everyone needs an ending.

Lessons from Dispossession.

2011-12-23T00:05:00.001+08:00

In current times, information are "digitalized" so much that the amount of usage of paper still astound me. We can almost do everything with the use of a computer, book tickets, food delivery, shopping, book air tickets, etc. I wouldn't say a person need to be equipped with the computer literacy to survive in this new world, however, a person without it will be losing out much more than he can expect.

Memories are prolonged with the use of technology, our photos can be uploaded to social networking sites, we can store them in our computer drives, phones, tablets, etc. One important lesson is to learn to back up your important digital files.

The things I lost from not backing up my phone might not seem great at first look, but a closer look will deem a part of my memory lost. The good or bad times are precious as they serve a purpose to me and who I am today. A winner gains gratification but a loser gains a lifelong lesson.

Not long ago, I watched a movie titled "Fight Club", a 1999 film. The line I remember most from the show is

"The things you own end up owning you."

which is to say you are controlled by your belongings. When some thing you bought are too expensive, you are extra careful with it or are afraid to lose it, this additional emotion attached to it will lead to restricting yourself. A part of your mind is always bothered.

From losing the digital possessions of mine, gave me a sense of liberation. To be honest, we don't have to own as much things as we have today. Most of these things are marketed to be attractive to us, to put it bluntly, it's the branded goods, overpriced leisure activities, a lifestyle that is not practical. Like a drug addict losing himself to the imaginary happiness, we are deluded by the so-called luxuries. None of these things will matter when we die, we come with nothing, we leave with nothing, but perhaps leaving something valuable behind for those that are still living. The main question is what are you going to leave behind. A house? A car? Money?

I say we leave an impact on the world, a story, a legacy.

Price of Freedom.

2011-09-20T16:41:00.001+08:00

Freedom, unlike how it sounds, is costly. What does freedom mean to you? To do anything you like? To have all the time in the world? To not do anything at all? To me, it's probably the display of emotions without limits.

The world has many restrictions. We are denied access of places, we can't do things in public without being scrutinized by the public, we have to observe etiquettes, morals, law and even mind what we say. I'm not saying it isn't good, after all it's a public place, we have to be mindful of the actions that might disturb the likes of others.

We can't show anger when we are angry, to people who are unrelated to the cause as this is unfair. We can't display affection when the passion comes as this might create a sort of impression perceived to be bad for the young. We can't make jokes that are insensitive to others with fear of offending which restricts the fun of some.

It all comes down to having freedom only at the comfort of your private space, commonly known as "home". But home to some is only a house with others. To really experience freedom, you need to have your own home customized to your likings. I could conclude that I have freedom when I'm alone at home.

Freedom may seem like a wonderful thing, but frankly speaking, I would rather be less happy staying with my family than be happier living alone. I wouldn't want to have happiness on the expense of my family's.

The price of freedom? Is love.

Next Chapter.

2011-08-23T15:40:00.001+08:00

And so, I've gotten my results, it's what i have been expecting. I'm getting better at predicting things, my own things at least. I can read my own future. That's not true. I believe the future lies in your hands. Every action you do will cause the chain reaction in the series of events that happens. More or less, you should expect certain things to happen due to certain things that you do. Add a bit of unpredictable stuff like natural disasters, random stranger killing you and things like that and it sums up. If people are honest to themselves, the people who drinks and drive should know that they will get into accident one day. They would probably say they wouldn't expect it because they never thought themselves to be this unlucky. It's all in your hands. I believe that quote might somehow derive from people who trust the lines on your palm to be your destiny. Who are we to say it's not true.

It's going to be my twenty-first birthday in 7 days time. I ought to change a little about myself if i want to change my dream into reality. The difference is between the people who actually do and those who are all talk and don't. It's our choice to choose which group to belong. Live a life that is worth remembering. It's within our control, break out of headwind circumstances. I've changed a lot over the past few years, and I really do like myself better in the past. It's perhaps an apt time to do some calibration. "Be humble." is what I should live with. It's always a privilege to be able to learn as some might not even have the chance to. It's more of a bonus to be able to learn with relevant people.

Don't waste your life, the chance to create endless possibilities.

Reliance.

2011-08-21T00:22:00.001+08:00

It's been long, and I miss this space.

Last Lap of the First Race.

2011-05-18T15:50:00.000+08:00

19 more days to my first paper. Please let myself be more disciplined. No more time to contemplate, if I want to have a balanced life. Don't waste any more time, pass it and I won't have to do it again. It's not impossible.

Hakuna Matata.

2011-04-17T22:58:00.000+08:00

Watching this brings back memories, when I watched the movie numerous times and played the computer game. There's a line which I remember vividly, "Help....... Somebody.........Anybody", it's when Mufasa died and Simba crying out for help. I remember exactly the tone, the drag and the words, before they were spoken. And the music, w-o-w. And I think they brought their own stage to place on the actual stage provided by the theater.

I didn't know theatrical performance could be as good as this, gave me a new perspective about it. The music, the stage settings, the props, the acting, the flow of scenes, are all top notch. It would really be a pity to miss such a performance. I'm more interested in stage play now.

Anchor that keeps my feet on the ground.

2011-04-03T10:44:00.000+08:00

You know how they say, no expectations lead to no disappointment? If you're not expecting anything good to come out from anything, you will probably be called a pessimist. Then they will tell you to look at the bright side of life. And when you do that, and you get disappointed? It's just one of the many.

Fate Fell Short.

2011-03-31T11:18:00.000+08:00

Everything fell short, leaving a gap to perfection. It's a part of evolution or a meant to be, to attain higher wisdom.

We will all be gone soon enough, when nothing else really matters.

Doing Things Out of Frustration.

2011-03-28T00:17:00.001+08:00

Sigh, I really wanna go see The Script concert, but I've got a lesson at night for that day and I can't seem to figure out how to do the questions on that night's lesson. I do have a feeling that they might not be coming to Singapore again. Drat. And it seems implausible for me to fly overseas to hear them live, at least not soon.

I've got to start working soon, for whatever reason. Time waits for no one. Money does mean a lot, when you need it to travel and for different experiences in life. It does also seems that the more you can have, the less you would want. Taking Warren Buffett for example, the place he lives in and the car he drives, doesn't relate to the amount of money under his name. This paragraph probably is meaningless to whoever who reads it as everyone knows the importance of money. With all due respect to whoever that says money can't buy happiness, money may not be able to buy everything, but it can definitely buy happiness. I assure you that.

'smiling but we're close to tears,
even after all these years.

My Stars Are Not Aligned.

2011-03-16T00:08:00.001+08:00

I'm so frustrated with myself.

Drilling March.

2011-03-13T00:53:00.000+08:00

I hear drilling sound wherever I go and I've gotten used to it, just wondering why everywhere is having renovation. I'm having headache quite often lately, what's wrong with me. I've put focus too much on one paper and neglected one, and now I'm super screwed with the one I neglected. I seriously hope my computer will be temporary spoiled and be back to what it was before it was spoiled after my exams. Keyword is temporary. How I Met Your Mother and Vampire Diaries hiatus are beneficial to me currently, but I'm getting quite addicted to The Big Bang Theory right now. Besides that, the only thing is laziness. I'm always afraid to work too hard, because it would be stupid if the outcome isn't ideal in the end. That's one of my queer logic, which links to another one; I'm not afraid to die right now, but I am afraid to die in the midst of trying. Maybe that's why I didn't start on certain things.

Let's have a look at Japan right now. I don't mean to harp on it, but it's like a perfect example of what I've mentioned above. Look at the damages, imagine the losses for this ordeal, billions would be an understatement. They knew this day will come, just like how we know that one day we are going to die. And a change of events and all are wiped out. We are going to start on our career, start a family and others, but a change of events and all will be gone. Really makes me wonder if working hard is what humans are suppose to do.

On a side note, insomnia has been hitting on me for the past week as well. Nothing troubling me in fact. Guess I need one day for revitalizing. I need more street soccer. Field soccer is fine, but my toe nails always turn black after playing field soccer, which take ages for it to detach and for the new one to grow.

I feel the sun creeping up like tick-tock.

