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STAFF LIST Eric Wilkins Editor-in-Chief editor@theotherpress.ca Lauren Kelly Assistant Editor assistant@theotherpress.ca Angela Ho Business Manager Jacey Gibb Distribution Manager Cara Seccafien Layout Manager Joel McCarthy Graphics Manager Elizabeth Jacob Production Assistant Ed Appleby Illustrator Jony Roy Social Media Coordinator Mercedes Deutscher News Editor news@theotherpress.ca Now Hiring! Arts Editor arts@theotherpress.ca Chitwan Khosla Features Editor features@theotherpress.ca Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Elliot Chan Opinions Editor opinions@theotherpress.ca Chandler Walter Humour Editor humour@theotherpress.ca Staff Reporter Aaron Guillen Sports Reporter Davie Wong
Feminism passing on
I
t has been a tough start to the year for the world’s heartstrings. Seemingly a litany of beloved figures have shuffled off of this mortal coil. David Bowie, Glenn Frey, and Alan Rickman, to name but a few. And each has received a touching outpouring of tributes and fond remembrances. However, just as Rickman’s often villainous characters caused a stir on the screen, his death has kicked up a bit of trouble as well. Emma Watson, who worked with Rickman throughout the Harry Potter movies, has recently come under fire for her supposed self-serving tribute to the man who played Severus Snape. Watson, a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador who helped with the UN Women campaign HeForShe, posted a photo of Rickman on her Twitter account with the quote, “There is nothing wrong with a man being a feminist, I think it is to our mutual advantage.” Rickman was a noted feminist, and the quote—taken directly from an interview—was
word-for-word from the man himself. But in spite of everything, many railed on the talented actress for her tweet. @ TheWiseLad: “So the feminist Emma Watson used the death of Alan Rickman’s (sic) to push her agenda. Pathetic. Disgusting. Another reason why I’m a meninist...” @Dekashoko: “@EmWatson oh wow, you’re using someone’s death to push a completely unrelated agenda. this is so, so gross.” It’s rather astounding. Not only are the two tweets incredibly off-base but they serve somewhat to spit on the grave of Rickman. When someone important to us dies we usually look to honour them in some way. It can be a quote, a picture, a poem, something. We generally relate our remembrance to how we best connected with a person— what they said or did that truly resonated. What mattered. Though ignorant of whatever the two spoke of away from the
cameras, I don’t think it would be too much of a stretch to assume that their shared interest in feminism often led to thoughtful discussion. And that’s what Watson is being criticized for? For tweeting a quote from Rickman about a cause both have interest in? Continuing in that line of thinking, the twit who said she was “using someone’s death to push a completely unrelated agenda…” clearly hasn’t done her research. Though a later tweet, “gonna take a shot every time someone thinks I’m unaware of alan rickman’s quote on feminism. I’ll be dead in an hour,” seems to indicate her knowledge of Rickman’s quote— which shows that she isn’t uninformed, merely incapable of understanding the English language, and that “unrelated agenda” actually means the opposite of what she thinks. In any case, trivializing someone’s death for attention on social media is pretty low. A thought in closing here:
even if Watson were completely self-centred in her tweet, would that be so bad? Granted we don’t know what happens when we die, but death in this world is hardest not on the one who has died, but on the loved ones who survive. Mourning can be, and often is when you think about it, not a selfish but a very personal act. We don’t mourn to make anyone else feel better—we mourn because that’s what we feel like. We mourn for ourselves. So even if promoting feminism, not honouring Rickman, was Watson’s main goal, what’s the issue? And just for good measure, Watson’s Facebook post: “I’m very sad to hear about Alan today. I feel so lucky to have worked and spent time with such a special man and actor. I’ll really miss our conversations. RIP Alan. We love you.”
Get to know us!
Staff Writers Adam Tatelman Cazzy Lewchuk
The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we
Senior Columnists Lauren Paulsen David Manky
The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly
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. during the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tutition 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.
Columnists Duncan Fingarson Josh Visser
The Other Press reserves the right to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish
Contributors Ayanda K. Gatsha
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
Contact: Mercedes Deutscher, News Editor news@theotherpress.ca
This issue: OO New Westminster Front Street closure OO Evergreen Line extremely close to completion OO Good things come in trees And more!
What will Douglas DO? Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter
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ast Friday, students and faculty met in an open format to discuss their likes and dislikes for the college in an effort to gain some knowledge on the aspects that were working and those that were not. Douglas College officials knew that only a certain group of people held the answer—the students. The Strategic Plan Town Hall consisted of two simple questions. First of all, “What is Douglas College doing well for new students?” and secondly, “What could the College improve upon? What initiatives can you suggest for improvement?” After an amount of time for discussion among groups, students were asked to speak freely about their praises and concerns. When it came to praises, many people spoke up,
commenting the success of The E.D.G.E., Douglas’ three-day orientation every fall, saying that it helped them find a sense of belonging in the school, and become aware of the many services available at the campus. Additionally, students were content with the Registrar’s Office’s efficiency, the Douglas College app, the many free events held by the DSU, the class sizes, and the overall sense of community at the college. When it came to improvements that students desired, a sea of hands appeared, eager to have their voices heard. Many students recognized the need for teacher evaluation earlier in the semester, since the current forms are only completed during the final class. Many of the athletes spoke up, admitting that the focus on sports had been lacking, especially with home game crowd turnouts.
Two students brought up some suggestions for academic advising: firstly, the fact that it should have more flexible hours for high school students seeking assistance, and secondly, that awareness among students of such advising needed to be raised. The topic of awareness opened up many avenues upon which students alike agreed— although the college has more than enough reminders for events, there isn’t a system of organization. Should a club, event, or meeting be promoted on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, the likelihood of attracting significant attention is slim to none. A suggestion was made by a student that a section of the Douglas website be dedicated to a year-round calendar, outlining every activity, club meeting, or social event taking place at both campuses.
Image via thinkstock
Students asked for input on college’s future direction
“We will see what we get today with the feedback we have. We’re early in the process with talking to the college officials,” commented Manuela Constantino, Associate Dean of Language, Literature & Performing Arts.
“I can’t give you a specific answer [for time of completion], but these focus groups are a part of our strategic plan from 2015 to 2020, so within the next five years. With most of them, we can act on very quickly, so what we can do, we will do.”
Get to know: Representative Committee of the Douglas Students’ Union Mercedes Deutscher News Editor news@theotherpress.ca
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reg Teuling and Pardeep Jaswal, both members at large, are 2 of 12 students who represent Douglas students as a whole. The Representative Committee of the Douglas Students’ Union provides input and oversight of the DSU’s operations. They ask students for their input on college events, such as DSU food events, and focus on student life. They focus on providing a wide variety of inclusive and diverse clubs, and celebrating what makes Douglas students unique. The committee itself is made up of a College Relations Coordinator (Ruab Waraich), a David Lam Campus Coordinator (Pawan Johal), an External Relations Coordinator (Chris Budzynski), an Internal Relations Coordinator (Derek Goundar), a Treasurer (Karan Bains), three
Members at Large (Pardeep Jaswal, Greg Teuling, and Makailey Preston), an Aboriginal Liaison (Garaline Tom), a Disabled Students’ Liaison (Jerzy Mazurek), a Pride Liaison (Marni McMillan), and a Women’s Liaison (Raquel Amado). Jaswal explained that the committee acts responsible as a voice for the students, and emphasized that the committee’s first responsibility is to act in the best interest of the student body. Teuling described the overarching goals of the committee, which are “to provide Douglas college students with advocacy on the local, provincial, and federal levels.” The committee works to represent the concerns of Douglas not only within the college, but externally as well. They ensure that Douglas College is represented within the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)—in fact, members of the committee attended the CFS Annual General Meeting
in Ottawa this year to ensure the issues of Douglas student were heard on a national level. Students have an opportunity to elect a new committee once per year in April. Both Teuling and Jaswal described the election as hard work, where candidates campaigned on different slates (platforms of student issues) to appeal to the general Douglas student population. Teuling explained that, despite being entrusted by voting students to run DSU operations, students still need to be involved between elections. According to him, the lack of student involvement last fall nearly resulted in Douglas students losing their U-Pass. “A minority of students almost voted to get rid of the U-Pass for all Douglas students based on low turnout and a confusing referenda question. Students need to be active on campus and be aware of the issues that affect them.”
Photo by Joel McCarthy
Accomplishments from the 2015–16 term
theotherpress.ca
news // no. 4
New Westminster Front Street closure
Bad conditions met with demolition decision
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or pedestrians, walking along New Westminster’s Front Street can be hectic. With large commercial vehicles heading in both directions under an elevated parking lot, there isn’t much room for safety. To this end, the City of New Westminster is going forward with tearing down the west end of the lot along the busy road. This controversial decision has been in the works for almost three years, as the notion of taking down a section of the parkade brought angry residents to city hall. The generally empty lot, even during peak times, has been called an eye-sore by many. Yet others appreciate its priceless waterfront views. Mayor Jonathan Cote said to the New Westminster Record that he respects people’s opinions, but he’s always viewed the parkade as a barrier that separates the downtown from
the waterfront. “There is no doubt that moving forward with the partial deconstruction of the parkade is going to cost public money to move forward with that, but I think the reality is the lifecycle cost of maintaining the parkade is going to be greater.” With the go-ahead on construction, which will take place between February and July, many problems are expected to arise. First and foremost is traffic. “There may be disruption to normal traffic volume while Front Street is closed, but we are asking for everyone’s patience while the construction is underway,” stated Media Relations Officer Acting Sergeant Jeff Scott on the NWPD website. From 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., eastbound truck traffic will be allowed on Royal Avenue and westbound traffic open on Columbia Street. In the night, 10th Avenue will permit trucks
to head in both directions. Additional concerns are noise pollution and decreased foot traffic for Front Street business owners. Luckily, “there will still be access down to the local road, and definitely pedestrian access so people will be able to access the businesses there,” Cote told the Record. “The city has been working on putting up signage on Columbia Street letting people know. We are doing everything we can to make sure the public is aware that Front Street is still going to be open for business as a commercial street.” Within the next five months, expect big changes to take place to one of New West’s busiest streets. The city plans to redesign the available space into a “mews” that includes vibrant businesses, wider sidewalks, street furniture, lighting, trees, and angled parking, thus opening the downtown core to the waterfront.
