A Memoir of Chasten Buttigieg – Part 1 – Reading 5

Fig 01- A memoir of Chasten.

Chasten Buttigieg is husband of Pete Buttigieg.

So, who is Pete Buttigieg?

Pete Buttigieg is US Secretary of Transportation under current Biden’s administration.

He was a US army veteran and former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

As a mayor from 2012 to 2020, Pete Buttigieg has succeeded to rebuild the South Bend city.

Some of his legacies are:

1) Stop shrinking city population due to many people fleeing the city

- population has been increased from 101,000 in 2010 to be 109,000 in 2020.

2) Reducing unemployment rate

- from 10% in 2012 to be below 4% in 2020

3) Booster business communities

- city has been developed so fast for business purposes

Fig 02- A city in America

Fig 03- Rose at backyard

Fig 04 – Pumpkins at farmer market

Fig 05- A pet on the street of American community

4) Creating affordable housings

- help poor communities to own a house
- give loan for repairing to whoever own houses

5) Increasing shelter capacity

- help homeless residents

6) Help neighborhood merchants

- these merchants are important, not only to support neighborhood but also big business such as new hotels.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 2 - Healthy Life 15
- Recreational Fishing in the Louisiana – Part 1 – Nature 13
- Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 1
- Recreational Fishing in the Louisiana – Part 2 – Nature 13

Annual Christmas Parade in Our Neighborhood

Fig 01- A float at our neighborhood parade several years ago

Our city, Baton Rouge, have a lot of parades and festivals from January to December every year.

Some of the parades are:

- Mardi Gras
- Krewe of Oshum
- Annual Christmas parade
- Columbus day
- St Patrick day

You may read posting about Mardi Gras parade and its relate activities at previous postings:

- Local Event Called as “Mardi Gras” In Louisiana, USA
- Wreaths for Mardi Gras in Louisiana
- A Traditional Product of Louisiana – King Cake – Part 1
- A Traditional Product of Louisiana – King Cake – Part 2

Fig 02- A street at neighborhood

Our neighborhood through residents’ association administers annual Christmas parade.

Fig 03- A corner of town

Whoever may participate in the parade:

- no fee
- donate US$22 for portion of mandatory parade insurance.

Fig 04- Residents preparing for parade several years ago.

Parade routes just short distant, about 1.9 miles (3.km). Circling our neighborhood areas.

Fig 05- Just for illustration

Parade starts at 10.00 AM and complete promptly around noon, if weather conditions are good.

Fig 06- Wooden ginger man, illustration

Some parts of parade and festival area:

- floats
- cars
- music
- and other entertainment.

Interestingly, participants may rent a float with 25% discount price through our neighborhood association.

Have your neighborhoods organized any parades or festivals?

# Previous postings:

- Hurricane Ida Hit Our Neighborhood – Nature 11
- Will Wild Horses Able to Ride Out Hurricane? - Part 1 – Nature 12
- The Prodigy Kid - Marla Olmstead’s Paintings – Part 1 - Art 3
- Will Wild Horses Able to Ride Out Hurricane? - Part 2 – Nature 12
- New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 1 - Healthy Life 15
- The Prodigy Kid - Marla Olmstead’s Paintings – Part 2- Art 3

Can Texting Make You Shopping More and Fat? - Part 2 - Healthy Life 17

Fig 01- Illustration of a shopping cart

You may read previous posting (part 1):

- Can Texting Make You Shopping More and Fat? - Part 1 - Healthy Life 17

Programs provide watching live events around us, state wide, nationally and even internationally.

We are also connecting to social medias include:

- blogger
- Facebook
- twitter
- Instagram
- Youtube
- TikTok
- Pinterest
- Snapchat
- and others.

Fig 02- Food with some fat content.

These activities may categorized as “sedentary,” and disturbing exercises of:

- running
- jogging
- and walking

Fig 03- Variety of cheese

It is because we are busy to check:

- messages
- taking photos
- and sending photos to social medias

Fig 04- Grocery at a shopping center

The question then: Can Texting Make You Shopping More and Fat?

The simple answer is yes!

Why?

Fig 05- Chocolate at a grocery

The reasons that texting and internet connecting cell phone prompt people to:

- Deviate from their shopping list.
- Tend to buy hedonistic products that unrelated to lists
- Tend to buy more, and tend to forget from original lists.

Fig 06- A corner at a shopping center.

Now days, the shopping malls may send distract messages to your smartphone to buy their attractive products.

If you are trapped by their interesting offers with discount sometimes, then you might ignore your own list.

It is suggested that you executed your plan first, then you may use your mobile phone later on.

What do you thinks?

# Previous postings:

- Are Freshwater Pearls Less Expensive? - Part 1
- Growing Lantana in my Garden for Summer Project
- Are Freshwater Pearls Less Expensive? - Part 2
- Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 1
- Will We Live Longer if We Think Younger? - Healthy Life 14
- Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 2

Overdosing Epidemic Caused 100,000 Died in the USA – Science 9

Fig 01- Urine drug test sold in Walmart, just illustration

Based on report by Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021) that overdosing drug use reaches 100,000 died from April 2020 to April 2021. The highest recorded ever.