2011-03-04T23:38:00.001+08:00

Just run away
from these lies
back to yesterday
safe tonight

I feel the sun creeping up like tick-tock
I'm trying to keep you in my head but if not
we'll just keep running from tomorrow with our lips locked
yeah you got me begging begging

baby please don't go

Constraint.

2011-02-21T12:48:00.000+08:00

Again, I have found life to be too short. There are so much left to experience and feel. Die without these experiences would have been such a waste of life.
Kill Laziness for me please. All inspiration, no motivation, no disposable assets.

Let's Be Trippy.

2011-01-27T02:37:00.001+08:00

Tumblr addiction is scary. Maybe, it's not addiction, as I don't go onto it as soon as I on the computer. It's just, I start to wander there when I'm bored, and once it starts, it's hard to stop. I keep telling myself, "Last Reblog", but I ended up scrolling down more and more.

Inspirations, artful stuff, quotes, animals, beautiful photographs, even stupid things that make you laugh, are definitely better than people ranting about their life. After all, most rants are repetitive, school, work, things that happen while commuting. Nothing wrong with people ranting though, it always good to release than to keep and accumulate. Isn't it worse, if there's no outlets to express these things? But still, some people are too into such stuff. Meh, it's another love-hate kinda thing.

Means.

2011-01-26T03:31:00.000+08:00

"Accountants are hardworking people."
Hardworking will never be used to describe me. I can't think of anything that I've done that I had worked hard for. Maybe I can't take hardship, or I have yet to find something to work that hard for. Well, it currently seems like I don't know much of my work. I might need to put in an extra effort, but I'm far too lazy. It's already the last week of January, and I felt like I have just began my school term. Time is passing too fast. Just 4 more months, and I will be having my first round of exams. Not really stressed, but weird feeling. I feel that everything will be alright in the end. I believe it's a fake sense of assurance that could lead to a downfall and ruin a perfect start.

Live Life Like a Rockstar.

2011-01-22T11:39:00.000+08:00

I'm on a run now. Hopefully the motivation stays longer, I find myself listening to thoughts more, of mine and others. In general, we're all the same. I find a need to prove a point. Life's gonna be good for all of us. Forget heartaches, there's something greater.

Multiple Sides.

2011-01-15T15:49:00.000+08:00

I think I've changed again. A natural act to reduce boredom, maybe? When being too long of one is getting boring, therefore, the change to make things interesting.

Time is short. Do something.

Unexplainable Frustration.

2011-01-10T01:19:00.000+08:00

I'm gonna be so freaking rich one day that I can just go on holiday anytime I want. Life's too short to waste on worrying. And I can don't think about anyone or any matter. Just lay down at the beach watching clouds pass by.

Get Ready, It's A New Day.

2010-12-29T13:35:00.002+08:00

'so, it's not about, fame, and fortune.
it's about believing, believing in yourself
and understanding that this life is, it's life
it's liberty and pursuit of happiness
and happiness isn't about getting what you want all the time,
it's about loving what you have
so get ready, it's a new day.

Even the weather made way for us.

2010-12-16T22:48:00.000+08:00

It's a new found satisfaction and really meaningful to make someone's day enjoyable. No regrets at all, despite lack of sleep and tiredness. I have more reasons now.

Probable Last.

2010-12-02T21:33:00.000+08:00

It seems that this might be the last overnight camp for Deyi Track & Field. Highlight was always the second night. Anyway, it's nice to see that everyone has enjoyed the camp, hopefully as much as we did in the past. A couple of things might have happened and much injuries, but nothing seems to scare the young ones.

Though not many old birds showed up, because of NS, the rest of us cherished this once a year opportunity to catch-up and reminisce. What a sad case, that this annual thing might possibly be gone after Mr. Chia retires. "Ice Cream", "You clown!", "Old vs Young" Captain's Ball, Hide-and-Seek, Dog-and-Bone, "Ti-ti-ti Shark" game and everything else.

These memories will always be precious to all of us.

Go on.

2010-11-05T01:06:00.000+08:00

It's no one's fault. Go on and do whatever you guys want. More or less that's it.

Well?

2010-10-10T22:58:00.000+08:00

At age twenty,

I see most inspirations as a scam.
I'm giving up too easily, because some things are not worth the effort after all.
I'm starting to think that "either you die a good person, or you live long enough to become evil" might be true.
I somewhat agree that everyone who believes in fate are potentially a loser, in some circumstances.
I think that by saying "no offence" is an irony, regardless of whether the speaker is genuine. It should only be used when the words that come after, is totally needed to be said.
I really admire people who are doing their best to help people, animals, the environment; even though what they are doing might be futile.

At age twenty, I believe,

everyone shouldn't help unnecessarily.
everyone should be selfish to a certain extent, in order not to hurt the ones around you with guilt.
guilt can occur even when you're not doing anything wrong.
most people are being mind controlled without knowing it themselves.
Newton's Third Law of Motion applies to everything in life.
I'm too lazy to live in this country.
everyone needs more than one group of friends.
the process of evolution and advancements is making this world an uglier place.
"love" is something we can't escape from, even if we deem it as bad and might not be real.
confidence is a negative thing and is overrated, sufficient will do for those who need it to do or accomplish things.
it's wrong for people to judge who didn't think of enough possibilities and we shouldn't be afraid to be judged. Well, I'm guilty of being afraid to be judged by some particular person.

Definitely, there's much more, but I don't think there's a limit and quite pointless to think too hard just to list out as much I can. I'm quite sure that people will start to judge upon reading this, which I don't really care, unless you are that some particular person, and I'm actually quite skeptical about posting this as well, but let's just see how much of my thinking will change over time.

Dimitar.

2010-09-22T01:45:00.002+08:00

"I have worked hard on my fitness - so hard," he said. "I'm not a weights guy as anyone can see from my body. But I have been trying even to work on that. I ran six miles every day in the close season. My routine was to watch a World Cup match and then go for a run. Then I would watch another game then go out and have another run."

"I was disappointed with myself that I could not please all of the supporters. The people of Manchester United are the judges and that is the way it should be. It is their team. I am a privileged guest."

"I am just so happy and confident. I feel like everything I imagine on the pitch will come true and that feels awesome. The way I feel right now is great. I'm not tired - I feel alive. I have always said I am so lucky to play here."

"I never saw the ball go in the back of the net. But when I heard the crowd scream it was easy to guess what had happened. It was a good goal but as long as the ball hits the back of the net it doesn't matter. It was probably my best day in a United shirt. Obviously I am happy. I am going home with a smile on my face. But I am nothing special. I am going home to play with my kids.''

The hat-trick will silence those who criticized him.

It's not what you wanted.

2010-09-20T02:05:00.000+08:00

I really thinks that I'm a difficult person. Nothing seems to satisfy me lately. If I ever have a wife, I think I would drive her crazy. Unintentionally, of course.

She Talks To Angels.

2010-09-17T01:12:00.000+08:00

Let's all hope. And get disappointed.

Why be yourself?

2010-09-07T00:39:00.000+08:00

I'm really not happy being myself.

closer to the edge.

2010-08-17T14:40:00.000+08:00

it all comes down to nothing.

2010-07-10T23:43:00.000+08:00

What's the point of moving on when it all comes down to nothing in the end.

We all know the importance of something before losing it, we probably didn't feel it yet.

I feel it now, not like I didn't expect it. I expected it, that's why it ended up this way. I was probably trying to live life differently from others, live like we're dying. So before every important decision, the thing that ran through my head was whether I would regret doing or not doing it if I were to die tomorrow or soon.

So I came to realization, when you're living life this way, you need others to be with you and probably thinking the same ideology. So when others don't think the same way when making certain decisions, I will think to myself, "another decision that he/she is going to regret". Am I going to convince him/her to decide otherwise?

The thing about most people, is that they don't do things even when they know about the right decisions. They can't foresee themselves or their close ones dying the next day, even when they are reminded that it's a fact. We don't see it but we won't argue against the fact that at any second, there's astronomical amount of people asking for God's help and guidance. Ask yourself (for those who are in guilt of doing so), if God were to give you advice and guidance, would you follow it.

