Crusader Newspaper Volume 74 Issue 2

The Crusader News Official Student Newspaper of St. Paul’s High School Volume 74 Issue 2

AMDG

Winter 2020

A YEAR FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS

2020 is almost over. Let’s look back at the highs and lows. Sameer Batla writes.

Grammy Nominations

CHRISTMAS EDITION

Ikem Nnadi

Ikem Nnadi

COVID Vaccines

Sports in a Pandemic

Jackson Gordon

The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Sharif McCurdy

Christmas music, movies, and more!

Alec Compton and Riley Wilcosh write.

Yazan Abusaleh

Skyler Griffith

Yash Varma

NBA Draft

Nathan Poklar

Kieran Light

2020 Tech Recap

A Christmas Message

Oscar Lavitt

Emmitt Wilson

NFL Playoffs Speedcubing

Personal Freedoms

Apple M1

The Call of a Christian

Christian Persecution Myles Cesario writes. thecrusadernews.ca

Donovan Martin

Comic

Toe Toe Moo

ESSAY: What. A. Year.

Sameer Batla ’22 Contributor

Chaotic. Unstable. Tumultuous.

Unprecedented. All very fitting words to describe the year of our Lord 2020. From widespread disease, celebrity entanglements, global protests, and more, here’s a quick recap of the unforgettable events that this year has brought us.

As obvious as it is, the current COVID-19 pandemic is the one agonizing theme that has played ominously throughout 2020 the most. SARS-CoV-2 is the type of coronavirus that is responsible for the COVID-19 disease, which originated in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. This month is its first-year anniversary. COVID-19 is a disease that targets your respiratory system and causes numerous other harmful complications that pose a great risk to your health.

It left the world in shock as we stood witness to the countless lives that it affected, completely taking over numerous countries in a scenario pulled directly out of a science fiction movie. The pandemic also had a great impact on our daily life as we were forced to adapt to safety precautions such as social distancing, face masks, and the constant use of hand sanitizer. It meant that we couldn’t spend time with our friends and family the way we were used to, or play our favourite sports and do our favourite activities.

COVID-19 has also had an impact on the economy, causing large shifts in international shares and the stock market, widespread unemployment, and the closing of thousands of businesses. The pandemic even led to the postponement or cancella-

tion of highly anticipated events such as the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

However, as news about potential virus-combatting vaccines spreads, it poses the question as to when things will go back to normal. Canada has plans to conduct a soft launch of “Track 1” COVID-19 vaccines to be tested throughout the coming weeks and months. Currently, these vaccines have a projected efficacy rate of 94% and are expected to develop 3 months’ worth of immunity in the body.

See Jackson Gordon’s article on page three for more details.

May 25 marked the beginning of worldwide protests after 46-year-old George Floyd was unjustly murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin. Despite Floyd’s exasperated pleas of “I can’t breathe,” Chauvin’s knee was pressed against Floyd’s neck for eight minutes while he died.

This heinous act of police brutality and racism brought global outcry as individuals across the planet joined together to protest against police brutality and push the Black Lives Matter movement. Floyd, along with many others, were and continue to be discussed as people demand justice and for police officers to take responsibility.

There were too many global concerns that brought upon constant shock to the world this year to count. Together we witnessed environmental issues such as dreadful wildfires that occurred in Australia and the West Coast. We saw released footage from the Pentagon of what was deemed to be potential UFO sightings, as well as rumours about a potential third world war.

There were intense political affairs from our neighbouring country, the United States, such as the impeachment of President Donald Trump and Joe Biden being elected as the President of

the United States (despite many Trump fans believing otherwise). Protests continued in Hong Kong over the 2019 Hong Kong extradition bill, and the United Kingdom officially left the European Union.

Further surprise arrived when we heard that Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, officially decided to step down from their royal duties and move to California. Canada was not free from its own tragedies either; one of the RCAF Snowbird jets crashed in Kamloops in May while the military aerobatics team was completing a nationwide tour in aims to cheer citizens up during the height of the early pandemic.

Despite its awful reputation, there has been some good to come out of 2020. This year showed the world how success can still be achieved even in the darkest of times. February marked a great milestone in the cinematic world, as the film Parasite made headlines across the globe for winning the most awards at the 2020 Oscars.

