Giveaway and Discount in Time of High Inflation

We just talk about “abnormal” higher price compared to inflation rate (please read at previous posting):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Is Rising Price due to Greedflation?

Image 1- Monthly giveaway at one store.

Last weekend, we went to our city mall, we thought the price will higher like food prices, surprisingly, no, not at all for certain products and brands.

We are happy to find the true facts that:

- there are plenty of discount where many stores provide almost 33% discount rate.
- other interesting deals include buy 3 get 3 free
- thousand dollars of giveaway by several stores.
- and free service such as piercing

Image 2- Accessories at a store

Image 3- Service for free piercing

Image 4- Icing, a store

You might wonder that the “good deal” just for certain items?

Are they for all items?

It is true for beauty relate products such as:

- cosmetic
- shampoo and soap
- cream
- lotion
- accessories and etc

Do you find similar discount or discount rate in your city or place?

# Previous postings:

- Could Botulinum Toxin be Turned to Beneficial Substance? - Part 4 – Science 10
- A Novel of Arian - Then The Fish Swallowed Him - Part 1 – Reading 6
- The Best Tacos which I Love to Consume in Louisiana – Part 2 – Food 10
- The signs of late stage of Alzheimer's Disease – Part 1 - Alzheimer's 1

Higher Temperature due to Heat Island Effect – Science 15

If you live in the city or urban areas in Europe or America, I believe that you experience heat wave, at least you face “higher temperatures” during this summer season.

Image 1- Higher temperature in the city

(credit to World Meteorological Organization).

It is called as “Heat Island Effect” where higher temperature occur in the bigger cities.

Infrastructures in the cities absorb heat during daylight then they release its throughout the night. Temperatures have increased both at day and at night.

The city infrastructures may include:

- buildings (offices, malls, supermarkets and urban residential)
- roads
- bridges

Image 2- Road and building in the city

Image 3- Crowded in the city

Heat island effect could cause temperature increase by about:

- in daytime is 2 to 5 F (1.1 to 2.8 C) degree
- in nighttime is 1 to 7 F (0.6 to 3.9 C) degree

There are 159 cities are affected by Heat island effect across USA, few of them are:

- San Francisco, California
- New Orleans, California
- Newark, New Jersey and New York City, New York

How about with your city? Do you feel heat in this summer?

# Previous postings:

- What Autumn is Like in My Town, Baton Rouge LA – Part 2 - Nature 15
- Could Botulinum Toxin be Turned to Beneficial Substance? - Part 3 – Science 10
- Changes of Parents Behaviors When Caring a Baby – Part 2 - Science 11
- The Best Tacos which I Love to Consume in Louisiana – Part 1 – Food 10

Why does Gum Disease cause Alzheimer's?- Part 1 - Alzheimer's 8

Tau or neurofibrillary tangles protein is one of landmarks of the Alzheimer's disease. It is abnormal accumulation of protein in the brain cells.

Image 1- Porphyromonas gingivalis, bacteria cause the gum disease.

The abnormal conditions of Tau could spread from one neuron to another neuron.

Their patterns are exactly the same with the spreading of infections in many diseases as we know.

The researchers, Stephen Dominy and his colleagues, reported in ScienceAdvances (2019) that toxic enzymes from the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis were found in Alzheimer’s brain patients.

Image 2- A mask, just for illustration

Image 3- Flowers in the garden, illustration

Moreover, the percentage quite higher that about 99 and 96 percent of 54 human Alzheimer’s brain samples correlated with tau and ubiquitin pathology.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium that produces virulence factor that we called gingipains, which is a protein-degrading enzyme.

This bacterium is well known for inflammatory diseases to cause destruction of tissues on tooth, and then make us loss our teeth.

The question then what is relationship bet ween teeth bacteria and Alzheimer’s diseases?

# To be continued to Part 2

# Previous postings:

- Can a Poet be a Millionaire? - Art 4
- Could Botulinum Toxin be Turned to Beneficial Substance? - Part 2 – Science 10
- What Autumn is Like in My Town Baton Rouge LA – Part 1 - Nature 15
- Parents Behaviors When Caring a Baby – Part 1 - Science 11

Declining of Golden Swamp Warblers Population – Nature 35

We have seen less and less Warblers in our neighborhood during bird migration seasons at least for the last 5 years. 

Image 1- A golden Warbler on the birdhouse

Based on reported by Audubon Louisiana (2022) that population of Golden Swamp Warblers has been decreased since 1960.

Declining of bird population may be at the rate of 40% or even higher. It is quite great number

Golden Warblers should visit our neighborhood by about from Spring (March) to Fall (October).

Unfortunately, they are seen less and less year by year. The question then: what are causing of population declining?

