My opposition to closing Douglas to in-person classes ››We should start putting the past two years of anxiety behind us Matthew Fraser Editor in Chief understand and respect the caution that many people feel in the face of COVID-19. I certainly acknowledge that for some people, a risk of being infected with the virus is an increased risk of spreading it to a vulnerable loved one. As such, I don’t claim to have the ultimate answer to their fears. However, I am concerned that we as a culture, both the small group identity of Douglas College students and the wider group of BC residents have begun to give up on the possibility of a life without COVID-19 anxiety. Recently, one of my Douglas College peers started a petition on change. org urging Douglas to close its doors to in-person learning and return to online classes in the face of the Omicron spread. Payal Bansal, the creator of this petition, explains that the student body is concerned with the possibility of contracting the virus due to small class sizes. Bansal continues by pointing out that other post-secondary institutions including SFU, UBC and UVIC: “have prioritized the safety of students and staff by [extending] online learning.” Later in the petition, Bansal argues that infection will result in missed classes and attendant negative impacts on learning. For all that I respect Bansal and the 2300 plus petition signers' concerns, I am afraid that they have overlooked the gruesome mental and physical health damages that students have felt over the past two years. For many students, online classes have meant a withdrawal from the outside world and near-permanent enforcement of isolation. As gyms open and close sporadically, while restaurants and other social gathering places wither under restrictions, the personal connections that make life wonderous have been clipped at the roots. This ongoing destruction of human-to-human contact has seen its negative effects be
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most felt in the reported levels of mental unwellness and even physical unwellness. The pandemic has shown us the fragility of health in more ways than just one. In a December 30 interview with CBC News BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry anticipated the end of the pandemic. In the interview, Henry references the high rate of vaccination as part of what will lead to the endemic stage of COVID-19. Henry cautiously predicted that the seasonal shift to spring coupled with the increasing rate of child vaccination should herald the beginning of the endemic future. Though I respect the rationality behind the petition, the fear that it represents may be turning too many people away from the future that is ahead of us. Two full years into what shall soon no longer be a pandemic, we should not be relying on the same answers we used in the first month. Whether we like it or not, we could not fully contain the spread despite our best lockdown efforts;
we must embrace the ongoing advances we have made. On January 14, the Vancouver Sun published an article relaying expert opinion that the Omicron peak is likely behind us. The article states clearly that: “by mid-February, hospitalizations from this latest wave will have dropped off steeply to a handful a day, modelling forecasts from the province predict.” In that same article, Dr. Bonnie Henry is quoted as saying: “[we are] learning to live with this virus.” With absolutely zero condescension or malice I say that we must move away from our longstanding pandemic anxiety and learn to live with the virus. Science and best efforts have attempted to eradicate the disease and they have failed. We can live with this given that severe illness is overwhelmingly stopped by vaccination. We must put the pandemic anxiety behind us.
The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We are a registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus. The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tuition fees every semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a member of the Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student newspapers that includes papers from all across Canada. The Other Press reserves the right to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners.
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news // no. 3 • Dr. Bonnie Henry, a beacon of hope for challenging times: BC’s prominent face during pandemic has encountered her share of criticism ...and that's everything!
Dr. Bonnie Henry, a beacon of hope for challenging times Brandon Yip Senior Columnist
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rovincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, has been the face of the pandemic in BC since March 2020. The title of her book, Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe, published in March 2021, is a mantra she has uttered numerous times to reassure BC residents that everything will be ok—with COVID-19 in our lives. Her calm and caring demeanour exhibited in her many briefings has been comforting during these difficult times. But underneath the caring and compassionate exterior, Dr. Henry has proven that she is human and fallible in her decision-making and handling of the pandemic. She has received criticism from healthcare experts and people in the restaurant and fitness industries who are struggling financially. Parents have also expressed concerns regarding the safety of their children returning to school. According to CBC News on December 30, 2021, Dr. Henry introduced gathering restrictions in response to BC’s fifth wave on December 17. On December 29, it was announced most K-12 students would be returning to the classroom one week later than usual from winter break. At a COVID-19 briefing on January 4, Dr. Henry announced no further restrictions. To some people, the decision not to incorporate tighter restrictions in BC—especially with BC’s rising case counts due to the Omicron variant—seems puzzling. CBC News reported January 12, BC health officials said 500 people are in hospital with COVID-19, including 102 people in intensive care. Also, there have been six more deaths due to COVID-19 and 2,612 new cases. As of January 12, there are currently 36,394 active cases recorded of people infected with COVID-19 in BC. Around 2,455 people have died in BC from COVID-19, out of 288,939 confirmed cases to date. In contrast, Ontario has implemented tighter restrictions to control the spread of the Omicron variant. CBC News reported January 3, Ontario placed restrictions on indoor dining (restaurants and bars), indoor concerts and movie theatres, museums, galleries, zoos and amusement parks. As well, retail stores and malls, indoor weddings, religious services and funerals have been reduced to 50 percent capacity. Similarly, Quebec announced further restrictions as reported by the Montreal Gazette on December 31, 2021. Some of the restrictions included a provincewide curfew, no gatherings allowed, no indoor sports (except single people or single household), businesses closed (restaurants open only for takeout and delivery) and schools closed (remote learning). During her briefing on January 4, Dr. Henry made statements that left some people bewildered. She said, “It’s not about
