Simo Häyhä: The Deadliest Sniper in History
The Winter War of 1939-40 should have been an easy Soviet victory. Finland was outnumbered, outgunned, and fighting in temperatures that plunged to -40°F. But the Red Army hadn't accounted for one man: Simo Häyhä, a Finnish farmer-turned-sniper who would become their most feared enemy. ...
Click here to read moreStanding just 5'3", Häyhä didn't look like a soldier. He didn't act like one either—quiet, humble, the kind of man who preferred the solitude of the forest. But when Soviet troops invaded, he took his old Mosin-Nagant rifle (with no scope, just iron sights) and disappeared into the snow. What happened next became legend.
In just 100 days, Häyhä racked up over 500 confirmed kills—some estimates suggest the real number was higher. His tactics were brutally simple:
- He packed snow in front of his rifle to avoid kicking up powder when firing
- He held snow in his mouth to hide his breath in the freezing air
- He never used a scope, eliminating the glare that could give away his position
- He preferred to work at dawn, when the low sun blinded enemy lookouts
The Soviets called him "Belaya Smert"—The White Death. Entire squads were sent to hunt him. Artillery barrages leveled whole forests where he was last seen. Nothing worked. Häyhä knew every inch of the terrain, moving silently between pre-dug snow hides, appearing and disappearing like a phantom.
On March 6, 1940, luck finally ran out. An explosive bullet hit Häyhä in the face, blowing off his lower left jaw. His comrades found him hours later, his head a mass of frozen blood, still alive. He awoke from a coma on the day the war ended.
After recovering (though permanently disfigured), Häyhä returned to farming and hunting. He never bragged about his wartime record. When asked how he became so lethal, he simply said: "I did what I was told, as well as I could."
The most astonishing fact? All his kills were achieved in near-total darkness
—Finland's winter days lasted just 4-5 hours. The rest of the time, he moved and fought in perpetual twilight or complete night.
Häyhä lived quietly until 2002, his name forever etched in military history. To this day, no sniper has matched his kill count in such a short time—a record likely never to be broken.
Not bad for a farmer with a $20 rifle.
SHS School Selection Guidelines for 2025 Released
The Ministry of Education has released the official guidelines for selecting Senior High Schools (SHS) for the 2025 academic year. Parents, guardians, and Junior High School (JHS) students are urged to take note of the following rules to ensure a smooth and successful placement process.
Click here to read more1. Number of School Choices
Students are required to choose a total of seven (7) schools, divided as follows:
• Five (5) main choices, ranked by preference.
• Two (2) alternative choices, selected from Appendix 3, which serve as backups if a student is not placed in their main selections.
2. Category Rules
• Category A: Only one (1) school can be selected.
• Category B: A maximum of two (2) schools can be chosen—one as a boarding and one as a day option.
• Category C: Up to five (5) schools can be selected depending on earlier choices, including both boarding and day options.
Boarding School Limitation
Students can select a maximum of three (3) boarding schools among their first five choices.
3. Inclusion of TVET Institutions
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools can be selected from any of the three categories—A, B, or C—using the same rules applied to general schools.
4. Submission of the Selection Form
• The selection form must be signed by a parent or guardian.
• Forms should be submitted to the student’s JHS teacher.
• Parents are required to keep a copy of the submitted form for reference.
5. Important Notes
• Selections are final—no changes are allowed after submission.
• Parents are encouraged to play an active role in the decision-making process.
• School choices should be guided by:
• The student’s academic performance.
• Their chances of automatic placement based on competition and grades.
Let us work together to guide our children toward a brighter educational future. Smart, informed decisions now can lead to successful school placements later.
Roy Sullivan: The man who survived seven lightning strikes ⛈️⚡️
Roy Sullivan should have been a footnote in weather history - just another park ranger doing his job in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. Instead, he became a living legend, the human embodiment of that old saying
"lightning never strikes the same place twice."
Except in Roy's case, it did. Again and again and again.
