Giveaway and Discount in Time of High Inflation

We just talk about “abnormal” higher price compared to inflation rate (please read at previous posting):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Is Rising Price due to Greedflation?

Image 1- Monthly giveaway at one store.

Last weekend, we went to our city mall, we thought the price will higher like food prices, surprisingly, no, not at all for certain products and brands.

We are happy to find the true facts that:

- there are plenty of discount where many stores provide almost 33% discount rate.
- other interesting deals include buy 3 get 3 free
- thousand dollars of giveaway by several stores.
- and free service such as piercing

Image 2- Accessories at a store

Image 3- Service for free piercing

Image 4- Icing, a store

You might wonder that the “good deal” just for certain items?

Are they for all items?

It is true for beauty relate products such as:

- cosmetic
- shampoo and soap
- cream
- lotion
- accessories and etc

Do you find similar discount or discount rate in your city or place?

# Previous postings:

- Could Botulinum Toxin be Turned to Beneficial Substance? - Part 4 – Science 10
- A Novel of Arian - Then The Fish Swallowed Him - Part 1 – Reading 6
- The Best Tacos which I Love to Consume in Louisiana – Part 2 – Food 10
- The signs of late stage of Alzheimer's Disease – Part 1 - Alzheimer's 1

Is Rising Price due to Greedflation?

When we are shopping to Walmart grocery, we always pick a bucket of 8 pieces fried chicken.

Image 1- A bucket of fried chicken

8 pieces quite fresh, crunchy and delicious. The bucket of fried chicken consists of:

- two thighs
- two wings
- two breasts
- and two drumsticks

What surprise us that the price increases at unbelievable rate, about 50% compared to few months ago, from just US$ 6 to more than US$ 9 nowadays.

Why?

Image 2- Fried chicken in the bucket

Image 3- Eight pieces fried chicken

Off course, the company or corporate blames to many things that cause rising in price such as: decreasing supply, disturbing in distribution (transportation) and gasoline price

However, the fact shows different story that many companies include in food industries profit billion of dollars.

Then, inflation rate is 9.1% only, even thought the highest in last 40 years. Much less than price increasing.

Corporate get too much profit. Greedy.

Hence, should we call it greedflation? What do you think?

# Previous postings:

- Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 1
- Recreational Fishing in the Louisiana – Part 2 – Nature 13
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 2
- Why the Moon Has Thousands of Small Aliens? - Part 1 – Science 7

Free Coffee at Toyota Car Repair Shop

We visit car repair shop at least twice a year. Since our car is Toyota brand, we always go to Toyota repair shop for many purposes.

Image 1- Free coffee for customers

In addition of car repair shop, we have other two English words with relate meaning:

- a garage
- a car workshop

Some purposes of our regular visit to Toyota car repair shop are:

- oil change after our car travel some thousand miles distances
- general “checkup” for car maintenance
- emission testing

Image 2- Entrance into Toyota repair car

Image 3- Waiting room, not crowded

Oil change is not that long to wait just about less than hour, because I think just easy to do.

If we need to replace car’s “spare parts” because of emission standard or just old one is not work well, then It will be complicated:

- due to extra cost
- and long hours to wait

Luckily, the Toyota repair shop provide free coffee and free lunch boxes sometimes. Hence, we are drinking coffee and reading while waiting in long hours.

How about with car repair shop in your city?

# Previous postings:

- New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 1 - Healthy Life 15
- The Prodigy Kid - Marla Olmstead’s Paintings – Part 2- Art 3
- New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 2 - Healthy Life 15
- Recreational Fishing in the Louisiana – Part 1 – Nature 13

Buy One Get One Free of Frappuccino – Part 2

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- Buy One Get One Free of Frappuccino – Part 1

Image 1- Frappuccino in the bottles, sold in Walmart

A Frappuccino is one of starbucks products. It is a drink of an ice blended coffee.

In addition, there is combination of:

- whipped cream
- sauces
- milk
- natural and artificial flavors
- sugar
- carrageenan, potassium sorbate and various special ingredients.

Image 2- A summer flower, Myrtle

Image 3- Just for illustration

Image 4- Love to eat while drinking coffee

We found whipped cream and sauces on the top of paper cup, when we drink Frappuccino.

Later, other days, I found Frappuccino is sold in bottles in grocery stores such as Walmart.

Bottles with small size about 9.5 ounces, while upsize bottle is 13.7-ounce. Price of 15 bottles of 9.5 ounces is US$ 26.22.

Some vending machines also provided Frappuccino bottles. We may find vending machines in some public areas.

Have you tried Frappuccino? What do you thinks?