public health orders and us telling you what to do.” She later stated, "I’ve said many, many times I want to get out of the order business.” Dr. Henry’s remarks were not only surprising, but they were also revealing. They may indicate that she is mentally and physically tired of the pandemic. Dr. Lyne Filiatrault, a renowned retired emergency room physician, in an interview with CTV News on January 4 was dissatisfied with Dr. Henry’s remarks and questioned her leadership abilities as Provincial Health Officer. “What is the job of public health?” Filiatrault said. “Because my take all along was to preserve the safety and health of the population of British Columbia.” She was "flabbergasted" with Dr. Henry’s statements: "...What is your job then? And are we going to let industry decide what they can and cannot do during a pandemic?” David Molko, a reporter for CTV News Vancouver, wrote in an online article published January 3 that Filiatrault recommended a threeweek circuit breaker to slow the transmission of the Omicron variant: “[The] circuit breaker, which in Filiatrault’s view would at the minimum close nonessential businesses and reduce capacity at others below 50 [percent], would be a pause aimed at slowing transmission.” Molko also asked Dr. Henry to clarify her statement made during her January 4 briefing: “I’ve said many, many times I want to get out of the order business.” Dr. Henry responded stating, “Yes, from the very beginning, public health orders are there as a last resort, when we want to make sure that people are absolutely doing things. And we want to do them in what we call the least restrictive means. That has always been our philosophy here and how we move forward.” Nevertheless, Filiatrault recommends everyone to “up their mask game.” She also states the issue of ventilation in hospitals, long-term care and schools can be managed in a more comprehensive approach. “It doesn’t matter that you have six people at the table. Doesn’t matter that
Photo by Billy Bui
››BC’s prominent face during pandemic has encountered her share of criticism
you have magic Plexiglas around you. This floats in the air,” she said. But Dr. Henry stands by the decisions the province has made during the pandemic, despite criticism BC has not responded quicker to control the spread of COVID-19. “I have a strong sense that we’re making rational decisions with the best information that we have,” she said to CBC News on December 30, 2021. “I don’t think we’re doing any better or worse than we have from the very beginning.” In February 2021, Dr. Henry disclosed to the media she had been the recipient of hateful phone calls and letters—including death threats—requiring police protection at her home. “It really is not acceptable," she said as reported by CBC News. “What I find most disturbing is how it impacts the people I work with and my family and my close contacts and their concerns, so that’s
the most challenging piece right now.” Dr. Henry understands the pandemic has caused increased amounts of stress and anxiety for many people. “I recognize that when people are in crises, part of the way they respond or react is to lash out or be angry,” she said. Despite the challenges Dr. Henry has encountered, she has been recognized for her work—in trying to navigate BC through the pandemic. In May 2021, Henry received an honorary degree from the University of BC. In August 2021, she was awarded the Order of BC. In October 2021, Henry was one of 25 recipients of the City of Victoria’s Honorary Citizen Awards. Two months later, she was the recipient of the Friend of Pharmacy Award (BC Pharmacy Association).
Sports
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sports // no. 4 • What to watch during the NFL Playoffs • The New York Times’s $550 million entry into the sports market ...and more
Canucks finish difficult five-game road trip
››Brock Boeser speaks about his “frustrating” time being in quarantine Brandon Yip Senior Columnist he Vancouver Canucks finished a five-game eastern road trip. At the time of writing, the Canucks have a record of 16-16-3. They have 35 points and ranked seventh in the Pacific Division—six points out of a Wild Card playoff spot. TSN reporter, Farhan Lalji, reported on January 10 that Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Jason Dickinson practiced with the Canucks—after all three players had been placed in COVID-19 protocol. Boeser entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols on December 29, followed by Dickinson on January 2 and Pettersson on January 5. All three players returned to the lineup on January 11, when the Canucks opened their five-game road trip against Florida—losing to the Panthers by a score of five to two. Canucks forward, Brock Boeser, was relieved to end his quarantine. He had already spent five days in quarantine. And after re-entering Canada from the US (Vancouver was on a road trip in California)—the Canadian government wanted Boeser to quarantine for an additional 10 days (a total of 15 days). He expressed his frustrations about his lengthy time in quarantine, speaking to the media for the first time since testing positive for COVID-19. “I think there was a lot of miscommunication on what was agreed on, and what actually happened,” Boeser said as reported by the Daily Hive on January 10. Boeser said being in quarantine for 15 days was difficult for him physically and mentally. “Everyone knows that 15 days is way too long for someone that’s had COVID, especially when the quarantine has been reduced to five days for almost everyone,” he said. “It’s just really frustrating for sure. Us guys wouldn’t have flown back if we knew that situation was going to happen. We would have all stayed in the States. I feel terrible for the guys that are still locked up.” In 29 games played this season, Boeser has 17 points (9 goals and 9 assists). Canucks fans and media are concerned about the play of forward, Elias Pettersson. He has underachieved and is not playing with the same confidence he had when he entered the NHL in the 2018-2019 season (winning the Calder Trophy as top rookie in the same season). However, this season, in 35 games played, Pettersson has 19 points (8 goals and 11 assists). Jeff Paterson, a longtime sports reporter who covers the Canucks for the Sekeres and Price show, says Pettersson’s poor season is very concerning. “I’m concerned, I am,” he said during an appearance on the Donnie and Dhali show on January 12. “And I see a lot of people saying, ‘He’ll be fine.’ First of all, what does that mean? He’ll be fine? He’ll score a goal again at some point in his life [….] People want him to succeed. I understand that. Canucks fans are pulling for him. But just to say, ‘He‘ll be fine.’ When? And what does that look like? Because under [Bruce] Boudreau now, so many guys have responded. He’s got five points in 10 games. He’s a half a point a game guy [….] [But] I am worried. I see nothing. I see no flashes from him of that player that he used to be. And so, I hope he proves me wrong.” In other NHL news, the San Jose Sharks have placed Evander Kane on waivers to buy out his
Illustration by Udeshi Seneviratne
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contract. The Vancouver native was suspended by the NHL for 21 games at the start of the season for showing a fake COVID-19 vaccine card. Kane has also been involved in a high-profile dispute with his estranged wife, Anna Kane. The NHL had investigated allegations of domestic assault made by Anna, who also accused Kane of betting on NHL games (including his own with the Sharks). Emily Kaplan of ESPN reported January 10, the NHL concluded after announcing Kane’s 21game suspension: “[our] concurrent investigation into allegations of domestic abuse made against Kane by his estranged wife, [Anna], could not be substantiated.” Kaplan also mentioned the NHL investigated the gambling accusations against Kane and cleared him “...saying it found no evidence that he bet on hockey.” Regular viewers of Canucks broadcasts on Sportsnet will have noticed a notable omission from its January 11 broadcast. Daily Hive reported January 11 veteran on-air host, Dan Murphy, is in COVID-19 protocol. Murphy said his daughter had