Image via www.visionnetbc.com
Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter
Evergreen Line extremely close to completion Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer
T
he Evergreen Line, TransLink’s latest addition to SkyTrain service stations, is speeding up on completion. The track branches off the current ones, extending into Coquitlam with six new stops spread over 10.9 km, according to CBC. The line originates at VCC-Clark and turns off the Millennium Line track at Lougheed Town Centre, ending at LaFarge Lake/Douglas. This stop will primarily be of service to David Lam students and faculty, as well as patrons of Coquitlam Town Centre. While touring the line with media, project director Amanda Farrell reported to News 1130 that the line was 80 per cent complete overall, with each specific station between 90 and 99 per cent complete. Plazas, parking spaces, and hubs are expected to be constructed around the areas after the specific stations are complete. In a modernized update, the stations will be primarily enclosed in glass. Passengers waiting or travelling on trains will be able to see parking lots, the city, and mountains, whether standing on a platform or using escalators and elevators. The stations also feature lots of wood-
based construction, adding an “earthy” feel to the stations. In addition to being an aesthetic feature, the design emphasizes safety and visibility. “It’s a design concept to support crime prevention so that goes to the glass, it goes to the line of sight, it goes to the wide spaces so that people feel safe and that they’re easy to see,” Farrell further explained to News 1130. Escalators going both up and down will be featured at every single station. This is the first time TransLink has installed these as a priority at each station. Currently, few stations feature both directions—yet TransLink has indicated all future projects will feature both. This is a move to increase accessibility for passengers, particularly the growing senior population. While six stations have been built to facilitate the line, two more have been allocated in designs if ridership warrants such construction: Queens Street in Port Moody, and Falcon Drive in Coquitlam. Originally, the Evergreen Line was scheduled to be operational for this spring. However, its current projections estimate an opening for early 2017. This delay was announced by the BC Government on
Image via wikimedia
SkyTrain stations modern, safe, and accessible
November 27. It is the second delay for the project, first announced on February 27 to be delayed to fall 2016. TransLink has pointed to tunnel burrowing issues for the main cause in delay. Construction of underground tunnels is expected to continue until summer 2016. The project is operating on a fixed cost of $1.43 billion, and these
delays will not cost taxpayers anything, as any overflow in costs will instead be paid by the contractor, SNC Lavalin. In addition to new station construction, Lougheed Town Centre and CommercialBroadway are both receiving major upgrades to facilitate the increased ridership. Lougheed in particular will be receiving a third platform,
allowing it to operate as a terminus and cross-line service between the Evergreen and Millennium Lines. Expected ridership figures are 50,000 people a day in 2017, increasing to 70,000 by 2021. After completion, the entire SkyTrain track will be almost 80 km long, making it the longest fully automated rapid transit system in the world.
news // no. 5
issue 17 // volume 42
Good things come in trees New Westminster protecting urban forest with new bylaws
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hose who have been living in New Westminster for the past two decades, might have noticed the amount of greenery in the city has slowly declined. This is because there has been an estimated 1.5 per cent yearly decrease in the botany since 1994. As the discussions of climate change reach an all-time high around the world, the City of New Westminster is taking action to prevent further loss of their urban forest. The urban forest includes all private trees, public trees, and supporting greenery in the area. From the hordes of trees that can be seen while looking out the SkyTrain windows, to the row of trees along the sidewalk heading to Douglas College, all shrubs and the like make up the 18 per cent urban forest that currently covers New Westminster. Although it has the same percentage as neighbouring
cities such as Vancouver and Victoria, it pales in comparison to the North American average of 27 per cent. Understandably, most cities with a higher density population will have lower numbers, but that doesn’t mean that the city has to give up on its dream. Last year, the New York City accomplished their goal of planting one million trees in 10 years, which was planned in 2007, just under 2 years ahead of schedule. With the Urban Forest Management Strategy voted in only a couple weeks ago, City Hall has their minds set on “an additional 8,500 trees on public lands and 3,300 on private lands by 2035”—10,000 of which will be planted within the next 10 years. Additionally, the new bylaw protects Crown trees and sets up a system for private property owners who want to remove their trees, who will now require a permit from city hall. Overall, the new strategy intends to keep New Westminster sustainably
healthy, happy, and beautiful through its “protect, enhance, and engage” initiative. The residents of New West are encouraged to protect the trees on their property in solidarity to help sustain and improve the urban forest. The city recommends residents to go out of their way during the hotter months by watering the neighbourhood trees and complying with open fire bans. “We recognized that trees are often managed at the periphery of city policy. We see trees every day. They define our experience in the city, but we rarely treat them as an aggregate, as an asset for the city,” said Edward Porter of Diamond Head Consulting to the New Westminster Record. “One of the opportunities with the city’s urban forest management study is to look beyond trees in the city and start to look at a forest for the city.”
Image via horticulturaldna.com
Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter
Hearings in municipalities as Kinder Morgan looks to twin pipeline Mercedes Deutscher News Editor news@theotherpress.ca
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everal concerns regarding the Trans Mountain pipeline, a product of Kinder Morgan, were brought to the public’s attention this week, with issues being voiced by the City of New Westminster, the Musqueam First Nations, and environmentalists— particularly involving the twinning of the pipeline. By twinning the pipeline, Kinder Morgan proposes to nearly triple oil transport. According to the New Westminster Record, twinning the pipeline will allow transport of up to 890,000 barrels of oil per day, as opposed to 300,000 daily with a single pipeline. The pipeline will span from Edmonton, and move southwards in BC through Kamloops and Burnaby before reaching a terminus at Port Metro Vancouver. The National Energy Board (NEB) started their hearings of local concerns regarding the pipeline in Burnaby on January 19, and will continue the hearings until January 29.
After that, the hearings will move to Calgary for a four-day session. Hearings and reviews are expected to continue taking place until May. “You have heard, through the submissions and argument of Trans Mountain, a story—a story applauding the expertise of the board’s advisers, a story full of self-serving statements expressing how fair this process has been,” Anthony Capuccinello, a representative for the City of Surrey, said to CTV. Yet Capuccinello doubts that the NEB will place too much weight on oppositional concern in their review. The City of New Westminster is concerned that the pipelines will harm the environment, in particular about the restoration of Brunette River potentially being reversed. The City also announced that effects on local botany, the response time first responders regarding pipeline incidents, property values, and public safety are also on top of the list of concerns. Local indigenous populations have expressed concern that the pipelines may damage rivers and significantly affect the ability to fish.
Image via thinkstock
Opposition looks to federal government for answers
Meanwhile, Audrey Siegl of the Musqueam First Nation has called to Prime Minister Trudeau for action. “Stand with us if you’re going to stand with us. We need more than just words.” During the federal election, Trudeau promised a new and transparent review process regarding the approval of oil
pipelines. Since the Liberal government was elected, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said that a new review process was being worked on, but that ongoing projects would not be asked to start again and that projects under review would be allowed a transition period, according to CTV. Although resources
usually fall under provincial control, the ultimate decision regarding the Trans Mountain Pipeline will fall to the federal government, because of the pipeline expanding through two provinces. Once the NEB finishes their review in May, the cabinet will have three months to make a final decision on the pipeline.
Have an idea for a story? Let us know!
Arts
Contact: Cheryl Minns, Art Editor arts@theotherpress.ca
This issue: OO The game is afoot at Douglas College OO Chairman of the Board: Save the cat! OO Level up! And more!
Tragic misconceptions of actors and their practices Unravelling the myths of method acting and more
Staff Writer
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istorically, it has been quite popular to depict actors as out-of-touch, borderlinepsychotic emotional wrecks. Perhaps this is because most people who aren’t in the film and theatre communities don’t actually know any actors on a personal basis. Or perhaps it sprouted from the “tortured artist” idea that’s existed for centuries in the public consciousness. Whatever the reason, there are a good deal of stereotypes that refuse to die. Being an actor, director, and script writer myself, I’ve worked with a lot of theatrical people and I’ve mostly found these assumptions to be untrue. People are often confounded when observing actors’ esotericsounding vocal exercises. We as actors must be able to project our voices on stage without sounding like we’re yelling, as well as clearly enunciate each word we speak without sounding like robots. To do this, we have to stretch the muscles of our mouth, tongue, throat, and diaphragm by physically
not. Acting is our job, and we don’t need to carry some playwright’s emotional baggage when we punch out for the day. The entire concept of “method acting” is dangerous— not to mention the result of a translation error. Russian actor Konstantin Stanislavsky created “The System” as a study of biomechanics. When his work was mistranslated into English, it became known as “the method.” Since then, it has deteriorated into a justification for famous actors to grandstand their dedication to their art in increasingly dangerous and irresponsible ways. Nicholas Cage says he went on a monthlong bender to learn how to play a drunk in Leaving Las Vegas. I say he wanted an excuse to drink a lot of beer. Everything we actors do that people find so impressive is the result of simple training. Really, anyone can learn to be an actor, provided they don’t approach it with some mythological idea in mind. We just like to entertain people. That takes a lot of practice, and a lot of guts. We can’t afford to be delicate, because we make our living in the public eye.
Image via thinkstock
Adam Tatelman
stimulating them or making different sounds. This allows us to train for vocal precision. It is really no different than the way an athlete warms up in order to compete effectively. We merely employ different muscles. Many assume that actors are naturally unstable, since they can access their emotions for their scenes. The truth is we do not project our latent emotions on the characters we play. If we did, we’d just be exploiting our own personal issues. Nobody wants to watch onstage therapy. Instead we undergo intensive character study, creating a physical presence different from our own. The resulting actions inspire our emotions to respond in a more spontaneous way. “Play the action and the emotion will follow,” my teachers told me. Everything else is faking it. Another popular image is that of the intense, brooding actor who becomes the character they play in their everyday life. This is the invention of hacks and attention seekers. We actors are quite able to separate our stage performances from our real life. When you go home after a shift at the bar, do you find yourself taking patrons’ orders in your sleep? Of course
An artistic look at mental health and online anonymity Cheryl Minns Arts Editor arts@theotherpress.ca
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alse Pretenses, a new exhibit from Pierre Leichner and Bill Edmonds at the Amelia Douglas Gallery, showcases the power of people, places, and paper with works made from medical books and rag paper depicting nature scenes and personal portraits. Leichner’s works mostly consist of large, altered books hollowed out in shapes such as smoking pipes, people, and canyons, or carved out and filled with objects such as pilllike candies, roses, and soap. According to his artist statement in the gallery’s catalogue, his journey into this art form
began many years ago when he worked as a psychiatrist and referred to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). He wanted the artwork, which includes several altered copies of the DSM and other pharmacological texts, to question issues with the current mental health practices. The excavation-like scenes carved into the altered books, such as the “Compendiums of Pharmaceutical Specialties” pieces, are designed to question issues in the mining industry, according to Leichner’s artist statement. The “DSM and CPS excavation series” is a collection of digital prints that he made to document the excavation process. Leichner wrote that the paper he removes from the carved books
is then used in his paper cast sculptures, such as the delicate angels in “DSM and CPS Angels” and the intricate mirror frames in “DSM and CPS mirrors.” Edmonds’ portraits, which are printed on rag paper as well as painted on Plexiglas, are based on photos he received from online users he had met in Internet chat rooms, according to his artist statement. His works question the anonymity of the Internet and the release of personal information, whether genuine or artificial. He suspects that some of the photos sent to him were from people who were pretending to be someone else on social media. Along with the portraits, Edmonds created a mixed media piece called “Random Stranger,”
Random Stranger by Bill Edmonds str.com
‘False Pretenses’ exhibit at the Amelia Douglas Gallery
which consists of a human-sized, paper-like statue dressed in casual clothing that is sitting at a personal computer in the gallery. Leichner and Edmonds will close the exhibit’s run with an
artists’ talk at 10 a.m. on February 26 in the Amelia Douglas Gallery, which is located on the fourth floor of the Douglas College New Westminster Campus.