The movie secured four Academy Awards and became the first-ever non-English film to win the award for Best Picture in the history of the Oscars. It was also the first South Korean film to be nominated for International Feature Film and Foreign Language Film.

Furthermore, NASA and SpaceX had a historic launch on American soil after a decade and successfully sent four astronauts into orbit to set about a sixthmonth scientific mission upon the International Space Station.

Additionally, this year former NASA astronaut Kathy Sullivan became the first human ever to not only complete a spacewalk but also reach the deepest known part of the ocean.

2020 also marked a notable year in sports. The Los Angeles Lakers were named the 2020 NBA Champions after defeating the

Miami Heat in game six of the NBA finals, a championship that added to the “GOAT” resume of LeBron James. The city of Los Angeles also dominated the sport of baseball this year as the Los Angeles Dodgers became the 2020 World Series Champions, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays. This was their first championship in 32 years. A monumental moment occurred in November as we recently witnessed boxing legend Mike Tyson enter the ring again at the age of 54 to face off against 51-year-old Roy Jones Junior in an exhibition match that resulted in a draw.

Finally, to all of the inspirational figures that we lost this year: Kobe Bryant, Chadwick Boseman, Eddie Van Halen, Sean Connery, Pop Smoke, Alex Trebek, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Diego Maradona, and many more.

We’d like to pay our respects to them and thank them for all that they had done to contribute to a better society and provide joy for all of us to share.

Chadwick Boseman died of cancer August 28, aged 43

2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year for all of us. It showed us how we cannot take life for granted and must be thankful for everything we have, no matter how insignificant it may seem. We faced many gruelling situations that brought us together as one and made us stronger as a community and were forced to educate ourselves and stop being ignorant of issues that matter across the globe.

Finally, it showed us that we can and will persevere even through the darkest of times as long as we lift each other up and understand that all we have, at end of the day, is one another.

The 2021 Grammy nominations are here!

Ikem Nnadi ’23 Contributor

The 63rd Grammy Awards Ceremony will take place January 31, 2021. The nominee list was released on November 24 of this year. The host of the ceremony will be Trevor Noah, a political commentator and comedian.

The three most popular music genres (rap, pop, and R&B) all produced some quality work this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 was a year to remember in music, with dynamic, genre-bending projects such as The Weeknd’s After Hours achieving critical and commercial acclaim. However,

that does not mean that all of 2020’s musical highs received a nomination. Despite being generally regarded as Album of the Year in R&B amongst music communities, After Hours didn’t receive a single nomination in any category, nor did any song from it. This was easily the biggest snub of the nominations, followed by Pop Smoke and Summer Walker snubbed in the Best New Artists category. The Best Melodic Rap Performance nominations are a new category introduced this year, and they arguably have gotten off to a good start with tracks such as Drake’s “Laugh Now, Cry Later” and Travis Scott’s “Highest in the Room” among the nominations.

Some of my personal grievances include Lil Baby’s “My Turn” not being nominated for Best Rap Album, as well as Polo G’s “The Goat” being ignored in the same category. Despite this, some underrated talents such as D Smoke and Freddie Gibbs were nominated in the category, with genre superstars occupying nominations in most other categories across rap, pop, and R&B. Some fantastic tracks were included in the Best Rap Performance

nominations and Best R&B Performance, with “The Bigger Picture” by Lil Baby and “Lightning and Thunder” by Jhene Aiko (featuring John LegTrevor Noah will host the 2021 Grammy Awards end) being pop songs, with Billie Eilish’s standouts. R&B artists outdid “Everything I Wanted” and Doja themselves this year, with big figures such as Beyonce and the Cat’s “Say So” standing out. The Best Pop Album also included aforementioned Aiko and Legend receiving multiple nomina- big stars, ranging from Lady tions. Many were expecting R&B Gaga to Justin Bieber. So, while the 2021 Grammy Nominations artist Bryson Tiller to make a nice return to form with his lat- were notable for their snub of est album Anniversary, perhaps the Weeknd, this list of nominees was good overall. Instead grabbing a nomination. However, many fans and critics alike of vying for the most popular albums or songs, the Grammys felt as though the album was simply a shallower version of his opted for some sleeper hits, such 2017 album Trapsoul, which was as D Smoke’s Black Habits being nominated for Rap Album Grammy-nominated itself. A nod that I felt was deserved was of the Year. While some, like Thundercat’s nomination in Best myself, are disappointed that their favourite artists weren’t Progressive R&B Album for It is What it Is. Pop fans should be nominated, this is a good list overall, and I’m interested to see pleased with their nominees, as Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, and Tay- how the ceremony plays out in lor Swift all racking up multiple January, and who performs. But nominations. The Best Pop Solo until then, we can only hope and Performance category had some speculate. of the year’s biggest

