Monday, 20 June 2022

Buy One Get One Free of Frappuccino – Part 1

Our city, Baton Rouge, LA, locates at deep south of USA experienced very hot temperature during summer season, especially from June to August every year.



Image 1- The offer of Frappuccino, buy one get one free

The temperature was around 300 C to even as high as 410 C, we feel like living in the desserts of Middle East or somewhere else.

It is interesting to find “cool” areas such as public libraries or Barnes & Nobel coffee shop.

Quite attractive that Barnes & Nobel coffee shop also books store where we can do reading while drinking icy beverage.



Image 2- Coffee shop at Barnes & Noble bookstore



Image 3- A little garden

I just ordered a kind of new beverage for me, called as Frappuccino. Surprisingly, buy one get one free.

Frappuccino, I think a beverage with 3 combines that are coffee, icy and specific ingredients. Blending altogether.

I think it is an awesome deal.

The offer started from June 19th until July 22. It seems to attract customers for hot summer.

Uniquely, the deal for 4 hours only, happy hours from 2.00 PM to 4.00 PM every day.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Saturday, 18 June 2022

Could Avocado Reduce Metabolic Syndrome? - Part 2 - Healthy Life 21

You may read the previous posting (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Could Avocado Reduce Metabolic Syndrome? - Part 1 – Healthy Life 21 



Image 1- Half cut of avocado.

Since they boost metabolism, thus these two type of fats may reduce risk of:

- heart disease
- stroke
- and type 2 diabetes.

It is believed that the avocado could improve our immune system to fight of micro pathogens.



Image 2- Sunset seen from a port in our city



Image3- Pile of avocados in the grocery

Avocado is good quality of diet, and very delicious for me. We consume this fruit at least twice a month. They are sold in many groceries include Walmart and Mexican grocery.

It riches in nutrition as well. In generally speaking, the fruit contains:

- 20 vitamins, some of them are A, C, E, K, B6.
- minerals (magnesium, potassium)
- antioxidants (carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin)

Have you ever tasted avocado?

Do you like its?

# Previous postings:

Friday, 17 June 2022

A Juvenile Woodpecker Hit a Glass Window – Nature 27

I saw birds hit my glass window several times. Many of them can fly away, but few not able to move and even dead.

I can do nothing for helping dead birds. Just feel very sad.



Image 1- A Juvenile Woodpecker can’t fly

Couple weeks ago, A juvenile woodpecker hit a glass window, and unfortunately couldn’t fly away.

I tried to call several numbers, but got nowhere

After thinking a while, then I called Veterinary school at my city, Baton Rouge, LA. The school then ask me to bring the bird to them in the afternoon.

I drop the bird off at 4.00 pm, and the veterinarian there to help the injured Juvenile Woodpecker.



Image 2- Flowers and grass in the garden

I was so thankful, because the bird could be saved, and I feel that I have blessing for the day.



Image 3- Flowers under trees, birds love this place

However, as I said that few birds are “not able to move and even dead.” As far as I remember they are including:

- humming bird
- cardinal
- warbler
- brown creeper

As many people said that birds hit the window glass because they see reflections of:

- vegetation or plants as potential of their foods resources.
- their own, and think that outsiders

# Previous postings:

Wednesday, 15 June 2022

Shredded Rotisserie Chicken with Purple Bell Peppers – Food 15

We talked little bit of Purple Bell Peppers at previous posting:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Purple Bell Peppers in the Farmer Market – Food 14



Image 1- Sauté of peppers and shredded rotisserie chicken

I believe the taste of raw pepper is crisp, but less sweet than red and yellow ones.

I prefer to sauté those peppers, added some slices:

- sweet yellow onion
- green onion
- and red tabasco peppers for flavors.



Image 2- Raw chicken in the market



Image 3- Cutting one half of bell peppers



Image 4- The purple color covers one half only

Then I mixed the slices of purple bell peppers with the shredded (cooked) rotisserie chicken.

As you know that sauté is a technique to fry food with small amount of margarine or fat.

We usually use little fire with oil to coat the food in order to:

- prevent sticking to the pan
- conducting heat to foods

The mixed of purple bell pepper with the shredded rotisserie chicken was very tasty and a little bit spicy.

# Previous postings:

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Knock Out to Understand Human Diseases – Part 1 – Science 14

Knockout is a technique to in-activate specific genes in human body. The technique is part of biotechnology.



Image 1- Procedure to produce gene knockout animal
(Source: Hansson, 2007)

This technology has been used to modify living organisms in order to improve human welfare since long time ago, may be dated back to ancient time about 5000 B.C.E.

Inactivated specific genes is the biochemical and pathological basis that might be used to understand human diseases.

For these purposes the scientists produced a knockout mouse.



Image 2- Red tulip, just illustration

National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH (2015: Knockout Mice) informed that human share many genes with mice.



Image 3- Green at neighborhood, illustration only

Thus, observing knockout mice gives information that can be used to better understand how a similar gene may cause or contribute to disease in humans.



Image 4- Looking cute, just illustration

So far, knockout mice have been used to understand many diseases, including: - cancer

- obesity and diabetes
- heart disease
- arthritis
- substance abuse
- anxiety
- aging and Parkinson disease.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Sunday, 12 June 2022

Giant Hibiscus Flowers are Found in Walking Trails – Nature 26

We are in the second week of June. Slowly the temperature is getting higher and hotter, so we decide to take morning walk a little early.

We left home about 7.00 am this morning.



Image 1- Red of a giant Hibiscus flower

The sky was clear, but some part of walking trails a little bit wet, so we walked around the roses garden.

There were beautiful giant flowers welcomes us in the corner of walking trails. Their colors are so attractive in:

- red
- pink
- white
- orange and yellow



Image 2- Contracted flower



Image 3- Rotten flower buds



Image 4- Giant Hibiscus flowers

When we walked closer to the flowers, I can see the petals of flowers are so big.

The tree is small and not that high, but the size of flowers is fantastic. Diameter of a flower can reach 10 to 12 inches (25 to 31 cm). I think the flowers are quite big (giant) compared to “normal” Hibiscus ones.

I believe they are hibiscus family with very big flowers, so call them the giant hibiscus.

From Google, some sites called them Hibiscus evening rose.

What do you think about those flowers?

# Previous postings:

Saturday, 11 June 2022

Could Avocado Reduce Metabolic Syndrome? - Part 1 – Healthy Life 21

The Metabolic Syndrome is also known as syndrome that relate to insulin resistance. Then may causes to health problems (NIH, 2022: What Is Metabolic Syndrome?) 



Image 1- Five avocados on the plate

The combine conditions that believe to responsible for “Metabolic Syndrome” such as:

- increasing blood pressure
- high blood sugar
- excess body fat around the waist
- and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels

These combination conditions may lead to increase risk of many diseases.



Image 2- Walking path, just illustration



Image 3- Avocado, sold at local grocery, Walmart

The following diseases which are relating to metabolic syndrome, include:

- heart disease and stroke
- type 2 diabetes

Studies indicated that avocado could reduce metabolic syndromes. One of studies was reported by Jamshiod Tabeshpour et al at Phytotherapy Research in 2017.

Avocado contains two types of fats to boost metabolism, they are:

- monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fats

# To be continued to Part 2

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The Beautiful Bright Green Luna Moth - Nature 148

We saw a beautiful bright green critter it is called the bright green Luna moth. The grub making its way through our yard. Image 01 - A Luna...