Halloween in Our Neighborhood – Photos

Fig 01- Attractive photo in front of a house

This year, Halloween decoration displays are not that much in our neighborhood, and even in our town in this year.

May be, no more than 20% have decorated their houses. Actually, less and less year by year.

I don’t know the exact reasons, I guess several of them could be:

- economic instability

- pandemic

- security

- hurricane

In case of our neighborhood, the crucial factor is that we just hit severely by hurricane Ida.

My previous post about this storm:

- Hurricane Ida Debris Piles in the Neighborhood

Trick or treat hours are limited.

Fig 02- A grave yard at the corner

Fig 03- Kid and teenager with strange customs

Fig 04- Decoration in one of houses.

Our city authority set trick or treat hours from 6 PM to 8 PM. Two hours only. However, no age limit yet in Louisiana.

I know some cities such as Chesapeake, Virginia limits the age. Kids 12 or below only to participate in trick or treat.

Who over 12 years old engages in trick or treat will punished with a fine between US$25 to US$100 or will be jailed.

A fine between US$10 to US$100 will be given or jailed to whom involve in trick or treat after 8.00 PM.

How about with your areas or countries?

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Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 2

A snake crawling on the wood bridge

Previous post (Part 1):

- Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 1

what countries have the higher death due to snakebites?

Here the top five countries in the world, the death of snakebites per year (Top 5 Special Report, 2021):

1) India

- number of death around 15 thousands to 50 thousands

2) Indonesia

- death about 11,581

3) Nigeria

- about 9,900

4) Pakistan

- death about 8,264

5) Bangladesh

- number of death around 8,000

Street in the neighborhood, illustration only.

The places where people got snake bites are following:

- farming

- constructions

- plantations.

Moreover, you might wonder: why does top 5 death come from developing countries?

The main reason that no or lack of anti venom drugs to treat snakebites. The other reasons are:

- weak health systems

- less medical resources.

Finally, have you seen snakes in the natures?

# Previous postings:

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Millions are Bitten by Snakes Every Year – Part 1

Black snake on my back yard

I found black snake and its skin at least twice at my back yard recently. My neighbors said that the snake is black racer, possibly.

This kind of snake is not venomous, it visits yard to search for food. Its natural foods include:

- insects

- lizards

- rodents

- bird and its eggs.

The black racer actives at daylight, it is the reason why I found the snake about mid day.

Moreover, as reported by World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), you might surprise that more than 5 million people are bitten by snakes world wide each year.

Flowers in the bushes, illustration.

Then, snakes, especially venomous species bitten lead to:

- die reach up to 138 thousand

- amputated around 400 thousand

- caused disabilities up to 400 thousand

You might wonder: what countries have the higher death due to snakebites?

# To be continued at Part 2

## Previous posts:

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Is Autumn Favorite Season in the USA?

Leaves start to change their colors

I thought Spring is the most favorite season for Americans, yes, it was before 2019, long time ago.

Survey done by Gallup (2005), about 16 years ago, indeed, It was Spring as the most lovely season in the USA.

Then, what is the most favorite season now?

Autumn or Fall season.

Based on survey by YouGov (2019), the percentage of people love Fall season is the highest than other seasons.

The result of survey is following:

- Fall 40%

- Summer 27%

- Spring 19%

- Winter 10%

- Don’t know 4%

We might wonder: why?

Color changed of leaves

Each one has own reasons to favor Fall season. For me, Fall is when temperature lower down, after long hot summer. I am waiting very much this season.

Some reasons why people love Fall season, just for examples:

1) A lot of festivals, some of them:

- Halloween

- Thanksgiving.

2) Foods and fruit

- pies

- seafood seasons

- apple harvest

3) Beautiful colors. We may see beautiful colors of leaves everywhere:

- red

- orange

- yellow

4) Temperature, not cold and not hot.

Finally, what season do you like?

Spring or Fall? Why?

# Previou posting:

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Hurricane Ida Debris Piles in the Neighborhood

Fig 01- Debris on roadside and grass

As you might know that Hurricane Ida just hit Louisiana about 11 days ago, then travel to several states in the USA.

In addition to our state, other states hit by Ida include:

- Mississippi

- Alabama

- Pennsylvania

- New Jersey

- New York

Economic lost was estimated about US$ 95 billion due to this hurricane, and recorded as one of costliest hurricanes in the USA.

Death toll was estimated at least 60 people, and might be rises after counting process is finished.

Our neighborhood in Baton Rouge, LA was hit hard by this hurricane. Leaves and branches scattered everywhere.

Fig 02- A tree fall down

Fig 03- Branches and leaves scatter on the road

Fig 04- A falling tree and branches in the neighborhood.

Neighbors did do hard work to collect debris, then pile its on the:

- sides of curb (drainage)

- grass

- yard

No, we can not put our debris on the street, it is because debris will block traffics, and in many cases can cause damage to passing cars.

Unfortunately, we didn’t know when trucks will pick our debris, it will leave dead grass patches.

