Tora! Tora! Tora!...

Today felt so WWII. But I'll explain that later.

First for Earth Science, England(Alex), Swizerland(Koon Min) and Monaco(Benjamin) presented their populaation problems and advantages today. Axis powers. Sorry...

Then for ePOD, _______ presented himself as a political philosopher.

Followed by Life Science, which in my records was one of the funniest lecture lessons so far! (Besides "You must observe what I'm teaching on this DNA and RNA thing. Zip and un-zip. Zip and un-zip. If you don't look at it, then you miss out.")

PE was next, and we had to run a lap before we were allowed to play soccer. Knowing that this lap is more of a warm-up than of training for NAPHA, the class was suppose to had have agreed on making an agreement between the fast dashers and the slow pokes that everyone was to run as a class. But apparently, Jaira and Toj sprinted infront of everyone instead, thus I decided to join them. After 200m, Jai couldn't sustain and had to back out, leaving Toj and me at the front. But before we could complete the 400m, Mdm called us into the cricket field to start our game of soccer. What a reasonable bargain.

But to tell you the truth, I don't speak soccer. I don't understand the concept of 'marking' someone. I don't know how observe the tricks of the field. I don't know how to strike properly. I don't even understand the concept of 'marking' a player. Honestly speaking, I have absolutely no idea why there are riots around the world that are started only because of a simple game of ball-kicking. To me, soccer is just a continuous neverending run made harder with the fact that you have to maitain a ball in front of you and pass it around to other runners. But I guess that's what makes the game an adventure itself. I guess you can say it's a team-building strategy sport, but I don't see why the sport is loved so much that it can also easily stir up riots and problems all over the world.

Don't take me the wrong way - I'm not saying I'm a pure Anti-Soccer. That'll just be ridiculous. I'm just saying that 1) I'm bad in soccer and 2) Due to the many riots in the news and with Thailand hating us for stealing the ASEAN Cup from them, I just wanted to let it out on how confused I am on how it's all possible.

Anyway, next was recess, and when we got back to class from PE to change back to uniform, I somehow ended up being entrilled with tales of what Taekwondo is all about. The thing was that with so many voices telling me about the Martial Art (Shil, Michael, Tim and partially Raam), I couldn't directly tell if they were telling me that the stuff was good or bad. Except for Raam, who was obviousg just using bad imagery in describing how Shil looked like when he practiced. (Floob-bub-bub-bub-bub...) Man, he stretched my imagination too far again... And he kept on reminding me about those horrific mental images while I practiced the piano in the SAC. Figures.

Next was P Sci Prac, and the class was late again. Mdm demanded to know who were the ones responsible for this lateness, but only Kirby stood out of the rows. The others stood their ground, an indirect way of either saying (i) "I'm too scared to admit my wrong." or (ii) "We're all guilty! No point seperating us - we were all late!" Mdm gave us a 5-min scolding before she allowed us back into the laboratory. Todays experimets wern't as 'explosive' as last week, but nevertheless enjoyable. But before we got to that, the Civil Sirens around Singapore were suddenly activated and the whole island was being annoyed by the sirens for the next minute or so. Apparently, today was Total Defence Day. Then the sound was finally shut down and Dr. Ong gave a 10-min speech over the telecom on Total Defence before dismissing us back to our lessons.

Coming back to what we were doing, we had to test the differences in characteristics between _______ and ________, so we mixed, soaked, electricuted, boiled, gassed, melted and roasted many elements and compounds. An enjoyable thing to watch Mdm torture those samples like what an executer would to a sentenced witch, especially from a 'balcony' view - Some boys thought up of a smart tatic to watch experiments from behind a crowd by standing on the laboratory stools, and so I joined in.

CL'B' today was 'horizontal': It was my turn to take the Oral Test. I stood at the front of the class and tried to talk about the theme, 'My CCA', for 2 minutes. In my attempt, I ended up saying "Er" 23 times. No reason to prevent a 14/20, but at least I improved! (Last year: 11/20)

Then came the begining of 'The War'. Before it started, we were pestered by Sir for our History Files, which apparently no one could hand up for their own 'personal' reasons. After a short but slow negociation, he suddenly came to the final sentence of having the deadline to tomorrow, 3pm sharp. Reasonable.

Then Sir moved on to the main sylabus for today's lesson. It was about the Japanese Occupation, the strategies and countries involved, why it started and the full flow of events. I assumed everyone was entrilled with the details just as much as I was, and we all jottede down notes on whatever was being said. Then Sir showed us a portion of the film 'Tora! Tora! Tora!', and boy was it smashing!

(The speakers wern't working, so we had to constantly read the sub-titles. I wanted to advise film-dubbing but nevermind...[If you don't know what's film-dubbing, watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVYyG9fit2k, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhVYxITUOHU, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISMDKps9v3Q, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOtq7HxL5Ns&NR and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TgrnGj1HNg.)

I watched as the Japanese raided Pearl Harbour, and being the destruction fan I was, I supported the Japanese as they were doing the most amount of damage in the terrain! Of corse in real life, I'd support the Americans, but hey. It's just a movie, and what really happend has already passed. If they showed blood shed and crying, then I guess I'd have done the same. But since it was an old film, and they didn't know how to replicate blood shed without shedding blood, there were no elements of pity and thus I could enjoy the extermination of Pearl Harbour! Hee hee! Just watching everything get torn down was so, well, 'beautiful'! Planes swooping down to blast off all the ships in sight, shooting down other aircrafts that try to escape and disrupting the Navy's Sunday morning with death tolls of hundreds. Such beauty before my eyes!

