Ode to '08

No one will argue that this has been an easy year, but no one will also argue that it has not been a year full of captivating news and events. 2008 would not have been complete without the competition between Hillary Clinton, Barrack Obama, and John McCain. On record, most Americans will tell you that this years Presidential campaign was the longest in history. The candidates had announced their intent to enter the ring nearly a year before the race kicked off. While the world struggled with rising gas prices that reached their height of nearly $5 a gallon, the summer of 2008 also brought us muder cases, and the disappearnce of Caylee Anothony that tugged at our hearts, as we hoped that some closure would be brought to her and her family. Today that closure is much closer than it was back in July. In August the world celebrated the 2008 Olympics hosted in Beijing. Michael Phelps quickly became America's newest and inspirationaly athelete of hte year winning eight gold metals for swimming. He also became the first swimmer to grace the cover of Sports Illustarted. This year the Republican party tried to regenerate its base and recent successes in the 2000 and 2004 elections with John McCain welcoming aboard his team Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The first Republican woman to run for the office of Vice President. In November we watched the wild ride for the White House end in Barrack Obama's historic election as he became the first African-American to become President 50 years after the death of Martin Luther King Jr.'s death. 2008 saw its share of movie flops and hits, all of it beginning with two words "Heath Ledger", whose death would leave a generation wondering what more he could have done, but mean while leaving us with his final masterpiece THE DARK KNIGHT. Twilight, the movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's love story between a human and a vampire, hit the screen and racked in millions of dollars. However, most fans did not exactly find the movie version as thrilling as the book. Superheroes also abound this year such as IRON MAN and the remake of the HULK. Both were good, but comic book fans everywhere anxiously await the next Batman movie. Last but not least, 2008 ended with OJ behind bars and bailouts to be paid off. But as we look back on all these changes in 2008 we here at THE GLOBE would like to wish you and yours have a very happy holiday season and a prosperious New Year full of nothing but good news.