Free Meal Register for Students in Our City – Sign 9

We found a sign from an organization, or a company called as “Focus Foods” in side of our daily walking path. The sign is about:
- Register for Free Meals

Fig 01- A sign of Register for Free Meals.

After searching through internet that “Focus Foods” provide retail, catering and delivery services to:

- students (18 years old or younger)

- senior or elderly people.

In case of students, then, our city school system contracted “Focus Foods” to provide and deliver foods to eligible students to all schools under its administration in the city.

Fig 02- Cute dog on the street

Fig 03- Just for illustration

Fig 04- Some foods delivered by Focus Foods to students home

Free meals program to ensure all students get nutritious meals and quality snacks. The students include:

- elementary schools

- middle schools

- high schools

The students who choose to study online, “Focus Foods” will deliver frozen meals to students home. Weekly delivery include:

- seven breakfasts, lunches and dinners

- snacks, milk and juice

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Increasing of Suicide Rate in America

It is surprisingly that suicide rate is increasing in recent years and a 30-year high in the USA.

Fig 01- Just for illustration (credit to Harvard Health)

In term of number, the suicide is 29,199 persons in 1999, and almost double (42,773 people) in 2014. Trending is continue until recently.

It is equal to 13 people in 100 thousand population. As reported by Tavernise (2016: U.S. Suicide Rate Surges to a 30-Year High. The New York Times) that increasing of suicide rate occurs in almost:

- all age groups (25 to 64 years old)

- racial (ethnic group)

- and sexes (both male and female).

Fig 02- Blooming in the spring

Quite surprising that suicide rate among the teenage girls (10 to 14 years old) had been three time higher in 2014 than 1999.

Fig 03- Crowd people, illustration only

Other facts that marriage rate is declining, but divorce rate is increasing. Especially for lower education people. It is believed that divorce may lead to suicide.

Fig 04 – Hibiscus in blooming

Many factors that may cause suicide among others are:

- less education (lower than high school)

- less economic well-being

- hopelessness

- distress due to job lost and financial trouble

Health problems may lead to suicide as well. Several of these problems may include:

- drug overdoses and alcohol poisoning

- liver diseases

- or in-curable chronic diseases.

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Have you Tasted Alligator Meat? - Part 2 – Sgn 7

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Have you Tasted Alligator Meat? - Part 1 - Sign 7 | Tanza Erlambang Update 

Fig 01- Alligator filet, sold by Cajun Grocer, Louisiana

Alligator skin is made of keratin, a kind of durable leather. Then the skin is used for exclusive and expensive products such as:

- luggage

- handbags

- shoes

- belts

Fig 02- Seafood market in our city

Habitats of alligators have been attractive sites for ecotourism industry. We may see alligator in areas such as:

- ponds

- lakes

- canals

- rivers

- swamps

- bayous

Fig 03- Sausages sold in the seafood market

You might surprise that alligator meats are sold in the market:

- frozen meat sold in groceries include Walmart

- fresh meat could be found in seafood markets

- I believe you may find frozen meat through online stores

I saw the price for fresh alligator meat in one of seafood market called as Tony’s Seafood:

- tail meat is US$ 10.99 per pound

- whole meat is US$ 6.99 per pound.

Have you Tasted Alligator Meat?

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When Will We Have an Emperor in the Mars? - Part 2

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- When Will We Have an Emperor in the Mars? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- One of Elon Musk tweets

Elon Musk (the founder, chief designer and CEO) of Spacex, the man who has a dream to be an emperor of red planet in his tweet since several years ago and again and again recently.

Spacex is a private company which has one of its missions to send human on the planet (Mars).

The ambitious schedule that the first human landing in 2016. Quicker than well known agency, NASA proposed.

Fig 02- A walking area, illustration

Fig 03- White azalea flowers

Fig 04- SpaceXStarship (credit to The Daily Express)

In fact, Elon Musk’s Spacex unsuccessful to test its “Straship prototype” several times. The recent failed was last March, 2021.

Next flight tests will be coming soon (next couple months) with new Straship prototype, called as SN 20.

However, Starship is designed to bring crews into Mars. Highly unlikely by 2026, four years from now.

Efforts is continued, and history will prove whether Elon Musk will be emperor or just his dream.

We wait and see!

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How Important to Wash Our Hand – Sign 8

When I was a kid, I didn't know how important about hand washing. Just told by mom and teachers to prevent spreading of germs.

The following photos are found in the one of hospital toilets.

Fig 01- A lot of germs in the poop

It might be surprising that one gram of poop contains 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) germs.

At least, there are four type of bacteria live in the feces and relate to human health. They are:

- Salmonella

- Shigella

- Vibrio

- Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Fig 02- A restroom in the hospital

I guess you are very familiar with E. coli, because infection of this bacteria makes many produces are recall from market.

Fig 03- Fountain, just for illustration

I watch CNN few days ago that a US company in New Jersey recall raw ground beef about 120 thousand pounds (55 tons).

Fig 04- Ad from CDC to wash your hand

The beef was contaminated by E. coli. The bacteria might come from animal and human waste.

We always get inform this kind of contaminated to other agricultural produces and recall by market. Some of them are:

- eggs

- sprouts

- lettuce

- fruit

- raw milk

- raw flour

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Have You Tasted Fruits Called as Muscadine? - Part 2 – Food Variety 19

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Have You Tasted Fruits Called as Muscadine? - Part 1 – Food Variety 19 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Muscadine cocktail, sold by Walmart

It has been cultivated since 400 years ago, and able to grow from hot to cold climates in the states such as:

- Florida

- Texas

- Oklahoma

- New Jersey

- Delaware

Fig 02- Colorful paintings

Fig 03- Antique light, just for illustration

Fig 04- Muscadines are hanging over the branch

Unfortunately, it is reported that just 12 of 50 states sell Muscadines in the market, but not in regular basis.

There are “huge” opportunity both to grow and market this fruit. A good source of income for farmers.

Based on simple facts and economic estimation:

- new target markets will be no or less competition, and even to be expanded to nearby foreign markets such as Canada and Mexico.

- ten acres may produce 100,000 pound of Muscadines

- 100,000 pound means US$ 200,000.

Finally, have you tasted Muscadines? What do you think? Do you like it?

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Strange Looking Bird Called Guinean Cock of the Rock – Part 1

After seeing the beautiful bird picture at below (Fig 01), do you see the strange of critter?

What part?

Fig 01- Guianan Cock of the Rock (credit to eBird).

I myself did not observe mouth, look like “mouth less” animal for me.

It is because its feathers cover the beak (mouth). Interestingly that head is in form of crescent.

The bird is called Guianan Cock of the Rock with scientific name Rupicola rupicola.

John Latham, the English ornithologist was the first person to describe this bird in 1790.

Fig 02- Green, springtime

Fig 03- Wild flowers

Fig 04- Female Guianan Cock of the Rock was sitting on the nest

(credit to Flickr).

This Strange Looking Bird distributes in South America region include:

- Guyana

- Venezuela

- Brazil

- Columbia

- Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Size of bird is not big enough, 30 cm (12 inch) in length and 210 gram (7.4 oz) in weight. Male is bigger and has brighter feathers than female.

# To be continued to Part 2

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