arts // no. 7
Still from Spotlight (2015)
issue 17 // volume 42
The heartbreaking ‘Boston Globe’ investigative story ‘Spotlight’ movie review Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter
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potlight, the Oscar-nominated dramatic film based on a true story, pays tribute to the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team who uncovered a secret within the Catholic Church in 2001–02. In a turn of events, these seemingly lacklustre journalists become fierce, answer-seeking reporters, vying to produce their best article cohesively. The ensemble cast features Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, and Stanley Tucci—all of whom play off each other’s characters
flawlessly. The film begins with a simple point-of-view shot as an officer makes his way down the hallways of a police department. The first minute or so goes on to pull the moviegoers right into the unfolding scenario by revealing information piece by piece. The short scene comes to a close as the title, Spotlight, fades on and off the screen. The opening sequence sets a precedent, as the director, Tom McCarthy, chooses to let the story tell itself. As I watched the film, I tried to pay attention to the smaller details. While most people tend to ignore varying frames and shots, others can catch onto the style of a director. Throughout
the film, the use of colour plays a pivotal role. For the most part, the actors are colour-coordinated, varying from light blues to dark browns to beige-whites, according to whatever scene is taking place. In many situations, one- or two-tone outfits are worn, representing the working class aspect of these seemingly simple characters. Reporter Michael Rezendes (Ruffalo) starts the movie wearing lighter tones, but as the movie progresses, his clothing options darken as he becomes enveloped in the bigger picture among the Catholic community in Boston. Such attention to detail elevates the quality of Spotlight to a film that deserves the acclaim it is
receiving around the Western world. The degree of difficulty these journalists have to go through to uncover a story will inspire fellow journalists hoping to one day break a story so big. The grunt work is portrayed and edited to a tee, with interviews from assaulter to assaulted transitioning smoothly. Additionally, frames throughout the film accentuate the dramatic aspect in the scene. When the team hears news of the unfolding case, the camera zooms out, revealing the clutter that fills their office, subliminally representing the clutter that these journalists will have to wade through to find the truth.
Near the end of the film, the pace is slowed dramatically— almost to a standstill—as the Spotlight team waits for the perfect time to release their story. The conversation is quite dull, but eventually the conclusion arrives and the moviegoer is once again interested as the epilogue begins. Overall, Spotlight leaves the moviegoer with an overwhelming craving for social justice. The appeal of investigative journalism in our world is made relevant with excellent execution portrayed in this film. In a compelling manoeuvre, the Spotlight team captures its audience and doesn’t let go until the very end.
A promising start for new period drama Lauren Paulsen Senior Columnist
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ercy Street is a period drama that takes place in 1862 during the American Civil War. It is heavily steeped in the politics concerning the war, but also examines strong moral issues, such as race and slavery. This show is actually based on true events that happened in the once-hotel Mansion House Hospital in Union-occupied Alexandria, Virginia. The drama focuses on a distinct set of characters and how chaotic life was there in the early years of the Civil War. Two of the main characters are a couple of volunteer nurses who are
on opposite sides of the war. New England abolitionist Mary Phinney (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has a very strong opinion concerning slavery and has a hard time sympathizing with the wounded Confederate soldiers who come into the hospital, seeing the war as black and white. On the other side is Confederate sympathizer Emma Green (Hannah James), the daughter of the wealthy owner of the hotel being used as a hospital. She originally comes to the hospital looking for her beau, but once she looks after some Confederate soldiers that were being neglected, she comes to realize she would like to help. Mercy Street is beautifully crafted. The period detail is wonderful. The characters are
Screenshot from Mercy Street
‘Mercy Street’ pilot review
very well developed and the actors play them very well. The moral issues surrounding the war are looked at closely, with a diversity of strong character
opinions. Human nature is truly explored amid this crisis, both the good and the bad. This period drama is exquisite and I can see fans of
Downton Abbey and similar shows really enjoying this series. Definitely a well-done show that I will continue to follow.
theotherpress.ca
arts // no. 8
The game is afoot at Douglas College Alumni and students present Sherlock Holmes comedy Cheryl Minns Arts Editor arts@theotherpress.ca
etective Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson might not seem like the typical comedy duo, but in Adam Tatelman’s Sherlock Holmes and the Redheaded League, the team is laugh-out-loud funny. The play is being held in Douglas College’s Studio Theatre from January 26–28 and features students and graduates of the college’s theatre program. Sherlock Holmes and the Redheaded League is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story published in 1891. The play follows Hamish Wilson (Keenan Bender Johnston), a redheaded London pawnbroker who is hired by Duncan Ross (alumnus Levi Williams) to copy the encyclopedia by hand at the Redheaded League for £4 a week. He later discovers the league has dissolved and turns to Holmes (alumnus Tatelman) and Watson (alumnus Beau Picard) to solve the mystery of the league. After the detective duo visits Wilson’s assistant, Vincent Spaulding (student Noah Oryema), they call in Inspector Lestrade (student Christian Krushel) to catch the culprits and reveal the Redheaded League’s true purpose. The actors perform the play in traditional British accents, although the story’s original dialogue is modernized with contemporary language and
features improvisation and audience participation. Since some moments are improvised, it’s worth seeing the play more than once to see the different jokes in each production. For those interested in participating in the play, one audience member per show is invited to come onstage and apply for membership to the Redheaded League during a scene. Sherlock Holmes and the Redheaded League makes good use of the limited space in the Studio Theatre, using the room’s two doors as part of the show and performing certain scenes around the multiple rows of audience seating. Those seated in the front row will almost feel like they are part of the final showdown with cap guns going off and a staged brawl happening only a few feet from their seats.
The sets are minimalistic with a few choice furniture pieces, which allows the actors to easily move from one scene to the next with all sets present on the stage. The play begins in Holmes’ residence—a table and chairs located centre upstage— where Wilson describes his first encounter with the Redheaded League, a scene which then takes place at Ross’s office desk located on the right side of the stage. For the play’s climax, the actors redress the stage by placing three large boxes at the front for Holmes, Watson, and Lestrade to hide behind, then turning off the Studio Theatre’s lights so the three men’s flashlights are the only light source. Using the flashlights to light the stage cleverly draws audience members into the scene, making
Photo by Cheryl Minns; Play poster by Ed Appleby
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them feel like they are actually a part of the crime scene that is about to take place. Sherlock Holmes and the Redheaded League will be performed at 8 p.m. on January 26–28 in the Douglas College
Studio Theatre on the fourth floor of the New Westminster campus. The show is open to all ages, including students and members of the community. Admission is by donation.
Chairman of the Board: Save the cat! Ed Appleby Illustrator
C
ooperative board games require many players working together against the game. Be it saving the world from infectious outbreak, monsters from beyond, or mysteries unimaginable, each player has their strengths and the whole team works towards the goal through careful planning and strategy. These games usually encompass a grand quest where decisions work in the range of hours or days rather than seconds. Flashpoint is a cooperative board game for 1–6 players designed by Kevin Lanzing and published by Indie Boards & Cards in 2011. In the game, players control firefighters of various specialties trying to save people and pets from
a burning building before it collapses. Players must do what they can with their limited actions to control the fire, remove hazardous materials, and explore points of interest. The gameplay comes down to coordinating all of the players to fight a fire that is completely random and can get out of hand very fast. The gameplay is fast, working in a much tighter area with simpler actions than other cooperative games like Pandemic, and the fire’s randomness and intensity means you can’t plan too far in advance. I would recommend this game to everyone, from solo enthusiasts to families. The fast turns and cooperative gameplay make this a great game to play among friends, and the fast pace and very human life-or-death nature of the gameplay makes wins exhilarating and losses crushing.
