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Starting With the Basics


     This past Thursday, Halifax Judge Gregory Lenehan acquitted yet another cab driver of sexual assault. The provincial judge ruled that Houssen Milad could walk free. Vice News reported that although Lenehan believed the complainant was sexually assaulted in the summer of 2016, there was Crown had failed to prove that Milad was responsible. A Metro News reporter who was in court for the ruling stated that the judge"slammed the Crown for doing a “disservice” to the complainant and the community by failing to conduct a proper investigation." Lenehan has a long-standing history of acquittals and sexual assault cases. In March, he also acquitted cab driver Bassam Al-Rawi of two alleged sexual assaults, the first of which involved a woman so intoxicated that she was passed out in the back of his cab. However, despite her having a blood alcohol level between 223 and 244 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, roughly three times the legal driving limit. Lenehan proclaimed that the victim had consented in this situation. His decision reads “A person will be incapable of giving consent if she is unconscious or is so intoxicated by alcohol or drugs as to be incapable of understanding or perceiving the situation that presents itself. This does not mean, however, that an intoxicated person cannot give consent to sexual activity. Clearly, a drunk can consent,”.

      Vice's lead for this story is truly gripping, giving the reader enough information to know what happened without going into too much detail. The information regarding the most recent events is told first, with later events written near the end. The beginning of the story includes the facts and details regarding the event in the headline, delving into linked events as you read through the article. As expected, the story doesn't have the happiest of endings. This is far from the first time that Lenehan has acquitted someone of sexual assault, and given his track record, I believe more may follow.

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In the early hours of Monday morning, CBC reported about something that a smaller demographic of people would find interesting. Raphael van Lierop, a triple-A turned indie game developer released The Long Dark, with critics calling it "a fiercely Canadian video game". After nearly three years in the early access stage, the survival game set in the vast wilderness of Northern Canada was fully released on August 1, 2017. Having sold 1.4 million copies since it's debut, The Long Dark proves that Canadian-made games can, in fact, be set in Canada rather than the U.S. "It doesn't seem to be slowing down," said van Lierop, "so whatever mix of elements — the Canadian setting, the wilderness survival aspect, the tone of the game, the art style — really seems to be working well."


As someone who has been following the development of The Long Dark for as long as I can remember, I'm glad it's getting more attention. The title immediately caught my attention, and the lead effectively kept it. By describing how one would feel in a survival situation similar to the setting, the reader develops a sense of urgency. The information regarding the genre, setting, and style of gameplay are described early on, discussing the construction of the game as well as Canada's role in the gaming industry as you read the story. The story has a relatively happy ending, highlighting the games surprising success in an Americanized industry.

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