Monday, October 31, 2022

4167. Public bus operators in Singapore - Go-Ahead Singapore, SBS Transit, SMRT

 S.T  31 Oct 2022. 

LTA tenders bus packages in 2014 to raise service standards and inject competition. Longstanding duopoly between transport operators, SBS Transit (SBST) and SMRT.  

Bus contracting model took effect in 2016.

LTA  owns all the operating assets and infrastructure, plans bus services and collects fare revenue.  Public transport operators bid for the right to run services and are paid fees to do so at standards set by the authority.

Bus services bundled into 14 packages based on geographic area, each comprising 20-30 routes, a bus depot, several bus interchanges and buses.

Bus contracting model has enhanced service standards and competitiveness.

 

Winning bus contract operators has 5 years plus 2 years extension if the company does well.  Extended contracts has tighter bus service reliability standards.

Go-Ahead Singapore

 SBS Transit (SBST) and SMRT

 

 


 

 



4166. Handphone photos of rainbows in Singapore

 30 Oct 2022. Yishun. Rainbow appeared during driving.
 

ORIGINAL HANDPHONE IPHONE IMAGES 



 
 
 
 
PHOTOSHOPPED IMAGES - Original images are not focused
 
 
 
 


 


Sunday, October 30, 2022

4165. Nature and wildlife stories No. 1 - Vacant land near Lentor MRT Station. Sun 30 Oct 2022

Vacant land near Lentor MRT Station. 

Sun 30 Oct 2022. 9.30am. This is my 2nd visit fter yesterday's stroll on the vacant piece of land next to the Lentor MRT Station. A new plot of land turfed after completion and opening of the Lentor MRT Station in October 2021.

Bright sunshine. Blue skies. Quietness as construction site was not being worked on this Sunday morning. 

I took some photos of the big yellow flowers. Spotted two red ones on the same plant there and took photos. Suddenly a movement. It was the Oriental Garden Lizard which could be the same one as I saw scootering off the vacant land yesterday evening some distance ago. I could not take any photo yesterday, but this morning, the lizard was stationary on the grass first and then the tree trunk, permitting me to take photos.




 
 





 


4164. Banner - grandparents night at Lentor Estate Singapore

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

To get a sharp image of the banner, focus on the head of the grandma. Banner on fence in Lentor Loop end of road. 29 Oct 2022. www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets



#banner
#singaporefunction
#singaporegrandparentsnight
#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

 



 


TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Canon R5, AV Mode, F/9, ISO 100. Use tripod. Focus on the grandma's head.

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4164-banner-grandparents-night-at.html

4163. Photography tips of yellow mimosa

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

To get a sharp image of the yellow mimosa, use tripod. Then photoshop to reduce the yellow luminance of the petals to see their details. Handheld photos will be out of focus.Yellow mimosa on vacant turfed land beside Lentor MRT Station 29 Oct 2022. shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

#yellowmimosa
#singaporemimosa
#singaporewildflowers
#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets


TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Canon R5, AV Mode, F/9, ISO 100. Use tripod. Focus on the centre of the small flower overhead.

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4163-photography-tips-of-yellow-mimosa.html

 



 



4162. Noni fruit tree in Lentor Loop house, Singapore on 30 Oct 2022.

30 Oct 2022. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS.

Noni fruits have traditionally been used for colds, flu, diabetes, anxiety, and high blood pressure, as well as for depression and anxiety. 

Noni fruit tree in the public grass land outside the back of a Lentor Loop house, Singapore on 30 Oct 2022. The yellow-spotted leaves are not healthy as they should be uniformly green. A deficiency in minerals like zinc?

#nonifruits
#singaporefruits
#singaporenoni
#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets


TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Canon R5, AV Mode, F/9, ISO 100. Use tripod. Focus on the junction of the large noni fruit and the branch.

UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4162-noni-fruit-tree-in-lentor-loop.html

Yellow spotted leaves of Noni fruit tree are not normal. Overdose or insufficient minerals such as zinc? Fungal infections? Anybody know the answer?
Public land behind the back gate of a Lentor house

30 Oct 2022 

 



 ---------------------------------------------------------------


FLORA SINGAPORE. Video 1/4. Wild Noni fruit trees
7 Feb 2023. A survey videos of stray noni fruit trees in Lentor Estate are - Lentor Plain (1 video) and Bullion Park (3 videos).