Illustration by Ed Appleby
‘Flashpoint’ board game review
arts // no. 9
issue 17 // volume 42
Miracle of Sound’s ‘Level 6’ album review
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he most consistently amazing thing about Miracle of Sound is that, barring a few collaborations, everything is the work of one guy. Gavin Dunne, a relatively unknown independent musician from Ireland, does all the vocals, all the guitar, and with the help of virtual instrument software and a keyboard, all the other instruments too. It’s for a niche audience—most of the music is based off video games—but it’s still really good and incredibly varied. His new album, Level 6, was released last month and continues the trend. Everything in the album’s 15 genre-spanning tracks is different, and it’s all so good. “Don’t Say a Word” is the first track, a synth-rock piece with echoing vocals and a nice, slow, background drumbeat. It’s a strong start, and it’s not even the best song on the album. Track two, “London Town,” opens with piano and flows into guitar. There’s some great soft sections with more piano and subtle acoustic guitar, contrasted with sections of higher energy drums and electric guitar, perfect for a song about the industrial revolution. Then there’s track three, “Lady of Worlds,” which is a duet and probably the best song on the album. The background music has a very folk sort of feel to it, with a lot of traditional-sounding strings and drums. The female vocals, performed by Gav’s friend Ailin Kennedy, are wonderful— powerful, with a touch of elegance to the delivery—while Gav’s own vocals are subdued— more spoken than sung in some places and not too overpowering. Listen to this one, if nothing else. “Road Rage” is the first non-video game-inspired track, one of five on the album. This
one pays tribute to Mad Max, opening like a dust cloud on the horizon and building slowly, the drums and guitar hitting a crescendo into full-blown, fastpaced industrial metal. You can almost hear the roaring engines in the background. This is a close second for best song. After “Road Rage,” it’s nice to have a softer song to bring things back down. “Stay by My Side” features much quieter vocals and some truly beautiful instrumental composition. This is a very feel-good sort of song, full of wonder and peace. It’s followed by “Going Nuclear,” a fun, bouncy little tune that sounds like it could have come right out of the ’50s. It’s the shortest track on the album, and a lot of effort has gone into making it sound authentically old. From the vinyl record scratch at the opening to the sparse instrumentals, it’s hard to believe this one was recorded on modern equipment. Anyone who loves classic jukebox numbers will love this. From the ’50s, it’s onto the ’70s with “Friends,” inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy. There’s a lot of funk and disco in here, and the lyrics touch unsurprisingly on friendship and having a few good buddies to fall back on when the going gets rough. The next song is also about a comic character, but this time it’s one of DC’s: Batman! “I Am the Night” isn’t the first Batman song Gav has done, and musically it’s pretty close to the last ones. It’s dark, it’s gothic, it’s brooding. It’s Batman. What more could you ask for? “Evacuate” is somewhat unique, one of two that wasn’t inspired by a particular other work. The second is track 13, “Metasonic,” which is instrumental. “Evacuate” has lyrics, dealing with loss, learning to move on, and
staying positive during hard times. It’s a surprisingly fun track for its subject matter. “My Shooting Star” is for fans of Firefly, Joss Whedon’s space western, and it really nails the western vibe. This one sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place around a campfire in the middle of the desert. “Paleblood Moon” somehow manages to out-gothic the Batman track. It opens with distant bells and chanting choirs, and is backed by a dark, dense, brooding orchestral score. I think I heard a wolf howl in there, too. Words can’t really do it justice—this is a complex piece and it works really well. “Friends to Foes” is the Halo track, a straightforward rock song with just enough piano and string music to place it alongside the Halo original soundtracks. It’s big, it’s bombastic, and it’s a lot of fun, but there’s some notes of loss to go along with it. It gets melancholic at times, but never for too long. The album’s original tracks finish up with “I am Pudge,” a funny song with groaning vocals and big bumbling tubas. Just try not to picture a fat butcher tromping about during this one—it can’t be done. The last song on the album is a remastering of an older track. “Hard Cash 2015” would be my favourite, but I’m discounting it because it’s not new for this album. It’s still great, with updated heavier basslines and less airy vocals, but it keeps its roots. This song is ’80s, Miami Beach and desperation, synth and Ray-Bans. Easily the best of the three Grand Theft Auto V songs Gav did, this one surprised me when I first heard it and grew on me since then. I still love it today. Bottom line: this is a fantastic album by a great artist. Listen to it if you haven’t, buy it if you love it, and rock on.
Album cover
Duncan Fingarson Columnist
Comic Corner: No more happily ever after ‘Fables: The Wolf Among Us Vol. 1’ review Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca
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spin-off of the popular Fables series and based on the award-winning game of the same name, The Wolf Among Us has a lot to live up to. Thankfully, it seems that Matthew Sturges and Dave Justus have been able to succeed and improve upon at least some of their source material. Though not as epic as Fables, The Wolf Among Us is a great introduction to the universe originally created by Bill Willingham, and narratively it exceeds that which was presented in the game. For those of you who have read either the Fables series or the Fairest series, this narrative acts as a prequel. Bigby Wolf is the sheriff of Fabletown, a neighbourhood in New York City that merges fairy-tale and reality by having storybook characters live in an urban setting. But a chance encounter with a former
princess/current prostitute has him questioning everyone’s Happily Ever After—and when her decapitated head turns up, it opens the floodgates for some serious intrigue. If you assumed that this would be just a basic retelling of the Telltale game, you’d be wrong. Written by Sturges and Justus, this comic goes a long way into filling in the gaps left by the game. Don’t get me wrong, the game did an amazing job, but its medium just did not allow for this level of detail. Personally, I feel that the comic book was a lot more successful in creating suspense, but it lacked the character development presented in the game, especially with the sidecharacters. The Wolf Among Us is illustrated by Shawn McManus, who previously worked on Fairest, and the art is mostly good. There are some awkward anatomy issues, especially with Bigby, but they are infrequent. Overall, I like the series and would recommend it. Though, if you plan to play the game, do that first so the ending isn’t spoiled.
Image via www.toonzone.net
Level up!
This issue:
Have an idea for a story? Let us know!
OO Royals sidestep Chargers
Contact: Eric Wilkins, Editor-in-Chief editor@theotherpress.ca
Sports
OO Douglas weekly preview OO To the top they go And more!
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Image by Davie Wong
INSTITUTION
Score, then be scored upon
Men’s basketball has a great weekend despite picking up a loss Davie Wong Sports Reporter
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he saying goes, “The best defence is a good offence.” The men’s basketball team must have read that passage several hundred times on the ferry to visit Camosun. Or at least that’s what it looked like on Friday when both teams kicked off the weekend. After a hectic first quarter, the Royals shot their way to a commanding lead in the second, managing to score a massive 32 points, and ending the half with 59 points. After that, it was all a breeze as the Royals’ shooters managed to tear apart the Camosun defence and humiliate them in their own court. Several Douglas players had an exceptional game, with Ethan McKean topping that list,
scoring 22 points and going 6 for 10 shooting threes. Dustin Popoff and Grant Campbell also had great games, scoring 15 and 16 points respectively. All in all, the Royals players combined for a season high of 101 points. They looked to carry that momentum onwards with them as they traveled north to play the undefeated terrors of the league, the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners. The game opened up much closer than anyone could expect. It seemed that the Royals did their homework and had the Mariners figured out, but not beaten. Both teams walked out of the first half drained, with the Royals leading by one point. Unfortunately, the good ends there. VIU came out of their locker room a different team with a fresh strategy, and the Royals
could not figure them out. Much like the first time these teams played, the Mariners jumped into an early lead in the third and absolutely crushed the Royals in the fourth. However, it was not as bad as the score would say it was. Douglas got some very solid performances from their starters once again. Campbell, Popoff, and McKean all scored in the double digits in both games for the Royals. Overall, it was a decent week for the team. They won by a large margin when they were expected to, and they lost in a much closer game than was originally anticipated. The split week helps them maintain their position in the standings. They hold the sixth place spot with only two points separating them from fifth, and a whole lot of room below them.
Players of the Week
Thompson and Beauchamp lead teams to victory Davie Wong Sports Reporter
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eorge Thompson played an essential role both games this weekend. In two tight fiveset games, Thompson was one of two players on the team that played in all 10 of them. In those 10 sets, he accrued a total of 30 kills, 3 assists, and 13 digs, among other stats for a grand total of 34.5 points, the most on his team. His excellent play helped the team capture two wins against the league-leading Camosun Chargers. Rachel Beauchamp was fantastic this week for her
CONF
PTS
DOUGLAS
12-1
24
VIU
11-2
22
CAPILANO
10-3
20
QUEST
6-7
12
CAMOSUN
5-8
10
CBC
4-9
8
LANGARA
4-9
8
KPU
0-13
0
MEN’S BASKETBALL INSTITUTION
CONF
PTS
VIU
13-0
26
QUEST
11-2
22
LANGARA
9-4
18
CAPILANO
7-6
14
CAMOSUN
6-7
12
DOUGLAS
5-8
10
CBC
1-12
2
KPU
0-13
0
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL INSTITUTION
CONF
PTS
VIU
14-4
28
CAMOSUN
11-7
22
CAPILANO
9-7
18
DOUGLAS
8-8
16
UFV
7-9
14
COTR
6-10
12
CBC
3-13
6
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL INSTITUTION
George Thompson: Men’s Volleyball team. She was a key player in the team’s win against VIU and the star player in the team’s rout of Camosun. She ended the weekend shooting 10/22 (0.454) and nailing all 11 of her
Rachel Beauchamp: Women’s Volleyball free-throws. On the defensive end, Beauchamp was a rebound monster, grabbing a grand total of 13. She also recorded an assist, a steal, and a block to add to her impressive record.
CONF
PTS
CAMOSUN
15-3
30
DOUGLAS
12-4
24
VIU
12-6
24
UFV
8-8
16
COTR
7-9
14
CAPILANO
4-12
8
CBC
0-16
0
features // no. 11
issue 17 // volume 42
Player Profile: Bryce Derton Rookie player of the men’s basketball team
Image by Davie Wong
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Royals sidestep Chargers Good weekend for Douglas volleyball Ayanda K. Gatsha Contributor
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t was an exciting weekend for the Royals as they hosted a strong Camosun squad that would put them through their paces. The women’s game saw the Royals off to an aggressive start as they allowed Camosun to chase them. As both teams crossed the 10-point mark, Camosun finally grasped control of the lead. A well-called timeout by Douglas saw the Camosun momentum wither away though. The Royals were able to take the lead back and win the first set 25 to 22. The second was just as close lived as the first, with both teams vying for the lead. Despite strong play and hustle from the Royals, Camosun was able to take it, 25-23. The victory was shortlived as the last two sets were dominated by the home team with the scores being 25-21 and 25-18 respectively.
Saturday’s game was much different. Camosun came into the game determined to make up for the previous night and did not falter in their effort. In a tough but clean series, the visiting team was able to sweep the Royals 3-0. After the second game, coach Kyra Iannone spoke about the loss. “They (Camosun) were better today. They showed up and played a way tougher game, and for the most part, we didn’t.” Over on the men’s side, the weekend started differently compared to their counterparts. They began the slugfest chasing the lead until the end, resulting in a 25 to 23 loss. The second set saw a lot of hustle from both teams as they traded points back-and-forth. Ultimately, it was Camosun who took the second at 26-24. Things began to look bleak for the Royals, who were now down two sets. Nevertheless, Douglas continued playing with the same fervor as before, catching an overconfident Camosun
off guard. They fell to an overwhelming Royals squad that took the fourth, 25-20. The final set was truly climatic as both sides exchanged leads early on. Midway through, the Royals were finally able to wrench control from the Chargers and finished the game strong, claiming a comeback win, 15-11. The last game of the week featured a near carbon copy of the events from the previous night. Once again, the men found themselves on the verge of losing. Down two sets to one, the Royals were able to rally in the fourth and force a fifth. They crushed Camosun in the final set giving them two much needed wins against their rivals. After the game, coach Brad Hudson spoke about how he felt the team performed. “We played really good considering we played essentially two completely different lineups on back-to-back days. The team played with great energy and emotion this weekend.”
ryce Derton is a first year player for the men’s basketball team. The Royals’ No. 12 plays shooting guard, and is enrolled at Douglas in the Criminology program. Although the classes and system may be new to him, something that hasn’t changed for him is basketball. Derton has been playing the game since the age of four and began playing competitively at the age of seven. He credits the start of his passion to a family friend, whom he fondly recalls playing with as a child. But it is his brother who he credits his growth in basketball to. Bryce and Sheldon Derton share a two-year age gap, with Sheldon being the older of the two. Bryce described his brother’s contributions to his career as “huge”—giving him credit for keeping Bryce grounded and pushing him to be a better player and person overall. In the distant future, Derton can see himself travelling overseas to play in a professional league. At the moment, however, he is focused on improving himself, in terms of playing and education. His goal this year, much like the rest of his team, is to make it to Nationals. But unlike many others who believe improvement in a wide variety of areas is the key to winning, Derton believes that positivity will be a key factor for the Royals. Coming in fresh from high school, Derton had little to no idea what the structure
of the program would be like. He came in expecting a rigid, hard-pressed atmosphere but, instead, was pleasantly surprised when he found himself in a program where everyone has an equal say and opportunity. He was welcomed with open arms and given a chance to grow and thrive in a positive and friendly environment. However, making the first team was anything but easy. Derton recognizes the depth that the team has at the moment but remains confident in his skill and ability to perform when called upon. The pressure to play well is certainly real as well, especially in-game. Although the pressure has lessened somewhat since the beginning of the season, when rookies need to prove themselves worthy of a first team position, it has not disappeared. Rookies often find that if that make a mistake in a real game, they can be riding the pine for a while before they get another chance. So how does Derton deal with the pressure? He tackles it head on with positivity. His key to playing well is to remain positive and take every chance he can to play. It helps to have a team that supports their rookies, and Derton credits his teammates for always picking each other up when things are looking down. In the next couple of years, Derton is looking forward playing more minutes and being a bigger impact player on the team. He believes that given a couple years of growth and experience, he can be the best player in the league.
