4403. Oil palm cultivation.

1.  An oil palm produces fruits 3 to 4 years after it has been planted. No income for grower.

2.  TO MAKE AN OIL PALM PLANTATION TAKES MONEY.
Worken to clear the site of the plantation and removing tree stumps - flat land.
Buy seedlings and fertilisers
Pay workers to look after young plantation. Weeds removed. Trees protected from damage by rats and agoutis.

3. GROW OIL PALMS TAKE A LOT OF WORK.
Clear the forest, remove tree stumps.
A lot of time to sow the cover crop, dig holes in the plantation, take seedlings out of nursery, carry to plantation to plant them.
Put wire netting around the young trees, spread fertiliser and keep watch over the plantation.
Fruits must be harvested at the right moment.If it becomes too ripe, many clusters will drop and fruit quality will not be good.

LIFE CYCLE OF THE OIL PALM.
The oil palm may have a very long life.
Seeds germinate only after several years if not taken care. In research stations with very hot rooms, germinate after 90-100 days.

The seedling stays in the nursery for 1 year. When it has about 15 green leaves, it is planted in the palm grove. It will be 16 - 18 months old when it is planted in the palm grove.

The oil palm has no btanches. it has a trunk and leaves. The trunk (stipe) is the stem of the plam. It has only one bud at the tip of the stem. This is the growing point.if it dies, the tree dies.

The growing point of the adult oil palm produces 20 - 25 leaves per year. There is a flower at the base of each leaf. Many leaves - many flowers - many clusters of fruits.

Very hot, sun very strong and rains a great deal - oil palm grows very well. A hot temperature all year round (25 - 28 deg C( - oil palm make many leaves to produce may clusters of fruits. A lot of sunshine, plentiful rain soil is flat, permeable and rich. Presence of oil mills, extension services to the grower.

THE FRUIT5 OF THE OIL PALM YIELDS OIL. 

The clusters consit of spikelets. Spikelets contain the fruit. The fruit must be separated from the spikelets.

The fruits - Pulp, Seed, Kernel.

Pulp is crushed, it yields palm moil.

Seed - inside the shell of the seed is the kernel which contains the germ. Kernel crushed - palm kernel oil.

There are different varieties of oil palm

1. dura palms have kernels with a thick shell
2. pisifera palms have kernels with no shell.
3. tenera plams have kernels with a thin shell. 

To get a lot of oil, each fruit must contain a lot of pulp, a shell that is not very thick and a big kernel - produced by research stations. These are selected oil palms with big yields grown in modern oil palm plantations.

OIL MILLS. The machines extract all the oil in the pulp and kernels.

The growers earn money by raising beef cattle.
Cattle fed with the green fodder from the cover crop grown in the palm groves, palm-kernel oil cake (left over after extraction of the palm kernel oil.

 

HARVESTING
Only those fruit clusters which are cut at the right moment yield a lot of good-quality oil.

long-armed sickle, chisel, machete

For oil palms 4 - 7 years old, cutg the clusters with a machete.

Older than 12 years, use a long-armed sickel. 
Too high up, use bamboo ladders or else climb up the tree with a belt, wear spiked shoes.

Loose fruits or dropped off to the ground, should be collected and put in the basket. 

In Malaysia oil palm plantation, early morning sunny day, a 15-year-old boy wearing long sleeved shirt and long pants stand below a tall oil palm tree. He uses a long-armed sickle to cut off the leaves and the red fresh fruit bunches.

 

 

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A healthy oil palm tree produces approx 26 Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) per year for 20-30 years, using less land than other oil yielding crops.

Once the palm fruit ripes, it turns reddish gold in colour and must be harvested immediately and sent to the oil mill to ensure that oil produced is of the highest quality.

1. Fruit: Oil for food and non-food products, fertilisers, fuel, fibreboard.
2. Trunk: Furniture, recycled as organic matter.
3.Fronds: Animal feed, fibreboard, recycled as organic matter.

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SCYTHE - a tool used for cutting crops such as grass or corn, with a long curved blade at the end of a long pole attached to one or two short handles.