COVID-19: When can we expect a vaccine? with working vaccines. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is being tested Jackson in the UK and Brazil and is the Gordon ’22 vaccine with the most potential. This vaccine has an efficaScience & cy of 90% when participants Tech Editor were given two shots: one half dose and one full dose a month apart. AstraZeneca is seeking an The coronavirus of 2019, or Emergency Use Listing from the more commonly COVID-19, has World Health Organization to been around for almost a year at accelerate their vaccine’s use in the time of publishing. Virololow-income countries. The next gists have been working hard to vaccine being developed is by find a vaccine since the disease Janssen. Janssen has just startwas first detected in December ed testing its vaccine in around of last year. Billions of dollars 6,000 people in the United Kinghave been invested in these dom of Great Britain and Northvaccines and five companies ern Ireland. Janssen is ready have finally produced working to produce millions of these vaccines that are all in stage vaccines. Moderna’s vaccine has three of testing as determined by an efficacy of 94.1%, the highthe Centers for Disease Control. est of any mass tested vaccine.

AstraZeneca, Janssen PharmaModerna is planning to ship the ceutica, Moderna, Novavax, and vaccine by the new year if it gets Pfizer are the five companies approval. They plan on charging

32-37 USD (41-48 CAD) per dose of the vaccine in developed countries but will have cheaper prices in less developed countries. Novavax has its vaccine in small clinical trials and will begin larger trials in the United Kingdom in early 2021. Their vaccine is believed to be even more effective than Moderna’s, but it has not undergone any large-scale testing, so it will not be ready for distribution as soon as the others. Pfizer has a vaccine that is already being used

in the United Kingdom. Canada will wait until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration makes a decision about a vaccine before deciding. If the Canadian government has not already made their decision, they will decide soon. Canadians are expected to be able to access a coronavirus vaccine by the spring of 2021. If Canada can secure enough vaccines, the entire country could be protected by next winter.

Movie Review: The Killing of a Sacred Deer Yazan Abusaleh ’22 Contributor

Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos works in a profoundly metaphorical register and uses unthinkable circumstances to illuminate relatable human fears.

The outcome is a mesmerising dark thriller that poses questions without good answers, and traps us with little hope for a happy ending within its bizarre and frightening situation. Featuring consistently great performances throughout the film, and the amazing eye of Lanthimos for composition and detail, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is by far one my favourite films.

Colin Farrell plays Dr. Steven Murphy, a well-respected surgeon who seems to have it all: a great and lucrative job, a massive property, and a stunning wife named Anna, who also works in

the medical field. Together, they have two bright children who are at the top of their classes.

Anyone could tell that Murphy seems to have a pretty ideal life.

Later in the film, Murphy befriends a 16-year-old boy named Martin. From Martin’s first appearance, there are clear signs that something is not right with the boy, and details of his relationship with the doctor are suspiciously unclear. Murphy introduces Martin to his colleagues as a friend of his daughter’s, but this is a lie. Quickly, the plot thickens as one of Murphy’s children falls ill, and the story takes a turn for the worse.

Murphy is confronted with an unbearable life changing decision. It is a world of suburban perfection that becomes a waking nightmare, in which a doctor who plays God must face his wrath.

Keoghan, who is well known for his role in Dunkirk. The cinematography is amazing; the camera wanders through hospital corridors making you feel claustrophobic as the tension rises, similar to The Shining. Barry Keoghan steals the show with his astonishing performance that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Yorgos Lanthimos, with his stunning directing, has rightfully won many prestigious awards for his work such as the Palme d’Or award for best screenplay in

2017, among many others.

