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Do any of these New Year’s Resolutions look familiar? Back in December we surveyed New College students and readers of The Window to find out what goals you’ve set for 2014. All year we plan to address where we can be better, but there’s something special about resolving to reinvent ourselves as the new year arrives. Even though there are bound to be setbacks, lapses, and mistakes, just sharing your New Year’s Resolution brings you one step closer to actually achieving your ambitions. Other things that help are developing a plan of attack and rewarding yourself along the way. Let’s make 2014 worth remembering together!
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Editor-in-Chief Karen Zhou
Layout Editors
Features/ Arts & Culture Shiaoshiao Jenny Chen Science & Tech/ Entertainment Sammie Phung Perspectives / Sports & Health Trevette Deveaux
Associate Editors
Features/ Arts & Culture Sophie Munden Perspectives / Sports & Health Cathlin Sullivan Science & Tech / Entertainment Amina Mohamed
Copy Editor
Michael O’Leary
Contributors
Ananya Biswas Caroline Teng Cathy Su Cathlin Sullivan Claudia Digi Erica Tsou Gerrit van de Riet Janice Lee Marsha Malcolm Olivia Balanyk Olga Taratuta Reem Eissa Will Balogh Henrika Luong
Business Manager Amanda Liao
Distribution Manager Shudipta Shabnam
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Inside
The
Perspectives
Tangled Up in a Hook-Up Will Balogh; Artwork by Ananya Biswas Advice Column: The Window Washer
Arts & Culture
In Defense of Fan-Fiction Marsha Malcolm Killing the Video[game] Star Will Balogh; Artwork by Janice Lee
Features
Papalmania: Pope Francis As Our Homeboy Claudia Digi; Artwork by Erica Tsou Angel Wings and Pricey Things: The Ethics of Sex Olga Taratuta; Artwork by Caroline Teng
Science & Technology
Science Through the Ages Olivia Balanyk; Artwork by Caroline Teng Nature, Nurture, and Everything in Between Marsha Malcolm; Photograph by Reem Eissa
Sports & Health
The Equation of an Eating Disorder Cathlin Sullivan Winter Exercise Diary Cathy Su; Artwork by Caroline Teng
Entertainment
Spot the Difference -- NEW 2.0 Games Night Artwork by Gerrit van de Riet; Photograph by Caroline Teng Pins and Needles, Zombies and You Will Balogh Beginnings Artwork by Henrika Luong
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tangled up in a Hook-Up Will Balogh Artwork by Ananya Biswas
“
There is, however, a set of rules to which you must adhere if you choose to hook up.
”
I Let’s talk about sex. “Hey, you been gettin’ any?”
n a picture-perfect universe, secrets and ulterior motives are an absurd notion, while sweaty palms are undreamed-of; eyeballs need never swing hither and thither, and there prevails a calm, collected peace of mind where a bumping pulse surely does not suffice. Boys and girls subscribe to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so nobody has to erect a five-story wall in order to halt any fibs and tall tales from meddling with one’s welfare. Best of all, social circles are congenial at all times, which is to call them seraphic soundscapes.
Hook-ups, for instance, outside of this utopian dream consist of possible STDs and emotional attachment. Getting tangled up in a hook-up can be ugly, like a bad romantic comedy that nobody wants to be a part of.
There is, however, a set of rules to which you must adhere if you choose to hook up. The truth about intimate encounters is that they evoke… well, intimacy. People hook up, but just how often do they outline the objectives of their arrangement? What are the conditions, are there going to be certain requirements or restrictions? Is this going to be a one-time thing? Will the two choose to be exclusively unattached? It is imperative that people ask their partners these questions, but usually, they do not. Perhaps they are too afraid of being singled out as the “weaker” half, but when you suppress the importance of clearly defining a situation, you beg for disaster to strike. When you elect not to communicate, all can crumble.
OK, so you want to get it on no strings attached. Coolness. In the 21st century, hooking up has become a fad in societies where certain sorts of religious and social norms — intercourse after the wedding, for instance — once took public precedent (and in various cases, still
Tell me, what happens if feelings arise for one party involved in the hook-up (assuming a friends-with-benefits arrangement) but not the other? Then what? How about if one party has gonorrhea and either refuses to get tested after his or her last partner or simply foregoes
But utopia, when all is said and done, lies stored away in the imagination, far from reality. So, is sincerity functional in real life? Perhaps so, perhaps not.
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do); nonetheless, sexual liberties seem to be a beam of light on a rather global scale in this day and age. Online chat rooms are a hub for random encounters, never mind the clubs, pubs, and bars that have always acted as staples of that lifestyle.
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PERSPECTIVES
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this information immediately prior to the dirty business? And what happens if one party simply deletes all of the other person’s contact info — Facebook, Instagram, Skype — then changes his or her own phone number in order to sidestep that other person? Well, what kind of message does that method communicate?
conflict resolution and not prolonged pain and go ahead — jump out and scrape your knees on miscommunication. the concrete. But what does that demonstrate?
These are a lot of questions and I have so far provided no answers because I want you to think long and hard about the penalties. One becomes the puppeteer, your great and honourable puppet master of a show, a scheme — now these, friends, are strings attached, whether out of love or vexation or what have you. Of course, these are also situations that are assumed to spiral out of control, but now think this: is it really our place to opine that “oh, that won’t happen to me” or “we are too smart to let that be us” simply because you know yourself inside out? While that may be true, you cannot be positive that you know the other person inside out, that you understand their processing system and understandings. Remember: interests shift, ideas evolve, wants ripen. If all of a sudden you are envious of the other party simultaneously sleeping with somebody else, cut out the drama and talk about it! That way, you will at least be taking a step in the right direction, one toward
2. Be honest with your partner about your sexual history and the precautions that you must or prefer to observe during your intimate encounters!
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This is imperative.
