Saturday, November 5, 2022

4177. Animal statues. Tiger in Seoul Grand Park Zoo

5 NOV 2022

Siberian tiger statue at Seoul Grand Park, Jun 2022

Photography tip: Canon R5.

Sit on bench to stabilise your hand. Focus on eye. Take more than 3 photos. To buy photo:   shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets



#tigerstatue #siberiantiger #seoulgrandparkzoo
#singkongyuen
#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

#www.toapayohvets.com


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

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4177-animal-statues-tiger-in-seoul.html



4176. People's Park Complex for en bloc sale.

 S T 20 Aug 2022. B9. Attempt to sell People's Park Centre en bloc for $1.8b fails.
It did not receive consent of 80% of the unit owners.

Commercial-cum-residential development (mixed-use development)
13-storey block and 30-storey block.

324 shops, 256 offices, 120 apartments and a car park. 

95,467 sq ft site
Gross floor area about 821,017 sq ft


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

S T 23 Dec 2023: A3


Selling at 1.3 billion in Mar 2024.
URA gave notice in Nov 2023 about heritage conservation value. URA may offer incentives appealing to developers.

Most important, the reserve price per sq foot per plot ratio must appeal to developers to bid.

People's Park Complex, starta-titled development was designed by Mr Koh Seow Chuan, the late Mr William Lim, Mr Tay Kheng Soon, Mr Gan Eng oon and Mr Chee Soon Wah from Design Partnership now known as DP Architects.
 

Completed in 1973. 31-storey was a first-of-its-kind in Singapore and in S E Asia - a mixed development with shops, homes, offices and carpark facilities within a single structure. An area of 1ha, was Singapore's largest shopping centre where shops and kiosks generate a bazaar-like atmosphere.

44 years left on its lease. Built in the brutalist architectural style. Style is marked by monumental structures made of off-form concrete without being plastered over.  

391 commercial units, 278 residences, a car park. 

 

 

 

 








4175. Vietnam Travels. Photography and videos. Fansipan flowers, Ha Long Bay, 36 streets

 Good Morning. I saw the Galaxy Ha Long Hotel Bonsai tree which must have had taken years to grow. Bonsai is said to bring energy and harmony to guests.
BONSAI is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots. Bonsai has larger-in-proportion trunks, are planted in unobtrusive, low sided containers with simple lines and muted colours.

 
 
 
Vietnam - Jun 2022. A bed of colourful flowers in Fanispan Sapa at over 2000 metres high. Cable car station area.

 
 
 

 
 VIETNAM - 19 Sep 2022. The St Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi, built in 1886, backdropped the pre-wedding photoshoots of this couple, now walking to the restaurant (L). Photo shows the culture of Hanoi - A rickshaw driver, motorbikes, a tourist, students and tough-looking locals are present. Also green-shirted sunburnt smoking men (GrabFood, GrabBike, Gojek and a local startup) and the man in the green military helmet which is sold at souvenir shops.
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Focus on the people in the boat…the photo turns up sharp
 

 
 
 
 
 
  18 Sep 2022. VIETNAM TRAVELS. Impact of Covid-19 pandemic

Ha Long Bay is still quiet as the China Nationals are forbidden from
overseas travels owing to China's "zero-Covid" policy. You can see
the large dining hall of the Magnolia Restaurant practically empty during
dinner time. My group of 20 travellers and two other groups had dinner
there but you can see many more tables are empty.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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

Ha Long International Cruise Port’s Marina, Vietnam.   17 Sep 2022
18 Singapore travellers + 2 tour managers passed by on this sunny morning

No China Nationals owing to zero Covid-19 policy, hence no large crowds


UPDATES AT:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4175-vietnam-travels-photography.html




Judy's handphone photo not sharp





 

 

 

Friday, November 4, 2022

4174. Dr Sing's Travel Stories. MYANMAR TRAVEL STORIES. A visit to a village in the Karen area, Myanmar

2015 travel.

MYANMAR TRAVEL STORIES. Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)
A visit to a village in the Karen area, Myanmar

I prefer to visit the villages and to know the way of life of the locals rather than go to tourist spots.  In this trip, I had a good friend who showed me a Karen village and an extended family with a 86-year-old grandpa, kids and two ladies who had had worked in Singapore. Water was drawn from the well for cooking. Mainly farmland, some pigs, goats and chickens. A church building surprised me as temples and pagodas dominate the tourist places I visited.  Rats from farms would be a dish for some villagers.  

I would say that photography and journaling one's travels are good for one's mental well-being as one can reflect on the travels and maybe, prevent or delay the development of dementia.  