Image 2- Morning in the city

Image 3- Golden warbler at the birdhouse

Several factors are believed to contribute for declining of Golden warbler in our state, Louisiana:

- losing of nesting habitats
- less of suitable places for living
- decreasing of forest, especially wet forest

Based on our observation at neighborhood that Golden warbler just breed once a year or once per season with 1 to 5 eggs.

After incubation period of 10 to 13 days, these eggs will hatch at rate of 60% or less. It is another reason that may contribute to declining of population.

# Previous postings:

- Annual Christmas Parade in Our Neighborhood
- A Memoir of Chasten Buttigieg – Part 1 – Reading 5
- Could Botulinum Toxin be Turned to Beneficial Substance? - Part 1 – Science 10
- A Memoir of Chasten Buttigieg – Part 2 – Reading 5

Lantana for Summer Project in My Backyard – Nature 34

I just visited one of nurseries in my city, Baton Rouge. One flower called Lantana has been attracted me.

Lantana is a scientific genus with 150 species spread to many part in the world include here in the USA.

Image 1- Bright color of Lantana

This flower grows well in the southern states of USA, because warmer temperature, and Lantana produce flowers during hot summers.

In Louisiana, we have several types of Lantana, some of them are:

- Lantana camara
- Lantana montevidensis,
- Lantana urticoides
- Lantana Involucrata
- Lantana horrida

Image 2- Another type of Lantana.

Image 3- Pink color of Lantana

Image 4- Butterfly at a garden

It is said that Lantana may reach to 6 feet (2 meter) tall. Interestingly, the flowers are diseases and insect free.

Butterflies and hummingbirds love to visit Lantana, because flowers have attractive colors and sources of foods.

Many pollinators found nectar and pollen in the Lantana flowers, hence our backyard to be friendly garden for pollinators.

I am planning to grow Lantana in my backyard as my summer project.

Do you have specific project in this summer season?

# Previous postings:

- Old Car – Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1970s
- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 5 – Food 9
- Overdosing Epidemic Caused 100,000 Died in the USA – Science 9
- Can Texting Make You Shopping More and Fat? - Part 2 - Healthy Life 17

Do You Like Boba Bubble in Your Drink? - Part 1 – Food 20

In this small town, Baton Rouge, LA, at least 16 bubble tea shops that I can choose to get a cup of beverages with chewy texture pearls of tapioca starch.

Image 1- Black pearl tapioca bubbles in the Matcha tea.

In spans of three years, this kind of pearls be a favorite “jewel” in here, especially among teenagers and young adults who are still energetic and/or love something new.

Actually, the pearls are lack of nutrients and the taste is bland; so to make a little flavor there is some sweet or fat are added that contribute to high calories in the bubbles. 

Image 2- Flower, just for illustration

Image 3- The bubbles or boba sit on the bottom.

No wonder, when someone on dieting or weigh watching said boba is just “Yikes”.

The pearls or bobas are made from tapioca starch. Tapioca is also known as cassava or yuca. The starch is from the flesh of root with white or white-yellowish color.

Moreover, Tapioca is staple foods for many in the tropical countries. Higher calories, but lower in term of:

- protein, minerals and vitamins

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- Do You Know Ghost Orchids? - Part 1 – Nature 14
- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 4 – Food 9
- Do You Know Ghost Orchids? - Part 2 – Nature 14
- Can Texting Make You Shopping More and Fat? - Part 1 - Healthy Life 17

Stretching to Prevent Leg Cramps - Healthy Life 23

I used to have muscle cramp, how about you? Have you had experiences muscle cramps in your leg?

Image 1- Grits and pickled jalapenos for breakfast after stretching

Some sources (please search through internet) mentioned the causes of muscle cramps as the following:

-long period exercise
-dehydration
-tired muscle
-pregnancy
-age
-dialysis
-medicine

Image 2- Flowers, just for illustration

Even muscle cramps are harmless or they might be a common problem that affect on anyone, the experience of cramps could lead to:

-reduce quality of our life
-reduce quality of sleep
-reduce our daily activities

Image 3- A little sweet snack

Depending of severity and frequency of the symptoms of muscle cramps, the treatments can be invasive and non invasive.

Some of us prefer to take medications to prevent-leg-cramps, or alternative medications, such as acupuncture or dry-needling. 

Image 4- Pumpkins, illustration only

Non-drugs treatments are also effective to prevent-leg-cramps, such as:

-massage and relaxation
-change sleeping and sitting position
-heat therapy, physical exercise and stretching

Stretching, many benefit of it. Stretching can ease pain and improve flexibility. Muscle stretching, 10 seconds calf muscle stretching three times a day for 2 months can treat and prevent musle cramps in the leg.

At last, beside stretching or any non-drugs treatments, staying hydrate is important to prevent the leg cramps.

# Previous postings:

- The Disease that Kills 28.4 million People – Part 3 - Cardiovascular 2
- A Traditional Product of Louisiana – King Cake – Part 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 3 – Food 9
- A Traditional Product of Louisiana – King Cake – Part 2