#on campus event

[ncfcatalyst]

Events Sponsored by the ALC

Located in Hamilton Classroom 5 (HCL5), the Accessible Learning Center (ALC) works closely with students living with disabilities, helping them to fully experience an education at New College. To kick off Module II and finish the school year strong, the ALC put on three events during the week of March 25-29. Open to all, these events in celebration of Disability Awareness Week provided students a…

[14dayswithyou]

HAPPY VARENTINES DAY, ANGEL ! I've been facing some tech issues recently, but!! To celebrate Ren's birthday and Valentine's Day, I'll be releasing Day 5 (the Early Access version) for all the Beta Testers in a few days!

And for those who aren't part of the 14DWY Discord server, don't worry! The public version will be available for everyone to play once the beta testing period is over ^^

[damn-student-news]

BREAKING NEWS: The DAMN Art Club is hosting a Christmas Card competition. The Club challenges students to create a card that truly encapsulates the holidays on campus, and whoever wins will have their card mass produced and become the (unofficial) 2024 DAMN Christmas Card. All students, and staff, are welcome to participate.

Please submit the card via the DAMN Student News' ask box, tag the account in your art, OR just DM the account. The deadline is the 21st of December, and all submissions will be judged by a distinguished panel. (A poll will be posted to this account and will run for 3 days). The winner will be posted on the 24th.

Good luck!

[fisheito]

opinions on eiden taking a shower in a public bathroom with bare feet i couldn't even enjoy the scene because i was so horrified eiden where are your shower slippers Jesus

you bring it up and i realise i had my suspending-disbelief-yaoi-immunity goggles on thru the whole scene believing that essence naturally acts as some sorta full-body magical shield against germs and disease 😅😅 i mean. how else are these mens gonna hoe out that severely and NOT get taken down by the most mundane sexually-or-platonically-transmitted infections

[athymelyreply]

A highly recommended read. Full text of article under cut

On October 7, I was not hiding with my child in the safe room. My house was not burnt to the ground, and my husband didn't blow me a last kiss before his killer fired a fatal bullet.

I was safely at home in London where I have lived for over 30 years when my elderly peace-activist parents, Oded and Yocheved Lifschitz, along with 77 others members of the community, were taken hostage, barefoot and in their pajamas from their homes in the kibbutz where I was born and raised.

Israel's hostages in Gaza: A matter of life and death

Israeli peace activists who lost loved ones in the Hamas massacre stand their ground

What we can learn from released Hamas hostage Yocheved Lifshitz

For the past 229 days, together with the families of the other of hostages taken captive which now number 128, we have taken part in the fight for the lives of our loved ones.

A photo of the writer, Sharone Lifschitz's parents, Yocheved and Oded Lifschitz, who were both kidnapped by Hamas to Gaza on October 7. To date, only Yocheved Lifschitz has returned. Credit: Amiram Oren

In Nir Oz, my family's kibbutz, one in four people (117 in total), were either executed or kidnapped. We are still piecing together the events of that brutal day that Hamas terrorists and some Gazan civilians, perpetrated medieval levels of cruelty, driven by hate and revenge, blinded by radical religious ideology and super-charged with amphetamines.

Last month, at the "Seder in the Streets" event in New York, activist Naomi Klein spoke as if none of that ever took place. Instead, addressing hundreds who gathered for a combination Passover Seder and protest of the war in Gaza, she spoke of what she termed the "False Idol of Zionism", comparing Jewish support of it to the Israelites "worshiping" the golden calf and recalling Moses' rage seeing the spectacle.

Klein's interpretation seems to miss the point: Moses, unlike Klein, did not disengage. He did not give up on his people when they worshipped a false idol. Instead, without compromising his integrity and beliefs, he guided them through the desert for forty more years in their journey to become a nation. Klein, at this dangerous moment in history, is failing to lead her listeners to take responsibility, to engage and work towards a shared future in the region for Jews and Palestinians, one built on the preciousness of life on both sides and an understanding of the original intention of Zionism: the necessity for a safe home for the Jewish people.

"Seder in the Street" was also protesting the heartbreaking and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank. Many in Israel, like my parents, would agree. Yet their plight and that of the other hostages – most of them civilians, from a baby boy of one year to a man of 86 - are not mentioned at Seder in the Streets or other gatherings of far-left pro-Palestinian Jewish activists.

My father, Oded Lifschitz, who is 83, and his friends who are also hostages, all in their late 70s and 80s, have worked for peace for decades. My mother, Yocheved Lifschitz, was thankfully released after 17 days of captivity.

