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Remember Pearl Harbor.

USS Oklahoma (BB-37), the only ship of the United States Navy to ever be named for the 46th state, was a World War I-era battleship and the second of two ships in her class; her sister ship was USS Nevada. She, along with her sister, were the first two U.S. warships to use oil fuel instead of coal. Commissioned in 1916, Oklahoma served in World War I as a member of BatDiv 6, protecting Allied convoys on their way across the Atlantic. After years of spending time in the Pacific and the Scouting Fleets, Oklahoma was modernized from 1927 to 1929. She rescued American citizens and refugees from the Spanish Civil War in 1936; after returning to the West coast in August of that year, she spent the rest of her life in the Pacific. She was sunk by Japanese bombs and torpedoes on 7 December 1941, in the attack on Pearl Harbor, taking 429 of her crew with her as she capsized.

Many men were lost in the lower handling rooms of turrets. Falling 14-inch shells killed and injured a great many. About 125 men remained in an air pocket in the shipfltters shop, but when the space was opened, water rushed in as air rushed out. Only one man of this group saved himself by swimming to the CPO [Chief Petty Officer] pantry on the third deck and out through an open porthole. His story is as follows as gained from excerpts of statement given by Chief Machinist, Second Class I. M. Hull: The lights were out. I went to the shipfitter shop and tried to get up the hatch leading to the CPO quarters but water washed me back. The ship had listed 90 to port so I tried to swim out through the same hatch but was washed back again and landed in the C100s along the Conveyor. I dogged the door down to the shipfitter shop. The ship listed another 90 thus being all the way over. We had about 125 men in the C100s. After 4 hours, the men tore the door off the shipfitter shop. Water and oil came into the C100s and rose to waist level. I swam to the CPO pantry and out a port hole. None came with me. I left the ship about 1300, 5 hours after the ship sank.

Second Lieutenant William G. Muller, Jr., wrote as follows: I had just returned aboard ship on the 0745 motor boat; the boat came alongside the gangway at approximately 0750. On reaching the Junior Officers' mess the word came over the loud speaker system, "Air attack, all unengaged personnel seek cover, these are real Japanese bombers." I could hardly believe that this was a real attack but the excitement and reality of the voice convinced me to move. I left the mess and started aft, first stopping off at my room to get my pistol. My room is on the starboard side, just aft of the Junior Officers mess. I left my room and went over to the port side to enter the third deck via the hatch just adjacent to the Warrant Officers mess. A line had formed by this time and men were pouring down into the third deck. I finally found an opening in the line and started down the ladder. I had just reached the third deck and was almost opposite the ladder when the first torpedo hit. The explosion came from the vicinity of the Wardroom and was not a violent one. The line was still moving down into the third deck and I was opposite the Communication office when the second torpedo hit. This explosion caused violent repercussions and the whole ship seemed to tremble. I figured the hit was almost adjacent to where I was standing. By this time I decided to leave as water was beginning to flood into the third deck and the ship started listing to port. I assume there were a couple hundred personnel in that third deck and only a few of us were able to reach a hatchway in time. Two more torpedo hits were sustained by the time I was able to work my way back to the hatch I had entered and to get up to the second deck. The ship was about 35 to port by this time and the decks were too slippery and steep to walk on. I worked my way to starboard by use of dogs and fittings on the bulkhead. During this time I heard the last two explosions which were somewhere amidship or aft. There were six torpedo hits that I heard in all. With difficulty I made the starboard side and climbed into my room which I knew had an open port. The porthole was almost overhead and I climbed through it, slid down the side which inclined about 50 degrees and jumped into the water.

Ensign H. F. Rommel wrote as follows: The first bombs were from dive-bombers on the hangars at Ford Island. Then a torpedo plane, coming in from over Ford Island, dropped a torpedo at a ship at 10-10 dock, The ship was hit about midships and the explosion seemed upward with many splinters. I ran aft and passed the word "A cruiser has just been sunk. These are real bombs and real torpedoes. Man the anti-aircraft battery." The ship listed slowly but steadily. No word was received over the speaker to abandon ship. I escaped via the overhang hatch and was picked up by a battleship motor launch. We continued pulling men out of the water. It was difficult due to the oil making everyone slippery. Men with undershirts could be pulled into boats by grabbing the shoulder piece and sleeve on each side while men who had stripped were very slippery. It is recommended that men be instructed not to remove undershirts when abandoning ship.

The story of D. Weissman, Seaman, First Class is as follows: I was in the lower handling room of Turret IV. After the first hit, I went to the shell deck. The lights went out and the ship started to turn over. I went to the lower handling room and followed a man with a flash light. I entered the trunk just outside of handling room on the starboard side. The lower handling room flooded completely. Water entered the trunk. I dove and swam to the bottom of the trunk and left the ship through the hatch at the main deck and swam to the surface. Eleven men in the lower handling room of turret IV escaped through the lucky bag. When the rescue party cut a hole in the lucky bag, the water rose rapidly but all men were removed before the water flooded the lucky bag completely. Five men were in the five inch twenty-five caliber handling room preparatory to sending up anti-aircraft ammunition. They escaped to the five inch handling room and reduced flooding through ventilation ducts by stuffing rags in the lines. They were eventually saved by the rescue party by way of the shaft alley. Eight men with water up to their necks were rescued from the steering compartment after these men, who had set condition "Z," were enabled to enter the steering room through the hole made for them. Three holes were made in all; pumps were in use constantly to keep the level of the water and oil below the danger point.

The American Dream: The nation's "poshest private pool" according to the Travel Channel, the Kitchukov Family Pool earns that title with $1 million worth of lavish features such as fountains, a waterfall grotto and a 15-foot waterslide. An oasis in the desert of Gilbert, Arizona, the pool took construction company Red Rock Contractors five months to complete, and is approximately 10 times the size of the average backyard swimming pool. A lush landscape of greenery, Cadillac-sized boulders and two palm trees trucked in from California surround this most expensive of American swimming holes. Pool-goers who find their fingertips getting a bit wrinkly can hop out of the water and head on over to the skatepark or the putting green that are also located in the Kitchukov backyard, or relax on the gazebo with drinks and snacks freshly prepared in one of the family's two outdoor kitchens. This personal paradise is a dream come true for Marian and Anthony Kitchukov, who left Communist Bulgaria two decades ago and found success starting a plumbing business that became one of the largest in the United States.

The American Hypocrite: Donne Trotter is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 17th district since 1993. His district includes the South side of Chicago and portions of the south suburbs. Senator Trotter is an vocal advocate of gun control laws having cosponsored 31 bills on the issue. but in a stunning -- STUNNING -- turn of events, Trotter was charged with "attempt to board an aircraft with a weapon", a Class 4 felony, after TSA agents found a .25 caliber Beretta handgun and magazine loaded with six live rounds which were concealed in a garment bag. The incident occurred at O'Hare airport as he was attempting to board a flight to Washington DC. Trotter was held in police custody before being released on bail this morning.

Anyway, I don't know about you, but I'm tired of these end-of-year best movies lists. So while I vehemently disagree on Piranha 3DD, this year I decided to mention a list of the worst movies released in the last 12 months and yes, there is enough Adam Sandler and Eddie Murphy for everyone.

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