It is rare to find such a fascinating, unique, movie. It is a timeless film that is very interesting and feels so refined in its filmmaking. It’s also invigorating to watch, much like the Greek myth of Iphigenia that this film was inspired by.

I would certainly recommend this movie for people who are in for a thrilling ride that will creep anyone out. (9/10)

Without spoiling anything else, this movie is a must-watch if you love thrillers. The movie is filled with many talented actors such as Nicole Kidman and Barry

COVID-19: How far do our personal freedoms go?

Nathan Poklar ’24 Contributor

As Canadians, we all possess rights and freedoms which allow us to express ourselves in almost any way we want. We can associate with the people, groups, and religions we choose and express the opinions we hold. We are so accustomed to these rights that we nearly take them for granted.

However, now that we live in the time of COVID-19, with its enforced social distancing and mandatory mask-wearing, critics of these measures assert that these rules infringe upon our personal freedoms. For example, churchgoers in Steinbach believe the government is taking away their right to practice their religion by closing their church.

In all honesty, these critics do have a point. In these times, our

rights and freedoms are being restricted. However, the rest of their argument can only be described as complete ignorance of reality. Any person who believes that these rules exist solely to restrict our rights is akin to an ostrich burying its head in the sand and ignoring the gravity of the situation.

But what exactly is the gravity of our situation? As The Crusader News went to print, 12,776 people have died from COVID-19

in Canada. For reference, in Canada, around 3,500 people die from the flu each year. Each day, between 50-100 Canadians die from COVID-19 and thousands of new cases are added to the count. COVID-19 is getting worse in Canada and we must do something. Right now, our best bet for curbing the spread of the virus is by enforcing new measures to prevent infection from person to person. This situation is not ideal, and it is not like we have much of a choice

when it comes to participating in these new rules. But we must put things into perspective. The government is not forcing any of us to go fight in a war or to forfeit our political voice. All we must do is put a piece of cloth over our mouths and stay two metres away from each other.

So, the question that COVID-restriction critics must ask themselves is: would we rather have minute restrictions of our freedoms or a deadly pandemic left unchecked? I’d rather the former.

Residents of Steinbach, MB gather to protest new COVID restrictions.

The Best Tech of 2020 Oscar Lavitt ’23 Contributor

With all the time we spent at home this year, technology has become even more important for communication and entertainment. Here are some of the best products released in 2020.

Best New Tablet: iPad Air 2020 Apple completely redesigned its midrange tablet this year, removing the home button and enlarging the screen. The new model features improved Apple Pencil support. The camera, processor, and battery also got a huge upgrade. This iPad is a great option for those who do not need the features of the more expensive Pro model. It’s a great product for a more modest price.

Best New VR Headset: Oculus Quest 2

active noise cancelling and a new bean-shaped design that is both subtle and comfortable in Facebook took standalone VR most ears, these headphones are to the next level this year with similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro. the Quest 2. It has a lighter body, The main difference between the a better processor, and sharper two is the market they appeal displays. All this without the hassle of wires. The Quest 2 is the perfect product for a rookie VR user or for seasoned users who want to go wireless. A PC is not necessary, so users can enjoy VR without a PC’s added cost.

For users who already have a VR to. The Galaxy Buds are around headset, a PC can also use the $100 cheaper than the AirPods, Quest 2 wired, which allows for making them a perfect choice better graphics and an expanded for those who have a Samsung library of games. This product phone as well. For those in the allows for a full VR experience Apple universe, the AirPods Pro without the need for a PC, or AirPods may be a more logiallowing users to play titles like cal choice, as they feature better Beat Saber and Superhot. support for Apple’s phones.

Best New Headphones: Samsung Galaxy Buds Live While many people don’t know what to think about the new Galaxy Buds, it is hard to argue against them. With pretty good

Best New Phone: iPhone 12 The iPhone 12, while not perfect, is likely to be the most popular new phone in our school community. This year Apple finally upgraded the displays on

its non-pro models to OLED displays, which will make the blacks that the screen displays much darker. The new phone also gets a significant boost to its battery life and an upgrade to its

processor. The pro models also include a LIDAR sensor that will improve AR capability, but this feature is gimmicky to the average consumer. While it would have been nice to transition to a higher refresh rate display and a smaller (or nonexistent) notch, the iPhone 12 is a solid choice for the Apple user. Features like MagSafe and 5G only add to the overall appeal of the device, making it a good choice for those looking for a new phone.