Image via @BBCU13Metro Image via twitter
Davie Wong Sports Reporter
The 26th Annual Feb 14th Women’s Memorial March starts at noon from the Carnegie Centre in Vancouver (Main and Hastings)
theotherpress.ca
sports // no. 14
Douglas weekly preview
A look at this week’s matchups Davie Wong Sports Reporter
Men’s Basketball: The men are coming home this week to close out the month of January. It has largely been a successful month for the squad that came into January with just two wins. This week, they will look to finish the month strong against the middle-of-the-table Capilano Blues. It’s been a long time since the two teams last met—the beginning of the season to be exact. Since then, the Royals have undergone a significant overhaul in terms of play style and quality. The Blues, however, have refined their hyperoffensive strategy. Both teams will be coming off losses to VIU in the previous week, so look for them both to try turn back to a winning
strategy. For the Blues, that would be leaning on their young shooters who have dominated the league in terms of points this year. The Royals will need to shut them down early if they want to win. This will be the only game this weekend for the team. The game starts at 8 p.m. at Douglas College (New Westminster Campus).
since then. Both teams have improved substantially but the Royals have looked much better overall. Since that game, the team has improved their defensive abilities ten-fold and have gotten much better in the second half of games. Look for the Royals to push hard in the first half to grab a sizable lead and then slow their play to shut out the Blues.
Women’s Basketball: Playing the opening match of the weekend is the scorching Royals. Visiting them are the third place Capilano Blues who are looking to move up in the standings. The last time these two met, Douglas picked up an early lead in the first half that lead to a win. Capilano made a substantial push in the second half but could not overcome the lead that they gave up earlier. A lot of time has passed
Men’s Volleyball: A much anticipated rematch is in the wings for the men this week. The team will travel to the island to play long-time rival VIU for the third and fourth time this season. It has just been little over a month since these two giants last clashed. The end result was a split weekend with both sides barely walking away with wins. Each and every set was heavily contested by both teams, but it
was the team that got the early lead in a set that usually took it. When these teams play each other, there is usually a lot more than pride at stake. This time is no different. The winner of this series will solidify their position in the standings at second place, barring a Camosun collapse. For the Royals, the key to this game will be how they start. The team needs to come out hard and attack VIU. If they can even get a few points ahead of their rival, that should be enough to decide a set. Women’s Volleyball: The women have a much different matchup on their hands. Although they will also travel to the island to play VIU, they are in for a much harder challenge. VIU’s women’s team sits atop of the PACWEST standings. The closest team to catching them is three games
away from doing so. VIU, for the most part, has looked absolutely unstoppable this season. But luckily for the Royals, recent results have rendered the Mariners very much stoppable. Since coming back from the break, VIU has split games in two straight weekends. One of those losses was to UFV—a team below the Royals in the standings. The last time VIU came to play, the ladies almost handed them a loss. They forced the visiting team into a desperate fifth set, which was something that had never happened to them in the season. Since then, VIU have been in two other games that have gone to five sets: one two weeks ago and one last week. If there is a time to upset the rulers of the PACWEST standings, now would be it.
To the top they go Davie Wong Sports Reporter
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t the start of the season, only head coach Courtney Gerwing could see the immense skill and the unlimited potential of her squad. Now, after their wins this weekend, the entire league has been forced to recognize just how dangerous this Douglas squad can be on the court. Friday’s game against the middle-of-the-table Camosun resulted in a textbook win for the Royals. The defence-first mentality of the team allowed them to build on leads while squashing the opposition’s chances. Sloppy play allowed the visiting Royals to pick up a whopping 14 steals and cause 27 turnovers. Camosun’s star shooter, Kathryn Candell, shot 8 for 23 and was shut down for the most part of the matchup. Meanwhile, Rachel Beauchamp was outstanding for the Royals, going 7/7 in her free throws and 5/9 outside of that for a total of 17 points. Great effort from players off the bench allowed the team to constantly apply pressure to a crumbling Camosun team. After that commanding victory, it was over to Vancouver Island University (VIU) to close out the week. In a clash of titans, the fiery-offensive squad of VIU
faced off against the ironclad defence of the Royals. Both teams came into the game on red hot streaks with neither willing to budge an inch. The game did not disappoint in terms of dramatics. The Royals jumped out to an early lead on and never let go. VIU came close to re-taking the lead a couple of times, but excellent defence by Douglas allowed the team to outscore the opposition. It was clear that the Royals had prepared well for the game ahead of time. Proper guarding and spectacular play reading gave them the edge they needed. While 3 of VIU’s shooters shot more than 15 times throughout the game, they converted on less than a third. Meanwhile, Douglas shooters had no problems converting their shots. Four out of the starting five players shot for at least .500, with one player in particular having a standout performance. Fourth-year player Nanaya Miki was fantastic on the court against VIU. She shot 7-11 with a total of 17 points and claimed a massive 12 rebounds to complete her second double-double of the season. With the two wins, the Royals move into sole possession of first place in the PACWEST conference. They also extend their winning streak to 11 games as they steam toward February.
Image via www.douglascollegeroyals.ca
Women’s basketball solidifies dominance of league
This issue:
Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Brittney MacDonald, Life & Style Editor lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca
Life & Style
OO Trouble in paradise OO Listed: Winter bliss blues OO LifeatDC.com And more!
The art of working hard and playing hard
Incorporating pleasure alongside work to your lifestyle Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer
he question of time management is one that plagues all of us. It’s particularly difficult with young college students. To what extent and percentage should one put work over pleasure? How much recreation should we allow ourselves, versus how much work we should try to get done? Should one feel guilty for indulging in all sorts of pleasures, even if we do get important things done? Time management is an almost universal issue, and each individual handles it differently. For many of us, we try to be as productive as possible. We spend a lot of time on our work (career, personal, or school) and a minimal amount of time on personal pleasure/recreation. There’s certainly nothing wrong with attempting to get a lot of
Image via thinkstock
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work done. In fact, it’s probably something that should be encouraged whenever possible. But playing hard should also be encouraged, particularly at a young age. Our twenties are about finding ourselves, trying new experiences, and realizing what we ultimately want out of life. Later years will often be spent in a fixed routine, and unable to do many of the things
we greatly enjoy in our youth. I (and many others can relate) have worked early shifts super hungover after staying out late the night before. I have written articles and homework at two in the morning under the influence. Frankly, I recommend it. We all have the same number of hours in a day; we have different circumstances on our abilities to spend our
Beauty on a Budget
#DOUGLIFE
Annabelle Eyebrow Pencil
Tweet using the hashtag #DougLife, for a chance to be featured in the paper!
Lauren Kelly Image via www.mybeautybox.ca
Assistant Editor assistant@theotherpress.ca
I
n the last few years, full and “perfect” eyebrows have become the popular style. For many people who have sparse, thin, or patchy eyebrows, however, this look requires brow makeup and brushes to get right. Even those with full brows often use eyebrow makeup to clean them up and perfect them. As far as mid-end products go, Anastasia Beverly Hill’s eyebrow products, particularly its Dipbrow Pomade Gel and Brow Wiz pencils, have leading the pack in popularity. These cost $23 and $27 respectively, and those who need to use a lot of product each day could use them up fairly quickly, making them a potential money-sink. A good alternative to Brow Wiz is Annabelle’s Eyebrow Pencils. Like the Brow Wiz, each comes with the product and a built-in brush, in this case as part of the cap. Although it’s not a spoolie and instead a straight brush, it works very well to blend out the product and groom the brows. The product itself is waxy
time, but we all have the same potential. I advocate trying to cram as much in as possible. Of course, productive/ responsible things should take precedence, but there’s no reason to do less with your time. Commit yourself to as many events as you want to. Go to movies, shows, concerts, and bars with friends, even on a weeknight. Have an extra drink.
Stay for the after-party. Spend your time making memories and expanding in personal growth, even if it’s in a lessthan-productive matter. Ultimately, wasting our time is what hurts us, whether in too much work or not enough play. It’s easy to get trapped in a balance of working hard all the time and having no energy left to relax. Keeping busy is what matters. Making time for pleasure will ultimately lead to a happier you, and better memories in the long run. Don’t push yourself to do things you don’t want to, but absolutely do the things you want. Don’t feel guilt for enjoying yourself. Making a mentality to stay busy may even lead to being more productive overall. It’s less of a waste and a lot more rewarding.
and long-lasting for most people. When it’s sharp, it works well to define the outside of the eyebrows and draw in hairs, and as it gets duller it still works well for filling in your brows, meaning you don’t have to worry about constantly keeping it sharpened and wasting product. It is available in Taupe, Blonde, Auburn, Medium Brown, and Black. I purchased Medium Brown, but although I am very happy with the product’s quality, I find the colour is a little too warm for my very cool-toned eyebrows. However, many reviewers of the product, as well as my mother, who recommended the product to me, found that the Taupe matched their light eyebrows very closely. This is because it is an ash blonde, instead of an orange one, and it
has the added bonus of being a close dupe of Brow Wiz in Taupe. The black is a great inclusion as well for people of colour, although I know that some prefer a dark grey. This may be helped by using a light hand with the product. It is also nice to see a colour for people with red hair in the Auburn colour, as I had difficulty finding a similar product when I had red hair a few years ago. Overall, I am very happy with this product. Although I do tend towards my Dipbrow due to the closer colour match, this is a great alternative when I have less time, or less room as I don’t have to carry a pot and brushes with this. You can purchase it at London Drugs for $6.99, or Shoppers Drug Mart for $7.99.
