Raccoon Hiding under the Hood of the Car – Critter 10

When open our car’s hood, we found a scary critter with several siblings crawling and hiding in the car.

Fig 01- A raccoon hiding under the hood

The critters might or might not damage our machine and wiring under the hood, it is depending on:

- how long the critters hiding

- how many of them crawling under the hood. One raccoon mom could bring 3 to 4 kids

We should call mechanic to check its, just to make sure that nothing was leaking or damaged.

Fig 02- Flowers of Poinciana at neighborhood

Fig 03- Raccoons in neighborhood

In case of our car, after checking by a mechanic that nothing happen to the car. We are very happy.

One of our neighbors got little problem with his car. Raccoon chewed up his wiring in his car.

The little problem cost him about US$ 550, luckily his car didn't have “heavy” damages.

Unfortunately, I feel that raccoon population is increasing in our neighborhood. The hang around in day light, never before.

Have you ever got problems with raccoon?

# Previous postings:

- Why do People Make and Eat Salted Duck Eggs? | Tanza Erlambang

- Can We Make Tea of Hibiscus Flowers? | Tanza Erlambang Update

- What Kinds of Foods Have no Effect on Weight Gain? | Tanza Erlambang

- What was Prediction After 9/11 of Terrorist Attacks? | Tanza Erlambang

Small Business at Nearby our Neighborhood – Part 1

No surprise for me that about 60 million people work in the small business. It is about 47% of private workforce in the USA.

Fig 01- A sign of donuts shop.

We see many small businesses nearby our neighborhood, and it seems growing well in recent years. I think you may guess why.

Sure, we are a subscriber of car services, a small business with local labors in our neighborhood, the services include:

- car washing

- oil changes

- tires replacement

- and windshield repair.

Fig 02- A homemade cake

Fig 03- Purple bell peppers, a local produce

Fig 04- A lawn care service

Other service from neighbors that we have been using, just few examples of them are:

- Tax Preparation and Bookkeeping

- Cleaning Services

- Online Tutoring

- Catering Services, Mobile Hairdresser Services and Small engines repair

Local produces are sold in small groceries, ethnic shops, and farmer markets. They are cheap and fresh.

# To be continued to Part 2

# Previous postings:

- Do People Keep a Pig as a Pet? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- What are Tempe Health Benefits? - Part 1 – Food Variety 16

- The Reasons Raccoon Visit Our Neighborhood – Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang

- Do People Keep a Pig as a Pet? - Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

State Rules to Prohibit Pets in Stores – Sign 14

I thought grocery owners' own policy to prohibit pets or animals to enter their stores in our city, Baton Rouge.

Fig 01- Sign that state does not allow pets to enter stores

Yes, I noticed signs that dogs are not allowed to come into stores. The signs are attached at glass doors or glass windows of all grocery stores in the city, as I know or remember.

When I visited a farmer market couple days ago, I look carefully the sign, actually the restrictions come from state (state rule).

Then, I tried to find out through Google what is the meaning of the rules?

Fig 02- A cute dog wandering at our neighborhood

Fig 03- A Cat Teapot, illustration

Restriction on pets to enter stores include in Title 3 (Agriculture and Forestry) and RS 3: 2511 (Restrictions on the retail sale of dogs and cats).

Actually, restriction is applied not only to dogs and cats, but also on following animals such as:

- birds

- ferrets

- rabbits

- reptiles and other live animals

How about in your areas or countries?

# Previous postings:

- 40 million Guests Sleep on Camping Sites in the USA – Part 2

- Push-Ups are Good for Our Health – Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- How Nature could Make Human being Happy?

- The Reasons Raccoon Visit Our Neighborhood – Part 1

Have you Seen Cube Feces Animals in Nature?

Honestly, I never seen cube or square shaped poops or from any kind of animals in the nature.

Fig 01- A wombat and his cube feces (credit to VectorStock)

Actually, a wombat is an animal to produce cube shape feces in the world only. One wombat could produce around 100 feces a day. I think it is considered quite plenty.

This animal look like combines (cross breeding) of 3 animals. Two of them you might know very well:

- a bear

- a pig

- a gopher (burrowing rodent).