Yocheved Lifschitz after being released from 17 days in Hamas captivity, in Tel Aviv, Israel in late October. Credit: Tomer Appelbaum

How much more effective these protests could be if activists abroad could act as a bridge between the pro-Palestinian movement and progressives fighting for peace in Israel?

Hamas, a terrorist organization which has been systematically stripping freedom, women's rights and democracy from the Gaza strip since 2006 are also strangely left out of the discussion. In fact, I see more criticism of the Hamas attack and crimes from moderate Palestinian voices than from prominent Jewish voices of the pro-Palestinian movement in the United States and Europe.

Klein is instead content in disengaging from Israel based on a distorted idea of Zionism and in so doing offers no solidarity with the moderate, progressive Jews living in Israel and for whom rejecting Zionism is irrelevant at this moment. Whether we like our government's policies or hate them as many do, Israel is home. Just as Canada is Klein's home, whether or not she likes the policies of the Canadian government or condones its mistreatment of its Indigenous population.

I consider myself pro-Palestinian. My family has always fought for a shared future for our two peoples, understanding this key point: our fates are interlinked. My parents have advocated for peace and equality for and with the Palestinians since the 1960s. We have united as a family to protest policies of the current Israeli government we find abhorrent. I wish for the Palestinians what I want for my own people: to live without bloodshed, in their own democratic state, as part of a negotiated two-state solution.

The facts are indisputable to Zionists and non-Zionists alike: There are about 7 million Jews and 7 million Palestinians living in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza. Jewish Israelis cannot be expected to reject the idea that they can and should have the right to live safely in Israel. Without Israel, where would they go?

Everyone who cares about what's best for the region must strengthen those who are working for a peaceful future. As my father always says, "You make peace with your enemies."

A Palestinian family rides on the back of a donkey-drawn carriage next to damaged buildings in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, in April.Credit: AFP

Thanks to international efforts to formulate a plan for the "day after" the war in Gaza, we are potentially closer to a long-term political agreement to lift us out of conflict than ever before. To help facilitate it, American and European progressives must distinguish between religious fanatics on both sides and those working toward a path of justice and peace for everyone in the region.

We must differentiate the liberal American pro-Palestinian activists from those who justify Hamas atrocities as acts of resistance. The dominant current narrative of the American far left, including the Jews among them, unwittingly aligns with Iran, and with antidemocratic and illiberal forces.

Instead of fostering hate and promoting disengagement from Israel, progressives abroad should help those in the region regain a sense that another future is possible and advocate for a negotiated political agreement that would create a state of Palestine established alongside the state of Israel. It won't be perfect, but it will be a good start.

The work of advocating for a different, sustainable future, must start with a call for the immediate release of hostages as part of a long-term agreement, backed by America and its allies, including moderate Arab states, that has the potential to transform the lives of Palestinians and Israelis by rescuing them from this ongoing tragedy. To fail to do so is to fail not just the hostages and their families, but to throw all the people of the region further into the abyss and undo the inspiring work of moderate forces within Israeli and Palestinian society.

In this, our darkest hour, we ask ourselves, who is our enemy? My enemy is the blind hate that seeks to erase the humanity of the other side. All of us who are horrified by what is unfolding in Gaza should work toward empowering the people of the region to move away from our common enemy. That's not Zionism, but rather the religious fanaticism we have within both our societies – Israeli and Palestinian – that threatens to engulf us all.

Sometimes, I want to shout at the news on TV, to remind people that their indulgent engagement in hatred of one side is so futile, so self-congratulatory. We can do better.

As we bleed and grieve, and in the case of families like my own – hang suspended between hope and despair for the fate of our loved ones, we must seek points of human connection between Jews and Palestinians, we must fight, not against one another, but for a practical solution that dismantles the status quo so that we can all survive – and live in freedom and security.

Sharone Lifschitz is a London-based filmmaker and academic originally from Kibbutz Nir Oz, whose parents were taken hostage on October 7. On Twitter: @Lifschitz_sha

[clonerightsagenda]

As if my life isn't surreal enough, this summer our campus is hosting a clown and mime camp

[fagtainsparklez]

the thing about going as death and puss as a couples costume is that when apollo’s not around to complete the fit i’m just some Guy in a poncho

[narcissusnectar]

[sanctiphera]

Are we waking up to reality yet? Anne Frank had nothing to do with Gaza, so there is no reason to deface her statue unless the real reason is nothing to do with Gaza.

This is a pretty low thing to do, but I'm sure they're going to find a way to sink even lower.