So here is my advice:
Take Fantomina, for instance. This is the moniker of the protagonist from Eliza Haywood’s 1720 novelette Fantomina; or, Love in a Maze. She begins a sexual relationship with the wealthy upperclassman Beauplaisir, whom she initially seeks to elude before succumbing to his lust. Down the road, she admits her love for him to the reader, and goes to such great lengths to disguise and rename herself in order to keep up an active sex life with him every single time that he grows bored of her identities’ offerings.
1. Arrange the nature of the hook-up(s) ahead of time!
No! Terrible! This route is one of dishonesty to the self. Emotions get swept up and only you are to blame. In this scenario, nothing is resolved, but instead everything is exploited, which does not guarantee everybody’s well-being.
4. Re-evaluate the relationship if need be; alter the requirements in order to accommodate everybody’s needs, but if this cannot be achieved, then it may be best to sever ties.
3. If your feelings about the nature of the relationship change, point them out! For all you know, your partner could feel the same!
“So what?” “Who cares?” “That’s their problem!” No! Terrible! If you get in the same car, the bumps in the road are yours to share. I mean,
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ADVICE COLUMN The Window Washer
How do you keep going when U of T has been bombarding paper after paper, exam after exam in your direction for the past 30 days? There’s the fear for grades, I suppose. But it's so hard to give a shit when you're literally living like a zombie. After a failed relationship, my ex and I are at this stage where we are trying to date without any commitments. I feel like after investing all my efforts into a relationship my ex did not try towards, he's starting to get serious and work towards a commitment again; and I'm not sure I have enough Facebook/Pintrest/Tumblr/Reddit/Imgur/ feeling for him to want that anymore. What 9Gag/ SnapChat or maybe this is time you do you think is a sensible way of handling do other work. Just make sure that if you’re this situation? For me, going to class helps a ton, maybe paying attention helps too but I am a huge fan of multitasking in class. After a few courses you’ll see what the necessary info is and if you feel like the lecturer is talking about things that do not interest you, do something else. Maybe this is the time you check
doing non-work related things, you have a time designated to focus on school work later on in the day. Also, remember that the people behind you can see your desktop, so keep things minimally embarrassing on your screen. I recommend that you attend the office hours of the classes that interest you. You shouls make time for the things you want and be honest with yourself and others regarding your availability—it saves a lot of time and cuts down on unnecessary arguments. Do you have time to be a part of 15 clubs? Do you have the time and money to go to that nightclub 3 times a week every week?
You need to level with yourself. Is he worthwhile? Will he work on what you need him to work on? He is your ex, and there is a reason for that. Will you fall into the typical cyclical approach that we all do where we feel so set on being in relationships that we go to crazy lengths to keep our partners? Is your ex showing that he is willing to put in the necessary effort this time around? If you are even considering a yes to any of this- talk it out with yourself and him. Tell him your needs and let him know what you expect from him, and let him do the same. Rekindling the relationship requires a lot of communication Honestly, I feel that participating in student so make sure it is for the right reasons and not organizations is the best decision you can just because you hate being single. make. It allows you to meet people with similar interests and is a good way to prioritize your time. In addition to your peers, your TAs and Dear Window, there’s this girl that I’m professors are there to help you. If you are seeing, and we’re starting up sexually. honestly overwhelmed and come to them with However, I cant last very long in bed, please concerns, most will be understanding. DO NOT give me a step by step of how to prolong my ABUSE THIS PRIVILAGE. This is something that sex drive. -sincerely, minuteman works in crunch time but if the entire class goes and does this, the profs become less Hello Minuteman, sympathetic, and it can end up taking help According to Esquire Magazine the average sex away from the people who really need it. session is 12 minutes for men and women to Try to talk to upper years and peers and climax. If you’re afraid that you’re too much remember not all tricks will work for everyone. on the shorter side of that, there are a couple Pace yourself, cut down on extra stuff, get of things you can consider. Communication involved and stay organized. That is what has is VITAL in all forms of sexual interaction and kept my head above water and not a zombie.
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if you have a short track record in the time department let your partner(s) know before hand to cut out any potential disappointment that could be caused. If you are afraid that your partner can’t match your pace try warming them up, getting them to the point where they don’t need much time to climax either. With communication she’ll understand why you’re going to be doing this every time. There is also the joke in every teen movie—think about something else. Distraction from the climax will make it easier for you not to climax. However, it also runs the risk of getting you out of the mood all together. These simple tricks may help, but communication is definitely needed to get anything going.