Although I don't believe in this, but as humans, we are taught that when certain things happen, there's are list of actions to be done followed by it. Like when your heart is broken by someone, you would try to forget the person and move on with your life, seems like the right things to do. This is just an example, but the truth behind is that we know this because it's what we seen from other examples, friends, television programmes or movies, just to name a few. Humans definitely don't just simply follow, these methods are tested and proven logical. However, doing otherwise doesn't prove to be wrong.

So after taking life's lessons, learning whatever there is to learn, what's next?

Random thought: Some people who appeared to commit suicide, probably just wants to graduate from "Life" after all the lessons that were taught and tests that were taken.

Rebirth.

2010-07-06T17:01:00.000+08:00

You were born again as the same person, getting to live your life all over again. So you can keep trying out the different routes that you could have chosen. I know it's kinda hard, but think back about choices that could have changed your life, what if you weren't enrolled to the schools you have been enrolled in. We would have a whole new sets of friends, new personality, new environment, new religion, new sets of beliefs. There will be people who you might never come across. Isn't it wonderful?

After all it's the comparisons of which is more worthwhile. I'd probably have chosen a different way, if I get to choose again. It's intriguing how one person can change your life, your set of beliefs, your thoughts and even destroy your dreams and all. That makes you think you'd rather lose a number of valuable friends that you've met in this chosen path in exchange for not meeting that one person.

All in all, other paths and decisions could have been worse, which makes it pointless to think so much.

I do wish for the existence of an afterlife though.

Restricted.

2010-07-06T16:23:00.000+08:00

I'm always stuck here. Otherwise, I would start to type a whole lot of things and delete everything again. I always have tons of things that I want to write about, but it all disappears when I arrive at this page. I will lock my posts soon, probably.

Gone.

2010-07-05T01:46:00.000+08:00

I feel that I'm losing myself.

Lists.

2010-07-01T03:20:00.000+08:00

I have a sudden urge to list down things. I shall do a bucket list. I'm open to suggestions. Please contribute. (:

please take me anywhere but here.

2010-06-16T17:22:00.000+08:00

I need one so badly. It could have been my ideal companion through sorrow times. I'll probably just buy new strings and stick to playing my old guitar.

I guess I will only put my faith in non-breathing things now, I've always been. Perhaps I'll stop being nice, it's getting me nowhere.

when reality is real.

2010-06-15T07:52:00.002+08:00

Impromptu day out with 2 old friends was great. I found out I enjoy going out in threes, because I get to just tag along while the other two can talk. I wouldn't feel pressured to think of topics to talk about. I realize some people interchanges their personality when they are bored with their current self. At times, I feel that I'm a talkative person, but at the end of the day, I would still prefer holding on to silence.

It's probably not a right day to play pool, as I couldn't keep my focus, but we played for hours anyway. And I made decision on the dining location effortlessly. I guess I wasn't in the right frame of mind.

Next destination was town. Retail therapy works pretty well.

Instead of hanging out and chill at some places that sells alcoholic drinks, we actually went to Starbucks. It turns out to be quite enjoyable, would have been better if we had better seats though.

Yes, and my battery died finally, after having pinched and scraped my usage to the minimal. Just when I need my songs to be played on my way home. I plugged in, eventually, to a non-operating phone. Partial silence serves as an alternative bliss. I think to myself that I need to live alone. A distant dream which I hope to come true soon. Perhaps I would create an alter ego like François Dillinger to balance out my way of living and thoughts.

A person can't be happy when feeling sad because it hurts even more. Just let me know, what else do you want me to do.

This post seems pretty disoriented - reflects totally.

terrified.

2010-06-08T23:34:00.003+08:00

'and this could be good

it's already better than that

and nothing's worse

than knowing you're holding back

i could be all that you need

if you let me try

you set it again, my heart's in motion

every word feels like a shooting star

i'm at the edge of my emotions

watching the shadows burning in the dark.

we were once a child for a reason.

2010-05-10T04:05:00.003+08:00

Does it occur to you that the more you learnt, the less reasons there are to be happy about. As we grow up, we learnt about all types of relationships, problems and emotions through television, movies, or personal experiences, etc. As we learnt, we sometimes stop doing things that we love or makes us happy. We all mature, take things more seriously, acting like a grown up, and starts to reminisce about times when we were younger. Some culture might have made it seem like a phase that all of us have to go through.

Does growing up means we can't play games or do things we enjoy when we were young? Are we afraid of being laughed at and how people look at us when we play hide-and-seek (just an example) as an adult? Of course, being an adult reflects an increase in responsibilities and there are more things that we have to care about more than the things we do when we were younger. We all have to work for money, which apparently keeps us alive and makes the world go round, figuratively, encompassing the things we need and want. I believe the real reason why we shouldn't be playing or enjoying as hard as when we were younger should be due to the lack of time. If the things we did when we were younger are still entertaining us, we should probably be still doing it once in awhile when we have time out of the responsibilities and tasks we have, instead of just reminiscing.

The point here is just to show that we shouldn't stop doing the things we do, be it when we were young or current, that are of no wrong because of how people look at us, and probably because of our mindset thinking "if we do these things, we aren't grown up yet.", afraid of being shamed for the wrong reasons.

We often find ourselves doing things, sometimes unknowingly, in considerations of how people around us will look or comment about us, and slowly growing up according to becoming a person of what others would have expect of you or what you want others to think of you.

I'm not putting my stand on whether it's right or wrong about this, after all if a person who follows it, is happier and does not harm anyone in the process, I don't see why not.

SP.

2010-04-22T12:06:00.002+08:00

Stan: Chef, is it okay to kill your grandpa?
Chef: You can't kill my grandpa, Stan. He's already passed off.
Stan: No, I mean kill MY grandpa.

death

music's my solace.

2010-04-15T15:48:00.001+08:00

What's the point of voicing out when people can't be bothered to listen, people who listen don't agree which would make me feel worse, and some just don't take me seriously.

I tried. Not like I didn't, it just doesn't feel good.

'i'm sick of all the insincere.

a lesson you'll never learnt.

2010-03-17T12:23:00.001+08:00

"Yes, you fell for it before. It's controlling your life before you knew it, changes your mood without your control, doing things in relation to it. It felt so bad when you lose it, making you suffer and tormenting you with the emotional hurricane. You know you never want it again, never stepping into it again.

And there, this one person, who could make you remember all the pain you have been through. Yet, you wouldn't mind stepping into it all over again."

2010-03-04T13:17:00.004+08:00

Images are beautiful, because they make no noise.

i'd never sing of love, if it does not exist.

2010-02-23T02:22:00.003+08:00

'maybe I know, somewhere
deep in my soul
that love never lasts
and we've got to find other ways
to make it alone
or keep a straight face
and I've always lived like this
keeping a comfortable, distance
and up until now
I had sworn to myself that I'm content
with loneliness
because none of it was ever worth the risk.

the world has no place for your anger and sadness to exist.

2010-02-03T03:15:00.006+08:00

What are the times when you are angry? When some stranger did something annoying to you? When your friend don't know you well enough? When someone did not care about your feelings and thoughts?

Some people just don't deserve your time and effort to be angry at them. Do you ask yourself why get angry over someone you don't know or you don't care about. Everyone knows it's not a good feeling to be angry and it takes effort to be angry. Why take the effort to get angry at someone who isn't worth it?

For people who are worth your time and effort getting angry about. Who are these people? Your family, your close friends, people who you care about. These are the people who are worth your emotions to be used on. Do you get extremely angry or sad when someone you care about doesn't care about your feelings? Thinking that he or she should know you well enough and not make that mistake that angers you. Relatively, the more you care about someone, the more angry you become when something crops up. However, these people are also the ones who are worth your patience to control and conceal your anger. Why show your anger or sadness to make the people you love feel worse?

Is it normal to cry when someone you love passed away? Put yourself in that person's shoes, would you want your love ones or your friends to cry bitterly when you passed away? I believe you would want them to stay happy with their life and live on normally, as death is as inevitable as it seems. Isn't it best to just become what the decease would hope us to feel, and not to cry or mourn? Allowing him or her to leave us peacefully without having worries for her love ones.

Don't be angry and don't be sad, be happy instead. Be happy that something worst could have happened instead of the current situation.

