Watching the Bluebird Broods Playing Around – Nature 40

As you might know that bluebirds are common bird, we may spot easily in our backyard.

Image 1- Little broods playing at yard.

I have at least two posted about bluebird in respect to birdhouse and incubation periods:

- Size of Bluebirds Birdhouse at the Backyard – Nature 31
- 8 Eggs of Bluebird for Incubation – Nature 33

After hatching, about 3 weeks (17 to 20 days), little chicks may be able to fly out from their nesting box.

Ability to fly, off course depends on many factors.

Image 2- Eggs of bluebird in the nest

Image 3- Baby bluebirds getting start to flight

One important factor is foods. The quality and availability of food for broods will make their stronger and then quick to fly.

Based on own observation, the developments of bluebird chicks from just hatching to 5 weeks old are following:

- about 10 days old, one or two chicks able to sway out
- about 12 to 14 days, chicks are able to do unstable flight
- after 20 days, they are able to fly to nearby branches
- after 5 weeks, they are to be independent young bluebirds

I love to watch when the chicks learn the first fly. Amazing!

# Previous postings:

- Snowy Owl Re-Appearing after Hiding for 130 years – Nature 3
- Paris in the Eyes of Vincent Van Gogh - Art 1
- How Many Animals Are Expected to Extinct by 2050? - Nature 4
- Rediscovering of Rare Blue Bee in Florida in 2020 – Science 3

The SHIELD is a New Hope to Protect Our Brain – Part 1 - Alzheimer's 10

The NBC TODAY released a short video about a new hope to against Alzheimer's disease.

Image 1- Hummus, one of Mediterranean cuisine

A background of the message in the video is the sadness of a longtime journalist.

He has to write down everything because of the impairment of his short memory. Everything can be gone in 30 seconds. He can't remember them.

He was diagnosed Alzheimer's since 9 years ago. His mother dead from this disease, and now, his son fear of it.

This video reminds me to a friend of mine, she is also a bit worry about her dad since her dad was diagnosed probably has Alzheimer's.

Image 2- Just at neighborhood

Image 3- Wreath for Christmas

She said her dad is still okay, his forgetfulness is still in “normal”. She said her dad taking dexa (dexamethasone).

Dexa is for inflammation.

Inflammation, that is what Dr in video TODAY mention about. He compares the images between the brain severe with Alzheimer's and the healthy brain.

In the brain with Alzheimer's disease, there is inflammation that cause tangles and plaques. No current medicines can cure Alzheimer’s. They only help lessen symptoms for a limited time. Inflammation is a new target.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- A Tropical Plant Called Pineapple – Food 1
- A chocolate as a Gift for Valentine’s Day
- Russian Covid 19 Vaccine Advantages – Science 2
- Snow Storm in Our City Baton Rouge – Nature 2

Blue Crab Turns Red Crab – Science 22

Fish, shrimp and crawfish are our favorite items when we buy seafood in the market. They mainly harvest from our state waters.

Image 1- Raw and fresh blue crab

At least two kinds of crabs are sold in our areas, blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) and Dungeness (Metacarcinus sp). The Dungeness crab has been posted previously:

- Dungeness Crabs from Gulf of Mexico – Science 19

I believe you know that all crab and lobster will turn red when cooked by boiling or steaming it.

The question then: Why?

Image 2- Dungeness crabs sold in the market

Image 3- Crab turns red when we cook it.

As you might know, the process of crab, prawn, lobster or crustaceans turns red when cooked:

- first, heat due to grilling or boiling will destroy protein called crustacyanin.
- second, releasing of astaxanthin
- finally, shell turns red (bright red).

Many people love to consume crustaceans, but few people don’t like them because of many reasons.

Some of my friends have allergic if they eat crustaceans.

How about you? Do you like to eat lobster, crab or shrimp?

# Previous postings:

- Important of Microorganisms in Food Industry – Healthy Life 1
- I Got a Covid 19 Vaccine Shot Recently – Part 2
- Wild Flowers in the Backyards – Nature 1
- Wreaths for Mardi Gras in Louisiana

Using of Cordless Electrostatic Sprayer for Killing Virus - Part 1 – Science 21

Many companies have developed new technologies to spray disinfectant easily, one of them called as “Cordless Electrostatic Sprayer.”

Image 1- One of high-tech disinfecting machines (credit to EvaClean).

This is a machine with an electric charge which is able to spray to most kind of surfaces, then “coat and wrap” them evenly.