[ncfcatalyst]

Unity Day Story: Irreconciled differences no more

The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools. ― Thucydides As our readers know, the student body of New College has changed quite a bit in all aspects. Returning NCF veterans now see a stream of fresh-faced athletes decked out in Gym-shark enjoying the ping pong tables at the Hamilton “Ham” Center. How are all these…

[sorinethemastermind]

Fluffcember 2024: Roasted Marshmallows | Rayllum & Sorvus Callum is determined to ask Rayla to be his girlfriend this Winter Break. But if he can't even start a fire, how is he supposed to create the perfect moment? Soren has decided to stay on campus this Christmas, but with Rayla and Callum as his only company, he's starting to feel like a third wheel. Except maybe it's not just the three of them left on campus after all...

 Callum is going to make a fire, or he's going to die trying.

 That's what he tells himself, at least, as he flicks another burnt out match into the still stubbornly unlit bundle of twigs he'd placed in the firepit nearly twenty minutes ago. Rayla will be here any minute, he knows, and he'd promised her s'mores and a campfire. He fully intends to keep that promise.

 "Hiya, champ." Soren plopped down on the bench beside Callum, surveying his progress so far. "Watcha doing?"

 "What does it look like I'm doing?" Callum asked. "Making a fire."

 "Really? Cause it looks more like you're staring at a pile of wet twigs. I'm not even sure you know how to light a match."

 Callum pulled the matchbox from his pocket and struck one, giving Soren a pointed look. Of course this time it refused to light.

 The other boy - no, man - chuckled. Callum supposed they were both men now, though Soren looked it and he didn't. He didn’t understand how a few years could make such a difference.

 "See this-" Soren said, plucking the matchbox from his hand and lighting one. "Is why you should've gone to Camp Katolis."

 He knelt down, fiddling with the sticks until a small thread of smoke appeared.

 "I went to Camp Katolis." Callum reminded him, watching with frustration as Soren managed to coax a fire out of his bundle of wet leaves and twigs.

 "For one year." Soren replied. "They don't teach you anything in your first year.

 "They taught us how to make a fire!"

 "Did they?" Soren raised an eyebrow, and Callum felt his face grow warm.

 But Soren just laughed and ruffled his hair, forcing Callum to quickly flatten it down again. Naturally, that was the moment Rayla chose to join them.

 "Hey, Soren." she said, crossing the field. She sat down next to Callum, legs crossed before her, and leaned over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "Hey, Callum. I brought the stuff you asked for."

 She held out the little bags of sweets to him, all the supplies they would need to make s'mores. Then she turned her attention to the fire, small and puny as it was.

 "Callum, did you make this?"

 "Yep! I just helped a little bit." Soren told her, scooping up the bags she'd brought before Callum could. "But it's still a little small for any cooking. I'll run this over to the coffee shop real quick and use their oven."

 "Aren't all the cafes closed for break?" Rayla asked.

 "One of them had their lights on when I went by." Soren shrugged. "Figured I might as well check it out. You two just enjoy the fire."

 He winked at Callum before loping off across the field, leaving their pair of them alone.

 Rayla took the opportunity to turn to him. "You said there was something you wanted to talk about?"

 "Oh, uh, did I?" Callum's face grew warmer, and he hoped she thought it was just their proximity to the fire. "Totally must have slipped my mind, haha."

 She raised an eyebrow, but didn't push it. Instead leaning her head against his shoulder.

 "I guess we can just... enjoy the fire, then. Like Soren said."

 "Yeah. Yeah, we can." Callum pushed thoughts of girlfriends and boyfriends from his mind, tucking an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. It could wait. He wanted the moment to be perfect, when he asked. And this was close, but not quite.

 Soren returned about thirty minutes later bearing a tray of s'mores.

 "I come bearing presents!" he called in a singsong voice.

 Rayla jumped to her feet, snatching two off the tray before he had even managed to sit down. She took a bite out of one.

 "Mmm. Delicious."

 Calum reached for the other and she hissed at him. "Get your own s'mores."

 He laughed, getting up and collecting one of his own from the tray Soren had brought. A few already appeared to be missing. Soren must have been snacking on his way back.

 "So the coffee shop is open?" Callum asked him, sitting back down beside Rayla.

 Soren nodded, an entire s'more apparently in his mouth. It was a moment before he could respond.

 "Yep. One of the employees decided to spend the Christmas break on campus, just like us. He let me use the oven."

 "He did?" Rayla seemed sceptical.

 "After I laid on some of my ever present charm." Soren batted his eyelashes at her, and she laughed.

 "You sure he wasn’t just trying to get you to leave him alone?”

 "Hey! I can be very charming." Soren stuffed another s'more in his mouth, mumbling his next question around it. "Anyway, what were you two lovebirds up to while I was gone?"

 "Just enjoying the fire, like you said." Callum said hurriedly. 

