prada."

532- Two SOCIAL COMMENTARIES: "Suicide Bombers and Veils"....

A) A ponderable for you: What if every suicide bomber planner, who trained and persuaded anyone else to strap bombs around their bods...called a "mule", (in their underwear), volunteered the next time to, instead, strap a bomb on their own body and slip out to a desert? Yes, why doesn't that planner, safe back "home", go on their own suicide mission? In college, we called that kind of person a chicken!
B) Another ponderable for you: What if every woman who was told to wear a veil, cover all parts of their body except for the eyes in public, also told their husband that they, the male, had to cover all parts of their male body, except for their eyes?....that the male could not speak with a female in public?...or drive an auto?
Can you imagine all of those males being expected to do that, in public?
I recently, more than once, saw males with shorts on, casual clothes, with their wives covered up!
C) Now...can you imagine the uproar by males having to go through all of that?
By the way, my indepth collegiate studies have included Religions of the World and actually reading and studying the original sources of those religions' basic' books, like The Torah...the Koran...Hinduism...the Holy Bible...Buddhism....
D) And, yes, another factor is involved if the woman choses, on her own, to wear the veil and cover up?
E)

531- SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANA.....iran....STONING?....

a) This iranian woman remains in prison after being told, without evidence, that she was "found" guilty in 2006 of an "illicid relationship." She was in prison awaiting 99 lashes for her punishment AND then to be freaking STONED!!!
b) Her son, in London, spread the word about his mother, using news media and the Internet. THAT grew into a swelling verbal show of support around the world. iran just announced that she would not be stoned....but iran likes to let things like this subside and then kill her!
c) AND WHAT IS STONING? I want you to know, to realize what a horrible punishment this is....only women would be buried up to their chest...then, a "group" would throw stones at her exposed head, until................
d) The last stoning in iran took place in 2007.

Does THIS bother you? If so, will you speak out?

530- The DUMBING DOWN Of Our AMERICAN SOCIETY?...PART 2....

1) Once again, a rivival of the earlier decade of the "ME GENERATION!" "Me, me, me...it's all about ME, first...YOU don't count, BUT I, uh, do!"
2) Driving around your town or area? Have you noticed how more and more IDIOT "me" drivers pay no attention to the actual laws of driving, and civility, on our highways and streets? "Beat 'em thru the red lights!" "Get outta my way!" "Blow that freaking horn, you're movin' toooo slow!"
3) "The fickle, dickle finger!"
4) When a new check-out line opens in a grocery store or just store, who, standing behind you, RUNS ahead of others to get there quicker?
5) "Like, know what I mean?...like, uh, last night I like went out to eat, and it was like sooo good...."
6) Piles of grocery items in a basket, going through a "10 items or less" lane...holding up for some time those who had only a few items, then running back to get something forgotten, while the entire line waits, and waits and waits!
7) Parking in a store lot, after you've parked, and pulling in so close to make it nearly impossible for you to get into your car....all the time knowing that when they did pull in to park, they had to have HIT your car with their door!
8) What about a "regular" driver who blatantly parks in a "handicap" space?????
9)

529- BELLEVUE, IOWA...4th OF JULY CELEBREATION Along The MISSISSIPPI RIVER!....

A) Once again, I know that many of you will join with me in your own special, individual ways to remember the person killed and those injured when two horses in the parade were spooked and bolted down through the happy crowd of 4th of July celerbrators....
B) Beautiful children, at least 24 of them, were sitting or standing along the edge of the parade's route when the horse went right into them along the way.
The woman who was killed was the wife of the guy who was handling the parade wagon....
C) Bellevue, Iowa is along the Mississippi River...I've seen pics of the old-fashioned small town, and it reminds of so many other American small towns visited! It will be many years, no matter what, for this Iowa town to forget....but they try!

528- "WHALE WARS!"....

1) There is an international "STOP" law on SLAUGHTERING whales throughout the world's oceans and seas! Did you realize that? And also for the SLAUGHTER of DOLPHINS? Did you know that, too?
2) I viewed some of the Animal Planet's "Whale Wars" during the past months. I SAW videos of a Japanese "company", with a "mother ship" sneaking round the fringes of the southern oceans, sending out smaller, fast Japanese ships to HARPOON, that means SLAUGHTER, whales of all kinds, and drag them up, BLEEDING, on a pulley so their crew could quickly strip them down to the bone before caught! The pieces were then transferred to the "mother ship" to be taken back to Japan for mega-$$$ for the diners to devour!
3) Please, like when I asked you earlier this spring to watch the secret SLAUGHTER of dolphins video recorded at great risk by brave HEROES around the Japanese islands, go to Animal Planet and check for the times for their "Whale Wars" programs.
4) And take care in seeing how a small group of HEROES try to STOP those Japanese ships in their SLAUGHTER of WHALES....please!!!
5) ....