Did Fear Make Some People be Late Persons?

Clock, just for illustration

We talked about arrival on time in industry countries at previous post (Some American Customs are not Apply in Other Countries – part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update).

Actually, some people in developed nation are late persons too, might be late in things like:

- missed due dates on assignments

- come late to an important meeting

- late to meet friends

Behavior of late persons caused harm to themselves in terms of:

- relationship

- careers

- finances

- reputations

There are plenty causes to become late either acceptable or not:

- sickness

- traffic accidents

- not able to judge length of distance or time needed to keep on schedule

Illustration of fear (credit to Healthline)

Personalities are believed to contribute to the lateness:

- low self control make the late person to consume a lot of time to reach schedule.

- too optimistic

- anxiety tend to avoid particular conditions

- reflective

- explorative

- distress

Then, what is the main cause that make some people be late persons?

Some expert said that “fear” or “anxiety” is the main reason to be late persons. Feeling fear such as:

- have no good results in doing assignments

- have no good dress to meet friends, and wasting time by trying several outfits.

Fear can cause damage to the brain, and then accumulate of damage make “late persons” not be able to fix their own fear. Thus, be late and late.

Are you a late person type or on time person type?

How Authoritarian, Cult or Abusive Leaders Created Their Fervent Supporters?

Hitler was one of authoritarian leaders (credit to SlideShow)

Reading from multiple resources, it is surprising me that authoritarian, cult or abusive Leaders have similar characters in some points.

Typical of these kind of leaders are:

- take advantages or dominate their followers

- stoking fears such as fear to minority groups (Hitler case)

- provoking fears that immigrants are dangerous, done by many current leaders in many countries.

Then, what factors that caused supporters to “submissive” to these leaders? The answers are lead to:

- unaware about harm to themselves and to the society

- followers have justifications that successful leaders such as in business, military or government administration are entitle to conduct unethical or immoral behaviors.

A campaign rally, just for illustration (credit to Business Insider)

- no connection with real truth due to limited resources. Favor to selective medias.

- fact averse, thus accepted the fact which corroborate to their narrow viewpoints.

Like the leaders like followers, both of them have the same personality that to abuse who have different opinions.

Finally, by supplying fear consistently, leaders could “short-cut” their followers brain, reduce cognitive ability. It is the way the authoritarian, cult or abusive leaders created their fervent supporters.

Why do Americans Love to Visit Library?

Lady carries a box with full of books in front a library

It was the facts that 350 libraries were closed across America in the recent years due to many factors, three of them:

- budget cuts: in addition to closures, also causes less operating hours

- widespread using of digital medias

- e-books are available in the market

Surprisingly, Americans and Canadians have used public libraries more and more in the last 10 years.

The trending seems appearing in the Europe too where governments reinvention to attracts thousands of visitors to come to libraries

Libraries are living, even evolving and reviving. Then, mainstream medias reported that library is top place to be visited by Americans.

 Our city library, a public library

Top 6 the rank places most visit by Americans are following (according to Gallup poll):

- library

- movie theater

- sport event (sport stadium)

- live music or theatrical event

- national or historical park

- museum

Now, the question is Why do Americans Love to Visit Library? The simple answer is that library could make quality of life be better.

How about you? Do you like to visit library?

Flowers of Redbud Trees Near by My Walking Path

The flowers of Redbud tree

As of my previous post, we walk for 35 minutes almost every day, and walking under the tree for health advantage purposes (What are Health Benefits to Walk under the Trees? | Tanza Erlambang Update).

Actually, we may found many interesting things under the trees, include critters, flowers and weeds.

We saw red flowers few days ago, after searching through internet, we believe the red or pink flowers belong to the tree called Western Redbud with scientific name Cercis occidentalis.

The tree is blooming as one of signs from nature that early spring is coming. Yes, the weather is quite comfortable in our place in the February, about F 47 (C 8) degree during night, and F 70 (C 21) degree during day time.

Redbud tree is suitable for small yard

It is said there are two type of redbud trees

- Western redbud

- Eastern redbud

The Western redbud is suitable for warm temperatures, and grow well in California and Arizona.

While Eastern tree (Cercis canadensis) could be seen from eastern to north USA, even go through Canada.

Comparison between Redbud and another tree

Redbud is not so tall tree, about 3.1 m to 5.5 m (10 to 18 feet) tall. Strong tree because could resistant to drought and specific fungus such as “oak root” fungus.

The plant may grow reasonable fast, the rate from 61 cm to 91 cm (24 inches to 36 inches) per year. The first flowers are produced at 3^rd year of age, from February to April each year.

Have you ever seen the beautiful flowers of Western or Eastern redbud in your areas?

What is the Meaning of Lifetime Warranty?

Sample of Tupperware products

We may familiar with word of “warranty.” Yes, it is a product guarantee given by a company to its customers for certain times, let’s say 1 or 2 years.

If the products or their parts are defective, customers may ask for replacement or repair.

In America, we just simply return it sometimes to stores or supermarket where we bought it.

How about with lifetime warranty?

It is a kind of forever guarantee or we make a claim without time limit against product defected due to its materials or craftsmanship.

However, the lifetime warranty may not apply because of:

- the perform of product as long as lifetime of customers, but as long as customers own the product

- technology may changes, we can’t ask replacement of floppy disks or specific cables now days.

Here 10 products have lifetime warranty as examples:

- Smith Optic

- Stanley

- Vermont Teddy Bear

- Vortex Optic

- Red Oxx

- Rainbow Sandals

- Polar Bottle

- Nemo Equipment

- Le Creuset

- Tupperware

I just have experienced with Tupperware. We may ask replacement when the products are breaking, peeling or cracking.