tested positive for COVID-19. Hence, he will miss 10 days of work due to being a close contact. “She’s in great spirits,” he said and added that he is feeling well. Murphy posted on Twitter on January 11: “First time in two decades [I’ll] watch a game I was supposed to work. Missed two previously due to emergency situations.” Campbell River native, Kyle Bukauskas, filled in for Murphy in the studio. The Sportsnet broadcasts are currently being filmed remotely from a Vancouver studio due to the pandemic. Murphy becomes the second Sportsnet on-air television broadcaster to miss game coverage due to COVID-19. Sportsnet 650 colour commentator, Corey Hirsch, filled in for analyst, John Garrett, during the Canucks’ first road trip of the season—afterGarrett tested positive for the coronavirus. Canucks’ schedule this week (all home games) • Friday, January 21 vs. Florida Panthers (7 pm) • Sunday, January 23 vs. St. Louis Blues (7 pm) • Tuesday, January 25 vs. Edmonton Oilers (7 pm)
issue 16// vol 48
sports // no. 5
What to watch during the NFL Playoffs ››Great matchups and the continuation of a legacy Mo Hussain Contributor
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he NFL playoffs kick off this weekend and fans are in for a ride. Whether it’s 44-year old Tom Brady defying father time, sophomore quarterback Joe Borrow looking to make a statement, or the superstar-filled LA Rams looking for a payoff on the gambles they’ve taken, this post-season is sure to be one for the ages. Here are three matchups to look out for:
Can Brady do it again? In the minds of most football fans, Buccaneers Quarterback Tom Brady is the best football player in history. The 44year old has been able to win more super bowls than any other NFL player ever. He’s shown that he can win without former head coach Bill Belichick, make the most out of any player on his team, and that he can continuously stay in shape and play the game at a high level despite his age. However, there’s one question that will loom until the day he retires. Can he do it again? We’ve seen Tom Brady prove people wrong time and time again, but how far can he go? How far until father time catches up to him? What Brady has done throughout his career is so unprecedented, that there is no telling how far he can go. Brady and the Buccaneers' next test will be against the Philidelphia Eagles, who have a lot of momentum riding their way. The team’s managed to win six of their last eight games despite starting the season with a 2-5 record. The last time these two teams played was in October when the Buccaneers beat the Eagles 28-22. Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals Leading up to this game against the Cardinals, the Los Angeles Rams went all-out in grabbing the best players they can to win this year. In March, the team
Illustration by Udeshi Seneviratne
Las Vegas Raiders vs Cincinnati Bengals This will be the first playoff appearance for either of these teams in quite a while. The Cincinnati Bengals last made the playoffs in the 2015 season. The Raiders haven’t made the playoffs since the 2016 season. Both teams have a certain hunger to win this game because it’s been even longer since either one has gotten past the wildcard stage. The last time the Bengals and Raiders advanced was in 1990 and 2002, respectively. The leading quarterbacks also have individual points to prove. Bengals sophomore quarterback Joe Burrow looks to make his mark as an up and coming star. Meanwhile, eight-year veteran Derek Carr looks to continue his redemption year as the Raiders quarterback. Carr’s career surged back to the level he was once playing at five seasons ago. The last time these two teams played was in November when the Bengals defeated the Raiders 32-13.
traded for Matthew Stafford, one of the top quarterbacks in the league. In September, they then traded for Von Miller, a former Super-Bowl MVP and eight-time Pro-Bowl Linebacker. The team then put the icing on the cake by trading for three-time Pro-Bowl Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Combine that with a team that already has five-time Pro Bowl Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and eight-time pro-bowler Aaron Donald and this team looks ready to win.
However, the one issue with all that is that the Rams are playing a very good team that has a good chance of making all those investments go to waste. The Arizona Cardinals, led by 24-year old quarterback Kyler Murray, are very close with the Rams on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Rams only averaged out 0.7 more points scored in the regular season and averaged 2.5 yards less than the Cardinals received. Defensively, the
Cardinals conceded 0.4 fewer points than the Rams and conceded 15.7 fewer yards as well. The margins are so tight with these teams that it can go any way. The last two games between the two were split as the Cardinals won 37-20 back in October, and the Rams got the upper hand 30-23 in December.
We’ve seen Tom Brady prove people wrong time and time again, but how far can he go? How far until father time catches up to him?
sports // no. 6
theotherpress.ca
The New York Times’s $550 million entry into the sports market
Photo by Jakayla Toney on Unsplash
››The New York Times wants to be more ‘Athletic’
Mo Hussain Contributor
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he New York Times is adamant about being among the top media companies in the world as they’ve recently made quite a hefty purchase. Last week, The New York Times acquired The Athletic, a sports media outlet with around 1.2 million subscribers. The acquisition was an all-cash deal for $550 million. According to the President and CEO of the New York Times Company, Meredith Kopit Levien, the 170-year old publication has a goal of amassing more than 10 million subscribers to their outlet
and believes this deal will help them get closer to that goal. “Strategically, we believe this acquisition will accelerate our ability to scale and deepen subscriber relationships,” Levien said in a press release. On the surface, this deal addresses basic economic goals for both parties. The New York Times wants subscribers, and The Athletic needs money. The Athletic has been operating at a loss for the last three years. This is in large part due to hiring lots of talent. The company lost a combined $95 million in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, the company saw a 64 percent increase in revenues but was still on pace to report a
$35 million loss. Although the company was supposedly set to make a profit in 2023, that’s still a long way away. The company’s financial situation is likely the reason why investors didn’t seem to be receptive to the deal. The New York Times stock price dropped by over 11 percent, 48 hours after the deal was announced. The New York Times expects that The Athletic’s financial situation will be “dilutive to The New York Times Company’s operating profit for approximately three years.” An area that traditional media companies (like The New York Times) continue to battle for is digital attention.
As the internet has grown in popularity, it’s been an uphill battle for traditional media to deal with the open playing field the internet provides for information. However, one of the main traditional media properties that have stayed relevant throughout the years is sports. Forty-three of the top 50 television broadcasts in 2021 were all sports-related programming. Sports continue to be a pillar in our society’s culture, and it looks like The New York Times looks to capitalize on that market with this purchase.