There are many drugs are consumed overdoses, 10 of them caused death frequently.

These drugs include in the 3 categories, they are opioids, benzodiazepines and stimulants.

Opioids drugs are:

- fentanyl
- heroin
- oxycodone
- methadone
- morphine
- hydrocodone

Fig 02- One of medical centers to serve people health

Two benzodiazepines which are used overdoses:

- alprazolam
- and diazepam

Fig 03- Gnomen clature, illustration

Stimulant drugs are:

- cocaine
- and methamphetamine

Fig 04- One of rehabilitation centers for drug abuses

Drug abuses lead to dead has increased dramatically, about 30% compared to last year.

The question then, why so many people abused drugs in this year?

The simple answer and main reason due Covid 19 pandemic. People getting stress and stress:

- higher unemployment
- lock down

How about with your places or countries? Are there drug overdose problems?

# Previous postings:

- Birds Fly Over Our Backyard – Nature 10
- Do you know about E. coli Bacteria? - part 2 - Healthy Life 12
- Why the Free Meals Program could Attract Kids to Come to Library?
- Lobsters have Good Nutritional Values for Health – Healthy Life 13
- One of Ways to Make Barbeque in the Nature – Food 7

Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 5 – Food 9

Fig 01- Egg plants, illustration

You may read previous postings (Part 1, 2, 3 and 4):

- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 1 – Food 9
- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 2 – Food 9
- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 3 – Food 9
- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 4 – Food 9

From previous postings, we may draw several conclusions:

1) Natural foods are foods that are extracted from plants and animals without chemically altered or synthesized.

# They are minimally processed and not contain specific additives, including:

- sweeteners
- food colors
- flavorings
- and antibiotics.

Fig 02- Pomegranates seeds

1) Whereas organic foods are produced, manufactured and controlled by certified organizations.

# In the USA, we have USDA to manage organic foods certification in order to comply with USA Organic Food Products Act

Fig 03- Asparagus, ready to cook

Organic foods are not necessary natural foods, vice versa, natural foods are not mean organic foods.

Fig 04- Fish with vegetables.

There are advantages and disadvantages of organic foods compared to natural foods, thus, organic food probably isn’t more nutritious and safer than natural food.

Finally, Organic and natural produced foods aren’t much different in terms of their benefit (advantages) to human being.

Fig 05- Illustration, dolls

References

Faber, S. 2016. Demand for Organic Food Growing Faster than Domestic Supply. Retrieved from organic consumer organisation.

Lange, SB. 2016. No scientific proof that organic food is healthier than non- organic food. Retrieved from sciennordic.

Merz, S. 2016. What is the Difference between Natural and Organic? Retrieved from https://www.kudolife.com..//

Organic Food. 2016. Difference Between Organic and Natural Food. Retrieved from organicfacts.

Valliant, M. 2014. 2014. Top 10 reasons why organic food is more expensive. Retrieved from hellawella.

Fig 06- Wild fruit in yard.

# Previous postings:

- Green Bean and Papaya Delight – Food 4
- Mental Awareness and Vaccination – Healthy Life 10
- A Bouquet from Combinations of Flowers and Vegetables
- The Best Steakhouse in my City, Louisiana – Food 5
- Measles Outbreak in a Recent year – Part 1 – Healthy Life 11
- Do You Know that Some Musical Instruments Made from Bamboo? - Art 2
- Measles Outbreak in a Recent year – Part 2 – Healthy Life 11
- Have You Tasted Matcha Latte with Soy Milk or Almond Milk? - Food 6
- Can Succulents Improve Room Humidity? - Science 6
- Do You Visit Car Service Center Every Year?
- Like Crazy, “a wild child cares for the wild woman who raised him” - Reading 2
- Do you know about E. coli Bacteria? - part 1 - Healthy Life 12

Old Car – Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1970s

Fig 01- Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1970s

When we visited a garden in our city, we saw an old car coming and then driver parks the car at the parking lot.

What make me wonder:

- how old is the car?
- how to maintain this old car?

By searching through internet, I found interesting facts about Chevrolet Monte Carlo:

- the first generation of car was made in 1970 to 1972
- 130,657 cars are built in 1970
- 5742 cars are built as Super Sport (SS) cars in 1970
- new brand car price was US$3,123

Yes, some cars, especially SS 454s are well maintain and still running on the street now days.

Are they sold in the market today?

Fig 02- Lonely parked at the corner

Fig 03- Photo from back

Yes, there are bargaining in the market with plenty of interest between buyers and sellers.

You might surprise that 41% owner of 1970 SS Chevrolet Monte Carlo is young generation or generation X who born between 1965 to 1980.

How the price?

Based on reported by Greg Ingold (2021 in Hagerty Media) that the best performance car was sold with price tag US$ 100,100.

# Previous postings:

- Summer, be aware with Traveler's Diarrhea – Healthy Life 7
- Do You Know a Sign of Bipolar Disorder? - Healthy Life 8
- Oyster is One of Favorite Seafood in Louisiana – Food 2
- Is Strawberry Greek Yogurt Good For Health? - Healthy Life 9
- Do You Know about Golden Kiwis Fruit? - Food 3
- Grass in Our Yard during Hot Summer