This week’s tweet is by Christopher Vilches
theotherpress.ca
life & style // no. 16
MMO social communities—is there one that isn’t toxic? Life & Style Editor lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca
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s a lover of video games, I have had a long standing adoration and desire to play MMOs, a.k.a. massively multiplayer online games. Recently, I was looking to get back into them, but I was completely at a loss as to which one was worth my time. The issue with these types of games is that their social communities are an integral part of whether the game is enjoyable or not. You can’t play an MMO by yourself; you have to communicate with other players even if you manage to master the game without ever having formed a steady group of play-buddies. The problem is that games in general are competitive, so this can foster toxic online interaction or an elitist mentality between long time players and people who have just started the game. This leads to segregation based off of timeline, which is never good. There are ways around this, however, and developers are constantly trying to find new ways of making their online community the best and most accessible. So what did this mean for me? A lot of trial and error. I began by looking back into rejoining World of Warcraft. It’s hard to deny this game’s impact on the world, and it is the biggest MMO out right now. World of Warcraft is not the best MMO available, and its social
community is extremely hard to break into. Blizzard’s efforts to make the game more accessible to new players may have made the learning curve a little easier, but it also bred dissent among the ranks—more specifically the long-time players. People who have been playing this game since its first incarnation say that the game itself has been massively dumbed down in order to appeal to new generations of gamers. All of this drama and a hefty $15 a month price tag for less-thanstellar graphics—yeah, I crossed this one off my list pretty fast. Next was Tera. I will admit, I did play this game for quite a bit. The animations were a bit clunky, and the online community is pretty null and void if you’re under the character level cap, which is the max level you can be before your character stops gaining experience and becoming more powerful. I was willing to forgive most of this since the game is actually free, and the combat in it is really fun. But I hit a brick wall when it came to their customer support. To put it very bluntly, it’s awful. They treat you like you’re computer illiterate and constantly blame your computer for any issues that arise, even when it’s clear that there are problems on their end. Eventually I got fed up and just deleted the game. After Tera, I played other MMOs like Elder Scrolls Online, Neverwinter, and The Old Republic—and quit them all for various reasons. What I did find that they all had in common is
that none of them were able to bridge that gap between longtime players and new players. As a last resort, I headed back to another MMO I had enjoyed in the past, but required a monthly fee. Final Fantasy: A Realm Reborn (ARR), and its expansion Heavensward piqued my interest yet again, but I fully expected the social community to be the same as it was when I left about a year and a half ago. At that time it was no better than any of the others. Long-time players basically ignored the upand-comers. Well, apparently the developers took note of this and decided to fix it. They created various incentives for people to help lower level players out through use of various bonuses and currency to purchase rare items, and by making their servers universal, which means that console and PC gamers can play together rather than having separate servers for Playstation, Xbox, and PC players. Socially this is great, because not everyone I know plays on the same system. Don’t get me wrong, ARR does have its faults. Their private messaging system is filled with spam, and if you don’t have a “free company” (player run clubs), you might feel a bit like somebody taped a “virgin” sign on your back at the frat party—propositions are constant! Overall, I enjoy the game, and the majority of the players are super friendly and willing to help you out instead of calling you a noob.
Illustration by Ed Appleby
Brittney MacDonald
Indie fashion feature: Super Orange Anime love with minimal tentacles. Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca
T
he geek community has been steadily growing since “nerd” became the new “in” thing a few years ago—but even now, anime lovers have a pretty bad rep. In the subculture, our passion is seen as a little too niche. But with Hollywood suddenly interested in some of our favourite storylines such as Ghost in the Shell and Akira, change is in the air—so you better brace for impact, and declare yourself loud and proud now. But how? If you haven’t heard of it, Super Orange is a fashion label dedicated to bringing you quality casual wear that will scream your anime love to the world—with some of the best anime in-jokes that the community has to offer. Think your “waifu” (favourite female anime character) is better than everyone else’s? Declare it in garment form with an adorable “Your waifu is garbage” crop top. Headed by self-proclaimed “weeb trash can” Zee, Super Orange designs are a staple to see at conventions as well as all over the Internet. It’s sort of hard to deny the fan love this brand receives over social media—every time I log into Twitter it seems
that someone new is posting a picture of them in their favourite shirt, hat, sweater, or leggings from the website. And with the majority of the designs hitting under $70, it isn’t hard to see why. Quality-wise, from what I’ve seen, most of the garments are on par with or better than similar online shops. The leggings, for example, are actually better than ones I’ve received from Romwe. Sure, they might be a little more expensive, but they’ll bag out less which means they’ll last longer and probably be cheaper for you in the long term. As I watched the brand grow and become more popular I have seen the products and designs become more diverse, which excites me. Even now the options available speak to a fun, humorous, and approachable aesthetic that prioritizes comfort. In turn, Super Orange has been embraced by the anime community for catering to our needs as fans, but also our need to be adorable. You can find Super Orange’s products at their website www.superorange. net, or at various conventions in the United States. For information on new designs, or to follow availability of certain items, you can check their Twitter and/or their Instagram at @superorangepdx
Image via superorange.tumblr.com
Trouble in paradise
life & style // no. 17
issue 17 // volume 42
Listed: Winter bliss blues Three reasons for our love/hate relationship with winter a bowl of sugar. Yep, winter is a grand and wondrous time—until spring rolls around, and you realize that all that fancy coffee has left you with a few extra pounds and at risk of diabetes.
Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca
ook around. It’s easy to see that most of Vancouver’s diverse population has a lovehate relationship with winter. As a west coast city we lack the months of frequent blizzards and sub-zero temperatures, but that doesn’t mean that we adore nature’s most barren season. Unfortunately, most of the stuff people love about winter is also connected with what they hate about it, which leaves most of us conflicted over whether or not we look forward to Jack Frost’s yearly visits. To confuse you further, here’s a list of love-hate inducing winter traditions. 1. Breaking out the sweaters. Whoever said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend obviously never wrapped themselves in an oversized cardigan. It’s a yearly ritual to get excited about knitwear— it’s comfortable, it keeps you warm, and it’s soft. Hell, it’s basically like dressing yourself in an entire bed, but on a more socially acceptable level. All that excitement over which woolly hat you’re going to pair with which
Image via thinkstock
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scarf and what sweater you’re going to throw on before racing out the door to show off your sheepy glory almost overshadows the fact that we wear knitwear in the winter because it’s frigging cold outside! Not to mention, this is Vancouver—winter means freezing rain more often than it means snow—
so you may look cute, but you smell like an old couch. 2. Specialty coffee. You didn’t think I’d leave out all the fun winter drinks, did you? From crème brûlée lattes to peppermint mochas, winter has a more diverse coffee collection than fall, and people are more than willing to take advantage of it. For
habitual coffee drinkers like me, this means a plethora of delicious flavours to choose from. And for people who maybe don’t drink coffee or tea so much, it’s an excuse to finally bond with your caffeine addicted lovers, friends, or family over a cup of something that resembles coffee, but is more akin to
3. Shorter days. It’s true, winter does have shorter days due to the Earth’s rotation—and most people see this as a good thing because theoretically, shorter days mean more night life. I mean, winter is the only season where “Happy Hour” doesn’t count as day drinking. As young adults, inside our brains we are trained to equate night time with free time, because work and school are things you do during the day. What we don’t seem to realize every year is that darkness isn’t really a measure of time. Sure, the day might be shorter, but that doesn’t mean your work shift will end any quicker. It just means that you’ll be commuting before dawn, and heading home after dusk. All your free time will be spent in the dark, and you probably won’t see the light of day until June.
LifeatDC.com Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter
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t the beginning of the month, the student blog LifeatDC was launched for the students at Douglas College to enjoy. Complete with an eyecatching collection of GIFs, this easily accessible website is waiting for students like you (yes, you!) to explore and immerse yourself in. “[The gist of the blog] is to build a sense of community on campus, help students connect with each other around common experience, promote getting involved on campus, and encourage students to use the resources that are available to them at the College,” shared Debbie Molnar, who is in charge of Communications for Student Engagement. Prabh Hundal, one of the blog writers, recently shared a little more about the formation, launch, and future plans for their seven-student team. Hundal, a first-year international student, became involved while searching for an extracurricular activity
to be a part of. After missing out on the Student Ambassador program, she surfed the school website to find a job opening for a blog writer. She quickly applied and found herself employed alongside a group of fellow eager students preparing to launch the blog in the new year. With the new blog in full swing, she writes and also updates the Omnivex, the software for the digital screen/ plaque by the first level entrance. According to Hundal, the blog is connected to Douglas College by the Marketing and Communications Office (MCO). When asked about how long she sees the blog running for, she replies without concern stating that “whatever happens, happens.” While writing about their lives at Douglas, the group also hosts events alongside the Douglas Student Union. You might recall a workshop called Money Management, which took place recently, and a focus group that they helped promote to encourage students to be vocal on the changes they want to see at
Screenshot from lifeatdc.com
A blog for students by students
the college. In the near future, look out for weekly updates on their blog titled Money Mondays, where there will be budgeting tips for the average student. Also, look out for the ice breaker event, scheduled for February 17. The event, similar to The E.D.G.E. (a yearly orientation event in the fall), will be held as a substitute
to meet new faces and make lasting friendships. Additionally, LifeatDC will be bringing a series on their blog titled Humans of DC. Similar to the blog and New York Times Best-Seller Humans of New York, they plan to involve willing students looking to share their story, so keep your eyes peeled for sign-up forms coming soon.
While it took three months to launch and seven willing students to contribute, if you want to get involved with the blog, don’t hesitate! Everyone is welcome. They’ll be holding interviews next semester, so look out for more info on their website in the coming months.
Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor opinions@theotherpress.ca
OO Don’t trap yourself with the bridges you burn OO The powerless and the Powerball OO War of the Words: Justin Trudeau And more!