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Arts
arts // no. 7 • ‘Spider-Man No Way Home’ review • Catching up on anime: A long and exciting marathon ...and that's everything!
‘Spider-Man No Way Home’ review
Photo by Anna Machuik
››The hype was real! *spoilers ahead*
Joseph Agosti Contributor
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pider-Man: No Way Home (NWH) was one of the most anticipated movies of 2021, carrying hype not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic. With theatres open across North America, NWH was the first movie to cross the billion-dollar plateau since the start of the pandemic. Countless fan theories fueled the hype, with set leaks and rumoured cameos
stoking the excitement from hardcore fans. There were rumours aplenty about the potential for former Spider-Men Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield to return, connecting three generations of SpiderMan fans. The only question was if the movie could live up to the hype. I can confidently say that without question, Spider-Man: No Way Home is the best Spider-Man movie I’ve ever seen. I literally enjoyed everything the film set forward, the performances, script, visuals, ending, and the amount of fan service. I’m not much of a person to cheer
or holler in the theatre, but this film had me doing both regularly. I haven’t been that excited during a movie since Avengers: Endgame almost three years ago. This was truly a cinematic event, with people dressed in their own Spider-Man costumes throughout the cinema, multiple generations of fans from all types of different backgrounds, fans young and old, a true celebration of Spider-Man. Now for the movie itself, it is hard to misstate how great the performances were all around from the cast. Tom Holland is as good as he’s ever been, Benedict Cumberbatch does well with the screen time allotted to him. On the villain side. Alfred Molina slips effortlessly back into the conflicted villain Doc Ock, while Jamie Foxx and Thomas Haden Church return as Electro and Sandman respectively, both standing out in positive ways. But the real star amongst the villains is Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin. It’s not a stretch to say that Dafoe is clearly having the time of his life here. With his trademark facial expressions and vocal delivery, Dafoe straddles the line between his split personalities, from scared and lonely Norman Osborn to sinister chaos machine Green Goblin. Dafoe’s interactions with Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May were well done as well, with Tomei being given much more to do in this film than in the last two combined. It’s impossible to talk about this movie without mentioning the two returning heroes, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Needless to say, their return was heavily anticipated. Before
the movie was released, multiple set photos of the pair were leaked, causing Garfield, in particular, to extensively deny his role in the film. Despite this, they both have ample screen time, they are actually important characters, not just token cameos. Both actors are phenomenal, sliding back into their old roles. Garfield, in my opinion, steals the show. He balances his humour and serious moments excellently, and there was no bigger cheer in my theatre than when he saved MJ after she fell off the building in the film’s climax, redeeming himself for his failure to save Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). Maguire has his moments as well, playing the mentor role to Tom Holland’s younger more inexperienced Peter. 90’s kids will especially enjoy his conversations with Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock, with numerous callbacks to their showdown in SpiderMan 2 (2004). All in all, this movie is exactly what I wanted, a high-stakes adventure featuring three generations of Spider-Man. The film expertly balances the three heroes along with the supporting character to make an emotional narrative with surprising cohesion setting up for a second Tom Holland trilogy with a blank slate, leaving endless possibilities. It doesn't matter what Spider-Man you grew up watching, Spider-Man: No Way Home will make you feel like you are 12 years old again, swinging around New York City with your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.
Jumping from one anime based on a Shonen Jump manga to another, we have My Hero Academia. In My Hero Academia, Izuku Midoriya, or Deku, for short is about to graduate from high school in a world where almost everyone has superpowers, except for him. After Deku meets his idol All Might, All Might offers to train him and pass on his superpowers; this leads Deku to enter U.A.—a high-level hero academy—and eventually become the greatest superhero of all time. The show features commentary on fame and the impact of being a famous figure as well as satire throughout it. If Phil Hartman was still alive today, he would be a fitting choice for All Might.
Fame is also an issue in LoveLive! where a high school student named Honoka Kosaka and her classmates at Otonokizaka Academy try to save their school from being shut down by forming an idol group, an idea that is trending around the country. We see the group grow from three members to a full group as other students join. The story follows their unlikely rise to stardom as they create a legacy for the school and sh0w the world that you do not have to go to the best school to have success. Anime is more exciting than ever and it is not too late to begin one.
Catching up on anime Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist
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n television today, there are a few shows that began decades ago and are still on at present. Some of them even went way longer than I think they should, including The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers; all of which kind of remake themselves as time goes by. Japan also has TV shows, movies, and anime that are still on today that keep them mainstream in Japan but they might not have crossed over into North America. Shows like Pokémon, Doraemon, and Detective Conan would still appeal to new generations but may not have the same excitement as when they were first shown. But some animes have the same emotional impact as a traditional drama featuring seasonal breaks yet they still maintain a long, multi-year run. The three shows that I finally began watching were anime that have risen to the top in the previous decade as their main characters train for something epic.
Demon Slayer got people talking for a lot of reasons; one of which was the show’s theme songs mainly made by LiSA, one of the biggest female singers in Japan right now. Going into the show, I was expecting it to be violent but maybe not as violent as Attack on Titan. The show begins with Tanjiro Kamado helping people in his village during the winter until he gets back to his home; there, he finds that almost his entire family has been murdered by humaneating demons except for one of his sisters named Nezuko. When she wakes up, she behaves like a demon, but Tanjiro—having a superhuman sense of smell—smells her and realizes that she is still human. The siblings are saved by a demon slayer who introduces them to his master. After finding out that both he and Tanjiro faced similar heartbreak, the elder sensei trains Tanjiro to become a demon slayer to bring Nezuko back. There are also two characters that Tanjiro meets during his training that I suspect might be ghosts; though one of them is key in Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.
Photo by Martha Alejandra Espinoza
››A long and exciting marathon
Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene and the best interests of social media
Illustrations by Martha Alejandra Espinoza
››Is it possible that banning controversial speakers could have consequences?
