Condecending.

Hypocrisy: (noun) the practice of claiming to have moral standards.

New American Oxford dictionary.

There is little sense in speaking about hypocrisy. It is in fact deceitful to say that someone is lacking in moral standards because in this respect, we have reduced ourselves to one that claims to have moral standards. In other words, who isn't a hypocrite. I have been bearing the Sanseveria tongue of some. The tip, the blade. All capable of inflicting wounds. Now, if you put it into perspective, it'll make more sense. I am upset with those who constantly fire statements that invoke moral standards against others. It is okay when the matter is raised a couple of times. However, consecutively in profusion, ever so incessantly, does not seem very appropriate. Have we become discontented beings that we really need to feed on hatred?

Chinatown.

"Chinatown,or foreign town"

The streets of Chinatown still retain its rustic feel. That nostalgia of the halcyon days that was precedes us. Yet, as I look around, Chinatown is gloomy. She is sad. She has gone through a makeover that has turned her from what was the centre of the Chinese culture to what is the sprawling tourism hub. Shops filled with goods to entice foreigners to purchase. Prices that are exorbitant. Chinatown has lost herself. Like a woman that ages gracefully, she has developed her wrinkles. Yet, like a woman that thinks aging is ungraceful, she underwent Botox.

Though, this lost of heritage has be quite a sad phenomenon, a may well be this ugly truth that the new face of Ann Siang Hill is great. Rows of shops that sit quietly by the road. The beauty of the place has been restored, although not to its former glory. It has become a shopping arcade. There a nice little cafes and restaurants along Ann Siang Hill. A perfect dating location. Fred Perry has also dug his claws into Ann Siang and set up a store there. Though the store has been around for some time (notably being the first store in Singapore), it most certainly surpasses the looks of the other Fred Perry stores found in Orchard.

I was trying to look for style:nordic but to no avail. Though, I was quite delighted in seeing Front Row for myself. Front Row is a store that stocks A.P.C (a french brand) and it is moving to a new premise in Raffles Hotel. I think it will replace the Louis Vuitton that I heard was moving out. Okay, I'd be going to school now. Yet another day of PW... The life of a teenage student in Singapore.

10km.

I woke up and it was 4a.m. on the screen of my iPhone. Snoozed the alarm and tumbled around. I had to actually wake up at 4a.m. to go for a 10km! What a life! Well, after much procrastination, I finally gathered enough energy to stand up and wash up.

At the F1 Pit-stop was a sea of red. Literally, the red sea with only the barriers dividing it. Hannan and I had to push through the masses just to reach the middle portion of the crowd. That sets us back by a homo sapien sapiens from the starting line. Just 5 minutes before the race a voice blared through the sound-system. That accent was so familiar. The voice reverberated through my skull. It was just toooooo familiar.

Well, after I was done with the route (Singapore flyer to the Indoor Stadium, up Bugis and down to the Flyer again, all in 56 mins :) *thats achievement*)I grabbed my finisher's wristband and waited at where my school flag was. "*words words words", the voices was speaking again. I went closer only to see Utt speaking. The shock! The flabbergasted look on my face that could have stopped aliens in their search for intelligent civilisations. It was no wonder the voice was so familiar.

Oxymoron.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

Benjamin Disraeli

It is a paradox to say that a person behaves in a certain way because when you say so, you could just be behaving in the similar manner. As Darwin's Law of Natural Selection is essentially the survivability of a species, adaptation is fundamental to it. A person needs to adapt to his new environment in order to survive. Therefore, calling upon a change. Sounds like an Obama line? Well, true enough that a change is needed. Like how Natural Selection may produce seemingly undesirable traits such as a shortened lifespan with a larger progeny, a person may change to become seemingly undesirable. This then changes the conditions. It puts another in an uneasy position. The discomfort calls for an explanation and it, many at times, puts others in an unfavourable light.