Having said all these, being full of emotions are what made us human, and emotions are the main reason for all the wrong doings and wrong decisions made, that's what caused the world to become what it is now. The world can only be changed for the better if all negative emotions are eliminated.

Race: _____.

2010-01-19T19:53:00.001+08:00

Race changes keep up with times - Chua Mui Hoong

JAN 19 — Humanists like to quip that the correct answer to forms that ask people for their race is “Human”. Some jurisdictions try to side-step race by alluding to skin colour and asking for “Complexion”. A Singaporean friend used to say his favourite answer when asked for Complexion was “Good”.

Race has always been a sensitive issue, because what binds one social group together can divide that group from another. For this reason, some countries like France explicitly prohibit the use of race in official records for fear of race-based discrimination in policy.

Singapore’s approach to race has been pragmatic: To acknowledge that racial groups exist and that people do identify themselves with their race and culture. It upholds multiracialism and meritocracy, but continues to have policies that are explicitly race-based. Above all, Singapore’s race policies are always mutable, adapting to changing circumstances.

Even before independence, the population was divided into four major ethnic groups. The relative proportions of the races has remained stable over the decades, with about 75 per cent Chinese, 15 per cent Malay, 8 per cent Indian and about 2 per cent Eurasians and ‘others’. The mix has been popularly dubbed “Cimo”: Chinese-Indian-Malay-Others.

So entrenched has the Cimo model been that even Lee Kuan Yew believed it would be immutable.

Back in the 1980s, Mr Lee was asked if interracial marriage would pose challenges to Cimo categories of race. He said then that the numbers were so small, he did not think so. “They will probably be in the minority. Therefore the chances are that if you come back to Singapore a century from now, you would find people more or less the same.”

As it turned out, he was wrong. Interracial marriages amounted to roughly 5 per cent of all marriages a year then. By 1997, it was 8.9 per cent, and in 2007, 16.4 per cent.

Responding to the rise in such marriages, the Government last week said it would allow mixed-race parents to use double-barrelled race classifications for their children, with parents themselves choosing which race should come first. So a child of an Indian father and a Chinese mother could be Indian-Chinese, or Chinese-Indian, with the first named race being the “dominant” one.

Previously, babies took on the father’s race, although this was relaxed just this year, with parents being allowed to register the child as belonging to either parent’s race.

The decision to allow double-barrelled classification caused debate. Some prefer a clear delineation of ethnic categories and say double-barrelling is confusing. Others say it is time to scrap racial categories, for they are meaningless anyway, or detrimental to boosting nationalism.

Observers can’t quite decide if the move is significant and heralds the eventual dismantling of race-based policies in Singapore, or merely administrative.

The prime minister gave the answer last Friday: It is the latter.

If one looked at the issue in historical terms, one can see that the change is part of a trend of de-emphasising racial distinctions that began after the 1990s.

This was a reaction to policies like the introduction of Chinese-stream Special Assistance Plan schools and race-based self-help groups, which were conceptualised in the 1980s.

There was soul-searching throughout the 1990s and 2000s about the impact of race-based policies on Singapore’s integration efforts. Perhaps as a result of that soul-searching, more recent social programmes to lift the lower-income appear more race-neutral.

For example, the ComCare Fund and the Workfare Income Supplement for low-income workers are administered across races. The Community Development Councils’ active role in helping the financially needy and in job matching has diluted the impact of the race-based self-help groups Mendaki, Sinda and the Chinese Development Assistance Council in these two areas.

Race no longer determines choice of second languages in school. Nor does being a Malay entitle you to free tertiary education; these days, the subsidy is means-tested.

Unlike 10 years ago, job advertisements can no longer state race preferences now. Notices of suspects or people wanted by the police do not mention race. These policies remove the possibility of racial profiling by employers and law enforcement agencies. Race still matters to some extent if you are buying a Housing Board flat, as there is still an ethnic quota in public housing to promote integration and prevent minority racial enclaves from being formed. But apart from housing, the race category does not seem to make much difference in real life, so allowing sub-categories like double-barrelled classifications would not matter much from a policy perspective.

As PM Lee Hsien Loong said, the move is not a “revolution” and would have no major impact on race policies. It was just “a liberalisation”, giving people more choice in identifying themselves.

Certainly, the change is just administrative in that it merely introduces sub-categories within the current Cimo model. And so long as there is the concept of a ‘dominant’ race, every citizen can still be slotted into one of the four existing pigeonholes. Ambiguous categorisations can be minimised, although there will be cases where confusion may reign.

Are there discrete sub-categories or endless permutations depending on the parents’ ethnicity? For example, can parents register their child as, say, Thai-Chinese? And how would the child be categorised within the Cimo demographic — as Thai, Others or Chinese? Would a Thai-Chinese candidate in a general election be considered someone from a minority community?

No doubt the very thorough Singapore bureaucracy will iron out all these details and announce them soon.

Race categories matter less in policy these days, and it is because race-based policies have quietly shifted over the years. The latest change is just another example of a small adaptation to a changing Singapore society.

Allowing hyphenated races will spur debate among mixed-race families as to their identities — but the change will have little real impact elsewhere, except to statisticians who need to track populations. — The Straits Times

* This article is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

source:http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/breaking-views/50076-race-changes-keep-up-with-times-chua-mui-hoong

it's non-existent, but we just keep believing.

2010-01-19T19:09:00.001+08:00

'I wanna know what it'd be like
To find perfection in my pride
To see nothing in the light
I'll turn it off, in all my spite
In all my spite, I'll turn it off

Giving, but not because it's the right thing to do.

2010-01-18T11:37:00.002+08:00

Our Basic Human Pleasures: Food, Sex and Giving

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Published: January 16, 2010

Want to be happier in 2010? Then try this simple experiment, inspired by recent scholarship in psychology and neurology. Which person would you rather be:

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Nicholas D. Kristof

Share Your Comments About This Column

Nicholas Kristof addresses reader feedback and posts short takes from his travels.

Go to Columnist Page »

Times Topics: Philanthropy

Richard is an ambitious 36-year-old white commodities trader in Florida. He’s healthy and drop-dead handsome, lives alone in a house with a pool, and has worked his way through a series of gorgeous women. Richard’s job is stressful, but he spent Christmas in Tahiti. Unencumbered, he also has time to indulge such passions as reading (right now he’s finishing a book called “Half the Sky”), marathon running and writing poetry. In the last few days, he has been composing an elegy about the Haiti earthquake.
Lorna is a 64-year-old black woman in Boston. She’s overweight and unattractive, even after a recent nose job. Lorna is on regular dialysis, but that doesn’t impede her active social life or babysitting her grandchildren. A retired school assistant, she is close to her 67-year-old husband and is much respected in her church for directing the music committee and the semiannual blood drive. Lorna believes in tithing (giving 10 percent of her income to charity or the church) and in the last few days has organized a church drive to raise $10,000 for earthquake relief in Haiti.
I adapted those examples from ones that Jonathan Haidt, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia, develops in his fascinating book, “The Happiness Hypothesis.” His point is that while most of us might prefer to trade places with Richard, Lorna is probably happier.
Men are no happier than women, and people in sunny areas no happier than people in chillier climates. The evidence on health is complex, but even chronic health problems (like those requiring dialysis) may have surprisingly little long-term effect on happiness, because we adjust to them. Beautiful people aren’t happier than ugly people, although cosmetic surgery does seem to leave patients feeling brighter. Whites are happier than blacks, but only very slightly. And young people are actually a bit less happy than older folks, at least up to age 65.
Lorna has a few advantages over Richard. She has less stress and is respected by her peers — factors that make us feel good. Happiness is tied to volunteering and to giving blood, and people with religious faith tend to be happier than those without. A solid marriage is linked to happiness, as is participation in social networks. And one study found that people who focus on achieving wealth and career advancement are less happy than those who focus on good works, religion or spirituality, or friends and family.
“Human beings are in some ways like bees,” Professor Haidt said. “We evolved to live in intensely social groups, and we don’t do as well when freed from hives.”
Happiness is, of course, a complex concept and difficult to measure, and John Stuart Mill had a point when he suggested: “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.”
But in any case, nobility can lead to happiness. Professor Haidt notes that one thing that can make a lasting difference to your contentment is to work with others on a cause larger than yourself.
I see that all the time. I interview people who were busy but reluctantly undertook some good cause because (sigh!) it was the right thing to do. Then they found that this “sacrifice” became a huge source of fulfillment and satisfaction.
Brain scans by neuroscientists confirm that altruism carries its own rewards. A team including Dr. Jorge Moll of the National Institutes of Health found that when a research subject was encouraged to think of giving money to a charity, parts of the brain lit up that are normally associated with selfish pleasures like eating or sex.
The implication is that we are hard-wired to be altruistic. To put it another way, it’s difficult for humans to be truly selfless, for generosity feels so good.
“The most selfish thing you can do is to help other people,” says Brian Mullaney, co-founder of Smile Train, which helps tens of thousands of children each year who are born with cleft lips and cleft palates. Mr. Mullaney was a successful advertising executive, driving a Porsche and taking dates to the Four Seasons, when he felt something was missing and began volunteering for good causes. He ended up leaving the business world to help kids smile again — and all that makes him smile, too.
So at a time of vast needs, from Haiti to our own cities, here’s a nice opportunity for symbiosis: so many afflicted people, and so much benefit to us if we try to help them. Let’s remember that while charity has a mixed record helping others, it has an almost perfect record of helping ourselves. Helping others may be as primal a human pleasure as food or sex.