Matthew Fraser Editor in Chief
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fter the constant hair-on-fire news frenzy of the past four years and 2020 in particular, the past few months have been a relatively nice respite. Although COVID-19 has wiggled its way into just about every aspect of our lives and brought extraordinary amounts of fear with it, compared to the energy of the 2020 news cycle and the years preceding it, this isn’t so bad. Maybe the most fascinating part of ill-defined media peace is that its source is not immediately clear.
I’d wager that whether people think about it consciously, one huge part of this air of calmness has been the removal of former President Donald Trump from all of the mainstream social media networks. In turn, this removal has meant that there is less fodder for news networks and tabloids to snap up and regurgitate as headlines. Even if media execs wish for a return to the Trumpian news cycle and the attention that it brought, the public probably does not want to wonder what the next tweet might lead the world into. But it might be worth asking, whether this new peace and quiet is actually beneficial.
Barely three days after the capital had been stormed by his supporters, CNN Business reported Twitter’s decision to permanently suspend the @realDonaldTrump Twitter account. The ban also explicitly prevented Trump from using a surrogate account to post his thoughts. This act was so strict that CNN reported that even the Trump campaign team had their official account banned for a perceived violation. All in all, though Twitter did not suspend the @POTUS (President of the United States) or @WhiteHouse accounts, the ban effectively put a muzzle on the then outgoing president.
What if banning these right-wing agitators inadvertently cost us the potential to actually address some of the worst COVID-19 misinformation? Surely even the worst actors have a good moment or two, right?
As a result, Facebook responded by removing almost the entire Australian media sphere from its platform. Overnight, Australian newspapers big and small were barred from posting or sharing on Facebook. Fast forward almost exactly one year and the highly controversial and almost permanently embattled Georgia Representative Marjory Taylor Greene (MTG) is banned from posting on both Twitter and Facebook. In MTG’s case, the ban comes after repeated violations of Twitter’s COVID-19 misinformation policy. As Politico reports, MTG had already had all of her committee assignments stripped from her due to her behaviour; plus she had already come under intense scrutiny for numerous social media posts that have expressed Islamophobic, antisemitic, racist and conspiratorial ideas. Most recently, she indicated that “Second Amendment rights” may have to be used because: “[The Democrats are] doing exactly what our Founders talked about when they gave us the precious rights that we have." When put like that, it seems to make sense that Twitter banned these two individuals. Between them is a plethora of directionally violent, generally unsettling, and overall harmful comments that have been forced into the public eye and ultimately the public record by their use of social media. It should seem obvious that we are better off with them effectively silenced and their reach drastically reduced. But what if the act of banning them has created problems of a new type? What if banning these right-wing agitators inadvertently cost us the potential to actually address some of the worst COVID-19 misinformation? Surely even the worst actors have a good moment or two, right? The problem with banning politicians like MTG but more importantly Trump is twofold; first is that if social media companies have the unopposed ability to ban politicians, they have an almost unreasonable level of leverage and sway in the public discourse. The second is that with that leverage, they can guide attention and focus on to or away from their preferred political teams. Perhaps the most unsettling part is that we have actually seen these companies flex this ability in real-time. In February of 2021, the BBC reported that the Australian government began passing a bill that would force social media giants like Facebook and information distributors like Google to pay news publishers for the media that they share through these platforms. In the eyes of these media and information entities, this was a problem. As a result, Facebook responded by removing almost the entire Australian media sphere from its platform. Overnight, Australian newspapers big and small were barred from posting
or sharing on Facebook. The ban was so thorough that many pages were made unavailable and people outside of Australia were blocked from sharing articles that originated in Australia too. If that wasn’t enough, several Australian government pages were also blocked, meaning that Facebook had effectively placed an information embargo on an entire country out of spite. The company blocked key governmental agencies including emergency services like the police, the Bureau of Meteorology (which distributes weather and natural disaster information) and health services. Even charities and politicians were affected. When interviewed by the BBC, an Australian man said: "It feels obviously very restrictive in what Facebook is going to allow people to do in the future, not only in Australia but around the world." And his fears are right. Who’s to say what future events may cause a company to deplatform a country. How could anyone know when FaceBook might do something like this again. However, when it comes to politicians, the most important thing is the reach these gatekeepers of social media can grant. In 2019, Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard sued Google for suspending her campaign advertising account amid the election cycle. Though it is not clear that Google’s suspension truly cost her a shot at the presidency, New York Times quotes her campaign as saying “it was a sign of Google’s meddling in the election, using its market dominance to influence political discourse.” Despite the case’s dismissal, it is also worth wondering if and how effectively something like this could hamper an election. For instance, should Trump seek reelection come 2024, it has already been guaranteed that he will not have Twitter as a campaign outreach tool. Twitter’s Chief Financial Officer publicly announced in February of 2021 that even if Trump were to be elected president, the ban would remain in place. Although corporations are not obligated to post anyone's views, it certainly is striking that they can guarantee to interfere with a political campaign without consequence. It’s not like I want Trump to win (should he run again), but I find the concept of excluding politicians from public discourse to be a dangerous and likely grievous narrativesolidifying decision. Most interestingly is the counter-factual that was recently revealed involving Trump and antivaccine conspiracy theories. In August of 2021,
Trump was booed on stage at an Alabama rally for recommending his supporters take the vaccine. More recently, in late December shockwaves rippled through political news media when Trump twice voiced his support for the vaccine and booster shots. First, while on tour with Bill O’Reilly, the former president openly stated that he had been boosted, and then again in an interview with Candace Owens Trump forcefully defended the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. Most startlingly, was Trump's appearance on OAN where he accused politicians who refused to discuss their vaccine status of being “Gutless.” It might not be a stretch to say that if Trump had still been on Twitter and other social media outlets, he would have vocally defended the vaccines that he has taken much personal credit for. For example in the same OAN interview, Trump said: “The fact is that I think the vaccine has saved tens of millions of people throughout the world. I have had absolutely no side effects." Regardless of whether or not you like Trump as an individual, if the goal was to convince the rightwing stalwarts that the vaccine is safe and trustworthy, it is almost impossible to find a figure who would have been better suited to the task. In essence, by banning Trump from freely speaking his mind, we have potentially stunted even his most positive surprises and his sway over his base. This is not to say that I believe that 100 percent of the unvaccinated would have been convinced, but that it would have made good use of the Trump loyalty. Global News points out that MTG was forced to bridge the gap between her anti-vaccine sentiments and her Trump loyalties by saying: “We should be holding those who made the virus accountable, not fighting one another.” Maybe I have a preternatural fear of concentrated power and the ability of corporations to affect politics. Maybe this is one of my few moments of optimism regarding Trump, but I don’t think these arguments are completely unfounded. Trump can be terrible, Marjorie Taylor Greene can be atrocious, but that doesn’t mean that Facebook and Twitter should have the ability to muzzle politicians at will. And the worst-case scenario as demonstrated by Australia is that these platforms could just deplatform a country without repercussions should they feel like it. All in all, we the people should be more cautious of the powers of they the corporations.