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ARTS & CUTURE
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In Defense of Fan-Fiction by Marsha Malcolm
Does hearing the term “fan fiction” instantly make you cringe? Do you think of undersexed housewives churning out seductive stories with well-known, handsome characters? Or perhaps it brings to mind the ridiculously popular Fifty Shades trilogy based on Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight books? Although some housewives out there may be letting off steam with their sultry works, and E.L. James is laughing all the way to the bank after cashing in on her own fanfic offering, we must not forget that fan fiction can be so much more than clumsy literary wish fulfillment or an attempt to make a quick buck. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the practice of fan fiction, you should know one thing. The first rule of fanfic: You do not talk about fanfic. More specifically, you do not have the actors from a particular fandom interact with fanfic written about their characters. Recently, a married mother of two wrote a rather risqué scene based on Sherlock in which the eponymous sleuth and Watson shared a passionate embrace. This in and of itself is nothing special in the world of fan fiction, but when Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were prompted to read the scene at a press event, fanfic writers were up in arms after the “fourth wall” between fan fiction and real life was broken. The writer herself took to Tumblr to apologize to the Sherlock stars for any embarrassment caused and to express her distress at her craft being belittled and shared without her permission. The writer was also quite upset that her only outlet in a hectic life as a busy wife and mother was derided, and no longer as pleasurable as it once was. If fan fiction can cause so much trouble, and is ostensibly rarely profitable, does it really have any value? Prolific writer Neil Gaiman has no problem with fan fiction. In fact, he says, “As long as people aren’t commercially exploiting characters I’ve created, and are doing it for each other, I don’t see that there’s any harm in it, and given how much people enjoy it, it’s obviously doing some good. It doesn’t bother me.” In fact, Gaiman himself has credited fan fiction for allowing him to flex his own literary muscles, and realizes that this is invaluable for novice writers: “Either way, it’s a good place to write while you’ve still got training wheels on - someone else’s character or worlds. I remember, as a nine-year-old, writing a Conan-meetssome-Ken-Bulmer-sword-and-sorcery-characters. And it’s fun to head over into someone else’s playground: I’ve written several stories over the years set in other people’s worlds…” It seems that fan fiction serves a practical purpose as something of a proving ground for would-be authors, as well as a fun outlet for those less inclined to practice for professionalism. At its heart, fan fiction is not just slashing (pairing male characters together who would otherwise not be romantically involved) and shock factor. Fan fiction is a way for fans to pay tribute to much loved fandoms by recreating the worlds that came from the imaginations of their favourite writers. Incorporating slash elements is a great way to challenge the heteronormative boundaries that a lot of popular works operate within. Depending on how it’s written, Watson and Sherlock locking lips might actually be subversive, instead of seedy. Fans have the opportunity to create new worlds within worlds, ensuring that the story never quite ends. What is Sherlock if not a piece of fan fiction about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous investigator? What is Wicked if not a re-imagining of the Wicked Witch of the West? What is Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost if not Bible fan fiction? The Bible gave us God’s word, and Milton, astute fan that he was, took it upon himself to provide Satan’s perspective for the curious. Even The Bard can be seen as a writer of fan fiction in his plays that borrow heavily from earlier stories and legends; the star-crossed lovers that Shakespeare fashions into Romeo and Juliet are based on Pyramus and Thisbe from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. If Shakespeare is a writer of fanfic, how bad can fan fiction be? If you have eschewed fan fiction in favour of the original works, it could be worth your while to see what the offerings of your preferred fandom look like. Not all fan fiction is drivel — there are dedicated fans out there that put considerable time into their creative offshoots. If there was always a slash or scenario you wanted to explore with some favourite characters, there is a good chance that some other fan has already contemplated and written about it. The negative stigma associated with fan fiction as derivative and poorly written is not universal in any sense. Some fan fiction is better than others, just as some published books are better than other published tomes, regardless of rigorous editing and rewrites. Just like any other writing, the genre should be judged on its merits and not the preconceived notions surrounding those who write it and their backgrounds. Its writers are a varied group, and their talents are varied as well; condemning them all makes the mistake of missing out on compelling writing and alienating individuals who only want to channel their enthusiasm for great writing.
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Killing the Video [game] Star* * The first signs of the extinction of the living room console.
By Will Balogh Artwork by Janice Lee Technological advancements in our electronic era are hardly novel; oftentimes the artistic merits and triumphs of mass market products, all of which have had their fifteen minutes of fame, get left behind, reviled as outdated and undesirable. As the technology gets more and more advanced, it seems that the time in which a product achieves the status of “out of date” gets shorter and shorter — any iPhone owners who have slunk into the shadows of the fourth generation will know the effect all too well. One can only wonder: what piece of technology is going to be the next to go? There’s one suggestion being quietly speculated by tech experts, a suggestion which may quite likely surprise you.
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The living room console system. Despite the popularity of Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation, all of which have spawned a plethora of cult followings from the Call of Duty series to Pokémon, in the past few years smartphones, tablets and game apps have taken control of consumers’ wallets and attentions. The statistics tell a sad tale: despite the fact that since 2012 the number of gamers in the US has increased by more than four million, parents are more likely to purchase their kids a smartphone or a tablet for Christmas than the latest console. For the kids of the eighties and nineties, this might be the first inkling of a brave new world of gaming, one that without doubt is having a drastic effect on the types of games that are being played. However, most sadly of all, it seems to be leading to the death of storytelling as a packaged art in the video game format.
Once upon a time, the player had a hand in writing the story. For those of you unfamiliar with the world of video games, allow me to elaborate. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the N64 was admired for its intricately designed 3D graphics (such as draw distances), grand score feature, puzzles, and context-sensitive keypad layering. It was a lot like a narrative with gameplay elements that let the player direct protagonist Link toward core objectives, with the option of completing other objectives in any order desired; ultimately, the game could follow multiple trajectories. Every player’s journey could be unique. The player is, as Ian Bogost, video game critic and designer says, “play[ing] a role within the constraints of a model world” where physical, human experience is literally at play. The game becomes immersive, a creative experience in which the player can punctuate and expand his experience as he or she pleases. The game did not simply belong to the moguls and money-makers behind it.
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being driven by desperation to be on trend, a desire that seems to trump any sort of innovation and longevity that the individual phone(s) might offer. Our enjoyment appears to come from visibility, not ingenuity. Angry Birds and Candy Crush remain popular and present not because of their quality, but because of their transferability. You don’t need a different version for different phones. All it takes to get them is a download. They’re idiot proof. Quite possibly, they are here to stay.