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/opinion/17kristof.html?em

tweet!

2010-01-18T01:52:00.000+08:00

http://twitter.com/curiousnights

I'm only posting lyrics for now.

one or the other pt 2.

2010-01-09T23:29:00.004+08:00

Movie is chosen due to its awesome soundtracks or music effects, am i right? What if it's with the absence of sound? Choose again.

You are diagnosed with some illness, you will definitely be either blind or deaf. If you have a choice between them, which would it be?

Well, does it contradict with the reason for your decision you made earlier on?

one or the other.

2010-01-04T00:42:00.000+08:00

If you can only choose one and give up the other, would you choose music or movie?

paradox.

2009-12-26T20:22:00.000+08:00

I have many things that I want to write, but those are things that I don't want people to read.
However, if no one is going to read, I don't find the point to write.

X'mas.

2009-12-25T01:13:00.000+08:00

Supposed a joyous festival of the year, yet I do not think many can fully enjoy it.
Hope everyone will be fine in the end.

never stop reading.

2009-11-25T01:26:00.001+08:00

The way some books are making their way to the big screens are discouraging me to read.
The way some books are making their way to the big screens are encouraging me to write.

Writing and reading are just like exporting and importing.

When you write, people pay you for what you wrote, they benefit from what they've learnt from you.
When you read, you pay people for what they wrote, you benefit from what you've learnt from them.

When you export, people pay you for the goods which will benefit them.
When you import, you pay people for the goods which will benefit you.

To earn in terms of monetary value, you have to export more than import.
Therefore, you have to write more than you read to get rich.

Having said that, why not just write and not read at all, and get even richer.

Humans are like countries, they shouldn't be self-sufficient and have to rely on others for their "imports" or knowledge. When people write and not read, they will become ignorant. It's almost the same as someone who is rich and put their head high up in the air, not knowing what the surrounding is happening. Very often when someone becomes wealthy they stop reading, thinking that they know everything, they become proud and not listen to others. Gradually, people will start to dislike you and begin to distant from you. It's the same as a country which only does export and not import, soon other countries will start to boycott it and approach other countries.

One should never stop reading, never stop learning, and stay humble. (:

ripped wings of butterflies.

2009-11-12T02:21:00.002+08:00

'Well you built up a world of magic,
Because your real life is tragic.
Yeah you built up a world of magic.
If it's not real,
You can't see it with your eyes.
You can't feel it with your heart.
And I won't believe it.
But if it's true,
You can see it with your eyes.
Oh even in the dark.
And that's where I want to be.

don't stop believin'

2009-11-09T23:30:00.000+08:00

What will you do if you were me?

will you do your part?

2009-10-28T23:34:00.002+08:00

'Control yourself, take only what you need from it.

Just so you know.

2009-10-20T11:42:00.000+08:00

Little animated facts

Twelve things you probably didn’t know about your favourite animated characters and movies.

Photo: Sony Pictures

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Photo: Sony Pictures)

Since its premiere last month, Sony Pictures' animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs has been stirring up a real, well, storm in a teacup. Featuring the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris and Andy Samberg, the movie tells the story of an outcast inventor who creates a machine that rains food on his hungry town and got him the attention of the girl he's always loved.

Intoxicated by the love and validation he receives, he goes too far with his machine: the falling food gets dangerously out of control, he loses the girl, and he has to set things right to win her back.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is the second animated film to be made using Sony's animation rendering software, Arnold, and the open source image toolkit OpenImageIO. And in honour of the film's release this week, MSN Entertainment offers up twelve other little known facts about your favourite animated movies and characters.

Reuters Photo

FACT #1

The infamous wildebeest stampede scene in The Lion King, which was less than three minutes long, was hard work; it took Disney's CG department approximately three years to animate that one sequence.

FACT #2

The art director for Beauty and the Beast, Brian McEntee, made sure that Belle was the only person in her 'little town' who wore blue, doing the same for Beast, later on, to ensure audiences saw both characters as being different from the rest.

FACT #3

The wind sounds in Wall-E’s wasteland home was actually recorded at Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. And the cockroach's chirps were created by speeding up recorded sounds of a raccoon.

AP File Photo

FACT #4

The Incredibles director Brad Bird made Spencer Fox, who voiced the superfast Dash, run two laps around the studio to give Dash a realistic out-of-breath voice.

FACT #5

The line "You're on your way to a smacked bottom" uttered by Shrek was not actually in the script. In the recording studio, Mike Myers got so annoyed at one of the directors that he improvised the line.

FACT #6

An average human character, in Pixar's Ratatouille, had about 110,000 hairs rendered. A great number fewer than Remy the rat, who had around 1.15 million hairs rendered.

Photo: Image.net

FACT #7

It’s always a challenge to make the CGI graphics in films look believable, but Pixar animators made the water surface in Finding Nemo so realistic, they were told to make it look more fake so that the audience wouldn't think it was real footage of the ocean surface.

FACT #8

The villain in Up, Charles Muntz, was named after a former Universal Pictures executive named Charles Mintz. In 1982, Mintz stole Walt Disney's production rights to the highly-successful Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon series. Because of that, Walt Disney created the iconic Mickey Mouse.

FACT #9

In Cars, Batman Returns star Michael Keaton is the voice of the security guard who yells "Hey, no press!" during the instant replay sequence after the first race.

AP File Photo

FACT #10

Bill Murray was initially picked to voice the character Sulley in Monsters, Inc. but producers were unable to contact him and they took his lack of a response to mean "no", begining production with Rosseane actor John Goodman instead.

FACT #11

Although rapper MC Hammer wasn’t a part of Disney's Aladdin, he played quite a significant role in the movie. To capture the movement of Aladdin's low-cut baggy pants, animator Glen Keane studied MC Hammer’s rap videos.

FACT #12

In The Little Mermaid, Disney had to outsource the drawings of millions of bubbles to a China-based production firm, because the director insisted that every one of the millions of bubbles be hand-drawn.

Source: http://entertainment.sg.msn.com/features/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3639660&page=0

Differences in culture.

2009-10-08T13:36:00.003+08:00

"Learn how to die, and you learn how to live." You will only act or live differently when you accept the fact that you can die at any time. While someone can be busy working from maybe age 23 to 30, hoping to gain some social status at some stage of life and retire early to enjoy the later stage of life, only to find himself dead in some car accident by the age of 29. That's the problem with human beings, not knowing what lies ahead. If he knew that he would be dead by age 25, he would have lead his life differently. Appreciating the beauties of life instead of working so hard and missing out so much in life. Attain what you want or die trying, I would say.

So how do people die happily without achieving goals in life? The answer is Love.