Have an idea for a story? lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca
Life & Style
life & style // no. 10 • A beginner’s guide to getting a tattoo • I embraced snow as a child, now, I’m moving through it as an adult ...and more
What to do with fresh ink ››A beginner’s guide to getting a tattoo Ash Sabinin Contributer
S
o you’ve decided to take the plunge and get your first tattoo; maybe you’ve been wanting one since forever and finally booked the appointment, or maybe this is an impulsive idea that you just can’t wait for. Either way, this list will help you prepare for what to do before your appointment, the day of and after.
Day of the tattoo: Eat something!! This is on the very top of every tattoo prep list because it’s so important to eat a good meal to prevent you from fainting or anything that would ruin your experience. You can also bring snacks if it’s going to be a long session but double-check that it’s ok with your artist before chowing down in their studio. Drink water! Just as important as eating, make sure you’re hydrated and don’t hesitate to bring a water bottle. Make sure you sleep well the night before, or as well as you can manage, I know excitement can make that difficult, but a lack of sleep will make you more sensitive to the pain as well as put a damper on the whole day. Change the bedsheets! You’re going to want your sheets to be clean to avoid any germs or debris getting in contact with your fresh tattoo, I would recommend choosing dark colours as well, in case the ink leaks and stains. Wear clothing that allows easy access to the tattoo area and is comfortable as you'll probably be lying or sitting down for at least an hour. For example, if you’re getting a knee tattoo, make sure not to wear skinny jeans or leggings to the appointment. I recommend skirts or shorts for leg tattoos and tank tops for arm tattoos. Aftercare: Listen to your artist. Most artists have a healing regiment that they give their
Photo by Billy Bui
Before the tattoo: Find a good artist! This is the first and, probably, most important step. There are so many talented tattoo artists out there, but you need to find one whose artistic vision matches yours. It’s in your best interests to choose an artist who has a style you like to ensure your tattoo is something that suits your personal tastes. Choose a date that gives you enough time to heal afterwards and give yourself at least a week before doing any strenuous physical activities. This might be the hardest part, having fresh ink that you want to show off at the gym, beach or pool but please wait till it’s healed to lower the risk of it getting infected. Start hydrating! The more hydrated your skin is, the better it’ll take ink during the tattooing process and the happier you and your artist will be. You can also start moisturizing the area you’re planning on getting the tattoo to create the best canvas possible.
clients and you should listen to what your artist recommends. However, if you can’t remember what they said, most artists use a combination of the tips listed below. Your artist will probably put on a second skin or bandage of some sort before you leave their studio and give you specific instructions for when and how to remove the bandage. Second-skin or Saniderm are typically removed in the shower under running water to make the removal process easier and can be removed anywhere from a few hours after the tattoo to a few days after. After taking off the bandage, wash your tattoo very gently with mild, unscented soap and pat, not rub, dry with
a clean towel or paper towel. This should be done once or twice daily until healed or when your artist tells you to stop. After a few days, you can start applying an unscented lotion to keep your tattoo moisturized. You can also invest in Tattoo Goo which is a moisturizer designed to help your tattoo heal and keep the ink bright. Only ever apply a thin layer of lotion after cleaning to avoid clogging up the tattoo. Your tattoo is a wound, a very pretty wound, but still, a healing wound so treat it as such. Avoid super scented lotions, tight clothing, swimming or hot tubs until it’s fully healed, I would recommend at least a month, but you can always contact your
artist to check on how your healing is going and get their opinion on when it should be safe to swim again. In general, I would try to avoid consistent direct sunlight on your tattoo, not only right after it’s done but for as long as possible to keep it super vivid. Also, try to stay hydrated and eat well to give your body the nutrients and energy to heal you quickly and efficiently. Getting a new tattoo is so exciting and it’s easy to forget some of the important steps to ensure you’re ready. Hopefully, this list can help you make sure you’re completely prepared for your upcoming appointment to avoid any unnecessary stress.
