By Stephanie Trembath, Life and Style Editor we had everything covered; thanks to condoms and birth control sex has become much more than just an intimate act of lovemaking. Today sexual intercourse has become a practice and performance as easy and regular as a breakfast bowl of cereal. It doesn’t matter where you live in North America, sex has become a topic and trademark of ovr everyday lives that dictates how we interact and perceive our world. Regardless of extra precautions and contraceptives, STD’s and pregnancy are major risk factors associated with a few hours of fun rumpling the bed sheets, but our generation has smartened up, or so J= when our generation thought we thought. Recent studies have proved that with the knowledge of unwanted STD’s and pregnancies, there has been a rapid increase in a preference for oral sex over sexual intercourse. Rather than risking our health, research proves that today’s generation of young adults would rather perform fellatio on their partners. Prompted by an increase of information available to us via the internet, sticking to something a little less risky, albeit just as intimate, is the preferred approach to prevent unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of STD’s. Despite our growing concern to keep safe during sex, doctors across North America have noticed a rapid i increase in the transmission of oropharyngeal cancer, otherwise known as human papillomavirus. This string of HPV is a cancer which affects the head, neck, tonsils; and back of the tongue. Dr. Eric Genden, head and neck surgeon at Mount Sinai Medical Center New York, has noted that since 2007 there has been an astonishing increase in oropharyngeal tumors in young adults. In the 1970’s oropharyngeal cancer was caused by smoking and drinking alcohol, but doctors today are saying that this type of cancer is caused by oral sex. In North America HPV is the cause for over 80% of oropharyngeal tumors, which is caused by a shift in sexual preferences and not by an excess in smoking and drinking. “With the sexual revolution and HIV scare, there’s been an increase in the rate of oral sex, and it’s directly proportional to the onset of this phenomenon,” states Dr. Genden. HIV scares that lead to less sex but increase in oral cancers show that our generation is still at risk The New England Journal of Medicine has recorded the rapid increase of oropharyngeal tumors since 2007, claiming that one of six sexual partners put themselves at risk of HPV from oral sex. In 2009, a study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine showed a link between oral sex and open mouthed kissing to oral cancers, which has steadily increased in North America since. With the increase in oral cancers resulting from an increase in oral sex, is our generation any better off than our parents? When we forgo intercourse we were on the right track, but now our lusty appetites are causing concern across North America once more. Don’t sweat it: Revolutionizing the way we shop could change sweatshop status By Stephanie Trembath, Life and Style Editor seems to me that we are faced with absurdly contradictory situations almost everyday living in North America. The average Canadian citizen will read the paper, acknowledge the miseries occurring in other parts of the world, take a sip of their coffee, and move on with the rest of their day. This is our routine. I am no idealist, and I realize that while I wish I could improve the economy in third world countries and abolish abusive political powers that exist, I accept that there is literally nothing I can do about the famine, inequality, murder, rape, and other atrocities that are part of a routine for entire nations around the globe. However, a few months ago while I was shopping (obviously when I am doing something I immensely enjoy), it struck me that at the exact same time I am in a store purchasing a silk shirt stamped with MADE IN CHINA, across the world there is some poor, tired, helpless women who is most likely making less than $5 a day to mass produce the articles of clothing I so lavishly spend my “hard eamed money” on. It sounds ridiculous, but I had never consciously thought about these two events simultaneously; my excessive shopping habit which fuels the sweatshop industry in exploiting millions of people for pennies. The sweatshop industry in China is still at large thanks to trade agreements condoning cheap apparel and products produced to be exported to North America. Cheaper labour and the suppression of currency to keep exports cheap both contribute to this oppressive industry, but the main reason sweatshops still exist is thanks to us; the consumers. Here in North America we want our clothes, electronics, and other products cheap or as cheap 10 as we can buy them for and by producing and exporting these goods from China this allows North American citizens to spend less money on such products and put our money into other industries to benefit our own economy. After a few hours of research I was astonished to discover that clothing sweatshops are perhaps the best place to work out of all the sweatshops in China as many of the sweatshops that produce electronics utilize dangerous chemicals that injure and seriously maim workers who are then fired. Off the Project Censored website, an article printed on January 25,2011 examined one of China’s sweatshops which mass produces iPods for Apple. This hidden sweatshop switched rubbing alcohol for n-hexane to clean the electronic parts; n-hexane being an extremely toxic chemical which the employees used without protective gear or proper ventilation systems. Another recent case showcased a sweatshop which produced omaments which are bought and sold at ‘Wal-Mart; the Guangzhou Huanya Gift Company employs over 8,000 workers for 26cents an hour, with employees as young as 12 years old. Itis astonishing to me that North Americans realize what is going on, and yet still contribute to such an obviously oppressive industry, but I suppose, as the saying goes: out of sight, out of mind, but as consumers of these products we are the root cause of this issue and the exploitation of the majority of China’s inhabitants. Ideally, I wouldn’t purchase anything made in China ever again, but I realize that most of our products are mass produced in China which includes all electronics. However, I have since decided to check clothing labels before I buy new clothes, shoes, and other superfluous accessories. This affirmation has caused me to completely cut out nearly every place I shop, but I figure one small step at a time is better than nothing. Saturday, May 14™ 10am to 8pm pala ae cts Fw eS Calling all scrapbookers! This ts a great opportunity to socialize with friends, get projects done, and support a fantastic cause. Fully stocked on-site store available, provided by For Keeps Sake Scrapbooking. Products for sale and demonstrations by consultants throughout the day. Bring along 2-3 favourite photos ona memory stick, and the Creative Memories representative will help you create a personalized page on the new Creative Memories Storybook Creator 3.0 Software for digital scrapbooking. Fantastic silent auction Price of entry includes a pizza dinner, door prizes, goody bags, reserved seating and spot contests. Please bring a dish for the potluck lunch and snacks. For more information call Cindy at 604-444-1118 or email Lucille at igwright@telus.net THE RIDE TO CANCER BENEFITING BC Cancer Foundation All proceeds from this event go to the BC Cancer Foundation