 

 
A sickle is a hand-held tool with a curved blade and a short wooden handle that is used for harvesting crops, cutting grass, and other tasks:

4402. Five regrets on the deathbed

 Five regrets on the deathbed

 1. 'I wish I hadn't dedicated so much of my life to working so hard.' Bronnie says that one of the most common pangs of conscience that those that are facing their own mortality have revolves around their careers and working lives. She says it's especially true of men, given how the generation that's elderly now used to see more men assuming the 'breadwinner' role. While money is important, so many people regret spending so much time at work, time that could've been allocated to family, friends and pleasure

 

2. 'I wish I'd lived my life the way I wanted, not how others expected me to behave.' A second great lament of those on their deathbeds is around being 'true' to oneself. This, says Bronnie, is the most common of all the regrets she ever heard uttered on her patients' final beds. It is, she interprets, people's sadness at never achieving - or even attempting to achieve - their personal dreams

 

 3. 'I regret losing touch with so many of my friends'. When people look back over their lives toward the end of them, a surprising number feel somewhat contrite about having let friendships fizzle out. Friendships, like all relationships, require maintenance. It's easy to let them slide and die out. Most of us forget about old friends until we're afforded a chance to reflect on our lives. Then, many of us cast our minds back and have regrets that we didn't do more to keep in contact with those people we met along the way and felt great affection for

 

  4. 'I wish I'd been brave enough to express my feelings more'. 'Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others,' says Bronnie. 'As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result'

 

 

5. 'I wish I'd let myself be happier'. Bronnie's final top lament of the dying is a poignant one. And, again, a rather common one. Whether it's a fear of change or a fear of letting others down, so many folk take the easy route, or even the seemingly selfless one. Time and time again. Over a lifetime, this can lead to unhappiness. 'Life is a choice. It is YOUR life,' Bronnie is keen to tell people. 'Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness'

4401. Write A Short Book Fast - Writer's Digest Aug 22, 2023.

Write A Short Book Fast - Writer's Digest Aug 22, 2023 by Nina Amir
 

NinaAmir.com.19-time Amazon bestselling author of How to Blog a Book, The Author Training Manual, Creatine Visualization for Writers and e-book writing guides.Short books 15-100 printed pages or 2,500 -35,000 wirds kibg,  10-135 typed manuscript pages.

WHY WRITE A SHORT BOOK FAST.

1. Long-form book feels overwhelming.

2. Want to increase your income or platform. One well-received book leads a reader to purchase another.

3. Claim title "Author".

4. Need a book for an event.

5. Create a product (a book).

6. Build your mailing list/

7. Jumpstart your writing career. Do this for every chapter, compile all short books into that big book.

8. Want to promote a book. Sends readers difectly to book sales pages or mention your books in the content.

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

10 SHORT NONFICTION BOOK STRUCTURES.

1. Tip Book.

2. List Book.

3. Quotation Book.

4. RX Book. Often called handbooks, guidebooks, rule books, step books.
eg. better relationships, build your business, guide to container gardening, provide steps, proceses, rules or ways to solve a problem, answer a question or ease someone's ain.

5. Anthology. 10-25 contributors.

6. One-concept book.  One "big idea."

7. Q&A Book.

8. Benefit books

9. Problem/Solution Book

10. Essay Book.  Several essays on one topic or related tops e.g. motherhood, jogging, gardenly. 2-5 printed pages or fewer short essays. 

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

TIPS FOR WRITING A GOOD SHORT BOOK FAST.

1.Write an outline beforehand.

2. Find a model to imitate

3. Set a short deadline

4. Write short chapters

5. Keep track of your word count.

6. Decide how to publish - printed, e-book, booklet, workbook, etc.

7. Have your book professionally edited and proofread.

8. Get a professional cover. 

Write your short book fast by employing one of these 10 short-book structures, building confidence for writing your "big" book soon. Or, if you like writing short books, knock out several each year.

4400. ChatGPT. Tapping latex, wild dogs in villages

 Tapping latex, wild dogs in villages. 

How do you extract latex from a rubber tree?

Tapping: Latex is gathered from the trees by making a cut in the bark and collecting the runny sap in cups. This process is called tapping. Coagulation: In order to prevent the sap from solidifying, ammonia is added. Acid is then added to the mix to extract the rubber.