issue 16// vol 48
life & style // no. 11
I hated the snow, but its helped me come to terms ››I embraced snow as a child, now, I’m moving through it as an adult Brandon Yip Senior Columnist hen I was a kid, I loved the snow. I was fascinated and in awe of the white wintery ice flakes descending from the sky. After watching the television specials, Frosty the Snowman and A Charlie Brown Christmas inspired me to go outside and play in the snow. I would build a snowman. I would eat the snow, convincing myself that it was a giant Sprite Slurpee without the sugar. I would throw snowballs at my fence and house, even throwing snowballs at passing cars. Yes, I could be mischievous. But now as I am older, I have never hated the snow so much as I do now. It has to do with the pandemic, along with the significant weather patterns that affected us in 2021: the heatwave in June and heavy “atmospheric river” downpour in November. After enduring those two contrasting kinds of weather, I was in no mood for any goddamn, fuckin’ snow! The snow can kiss my big COVID-19 butt! And driving in the snow is even worse. When even two centimetres of snowfalls in the Lower Mainland, we panic like it is a natural disaster, damn near requiring the Canadian Armed Forces to come rescue us. Plus, when there is a considerable amount of snow on the roads, some drivers seem to think that the best solution to navigate oneself out of the snow is by pressing harder on the gas pedal. Nonetheless, having the pandemic in our lives is bad enough; but when it is compounded with the heavy snowfall that occurred during the Christmas holidays, I could not find the energy or will to enjoy the snow. As the snow fell upon us with the freezing temperatures, I hated it. I detested the fact that the roads and sidewalks were icy and as a pedestrian, I was putting myself at risk for slipping and falling—causing severe injury. As well, the sight of snow accumulating outside my house and on my vehicle reminded me of a childhood bully who taunted me with racial epithets in elementary school. And like the snow, he would persist and not go away and leave me alone. He would eventually leave me alone and fade away like the snow. As I reflect upon my wrath towards our recent snowfall, I realize that the problem was not the snow and the accompanying ice-cold temperature. The problem was me and the attitude I had towards it. I had to change my mindset and perspective. I had to go through bouts of anxiety and anger to realize that if I had a better attitude and was more positive—I could have coped better with the recent snowfall. No one is perfect. In the end, I will have to forgive the snow. I will also have to forgive the childhood bully who made the early part of my life so miserable. Most importantly, I will have to forgive myself for allowing myself to be so full of hate and anger. Life is too short to be harbouring so much hate. I have no idea what happened to that bully and what he is doing today. It is inconsequential. But I do believe in karma and what goes around comes around. And when the next snowfall appears, I will now look outside and not be so angry at it. I will choose to embrace it and admire its beauty, not its burden. And like life, the snow is only here for a brief time like us. But if I happen to lose my temper and need to vent while I am outside staring at the snow, I will leave my own signature marking by changing the white snow in front of me to the colour, yellow.
Photo by Anna Machuik
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When even two centimetres of snowfalls in the Lower Mainland, we panic like it is a natural disaster, damn near requiring the Canadian Armed Forces to come rescue us.
life & style // no. 12
theotherpress.ca
Three Observations about New York City compared to Vancouver ››How does the Big Apple fair with Raincouver? Mo Hussain Contributor
O
n December 14th, I flew out of Vancouver for the first time in over two years to take a much-needed vacation. To where you may ask? New York City. I stayed in New York City for nine nights, and there were a lot of aspects that stood out to me. Here are three noticeable aspects that stood out in NY as a Vancouverite: SIZE One aspect of New York City that was distorted because of all my life experience being in Vancouver, is the sheer magnitude of the city. When I go out to downtown Vancouver, I only usually go out to Granville, B.C. Place/Rogers Arena, Coal Harbor, and English Bay. When I went to New York, I was subconsciously applying the same formula over there. I stayed in an area of Manhattan where Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Hudson Yards, and Herald Square were pretty close to me. After I’d seen all those attractions, I just presumed that I was done with the city. It was only until a lengthy walk on my last day in the city that I realized I’d barely scratched the surface. There were areas like Grand Central and Central Park that were all the way on the other side of the city. There are also other cities to check out like Brooklyn, Little Italy, Chinatown, and even the state of New Jersey.
FRIENDLINESS?... Let me preface by saying that New Yorkers don’t go out of their way to help you. But most of them are willing to if you just ask. Heading into my trip, I had this notion that all New Yorkers were rude people who pushed and shoved others to
Photo by Bily Bui
PACE New York City isn’t nicknamed the “city that doesn’t sleep” for no reason. The crazy amount of people that flow through the streets, trains, and malls every day is something Vancouver could never prepare you for. Throughout most of the lower mainland, there’s usually an unofficial curfew that the entire area abides by. But I never felt that in New York City. If I was bored after 11:30 pm, I could easily walk over to a food cart, deli, or pizza place to grab food and walk around the city late at night. The thing with New York City is there are always people either working late, tourists who want to make the most of their stay, or New Yorkers who just want to walk around and have fun. There’s rarely a time where the city doesn’t have a good amount of people walking around. After my experience in New York City, I don’t think I could perceive downtown Vancouver as “busy” again.
get to where they needed to be. But that turned out not to be the case after all. For example, whenever I needed directions on their complicated public transit system, staff and other people always helped.
Whenever I needed to break a bill into coins to get on public transit, some businesses owners would be very accommodating in helping turn a bill into coins without purchase.
So the next time you go to New York, make sure to take notice of those three aspects. The size of the city, the pace of it, and how people aren’t as bad as you think.
Heading into my trip, I had this notion that all New Yorkers were rude people who pushed and shoved others to get to where they needed to be. But that turned out not to be the case for all.
Opinions
Have an idea for a story? opinions@theotherpress.ca
opinions // no. 13 • Drake + hot sauce + condoms = Lawsuit • Patton Oswalt’s apology signals a greater problem ...and that's everything!