Apple announces new Macs and M1 chip Emmitt Wilson ’22 Politics Editor On November 10, Apple revealed its newest series of Mac devices to the world, including a new Mac Mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. While on the surface, all three of these devices are almost indistinguishable from their predecessors, they have made monumental changes inside. While the older Macs use a wide range of components, supplied by different companies, the new macs have consolidated

most of the processing that the devices do into one SOC or “System on Chip” designed by Apple.

This SOC contains the computer’s processor, memory, graphics and a brand-new neural engine that will supposedly be used for artificial intelligence tasks. In addition, it also handles Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, something normally done by a separate component. This approach is new for laptops, but it is how smartphones have been built for almost a decade.

Apple has used its experience in designing SOCs for their iPhones to create a new one, called the M1 for their Macs. Thanks to its design, the M1 has a few major advantages over the Intel processors that Apple used in previous Macs, like being physically smaller

and much more power-efficient.

This means that Macs with the M1 don’t get anywhere near as hot as older models and have around 1.5 times as much battery life. They can also now run iOS apps as long as the developer allows it. The M1 does have some drawbacks, though, because it achieves its incredible efficiency using the ARM architecture, the same one used for iPhones. This means that applications designed for older Macs and PCs won’t run well on the M1 until their developers update them. It also means that the number of video games available for Macs—which was already limited compared to Windows devices—is now even smaller, since most games will never be

updated to work on the new Macs. Despite the downsides, the M1 is a big step forward for computers, especially laptops and it will hopefully spur better competition from Apple’s rivals.

The important question, though, is: should you buy one of the M1 Macs? I would caution against it, as they are a first-generation product and there will likely be issues that Apple has not worked out yet. Additionally, the outside of the new Macs is the same design that Apple has used since 2016. I would recommend waiting for the 2021 Macs which will fix any issues with the first generation and are rumoured to be redesigned with a more modern look.

Alec’s Christmas Album Reviews Alec Compton ’22

original “Little Drummer Boy” didn’t come equipped with a Busta Rhymes feature. Eat your heart out, Harry Simeone.

Arts & Culture Editor

2. Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas (6/10)

Christmastime is an anomaly in terms of music charting and music culture. It is really the only holiday that has a truly large effect on people’s listening habits (Halloween music is barely a thing) and continues to be an extremely profitable creative endeavour for many musicians, despite saturation.

Everyone has heard Christmas songs, but few—including myself until recently—have heard full Christmas albums. I decided to embark on a listening journey through ten Christmas records by various popular artists. Some records were good and some were not.

1. Justin Bieber: Under the Mistletoe (5/10)

Justin Bieber’s 2012 release Under the Mistletoe is a fairly standard affair instrumentally for the chart-topping pop singer.

Bieber pretty strictly only sings on acoustic tracks or R&B-inspired cuts on this record, with a couple of piano ballads sprinkling in. While the record starts and finishes relatively strong, with the smooth “Only Thing I Ever Get for Christmas” for an intro and Bieber delivering a stellar cover of “Silent Night” as the closer, the middle portion is a slog. The saving grace of the middle portion is “Drummer Boy” but only because it’s so bad that it’s good. Some would consider Bieber claiming people should be surprised his Hip Hop inspired cover of the song isn’t in the Bible, but to his credit, the

4. The Beach Boys: The Beach Boys Christmas Album (6/10)

ern gem. It is consistent across the tracklist, going from bouncy Christmas tunes to slow piano ballads. “Snowman” is the crown jewel of the record. Sia’s vocals are perfectly suited for a Christmas endeavour with the sole exception of “Puppies are Forever.”