Mohammed Kareem, Salahuddin Sharaz, 14, and dad Mohammed Sharaz; Image via SALIM JIWA / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Opinions
This issue:
Making an enemy Beware of trigger-happy accusations Elliot Chan Opinions Editor opinions@theotherpress.ca
I
was watching this show on Netflix. I believe you might have heard of it. It’s called Making a Murderer, and it follows the heinous trials, mistrials, and accusations against a man named Steven Avery. The 10-part documentary covers many levels of the legal process from the investigation, to the prosecutions, to the judgment. It’s an intriguing and frustrating watch and a fine example of injustice presented as justice. It’s an example of how our society always has a finger on the trigger, ready to place someone in the line of fire so that we can feel safe. If you have been resisting the urge to see Making a Murderer, don’t. Watch it. It’ll
teach you to think twice the next time you point your finger. This has been the case closer to home. On January 12, three suspicious men were spotted filming exits and entrances of Pacific Centre in Vancouver. The images of these men, who just so happen to be “Middle Eastern looking,” were leaked onto the Internet and news feed were flooded with the question: Can you identify these individuals? When I saw the images of those men, my initial reaction was perhaps the same as many other citizens. With the Paris attacks fresh in my mind, I wanted someone to find these people and get them locked up as quickly as possible, and I’d just stay as far from Pacific Centre as possible. It’s true that, while racial profiling is wrong, the instinctual reaction to protect the hive is not. For
those that shared the images of case, but nothing illegal. To me it still sounds rather suspicious, the suspicious behaviour, I say, well done. Although it might but I haven’t spoken to those people. All I know is what the have been a false alarm, we did a media is offering… and so it goes. good job alerting everyone about something The police suspicious could have that could easily taken the other have direction and escalated With the Paris attacks into a horrific showed some fresh in my mind, I grit. But if crisis. I’d we started wanted someone to punishing also like to innocent commend find these people and the people for get them locked up as incidents like Vancouver Police this, then quickly as possible. the terrorists Department would have for efficiently won. Many exonerating department those men. Apparently, the reason stores have policies that forbid for filming everything in the filming and photography; mall was because of a sight perhaps Pacific Centre can impairment. It was a curious implement something of that
measure to keep the innocent behaving innocently. As for the fact that we were all in one way or another caught in the act of racial profiling, I want to ask: how can we avoid that in the future and still stay diligent? Let’s be honest, if there were three Asian men taking pictures in Vancouver, we wouldn’t bat an eye. But since they were “Middle Eastern looking” we all jumped to conclusions. We must honour the fact that people are innocent until proven guilty. We must remember how disgusted we felt when watching the world turn their back on Steven Avery in Making a Murderer. Should the world be documenting us for a Netflix original, do we want to be a despicable character? Or do we want to be the ones that side with the full story and justice?
opinions // no. 19
issue 17 // volume 42
Don’t trap yourself with the bridges you burn Control your breaking point Elliot Chan Opinions Editor opinions@theotherpress.ca
h, the satisfying feeling of completely destroying something—like a relationship— that you don’t want to be a part of anymore. Whether it be romantic or professional, leaving something is never easy. Sometimes it happens through mutual understanding, and other times it occurs as a tug-o-war, pulling until the tether that binds yourself and your counterpart snaps. There are many articles and forums out there discussing the positives of burning bridges. One reason offered is so that you will never have to return to that place, be if physical or emotional, ever again. By severing your ties completely, you can only look forward and not back. It’s always tempting to go back to a comfort zone, even if the comfort zone is most often uncomfortable, and at times painful. Many people who break up from a relationship find themselves back together again, going through the same turbulence as before—but the turbulence is comforting because it is familiar. Sometimes burning the bridge is the only way to move on. By burning the bridge with your former employer, you can almost be certain you would not have to end up in that shitty
Image via thinkstock
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job again. However, while this practice might have been true, and perhaps advantageous, in previous years, it is not anymore. When you burn a bridge with a company, you don’t just burn it with the boss, you let the entire team down. People talk and they will talk about your tactlessness and your true colours. You let pride get in the way of your job. It’s a small world out there and people aren’t fixed to one job anymore. While you’ve left
your previous employment in a smoldering mess, others might have exited graciously. These people might even be your former boss. These people might cross paths with you again—odds are they will, if you stay in the same career path. The next time you decide to rip your employers and/or co-workers apart before exiting into hellfire, remember that you are not making any grand statement. You are trapping
yourself into a persona. Whatever attributes you obtained during your employment will be erased. You will be the loose cannon who wouldn’t compromise. If you have a choice, which you always do, you should choose to take the higher ground and bow out with class and dignity. Nobody will feel sorry for you or congratulate you for burning bridges and posting about how you stuck you middle finger out at your superiors on social
media. Nobody cares about you if you don’t care about others. Yes, burning bridges will help you eliminate options you don’t want, but it’s like a wildfire: you might destroy some opportunities you desire in the future. You cannot control how other people will view you after such destructiveness. You cannot stop people from being wary of you. You were a bridge burner. What’s to say you won’t do it again?
The powerless and the Powerball Elliot Chan Opinions Editor opinions@theotherpress.ca
I
’m not a gambler. I live by the virtues of earning what I have—not winning it through gambling. Some people call gambling a “stupid person tax” and I don’t disagree. However, unlike tax, gambling comes with a little bit of hope; hope that this game of chance can alter your life for the better. But studies have found it not to be true. Winning the lottery does not enhance life overall, just in materialistic ways. There have been cases of lottery winners going bankrupt, of fraudulent tax returns, of robbery, and of family and acquaintance sticking out their hands for a piece of the fortune. As The Notorious B.I.G. said, “Mo’ money, mo’ problems.” And money coming into your possession so quickly will create more problems
that you cannot prepare for. Earlier this month, the Powerball broke the world record by reaching a jackpot of $1.6 billion. It caused a stir, and made some non-gamblers take a chance, entering the pot. It is almost inconceivable winning that amount of money. And while the winners won’t be billionaires after taxes, their winnings are still more than what most people would earn if they were to live 100 lives. The winners turned out to be an average couple, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee. They claim that they won’t be making any extravagant purchases. They will use their winnings to pay off their mortgage and debts. They claim to be normal people and will be keeping their current jobs. However, they should know they are no longer such, and every action they make with their funds will be heavily
Image via bestonlinecardealer.tk
Is gambling worth the price?
criticized by their peers. To not hoard the money is a grand display of character. Remember, the lottery is a stupid person tax, and like all taxes the funds are expected to return to the public. They ask people to respect
their privacy, but they lost that luxury when they went in public to announce their winnings. See, winning the lottery is not a simple hand over of money in a suitcase. There is this whole process of proving
that your ticket is not a fraud. Winning such a large sum of money forces you and your family into the public eye. You must first convince people that you have won it. And that was the case with the Robinsons, who were encouraged to go onto the Today Show and announce their luckiness—or unluckiness. Winning the lottery— especially one so prominently publicized as the Powerball—is a life-changing event. With money there is great power, and now it’s up to the people who wield it to use it wisely. Should freeloaders trick the Robinsons, it wouldn’t be the first time. Should the Robinsons blow it all on extravagance, they won’t be the first. Should the Robinsons be corrupted by the mighty dollar, that is almost a guarantee. They want everyone to perceive them as normal, but there is nothing normal about winning a lottery of that magnitude.
theotherpress.ca
opinions // no. 20
Not your dad’s prime minister
Like father, like son How to get the youth vote and look good doing it
Adam Tatelman Staff Writer
O
n the campaign trail, public persona is everything. You have to get people to like you, or you’ll never be elected. Pierre Trudeau, four-time prime minister of Canada, had one of the most effective public personas in the history of Canadian politics. He dominated popular media from 1968 to 1984, reinvigorating politician celebrity worship with his passionate talking points, controversial politics, and (then) good looks. It is easy to see that current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s presentation is very similar to his late father’s, and his platform just as polarizing. Before you open your mouth, you need an audience. Both Trudeaus knew that they stood to gain the most by courting the youth vote. Pierre designed his campaign to appeal to the counterculture, inspiring a large following of young fans. He was particularly popular with women, and there are many recorded instances of him stopping in the street to be photographed with his supporters. At the time, 48 years old was pretty young to be a candidate for PM, so he succeeded in making himself the cool young hotshot all the kids loved. This cultural obsession came to be known as “Trudeaumania.” Justin has clearly emulated his father’s methods. He’s taken celebrity worship to a whole new level. While Pierre was the first prime minister to parade around with his wife like English royalty, Justin was the first to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine. Justin has cultivated an irreverent and witty public persona, gaining great public support from moments like the public
transit interview or the famous “because it’s 2015” argument. This impassioned rhetoric helped him to overthrow a conservative government with a landslide majority—just like dear old dad did. In keeping with the popular counter-culture issues of the time, Pierre legalized homosexuality and reduced the voting age from 21 to 19. He was also an outspoken social advocate. In legislating the Official Languages Act, he made Canada a bilingual country by law. In addition, he was responsible for creating the modern welfare system as we know it, and for passing the Immigration Act of 1976, which allowed a greater variety of immigrants and refugees into the country. Because of these policies, Pierre is often called “the Father of modern Canada.” Justin has taken a similar stance on the same issues, advocating for 50/50 gender representation in the cabinet and promising to legalize marijuana use. He has also pledged to house 25,000 Syrian refugees, as well as providing monthly stipends to them. His most popular promise, which figured prominently in his election, is his proposition to raise taxes for the upper class and reduce taxes on the working class. Though their shared social policies are noble and idealistic, Pierre was a reckless spender. His tenure ended with Canada mired in the deepest recession seen since the end of World War II. It took 30 years and three prime ministers to restore Canada’s economy and credit rating. Justin’s policies and promises, such as massive deficit-funded infrastructure spending, suggest that he will spend just as much as his father, if not more. As the current Canadian economy weakens and the dollar reaches historic lows, it appears Justin will follow closely in his father’s footsteps.