Hot sauce Papi
››Drake + hot sauce + condoms = Lawsuit Matthew Fraser Editor in Chief
he internet is full and overflowing with wild stories. It seems like you can’t go a day without some “Florida Man does something crazy” or “Racist Karen harasses black toddler for no reason” Esque story clogging your timeline and social media feed. At times, it's like half of the world has gone insane while the other half is either present at the moment of insanity or a hapless victim of said insanity. But every once in a while a story comes out where someone attempts to defraud another via conniving and scheming methods before being caught in the most beautifully and poetically way possible. Whenever that happens, the insanity of the world seems justified. Now, I do want to point out from the outset that this particular story has not been confirmed by either party and, at this time the alleged Instagram model involved remains unnamed. As such, this recently viral story might all be a fabrication meant to garner laughs and keep Drake on top of the cultural conversation. The rumour which seems to have originated from an Instagram post by toomuchhottea alleges that the Toronto rapper put hot sauce into a condom after sex with an IG model. The story goes that Drake and the model first began to contact each other through Instagram DM’s before eventually meeting at a Las Vegas party. Following the party, the two returned to Drake's hotel room for some consensual, safe, adult engagements (sex); after Drake had finished, he went to dispose of the used condom in the bathroom. Here is where the rumour really heats up (pun intended); the model then admits to going into the bathroom, removing the condom from the garbage and trying to empty it into her vagina with the hopes of getting pregnant. The model said it felt like “pouring hot lava” into her vagina, so she screamed. Accordingly, Drake then enters and after hearing her explanation admits to pouring hot sauce into the condom to “kill the sperm.” As a result of her supposed injuries, this model is said to be suing Drake, though at this time no statement of claim has been filed. Here is my sizzling hot take: if the above story actually occurred, then this woman should be laughed out of court and scorned for her efforts. Why? Because if you are having consensual sex with someone and they are wearing a condom, their goal is clearly not to get you pregnant, and, (supposing you can be impregnated) they aren’t consenting to impregnate you. By breaking the implied trust or at least line of respect by trying to impregnate yourself with their sperm, you are engaging in a now nonconsensual activity. That doesn’t de facto mean you should be harmed, but it certainly means that if your attempted trickery backfires it's your own fault. Now some people have questioned why Drake would throw the condom into the garbage rather than flush it. Assuming he (justifiably) feared an
Illustration by Martha Alejandra Espinoza
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attempt at self-impregnation, that surely would have been a better method. Though the logic is certainly there, the reality is that young bachelors are advised not to flush condoms down the toilet. According to a 2017 Global News article, the non-biodegradable latex used to make condoms can get caught in sewage pipes and cause blockages. Additionally, Metro UK points out that: “The chemicals added to the latex mix, which provide shelf life and stability, stop the condom from breaking down swiftly in the ocean. In fact, scientist[s] are currently unsure how long your sexy sheath takes to break down in the ocean, but estimates put it at around 30 years.” Additionally, there is the theory that hot sauce could kill sperm to consider. How true is that? Well, according to a study by Fertility and Sterility, if treated with hydrochloric acid between 7.5 and 4.0 pH sperm: “are immobilized and killed
at rates linearly proportional to the hydrogen ion concentration. At pH 4.0, this rate is fast enough that all sperm are immobilized in less than 30 seconds.” On the hot sauce side, Hot Sauce Hell states that for unrefrigerated hot sauces: “A good pH level for the sauce should be around 3.4 and can be tested accurately with a pH meter.” Meaning it is quite possible that a standard fast-food hot sauce package would be acidic enough to kill sperm in under a minute. I have no sympathy for the IG model alleged injured in this incident. I find the whole shebang to be a humourous case of poetic justice. If anything, I hope that this teaches a few good lessons to everyone in need of learning. If not, I hope that the TrojanDrake-Franks Red Hot condom blossoms from meme to a gag product so people can “Put that sh*t on everything.”
opinions // no. 14
theotherpress.ca
To denounce your friends for the unnamed ››Patton Oswalt’s apology
Illustration by Udeshi Seneviratne
signals a greater problem
Matthew Fraser Editor in Chief
M
ost people have a friend that they feel they sort of need to hide from the rest of the world. Someone whose jokes are a little off colour, or they can be abrupt to the point of rudeness, or they frankly just don’t know how to behave themselves. When you have a friend like that, it often feels like you have to defend them just to validate your connection to them. Worst of all is when you are publicly attacked for your association. But how do we agree on who is worthy of these attacks and how severely should we punish people who are friends with those people deemed persona non-grata? On New Year's eve, longtime comedian Patton Oswalt posted a picture with Dave Chappelle, his friend of 34 years. In the caption for this photo, he said: “I ended the year with a rewal friend and a deep laugh. Can’t ask for much more.” But Dave Chappelle can not just be a friend in
todays day and age; after The Closer and its attendant controversy, Dave Chappelle is a man squarely and most assuredly worth rebuke in the eyes of many. As a result, any and all acts of friendliness must be pushed down or punished. No one knows exactly how much anger and criticism the internet can heap on someone in 24 hours, but Oswalt got enough to motivate him to post an apology photo the very day after his initial photo. In it, Oswalt attempts to affirm his support for the LGBTQ community while simultaneously justifying his friendship with Chappelle. At one point Oswalt explains: “For all the things he’s helped ME evolve on, I’ll always disagree with where he stands NOW on transgender issues… You know someone that long, see the struggles and changes, it’s impossible to cut them off.” Oswalt’s attempted apology tried to strike a balance between everyone's feelings, with the hope of making everyone happy. But that’s an impossible task. However, the thing that bothers me the most is that the very need for such an
apology, to begin with, makes it seem as if Dave Chappelle and his jokes are on a similar level of evil as a white supremacist or a Nazi. Though I certainly agree that there is some veracity in criticizing the jokes he made and the potential negative impacts that they may have, it seems absurd to now browbeat all of Dave Chappelle's friends for their friendship. If anything, that may just make him more obstinant in his beliefs. Of note is the fact that Oswalt himself mentions this as a potential possibility in his post, saying: “Sometimes I wonder—did I and others cutting them off make them dig their heels in deeper, fuel their ignorance with a nitroboost of resentment and spite?” The sad thing is that for some people this and every other attack however roundabout on Dave Chappelle will never be enough. For them, even an attempt at an apology that is not a vocal and permanent denunciation of the offender's friend is to be seen as a tacit endorsement of their bad ideas. Maybe it is too much to ask for people to have some nuance and resist the
urge for permanent cancellation. But that could ultimately be our undoing. No one will want to change or evolve themselves and their views if every previous transgression is held against you and your friends; and for those who disagree with the public shaming and constant call-outs, there will be no point in trying to reach out and change someone's mind. After all, by talking to them in even a marginally charitable way, you will be tossed aside as part of the problem. It’s a shame that Patton Oswalt was targeted and forced into apologetic admission for relishing time with his friend of over three decades. We should seriously question the cultural power of the unnamed masses who can force someone to turn their back on a friend they have known personally for so long. I would wager that most of the people who attacked Oswalt are known to him only as icons and usernames, not flesh and blood like Chappelle. Hopefully, this series of events won’t cause others to end their friendship, but then again, maybe that’s the goal.
Oswalt’s attempted apology tried to strike a balance between everyone's feelings, with the hope of making everyone happy. But that’s an impossible task.
Comic by CJ Sommerfeld
Comic
Gusano: Maskne
Photo by Nhi 'Jenny' Vo
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