This is a very common mistake at starting with yii :P Add 'dueDate' to your rules array.
In afterFind and beforeSave you are re-formatting the due_date value but not the invoice_issue_date value. In beforeSave You have to make sure all values are in a valid timestamp format the database can handle. So if it is not YYYY-MM-DD database will likely save 0000-00-00 instead.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.