If you knew Thaddeus Chong or has read about him or has come to this blog because of him, PLEASE click here to read an entry dedicated to him and leave a comment so that people will remember him forever.

I know it’s a bit stupid to update my blog in the midst of block tests because nobody will have the time to read my post and those who do read will not have the time to leave a comment.

But this afternoon when I was reading newspapers in our hostel’s office, I came upon this shocking news report “Teen triathlete collapses and dies after race”.

For those who do not know what a “triathele” is, it basically means

“a competitor in a triathlon”

(from Dictionary.com).

And for those who do not know what a “triathlon” is, it basically means

“an athletic contest comprising three consecutive events, usually swimming, bicycling, and distance running”

(also from Dictionary.com).

And for those who do not know what a “teen” is , it basically means

“a teenager”

(again from Dictionary.com).

And in this case, it means a teenager from Raffles Junior College.

Now you understand why I posted this entry. Someone from RJC just died.

Ya, I know HCI and RJC are like South and North Koreas, or Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston. But when I read the news report, I actually felt very sad and depressed. He looks cute in the picture. And he was younger than me. Life is so unfair.

He shouldn’t have died when someone older than him is still alive.

I guess I will continue to dislike RJC in the future, either covertly or overtly. After all, I am a true Hwachongian. But I guess it will take very long before I can talk about RJC without thinking about this 17-year-old boy who died in the process of pursuing his dream.

His name was Thaddeus Cheong. Let’s all remember it.

P.S.: I think I did very badly for today’s GP compre which was about “investigative journalism”. Maybe that was another reason why I felt so sad when I read the newspapers.
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I normally don’t post news reports. And when I do post news reports, somehow they are all miraculously related to “rape”, such as the “anti-rape device” report and the “4-year-old boy getting raped by female caretaker” report.

But when i read this news report a few minutes ago, I thought I really had to post it.

7 children killed in U.S.-led airstrikes in Afghanistan

Coalition claims al-Qaida forced youngsters to stay in

By BARRY BEARAK and TAIMOOR SHAH

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — Seven children were killed during an airstrike by the United States-led coalition against a religious compound thought to be an al-Qaida sanctuary in remote eastern Afghanistan, the coalition said Monday.

The death of the children on Sunday may well add to the anger many Afghans feel about civilian casualties from American and NATO military operations. More than 130 civilians have been killed in airstrikes and shootings in the past six months, Afghan officials said.

That toll may soon rise. Afghan officials said late Monday that more than 100 people, including militants, civilians and police, may have died during fierce fighting over the past three days between NATO forces and the Taliban in the Chora district of the southern province of Uruzgan, according to the Associated Press.

“I have seen with my own eyes that women and children were badly hit by bombing,” said Mullah Ahmidullah Khan, head of Uruzgan’s provincial council. “The fighting is inside the villages, so that’s why the civilians are suffering casualties. I have met some families who have lost almost everyone.”

The air raid against the religious compound was a targeted strike rather than a pitched battle. “We are truly sorry for the innocent lives lost in this attack,” said U.S. Army Maj. Chris Belcher about Sunday’s raid against several structures, including a school and mosque, near the border with Pakistan. “We had surveillance on the compound all day and saw no indications there were children inside the building.”

Hamid Karzai, the nation’s president, has repeatedly called upon foreign troops to do more to prevent civilian deaths, often citing their failure to coordinate attacks with the Afghan military. But the raid that killed the seven children involved Afghan forces, according to Monday’s statement by the coalition.

Belcher blamed the “cowardice” of al-Qaida for the deaths, accusing the group of not allowing the children to leave the compound.

“Witness statements taken early this morning clearly put the blame on the suspected terrorists, saying that if the children attempted to go outside they were beaten and pushed away from the door,” said a coalition press release, adding that seven “militants” had also died in the raid.

So this is the world we are living in.

Some pretty earrings for guys.