Have You Ever Tasted a Paria? - Part 1 - Food Variety 31

Friday, March 3, 2023

When I visited the Asian shop in my city, Baton Rouge, LA. I found a bitter fruit or vegetable called as “paria,” “peria” or “pariah in languages of South East Asian countries.



Fig 01- Paria from Asian Shop


In English, by searching through Google, It is refer to:

- a bitter gourd

- a bitter melon

- or a green gem.


Actually, some people categorized it as fruit, other said vegetable. I myself prefer to call it as the vegetable.


The size is not that long, around 12 cm, and weight is less than 1 pound. The color is green but change to yellow when ripe.



Fig 02- A bean, just illustration



Fig 03- The bitter gourd in the market


The price is quite reasonable in America, US$ 0.99 per-pound. Since I bought three pieces, I paid for US$ 2.71 only.


# To be continued to Part 2


## Previous postings:

- Why Turtles Produce almost All Female Hatchlings Recently? - Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- The Local Honey in the Farmer Market – Part 1 – Food Variety 17 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- A Little dog on the Street – Critters 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Lighthouse for Helping People with Disabilities – Sign 4 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Do You Know that Plants can Memorize Information? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Bees Love Nectar of Yellow Jessamine – Critter 33

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

We have Yellow Jessamine also called as Yellow Jasmine or Caroline Jessamine at our backyard. Interestingly, the plant is survived without cover during cold winter in our area.



Fig 01- A bee is enjoying Flowers’s nectar.


We saw several kinds of bees visit our Yellow Jasmine. Based on Google ID, the species of bees could be:

- the carpenter bee with scientific name Xylocopa sp (Fig 01)

- the Bumble bees, Bombus sp (Fig 02 and Fig 03)


As you know that bees consume both pollen and nectar which are produced by many flowers:

- nectar is a kind of sugar as source of energy

- pollen as food for larvae, contains protein and nutrients.



Fig 02- A bee on the Yellow Jessamine


I don’t know whether our Yellow Jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is visited by honey bees (Apis mellifera).


Based on internet sources that flowers of Yellow Jasmine could be poison to young honey bees, but further researches need to be done.



Fig 03- Does a bee collect nectar?


Do you know about relationship between Yellow Jasimines and bees?


# Previous postings:

- Why Turtles Produce almost All Female Hatchlings Recently? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- The Ways in “Caching” for Speeding Up Web Server – Part 3 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Special Parking for Low Emission Vehicles - Sign 3 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Talented Students to Display Their Paintings – Part 2 - Art 4 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Why Turtles Produce almost All Female Hatchlings Recently? - Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Wild White Flowers in the Spring - Gardening and Hobby 30

Monday, February 27, 2023

Temperature in our place reaches above 70* F (21* C) degree since last week, hence, we may say that Spring is coming. Another sign of Spring is plenty of wild flowers around.



Fig 01- White wild flowers, snowflake


One of wild flowers is white color flowers. After searching and identifying through Google ID, we found the flower includes in the family of Amarylidaceae with genus of Leucojum.


This genus has two species:

1) Leucojum vernum.

- the species also called as Spring snowflake.


2) Leucojum aestivum.

- known as the summer snowflake, or also called as Loddon lily.



Fig 02- Snowflake starts blooming


This Spring snowflake is growing well in our neighborhood and the city garden. Since its perennial, the blooming is observed in the Spring time every year.


I don’t know about summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum). I’ll wait for summer to look for this Loddon lily.



Fig 03- Lovely Spring snowflake


Have you seen wild Spring snowflake in your areas in this time around?


# Previous postings:

- Do you Favor to Certain Chicken Egg Colors? - Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- The Ways in “Caching” for Speeding Up Web Server – Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Vaccinated but Mask Up - Sign 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Talented Students to Display Their Paintings – Part 1 - Art 4 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Why Turtles Produce almost All Female Hatchlings Recently? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Could Scientists Develop Unhackable Computers? - Part 2

Saturday, February 25, 2023

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- Could Scientists Develop Unhackable Computers? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update



Fig 01- The red flower in the garden.


Several American agencies are developing what they called as quantum computer, and then quantum internet.


The agencies such as universities, national laboratories and federal institutions are trying to connect their computers across the USA with what they call as “the quantum concept.”


Some advantages of quantum computers are:

- using qubit (quantum bit)

- faster and excellent in decryption and encryption works



Fig 02- The painting by a local artist, illustration


Connection among computers and cryptography capabilities cause hackers illigal activities highly possibly be intercepted, hence, there is prospect to get online protection and to prevent hacking.