It is time-consuming to write one's travel stories, but I wrote about the travel in the blog:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2015/12/visit-to-karen-farmland-hinthada.html



#myanmartravels
#karenvillage
#singkongyuen

#www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

#www.toapayohvets.com


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



THIS BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4174-travel-stories-visit-to-village-in.html





86-year-old grandpa with no dementia





 
 

 
 
 
 
Images above show some villagers, a primary school, vegetables for dinner, an extended
family who welcome me, had dinner and a visit to a primary school. A church
was a surprise to me as I had not seen more than a handful in my limited travels in Myanmar.  


 

4173. SELF CARE for retirees -

 4 Nov 2022:

Sedentary retirees. 

Yesterday, one career lady told me she was worried that her father, 68 who just retired would just sit at home and use his handphone. No other activities. "He might get dementia if he continues".

1. "He has no hobby", she told me when I advised her to ask him.
2. "Does he go out to exercise?". She said no.
3. "Does he take photos like me?" She said no.
4. "Has he friends?". She laughed, "His friend is his wife. She would accompany him to drink beer every evening". I was impressed. "She does not drink at all. He drinks 2-3 bottles," she laughed.

"He really took good care of her when she was ill," the daughter said.

It is not surprising that retirees are inert. 

It is hot and humid outdoors in Singapore. I cope with it like today, I was outdoors to spend time to relax at One Punggol waterway - see flowers and river, cycle and exercise.

SOME SUGGESTIONS OF ACTIVITIES FOR SEDENTARY RETIRES

1. Photography promotes observations of life and Nature. It promotes physical and mental health for retirees who are not into socialisation with people.

2. Brisk walks promote some exercise of the leg muscles for retirees whose leg muscles will atrophy due to lack of exercise. 

3. Fitness corner in public parks are free to use. I recommend the leg push equipment to strengthen your calf muscles especially, to prevent cramps.

4. Stop smoking.

5. Package tours overseas.  

 

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

WorkingWell
S.T. 7 Oct 2022.  B2 Insight
To work well, we have to commit to rest well.

Rest is more than getting enough hours of sleep. We need to replenish our inner resources, esp those most depleted.

1.  Physician Saundra Dalton-Smith wrote a whole book on rest. She suggested that humans need 7 types of rest: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, sensory and creative.

Emotional rest - Covid-19 pandemic - the toll of caregiving on doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists and others in emotionally draining professions.  

2. Dr Christina Maslach - gold standard for measuring burnout - the Maslach Burnout Inventory.
She lists 3 core dimensions of the burnout experience as:

Exhaustion (the stress response)
Cynicism (the negative reaction to others and the job).
Inefficacy (the negative evaluation of one's own accomplishments.

We need to slow down and take time to replenish the parts of our life where we feel most depleted.





Thursday, November 3, 2022

4172. "Good Morning" from a vintage clock


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 

How to create a “clock” image


Use "Select and Mask" and "Subject" in Photoshop to get isolated clock in white background as jpg or png files.



#vintageclock #antiqueclock #clockimage #singkongyuen #www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

#www.instagram.com/davidsing1

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

#www.toapayohvets.com


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

 

UPDATES AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/11/4172-good-morning-from-vintage-clock.html






Wednesday, November 2, 2022

4171. "Good Morning" Photo. A tear in the petal of the big yellow simpoh flower

"Good Morning" Photo. A BROKEN FLOWER. Yellow Simpoh (Dillenia suffructicosa) which is native to Singapore. Large yellow flowers and leaves.

It is best to photoshop out the tear in the petal and some rusty spots in the leaves.
The original image is shown too.

#bigyellowflowersingapore
#publicgardens
#flowerlentormrt
#singkongyuen

#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/2022/11/4171-tear-in-petal-of-big-yellow-flower.html

 

 
Yellow simpoh or simpoh air (Dillenia suffrucrticos) 
is native to Singapore. Grown as ornamental shrubs nowadays
 



original photo shows tear in the large yellow petal of yellow simpoh
It has red fruits which split open to form a "star".


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

Source: NParks

Species Name: Dillenia suffruticosa Family: Dilleniaceae 

Common Name: Simpoh Air, Yellow Simpoh 

Distribution: Southeast Asia Conservation Status: Native to Singapore (Common)

 

 Dillenia suffruticosa is a large shrub that grows up to 7 m tall and often form thickets. Free flowering throughout the year bearing showy large, yellow flowers that last only a day. Its fruit splits open into a star when ripe, revealing seeds covered in a fleshy red aril. 

The Simpoh Air has very deep taproots to reach underground water sources. As a pioneer species, it helps to create a shady environment that support the growth and succession of low-light species. The large leaves are traditionally used to wrap food such as tempeh, or formed into shallow cones as a container to hold rojak. They can be found along streams, and forest margin, up to 500 m altitude.

 

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

4170. An old model Poco Pro X3 takes a sharp image of a majestic pine tree

 

1 Nov 2022. An old handphone model Poco X3 pro takes a sharp photo if you have steady hands. The man in his early 70s took this photo handheld just before he tees off and sent photo to me. 