There’s also the issue of our rapidly decreasing attention spans. Studies suggest that over the last ten years, our attention spans have dropped from twelve minutes to five minutes — that certainly isn’t long enough to craft a world or write a narrative. Actually, it’s about the average length of a game of Candy Crush. As the Huffington Post put it, we exist in a state of “continual partial attention.” Perhaps the cold, hard truth of the matter is that the video game has been reduced from a recreational medium in its own right to a five-minute subway ride By 2009, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time distraction, built to temporarily sustain our had sold nearly eight million copies and was perpetual desire for stimulation when the considered a major success. Such figures real world isn’t moving quite fast enough. It’s are gruelling to replicate for more niche certainly a formula that doesn’t allow for the living room console games in 2014, and creative explorations encouraged by games what remains of the console platform is like Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. being dominated by a handful of big names. Otherwise, interest has seemingly shifted The death of the living room console system to games such as Angry Birds and Candy is a bit more terrorizing than one may be Crush, games that, conversely, are not story- able to comprehend — particularly for us based. They are straightforward, unexciting, video gamers. Where are we going with the thinly veiled rebrandings of old match-three narrative? Or do we really care to think about hits such as Bejewelled: a passive, mindless that on our hour-long commute to work in the experience. The objective is clear-cut. We morning? After all, it’s a debate bound to last gamers ask, where is the heart? Where is the more than five minutes. narrative? With Apple, Blackberry, and Sony announcing the release of new phones around the clock, the market for technology is
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Angel Wings and Pricey Things: The Ethics of Sex by Olga Taratuta Artwork by Caroline Teng
In December of 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed on the legalization of prostitution in Canada, making it legal for sex workers and brothels to communicate freely. Some would argue that the new law allows sex workers to practice in a safer environment. For some advocates, this law virtuously protects the rights of women who choose to sell sex for a living. The sex trade is a controversial topic, though, and the moral implications of selling your body for money is still largely disputed. Those against the new sex trade laws argue that prostitutes are forced to sell themselves, and that the new law will only make it easier for brothel owners to exploit them. Yet there is certainly a colossal difference between prostitution and sex trafficking. If you choose to consensually sell your body for money, then why should you be prohibited from doing do? Not to mention that historically, it seems the extermination of an entire trade does far more harm than good. If you look at the early twentieth century alcohol prohibition laws in the United States, you see the emergence of an illegal black market that resulted in a spike in crime and decrease in health and safety. Why would prostitution be any different? Still, many people are insistent upon the immorality of prostitution, feminists among them. The difficulty arises when we start to treat the human body – male or female – in the
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same way we would treat a bottle of booze: as a commodity. It seems obvious that a person is worth more than the sum of his or her parts, and so we should not be encouraging an industry that treats a person in the same. But then why do we limit this principal solely to prostitution? What about the world of professional athletics? What about the modeling industry? What about sales people who sign their identities away to a brand image for their biweekly paycheck? Just like prostitutes, athletes and models also sell their bodies in one way or another. It seems to be an issue that is being careful skirted around in our capitalist society. These days, anything that sells will be milked and circulated to its limits. For example, Miley Cyrus’s recent bold public antics are undoubtedly a device for money making. Whether the news channels comment that the singer is simply “going through a phase,” or that she is philosophically displaying her transformation into maturity to her fan base, the truth is that she (or her managers) decided that creating a new image would create more money for them. Sure, she profits from being a talented singer and performer, yet most of the attention is paid to her provocative appearance and risqué behavior. In one of her top videos, “Wrecking Ball,” which received over 450, 000
views on YouTube, she showcases her entire body to the globe. Put short, she makes money by selling her physical attributes. The same can be said about professional models, most notoriously the “Victoria’s Secret Angels” who flaunt their bodies in revealing lingerie for the sake of advertising. In fact, the “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” has become a huge source of entertainment, topped with appearances by famous singers such as Rihanna and Jay-Z, and a bourgeoisie front row audience. The models brand themselves as “Angels” and hence become part of a brand, one which uses their bodies as clothing racks for the newest trends in underwear. In an interview with a UK magazine, “The Telegraph,” Victoria’s Secret fashion model Adrianna Lima says that becoming an Angel was a “dream come true,” concluding that any model in the world would love to be an Angel. Lima’s good looks definitely helped her rise to the top, but this sort of beauty does not come naturallythe Angels have a strict, dull diet of raw vegetables and small portions of steamed foods, and they also work out
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FEATURES
daily, as if preparing for a marathon. Another source reveals that Lima earns around 8 million dollars a year for her role as an Angel. Even the lowest paying Angels make more than one million annually. It would be unreasonable to think these girls don’t understand they are being crafted into objects of desire and advertising. The billboards and fashion show display them as little more than a mannequin for consumerism - their unique personalities, education, and social backgrounds are of little interest, little worth. Yet still the “dream come true” sentiment rings out. It’s one not uncommon amongst porn stars, either. We must ask, where lies the difference?
“If you choose to consensually sell your body for money, then why should you be prohibited from doing so?”
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Talking to a University of Toronto athlete, Leo, about the matter, I got unique insight on sports and the moral implications of selling one’s body for professional athletics. His opinion is that athletes sell their strength for the sake of their careers, but only if the sport is very physically demanding and dangerous, such as hockey and football. Leo’s main concern with athletics is the risk of injury, which is frequent and inevitable. Hockey players often face serious injury, like concussions, and from time to time sports accidents are fatal. Let’s also take into account another major moral issue in professional sports: the use of drugs for performance enhancement. Every sport, whether violent or not, takes a toll on an athlete’s health, and with desperation, and often age, there come drastic measures, pushing some to steroids. Armstrong sold his values for the sake of a prize, also putting fellow athletes at risk. One could argue that prostitutes aren’t deceptive in this way. Interestingly, when I asked Leo about the moral debate of prostitution, he had a strong standpoint against sex work, deeming it to be “demoralizing” and “physically damaging,” making it a negative contribution to society. In his opinion, those who engage in prostitution most likely don’t willingly become involved in sex work. Leo concluded that athletics promotes a healthy lifestyle, while prostitution does the opposite. There was no mention or acknowledgment of a parallel between monetary gain at the risk of physical injury in athletics and prostitution. Neither did he seem to recognize the ability to reduce the physical
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risks for prostitutes through the legalization of brothels. It’s unsurprising, though. People do not tend to draw these parallels. So, is sex work a moral profession? There is no clear answer to this question, but it is certainly possible to argue that it is as just as ethical as any other career where you are forced to give away your values for money. Nude web cam model David [his name has been changed for anonymity] comments that in prostitution, just like in any other job, there will be days when you’ll feel good about yourself, and there will be other times when your job will be slow. Being a cam model can be empowering because “there isn’t really much pressure to change your look… no matter what shape or size you are, there will always be someone whose fantasies you fit into.” Do you remember those Victoria’s Secret Angels who spend countless hours exercising and trying to fit into the ideal lingerie model stereotype that is imposed on her and the photo shopping and the alterations? It’s difficult to find somebody these days willing to argue for the promotion of unrealistic female beauty standards in the media. If we compare this to David’s understanding of universal beauty, one might start to wonder whether prostitution or modeling, at least in the form it exits today, is the healthier, more acceptable practice Whether you are for legalization or against it, sex work is an inevitable part of society, and the only difference is that it can be done in dangerous environments, invisible to our legal system, or in protected brothels without the threat of police enforcement. Most importantly, no person should be dehumanized to the status of simply being a prostitute or a Victoria’s Secret Angel. We all deserve to be much more than a vague title, and people should not be discriminated against for their personal career choices. But perhaps as we try to navigate the tricky realms and right and wrong, we should remember to judge everything from the same standard.