A wild noni tree outside the fence, Bullion Park Singapore. Noni fruits have traditionally been used for colds, flu, diabetes, anxiety, and high blood pressure, as well as for depression and anxiety.

The strongly scented Noni Fruit (Morinda citrifolia) is eaten in Asian countries but is unpalatable to the Caucasians. The juices are said to have healed every illness from diabetes, hypertension to cancer.

UPDATE AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4162-noni-fruit-tree-in-lentor-loop.html

 


 

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP - Use the back focus button.

I used the back focus button. Canon R5. AV Mode, F/16, ISO 100. 10.30 am sunlight.  

TO BUY PHOTO:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

4161. Photography of Red-leafed plants and miniature flowers

SINGAPORE - 29 OCT 2022: 10am, Saturday. I took photos at Lentor MRT station vacant grass land. It now has wild flowers, weeds, grass, small purple butterflies, moths. A young Oriental lizard scooted off on seeing me. A yellow butterfly. Two orange butterflies. Opened in Oct 2020, the vacant land besides the station is turfed and now has many wildflowers, moths and butterflies.

However, this red-leafed plant with pretty miniature flowers was planted by a house owner on public land outside his back gate near the Lentor Loop condo construction site. How does this plant survive when it has no green leaves like the ordinary plants?

#redleavesplant
#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets


TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Canon R5, AV Mode, F/9, ISO 100. Use tripod. Focus on one flower.
 

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/blog-post_29.html

 

 



 

Saturday, October 29, 2022

4160. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Focus on name of hospital

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS - Mt Elizabeth building. Focus on name of building. Canon R5, AV Mode, F/16, ISO 100. Bright sunlight. Handheld.

 

SINGAPORE - 27 OCT 2022: Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital and Specialist Centre is a private health care institution. Opened in July 2012, the Hospital has 333 beds and medical suites. 



#singkongyuen
#singaporemountelizabeth

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets


TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

 

UPDATES:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/photography-tips-focus-on-name-of.html

 


 

 

 

 

4159. Fonts for "Good Morning" - Curlz MT fonts

29 OCT 2022: GRAPHIC DESIGN


Fonts may increase attractiveness of "Good Morning" images as in this example.
IMAGE:  A rare sighting of a dot-dash sergeant butterfly basks on a leaf at 10 AM in Yio Chu Kang Cres forest, Singapore on 27 Oct 2022.


Canon R5. AV Mode. F/16, ISO 100.  Tripod is necessary. I focus on the eye to get sharp image of the butterfly
#singkongyuen
#singaporebutterfly

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets


TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4159-fonts-for-good-morning-curlz-mt.html







 
 
 
 
 
Compare to the following which has fonts I used as inspiration
 

 
 
 
 


4158. Humour from Security officers prohibit photography of buildings in Singapore.

SINGAPORE - 25 OCT 2022: The 3-tower Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) in the Central Business District. Tenants include Standard Chartered Bank, LeVeL33 urban microbrewery and multi-national offices. 

A security officer stopped me taking photos of the outside of The Coffee Academics in the MBFC by putting his palm in front of my camera lens! He said this was his job unless I had permission to take photos even though I was in the public area. He phoned his manager who explained this was their job. How about handphone photos of the outside of The Coffee Academics? He had no objection. 


 








 
 
 
 
 

In Singapore, some security guards zealously force NO PHOTOGRAPHY of the mall, office buildings and MRT stations. 

I could see the humour developed in the following situation when I used my DSLR Canon camera to take photos:
 

1. The new Upper Thomson MRT opened at end of 2021. 

One auxiliary police officer managing traffic flows near the new Upper Thomson MRT Station stopped doing his duties to tell me not to take photos of the outside of the MRT Station till the traffic jam built up and he had to resume his traffic management duties! He thought terrorists take photos to plan attack on this MRT station. Google Maps will have all the photos terrorists need nowadays!

2. The Funan Mall. A security officer told me that photography of the new Supreme Court building opposite the mall is prohibited. "The judges will issue a summons to you as it is an offence," he ticked me off solemnly!

