Can things get worse after being gang raped 14 times by seven men?  Only in Saudi Arabia.  The unnamed woman who survived gang rape was also sentenced to 90 lashes and jail time for being in the car of an unrelated male at the time of the rape.  Both the man and woman were raped.

Later, the woman’s sentence was increased when she complained to the media.  Now, she faces 200 lashes and six months in prison.  Her attackers will serve from two to nine  years in prison.

Now that is depressing.

In an exclusive interview with the University of Alaska Fairbanks journalism students, pods, blogs and new media professor Lynne Snifka shares that she has always wanted to be a journalist and why journalists need a breadth of expertise.

Lawrence of Arabia

By now you know a light box is essential to fight seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but are movies a shot in the arm for those fighting the winter blues?

Movie buff rejoice! Grab the popcorn and soda, SAD sufferers watching films set in warm, sunny climates feel noticeably better, reports says CNN. The news story recommends David Lean’s 1962 epic “Lawrence of Arabia,” for its desert oasis, palm trees and sunny-clear skies. Think of it as a three and a half hour getaway free of frigid below zero weather.

Surprising, sports can elevate your mood or aggravate depression. Golf and cricket enhance happiness. Think twice before joining a bowling league one too many games of darts, indoor bowling or snooker, says CNN, “bring on a state of depressive, trance-like catatonia that, in severe cases, culminates in complete mental breakdown.”

A report from KTVA about Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to this report, tanning beds do not help SAD because the goggles that protect your eyes does not allow the light to penetrate your retinas.

Don’t want to pay $200 for a light box but really need a happy light?

Since moving to Alaska, things that I used to enjoy just don’t appeal to me any more. I used to have a closet full of clothes and wore a different cute dress every day. My hair was styled and I wore make up every day—even on the weekends. I enjoyed looking my best and it helped me do better at work. My boss would say that he could tell if I was having a bad day because my hair would not be as well coiffed.

I just for the life of me can’t get it together like I used to. I was a professional with a lot of responsibility. I met deadlines and was immaculately well groomed at the same time. I did good work.

Now it takes everything just to get myself out of bed in the morning and I may or may not have my hair styled. I still wear a bit of makeup.

But is Seasonal Affective Disorder a reality or just an excuse? I am not the only one asking that question. In the United Kingdom, employers are asking if the shorter, dark days are an excuse or SAD. In the winter, there seems to be an increase in absences and tardiness. Personnel Today magazine offers advice on how companies can help their employees through the winter months.

I never gave much thought to tires until I started driving in the snow and ice.  When you live in a place where 40 degrees ABOVE zero is cold, its a mute point.   My mother was impressed when I told her I got the best snow tires for my birthday.    And let me tell you, Blizzack is worth the extra money.  I never thought I would be so excited about tires.

Before I moved to Alaska, I thought only people in third-world countries lived in homes without water. I couldn’t grasp the concept of living without running water. How do you shower? How do you wash dishes? Do you really expect me to use an outhouse?

The Engineer showers in a locked, unisex shower stall in the University’s engineering and natural sciences building. He has a key. He keeps a yellow and blue plastic bag from the University bookstore stocked with flip-flops, White Rain shampoo and generic soap in his truck at all times. The shampoo freezes in the dead of winter. When I shower with him, I wash his hair with my high-end shampoo and conditioner from the salon. I am appalled that he would wash his hair with a product purchased for $1.99 and at a grocery store.

For my birthday, The Engineer gave me a bathtub, sort of. It’s a 45-gallon plastic tub. He fills it with 20 gallons of water that he hauls in five-gallon blue jugs. The Engineer heats the water for me with a portable camping shower. I luxuriate in water has hot as I like. My aromatherapy blends permeate the rustic cabin. He disposes the water in five-gallon buckets that he dumps into the woods adjacent to the cabin. He does all of this for me twice a week without complaining.

My roommates have already lectured and insisted that I go to the Health Center for happy pills that fight SAD.

The winters in Fairbanks, they say, can drive you crazy. I am not sure exactly what I am in for. How SAD can you be living so close to the beach. Besides, it never dropped below 40 degrees.

Experts say that 10 percent of Alaskans get SAD during the winter compared to aobut 1 percent of people living in Florida.

With winter in full swing, my sourdough roommates have already warned me that winter brings more than snow. Winter is the season for counseling (seems issues rise to the surface), anti depressant medication, lethargy and cravings for carbohydrates. “It’s just part of life in Alaska,” she says.

There are few among us who don’t have their snow tires, a light box and an assortment of warm weather clothing. What about pets? It seems everyone (except me) in Fairbanks has a dog and a truck. What does your best friend need to survive this winter?

A “study” in the United Kingdom says that pets may be vulnerable to the winter blues. The survey says about one in three dog owner’s notice a decline in mood with their pet sleeping longer and playing less. About the same number of cat owners say their kitty seems sadder during the winter months.

The solution is much the same for them as it is us—diet and regular exercise. Experts also suggest playing with your pet more.