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Papalmania: Pope Francis
As Our Homeboy by Claudia Digi
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Artwork by Erica Tsou
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When the Jesuit priest known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio decided to name himself Francis I after Francis of Assisi, he seemed to do so with a complete understanding of the responsibilities and associations that would come with it: a life of humble means and a not so unassuming resurrection of the Catholic Church.
So what is it exactly that has inspired the Francis effect? Less than a year into his papacy, Pope Francis has been chosen as the 2013 Time Magazine Person of the Year. It has come as little surprise to the hundreds of thousands of onlookers who have been witnessing the nascent transformation that he is attempting within the Catholic Church. In shunning the conservative traditionalism that has typified the Pontiff’s office for thousands of years, Pope Francis has opened up dialogue amongst both progressive and conservative Catholics all over the world. It’s not the first title he has received from the magazine either. He’s a leader by example, and in July 2013 he was dubbed as “The People’s Pope,” signifying that he represents not only of the traditional
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aristocrats who have dominated the Church in previous eras, but also to the poor who make up the largest majority of Catholics.
seemed to speak with a vocabulary that verged on Gaga-esque — he’s a thoroughly modern man.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that he is popular amongst Roman Catholics worldwide. However, what might be more fascinating is the way in which he has captured the attentions and imaginations of thousands of nonbelievers as well. Sales of Pope Francisrelated merchandise have soared, and products such as adult onesies splashed with slogans such as “Francis is my Homebody” are a testament to his undeniable relevance, even amongst youths. As the Pope expressed a desire to avoid “little monster” priests, he
Though still early days, Pope Francis has established a style of leadership that is vastly different from that which many were expecting from the new Pope. His style of pastoral presence is a refreshing change of protocol from that displayed by other Popes, including the late Pope John Paul II who was in direct opposition with most, if not all of, Pope Francis’s views. In November 2005, Francis’s predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, approved the release of a lengthy document (“Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment
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of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders”) to further support the church’s stance on the exclusion of homosexuals from the seminary and holy practices — the very type of exclusion that has led many people to see the Catholic Church as draconian and non-inclusive of minority believers. Francis, however, does not support the homophobia that has existed in the Catholic Church and has stated, “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” This is in stark contrast with Benedict’s statement that gay men should not be priests and that “gay acts are sinful.” There’s a long way to go before any official change to Roman Catholic doctrine regarding homosexuality comes to fruition; indeed, it’s unlikely to be a change witnessed in the near future, if ever. Recently the Pope was supposedly alarmed by the possibility of gay couples being allowed to adopt in Malta, and in 2010 he was in outright opposition to the possibility of the legalization of homosexuality in Argentina, describing it as a “destructive proposal to God’s plan.” Nevertheless, his actions signal a subtle shift in attitude that is prompting a move away from practices of hatred and exclusion, and that has received high praise from the LGBT community. It’s a feat not to be sniffed at. With over one billion Catholics internationally, all of whom look to the direction of the Vatican in their everyday lives, statements like these could really make a difference in the global treatment of homosexuals. Attitudes towards female priests, however, have not been quite so progressive — the issue, in fact, remains “not a question open for discussion.” Pope Francis has admitted that females play a great supporting role in the Catholic faith; in November 2013 he wrote, “We need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the church, [including] the possible role of women in decision-making in different areas of the
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church’s life.” Francis has adopted a merciful stance on the church’s acceptance of unwed mothers and the use of contraceptive for the prevention of venereal diseases, too.
Humility is fast becoming the trademark of this “young” Pope, and it is the sense of inclusion and regard for the poor that is setting him apart from those before him. Pope Francis has set the bar for frugality and for managing lavish displays of wealth and privilege within his papacy. From his introduction as Pope, he shunned the pomp and circumstance of fur-lined robes and expensive Italian shoes and medieval gold crosses for a simple white robe and iron cross. He continued to impress upon us his humble and pedestrian nature by taking the bus to a neighbourhood church to pray in Rome, and when the method of transportation required by the Vatican was pushed on him (the bulletproof Pope Mobile made popular by John Paul II and Benedict XVI), he settled for an ordinary sedan or his personal Renault (with 186,000 miles on it). Having real contact with the poor, Francis was reported as saying last week, “is really very important to me: the need to become acquainted with reality by experience, to spend time walking on the periphery in order really to become acquainted with the reality and life-experiences of people.” With the global relevance of Pope Francis and his attempts to break free of traditional Catholic doctrine and introduce a more modern perspective on the world’s second largest organized religion, the Catholic Church has made its first steps into the 21st century. The Catholic Church and its leaders still have a long way to go toward fully mastering the balance between the old and new world that is expected by its congregants, but there is no doubt that Pope Francis has made the first difficult steps towards a permanent change in attitudes for the better.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Science Through the Ages
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By Olivia Balanyk Artwork by Caroline Teng
In
2014, we feel pretty advanced. We can communicate with people anywhere in the world, track our location anywhere on the planet— even send robots, and plan to send humans, to other planets altogether. These undertakings are mind-boggling when you think about them, but how often do we really consider the magnitude of these achievements? Unsurprisingly, we have come to take many of our scientific advancements for granted. What was it like to live in a world where getting the common cold didn’t mean just an annoying trip to the doctor’s office but that you may not survive? Or to live in a world where not believing in witch’s curses was actually what made you crazy? We tend to forget how much faith we place in scientific fact. In the past, people believed some rather unscientific things by our standards, and believed them with all their hearts. So although discarded science seems silly to us now, it’s worth hearing about it just to see not only how science has changed, but also how it has changed us. Here are some of the weirdest scientific theories and medical practises that have been discarded through time.