For training, I felt so 'Warified' that I guess I should recite the training in Navy terms...

"The bloody Japs are bombarding the coasts of Pearl Harbour!" exclaimed Real Admiral Therlock Lucas. "I want the whole of Fleet Isca out on water and headed for Port Kaunakakai on the island of Molokai IMMEDIATELY!" "Yes, sir!" saluted the full crews that were present in the meeting before they quickly made their way to their respective docks. The Japanese were indeed heading to Port Barbers from their way through Pearl Harbour, and this meant many ships present in the port to be in the line of fire to lever bombers. No reasons to argue against the Real Admiral's order of evacuation.

Soon enough, all ships were on water and ready to leave for Port Kaunakakai. The ships were divided into fleets, according to experience of crew members, and the fleets were to wait half a nautical mile from shore for the command to set off.

Awaiting the commands, the crew members of the USS Greendale were busy running about on board the ship and doing all the necessary proceedures to start off the ship as fast as possible. Even Captain Michael Leonards himself was working very hard in his quarters, standing along his map-covered desk and trying to plan out the best route possible to the Port. Keeping in mind the demand from the Admiral that he wants all ships to be at destination before 1015 hours, the estimated path that could be taken by the lever bombers and the fact that the ship was not fully loaded with resources, he strategically pointed out a course to Commander Ramond James.

"Just run down South-East-East for 48 nmi at 28 knots, said the Captain sternly. "Then turn 15 degrees Port and sustain another 10 nmi with 20 knots. By 0950 hours, we should be deboarding from this vessel. Do I make myself clear?"

The eagar Commander said, "Yes, sir!' before taking a map from the table and his hat, then moving off to his post at the cockpit. The Captain stretched his hands across the span of his desk and leaned on them, looking down at his draft of route.

"It sure ain't heaven to sail through a war," he sighed as he reached for a picture frame with the photo of his wife Michaelle and his son Richard on the edge of the table. Just then, Steersman Leon Fuster rushed into the Captain's quarters, exclaiming, "Captain! The command has been given to set sail!"

"Well, what in the bloody world are you waiting for?" scolded the Captain.

"Full speed ahead!"

"Yes, sir!"

The command of Full speed was engaged in a matter of seconds, and the USS Greendale, with the other ships, was moving out fast as ever. Through the voyage, some Japanese Zeros spotted the ship and tried shooting her all over, but the crew persisted through and did all they could do stay afloat and alive. Time after time, the ship was bombarded by planes, and time after time, she'd either shoot them down through pure luck or just endure the shots the planes fired until they were out of emolition. Not everyone could survive the raids, and some were shot injured, a couple left dead. Even so, everytime they sustained through a raid, their confidence in their endurence rose and their experience greatened.

A couple of hours through the voyage, Greendale could see her destination clearly, and spirits were high and confident of her survival. She was alone at sea, as other ships except the USS Yellowtop had enough resources to move a whole lot faster. Nevertheless, Greendale was proud and happy. But just when they were celebrating, a Lever Bomber was by coincidence near-by and spotted the approaching vessel. Having a bomb that was intended for another ship which already sank due to a collision with another blasted ship, the plane dove down towards the ship and prepared to release. The Greendale, which by now spotted the plane, began to panic. But Captain Leonards had a different view of thought. He knew that if he came within 5 nmi radius of Port Kaunakakai, they'd be protected by anti-aircraft missiles. With this confidence, he ordered the increase of speed to 30 knots, using up all the remaining resources left on board th fuel the Greendale through.

Just 4 nmi from the 5 nmi radius, Greendale pushed through her final distances. With the courageous majority of the crew behind her, she sailed through the waters like never before. The bomber circled around the ship a couple of time trying to get a good aim on the target, and by now the shot was just seconds from a 98.7% accuracy. The Captain was aware of whatever was happening, and slowly, but secretly, his confidence sipped away. Judging by the distance Greendale had to cover, he started realising very well that even if they made it through the safety line, the bomber had more than enough time to blow Greendale up. Disappointed, he stood at the front of the cockpit, watching as the radius came closer and closer.

"Alright, men!" he said in an attempted cheerful voice. "We're almost there! Let's have a final cheer of victory!"

All the men who heard him shouted out loud in unison, "VICTORY IS OURS!" But at the same moment, the pilot of the bomber pressed his trigger.

The last thing Captain Michael Leonards ever remembers is watching himself get flung through the cockpit window by a great explosive blast, clutching in his right handthe photo of his family. He fell with with his back facing the waters below, whispering with tearful eyes,

"I love you, Michaelle. And be a good boy, Richard."

It was 0950 hours.

Anyway, to translate, Mr. See (Real Admiral Therlock Lucas) wanted us to end training by 5 today, latest 5.15. And I did my sets. Shocking how I can make two short sentences into a short story.

But anyway, training somehow ended at 5.50 and due to such slowness, we will be punished after Chinese New Year by doing 25 push-ups.

In canoeing, that means 250.

When I got home, I SMSed my tution teacher to request her to move my tution this week from tomorrow to Sat, so that I can visit my old land Nanyang. She willingly agreed with the reason, and so you'll be hearing about my travels tomorrow.

Now please excuse me, as I've got a front page for a History file to make. And the film from sir gives me a smashing idea...