# Previous postings:

- 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

Do You Know the words of Crwth and Cwtch?

May we find words without vowel in English?

The answer might surprise you!

Image 1- Crwth, an ancient Celtic instrument (credit to internet).

Yes, we could use Merriam-Webster, Urban Dictionary, Thesaurus and Collin English Dictionary to search its.

Nowadays, you just search through internet. Simple, easy

It is believed that at least two words with 5 letters have no vowels. You can see that the two words look like similar:

- Crwth
- Cwtch

Image 2- Succulent plants, illustration

Crwth is spelled “crouth,” in which “w” is changed or pronounced to vowels of “ou.” It was stringed music instrument resembles to “violin.”

Image 3- Cloudy sky, illustration only

The instrument was invented about 11^th century, then modified in 13^th century. It was played through 1800’s.

Image 4- A green at yard

However, in modern time, some parts of England still use “crwth” word to refer to “violin.”

Image 5- A squirrel, seen from window screen

Then, the word “cwtch” is pronounced “kutch.” In this case, “c” read as “k” and “w” as “u.”

Image 6- Myrtle with pinks flowers

The word associates with some meaning:

- cuddle
- huge
- a shed
- cubbyhole
- cupboard
- tiny space for safety

Do you know some other words without vowels? Or, do you have words without vowels in your own languages?

# Previous postings:

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Little Libraries in our Neighborhood

We, our neighborhood have “creative” way to swap the books, by creating a kind of little libraries.

Image 1- A little library attached to the wall

People in our neighborhood also call this little library as:

- books swap box
- books donation bin

Uniquely, this library opens 24 hours a week, no holiday, no closing hours and sure, no librarians.

Why?

Image 2- A street, just for illustration

Image 3- Another little library

Image 4- We can open library by ourselves

It is because there is no lock, hence, everyone can “open and close” the library anytime they wish. Then, what the meaning of books swap?

A neighbor can take one book, but he or she leaves one in its place. So, a neighbor has a book to put in there when taking one.

She or he can do it again and again in other days. In addition to swap, a neighbor may donate books as many as she or he wish.

I read from internet that this tradition was start in Europe. Many European countries practicing this kind of books swap.

How about with your country? Are there books swap tradition?

# Previous postings:

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Scan and Go at Walmart Shopping Center

First time when I came to Walmart, the biggest super center in the USA about 17 years ago, where each counter has own cashier, no automatic scanning at all.

Image 1- Self Scanning Machine

Then, there are a few self scanning, but there is someone to take care payment either by credit card or cash or even by cheque.

Since 4 years ago, 2018, almost all counters of Walmart groceries are automatic.

We take care ourselves, from scanning the goods, put and arrange in the plastic bags and do payment.

The payment by credit or debit card only. No cash payments or cheques.

Image 2- Medical drugs sold in Supermarket

Actually, the self scanning system is not new, first invented by Howard Schneider and applied by the supermarket, called the Price Chopper in New York in 1992.

Image 3- Chocolate, sold in Walmart

Then automatic machines were copied by many supermarket across America since 1997.

Image 4- No cashiers anymore

In addition to automatic check out, the Walmart offers shopping through online system.

We can order everything from computer devices to electronics to prescription drugs to tools and equipments to grocery items in order to avoid crowd in the checkout lines.

Then, we could pick up after the store completed our orders.

This is new thing for me. Quite difficult to adjust for me at first. However, technology changes can’t be avoided, we must face of its.

What do you think?

# Previous postings:

- Wreaths for Mardi Gras in Louisiana
- A Tropical Plant Called Pineapple – Food 1
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Buy One Get One Free of Frappuccino – Part 1

Our city, Baton Rouge, LA, locates at deep south of USA experienced very hot temperature during summer season, especially from June to August every year.

Image 1- The offer of Frappuccino, buy one get one free

The temperature was around 30⁰ C to even as high as 41⁰ C, we feel like living in the desserts of Middle East or somewhere else.

It is interesting to find “cool” areas such as public libraries or Barnes & Nobel coffee shop.

Quite attractive that Barnes & Nobel coffee shop also books store where we can do reading while drinking icy beverage.

Image 2- Coffee shop at Barnes & Noble bookstore

Image 3- A little garden

I just ordered a kind of new beverage for me, called as Frappuccino. Surprisingly, buy one get one free.

Frappuccino, I think a beverage with 3 combines that are coffee, icy and specific ingredients. Blending altogether.

I think it is an awesome deal.

The offer started from June 19^th until July 22. It seems to attract customers for hot summer.

Uniquely, the deal for 4 hours only, happy hours from 2.00 PM to 4.00 PM every day.

# To be continued to Part 2

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