The feeling of a lack thereof is envy. Envy fuels anger, the impetus of many propaganda machines. I feel that some may have such a lacking that envy blinds the person. The person has coloured opinions of others. He sees green. He sprouts balderdash and tries to take the other down. This, makes the most saddening part. To think that envy can colour a person to the extent that he sees the people in a different light.

Self-interest?

A friend asked me, "Why are people selfish? What good is it?"

I pondered over the subject and decided to create a post on it. They are just pure opinions, my two cents worth.

Self-interest drives the World.

I bought this pie, therefore, I get a larger portion of it. However, I am sharing this with you still. You just do not get as much. Maybe I'll give you more, but I do expect something in return. Are we machines of self-interests? Driven by the need to know that we will gain from doing something? What is the impetus of our actions? Altruism, equity or love? What is that driving force?

Ever since Adam took the bite out of the forbidden fruit, he realised he was not clothed. He gained knowledge and became envious. He did not care if Eve had sufficient garments to wear, he clothed her because he did not want to constantly look at her genitals. Self-interest, therefore, drives the the ambitions and actions of men. Altruism, as defined by the New Oxford Dictionary, is the belief in selfless concerns for others. I, for one, believe that deeds may seemingly be altruistic, however it is self-interest that drives 'altruism'.

The 20th century has seen the burgeoning of ideologies. Marxism-Leninism or as we commonly call communism with a dash of socialism advocates, fundamentally, equity amongst man. No social classes and anti-capitalist (the American economic model). The bourgeoisie (owns most of society's wealth) and the proletarians (workers) were on level grounds. The soviet union failed and collapsed. The military drained the funds for economic and social development. Self-interest, thus, is the impetus of the seemingly 'equity' promised.

The economic principles that underlie the free market is demand and supply. The self satisfaction for the former and profit maximisation of the latter. The prices and quantities are all determined by these two forces, thereby, eliminating the problem of scarcity in the world. Then again, it is self-interest that has sustained us.

However, there are those who save lives but chose not to be known. There are times when we willingly give. Not because we expect something in return, but, because of other innate reasons such as love. If I give you a ring and I expect you to buy me a wallet, then, I may well just go buy a wallet for myself without having to go through the trouble of buying you the ring. Beside, I can exercise my choice over which wallet I'd like to purchase. I give you this ring, because I love you. A love so unconditional, the cupids call me blind. You do not have to love me, but I know I do and I want you happy. The clichéd television romanticism that do exist in the world.

I suppose there are things in this world that cannot be explained that easily. We are, in this sense, driven by what our heart desires be it self-interests or not.

The smell of burning rubber.

"Run run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!"

I had an 8km training today. 8 klicks below in about 30 - 40 mins.

My tummy now really hurts from all running. I suppose my diaphragm gave my tummy a

real good pressing.

That is the least of my pain now. The major pain comes from Project Work!

It is sucking up all my energy and time!

Oh well, life is, afterall, bitter sweet. You gain some, you lose some.

Jeans.

"Nudie Jeans"

Denim, a twill material that is ever so common. When made into bottoms, we call them, jeans.

I am in serious need for a new pair of jeans. When you lose those pounds, you'd have to lose your wardrobe too. Besides, it is to celebrate what I've achieved so far in JC. Since the promos have ended and we have had a glimpse of our results. By the way, I am grateful that I'll be promoted to JC2!

I have digressed, so back to the jeans issue. I was looking at Dr Denims but, I already own a pair of chinos from Dr Denims. So, I continued to search for other Scandinavian designers and will settle for a pair of Acnes. Yes, Acne. No, not the skin condition whereby you face is covered in bumps, but 'Ambition to Create Novel Expressions'. Yeah but if I do remember vaguely, Blackjack sells them for about $500. Well, I'd have to forgo a pair of boat shoes then. So that'll be a no. Then, back to Google and on with the search.

Nudie jeans was next. I remembered Queen's Couture selling this brand at about $200. It was an instant hit. I had to get a pair. Therefore, I am now planning my budget for the November shopping.

P.S. I need suggestions on what to purchase.

Images: http://hypebeast.com/image/2007/07/nudie-jeans-fw-2007.jpg