The weather outside may be frightful, but the events planned for Frost Week are absolutely delightful. br / The theme for this years Frost Week 2009 is Go Frost Yourself, and students need not dread the start of a new semester. BUSU has events planned throughout the week to keep students entertained and occupied.

This year, Brocks Faculty of Education will contribute to the faculty of the South African North-West University (NWU).br / Dolana Mogadime, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Educations Graduate and Undergraduate Studies Department, has been part of the department since 2003.

There is a new club at Brock called Guinness Brock and it has nothing to do with Irish beer. br / The club has one main objective: try to break Guinness world records and set new school records. The challenges begin on Jan. 9, corresponding with Frost Week 2009.

Ringing in the New Year brings the hopes of better things to come; looking to the future and making the next year better then the last. But how well do we remember the past? Many triumphant, tragic and historical events have happened over the last year, but 2009 will hopefully bring even better promises.

Media outlets across the globe have recently been consumed with the outbreak of cyclical violence in the Gaza strip within Israel. Attacks have been mounted from both sides - the Israeli government and Hamas, the paramilitary Palestinian leaders of Gaza - and tensions are continuing to rise.

By the end of last semester and the beginning of Brock students holiday break, the Canadian government had fallen deep into political turmoil.br / The Conservative governments economic update on Nov. 29 ignited the near collapse of Harpers minority government, only six weeks after Canadas recent federal election.

The beginning of a new year is a time when people reflect on the past 12 months and decide what they would like to work on or improve during the following year. br / For many, the resolutions they make are to improve their physical health; for fitness centres, dieticians and other health professionals and institutions, this is the busiest time of year.

A study from the United States about teens that take an oath not to have sex before marriage suggests that teens that take such pledges are just as likely to have sex as those who dont.br / The study, published in the most recent issue of the medical journal Pediatrics, goes on to say that teens that take virginity pledges are more likely not to protect themselves against pregnancy by using a condom or other contraceptive.

B.C. wants law to force mentally ill into sheltersbr / The B.C. government says it wants to force mentally ill homeless people into shelters during extremely cold weather. But the idea, which is almost sure to face legal challenges, is receiving a mixed reaction from police, health and civil liberties groups.

By now weve all likely ditched our New Years resolutions in favour of our old habits that, well, are basically just easier to adhere to - its why we chose to try and rid ourselves of them in the first place.br / But dont feel too bad if youve already encountered some failure in your attempts to keep said resolutions, youre not alone.

There are many cases in recent times where people have taken large steps in order to make things more appropriate for the sake of decency. Steven Spielberg used his special effects voodoo to transform all of the guns held by the federal agents in ET into walkie-talkies.

Winter is upon us, my friends. For the first time this morning I was greeted by a car iced over with frost. As I write this, Im looking out over a lawn with a slight dusting of that marvelous white stuff that some find so magical and others find downright annoying.

With the clicheacute; hustle and bustle of the holiday behind us, and the need to sugar coat everything also gone, it is time to look at the mountain of waste, exploited resources and seeming disregard for humanity that the holiday season has left in its wake. br / Not to ruin your sugar-plum dreams with the taste of eggnog still fresh in your mouth, but living in the consumer culture that we do, Christmas is one of - if not the largest - waste creating holidays, and, what is most upsetting, is that it is whole-heartedly encouraged on many fronts.

Though it will be difficult to completely change the face of a consumer, and wasteful, Christmas, there are many different ways that the amount of waste can be cut down significantly for next years holiday season. br / Lightsbr / Many houses have already adorned themselves with new energy saving LED lights.

Jeff Goldblum is the biggest drawing event movie star of all time. I know, a statement like that is a hard one to swallow. It either causes you to stare at the page, mouth agape in disbelief or raise an eyebrow in confusion - the name Jeff Goldblum having long ago slipped your mind.

GOT!br / Kota My Triceratops Dinosaurbr / Failing to read the instructions, I sat on his back and simultaneously shatter ed his spine. Now he just lays in bed all day. br / Dont worry, I take good care of him. I know hed do the same for me. br / br / GOT! br / Real Loving Baby Cuddle and Coobr / After hearing that these dolls professed religious dogma, I just had to have one.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed 18 new Senators over the Holidays. Most important among them is, of course, vetran journalist and renound sex god, Mike Duffy. br / Im proud for the Duffinator. Although he will no longer be there to rescue me from loneliness, with his unmatched coverage of Candian Politics, my tears will be those of joy.

Goodness, has another year come and gone? Well, it has, and 2008 was a great year for the Arts Entertainment section. The Niagara Region has seen numerous fantastic art exhibits, concerts, plays and everything else that is encompassed in our section.br / The section this week is all about my favourite things that were released this year.

While 2008 may not have had the benchmark albums of 2007; it certainly had a few gems and numerous stellar albums across all genres. While I spent a great deal of time loving albums from all fields of music from punk to hip-hop, rock to country, pop to folk, these were the 10 albums that stood out among the rest.

TV Showsbr / br / 3. How I Met Your Motherbr / The tale of one mans journey to find the mother of his future children is the epitome of comedy on television today. Barney, played by Neil Patrick Harris, is the next Charlie Sheen, and may surpass him to become the Nostradamus of being a playboy with The Bro Code.