Aristotle, 4th century BC:
Miasmatic Disease Theory:
Ancient Medical Practises:
The Ancient Greek civilization is seen as one of the most advanced of ancient societies—it is the birthplace of democracy, and not only did their scientists know the Earth wasn’t flat, they could calculate its exact curvature! But they didn’t always get their science right. The scientific theories of master philosopher Aristotle were respected for 2,000 years after he put them forth: his theory that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones was held until Galileo’s experiments 1,900 years later; his theory that the Sun revolved around the Earth would only be disproven by Copernicus in the 1500s. He also dismissed his fellow contemporary scientists who presented the idea of atoms—this theory would not be questioned again until the 1600s.
This scientific theory of bad smelling air causing disease was not discarded until the 1800s. Which is why during the Black Death in England, doctors often advised patients to avoid eating onions that would cause bad breath, and also to keep a bag of potpourri handy, so they could smell it even when they were walking down the foul-smelling streets of London.
The ancient Egyptians could calculate the proportions of giant stone pyramids and line them up with the stars—but don’t look to them when you have a toothache. Egyptian dentists believed that “mouth worms” caused tooth decay, and their cure was to keep a dead mouse in the patient’s mouth. The ancient Romans built on a massive scale, leaving us with buildings as impressive as the Colosseum. They also had an unfortunate tendency to mix their sports with their medicine, and used to prescribe gladiator blood as a cure for seizures and headaches.
The Static Universe:
The “Over-The-Counter Drugs” of Europe in This was the most widely held belief among scientists in the early twentieth century; even the 1800s: It was completely acceptable and advised for breast-feeding women to coat their nipples in opium to calm their newborn babies. Opium was the largest ingredient in children’s sleeping medicines. But these drugs weren’t just for kids! Heroin was the largest ingredient in adult cough medicine and was seen as harmless. Until the entire population developed drug addictions…
Albert Einstein accepted this theory as late as 1917. It was not until 1920, when astronomer Edwin Hubble observed that distant objects in space were moving away faster than nearer ones, that the idea of an expanding universe became introduced. Without this discovery, we would never have the widely held belief in the Big Bang Theory that says the universe was created 14 billion years ago and has been expanding outwards ever since.
Tobacco Smoke Enema: This was truly a medical practice in England during the nineteenth century, when tobacco was seen as the miracle cure for everything. After an unconscious patient was saved from drowning, doctors believed that a tobacco enema would resuscitate them. First aid enema kits were placed all along the River Thames in London.
Clearly, scientific discoveries have come a long way. But of course there are always more amazing things to learn! Still, I sure am happy that next time I have a headache I can take an aspirin… cause I don’t know even know where I’d start looking for gladiator blood…
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By Marsha Malcolm Photography by Reem Eissa
R
ecently, Professor Susan Oyama gave an engaging talk at New College in which she discussed the role of information in the dynamic field of genetics, as well as the impact it has on reinterpreting the nature vs. nurture debate. This longstanding debate has divided minds not only within the field of psychology, but also between biological science and psychology. Scientists, psychologists, and psychiatrists who believe that only biology determines who we are subscribe to the nature paradigm, while psychologists and psychiatrists that believe that personal experiences are what makes us who we are subscribe the nurture paradigm. For Oyama, the nature vs. nurture debate with respect to information is difficult to tackle, as the distinction has become so deeply entrenched in the minds of the public. Scientific and psychological theorization is abundant on this topic, and it becomes hard for scholars and students to think beyond the boundaries of these two contrasting systems.
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The new way of thinking that Oyama proposes as an intercession between nature and nurture is called developmental systems theory. Developmental systems theory is a way of promoting the analysis of interactions between the many factors that influence development—namely gene development— without subscribing to the proverbial naturenurture dichotomy. In essence, this theory seeks to negotiate a middle ground between nature and nurture without privileging one over the other. In her book The Ontogeny of Information: Developmental Systems and Evolution, Oyama presents developmental systems theory as a new means of providing more “clarity, coherence, [and] consistency,” to the nature vs. nurture debate. The theory provides “a different way to interpret data, [which] offers the means for synthesizing the concepts and methods of evolutionary biologists and developmentalists, groups that have been working at cross-purposes,
or at least talking past each other, for many decades.” However, this new method does not provide the “fundamental truths” that may seem more accessible when looking to ascribe causation either to biological factors or social ones. In light of this seeming indeterminacy, it is evident that Oyama’s refusal to place one mode of genetic interpretation above the other indicates an openness that allows for both schools of thought to contribute to a greater overall understanding that cannot be reached through the focalization of a singular view. For Oyama, nature and nurture become interdependent, instead of independent of each other. In Oyama’s developmental systems theory, the idea of genes representing the standard output of nature’s input as a set program is rejected in favour of thinking about genes as units of information that can change from one moment to the next in their mode of development. As an organism develops, the way that its genome interprets information also changes, meaning
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
that the genome’s information content also undergoes changes. These modifications indicate the very “ontogeny of information” that is the title of Oyama’s groundbreaking book. Developmental systems theory involves thinking of heredity as the reception of dynamic developmental agents, or interactants, which reveal that development is an ongoing process in developmental systems, rather than the static transmission of data from generation to generation. Evolution comes to mark a change over time in the composition of populations of organism-environment systems.
to her because developmental systems are their own causes, as well as the causes of their genomes; the genome-privileged position is arbitrary because any number of other components in the circular causal loop of life can potentially be singled out as what causes the rest. Oyama understands the role of information as a relative one. A number of philosophical perspectives argue that information is objective and exists independently of any point of view. Oyama thinks differently and suggest that information only comes into existence when two or more components or interactants of a developmental system come into contact with each other. Information is essentially an attribute of the interactive relationship between components (for instance: genes and their environment). In this sense, information has a contingent and subjective existence instead of an objective one.