7. Pentatonix: A Pentatonix Christmas (6.5/10)

Mariah Carey has, in my memory, the most recent Christmas song I would consider a classic with “All I Want for Christmas is You,” which still nets her a whopping one million dollars every year due to how excessively overplayed it is. I commend Carey for not simply trying to recreate it ten times and calling it a record. The rest of the record is basically standard Christmas music, with a backing choir for most of the track list, aside from a few solo ballads. Despite the boost from Mariah Carey’s stellar vocals, it is basically just a normal Christmas album, save for her cover of “Joy to the World” which she decided to make into a disco track, which is truly a power move for the ages.

3. Weezer: Christmas with Weezer (4/10)

For The Beach Boys and their California-beach style, making a Christmas album is a risky venture. The standard harmonies are the same as a normal Beach Boys album, but overall the vocal performance and overall eccentricities are toned down. Nothing on the album is bad, but it is consistently mediocre, with the few exceptions being “Santa’s Beard”, “Frosty the Snowman”, and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”.

A Pentatonix Christmas is a Christmas favourite; I can certainly see the appeal. Their acapella take on classic Christmas songs is quite refreshing on first listen. But after a couple plays, 5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: their style grows a tad tiresome Chipmunks Christmas (0.5/10) and I started to crave actual instruments. There aren’t really any low points on the tracklist, but it grows weary over time. It is still well-produced, though.

8. Frank Sinatra: A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra (9.5/10)

Listening to all 40 minutes of Chipmunks Christmas was torture. It is bland and subpar, with a majority of the vocals pitched up to an annoying extent. It is truly a desecration of art and music that doesn’t even deserve a three-sentence review.

6. Sia: Everyday is Christmas (8/10)

Christmas with Weezer sounds like what I’d imagine Weezer’s Christmas music to be, which is disappointing. Weezer has always been a pretty interesting and exciting band and I came away from this LP with little feelings for it. It was short, lasting under fifteen minutes, and none of the songs are really highlights.

Sia’s Christmas album is a mod-

This is probably the best traditional vocal Christmas album.

Frank Sinatra is perfect for singing Christmas songs. Paired with lush instrumentation, it’s hard to imagine a better-sounding Christmas album that stays within the traditional boundaries. Every track is fantastic and the record transports you to a true winter wonderland with its beautiful instrumentals and peak vocal form. To be frank, it’s a masterpiece.

Continues on the last page.

Riley’s Christmas Movie Reviews Riley Wilcosh ’22 Film Critic

Christmastime is here, and you know what that sometimes means: commercialism. All of those gifts, cards, and awkward dinners with relatives. Today we are going to ignore all those negative elements of Christmas, and I’ll weigh in on some of the most beloved Christmas movies.

ing remained as wonderfully confusing and chilling as ever.

The wonderful mind-bending cinema by Stanley Kubrick is the height of this movie, with the slow crawl of the film made suspenseful by the sporadic scenes of pure terror. It is truly a masterpiece of the horror genre (and a delightfully oxymoronic Christmas movie).

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000): 3.5/10 I thought that this would be a wonderful start to my Christmas viewing experience, but I was rudely awakened by this adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s 1966 animated short film. From past viewings as a younger, less cynical Riley, I had a positive opinion of this movie. But after my most recent viewing, I am able to see past that glossy contrast and see its shortcomings. The sets are still incredible and Jim Carrey gives it his all, but the creepy facial prosthetic overabundance of cliches, and the childish humour is too over the top, and not in the good Jim Carrey way.

The Shining (1980): 9.5/10 After the disappointment of the last film, I forged ahead unfettered, moving onto another film I had not seen in a long time, and thankfully one of my cherished classics did not fall on its face again. The Shin-

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992): 8/10 Now I digressed to an old favourite of mine, another childhood nostalgia movie. And thankfully, this one does not disappoint (sort of). This movie is very Muppet-centric for me. It is never going to be lauded as distinguished art or be nominated for an Oscar, and it knows that. It does not take itself too seriously and plays every joke perfectly with that classic Muppet charm.

As always, the practical effects are top-notch, and the sets look warm and inviting, while still being Dickensian London. This movie warms my heart and is worth the hour and a half it

takes to watch it.