His shocking encounters read like a bizarre resume of near-death experiences:
1. 1942 (Lose Some Toes): The first strike hit while Roy was hiding from a storm in a fire lookout tower. The bolt traveled through his leg, blowing off his big toenail and leaving a streak down his body. "It felt like someone hit me with a sledgehammer," he later recalled.
2.1969 (Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow): Driving down a mountain road, lightning struck his truck through the open window, knocking him unconscious and setting his hair on fire. He woke up to the smell of burning hair and no eyebrows.
3.1970 (Third Time's the Harm): A bolt found him in his front yard during a storm, searing his left shoulder and leaving him with a new fear of open spaces during thunderstorms.
4. 1972 (Hair Raising Experience): Working at a ranger station, lightning struck nearby and traveled through the phone line - while he was using it. His hair caught fire again, and he spent weeks recovering from severe burns.
5. 1973 (Ankle Deep in Trouble): Out on patrol, Roy saw a storm cloud forming and tried to outrun it. The lightning hit him on the head, set his hair ablaze again, traveled down his body, and threw him ten feet. His ankle bore the worst of it this time.
6. 1976 (Shocking Fishing Trip): Seeking a peaceful day fishing, lightning found him yet again, injuring his stomach and chest. By now, doctors were studying him as a medical anomaly.
7. 1977 (Lucky Number Seven): The final strike came while he was fishing (again). This time it burned his stomach and chest, sending him to the hospital for what had become almost routine treatment.
Roy developed peculiar habits to survive his bizarre condition. He carried a can of water everywhere - not for drinking, but to douse himself when his hair inevitably caught fire. He avoided metal objects during storms and developed an almost supernatural sense for approaching bad weather. Park visitors would sometimes ask for his autograph, treating him like some kind of lightning-rod celebrity.
The cruel irony? After surviving all these encounters with nature's fury, Roy Sullivan took his own life in 1983 at age 71, heartbroken over a failed romance. The lightning couldn't kill him, but a broken heart did.
Today, his story remains one of the most incredible in meteorological history - a man who walked through seven lightning strikes and lived to tell the tale, only to be felled by the most human of tragedies. His tombstone might as well read: "Here lies Roy Sullivan - the storm couldn't take him, but love did."
UCL FINAL IS HERE: The Madridista Perspective
A Clash of Styles and Ambitions
PSG, under the guidance of Luis Enrique, have navigated a challenging path to the final, overcoming English giants Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Liverpool. Their journey has been marked by tactical evolution and standout performances, notably from Ousmane Dembélé, who has contributed 8 goals and 4 assists in the tournament . The Parisians are in pursuit of their first-ever Champions League title, a milestone that has eluded them despite domestic dominance.
Inter Milan, led by Simone Inzaghi, have showcased defensive solidity and strategic prowess, dispatching formidable opponents like Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Lautaro Martínez has been instrumental, netting 7 goals and providing 5 assists, embodying the Nerazzurri’s attacking threat . Inter aim to secure their fourth Champions League crown, adding to their storied European legacy.
The Madridista Perspective
For many Real Madrid fans, the allegiance tonight may lean towards Inter Milan. This inclination stems from PSG’s recent eliminations of Spanish clubs, including Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, and their high-profile acquisition of former Madrid star Kylian Mbappé. Inter’s classic footballing ethos and their role in halting PSG’s ascent resonate with Madridistas who value tradition and competitive balance.
A Night Beyond Football
Beyond the tactical battles and individual brilliance, tonight’s final symbolizes the convergence of football and culture. Both clubs hail from cities renowned for their fashion and creativity, adding layers of narrative to an already compelling encounter . As the players take to the pitch, they carry not just the hopes of their supporters but also the spirit of their cities.
As the sun sets over Munich, anticipation reaches a crescendo. Whether you’re a devoted fan or a neutral observer, tonight’s match promises a spectacle that celebrates the beauty of football in its purest form.