At the same time, Oyama is careful to avoid privileging the genome because her task in her lecture and in The Ontogeny of Information is to provide a middle ground between two disciplines that have long seemed irreconcilable. Many scientific perspectives see the genome as the locus from which all developmental activity stems. However, Oyama takes the position that this perspective is artificial and arbitrary. This position is artificial Oyama has found a novel way to transform
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the two previously irreconcilable sides of the debate into a productive paradigm that relies on combination rather than separation, and yields more than either component ever did on its own. In Oyama’s own words: “Nature and nurture are not alternative sources of development, competing explanations, or even complementary ones, but the product and process of development — the process by which things grow and change.” When speaking of her theory, Oyama goes on to say, “This approach restores to organisms all the messy materiality of real life. It honours change and possibility and acknowledges the impermeability that shapes our present and feeds our future.” Reconciling nature and nurture as two interactants of the developmental process allows for a better understanding of what information truly constitutes; it is the dynamic output of a complex system of interactions, instead of the static result that is solely attributed to one process instead of another.
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the equation of an eating disorder: calculating calories, calculating self-worth.
By: Cathlin Sullivan
These are the rules that Kim Jones lives by.
“Everything must be accounted for. In order to be successful at an eating disorder, you must have a good memory. At the end of the night, every morsel that was put into your body must be dissected a nd added. Calories are very important. ou must never consume too many of them, and Y if you do, you must realize that y ou are bad. Justification is also important. If you go to the gym, it can make up for some of the calories that you consumed, b ut not all of them.
women were not around her, she would not feel the pressure to strive for an unattainable Jones has struggled with eating for as long beauty standard. as she can remember. She says that things have gotten worse as she has made her way Jones talks about how she realizes that most through university. “My weight has always of it is mental. That she is not an unhealthy played a really big part in my confidence,” weight—confirmed by her doctor and as she she says. “But when I came here, and I says “…the general knowledge that everyone moved into res and the people around me is beautiful.” But constantly calculating what were constantly talking about what you ate she is eating and how many calories her body and who went to the gym, things got blown is operating on, is not something that she can out of control.” In addition to this, Jones was easily shake. unsupervised for the first time and found it “I don’t consider myself to have an eating easy to stop eating or make herself throw up disorder,” she says. “That seems so drastic. without parental interference. But, then again, if one of my friends were to “Every compliment that I get seems to make it tell me that they do what I do regarding food worse,” Jones proclaims. “I know that people consumption, I would tell them that they have mean well when they say that someone a problem.”
has lost weight […] and make it seem like a positive thing, but all that does is make me You should pull on your skin frequently to remind yourself that you are more than just skin—more feel like I should be losing weight, and like I have to keep on losing weight in order for than what you strive to be.” people to like me.” Jones has a boyfriend who she says she is not able to confide in and friends who promote her weight loss without realizing how it is affecting her lifestyle. She has parents who tell her that she is beautiful and have never critiqued her weight, but just little comments about too many cookies or not being tiny make her feel attacked and ugly. She says that she had an ah-ha moment one day whilst examining herself in the mirror, and beside her was a magazine that had an airbrushed photo of Hayden Panettiere on it. It was then that she realized that if airbrushed photographs of flawless
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In an study done by Brian Cook, Heather Hasenblas, Daniel Tuccitto and Peter R. Giacobbir, they used a sample of 539 university students a Southern United States college, and on a “drive for thinness subscale”, which “…measures excessive concerns with dieting and weight preoccupation” students were asked to rate their drive for thinness from 1 (never) to 6 (always). The average rating was approximately a four, indicating that unhealthy concern with weight is somewhat frequent in university aged youth. “I’m definitely not anorexic,” Jones insists. “I eat. I really do, I just calculate my eating, and limit my eating, sometimes very strictly…I constantly worry about what other people
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18
SPORTS & HEALTH
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think of my eating and my body and what that means about me as a person. I guess that it matters to me a lot that people think that I am desirable—not in like only a physical way, but just as a human being. And I think that in society today, it has become that in order to be desirable as a human being you have to be skinny. But then again, I don’t hold other people to those standards, only myself.” Jones says that the internet has played a big role in her obsession with weight. She cites blogs dedicated to weight loss and promoting eating disorders to be one of her biggest guilty pleasures. “I know that these things are wrong, and that I should not feel this way, but I cant help but do.” She says that it is fun for her to make lists and plan her goal weights and how she is going to accomplish them. “I’m a very organized person, and it has become second nature for me to write down everything that I eat and take my weight every morning to see if I’ve gained any. I think that some people see these things as positive qualities, and I think that that is one of the problems.” Jones makes lists. She keeps track. She has rules, dedication and drive. These things help her succeed in other aspects of her life, she says. But they also keep her tied to a way of life that is consuming her freedom and confidence—“You should pull on your skin frequently to remind yourself that you are more than just skin—more than what you strive to be.”
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“
My weight has always played a really big part in my confidence,
“
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HERE are THE FACTS > 81% of 10-year-olds restrict eating (diet). At least 46% of 9-year-olds restricted eating. > The Fear of being called fat is so overwhelm ing that young girls have indicated in surveys that they are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of cancer, nuclear war or losing their parents > Health Canada found that almost one in every two girls and almost one in every five boys of grade 10 either were on a diet or wanted to lose weight.