Fig 02- A pug, illustration only

The size of a wombat could reach:

- 40 inches (102 cm) long

- about 60 pound (27 kg) weigh

Fig 03- Green, just for illustration.

Male is larger than female in average. The short legs animals are found no other places except Australia.

Yes, they are endemic to Australia. Unfortunately, these animals are categorized as “pests” by settlers.

Hence the wombats to be subjects of persecutions and hunted in old times, but now, it is illegal to kill wombats.

It is estimated, the population mainly concentrates in the Epping Forest National Park in Queensland.

Finally, Have you Seen Cube Feces Animals in Nature?

# Previous postings:

- Growing Some Sweet Fruits at Our Backyard – Part 1 - Gardening and Hobby 22

- 40 million Guests Sleep on Camping Sites in the USA – Part 1

- Push-Ups are Good for Our Health – Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Growing Some Sweet Fruits at Our Backyard – Part 2 - Gardening and Hobby 22

Database in Everyday Aspects of Life - Part 2

You may read the previous posting (Part 1):

- Database in Everyday Aspects of Life - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Purple Crape myrtle, just for illustration.

Then, in 1970s as said by Haadi (2010: The Evolution of Database) that E.F. Codd to propose the use of a relational database model to change the way people thought about databases.

Codd ideas open the era of relational database model (Relational Database and Database Management).

This model became the standard principle for database systems as we ever know.

Fig 02- Purple bell peppers

Whether we know or not very much about databases, their effect on our daily lives is extensive.

Fig 03- Public parking, illustration

Databases are everywhere in our society, include in:

- sports

- finance

- government and private organizations

- social media

- health care and even online game.

Thus, databases are as unavoidable in daily life as they are necessary for all of us.

What do you thinks?

# Previous postings:

- Understanding Diseases in Human Body through Knockout Genes – Part 2

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- Halloween in Our Neighborhood – Photos | Tanza Erlambang Update

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Are Rattan End Products Expensive than Plastic?

We talked about Rattan End Products in the USA Market at previous posting:

- Rattan End Products Sold in the USA Market | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Another end product of rattan

Compared to plastic, sure, price of rattan end product is expensive. Just for an example:

- small plastic baskets cost less than US$1

- whereas rattan material (with almost the same size and shape) could reach more than US$ 15.

Fig 02- Pride of Barbados or Mexican lantana

Fig 03- Rattan dining patio set sold by Walmart

People said that some of the reasons why rattan end products quite expensive than other materials:

- strong and durable

- workmanship standard

- quality

If we look after and avoid from outdoor elements (such as rain or wet), rattan furniture may last from 5 years to 10 years.

However, in many cases, rattan furniture just survive around 5 years.

Do you have rattan end products at your home?

# Previous postings:

- Local Jelly at the Farmer Market – Part 2 - Food Variety 15 | Tanza Erlambang

- Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Understanding Diseases in Human Body through Knockout Genes – Part 1 |

- America is Top Importer of Ornamental Fish – Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang

Slow Cat Crossing in Neighborhood – Sign 13

We have pretty a lot of signs across the city. Few signs concern with serious matters, others just for simple things.

Uniquely, some signs are made by common citizens for whatever reasons

Fig 01- Sign for slow cat crossing

I guess that the sign “Slow Cat Crossing” (please see Fig 01 above) is created by a cat lover.

In my opinion, the sign is quite “confuse” and little bit funny, because it has at least three meaning:

- is cat moving slow?

- or just slow cat crossing?

- or ask car drivers to “please slow down?”

Fig 02- Just for illustration

Fig 03- A cat, sitting in the room

I think many animals (especially pets) are considered “slow,” because they are randomly run across the street without looking.

Based on reported from Repairer Driven News (RDN, 2022) that it is estimated about 2 million animals hit by cars annually in the USA.

This figure increased by 7.2% during pandemic years.

The collision is not only dangerous to human being but also to animal safety. Speeding is believed to be main factor in animal collisions.

Moreover, in fact, drivers speed through our neighborhood. Cats and other pets deserve a long life. What do you think?

# Previous postings:

- Banana Spiders in our Neighborhood - Gardening and Hobby 21

- Is Autumn Favorite Season in the USA?

- Local Jelly at the Farmer Market – Part 1 - Food Variety 15

- Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 1