We may fill the Electrostatic Sprayer tank with specific substances (chemical liquid) such as:

- mold preventives
- disinfectants
- sanitizers
- and other safe chemical liquid available in the commercial markets

Image 2- Bags, just for illustration

There are many brands in the market. The number of companies (brands) is increasing day by day, since this kind of spray is popular during Covid 19 pandemic.

Image 3- Purple flowers of Myrtle, illustration

Few reasons to use this Electrostatic Sprayer:

- effective compared to regular spray
- affordable price

Image 4- A store at supermarket, illustration

Some companies (brand names) produce Cordless disinfecting machines, just for examples are:

- Protexus
- Victory Innovations
- Emist
- Brulin
- and Otarius

# To be continued to part 2

## Previous postings:

- I Got a Covid 19 Vaccine Shot Recently – Part 2
- I Got a Covid 19 Vaccine Shot Recently – Part 1
- The Gloomy in the Beginning of the Year of Rat – Part 2
- The Gloomy in the Beginning of the Year of Rat – Part 1

30 September 2022

Tax Free Outlets in the Special Area of Our State

I think many cities around the globe have a kind of “mall” composed of outlets which sell many well-known brands, and sometimes not familiar ones but promising.

Image 1- Sign of Tax free outlet

One of this kind of mall called as “Tanger Outlets,” about 40 minutes drive by car from our home, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

We visit Tanger Outlet several times a year, because many things to attract us to come and to shop in outlets:

- more than 65 outlets are available
- discount rate could reach 75%
- special event with special discount for special products
- good place for walking and enjoy

Image 2- Polo outlet

Image 3- Nike outlet

Image 4- Coach handbag, an American brands

In addition to pretty “big” discount rate, Tanger outlets also provide “tax free” for international customers.

The tax free is attractive for foreign tourists to shop. They may refund “tax free” items in places such as:

- airport when they back home
- one of building in the area of Tanger Outlets.

Based data from “Tax Free Shopping website” that international tourists spend about US$ 24 millions to US$ 40 millions per year in the state of Louisiana in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

# Previous postings:

- Local Event Called as “Mardi Gras” In Louisiana, USA
- Making Perfume in the Organic Chemistry Laboratory - Science 1
- Nobody Can Replace a Mama's Love – Cardiovascular - Part 1
- Nobody Can Replace a Mama's Love – Cardiovascular - Part 2

Young Coconut Water as Folk Remedies – Part2

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- Young Coconut Water as Folk Remedies – Part1

Image 1- Coconut fruits on the tree

In many tropical countries that using young coconut water as part of folk medicine has been practiced now days, where coconut water is given to people who has fever to reduce body temperature.

When children have vomiting or diarrhea, young coconut water will be given too.

Then, pregnant women are encouraged to drink coconut water for good blood (prevent anemia).

Image 2- Three coconut fruits at a grocery

Image 3- A young coconut water

Lately, some of them believe the young coconut water is also prevent Covid-19, so young coconuts are high demand in the market.

I think this kind of believes has no scientific bases. Just belief without any prove at all.

The price of young coconuts is soaring, and the trees are cleaned from their fruits.

It will take a while to produce new coconuts 😄

It takes one year for a coconut to ripe, and six or seven months to get water from the young coconut.

# Previous postings:

- Giveaway and Discount in Time of High Inflation
- The Gloomy in the Beginning of the Year of Rat – Part 1
- Visitor My Blogger - 12 Countries in 3 Days
- Cold Morning at My Workplace, Baton Rouge, USA

A Red Tail Hawk in Our Neighborhood – Science – 20

We have noticed that a lot of hawks visits our neighborhood areas in the last several years.

Image 1- A young red tail hawk.

We believe that at least two species of hawks comes and goes to search foods in our yards.

The two species might be:

- red tail hawk with scientific name: Buteo jamaicensis.
- cooper hawk (Accipiter cooperii).

In addition to physical appearances, the different between red tail hawk and cooper hawk is based on referring to their food preferences.

Image 2- Trees, the place we may see hawks

Image 3- A red tail hawk catches a squirrel.

The significant different between red tail hawk and cooper hawk in term of food consumption are:

- red tail hawk consume squirrels and other small animals
- cooper hawk consume birds (smaller birds) only

So, the two photos (Image 1 and 3) of this posting are photos of “red tail hawk,” not cooper hawk, since they eat squirrel.

My neighbors said that they could be “young stage” of red tail hawk. That why they are not “really” like adult red tail hawk.

What do you think?

# Previous postings:

- Lantana for Summer Project in My Backyard – Nature 34
- Declining of Golden Swamp Warblers Population – Nature 35
- Why does Gum Disease cause Alzheimer's?- Part 1 - Alzheimer's 8
- Higher Temperature due to Heat Island Effect – Science 15