Good Morning 

From Glenmore Heritage Golf Course, Australia

handheld Poco X3 pro handphone 

 

#glenmoreheritagegolfcourse
#golfcourseaustralia
#glenmoresydney

#singkongyuen

#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/2022/10/4170-old-model-poco-pro-x3-takes-sharp.html

 



 

 

 

 




4169. "Be prepared". Sneaker photography tips



1 Nov 2022:

Every photo has a story. This photo's story is "Be prepared" to practise your skills when you have to wait and wait for the service provider to attend to you!

The owner in his late 50s focuses on sneakers of all sizes and types for many years.  An ex-Singaporean migrant lady from USA conversed for nearly an hour with him - so I practised my photography on his goods.  Indoor lighting. Where to focus my Canon R5 camera? This photo was accepted and is at www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets 


#singaporesneakers
#shoeshopsingapore
#sneakersshoes

#singkongyuen

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

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets


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

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4169-be-prepared-sneaker-photography.html


 

4168. HEALTH. Fungal disease in persimmons - anthracnose disease or leaf spot fungi

Fungus causing anthracnose on persimmons appear as dark brown spots.

 

Anthracnose disease is not often lethal in mature trees. These diseases in persimmon trees are caused by leaf spot fungi, and some affect the fruit as well as the leaves. Persimmon disease control when it comes to anthracnose involves keeping a clean garden. The anthracnose spores overwinter in leaf litter. In spring time, the winds and rain spread the spores to new foliage.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Persimmon Tree Diseases: Troubleshooting Diseases In Persimmon Trees https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/persimmon/persimmon-tree-diseases.htm

 

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

 

  Colletotrichum horii causes serious anthracnose on persimmon.

 lesions comprise twig blight, leaf defoliation, fruit drop and fruit rot

 

 Anthracnose symptoms on twigs, leaves and fruits first appear in the spring as darkish, oval or elliptic spots, or as pin-pricks on newly-formed twigs. The minute spots develop into dark purple or dark brown lesions with a sharp line of demarcation between diseased and symptomless tissues

 

  Pale orange conidial masses are frequently produced in the lesion centre. Under favorable conditions, adjacent lesions may coalesce, increasing in size until the entire twig is infected (Figure 1B). When a twig is girdled or completely infected, then dieback results (Figure 1C). The lesions may become dormant under unfavorable conditions but, in this situation, the fungus still continues to extend into the xylem, resulting in collapse with longitudinal cracking and finally forming cankers on a twig (Figure 4). Leaf defoliation occurs if lesions develop at the base of petioles. The pathogen infects petioles and leaf veins to produce the small, round or ovoid, sunken, purple to dark brown spots (Figure 1F), but they form later than those on young twigs. These small spots develop into the larger lesions, but they rarely coalesce on the petioles and leaf veins. If a petiole is infected, the leaf may continue to develop and remain green for an extended period, but may easily defoliate in the wind. The persimmon fruits can be infected throughout the entire fruit-growing season. In young fruits, the lesions are often circular or oval, 3–8 mm in diameter, purple to dark purple, and occasionally slightly depressed. As the disease progresses, sometimes fruit lesions reach ∼20 mm in diameter (Figure 1G). The centre of the lesions becomes grey-white over time, while the broad margins remain dark purple. Pale orange conidial masses are produced in the lesion centre. Under dry conditions, the diseased lesions are sunken, and a longitudinal crack often occurs through the centre (Zhang 2008). If fruits are badly infected, they may drop in an unripe state (Figure 1H). In pre-mature fruits, the diseased lesions are often dark brown or purple dark, oval, sunken, with small cracks. Larger cracks often form and almost all deep cracks are produced in a longitudinal direction (Figure 1I). Anthracnose of persimmon fruits also occurs in market shelves and storage warehouses, resulting in fruit rot.


 
 

 

Anthracnose disease is a fungal disease in plants. Anthracnose persimmons. Anthracnose symptoms on twigs, leaves and fruits first appear in the spring as darkish, oval or elliptic spots, or as pin-pricks on newly-formed twigs. The minute spots develop into dark purple or dark brown lesions with a sharp line of demarcation between diseased and symptomless tissues.  

Colletotrichum species are common pathogens for plant anthracnose but have recently emerged as a human opportunistic pathogen causing keratitis and subcutaneous fungal infection, which potentially can lead to life-threatening systemic dissemination. Do not eat infected persimmons.


#persimmons
#singaporefruits
#anthracnoses
#singkongyuen

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

#www.instagram.com/toapayohvets

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


REFERENCE:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/21501203.2010.526644

 
UPDATES:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4168-health-fungal-disease-in.html