Take for example, people in rural areas might not have the luxury to do things that we can easily do, things like watching television or using a computer or travel or even having education. Despite all these, they often hang out with their families and friends in the village, playing whatever they have and running around, eating together, having fun together, singing songs and dancing to tribe rhythms. It's the love they get from one another, which keeps them happy, or maybe it's the togetherness (inspired by HM). That's their ultimate aim. That's the way they are contented with their life. They have achieved everything they want in their life.

One can argue that it's because they are not exposed to the life of rich and famous, otherwise they wouldn't be happy or contented enough with what they have, like what we experienced, always wanting to buy something and thinking "if only I'm richer...". Well, that's their culture, ultimate aim in life is to live happily together, loving one another.

Our culture is shaped in a way that majority of the population's ultimate aim is to get rich. In a more general terms, people of our culture are aiming for something higher, other than getting rich, some people want to help other people who are not as privileged, some might want to help all the abused animals in the world, some people want world peace, some people want to save the environment, etcetera. So what happens when that goal isn't reached? We die unsatisfied, or at least some are more consoled that they actually tried. But it's different to those who died after experiencing all the love there is from family and friends.

[I'm excluding aims or ambitions, like being a teacher or musician, etcetera; because those are aims that people should achieve in their 20s or 30s and they should all live towards bigger aims which should eventually lead to something similar to what I've stated. That's what I believe.]

So what's your ultimate aim in life? And what if you know that you are going to die in six months or a year's time, how would you live your life? It's rhetorical, but I would be glad if you can share. (:

Try living your life in a way that every time you have made certain decisions, think again, would you have made the same decisions if you or someone involved is going to die soon, like really soon.

truly classic.

2009-09-22T01:32:00.009+08:00

I have to post this. It easily made it my happiest day of this year, so far. Guess I don't have many things to be happy about. No one would deny the new number seven now, at least from the club and it's supporters. I always thought he's a good buy, but maybe not assigned United's legendary number since he isn't part of the regular starting eleven. Giggs played even better, charging at defenders and providing deadly crosses, despite his age.

Man-City played a part in making it a classic match spurring motivation, you don't see the same performance from United against Burnley. More of a face issue for United to show who's boss. Shay Given could well be the main factor, preventing goals from United's onslaught, and outcome might be different if the key players like Robinho, Adebayor and Santa Cruz were playing. But who knows? United may simply just bring out an even stronger side. This is United.

dedication to the ultimate symbol - $

2009-09-18T02:44:00.005+08:00

Tell me. What are the problems that money can't solve?

Please do not tell me the widely used phrase that "money isn't everything". It's just self-consolation and full of cattle-shit, in my opinion. If I am going to write about the number of things money can do, I believe blogspot's database might not have enough memory space to store my entry (metaphorically, but might be true). So it's easier to just name the things money can't do or rather problems that money can't solve.

It can't give you immortality. Death is unavoidable, so it shouldn't be categorize as a problem, it's natural.
It can't give you talent. You are either born with it or die without it. Again, it's natural.
...
I can't think of anything else at the moment. Can you?

signs of emotions.

2009-09-13T03:07:00.005+08:00

I'm so tired, I don't want to sleep. I don't wish to answer, don't ask. I don't wish to think, no more.

rock me mama like the wind and the rain.

2009-09-03T03:08:00.000+08:00

I'm exposed to cool country music. With tunes and rhythms that are pleasing, who cares about the genres. (:
It's wonderful to perform with everyone singing along. Will that day come?

you can't play on broken strings.

2009-09-02T03:09:00.000+08:00

Yeah. My e string broke again. Always the same string. It gets sooner and sooner each time the string is changed. I think there will be a day when it will break the minute after I changed it. Guitar strings are no longer cheap when you have to change it so often.

straighten out, prioritize.

2009-09-01T23:54:00.000+08:00

After some thoughts, I'm resorting to using opportunity costs. Weigh the importance, and short-term vs long-term plans. So much for best of both worlds, what has to be done, must still be done.

It seems like I always have so much things in mind that I want to write, but not much came out when I am writing.

'I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life
And I thought hey
You know this could be something
'Cause everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing.

nineteen.

2009-08-31T00:27:00.002+08:00

Feeling so pressured being nineteen. Yes, I guess I have to agree that I worry too much. Thinking too much is not very beneficial and may cause me some mental problems. As I stick very closely to the belief that people are constantly changing, I find it hard to figure out what people are thinking, subjective to whether there is a need to. Some can seem very close to you at certain point, and not so close the very next day. I wonder why. Changes kinda know no speed limit.

I don't care about changes about other people, but I'm quite bothered by some closer ones. Guess I just have to let go, as there might not be a place for me.

And just when I thought the previous year was a good one, this year came pretty badly. Nothing seems to be right, lacking of discipline and self-control, out of luck, and laziness is like launching its full force to invade me. I do hope that birthdays are some sort of turning point, cause it's been really bad. Either that, or I'm getting lousier at solving problems, which I don't believe so. Maybe more of difference between giving up and letting go problems.

It's not exactly totally bad this year. I always find difficulty conveying what I'm trying to say and express my thoughts since I was born, but I just discovered some people who can know almost exactly what I'm thinking or trying to say easily. 2 to be exact. One who has the same philosophical thoughts as me and one who believes in me.

Thanks to all who wished me, you all have become part of my birthday celebration. And to the intention of last night which I kinda destroyed, appreciate all who were there. And also to someone who has been communicating with me since IPP times and throughout the semester, till today which seemed different.

all three.

2009-08-23T12:52:00.002+08:00

First Hundred Goal.

First League Goal for the season.

First League Goal for the club.

Everything has been going well since the end of exams. (:

_

2009-08-22T13:59:00.001+08:00

21 out of 24 suggestions on my mum's Facebook are my friends.

listen up, i feel a little drunk.

2009-08-21T03:51:00.000+08:00

'cause i know i know you'll be raving it up
and i know i know you'll be lovin the funk
up jump the beats slam down the guitar
everybody points to the star.

Esmée Denters.

2009-08-19T20:50:00.000+08:00

I think that's Ryan Tedder.

appreciate simple things of life.

2009-08-14T17:27:00.001+08:00

'the day i died was the best day of my life

tell my friends, and my kids, and my wife, everything will be alright.

Public Relations...

2009-08-14T02:28:00.005+08:00

is about reputation

aims to gain understanding and support by influencing opinions and behaviours

is a planned and sustained effort in establishing and maintaing goodwill between organization and its publics

is a leadership and management function:

to help achieve organizational goals

define philosophy

facilitate organizational changes

I'm facing a "crisis" now as it's a "situation involving high degree of uncertainty" on my exam results. Lol.

because anything is better...

2009-08-10T22:13:00.003+08:00

Oh, why you look so sad?

Tears are in your eyes,

Come on and come to me now.

...

When the night falls on you,

You don't know what to do

Nothing you confess,

Could make me love you less.

reality.

2009-08-10T01:26:00.001+08:00

I see things clearer now. Waves after waves.

twin village.

2009-08-05T23:22:00.001+08:00

Doctors baffled by Indian village of over 200 sets of twins

By Arko Datta – Tue Aug 4, 11:56 pm ET

KODINJI, India (Reuters Life!) – Walk around Kodinji village and you'll think that you have double vision.

The village is home to as many as 230 sets of twins. Nobody knows why there are so many twins in the village of 15,000 people, although one local doctor suspects it might be due to the water.

In fact with about 35-45 twins per live birth, this village in North Kerala, India, has four times more twins than normal. Not surprisingly, the village has been dubbed "the twin village."

The latest official estimates by the Kodinji's Twins and Kins Association (TAKA), which conducted door-to-door surveys at the start of the year, found that there were 204 sets of twins.

Based on births since the survey was conducted, there are probably now around 230 sets of twins in the village, locals said. That number is set to rise as there are five women pregnant with twins.

"It's an amazing phenomenon to see a medical marvel occurring in such a localized place where the people are not exposed to any kinds of harmful drugs or harmful chemicals. It's a virgin village," said Dr Sribiju, a researcher.

Pathummakutty and Kunhipathutty, 65, are the oldest surviving twins in the village. The youngest are Rifa Ayesha and Ritha Ayesha, born on June 10. Their proud parents already see a slight difference between them as one lies fast asleep, while the other kicks away with a mischievous grin on her face.