 Soren shot him a look, and Callum shook his head quickly. Not yet.

 Soren rolled his eyes and Callum wrinkled his nose back at him. Leave me alone.

 "What are you two doing?" Rayla asked, leaning over to glance between them. "Is this some sort of friend code I don't know?"

 "Callum and I grew up together." Soren told her, teasing. "We have many secrets."

 "Like... embarrassing stories about Callum when he was younger?"

 "Rayla-" Callum tried to protest.

 "Oh, definitely." Soren said, cutting him off. "And not just from when he was younger. Callum is special. He’s been embarrassing at every age."

 Rayla snorted, nearly choking on her s'more.

 "Alright, that's enough." Callum said. "The both of you."

 He rested back against the bench he was sitting in front of, looping an arm around Rayla again.

 "If you really want to hear an embarrassing story, let me tell you about the time Soren decided he was a dragon."

 "I was four!"

 "Yes. And you glued together a pair of wings and decided to try leaping out of a tree."

 They all chuckled, and after a moment Soren addied; "In my defense, Claudia said it would work."

 "She would have been two!" Rayla exclaimed, then quickly glanced at Callum. "Right?"

 "Yeah. Yeah, that's right." Soren leaned back. "But she pointed at me, and she flapped her arms, and she called me a dagan. So clearly-"

 "I didn't even know that." Callum said, laughing. 

 "I'm telling you, she’s behind at least half of my stupid ideas." Soren said. A frown flickered across his face, but it was gone so quickly Callum thought he might have imagined it.

 "Well, we'll keep you safe this Christmas season." Rayla told him. "Don't worry."

 "Won't be a problem." Soren said with a quick laugh. "Clauds has gone home for Christmas. It's just me you two are stuck with."

 He reached out, ruffling Callum's hair again. Rayla dodged out of the way just in time to avoid a similar fate.

 As Callum was flattening his hair back down, Soren got up, taking the now empty tray of s'mores with him.

 "I should get this back to the coffee shop. Corvus said I could borrow it, but didn’t seem especially optimistic I would return it. Want to prove him wrong."

 "Corvus?" Rayla asked.

 "Yeah. He’s the guy who's staying back this Christmas."

 "Oh, I didn't know Corvus was staying this holiday." Callum said, scratching his chin. 

 "You know him?" Soren perked up.

 "Yeah. I mean, sort of. He's in my art history class."

 "Ew. Boring." Soren groaned. 

 "Art history is not-"

 "Anything with the word history in it is boring." Soren informed him. "But, uh, if Corvus likes it maybe it's not so bad."

 "What about if I like it?" Callum exclaimed.

 "If you like it, then it's definitely boring." Rayla told him.

 "You both are horrible." Callum said

 Soren chuckled as he walked down the path back towards the coffee shops. Rayla just rolled her eyes.

 "And yet you picked us to spend your holiday with."

 "I guess I just have bad taste." Callum teased, kissing her. 

 "Maybe." she admitted. "Guess that means I have boring taste."

 She kissed him back while he was laughing. She tasted sweet, like chocolate. 

 "Merry Christmas, Callum."

 "Not for another two weeks." he reminded her.

 “Still.” she snuggled up against him, tucking her head into the hollow between his chin and his shoulder. “I’m glad we’re getting to spend it together.”

 “Yeah.” Callum said with a sigh and a smile. “Me too.”

[sarenderpity]

Tagged by @sycamorewrought 💚🍃🏹

Rules: post four recent non selfie pictures from your camera roll

🩵✨️Tagging @derpkind @revolutionarygold @radioactiveswampmonsters @sugarcemetery @prince-lazuli ✨️🩵

[damn-student-news]

BREAKING: The submissions for the Unofficial DAMN 2024 Christmas Card!

@twice-damned-birdie

@c0nnell-is-h3r3

@aurorialwolf (aka Aria Aisling)

@cyanbugremix (aka, Filbrick the Squirrel!)

Here is a link to the poll, vote wisely!

[puffin-smoke]

BREAKING NEWS: Local Puffin creates a redacted audio gimmick account that you should go an follow. Eye witnesses are calling it "the best thing to happen to news since the printing press".

@damn-student-news

[crystallizsch]

realizing i live in a ramshackle dorm / campus apartment because

toilet with constant plumbing issues

something (sharp) in the shower was responsible for wounding me

a small electric kettle short-circuited the power to my room just now

the elevator going up to my floor always SCREECHES

false fire alarms every other day (but idk i think that’s more people’s faults)

and special shout out to: “al the friendly ghost” that sometimes chill in the living room according to my roommates (no other context)