How Important Credit Score to Mortgage Rate?

A bonsai plant just for illustration (this is my own photo)

Many Americans believed that there are 3 important things in their life:

- having a family with two kids

- having a house

- having barbecue and fireworks during independent day every year.

In case of a house, some time, certain people can’t have one for “a while” due to several factors, one of them is a “credit score.”

Credit score reflects financial health: the higher the score, the lower the risk. Hence, higher score tend to get loan quite easy with lower mortgage rate.

There are 5 scale range of credit score in the USA, from poor to excellent:

- 300 – 550, poor score

- 550 – 620, subprime score

- 620 – 680, acceptable score

- 680 – 740, good score

- 740 – 850, excellent score

View from a house

To apply for mortgage loans (Fannie Mae or FHA loans), we should have at least 620 credit score. Average credit score for first time home buyers was 684.

As said that higher credit score means best or lower mortgage interest rate. The different of 1% means a lot.

Just to give an idea, if the house price US$ 300 thousands, down payment US$ 50 thousand and 30 year mortgage:

- 5% interest would cost US$ 235 thousands

- 4% interest would cost US$ 180 thousands

It is clear that with 1% less of interest rate, we could save around US$ 55,000. Hope, we should consider our credit score, before applying mortgage loan.

Why Puffin Birds Population are Decreasing?

Lonely Puffin bird

Puffin birds or Atlantic puffin birds (Fratercula arctica) look cute for me, because of their colors, especially multi colors of their bill.

They are found mainly in the colder areas such as:

- Iceland

- North West Europe

- Arctic fringes

- Eastern North America

- across Atlantic Ocean.

Unfortunately, Puffin birds population are decreasing in the last 15 years due to many factors.

Iceland has the most Puffin bird population in the world, experienced lost of million birds.

Birds were estimated to decrease, from 7 million of 15 years ago to 5 million only in the present time in Iceland alone.

The main causes are climate changes. Some experts said that over fishing is also lead to decreasing of Puffin birds population. 

Hunting of puffin birds in Iceland

(credit to Josh Haner, The New York Times).

Fishes and crustaceans are source of foods for Puffin birds, but the birds prefer fish than crustacean. The fish includes:

- sand eels

- herring

- hake

- capelin

Some of these small fishes are caught by commercial fishing, contributed to depletion of fish population, hence effect on bird’s food supply.

In case of Iceland that hunting is one of main causes to birds number. The Iceland and Faroe island people consume puffin birds.

As traditional cuisine, what Icelanders and Faroe islanders do with puffin birds:

- eat fresh heart of birds

- grill the bird

- smoke the meat

- consume bird’s eggs

However, declining of Puffin birds is every where, thus “the International Union for Conservation of Nature” had listed the birds as vulnerable (threaten to endanger in near future).

Have you seen Puffin birds? Where?

Do You Know these by Catching Fish Species?

Pollock fillet (credit to Gimli Fish Market)

We knew the most favorite seafood eaten by American, unfortunately those fishes are not sustainable (I am please if you had read my previous post: Why Consuming Trash Fish could Help Environmental Protection?).

In addition to tuna, salmon and shrimps, the most eaten seafood are following:

- Cod

- Atlantic halibut

- Winter skate

- Bluefin tuna.

Unfortunately, the last tree (Atlantic halibut, Winter skate and Bluefin tuna) are enlisted as threatening, and even endangering fish species.

Consumer like us, and seafood restaurants should consider to consume friendly environmentally species.

Delicious dogfish (credit to Pedro Barbosa)

There are plenty of by catching fish species, and they are sustainable, delicious with reasonable price.

Here by catching fish sold in the market:

- Scup, called as silver bass too.

- Dog fish, some countries called it as rock salmon

- Sea robin

- Acadian red fish

- Ground fish

Scup fish (credit to Flatiron)

Ground fish is fish that live on the bottom of sea. Some species getting popular in the US market.

Several species of ground fishes are:

- Pollock

- Flounders (gray, summer, winter and yellow tail flounders)

- Haddock, getting highly demand and expensive

- Red fish

I love Pollock, flounders and red fish. I grilled or bake Pollock and flounders. For read fish, I used a traditional recipe.

For seafood lovers, let us expand our species choices rather than unsustainable, threatened and endangered species only.

What is Hypoxia and How Its Relates to Diabetes? - Diabetes 7

Illustration effect of hypoxia on cells or tissues

(credit to Osmosis, YouTube)

We discussed about two metabolic factors that are glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity at previous articles:

 

- How Lipotoxicity Relate to Diabetes? - Diabetes 6 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Effect of Metabolic on Beta Cells in the Pancreas - Diabetes 5 | Tanza Erlambang Update

We will talk little bit about another metabolic factor called as “hypoxia” in this post.

As mentioned by WebMd (2019) that hypoxia is condition of low oxygen level in the our tissues due to low oxygen level in the blood.

Hence, blood can’t bring enough oxygen to the tissue's need. It could lead to injure of cells or dysfunctional of several organs in the body.

Depend on length of time, effect of hypoxia on human body (organs) is range from almost no problem to mild problem to death:

- headaches

- difficult to breath (increase breathing rate)

- increase rate of heart

- body not work properly

- brain stops to function

- lifelong brain damage

- death

Illustration of wide effects of hypoxia (credit First Aid).