Being a twin is not always easy. Pathummakutty, who like many in the village have a single name, recalls how her family struggled financially when she was a child. But she also remember good times such as laughter after yet another mix up with her twin sister.

It is not uncommon to run into an identical twin while walking down the hilly roads of Kodinji and there are many tales of teachers getting mixed up between twin students.

At the local school, 15-year-old Salmabi said teachers often confused her for her twin sister and she was once reprimanded for something that her twin did.

"It happens all the time," the students pipe in a chorus.

Scientists are still trying to uncover the mystery of why there are so many twins in the village.

"Based on scientific facts, we feel something in the environment is causing this. It could be something in the water," said a local doctor, M.K. Sribiju.

"All the world over the cause of twins is mainly because of drugs. Everywhere in the Western world, people are exposed to fertility drugs, their food habits, they consume more dairy products. Everywhere the age of marriage is increasing. There are late marriages predisposed to occurrence of twins," he said.

However in Kodinji, most marriages are between people aged 18 to 20 years old.

"All the factors leading to the occurrence of twinning world wide, we cannot see it here. There is something unknown that is causing this phenomenon," he said.

The locals also believe it is to do with the water. Kodinji is surrounded by water in the fields and during the monsoon season it becomes inaccessible from heavy rains.

As scientists try to find the reason for the large numbers of twins in the village, the parents are busy trying to tell their children apart. It doesn't help that many of the twins have similar names and often wear similar clothes.

While parents light-heartedly point out that their twins even seem to fall sick together, not all traits are shared.Identical twins Anu and Abhi prefer different film stars and one of the boys likes to play cricket, while the other prefers kicking a soccer ball.

With all the attention being showered on the twins of Kodinji, Ajmer, a 12-year-old school boy, feels like the odd one out in a village where being a twin is trendy.

source

disappointment.

2009-08-04T19:41:00.006+08:00

I was blinded.

reminder for myself.

2009-07-27T01:27:00.011+08:00

No outside solutions. It's all down to me.

~~28th July~~

~~29th July~~

~~30th July~~

~~1st August~~

~~4th August~~

~~14th August~~

17th August

18th August

21st August

Soon it will be all smiles.

crabcore!

2009-07-23T21:39:00.005+08:00

I am quite impressed by this piece of music. This is not so mainstream, and I think not many can appreciate. For those who can, do listen. For those who can't, you can watch for laughs. The way they are jumping and the way they headbang are pretty funny.

'you never said that this would be easy,

so go on and live.

you never said this would be simple,

so pull me in and turn around.

farewell.

2009-07-19T12:40:00.000+08:00

He will be remembered.

no outside solutions.

2009-07-18T20:56:00.001+08:00

If you are looking for some help you develop your self-discipline, then you need only look in the mirror. No one can control you as well as you can control yourself, so stop looking for outside solutions for your inner issues. You (obviously) have a vested interest in how you develop as a person, so you have to focus on helping yourself develop. That little voice inside of you knows what is good for you and what is not good for you, so listen to it.

Go Blogger!

2009-07-13T02:28:00.003+08:00

The last three posts makes me seems like I'm using blogger as twitter, but I swear I never had that intention. I do have a twitter account, but just to see what it does. Tried, but don't really like the idea of people knowing about what I do or feel every minute. I think facebook is enough for that function.

4 more weeks before exams. So close to what could be my last long academic holidays and I'm trying to dismiss the thought of having a break after I graduate from polytechnic.

Just a short note. No time for blogging, due to entrepreneurship issues.

thanks.

2009-07-11T04:42:00.002+08:00

thanks people. I got well soon enough. (:

temp.

2009-07-06T02:57:00.001+08:00

37.9°C @ 2.57am.

note.

2009-07-05T01:42:00.000+08:00

Life sucks terribly recently, but I think I can handle.

here.

2009-06-29T01:44:00.002+08:00

I feel upbeat after listening to this song. I guess I can do my work now, listening to this.

'well you are the one, the one that lies close to me

whispers hello, i miss you quite terribly

i fell in love, in love with you suddenly

now there's no place else i could be but here in your arms.

get yourself together.

2009-06-28T01:49:00.003+08:00

I guess it's time to do something for a change. This won't work out if I keep dragging it and the problems will eventually accumulate. Someone do something about it.

'I'd walk through hell for you, let it burn right through my shoes.

These soles are useless without you

Through hell for you, let the torturing ensue;

My soul is useless without you...

shout "argh"!

2009-06-24T03:59:00.004+08:00

Yeah. Holidays extension. Hopes are reappearing. I did a little more work today than other day. Have been wasting the holidays, neither doing much work nor enjoying to the max.

IPP killed the outcome of the efforts I put in, my future is uncertain now. Pilulu, somehow made me think that I have wasted 10 weeks of my life. Damn regret.

Tremendous changes will be happening in the way I'm living.

I need peace.

'I am restless, and I keep trembling

everyone watch me as I descend

into a feeling that's overwhelming me

I finally stopped, stopped making sense

I can't stop talking to myself, I'm a desperate cry for help.

Lazed.

2009-06-21T03:31:00.005+08:00

I'm officially a nocturnal again. I can't deny I'm a fan of night time, but I like day time too. So it doesn't really matter, except when it disrupts my daily activities, if I have any. Lazy would be the best adjective to describe me. What others can you think of?

My diet isn't so healthy recently, and I have not been exercising, which puts me in severe risk of getting some illness soon. Did not really have the time to exercise when there's school, and please refer to below for now (2 weeks term break for project).

Excuse for non-individual exercise/sport:

1. No one to play soccer/basketball/badminton/tennis with, and I'm lazy to organize any.

Reasons for individual exercises/sports:

1. Can't swim for long because my ears tend to hurt. Maybe earplugs can help.

2. Can't jog, because I don't have a suitable pair of shoes for jogging/running. Some parts of my legs are already not working very well, and unsuitable shoes will worsen the condition of my legs by damaging them even more.

Any suggestions?

I personally feel that there's differences between Excuses and Reasons.

all those nights.

2009-06-18T16:03:00.002+08:00

Sometimes, I feel that some dogs lead better life than mine. Only sometimes... times like when I have projects to do, etc. Even though it's holidays now, I still can't relax fully, knowing that there's tons of projects unfinished. Don't like this feeling.

Those nights that I have rushed through doing ICAs, has given me the habit to do work at night. I can't seem to concentrate during the day now. And now I'm bored during the day and I can't do my projects till night. So can someone tell me what to do now?

'all those nights we danced by the moonlight,

conversations 'bout nothing till midnight.

prancing stallion.

2009-06-17T11:21:00.005+08:00

This is my reason for not cutting my hair. I'm going to use the money I saved from it to own this thing here.

bit.

2009-06-12T09:02:00.001+08:00

It increased by 0.024. ):

never too late.

2009-06-11T01:12:00.005+08:00

Will I ever get my electric guitar? I made a decision to get one. It was changed after browsing around a few places. It seems too complicated to consider all factors, so I didn't. There isn't any guitar to my liking that is at the right price. I haven't even get my ukulele. It's really difficult for me to part with my money. Useful information.

Well, term break is coming. The only thing between us is left with Brand Management ICA 1. Despite warnings, I was still delayed to start on it. "Self-discipline" came knocking at my door the beginning of last semester, and I let it stayed. I guess it's not enjoying itself, so it left at the beginning of this semester. I'm having a hard time surviving without it and I miss it. Will it ever come back? This reminds me of The Script's "If You See Kay". Just replace "Kay" with "Self-discipline" in the song lyrics.

Lame stuff, I know.

Advise/encourage/tell/convince/persuade/force me to skip school tomorrow to do my brand management report. Thanks.

one of the best.

2009-06-09T19:59:00.007+08:00

Sacrificed for the club?

Profile

History made.

2009-06-08T17:07:00.000+08:00

Roger Federer ties Pete Sampras with 14 major titles, but Rod Laver is unmatched

Monday, June 8th 2009, 4:00 AM

Stockman/Getty

Roger Federer realizes quest is finally over and French Open is finally his.

