4368. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: I took 34 shots to get a sharp one

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: I took 34 shots to get a sharp one 

Canon R5, 105mm, 1 over 125 sec, f over 4.5, ISO 400

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4368-photography-tips-i-took-34-shots.html

 

 

 

 

 

4367. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Manual mode for the Brown-throated sunbird.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Manual mode for the Brown-throated sunbird.

This Brown-throated sunbird (Antreptes malacensis) is also known as Plain-throated sunbird. It appeared suddenly as I was already in Manual mode and my Canon camera was on a tripod.

No time to waste as it flew off fast. I focused on the eye and took 6 shots. Only one is good enough to see the eye. Canon R5 focuses well on eyes, as shown in this case. .

Free-roaming outside the Aviary of Bird Paradise in Penguin Cove area. This species rarely stay for more than 30 seconds for photography. Best to use TV Mode and focus on eye, handheld camera.

Canon R5, Manual Mode, 105mm, 1/80 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200. Tripod. 
11 Nov 2024. 11 am.

#singapore
#sunbird
#brown-throatedsunbird
#plain-throatedsunbird
#birdparadise
#toapayohvets
#kongyuensing
#singkongyuen
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

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

 

UPDATES:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4367-photography-tips-manual-mode-for.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original image before photoshopping off the branch

 

4366. Writing tips: "Smart retorts and quick comebacks' - how to use this phase etc

 J Grisham -The Testament. 

The thing Nate hated about rehab was the long periods of silence, or meditation, as Sergio called them……(pg 68). …worrying about the future. This conversation with Josh was one he’d played out many times. 

But the smart retorts and quick comebacks failed him under pressure. Almost four months of virtual solitude had dulled his reflexes. He could manage to look pitiful and that was all. ‘Come on, Josh. You can’t just kick me out.’

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

Mystery on County Road - 48 Hours video. 20 Nov 2024.

1. What started out as a holiday trip turned out to be an all-night vigil.
2. Under the ruse that they saw the truck.
3. Cricoid fracture - prosecution insisted that it was caused by Todd.
4. He staged it and killed his wife.

5. His faith did not waver.
6. His most damaging testimony was telling the police he was going to visit a 3rd person to replace the windshield. Just like the others, the person said he never called Todd to change the windshield.

7. Mum's cousin spoke out against against Todd and read a letter signed by several cousins. Daughter claimed she was estranged from the mother.
8. The jury was just out for 9 hours before they reached the verdict. 3 months later, everyone was back in the courtroom. 

4365. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Xiaomi SU7 electric car in Yunmeng County, China.

 24 Oct 2024. 

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:

Always carry your camera while on a tour bus. I took this shot of the rarely seen Xiaomi sports car with styling cues from Porsche, when it turned towards my bus in Yunmeng County, China.

 Xiaomi SU7 electric car by Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi. Yunmeng County. China. 

24 Oct 2024  

Canon R5, 24mm, 1/500 sec, f/5, ISO 100.  

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

 

 

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4365-photography-tips-xiaomi-su7.html

4364. Vet Case Study. An old Shih Tzu shivers and stops eating on 10 Nov 22. Why? Testicular torsion.

 VET CASE STUDY: An old Shih Tzu shivers and stops eating on 10 Nov 22. Why?

Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow). 

On 10 Nov 2022, this over 15-year-old male, NOT NEUTERED Shih Tzu stopped eating and shivered. The video showed my physical examination procedures. Significant findings were enlargement of the "prostate + bladder area" and large swelling of one scrotal sac. 

The dog did not show any sign of pain on abdominal palpation of the above-mentioned prostate + bladder area and scrotal sac. 

More information is needed from abdominal X-rays which confirm several bladder stones. Kidney stones were also present. The scrotal swelling could be testicular growth or torsion and the owner was advised to get his dog neutered. He did not accept my advice. 

(Two weeks later, the scrotal swelling was much larger. Neuter showed testicular torsion of the enlarged testicle. The dog recovered from neuter and was normal for some months. 

No urine test was done as urine was not collected. The tentative diagnosis was urinary tract infection due to urinary and bladder stones irritating the inside of the urinary system. There could be pain causing shivers. 

In conclusion, X-rays and other laboratory tests are needed to confirm the tentative diagnosis of urinary stones or enlarged prostate via physical examination.

FOLLOW-UP

The dog recovered after a course of antibiotics and commenced eating. Two weeks later, the scrotal swelling had increased considerably. The owner accepted my advice to neuter the dog. The scrotal swelling was due to testicular torsion leading to large swelling of one testicle. 