Totap a rubber tree for latex, a tapper uses a hooked knife to make a diagonal cut into the tree's bark, then peels back the bark to collect the milky-white latex:

 

1. 1. Choose the right tree

   Rubber trees must be at least six years old and six inches in diameter before they can be tapped. 
2. 2. Make the cut

   Using a hooked knife, make a diagonal cut that's about a quarter inch deep, starting at the highest point on the tree and slanting down and to the left. 
3. 3. Collect the latex

   The latex will flow down the cut and into a bucket or cup. After about four hours, the latex will stop flowing because it coagulates on the cut. 
4. 4. Repeat

    

   The tree can be tapped again the next day with a fresh cut.

    

    ------------

   Rainy days. Stop tapping as the latex will be useless.

    

    

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

    

    A 15-year-old boy slices a groove into the bark of the rubber tree at a depth of one-quarter inch (6.4 mm) with a hooked knife and peeling back the bark. Latex flows from the bark into the attached cup. He was alone. 

    

   Suddenly a big cross-breed rabid feral dog charges towards him, wanting to bite him. He turned around to face the dog. He picked up a large stone. He hurls the stone at the advancing dog's head between the eyes.

    

    

    A 15-year-old boy slices a groove into the bark of the rubber tree at a depth of one-quarter inch (6.4 mm) with a hooked knife and peeling back the bark. Latex flows from the bark into the attached cup. He was alone. Suddenly a big cross-breed rabid feral dog charges towards him, wanting to bite him. He turned around to face the dog. He picked up a large stone. He hurls the stone at the advancing dog's head between the eyes.

    

    

    The wild dog was running towards the boy to bite him. The boy squatted down, picked up a large stone and hurled at the dog.

    
   

4399. WILDLIFE STORIES - Chatgpt - African Wild dogs chase wildebeests.

WILDLIFE STORY by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow).

THE AFRICAN WILD DOGS HUNT WILDEBEESTS -  video.
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)
14 Dec 2024.

WILDLIFE STORY(using ChatGPT). The  African Wild Dogs hunt wildebeests

MY TEXT TO CHATGPT ON 14 DEC 2024 to create an image for my presentation:

A sunny early morning in the Sahara desert. A pack of African Wild Dogs chase a wildebeest across the Sahara desert. They have orange and black fur and hunts in a pack. They are endangered as they are threatened by habitat loss, human persecution and disease outbreak.  

Wildebeest, also called gnu, are antelopes of the genus Connochaetes and native to Eastern and Southern Africa.

IMAGE 1. Here is the image depicting a sunny early morning in the Sahara Desert, with a pack of African Wild Dogs chasing a wildebeest. It captures the dynamic and vibrant environment, emphasizing the survival challenges faced by endangered species. Let me know if you'd like any adjustments!

AMENDMENT 1:  I type:  "Remove the horns from the front African wild dog."

IMAGE 2.  I've updated the image to remove the horns from the front African Wild Dog. Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to adjust!

AMENDMENT 2: I type:  "Remove the white colour from the tails."

IMAGE 3. The white color has been removed from the tails of the African Wild Dogs. Let me know if you need further adjustments or have additional requests!

NO AMENDMENT 3: You've reached your image creation limit (per day for using free ChatGPT). Upgrade to ChatGPT Plus or try again tomorrow after 7:01 AM. 

*Free use of ChatGPT on 14 Dec 2024 permits 3 image illustrations only.

Video of The African Wild Dogs in Singapore Zoo in December 2024. They live in safety, relatively free from diseases. They get food and shelter.But they have no freedom to hunt wildebeests or other animals in the Sahara deserts.

 

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

CONSERVATION: The non-governmental organization African Wild Dog Conservancy began working in 2003 to conserve the African wild dog in northeastern and coastal Kenya, a convergence zone of two biodiversity hotspots.

 

MORE INFORMATION AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/12/4399-chatgpt-african-wild-dog-chasing.html

 ---------------------------

SCRIPT

 

A sunny early morning in the Sahara desert. A pack of African Wild Dogs chase a wildebeest across the Sahara desert.

They have orange and black fur and hunts in a pack. Teamwork ensures survival in the harsh desert.

They are endangered as they are threatened by habitat loss, human persecution and disease outbreak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildebeest is a large dark African antelope with a long head, a beard and mane, and a sloping back.

 

 

4398. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: The torch ginger. Use tv mode if there is a breeze. Use tripod.

 

 HOTOGRAPHY TIPS: The torch ginger. Use tv mode if there is a breeze.