Hope, everything goes well in coming days.

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May an Organism has both Female and Male Sexes?

Fig 01- A bee collects flower’s nectar

At previous posts, we have talk about possible sex traits in organisms such as birds and turtles:
- Health and Dynamic Life: Why Turtles Produce almost All Female Hatchlings Recently? - Nature and Wildlife 10.

- Have You Seen a Half-Male Half-Female Bird? | Tanza Erlambang Update

As reported by Jason Bittel in National Geographic (August 5, 2020) that a beekeeper spotted “a bee” which has both female and male sex organs.

What?

Gynandromorph is a scientific term refers to this kind of organisms (own both male and female traits).

As you might know that there are 3 types of bees in nature:

- queen
- workers
- drones

Fig 02- One of favorite flowers to bees

Fig 03- Source of foods for bees

Queen bee is the same with worker bees in respect to sex traits that all are females.

Drones are male bees, another different with a worker bee that drones have:

- larger compound eyes
- no stings.

All bees: queen, workers and drones have similar eyes:

- normal size of eyes.
- black eyes

A bee which has both male and female sexes has:

- abnormal size of eyes
- creamy yellow peepers eyes

Why could this happen?

The answer is: a genetic mutation!

# Previous post

- How does Insulin Work in our Body? - Diabetes 14 | Tanza Erlambang Update

What are Purposes of Duck Hunting?

Fig 01- Three Duck playing at road side

Number of waterfowl hunters about 900,000 in the USA, but they killed 31 millions duck each years. Quite surprising number for me.

Some states with higher duck killed, sometimes not correlated to number of active duck hunters with licenses.

From The Duck Blog (2017), here the list of states with higher average duck killed by a hunter per year:

- Mississippi

- Tennessee

- Oregon

- Louisiana

- Idaho

- Washington

- Arkansas

- California.

Fig 02- Canadian geese are swimming

Then, What are Purposes of Duck Hunting?

The answers are depended on to whom we talk to: government or duck hunters?

Fig 03- Two ducks on the grass

Federal duck stamps or licenses are source of income for federal and states government.

Cost for federal stamps was US$ 28.5 (include transaction fees), and license fees are varies between state to state.

These income was designed for conservation efforts, especially in relate to:

- wildlife management

- new lands purchase for hunters

- research and education

Hunters or whoever interests with duck hunting may purchase federal stamps in many places:

- U.S. Post Offices

- Walmart

- some sporting and outdoor stores

- some national wildlife refuges

- online

Moreover, duck hunting is for sport purpose, and duck’s flesh is the main target for some duck hunters.

Have you ever hunting? Hunting for what animals? Deer, duck or what? 

Icy in my Neighborhood during Recently Snow Storm

Fig 01- Snow in the jogging track area

Hundred millions people across America have experienced “deadly” snow storm. Temperature below zero Celsius degree during second week of February 2021.

Almost all southern states to brace more icy and frigid temperature than normal February each year, the states include:

- Texas

- Louisiana

- Mississippi

- Alabama.

Our city, Baton Rouge, temperature reached -8 C (18 F) degree. This is our first time experienced to face lower temperature in the Southern state.

The storm caused several problems in our neighborhood and city:

- power outage

- no water supply

- roads block

- grocery stores are closed

Fig 02- Ice on all branches of tree

Many our neighbors have no electricity more than 50 hours since Monday, 15 February 2021.

Fig 03- Branches fall down on the street.

No signs of light until Wednesday afternoon, 17 February 2021. We don’t know until when.

Few neighbors had to leave because it was too cold inside and they don’t have a fire place inside their houses.

Since our neighborhoods have different grids, we and several neighbors are lucky to have light and water supply during snow storms and until today.

How about with your cities? Have your cities snow storm?

Special Mailboxes of Letters to Santa in Neighborhood

Fig 01- Mailbox to Santa in neighborhood

You know about sending letter to Santa, tradition that back to about 100 years ago, 1921 in the USA.

Kids who believe in Santa may send their letter to address such as Santa, Santa Claus, North Pole or any other address they wish.

Letters may be responded “and with small gifts sometimes” by:

- postal employees

- charitable organizations

- corporations

- any citizens who “want to respond to the letters”

What curious me that I just saw several red mailboxes or Santa mailboxes in my neighborhood this time around.

The mailboxes are provided by US Postal Service. It is said that the letters to Santa must be sent before December 15, 2020 with following address:

123 Elf Road

North Pole 88888

Fig 02- Santa and the mailbox, illustration only

The focus of program is to provide relationship between kids and the citizens. These citizens may help kids to realize their wish during holiday times.

Fig 03- Small red mailbox in the corner, illustration only

Surprisingly, millions of letter sent to Santa each year across America. Just to let you know, one state only, the New York postal service received at least a half million (500,000) letters to Santa each year.

Have you ever sent a letter to Santa or responded a letter to a kid? What did you say to Santa or Kid?