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WINTER EXERCISE DIARY
It’s definitely more of a workout than usual be- snow and ice at one another in order to enjoy a cause Dione has us jumping and doing squats snowy afternoon. and jogging in place. While the intensity is nice, I feel good being sedentary for the rest of the day. Monday: Swimming at Hart House Saturday: Skating at Dufferin Grove Rink This is the one I’m dreading the most. I’ve nevSkating outdoors is one physical activity that I er actually used the pool here because I still am comfortable with and do with frequency in remember my high school swim team and how by Cathy Su the winter months. Take note though, it is al- slow I was and the pool is Olympic sized and Artwork by Caroline Teng ways more fun with friends. Skating is great for though it’s not the AC there are athletic people laughing with friends or having time to yourself here too. It’s lane swim today (it usually is) and and losing yourself in your thoughts. This trip, I not very crowded. I’m told even when it’s not I do not actually want to exercise — it is winter choose to take my sisters, which doesn’t make the holiday season, there are usually available and very cold. I would rather be in my bed enfor much deep conversation, but counts towards lanes. joying the warmth and comfort. During the exam my family time requirement. season I gave myself the excuse that I had to study. However my past experiences suggest The rink itself is great. There are lots of kids and that whenever I have the choice between exer- most of them skate better than I do. The majorcise and anything else, I usually choose anything ity of the people here, however, are beginner to else and then regret it. That’s why this week I’m intermediate and therefore about my level. It’s committing to chronicle at least 30 minutes of not so bad to slip and fall, which happens quite physical activity each day. Here are four options frequently. It is normal for everyone to take a Again my myopia comes to good use as I pick I tried and what I thought of them. Be sure to break from skating about every hour and run to a lane and get into the water. Growing up my bring your T-Card if you want to use the facilities the snack shop for a hot treat. friends used to push me into the water when at the AC or Hart House! I hesitated, and this memory rushed back as Another benefit of skating in a public rink is that soon as I was engulfed in the cold, chlorinated Friday: Zumba at the Athletic Centre (FH) you can appropriate the cool skating moves of water. I try to forget about the frigid temperature seasoned experts who played hockey as kids as of the pool, but I cant escape it. The Athletic Centre is extremely intimidating to they gracefully pass you. I learned crossovers me, not only because of its large concrete edi- this way, and it made me feel vastly superior to I do the only stroke that I confidently know — the front crawl. There are some elderly people to my fice but the fact that it is filled with people more my sister. right doing breaststrokes and there’s someone athletic than I am. However, I started using the young who is faster than me to the left. SwimAC in the second week of school for group fitming is a lot like skating, I suppose, because ness classes and it has now become a routine you are alone with your thoughts in the water; that I enjoy. Regardless, it’s dark out, and pretty actually, I tend to stop thinking when I am swimchilly, and it’s the last day of classes for the seming. If I ever wanted to become a Zen master, mester, which makes me not want to enter the I’m sure I would swim a lot. large concrete structure. But no — I have an obligation now, as I’ve carried around my shampoo and shoes all day.
What is new about Friday is the instructor — her name is Dione and I have never been to one of her classes before, even though she is highly recommended. For the break, classes have been moved to the Dance Studio which has a big mirror on one wall. The con is that you can easily see everyone in the room (you can’t in FH1), but luckily I am myopic. While I wait there I meet an alumnus who attends the gym; it is her first time trying the class. Though Dione is late, she’s very energetic. Zumba includes mostly copying the instructor but it’s difficult to follow some of her dancing, especially the steps with turns. The alumnus I talked with leaves halfway through but there’s an elderly lady beside me in the back who is 100% committed to the class.
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Although I am not a big fan of the temperature of the water, one of the best parts about swimming is coming out of the pool and having a hot Sunday: Snowball Fight in the Park shower! Hart House also has a high tech dehyYou absolutely can’t have a snowball fight alone, drator machine that dehydrates your swimsuit but having a group of friends together at a park so it’s not soggy when you bring it home. pelting snow and ice for each other makes for a great afternoon. I find a lot of satisfaction in winBenefits of the Week ning, and today I am setting out to do just that. With a row of snowballs prepared in front of me The most obvious one is the satisfaction of and a wall built behind me, I am ready to be the knowing I exercised 30 minutes a day like I comlast person standing. mitted to doing — I hope that I stay motivated The joy that I find in snowball fights is baffling even to me. On an average day walking past this park would evoke no emotions, but right now I see a fierce battlefield that I am ready to conquer. As snowball fighting could easily be spun into a mean spirited game, it is imperative to choose a group of good-natured friends and remember that you are all throwing cold balls of
and it pays off in the long run. I found the exercising made me more efficient in my schoolwork and enhanced my sleep schedule. It wasn’t so hard to spend the half hour each day exercising and I got to connect with people who are fun while doing it. It will be more difficult when classes and school start to complete but this is probably the most important habit I want to dedicate myself to in 2014.
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Spot the Difference
ENTERTAINMENT
20
New 2.0 Games Night 2014
Spot the 12 differences in the photos from NCSC’s Games Night. Solutions will go up in a week on our official Facebook page. To submit an image for next month, email: Info@newcollegewindow.com
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Fill out the ticket on the back and submit it into The Window’s raffle box (placed at the Porter’s Desk at Wilson Hall. Each month, 3 lucky winners will win New College attire. All raffle entries submitted will have a chance to win our ultimate prize, an IPAD MINI. The iPad Mini will be rewarded after our March issue. Winners will be contacted at the end of each month. Good luck!
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Footprint brush found on Brusheezy.com Snow texture http://www.brusheezy.com/textures/20856-seamless-snow-ice-textures
Full Name: Tel. Phone: Email: Shirt Size: Sm/Md/Lg PLEASE PRINT *** Please refer to back of ticket for more information
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