Have you experienced with lifetime warranty brands?

Is Soccer Getting Popular in America?

Soccer club for kids (5 years to 9 years old children)

People around the globe have known that “American football” is the most popular sport in the USA.

Harold Pinter who won Nobel prize for Literature in 2005 wrote a poem to depict how American football so important in American society.

How about with soccer? Yes, it seems that this sport is getting popular because more than 24 million Americans play soccer now days.

If we rank, the top 4 popular sports in the USA are:

- American football

- Baseball

- Basketball

- Soccer 

Soccer goal nets in the soccer field

In term of women soccer world cup, USA won 4 times of 8 championships. The team got titles in the following years:

- 1991

- 1999

- 2015

- 2019

The 4 times world champion title might drive many American, especially kids who are getting interest to play soccer in many cities across America.

I always saw brochures or billboards to open registration for kids to play soccer either by schools or clubs. It is one of signs that soccer is getting attention in the USA in recent years. 

Have You Ever Seen a three-toed Sloth in the Nature?

A female three-toed sloth (credit to Inverse)

I was stunning to see this animal from a media. First, I feel scary, then adapt to be interest. I never saw this animal in the nature.

This is a mammal, originally from Amazon areas which cover many countries in the South America or some isolated places in the Latin America.

We know there are 4 species of a three-toed sloth:

- the maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus)

- the brown throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus)

- the pygmy three toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus)

- the pale throated sloth (Bradypus tridactylus).

Two of these four species, namely the maned sloth and the pygmy three toed sloth are red list of endangered species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Cute babies three-toed Sloth (credit to Pinterest).

Other two species, the brown throated sloth and the pale throated sloth mainly living in the protected forest with healthy environments.

The four species have different length of pregnancy periods, from 5 month (150 days) to almost one year. They always produce one baby only per pregnancy.

Have You Ever Seen the three-toed Sloths in their own habitats?

Using Library Card to Watch Films through Online Streams

Kanopy application to watch film with library card

I knew that libraries provided videos to loan for members since long time ago, but I just aware that libraries across America have services to their members to watch films from online streams.

By using library card, we could access to application called “Kanopy,” from here we could select more than 30,000 movies and documentaries.

Kanopy is available not only to 4,000 libraries in the USA, but also in the following countries:

- Canada

- Australia

- New Zealand

- United Kingdom

Number of films can be watched varied for each city (state) library. As an example, our library limited to 15 films per month. 

Parking lot of our library, illustration only

Other cities such as New York limits to 10 films per month, and Brooklyn library limits to 6 films per month.

The films so variety, from top rates to not popular ones, from amateur to commercial, and from new to old released.

The type of films may be included :

- Horror

- Drama

- Action

- Romance

- Shorts

- Documentary

- Foreign

Have your city library provided free access to watch films through online streams?

Konbi with 10 Seats is the Best Restaurant in the USA

The best restaurant in the USA, with 10 seats only

(credit to cntraveler)

I just read top 10 restaurants in America, released by Bon Appétit magazine. Konbi was chosen as the best in 2019.

What surprised me that the restaurant is “so small” with limited seats, limited hours and limited menus.

Konbi, a Japanese word means “combination.” It was founded and owned by two chefs, Akira Akuto and Nick Montgomery.

Konbi has some Japanese style menus and others, some of them are:

- Japanese style sandwiches

- French pastries

- Vegetable dishes

- drinks (coffee and tea)

Konbi’s coveted croissants (credit to Los Angeles Magazine)

As I quoted from magazine, here the the best restaurant in the USA in 2019;
1. Konbi (Los Angeles)
2. Khao Noodle Shop (Dallas, TX) 
3. Longoven (Richmond, VA) 
4. Ochre Bakery (Detroit, MI) 
5. The Elysian Bar (New Orleans) 
6. Kopitiam (New York City) 
7. Tailor (Nashville, TN) 
8. Le Comptoir du Vin (Baltimore, MD) 
9. Matt’s BBQ Tacos (Portland, OR)
10.The Wolf’s Tailor (Denver, CO)

The Konbi locates in Echo Park, 1463 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. It is daytime restaurant, open 7 days a week from 8.00 AM to 3 PM.

One of special dishes is croissant, restaurant serves 36 only daily. You are lucky enough if you could get one. It is because croissants will be sold out before 11 AM.

Have you visited one of 10 best restaurants in the USA as listed above?

Some American Customs are not Apply in Other Countries – part 2

A ruler in metric system

At previous post, we talked about 3 American customs are not apply to other countries: Free refill, Arrival on scheduled and Left hand habit.

Please re-visit: Some American Customs are not Apply in Other Countries – part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

This post will talk about:

- Measurement system

- Using old money

- Open a gift

America and other two countries, Liberia (Africa) and Myanmar (South East Asia) use imperial system such as gallon, feet and yards.

The rest of the world are using metric system also known as the international system of units (SI). 

Gifts, just for illustration

The units of measurement include:

- kilogram (kg)

- meter (m)

- Candela (cd)

- second (s)

- ampere (A)

- kelvin (K)

- mole (mol)

Another custom is using paper money. It is no problem to use crinkled or worn bill, since the bill was circulated quite long in America.

You should pay to buy somethings with clean or look like new bills in some developing nations. The stores will reject the older money. Thus, we may change our crinkled money to new ones in the banks. Then, use its.

Moreover, It is custom to open the gift in front the giver in America. The giver wants to see happiness face of who got the gift.

In some Asian countries, to open the gift in front the giver is considered rude behaviors.

For special occasion in Japan, the gift is wrapped tightly, so, we can’t open the gift in front the giver practically.

# To be continued to part 3