Torch ginger leaves are edible and are used in the rojak (Malay salad). Showy pink flowers make it a decorative plant in Bird Paradise and Gardens By The Bay. A handful is planted, hence you may have to look out for it.

 

Canon R5, 105mm, 1/125 sec, f/4.5, iso 500. Tripod8 Dec 2024. 9.17am. Bird Paradise. Shaded area.

4397. chatgpt "me time"

 Create an image of a Chinese lady wearing silk dress, in her late 60s, spending "me time" in a rural village in China, sitting on a bench, amid butterflies and bougainvillea flowers of many colours, in the early morning sunshine with blue skies. 

 

 A serene scene of a Chinese lady in her late 60s, wearing an elegant silk dress with intricate patterns, sitting on a wooden bench in a tranquil rural village in China. The setting is adorned with vibrant bougainvillea flowers in multiple colors and surrounded by fluttering butterflies. The early morning sunshine casts a golden glow, with a clear blue sky enhancing the peaceful atmosphere. The woman is relaxed, enjoying her 'me time' in the natural beauty of the village.

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

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Original image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4396. PHOTOGRPAHY TIPS: Bougainvillae flowers. Use TV mode as there is a breeze.

Healthy bougainvillea flowers on the kerbside garden - they are good looking as they  have been well cared for by the house owner.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Bougainvillae flowers. Use TV mode as there is a breeze.
 

TV Mode. Canon R5. 105mm. 1/500 sec. f/4.5, ISO 640. Single point focus

2 Dec 2024: 9.50am

 

 

4395. ChatGPT 'me time' image.

 Image below is generated by Artificial Intelligence based on my text description of what I want AI to create.

 

A beautiful Chinese lady in her late sixties spends 'me time' on a bridge spanning a vast pond filled with lotus leaves, lotuses of various colours and butterflies, clear waters, early morning sunshine, blue skies and serenity in a rural area in China.

 

 

AI TEXT

A serene and picturesque scene featuring an older Chinese lady in her 70s, wearing a sarong kebaya. She has a fuller figure and is enjoying peaceful 'me time' on a traditional wooden bridge. The bridge spans a vast pond filled with vibrant lotus leaves and lotuses of various colors, including pink, white, and yellow. Butterflies flutter gracefully around the flowers. The clear waters of the pond reflect the early morning sunlight, creating a golden glow. The setting is in a rural area in China, with lush greenery and traditional houses in the background under a tranquil blue sky. The lady appears relaxed and content, blending naturally with the peaceful environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4394. Video Wildlife Singapore - Bird Paradise on 8 Dec 2024. Nyungwe forest.

This WILDLIFE SINGAPORE video was taken
on Sunday, 8 December 2024 to inform and educate viewers of avian wildlife in Bird Paradise.

The birds reside in the Nyungwe Forest Heart of Africa which is modelled after the forested valleys
of Continental Africa.

Nyungwe is the largest and most forested of the 8 aviaries in Bird Paradise.

Be present at the 10 a.m feeding time to take photos  of some species of the birds.  

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

SCRIPT

WILDLIFE SINGAPORE videos by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)

This video aims to inform and educate young people and kids
about wildlife in the 8 aviaries in the Bird Paradise.

Feeding time at around 10 a m is the best time to
view and photograph the birds. This Speckled
Pigeon is hungry as he stays eating for some time.

Did you see the green bird pop up at the ending of
the video? It is the Guinea turaco. It is not the
Red-crested turaco that will be seen soon.

This red-crested turaco is friendly.
Early exposure to wild birds enables
urban kids to appreciate wildlife and learn
more about their behaviour and conservation.

Education of kids. Parents can encourage their
kids to write and record their findings on the trip
to Bird Paradise instead of just sight-seeing.

 

Main Birds in video:

1. The Speckled Pigeon.
2. Guinea turaco.
3. Red-crested turaco
 

Stock photos of some birds are available for sale at
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

UPDATE:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/12/4394-video-wildlife-singapore-bird.html

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male chestnut-and-black weaver

 

chestnut-and-black weavers. The male with yellow eyes (L) and

female (R) with brown eyes and olive-brown feathers. The male
builds the nest while the female inspects which one to lay eggs in. 

 

 

 

Above 3 images from Brian Peck