The old dog lived a normal life for some 12 months. Acute testicular torsion is an emergency condition.
Without neuter to remove the twisted testicles, he could have had died from bleeding and shock of testicular torsion.

 

UPDATE:
 https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4364-vet-case-study.html

 

 

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

REPORT WRITTEN ON 29 DEC 2024. For www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

Vet Case Study by Dr Sing Kong Yuen.

The 15-year-old male not-neutered Shih Tzu "shivers" and stopped eating. He did not have fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea or problem with urination.

He had a swollen scrotum on one side, possibly testicular tumour or torsion. I advised the owner to get the dog neutered.

He was not keen to do so as that would change his energetic personality which included biting family members who irritated him. He even bit the mother-in-law. After medication for pain and antibitoics, he recovered his appetite, so there was no reason to neuter him.

However, his scrotal swelling became bigger as evident by a video the owner sent me. He accepted my advice to get the dog neutered.

The dog would have died from bleeding and shock as the twisted testicular blood vessels would strangulate blood flow to the testes.

After neuter, the dog lived normally for around a year, but the urinary infections from kidney and bladder stones caused him kidney failure - weight loss, no appetite and vomiting.

The owner (a retiree in his 60s) and his family decided on euthanasia for his beloved companion.

The now married daughter was still in school when she was presented this dog for passing her Primary Six Leaving Examinations.

Euthanasia was a very sad occasion for me and the family who said goodbye to him. I was the one who gave him the puppy vaccination more than a decade ago and now the owners wanted me to perform the euthanasia.

#euthanasia
#shihtzu
#toapayohvets
#singaporedog
#kidneystones
#bladderstone
#shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
#x-rays




UPDATE: https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4364-vet-case-study.html

4362. TRAVEL STORIES. Wuhan, Hubei, China. Jianghan Road Pedestrian Street.

29 OCT 2024.
Jianghan Road Pedestrian Street located in the central area of Hankou, Wuhan, Hubei, China is known as the longest pedestrian street in China and the "Best Pedestrian Street in the World".

A VIDEO of a small segment of the area is shown.
 

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/4362-travel-stories-wuhan-hubei-china.html

 

 

 

 

4361. Vet Case Study 2024: Tumour or encapsulated abscess in a guinea pig. Part1.

VET CASE STUDY: 4 Nov 2024:
A large encapsulated abscess in a guinea pig. Part 1.

HISTORY

On 3 Nov 2024, I received a WhatsApp from a lady guinea pig owner:

"Hi Dr Sing. A friend gave me your contact. May I ask if you see guinea pigs?"

"We do treat guinea pigs," I texted back. "What happened to your pet?"

She sent a photo and video with the text" "My vet tech has come to help to flush the wound."

I would meet her at 10 am at Toa Payoh vets on 4 Nov to consult as it is very important for the vet to physically examine the patient with the owner.  

She sent me the following images and videos showing the 5-year-old guinea pig has an excellent appetite and is healthy. Her poos are of normal size and amount. Hence the pet is fit for anaesthesia and surgery to be done today. There will be less chance of dying from anaesthesia in a healthy guinea pig.

 

 

 

 

VIDEOS ON 3 NOV 2024, BEFORE SURGERY

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

Vet Case Study 2024: Encapsulated abscess in a guinea pig. Part 2. Operated by Dr Daniel Sing on 4 Nov 2024 at Toa Payoh Vets and went home on the same day. Guinea pig is Okay and has a ravenous appetite. Stool pellets are smaller in size 24 hours post operation. 

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

A PREVIOUS CASE STUDY: FINAL VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knwbIGQEn_Y

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/11/vet-case-study-2024-encapsulated.html

 

 

4359. Travel Stories. Wuhan Tour with Seniors by Experience Tours Services (S) Pte Ltd

 Wuhan Tour from 23 Oct - 29 Oct 2024:

This customised tour of Wuhan included cultural visits to Wong Clan Association sites and sight-seeing of tourist attractions was memorable and well organised by Ms Jane Loo of Experience Tours Services (S) Pte Ltd. The group consisted mainly elderly tourists from Singapore.

Jane ensured that the Seniors who were slow in walking were well looked after and safe.  The weather was generally sunny for duration of the tour. The food was good. I would say that all members got along well with each other.

Keep up the good services. I share two photos for Jane and hope she will also share them with Sugar who was an excellent story teller who made the long bus journeys interesting and educational. 

