I would like to wish everyone a Happy Festivus. Okay, enough of the pleasantries. I wanted to do this post but waited until the last minute, and so I will probably think of more later that didn’t readily come to mind. Nevertheless, here’s my list of people that I’ve got a lot of problems with from 2008:

• People with email – Particularly the ones that forwarded countless emails stating or suggesting that Barack Obama (a) is a secert Muslim (b) is a racist Christian (c) was not legally born in the U.S. (d) wants to kill all babies without exception (e) is the anti-Christ, and many others. Also, anything that suggests that the U.S. will cease to exist if Barack wins the presidency. All lies. Stop sending them.
   
• Leaders of “Jesus Camp” – I watched this documentary early this year. People, stop doing this to children. Just stop it.
   
• The WGA and the AMPTP – If I’m not mistaken, the writer’s strike cost me three episodes of “Lost” last spring. Just one hour would have been bad enough. Three is beyond unacceptable. Keep it together, people. I better not be shorted in 2009.
   
• Wayne Ellington, Danny Green and Tywon Lawson – For pulling out of the NBA draft and returning to school for another season. I hate you all. And also Tyler Hansbrough, for not even submitting his name for the draft to begin with. What’s the matter with you people?
   
• The Duke University men’s basketball team – More specifically, their finish in 2008. Fatigue and/or illness ended their season at least one week early. After barely escaping a loss in round 1 to Belmont – which would have been their most embarrassing loss in the Krzyzewski era – they fell to a good West Virginia team, but one they should have beaten. In both games they were ahead at the half and faded in the second. I expect much more this year.
   
• China – Sixteen? Really? So I suppose I can believe that there are no issues in the area of human rights, either?
   
• John McCain – While an Obama supporter, I’m nonetheless disappointed in some of McCain’s decisions during the campaign because I thought he was better than that. Parading this clown “Joe the Plumber” around the country didn’t help, either. My primary grievance, however, was his choice for a running mate. It’s extremely difficult to take seriously the claim that you’re putting “Country First” when you make a choice that says very clearly that you’re not.
   
• Everyone responsible for “Heroes” – I expected, after the suckfest that was season 2 (which really started with the season 1 finale), a much better showing this year. I abandoned it after about three or four episodes this fall. The reason? It continued to suck and showed no signs of not sucking in the near future.
   
• The “masterminds” behind the BCS – I really don’t need to explain this, do I?
   
• William P. Young – For The Shack not living up to the hype. Sure, perhaps I can’t really lay that all at his feet, but I’ve heard for months about the greatness of The Shack and how I must read it. And while there were some good sections in the book that I will probably even read again, overall it just didn’t do it for me. I really expected it to be better, and it wasn’t.
   

That’s it. That’s the list.

Now, on to the feats of strength…