issue 25// vol 45 Natalie Wynn's ContraPoints » Civilly sowing discourse since 2016 Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor nthe immensely echoing chasm that is the internet, it can be difficult to engage in or listen to civilized conversation— especially in terms of political opposition. As someone who describes themselves as an open-minded liberal feminist, I cringe at the behaviour of some of my peers. All too often discussions between the left and right can devolve into anti-logic-ridden shouting matches, all because someone mentioned something as basic as privilege in the wrong way. One internet personality who doesn‘ subscribe to this freak-out fest is Natalie Wynn, creator of the YouTube channel ContraPoints. Through the years, Wynn has cultivated an entire YouTube library where she discusses various topics commonly seated directly in the centre of some form of political discourse, usually between liberals and conservatives. Watching her videos, it is clear to me where on the political spectrum she stands, but that isn’t because she idealizes the behaviour of her peers. As with all things, you have people on both sides of the line who act, as it is scientifically known, batshit crazy. Wynn proves it is possible to discredit her opposition while simultaneously criticizing people at the forefront of liberal movements—which is an amazing talent to have. Personally, I have often found it hard to voice an opinion on certain topics due to my views being constantly compared to people like Gail Simone, Anita Sarkeesian, and others often regarded as radicalized feminists. What Wynn does, by addressing both the home and away arguments of various points, is invite both criticism and support—two things necessary for healthy debate. However, that isn’t all she does. What originally brought me to Natalie Wynn’s channel is that she does offer a few videos concerning poignant social topics. She covers subjects like gender identity, cultural appropriation, capitalism, and modern-day racism. For someone seeking to understand these topics, it can be intimidating to admit you might be ignorant as to what all the fuss is about. As someone who was born biologically female and identifies as female, I didn’t really understand the use of gender neutral pronouns, despite having friends who use “they/them” pronouns. Wynn’s channel offered a safe space where I could educate myself, as opposed to asking someone outright and worrying about offending them. Even if you have no interest in politics, I would consider Wynn a good academic resource. For anyone attending any class that involves some sort of political analysis, be it gender studies, anthropology, or life & style // no. 13 Photo of Natalie Wynne via Wikipedia anything else, Wynn might be a good jumping-off point as she is very good about citing her sources and explaining certain terminology. You can find Natalie Wynn on her YouTube channel ContraPoints, or on Twitter at @ContraPoints. Craft away with corner-to-corner crochet » Acrochet technique that’s not just for squares Photo by Caroline Ho Caroline Ho Assistant Editor RE wanted to crochet your own giant, cozy blanket without having to make and sew together a million granny squares? Or perhaps you love the idea of grid-based, square-by-square patterns, but have long viewed them as better suited to other crafts like knitting or cross-stitch. Well, crochet has an excellent technique to accommodate this. It’s called corner-to-corner, or C2C, crochet. As the name suggests, you start at one corner of a rectangle and then work up and down in diagonal rows by crocheting a series of squares, basically creating an image pixel by pixel. This technique is super easy to learn as long as you have a grasp on the very basics of crochet. The only pieces of equipment you need are a crochet hook, your desired colours of yarn, scissors, a yarn needle, and a chart or pattern to follow. I work with a lot of worsted weight acrylic yarn, so I mostly use a 5 mm (size H) hook for C2C. You can find a lot of neat patterns online, often for free—or, if part of this craft’s appeal is its creative potential, then you can of course go plot your own graph. C2C is also really simple in terms of crochet skill level. The only stitches you need are the very basic chain, slip stitch, and double crochet. Each pixel on the graph is simply made of four double crochets and there are dozens of easy-to-follow guides online. If you're a total beginner to crochet and all of this means nothing to you, it is really simple, I promise! This technique is fantastic for blankets, rugs, scarves, or pretty much anything rectangular that you might adorn with whatever characters or logos you desire. “Graphgans,” or afghans made by following graphs, are especially common since C2C affords you a lot more possibility and spunk than your standard granny square or simple striped blanket. However, the possibilities for projects are only limited by your imagination and your yarn budget. Just don’t be dumb like me, run out of a certain colour partway through your project, be unable to find more of that same yarn, and end up taking apart a quarter of your blanket. Happy hooking! Good, quick, affordable Japanese food » Why Togo Sushi is worth your money Lauren Kelly Graphics Manager OO: the lookout for relatively cheap but good sushi? There are so many options for us in Greater Vancouver that it can be tough to know what’s actually good and what will just drain your wallet. To help with that, I'd like to recommend a chain that hasn't let me down. Togo Sushi restaurants can be found scattered across the Lower Mainland, from Burnaby Mountain to Tsawwassen Mills. Most of these are located in malls, and I'll be honest—mall sushi can make me a bit wary. Sushi's not cheap, so if I’m going to pay for it, I’d rather go somewhere with higher quality food. However, for me Togo Sushi is an exception. Their sushi isn't much cheaper than the average restaurant, but it is fairly affordable, and the kicker is that the food is actually good. Luckily, Douglas students at both campuses have easily access to Togo Sushi restaurants. There is one inside Coquitlam Centre by the Tim Hortons, and a standalone restaurant at New Westminster Station on street level. Of all the chain’s locations, these are also the two I have eaten at the most. Each Togo location has slightly different menu options and prices, which means a favourite roll could be something you need to travel for. The New Westminster location has my favourites, the newly added Green Dynamite Roll and Jalapeno Bomb. These options aren't shown on the menus above the counter, but you can find them on the full takeout menu. The former is covered in a delicious, creamy helping of avocado, and the latter is a deep-fried monstrosity with jalapefios, salmon, and cream cheese inside. My next favourite would have to be the Burning Cheese roll, which I’ve only found so far at the Guildford location— another deep-fried cream cheese roll that is absolutely delicious. The Coquitlam Centre location has some great Togo staples like their Crunch Roll—a California roll with tempura bits and spicy mayo on top—and an Alaska Roll, which features very flavourful smoked salmon. This branch acquired a deep fryer within the last year as well, so they can now offer deep-fried rolls as well as appetizers like takoyaki. All right, so is there anything for people who don't like sushi rolls? Luckily, yes. Their fresh fish is very nice, as is their meat for teriyaki. In fact, they have the best chicken bento box I’ve seen, and they also they offer unagi and salmon. I honestly haven't eaten something I’ve disliked at any of their locations, and I’m fairly picky. I would recommend anyone who enjoys Japanese food to give this place a try. The service is friendly and quick—I’ve literally been in and out in four minutes, Photo by Lauren Kelly and that’s including the time it took to place my order. So, take advantage and grab some sushi before or after class—it’s definitely worth your money.