Fig 03- Unique forms of pumpkins, illustration


However, quantum computer is in the early stages so far. Moreover, hopefully, we will avoid online hackers in the near future soon.


# Previous postings:

- The Ways in “Caching” for Speeding Up Web Server – Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Pets must Remain on a Leash at All Time – Sign 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Zinnia Flower and Vincent Van Gogh – Part 2 - Art 3 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Hawks to Control Rats at Neighborhood - Critters 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Do you Favor to Certain Chicken Egg Colors? - Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Homeless and Drug Addictions – Sign 35

Thursday, February 23, 2023

We found a sign on the grass when we have daily jogging. The sign highly probably from a homeless man.



Fig 01- Sign found on the lawn


We can read the sign said :”Homeless Going Through A Hard Time Anything Helps.”


Then, close to the sign, we found a box and several of used syringe needles (please see Fig 02 and 03). You may conclude who have the needles.


Do you believe the homelessness is a matter of choice in life?


As reported by Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities (August 6, 2020: Homelessness Survey 2020 Results) that there are 3 (three) main causes of homelessness in the USA.



Fig 02- Drug needles at roadside


Top three causes of homelessness, especially in the big cities across America:

- drug addictions

- job loss

- mental health


1 of 5 (20%) of homeless are drug addictions and alcohol abuses. Actually, they got drug and alcohol after they are homelessness.



Fig 03- Syringe needles in the box.


However, small proportion only, less than 1% of population is homeless. City administrations have good programs to reduce this number.


# Previous postings:

- Women Equality as Conflict Paradigm Example – Part 3 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Do you Favor to Certain Chicken Egg Colors? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

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Is Tempeh Better than Tofu? - Part 1 – Food Variety 30

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

We have talked about tofu at previous postings:

- Demanding of Tofu was Increasing During Covid 19 Pandemic – Part 1

- Demanding of Tofu was Increasing During Covid 19 Pandemic – Part 2



Fig 01- Tempeh (left) and Tofu (right), credit to Chatalaine


Tempeh is Indonesian traditional foods, and you may find this food everywhere, sold by the big restaurants to street vendors.


Some people eat Tempeh as a snack. Good snacks while drink a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon.


In fact, Tempeh is cooked soybeans which are bonded by fermented process. Tempeh looks like a cake form as the end result of fermentation.


Fermentation process took several days, hence make Tempeh texture (grainy) and flavor (nutty and earthy) are different than Tofu.



Fig 02- The raw tofu, and its slices


Tempeh Vs Tofu Health Benefits:

- Tempeh is a tremendous source of protein, with around 15 grams in just half a cup.

- It also offers an excellent amount of fibre with 3.5 grams in half a cup, compared to tofu’s 0.5 gram.



Fig 03- Tempeh, sold in the Walmart grocery


What else the health benefits of Tempeh Vs Tofu?


# To be continued to Part 2


## Previous postings:

- Bee Swarm Removing Cost – Part 2- Gardening and Hobby 23 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Women Equality as Conflict Paradigm Example – Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Using Woods for Fireplace in the Winter – Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Could Microchips Detect Covid 19 Virus in the Blood? - Part 1 - Virus 39 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Women Equality as Conflict Paradigm Example – Part 3 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Rare to See Spicebush Swallowtails in the Yard – Critter 32

Sunday, February 19, 2023

We always see monarch butterfly during Spring to Summer seasons in our yards or our city gardens and parks:

- From Caterpillar to Monarch Butterfly – Critter 18 | Tanza Erlambang Update



Fig 01- Colorful of a swallowtail.


Contrary, we rarely see the swallowtails butterfly. We don’t know whether this is just for our cases.


Two contradict facts:

1) Monarch butterfly includes in endangered species list by “International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).”


2) The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly with scientific name, Papilio troilus Linnaeus, is excluded from IUCN list. It means that the swallowtails butterfly should be seen more than Monarch butterfly in nature.



Fig 02- Flowers, just illustration


As reported by UF IFAS (2015: Featured Creatures) that butterfly of the Spicebush swallowtail is “relatively common” in the nature and in the botanical gardens or city parks.


The species distributes in the states throughout the eastern and the mid-western parts of the USA.



Fig 03- A swallowtail is flying under flowers


How often do you see Swallowtail butterfly in the nature?


# Previous postings:

- Bee Swarm Removing Cost – Part 1 - Gardening and Hobby 23 | Tanza Erlambang Update

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