Last Chance!

Hey Everyone!

Thanks to everyone who made it out to the open house on Friday. I hope everyone is excited for Madison International to move to Hoffman Hall next year. This is a final call for all applications for Madison International applications! The applications are due on MONDAY!! Here is some informational from the housing office.

"Applications are now being accepted for the 2011-2012 Madison International Program. Online applications can be found at http://www.jmu.edu/orl/involved/MIP_app_process.html. These applications are due Monday, January 24, 2011.

As you may have heard, MIP will be housed next year on the third floor of Hoffman Hall. You must have a signed housing contract in order to be a part of MIP. If you do not have a housing contract for next year, you can complete a housing application at https://rms.jmu.edu/.

Students who are admitted into MIP for 2011-2012 and have signed housing contracts will be able to pick a spot on the third floor of Hoffman Hall during Online Room Selection on Monday, February 21, 2011.

If you have any questions, email res-life@jmu.edu. Have a great semester!"

ninjakiwi.com

Hey everyone!

Not to contribute to your delinquency, but if you have some free time on your hands I recommend this website for mindless fun. The site is ninjakiwi.com and I personally prefer playing Bloons Tower Defense 4. These are all free and fun games to get your mind off of whatever is frustrating you at the time. If you need a de-stressor, go to this website!

Burn Baby Burn!

Workout+Smoothies on Gray's Hall!

Wednesday, Jan. 26th at 8:30pm

Feel the burn and then enjoy some snacks!

(Richard Simmons not included...)

--
Gray
kiddgf@jmu.edu

Important Dates for On-Campus Housing 2011-2012

Keep these dates in mind when it comes to on-campus housing for next year:

• Jan. 24th Madison International applications due (that's right, Madison International will be in Hoffman Hall for 2011-2012!)
• Jan. 28th On-campus apartment interest forms due (JMU will begin leasing on-campus apartments next year)
• Week of January 24, 2011 Students that signed on-campus housing contracts for 2011-2012 will begin receiving their lottery numbers via e-mail.
• February 21st-March 4th Online room selection will take place. Your lottery number determines your appointment time. Check the ORL website for additional information (http://www.jmu.edu/orl).

If you are interested in living in the Madison International learning community in Hoffman for 2011-2012, there will be an open house on Friday, January 20th, in Hoffman (across from the Madison statue). Be sure to stop by between 3 and 4:30pm.

Gray

kiddgf@jmu.edu

Google Zeitgeist 2010- Does the World Live Online?

Google Zeitgeist 2010 – Does the World Live Online?
by Linn Baumgardt
linnbaumgardt.com


Google did it again. They just released their yearly Google Zeitgeist analysis to “capture the spirit of 2010.”

Google Zeitgeist 2010 – The Winners and the Losers
According to the Google Zeitgeist 2010, swine flu is the fastest falling search term, definitely an upgrade from 2009. The fastest rising term changed from Michael Jackson to the online video chat site Chatroulette, which is followed by the iPad and Justin Bieber.

The Google Zeitgeist 2010 also shows that the world is heavily engaged with movie- and pop stars, rather than politicians and writers. Justing Bieber, Kate Perry, Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, and Eminem are the fastest rising search terms regarding people. Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Lautner, and Robert Pattinson also made the Top 10.
Most of those personalities have a very strong fan base within the 12 to 18 year old, which is one of the first age groups that literally grew up with the Internet and cell phones. They are a market that adapts new technologies such as smartphones incredibly fast and is therefore more likely to frequently search for information online than older age groups (especially age 65+).

The Spirit of 2010 – Does the World Live Online?
In how far does the Google Zeitgeist 2010 actually “capture the spirit of 2010”?
It is safe to say that terms such as Haiti and Vancouver 2010 are “One Year Wonders” that will always remind us of global events that will inevitably be connected to the year 2010.

There is a huge trend can be observed when looking at the Google Zeitgeist 2010: We are moving our social life into the online world.
In the Top 10 fastest rising search terms in 2010, we find a video chat website(Chatroulette) , a site that offers a different media for phones (Myxer), two online gaming sites (Friv, Gamexer), and two social networks (Twitter and Facebook). Also, number two on the list is the iPad, a device that allows us to be constantly connected to the internet.

Out of the Top 10 fastest rising terms, only three are not online and technology tools whereas there are only two key words within the Top 10 fastest falling terms which are online tools (mininova and myspace layouts).

Although there are many factors that I did not consider here, the Google Zeitgeist 2010 makes it impossible to ignore that the spirit of 2010 is the world’s movement to “live online”.

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions, Love them or Hate them here is how to keep them!

With the a new semester about to start here are some tips on how to keep you New Year's resolution. The beginning of the semester is a great time to consider the new academic goals, now with one semester under your belt you will be able to set more attainable goals. Here are five steps courtesy of ehow.com to get you started off on the right foot.

1. Aim low. It goes without saying that most New Year's resolutions are easier announced (or written) than done-but if you set the bar too high, you're doomed from the start. Instead of a sweeping declaration like "I will lose 30 pounds by April and finally fit into that dress," target a goal that's more attainable, like losing 10 or 15 pounds.

2. Don't overload yourself. It's difficult enough for the average person to follow through on one ambitious New Year's resolution; why on earth would you saddle yourself with three or four? Choose the most pressing issue at hand-losing weight, finding a girlfriend, improving your relationship with your parents-and concentrate on that. Trying to do everything simultaneously practically guarantees failure across the board.

3. Tell everyone you know. One school of thought says that New Year's resolutions are best kept to oneself, but look at it this way: the more people to whom you announce your resolution, the more people there'll be to prod you along if you fall behind. There's no shame in seeking help if you can't accomplish your resolution on your own.

4. Reward yourself. Following through on a New Year's resolution is rarely easy, so a little Pavlovian conditioning goes a long way. If you've resolved to shop less, stroke yourself for not buying those shoes by springing for a steaming hot cappucino at the mall. If you've resolved to be nicer to people, buy yourself a nice jacket after enduring that tedious cocktail party without delivering any insults.

5. Wait until spring. Sometimes the best way to accomplish a New Year's resolution is to make it at a time of year of your choosing, rather than the one dictated by the calendar. May 1 is a good alternate date, since the change of season will neatly coincide with the change you're hoping to accomplish in yourself.

Good Luck this semester! Don't forget all of the staff is here to help you achieve you goals this semester!