A 5-star google review by David Sing Kong Yuen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4360. Travel Stories. High Mountains, Flowing Water - Story by Sugar, China Tour Guide.

28 Oct 2024:

Sugar, 37 years old, China National is an excellent story teller. She uses historical and personal stories to entertain us during the long journeys from one place to another. Some bus rides can take as long as 4 hours. Sugar narrated a similar story as the one below:

Boya was a man who played the qin (zither). Zhong Zi Qi, his friend, would listen to Boya play the qin. No matter what Boya played, Qi never failed to understand. 

Boya played about the mountains, Qi could see how high the mountains were.

Boya played about the flowing water, Qi could see how vast the ocean is. 

Boya said, “Your thought is exactly the same as my thought.”

One day, Zhong Zi Qi got ill and died. Boya broke the strings of his qin and vowed to never play the instrument anymore. He thought no one would be able to understand his music. 

This is where the phrase zhī yīn(知音 ) comes from. It means, to “know as music.” If you are zhī yīn, you are a soulmate or bosom buddy. The famous melody in China, Gao Shan Liu Shui (高山流水), High Mountain and Flowing Water, is related to this story.

 

 -----------------

Version from Sugar: 

An impending storm forced a high-ranking Official, Boya to stop his boat and to take shelter in a cave. He played his qin. Suddenly one string burst. This break signified that there was someone who understood his music. Boya sent his men who found Zhong Zi Oi, a wood-cutter who knew music and brought him to Boya.

Boya played the first part of his music. Oi said: "The mountains are very high!"

Boya played the next part. Oi said; "The rivers flow very fast!"

Boya was very happy to have connected with a soul mate. He told Oi that he would return one year later to the same cave to re-unite with him. But Oi died before the year was up.

On returning to the reunion, Boya did not find Oi. But Oi's father was present and said:  "Oi passed away after a serious illness. He asked me to be present on his behalf, on his deathbed."

Boya was very upset. He paid his respects to Oi at the grave. He broke his qin and vowed never to play music anymore. 

This story illustrated that it is very rare to find a soul mate or bosom buddy.       

 

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

 

What is the meaning of high mountains and flowing water?

High Mountain and Flowing Water represents cherished friendship in Chinese culture. Although the piece usually performed today is not the same one that Yu played almost 3,000 years ago, it conveys the same idea, the magnificence of high mountains and the power of moving water.

 

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

When was High Mountain Flowing Water written?

Guqin melody Flowing Water goes back a very long time, having been referenced in historical literature such as LieZi (《列子》) and LvShi ChunQiu (《呂氏春秋》) dating back to the Spring Autumn Period (722 BC to 481 BC).14 Nov 2020

 

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

Through High Mountains Flowing Water Found the Friendship of Music 高山流水遇知音

During Mid-Autumn Festival one year, BoYa was on a diplomatic mission to the State of Chu on behalf of the king of Jin. While sailing along River Hanyang, he ran into a fierce storm. Unable to move forward, the stranded BoYa got ashore and waited out the storm in the nearby woods near Hankou (modern Wuhan). 

At some point the rain stopped and the sky cleared. Silvery moon beams shone through the clouds and set a mood of serenity in the surroundings filled with the freshness of air cleansed by the rain. Inspired by the picturesque setting, BoYa took out his qugin and started playing in his boat.

Thoroughly immersed in the scenery and his melody, BoYa was startled out of his dreamy retreat when he noticed someone was hiding in the shadows. In his shock, he overused the strength of his finger and caused one of his guqin strings to snap. 

Annoyed and embarrassed, he shouted out to the distant darkness and asked who was hiding in the shadows. To which someone replied, “Excuse me for being inappropriate, but I was stranded by the rain. I heard some beautiful music and was thoroughly absorbed by it.”

BoYa looked in the direction of the voice, and saw a man dressed like a woodcutter, with a hat over his head and straw rain cape over his body, standing in the shadows and holding onto a shoulder pole. Curious, 

BoYa asked if he understood what he was playing. To which the woodcutter replied, “Please forgive my ignorance, as my music knowledge is quite limited. Just now I think you were playing Returning Gaze With Teary Eyes. You were at the fourth verse when the cord broke. I hope I guessed it right.” BoYa was pleasantly surprised that the woodcutter named the song correctly. Seeing that the woodcutter was polite and proper, he invited him onto his boat.