Then, the question might be asked: what is relationship between hypoxia and diabetes?

Some literature said that hypoxia and excess nutrient to be trigger of obesity, then cause glucose intolerance and diabetes.

It is suggested to prevent hypoxia and excess nutrient in order to manage body weight by doing:

- consume healthy diet

- exercises regularly

- minimize to use pharmacological theraphy or drugs medication

Reference

WebMd. 2019. What is Hypoxia. Retrieved from https: webmd.

Would You Like to Try Uber Helicopter?

Uber Helicopter (credit to Interia Tech).

As far as I know, Uber provides helicopters in several cities or places, but three cities are well known, they are:

- Dubai (United Arab Emirates).

- Las Vegas (USA)

- New York (USA)

The services mainly from or to airport. The cost of ride is varied in Dubai, Las Vegas and New York.

In Dubai, group of 6 individuals may book a helicopter for AED 530 (US$ 145) per individual. If one person books, it would cost for AED 630 (US$ 172).

The distance is around 34 km (21 miles), flight from the Palm Jumeirah resort to down town, Dubai.

The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island, famous for luxuries of hotel, apartment and restaurants. 

Landing Uber Helicopter (credit to glamour).

In Las Vegas, Uber Chopper not only for transport from and to airport, but also provides views of the city. A group of 4 – 8 people could cost US$ 100 per person.

In New York, we may take helicopter from Manhattan to JF. Kennedey airport or vice versa. The cost around US$ 205. It includes car service from our house to helipad.

By next few years, 3 other cities are planning to provide Uber Helicopter services:

- Dallas, Texas (USA).

- Los Angeles (USA)

- Melbourne (Australia)

Yes, the cost is quite expensive, but will advantage if we ride in rush hours in crowd cities.

Would you like to try Uber Helicopter? Should Copper services are available in your city? 

What are Attractive Products Sold by Amazon?

Shed Defender (credit to Amazon)

Amazon are selling hundred million of goods, almost everything for daily needs. The brands come from all over the world.

I am rarely come to Amazon website to search interesting products. Recently, I found attractive products that catch my eyes:

- shed defender for pets

- hand holder pen and pencils

- breakfast with one device

- beaker wine glass

- unique beta fish tank

Shed defender is to cover pets in order to protect our floor, blankets, furniture and couches from pet hair.

Another function of shed defender is to keep pets warm and protect from allergens, especially for pup.

There are 8 sizes, from mini to extra extra large. Five colors are available:

- black

- hot pink

- purple

- red

- royal blue 

Pen and pencil holder (credit to Amazon)

We may put several office supplies such as eraser, scissors, pencils and pens in the unique and attractive desktop of hand holds the cup.

Amozon sells this product 4 colors:

- lime green

- yellow

- hot pink

- juice orange

Breakfast with one device (credit to Amazon)

We can prepare 3 kinds of breakfast altogether: coffee, bread toast and fry eggs. We may also able to make other breakfast foods with toaster oven and griddle pan.

Uniquely, energy and heat for griddle pan comes from toaster oven. Temperature could be control, and it have removable pan and tray. 

The beaker wine glass

This wine glass looks like a periodic laboratory beaker. We drink wine with scientific precision. It is fun for me, and might be impression for science lovers. 

Fish tank (credit to Amazon)

Design is combined of three separate tanks for three different aquatic animals such as fish, shrimps or invertebrates.

Have you visited Amazon website recently? What items interest you?

The Short Story of Japanese Kino Enigmatic Life – Part 2

Wave, painted by Japanese, Hokusai.

You might read the first part of this post: The Short Story of Japanese Kino Enigmatic Life – Part 1.

Then, because barely talk, Kino knew customer name is Kamita after two months in touch. The mysterious stray cat then to stay with Kino, gave him such unconditional comfort.

Kamita is combine of two words, “kami” means god and “ta” means field.

One day, a lot of snakes come to the bar. Kamita suggested Kino to go far away a while for good.

As mentioned by author mysteriously, “Kamita’s words had a strange persuasive power that went beyond logic. Kino didn’t doubt him. He stuffed some clothes and toiletries into a medium-sized shoulder bag, the same bag he’d used on business trips,” Murakami (2015). 

Goldfinch and cherry tree, painted by Hokusai.

Moreover, the author was born in Kyoto, the former imperial capital of Japan in 1949.

As described by Anderson (2011) that author had a jazz club for ten years. He did daily operation of club by clearing away, making burger, listening to music and blending drinks until midnight.

It is understandable that author’s experienced could reflect in his fictions. The writer story style is most in ordinary setting.

The short story of “Kino” is developed line by line with plenty of mood there. The messages are mixed: simple, sad, supernatural, ambiguity, soothing and haunting at the same time.

The sentences are beautiful, full of imagination and surprise at some point. I like to read the story. 

References

Anderson, S. (2011). The Fierce Imagination of Haruki Murakami. The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved from New Yorker.

Murakami, H. 2015. Kino. The New Yorker, February 23 & March 2, 2015 Issue. Retrieved from New Yorker.