Justin Trudeau combines upbringing and originality in federal government Mercedes Deutscher News Editor news@theotherpress.ca
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ustin Trudeau has been compared to his father his entire life. As the first child of Pierre Trudeau, Justin had always been an object of media attention and jokingly labeled as a future prime minister. Fast-forward to 2007 when Justin entered the federal political sphere— critics would not take him seriously as a politician, but rather labeled him a man capitalizing on his last name. This attitude continues today, even after being elected as Prime Minister. I am not saying that Justin has never been influenced by Pierre. Yet consider this: it is uncommon to come across a person who has not had their values and personality influenced by their parents. Consider also the areas that have influenced Justin aside from his father. Justin has a deep appreciation for contemporary arts while his father was much more of a traditionalist. Justin opted to teach, while his father opted for law. Justin is not a copycat of his father, but rather a regular guy who has been influenced from many areas of his life. Sure, Justin may share many of the same political views that his father has. Justin also shares some of the same views as Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien. Want to know why? All of these politicians have been a Liberal Party prime minister. These political strategies are not exclusive to the Trudeau last name. Granted, there are some distinct similarities in both Trudeau governments, like government-by-cabinet, an emphasis on the Constitution, and multiculturalism. These are also political strategies that Justin has been surrounded by since he was a child. Do
Image via o.canada.com
s d r o W e h t f o r a W
we really want to throw those values aside for the purpose of proving a point? On another note, Justin has some differing strategies from his father. Take Aboriginal issues, for example. During Pierre’s government, he had attempted to further assimilate the aboriginal population with the failed introduction of the White Paper in 1969. The White Paper would have taken away the aboriginal peoples’ distinct status, an entity that the population had come to rely on throughout postsettlement Canadian history. The paper resulted in a major backlash for the government and eventually led to the Supreme Court deciding that aboriginals are entitled to the status. Meanwhile, Justin and his government have openly embraced aboriginal culture through recognition of traditional land claims, incorporation of aboriginal culture at public ceremonies, and the start of a nationwide inquiry into the cases of missing and murdered indigenous women. Some other political stances unique to Justin include the legalizing of marijuana, improving transgender rights, and reducing student debt burden. Anyway, how do you really compare administrations that have taken place 30–45 years apart? The values of 1968 are not the same as the values in 2016. Really controversial issues in the Pierre’s administration (such as the legality of same-sex relationships, capital punishment, divorce, and abortion) are issues that are mostly accepted in the present day. To say that Justin Trudeau is a carbon copy of Pierre Trudeau feigns ignorance of the history of the Liberal Party, individual development, and contemporary social values. Sharing a last name and DNA is not synonymous with being a copycat.
Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Chandler Walter, Humour Editor humour@theotherpress.ca
This issue: OO Canadian Militia takes over cabin in northern BC
H umour Douglas College experiences Yellow Friday
OO Leonardo DiCaprio comes clean about being behind Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream
OO Crime report: Cereal mascot chase ends in devestation And more!
Chandler Walter Humour Editor humour@theotherpress.ca
N
ot long after scientists came out with the hotly debated “Blue Monday”—that is, the statistically saddest day of the year—super real scientists decided to put their attentions and resources to solve another one of the universe’s big mysteries: what is the happiest day of the year? Well, the results are in, and it has been proven scientifically with science that the Friday immediately following Blue Monday is actually the happiest day of the year. Much thought and care was put into the naming of this day, and although many in the scientific community rallied around the title “Fuck Ya Friday,” they were ultimately out-voted to give the Friday a less wicked-awesome name. Yellow Friday falls on
the third Friday of January, and is believed to be in direct correlation with its blue counterpart. Scientist Hugh Cardoso explained the phenomena: “Well, basically, it is something of an afterthought of Blue Monday.” The scientist followed that scientifically while wearing glasses and holding a microscope: “It kind of makes sense, right? If everyone is all especially bummed out the Monday that week, it just makes them especially happy to have made it to the weekend again.” Douglas College students around campus were surveyed to see if these days had an effect on them, and the results were inconclusive. “I guess I’m kind of happy it’s Friday,” said second year Douglas College student Jess Perri. “But I mean, I’m always happy it’s Friday… because it’s Friday.” “I’m actually really pissed right now,” said student Will Baker. “I have to friggin’ work
Image via thinkstock
Statistically happiest day of the year influences few
this evening, and it’s just not fair! Steve is having a kegger, and he promised there would be girls there this time. I need tonight. You know how long it’s been since I’ve gotten laid? My entire life!” Even after Baker was consoled with the fact that today was supposed to be the happiest
day of the year, it seemed to just make him even less cheerful. “Well that’s just great, now everyone is going to be out having a Fuck Ya Friday without me.” We brought our results into the scientific lab to be analyzed by super smart scientists, and they all agreed that Baker was
simply being a little cry baby. Just how much of a cry baby, they are not yet certain, and have promised to run expensive, extensive, scientifically valid tests on the matter. “Because what the hell, right,” said Cardoso, “Gotta science something.”
Canadian Militia takes over cabin in northern BC Police and government response sub-par at best Humour Editor humour@theotherpress.ca
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group of wily, red-blooded Canadian boys have recently taken over a cabin in the northern reaches of British Columbia. They call themselves The Militia, and have raised a small semblance of alarm in the provincial government and local police force. The Militia commandeered the lake side cabin late Tuesday night, and they have been holed up there ever since. Local police chief Gene Buxburry spoke to the community about this situation. “Now this is no cause for alarm,” Buxburry said during a press conference. “We have the situation under control. Of course there will be government action against these men, as they have acted immaturely and irrationally, and they will meet the full weight of justice.” It is evident that The Militia came equipped with weapons, though Buxburry addressed the danger associated with such firepower. “We have been alerted that the men in the cabin arrived armed with multiple wooden staffs, a dangerous and potentially
deadly weapon—especially here in Canada, where hardly anyone has any guns in their houses with which to defend themselves. To make matters worse, these wooden staffs have a slight curve at the end, and we hear the young men have been practicing launching rubber projectiles at each other on the frozen lake.” The men in question appear proud of their status as Militia, and have even gone so far as to wear sweaters with the word “MILITIA” across the front and their last names and a number on their backs. What these numbers signify, no one is yet certain, though many media outlets are agreeing that had these men not been white, the numbers could have been gang or even terrorist related. UPDATE: Buxburry and his elite team of constables made their move Thursday night, knocking sternly yet still kind of politely on the door of the Militia’s cabin. They were invited inside to enjoy a few Molson Canadians and watch the latest hockey game, and there has yet to be a casualty. The Militia, who claim to be a “team” from
photo illustration
Chandler Walter
Merritt, agreed to keep the noise down, and not to harm anyone while they “practice” with their weapons on the frozen lake. “It was well-handled,” Bux-
burry said after the confrontation. “I mean sure, everyone knew they weren’t actually going to DO anything, but a group of young men acting out like that—
especially with weapons—always need to be addressed and confronted by authority. It would just be a failure of the system not to.”
theotherpress.ca
humour // no. 22
Leonardo DiCaprio comes clean about being behind Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream Actor claims to have ‘Inceptioned’ the iconic leader Humour Editor humour@theotherpress.ca
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by Josh Visser, Columnist
by Cara Seccafien, Layout Manager
artin Luther King Jr.’s thunder was stolen this past Martin Luther King day, as actor Leonardo DiCaprio came forward in a statement explaining that he, in fact, was responsible for the iconic dream. “I’m sorry it took me so long to come clean,” DiCaprio stated. “But I figured it was time. It was I who was the mastermind behind the dream that MLK wouldn’t stop going on about. The dream that changed social and cultural norms, and ignited a fire of equality in the hearts of Americans everywhere. It is me that you should be giving your thanks to.” DiCaprio then spent roughly 45 minutes explaining how the whole dream idea i Wmplantation situation really even worked, though did most of it in casual conversation to a friend. The explanation was not the most logical or coherent, but most in the crowd agreed with what he said once he dazzled them with his winning smile. “So then, when MLK was fast asleep, we snuck seven layers deep into his dream. A dream within a dream within a dream within a dream within a…. wait. Yes. Within yet another dream. In one more dream. Once we were
that deep into his subconscious, I, Leonardo DiCaprio, forced the idea that all people should be treated equally regardless of race, into the mind of Martin Luther King, Jr. He awoke the next morning to change the world, and for that, you are all welcome.” DiCaprio was asked how any of this could have been possible— not only because the premise of dream hijacking is, quite frankly, ridiculous—but for the simple fact that DiCaprio would not have even been alive during the time MLK had his dream. “Ah, you see,” explained DiCaprio, “time works differently in dreams. So while what may have seemed like years between my birth and MLK’s existence, was really just seconds in the fifth level of dream, and once we hit the sixth and seventh, we were so deep in the dream that time started working backwards, and thus I was able to be alive and influence radical cultural change.” Unfortunately, there were no experts other than the selfproclaimed inception expert DiCaprio himself, so confirmation on whether any of this really adds up is still to be determined. DiCaprio was adamant that he didn’t want to be bestowed the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, but made sure to add: “An Oscar would more than suffice. Thanks. And you’re all welcome by the way, world.”
Still of Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception (2010)
Chandler Walter
humour // no. 23
issue 17 // volume 42
by David Manky, Senior Columnist
Crime Report: Cereal mascot chase ends in devastation Trix Rabbit brutally beaten, Toucan Sam still missing Chandler Walter Humour Editor humour@theotherpress.ca
n recent news this week, various cereal brand mascots have met their fate at the hands of those they were fleeing. The Trix Rabbit was finally apprehended by a gang of 10 year olds, after he legally purchased Trix brand cereal from a local Walmart. The gang cornered the Trix Rabbit at his burrow between two elm trees, flushed him out with poisonous gas, and stole the cereal from the hands of his baby bunnies. “It had to be done,” said gang member Jimmy Walder. “Trix are for kids. And not rabbit kids, neither. Human kids. Let this be a warning to all you other animals out there trying to get at our cereal. You. Will. Not. Prevail.” Jimmy and his gang took the Trix cereal over to his mother’s house, where she cleaned the blood off the boys and provided them with two per cent milk, bowls, and spoons. A similar case arose down south, where Toucan Sam was caught on surveillance tape crushing up and snorting Fruit Loops in the back aisle of a convenience store. Sam then looted the store for all its Fruit Loops, and took off in a sky blue Winnebago, heading south. Local authorities are urging anyone with information on the suspect to come forward, as he is believed to be addicted and dangerous. In Ireland, the Lucky Charms Leprechaun is still at large, though efforts to subdue and capture the little sprite
Illustration by Ed Appleby
I
have increased two-fold. “We’re going to get that gingery little minx,” said Karl Macnelly, leader of hate group KILL (Kids Irritated and Loathing Leprechauns). “For too long has he stolen from us. Too long has he left our cupboards empty, stolen the marshmallows from our Lucky Charms,
or led us on a merry chase before using his black magic to disappear. Not this time.” Macnelly vowed to bring the leprechaun’s reign of terror to an end by the latter half of the month, and has some ingenious traps at work to succeed in his goal. “Think Saw contraptions, combined with The Hunger
Games arenas, combined with that scene from Indiana Jones with the boulder. We’ve got poisoned Charms scattered around the area, snipers in the trees, snares, and hidden pits with wooden spikes. Now all we have left to do is wait.” Meanwhile, Frosted Flakes Mascot Tony the Tiger has come
out with an official plea to stop the discrimination against his fellow mascots. “They’re great!” he said, presumably speaking of his friends. “They’re not great!” he said shortly after, addressing, assumedly, the children waging this bloody—and one sided—war.
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