3. The Seletar Mall cinema. One retiree security officer said that I was not allowed to bring my Canon DSLR camera to watch movies as he saw me slinging my camera on the shoulder. This was the ruling from the management. He thought I was going to film the movie to sell! 
 
    

 

 

 

 


Friday, October 28, 2022

4157. PHOTOGRAPHY - Sunset

PHOTOGRAPHY - sunsets

I find it difficult to take good images of sunset.

Sunset over Lentor MRT Station, Singapore

27 Oct 2022Can you see the two-eyed owl and two fire-emitting dragons in the cloudscape?TO BUY PHOTO:   shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

Canon R5. AV Mode. F/16, ISO 400.  I lean against a wall with camera handheld. I focus on the crane to get sharp image of crane.  

#sunsetsingapore #singkongyuen
#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#www.instagram.com/toapayoohvets

 




 



UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/photography-sunset.html

4156. PHOTOGRAPHY - Asian Honey Bee. Use Tripod to get sharp images.

PHOTO 1.  Asian Honey Bee.

27 OCT 2022:  

There are 3 main types of bees found in Singapore - honey bees, solitary bees and stingless bees.

Among the honey bees, there are 4 types:  Giant Honey Bee  (Apis dorsata), Dwarf Honey Bee (Apis andreniformis), Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana) and Stingeless Bee (Trigona).

Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana). This bee is pollinating the Bidens pilosa flower. The most common bee in Singapore, the Asian Honey Bee can be found in urban parks and even roof-top gardens.

Need to use tripod to get sharp images. Bright morning sunshine. Canon R5, AV Mode, F16, ISO 100.

Tripod camera on top of flower. Bee comes to flower. Take many shots. Only 1/10 is sharp.

UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4156-photography-asian-honey-bee-use.html

INSTAGRAM:
www.instagram.com/toapayohvets


TO BUY PHOTO:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

 



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

PHOTO 2. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:  Asian Honey Bee. Use tripod. 

Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana). This bee is pollinating the yellow Tunera ulmifolia flower in Mayflower MRT Station garden.. The most common bee in Singapore, the Asian Honey Bee can be found in urban parks and even roof-top gardens.

Need to use TRIPOD to get sharp images. Bright morning sunshine. Canon R5, TV Mode, 1/1000 sec, f/4.0, ISO 500, 105mm.

Tripod. Multiple shots. Bee comes to flower. Took many shots. Only 1 is sharp in this case.

#asianhoneybeesingapore
#kongyuensing
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#tuneraulmifoliaflower
#singaporebee

TO BUY PHOTO:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

 

UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4156-photography-asian-honey-bee-use.html

 


 

 

4155. Photography - Toa Payoh Vets, veterinary clinic Singapore

 


28 OCT 2022 – SINGAPORE. Toa Payoh Vets was established around 30 years ago. Focused diagnosis and treatment of small animals. In the past 3 years, it receives an average of at least one hamster case a day.


Photo taken in afternoon around 4 PM, Thur 27 Oct 2022. Bright sunshine.

Canon R5. 24-105mm lens. AV Mode, F/16, ISO 100. Tripod. Focused on "logo and clinic name".

#singkongyuen   #shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets   #toapayohvets   #singapore   #animalclinic   #vet

UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4155-photography-toa-payoh-vets.html



INSTAGRAM:
www.instagram.com/toapayohvets



TO BUY PHOTO:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets


WEBSITE

www.toapayohvets.com






4154. Singapore Wildlife: Dot-dash sergeant butterfly in Yio Chu Kang Crescent forest 27 Oct 2022

SINGAPORE WILDLIFE - 27 Oct 2022. 10AM. Bright sunshine. Yio Chu Kang Cres forest. This may be the dot-dash sergeant butterfly (Athyma kanwa kanwa) which is one of 5 species of Athyma present in Singapore's forests. It is very difficult to identify the 5 species as Athyma kanwa kanwa at the time of writing this report.

It basks on the blade of grass for over 5 minutes. I was able to take a sharp photo and video. A tripod is NECESSARY. I used Canon R5, 24-105mm lens. For images, I use AV Mode, F/16, ISO 100, tripod and got this sharp photo as I shot several frames. Slight breeze, but the butterfly was stationary. Bright sunshine is important for sharp images.