There will be those who say that Roger Federer didn't have to go through Rafa Nadal to get to the French Open trophy Sunday in Paris, and all that will be is point-missing. Guess what? Tiger Woods has never had a Nadal in his life since the day he started winning majors, and nobody ever asks him to apologize for anything.

The last major Woods won was against Rocco Mediate. It was one of the great stories because he did it playing on one good leg, and in the end, as gracious and charming an opponent as Mediate was, this was about Woods' greatness, and his grace, and his athletic character. And so it is with Federer, now that he has finally won the French, now that he has finally completed the career Grand Slam, now that he has tied Pete Sampras at 14 majors.

"Now the question is: Am I the greatest of all time?" Federer said when it was over yesterday. "We don't know, but I definitely have many things going for me ..."

He does. This was big stuff Sunday in Paris, even if the final was played against Robin Soderling, who did something at the French that Federer never did and might never do: Beat Nadal. It was big stuff in sports because Federer is as big a player as his sport has ever produced. Whether he has lost six big finals to Nadal or not.

I was at Wimbledon last summer, the Wimbledon that would end with the best tennis match ever played anywhere, between Federer and Nadal. You could see even in the first week that Nadal was better than he ever was on grass and that Federer was not the same player he had been, even going for six Wimbledons in a row.

His confidence was not the same, his forehand was not as reliable (it would be forehand errors that finally cost him six Wimbledons in a row) as it had been. At the time it seemed like some kind of perfect storm: Federer was a little older, his strokes weren't as sure and neither was he, because here came this kid with Nadal.

Federer got to No. 13 at the Open, not having to beat Nadal there, beating Andy Murray in the final. But when he lost to Nadal in the Australian final, you started to wonder what it would take for him to catch Sampras. And before Nadal came along, all it took to make Federer the favorite to win a major was to get his application in on time.

Only now Soderling does him maybe the biggest favor in all of tennis history by upsetting Nadal. And you know something? If anybody ever deserved a break like that, it is Federer, who by making all those finals against Nadal came closer to winning the French Open than Pete Sampras ever did.

So now he is tied with Pete. As always there are three men's players to talk about when you try to decide the greatest player of all: Federer, Sampras, Rod Laver. Laver doesn't have the majors that Federer and Sampras do, but he wasn't allowed to play the majors for more than five years after he won the Grand Slam in 1962. When the sport finally became "Open," all Laver did was come back and win the Grand Slam again in 1969.

He also never faced the kind of clay court specialists that Sampras did and Federer does. Laver still won two Slams, seven years apart, one of the amazing sports achievements of all time. But so is this: Federer making 20 major semis in a row. It is as likely as anybody will do that again as it is that another Laver will come along to win two Grand Slams.

Sampras went up against Andre Agassi when both of them were at their best. But I think Nadal will end up winning more majors than Agassi did.

There are all sorts of layers to this conversation, one of the best of its kind you could have in sports. Here are the guys Laver beat to win his Grand Slam titles: Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson, Neale Fraser, John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Marty Mulligan, Andres Gimeno, Chuck McKinley.

There is no right answer here, except for this one: No one has ever had more game than Federer does, nobody ever had more shots, nobody ever had more talent and grace for hitting a tennis ball.

Of course when it was time for Federer to accept the trophy he was as fluent on the podium in French as he was in English. His game has always had the kind of fluency as he has gone from surface to surface, year after year.

He didn't have to beat Nadal yesterday. There is no rule passed in sports, especially for immortals, that they have to beat the other top guy to make history. What you do is show up and play who you play.

Federer has done that for a long time. He shows up for every major, every year, he takes on all comers, no matter what, then he makes the semis at least. On all surfaces. A lot of guys have had the chance to make 20 major semis in a row, win 14 majors, get a career Slam. Roger Federer has done all that. Now he finally has the French. Try telling him he's not the best who ever played.

source: nydailynews.com

i need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me.

2009-06-02T20:20:00.002+08:00

The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony

'cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life

trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die

worn-out.

2009-05-31T00:52:00.004+08:00

For as long as I can remember, it's the most tiring week I ever had, both physically and mentally. Deprived of sleep. Not bothering to explain why, but I covered super long distances by both car and shanks' mare.

Haven't been exercising and it's difficult to do something at the eleventh hour. No time to train for NAPFA, but went for it anyway. Since there won't be any consequences if I fail, except that it will affect my personal record of Gold awards. I passed and obtained a bronze award. I met the points for silver, but not the requirements. Running the 2.4km reminds me of Deyi T&F, which is something that really taught me a lot. An example, is not to give up. I remember myself saying that, either I get Gold or just fail. Gold was impossible, however, I changed my mind to pass it.

After a long break from jamming, we deproved drastically. I guess we need some time to get our chemistry back. Although disappointed, it was still fun, especially those impromptu ones. We always feel that we can do better, however, we lacked of practice. Looking forward to next.

And it comes to food. Have spent so much on food recently, which is so unlike me. Went to Mr. Curry to have the dinner the other day, because Mind Cafe was full. The food is excellent, the scallop and chicken baked rice had me going for more. Please go and try their food. However, if the food there are not too your liking, please don't blame me. I went with 5 people and all agreed that it's nice.

Barcelona won against United 2-0. I guess everything was wrong. There were so many reasons as to why we lost. I agree totally with what Haoguang have wrote (link). I was so sad that I skipped 4 out 5 lessons the next two days, not true. The target was a Quintuple, but now it's left with a Treble. Their opponents gave all out, because they want to win against the best team. This is why big teams becomes motivated and forced to be on-form, when they play against United. It ain't easy being a team that everyone else wants to beat, ain't easy playing against the best form of all teams, ain't easy being the common enemy of all other teams. Despite all, and playing the most number of matches among all English teams, and still able to obtain a Treble is really something. GGMU~.

On a side note, I'm don't feel like myself recently. Not really recently, actually it's been sometime. Please don't get frightened if I become hysterical suddenly and do something out of norm. It's probably just some form of release.

MCD.

2009-05-26T03:29:00.005+08:00

Researching on McDonald's at 3.00am for my PR & CM ICA 1 makes me feel hungry. Especially when I came across the picture of the tender, juicy white meat of Chicken McNuggets.

Are you a Nuggnut? Take the Nuggnut Pledge. Lol. I'm just kidding. It's just a marketing effort. However, if you are interested, you can visit the website http://www.nuggnuts.com/.

twia.

2009-05-24T17:57:00.001+08:00

The world is amazing.

AI 8.

2009-05-20T23:56:00.006+08:00

photo's source
Adam Lambert's performance captured my attention more than Kris Allen's. His version of "No Boundaries" is nicer too. I do support Kris more though. To my secondary school friends who knows Yong Shun. Somehow, Adam reminds me of him because of the expressions he shows.

Either of them could be the next American Idol, as they both seems to attract different types of fans. In terms of performance, I vote for Adam. Great show by both of them. Result is tomorrow.

FYI - I'm not a follower of American Idol. I only watched the final performance episode. Can't discuss about the other contestants. Lol.

Cadbury Eyebrows.

2009-05-18T17:35:00.002+08:00

animals, angels and demons.

2009-05-16T17:01:00.004+08:00

Animals kept crossing my path recently. Birds on the road are very common, but what about squirrels? I stopped my car for a squirrel in the school compound and got horned at by a taxi driver. And a bird followed me around while I was eating outside the MRT station. I do like/love animals despite the way I phrase my sentences.

Watched Angels and Demons yesterday with quite a big group of people. It's a first time to watch with some of them. I have a feeling that more of such will come. Had food and some fun photo taking. Anyway, the movie shows the beautiful places of Vatican City and Rome. Even though I'm not a Christian nor a Catholic, I would like to visit the churches and historical places there someday. The ambigrams are quite fascinating as well.

I guess the CRM report that have to be submitted next week will keep me occupied for my weekends. I'm looking forward to the potentially title-deciding match in about two hours time. Third consecutive premier league win, and a treble is in sight now.

gasping.

2009-05-13T00:22:00.005+08:00

I need a break. A break to sort out my thoughts. I need the thoughts in the form of icons, and a wide field as my desktop. Enough said.

I might need some help from supernatural sources.