So long, 2008!

Instead of spending this New Year's Day downtown to check out some fireworks, I'm in my parents' attic...and taking advantage of their broadband to watch videos on YouTube. I'm addicted to shows like "To Catch a Predator"...a show that exists ostensibly to raise public awareness of online predators, but in reality most people watch it to laugh at and ridicule perverse tendencies of random weirdos (which is blatantly obvious when you read the text comments left by my fellow YouTube viewers.)

This one is especially disturbing:



That's Dr. Maurice Jay Wolin, a successful oncologist (cancer doctor) and...*shudder* family man. He wanted to get with a 13-year-old girl, but as sick as that it is, I find it unnecessary to have three armed policemen pull a gun on him and make him kiss the asphalt.

Anyways, it's been a few years since his arrest...and from what I've gathered from extensive googling, the judge had ruled that his Miranda rights had been violated, but he's still going to trial. Also, apparently his wife has left him because Maurice Wolin is...BACK ON THE ONLINE DATING SCENE! Some guy found this profile on an online dating site. He's using a false name, age, and hair (that's definitely a toupee.) Creepy...but as long as he only seeks women his own age, I have no problem with that.

Dr. Maurice Wolin still doesn't come close to being the worst person of 2008. That dubious (dis)honor belongs to...





John Edwards, the self-styled champion of America's working class. He loved to use class envy as a political weapon, epitomized in his famous "Two Americas" stump speeches. He also paid $400 for hair-cuts, received $55,000 for giving a speech at USC (on poverty!) and his North Carolina mansion is the most valuable home in the county.

Dang.

Despite his blatant hypocrisy on fiscal issues, what disgusted most people about Senator Edwards was how he cheated on his cancer-stricken wife...while he was running for president. Can you imagine how that could've hurt the Democrats, had he got the nomination?

Hmmm.

Merry Christmas to all!

It's my first Christmas at home since 2003, and my family has moved twice since then. I haven't even been "home" since I came back from Uruguay 18 months ago (and that was in Georgia!) Alaska is fun, but the sun goes down at 3:00pm and it's way cold. In the above pic, I'm standing on a frozen lake.

But hey, bring on 2009!

New years resolutions:

1. Update this blog regularly...and write more interesting content.
2. Attend all my classes, and take notes on the lecture.
3. Keep in touch with relatives. I've "friended" a few on Facebook...included a few I've never met before.
4. Find time to work out every day.
   

This semester was not my finest ever...in fact, I did downright lousy in a few courses. Hopefully I can apply what I learned to avert disaster for next semester.

Speaking of which, here's what my schedule looks like for Winter 2009:

• CEEN 305 - Engineering materials.
  
• CEEN 321 - Structural Analysis.
  
• CEEN 433 - Hydraulic Engineering.
  
• ENGL 316 - Technical Writing.
  
• PWS 112 - Floral Design (I'm taking it to fulfill a general education requirement. I think I'll find more females in this class than the rest of my classes put together. No joke.)
  

I have a few more seminar/PE classes that are 1.5 credit hours all together, bringing the total next semester to 16.5 credit hours. I'm also working 12 hours a week as a physics TA.

This should be interesting.

My Alaskan adventures!

Today I visited Wasilla, Alaska:



With a whopping 10,000 inhabitants, it's Alaska's fifth most populous town. Sarah Palin was the mayor of this town, prior to her election as governor...when McCain tapped her for the veep slot, Wasilla became a national fascination.

Wasn't much to see there, though...just lots of this:



Brrr.

Alaska!

This morning (2:00am!) I arrived in Alaska.

This is the first time I've been "home" since I returned from my mission 18 months ago. My parents move around so much that, since leaving college, every time I've come home...it's been to a different place.

Mom and Dad moved to Alaska in February, so this is my first time in the Last Frontier. It's interesting...the sun doesn't come up until 10:30am and it goes down at 3:00pm. The average temperature hovers around 10°F (fortunately, I brought insulated jeans!)

This is the house:



Not bad, huh? I like it. It's in a nice neighborhood too:




Here's my dad and his ride:



He bought this truck before moving to Alaska, and it's certainly ideal for this environment.

Alaska is beautiful, this morning we drove around Eagle River for a half hour and saw some of the sights.





This is where my parents' ward meets:



Nice place for a chapel.

Terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

...wisdom shared by an Australian cartoonist. As John McCain said, fighting against terrorism is the decisive ideological struggle of our generation...but I know the good guys will win.