#dot-dashsergeant #butterflysingapore #singkongyuen #shutterstock/g/toapayohvets

This dot-dash sergeant butterfly, taken on 27 Oct 2022, 10 AM, at Yio Chu Kang Cres forest,
appears to have a pimple or an extra eye (small lump). Tripod is necessary to get such a sharp image. Canon R5 camera is said to specifically focus on wildlife eyes. Butterfly came just 6 feet away to get such a sharp image. I did visualise getting a sharp photo of this rare butterfly and it happened yesterday. Being 6 feet away is quite unsafe distance from humans for many butterflies. TO BUY PHOTO:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

ANOTHER SIGHTING IN 2021 AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/10/kindle-stories-dot-dash-sergeant.html


BUTTERFLIES SEEN BY DR SING KONG YUEN: 

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2020/12/3944-nature-story-be-prepared-at-all.html



UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4154-singapore-wildlife-dot-dash.html






 
 
 
 
VIDEO has excellent sharpness of image as I used a tripod and there is little breeze or

movement of butterfly. Also bright morning sunshine at 10 AM, 27 Oct 2022 Thursday

Yio Chu Kang Cres forest path at junction, opposite Seletar Bus Depot.


A few mosquitoes tried to bite me. Forest path had been cut and grass trimmed. Had thermal
fogging 3 days ago and more often as there is the Seletar Bus Depot with employees.



Canon R5, tripod, video. 

Good morning. This dot-dash sergeant butterfly, taken on 27 Oct 2022, 10 AM, at Yio Chu Kang Cres forest, appears to have a pimple or an extra eye (small lump). Tripod is necessary to get such a sharp image. Canon R5 camera is said to specifically focus on wildlife eyes. Butterfly came just 6 feet away to get such a sharp image. I did visualise getting a sharp photo of this rare butterfly and it happened yesterday. Being 6 feet away is quite unsafe distance from humans for many butterflies. 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 


Thursday, October 27, 2022

4153. VINTAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. Public domain images for Print on Demand - Animals, plants and Nature! High Quality and Free

 27 Oct 2022: From Zen Watercooler - PASSIVE INCOME, FREE IMAGES, PRINT ON DEMAND

Public domain images for Print on Demand - Animals, plants and Nature! High Quality and Free

Biodiversity Heritage Library

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/

 

1. VIEW MORE IMAGES ON FLICKR
1. Album View. 57 album

beautiful illustrations of wildlife

2. Photostream

-----------------------

2. Vintage prints for POD, colouring books for children, KDP BOOK COVERS, creating Flashcards with butterflies! No need to edit the photo of the butterfly when you create flashcards.

3. website
for public domain silhouettes.   REPLY. . Turn down brightness, turn up contract, turn down saturation  --- should get close or picsvg.com      

https://picsvg.com/  which converts to SVG

 

 



Remove background of images - how to do it if no PS, AI etc.?
Answer.  Can try GIMP

One comment. Downloaded a bird to GIMP. Make picture transparent but could not erase the top and bottom of picture which has text. Went to Lunapic, crop it in Lunapic cutting off the top and bottom where words are. Allowed to use it.

4152. Spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis) flower in public gardens

Spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis) is a white flower with spidery petals in Marina Bay Promenade, Singapore on 25 Oct 2022 . It is a popular public garden flower in Singapore.

SINGAPORE - 25 Oct 2022: Spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis). Marina Bay Promenade garden. Canon R5, AV Mode, F16, ISO 100. Tripod is necessary to get sharp image. Shaded area. 

#singkongyuen
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#spiderlilyflowers
#hymenocallislittoralisflowers

 

UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4152-spider-lily-hymenocallis.html







Wednesday, October 26, 2022

4151. ARTS. Body language

25 Oct 2022.
SINGAPORE MOMENTUM SCULPTURE by David Gerstein, 2007, near Raffles Place MRT Station, is a kaleidoscopic pyramid made up of painted steel figures holding hands. (Image shows a human figure placing his hands on hips)

Standing with hands placed on the hips can be an indication that a person is ready and in control, or it can also possibly be a sign of aggressiveness.TO BUY PHOTO:  shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets     25 Oct 2022  1 PM

#artssingapore
#singaporemomentumsculpture
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#singkongyuen

INSTAGRAM
www.instagram.com/davidsing1



UPDATE AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4151-arts-body-language.html