Have You Seen Red Tide on the Beach?

Flow map of red tide in Florida (credit to Start1)

Term of “red tide” refers to blooming of algae in the oceans. It is due to nutrients from ocean floor rising to the surface.

Nutrients are excellent source of foods for different kinds of algae. Some algae are harmful, others are not.

It is natural phenomena, and could be happen any where in the world. The time length of red tide is about two weeks.

Harmful algae called Karenia brevis, could color ocean surface to be red if they are in great number or dense enough in the water.

In the coast of Florida, this algae is appearing from Spring to Summer, and blooming in the November every year.

The longest red tide in Florida in recent years was about 16 months, from around late 2017 persist to early 2019. 

Dead of marine animal due to Florida red tide

(credit to Ivy Yin)

The Karenia brevis released neurotoxin, the effects of this toxic on environments are following:

- killing and contaminating wildlife such as fish, shellfish, birds, dolphin and sea turtles.

- breathing problems to human

Fishes are sensitive to neurotoxin. Commercial fishes which are salmon, cod, flounder, American pollock and Atlantic herring could die in an hour after exposure to neurotoxin.

This 16 months red tide caused lost million of dollars to Florida state economic, especially to business relate to tourism industries.

Have you seen red colors of sea in front of any beaches?

Could Oversleeping Cause Cardiovascular Diseases? - Heart 4

Normal and healthy sleep for adult

(credit to Amerisleep).

We all need sleep to repair “damages” of our body due to many daily activities. Other functions of sleep are:

- removing waste

- improving immunity

- processing memories and learning development for brain

The question then how long should we sleep for better health of our body? Many resources mentioned that sleeping between 7 and 9 hours is considered good and healthy.

Some experts described the length of sleep whether too short or too long has health risk to several diseases.

Oversleeping, more than 8 hours, will increase the risk of some diseases, especially cardiovascular relate diseases.

Illustration of health problems to oversleeping

(credit to verywell health).

Some diseases connect to sleeping too much are:

- heart disease

- stroke

- diabetes

- Obesity

- Cognitive impairment

- Impaired fertility

- Depression

In case of cardiovascular diseases, hours of sleep and its risks are following:

1) 8 hours sleep more per night

- double risk to have chest pain (angina)

- 10% risk to get coronary heart disease.

2) 9 hours sleep more per night

- 34% risk to get heart diseases.

3) 11 hours sleep more per night

- 38% to 44% risk to get coronary heart disease.

Luckily, who have been slept about 7.5 hours per night will less likely (reduce) by 18% to get heart diseases.

How many hours do you sleep per night? Hope, no less and no more than healthy range.

# Relate posts:

- What is the Irregular Heartbeats? - Heart 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Why Sugary Drinks Cause of Heart Diseases? – Heart 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

How Much the Highest Prices of Bluefin Tuna have been Recorded?

Slices of blue-fin tuna at Sushi bar.

From previous post: What Species is Considered as the Best Tuna? | Tanza Erlambang Update

Blue fin tuna is one of commercial tunas sold in the market, and the price is unbelievable so expensive.

Tuna is one of my favorites. When we ordered fresh tuna, we did not know the species, we just remember the price is a little bit higher compared to other fishes.

But, the cost was not that expensive like in Japan auction market every January of opening year.

Records of the highest bet in the following years:

- 2013, price was US$ 1.76 million

- 2019, price was US$ 3.1 million

- 2020, price was US$ 1.8 

Kiyoshi Kimura paid the highest price of Bluefin tuna in 2019

(credit to Kimimasa Mayama)

The weight was 612 pound (278 kg) for US$ 3.1 million Bluefin tuna. It is mean US$ 5,000 per pound. I will never pay this kind of bill.

The normal price is US$ 40 per pound, could be fluctuate, but never reach US$ 200 per pound in Japan fisheries markets.

The tuna, then sliced into 12,000 pieces used for sushi or sashimi. Kinds of Japanese traditional foods.

Interestingly the man who paid the price tag for 2013, 2019 and 2020 is the same man, Kiyoshi Kimura.

He is the owner of sushi restaurant chains, Sushi Zanmai. The 24 hours and 365 days a year sushi bar.

Have you tasted Japanese Sushi or Sashimi with fresh Bluefin tuna?

What Kind of Technologies You Love Most?

Self Driving Car (credit to Good Times Santa Cruz)

We have witnessed technology changes in fascinating speed in recent days. We may thank to some technologies, because we love them or we think the technologies contributed to well being of our society.

My opinion that the list of 10 important technologies appeared since last decade are:

- Self driving car

- Power wall

- Hover boards

- Smart Watches

- Bionic eyes

- Electric car

- Simple HIV test

- Drones

- Genetic engineering

- Home security

Bionic eyes, just for illustration (credit to Popular Mechanics)

Sure, we might love few of them. My favorites technologies are:

- Self driving car

- Bionic eyes

- Drone

I am not a good driver, self driving car might help me. The car is able to move safe and sense the environment by automatic technology.

Unfortunately, the car so expensive in the market for me now, the price of two most demand cars: Tesla and Cadillac reach US$ 100,000 or more. Hope, it will be cheaper in the near future.

Then, bionic eye is promising device to help blind or impaired eyes people to see objects. The current edition, bionic eyes are designed to treat eye diseases and prevent vision loss.

You all may know that drone is used for multi purposes now, include selfie from the sky with lower price (my previous post.: Can We Get Drone under US$100? | Tanza Erlambang Update)

Finally, What Kind of Technologies You Love Most?

Does Intermittent Fasting Affect on Insulin Resistance? - Part 2 - Diabetes 16

Illustration for intermittent fasting (credit to Atkins).

We continue to talk about about intermittent fasting and insulin resistance in this post (please see previous post: Does Intermittent Fasting Affect on Insulin Resistance? - Part 1 - Diabetes 16 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Moreover, researchers had observed two groups of pre-diabetes men. Observation conducted for 5 weeks. The results are quite surprising and promising.

1) First group, fasting for 16 hours a day. Restricted eating at 8 hours window (7 AM to 3 PM). Results are:

- no change of body weight

- lower insulin level

- improve insulin sensitivity

- lower blood pressure

- decrease appetite

2) Second group, fasting for 12 hours a day. Results are:

- no change of body weight

- not significant changes of insulin level, insulin sensitivity and blood pressure.

Cheese sold in the grocery, just illustration

In respect to insulin, intermittent fasting for 16 hours have significant effect on improvement insulin sensitivity.

Thus, the result improves cells respond to insulin and decrease sugar level in the blood streams.

Other observations indicated that fasting intermittently may improve brain function and longevity.

Sure, we should consult to the physician before deciding to fasting intermittently and asking about how long healthy fasting in a day.

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