BoYa asked the woodcutter if he would be able to describe the songs he played. The woodcutter said, “Music comes from the inner soul. The sounds reverberating from the cords are a reflection of what you feel in your mind. A true listener, of course, would be able to pick it up.” Encouraged, BoYa replaced the broken cord. After a brief moment of settling silence, rolling sounds began to come out of his fingers. The woodcutter, upon listening to the music, sighed and said, “Sounds of towering peaks…like high mountains.” BoYa was slightly shocked, but decided not to respond but continue to play along. At some point, the woodcutter said, “Gently flowing sounds…like a running river.”

Overwhelmed with joy, BoYa stood and formally introduced himself: “Indeed I had high mountains in mind when I played the first song and running river in the second. You really understand my music. May I ask your name? ” The woodcutter told BoYa his name was Zhong ZiQi （鐘子期）.

To BoYa’s shock, ZiQi also happened to be a well known official in the royal court who grew weary of the corrupt society and decided to quit politics and lead the simple life of a woodcutter. 

The two were overjoyed by this chance encounter and talked all night. From then on, they became good friends and often arranged to travel together.

The two friends cherished their friendship and wished they had met sooner. BoYa was especially delighted to have found someone who appreciated his music, often mentioning to him that life would have been extremely lonely without his music friend. The two tremendously enjoyed the time spent together and dreaded the moment they had to depart. As part of every farewell, they never failed to set the date for their next meeting.

Several years later, BoYa returned to the pre-arranged meeting place, looking forward to seeing his good friend again. To his horror, he learned that ZiQi had passed away some time ago. Devastated by the loss, BoYa came in front of his grave and howled. Exhausted from his grief, he took out his guqin and played the music they used to share. As the music slowly came through, he was overcome with anguish, realizing that there would no longer be another person in the world who would understand his music. And, without finishing the song, he pulled apart the cords and smashed the guqin in front of his grave, saying to himself, “Dear friend, your brother will never again play guqin.”

Since then, the sounds from BoYa’s guqin forever vanished from this world, leaving behind only the touching story of a friendship built upon the love of music. Over time, the phrase “high mountains flowing water” also evolved into a Chinese metaphor for enduring friendship. To commemorate their fabled encounter, a memorial called the Lute Platform (古琴台, also called BoYa Platform) was erected during the Song Dynasty where the two were believed to have first met near Hanyang (part of modern day Wuhan). The platform was ravaged multiple times, but was managed to be fully restored during the Qing Dynasty. It is nowadays one of the tourist highlights in the area.

The yearning for friends who truly understand each other and who one can share is not only a desire of past scholars which dissolved with the passage of time. The need for friends who mutually resonate each other’s feelings remains as strong in modern days, beneath the veneer of an over-abundance of online followers, ‘likes’ and apparent outpours of ready approvals.

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

 Reference:

https://www.zgmzyq.cn/en/sheet-music/high-mountains-and-flowing-water-zhejiang-zheng-school.html

High Mountains and Flowing Water (Zhejiang Zheng School)（guzheng sheet music）

There are three versions because the tune is completely different, not the playing technique. The high mountains and flowing waters of Zhejiang Zheng School are beautiful in tune. 

At the very beginning, the right hand, across three octaves, simultaneously expresses the majesty of the mountains and the clarity of the water. In the middle of the song, the right hand is as smooth as water, and the coordination of the left hand in the bass position is like a mountain. In the second half, the swiftness of the water hitting the mountains is continuously stroked with flower fingers. Finally, it ends with an overtone, soft and crisp like a drop of stone.

Guzheng (pinyin: Gǔ Zhēng), also known as Hanzheng and Qinzheng, is an ancient national musical instrument of the Han nationality and is popular all over China. It is often used for solo, duet, instrumental ensemble and accompaniment of song and dance, opera and folk art. Because of its wide range, beautiful timbre, rich playing skills and strong expressiveness, it is known as the "King of Music", also known as "Oriental Piano", and is one of the unique and important national musical instruments in China. 

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High Mountains, Flowing Water music

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbCjceRPXyw

 

 

4358. ADVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. Being gainfully employed.

ADVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. Being gainfully employed.
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, Toa Payoh Vets

Wed 16 Oct 2024.
Commuters at Bishan MRT Station, Singapore, walking to their homes during the evening peak hours makes me reflect on those who are able to work and gainfully employed to be grateful. They ought to be dedicated and hard working to help their employers thrive in this competitive business world.  

Spare a thought for those jobless and making ends meet daily. They are hidden from public view usually.

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/10/4358-advices-for-young-people-being.html