Elf (2003): 8.5/10 At first, I found this entry to be puzzling. It is too much of a classic to ignore, but the same things that make it endearing are what made me condemn The Grinch. Then I realized that the difference is the balance and the quality of the elements. Both movies attempt to balance goofy, emotionally effervescent characters with some heartwarming moments. However, since Jim Carrey had not yet discovered his Eternal Sunshine of the A Christmas Story (1983): 9/10 Spotless Mind range, Will Ferrell switches back between laughter To wrap up our list, I wanted to and love wonderfully, making end off with one of the most unElf the classic that it is. disputed classic Christmas movies of all time. Christmas stands the test of time, even though a lot of things have changed since the late ’30s when this movie is set. The pacing is a little slow, but the constant sibling conflict, the stupid friends, their stupid dares and that childlike wonder and excitement that surrounds those early years are captured perfectly. Everything feels exactly like someone’s actual childhood, with its essence captured perfectly in an hour and a half.

Call me a sucker for movies with older settings, but this might be my favourite Christmas movie, just because of the down to earth Home Alone (1990): 8/10 way the story is told.

For this entry, I could not decide whether to include the first or the second instalment.

I love the character actors in the second, but when it comes down to it, I’ll always back the first movie. I avoided this movie for a long time. I do not know why, but I never wanted to see it. So it is a testament to how funny and inventive this movie is, that even for 16-year-old me, it became an instant classic. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern really do not get enough credit for their performances in this movie, nor do Catherine O’Hara or John Candy. Home Alone is an undeniable Christmas classic that, unlike its star Macaulay Culkin, only gets better with time. (8/10)

The Call of a Christian Ikem Nnadi ’23 Contributor

What is the greatest call of a Christian? This is a question many have asked throughout the entire course of Christian history, and is a question frequently asked by non-Christians who are curious about the faith. So, again, what is a Christian’s greatest call? Is it to serve the poor, go to mass weekly, to study the Bible? The reality is that being a Christian includes not only these things, but so much more.

Christianity is not just a religion, it’s a way of life.

One’s call as a Christian isn’t convenient or easy. In fact, it’s tasking and at times difficult to do. Despite this, the call of a Christian is to love one another as Christ Jesus loved us and to put God above everything else in your life. It is through this love that we become more like

Christ, and through love we bring Christ to the world. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Loving other people isn’t always easy; that’s obvious. We humans are not easy to love, or quick to love in return. And yet, “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins, so that we may not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

We must pass on the love God has shown to us all, regardless of our mistakes or the mistakes of the person next to us. That is the call of a Christian. In a world seemingly devoid of togetherness, hope, and love, our job as Christians is to be God’s light in the world, loving others, caring for others, and uplifting others, even when they trespass against us. While we ourselves won’t always be faultless, that’s where righteousness comes into play. A righteous person is not a perfect person. Instead, it is someone who strives to do good in this world—stumbling sometimes— but always getting back up and

trying again with God’s help.

We are all sinners; that much is clear. But that’s where the basis of our faith comes from. We as sinners seek forgiveness and grace from the Father, while believing in the Son’s death and

one believes Jesus lived here on Earth. Not everyone wants to change their lifestyle or to hear the Word. But we Christians, sinners, and imperfect people are called to seek righteousness and to love, placing our relation-

resurrection, and with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we can go about and make change while serving all people on Earth. In doing this, we see God, become more like Christ Jesus, and do the work of the Holy Spirit. You see, being a Christian is being an optimist, seeing the world through God’s eyes. Not every-

ship with Christ and the Father above all else, humbly serving Him in love. “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13).

ESSAY: On Christian Persecution Myles Cesario ’21 Religion Editor The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion.”

Religious tolerance and freedom of religion are central pillars in democratic, multicultural societies. But often, religious groups persecute each other, committing sins against others in the name of their God. But when these groups themselves are persecuted minorities in other countries, how many news outlets are willing to discuss them?

Well, here’s something no news outlet wants to touch: Christian persecution in the world is rising. There, I said it. This statement in itself is controversial, but it’s the truth. I will focus on four examples of Christian persecution in the world. But keep a couple things in mind.

Many different groups of people are minorities and these groups existed in their home regions

long before harsh conditions.

An attack on one Christian is an attack against us all.

The Church of Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey, is one of the most significant churches in all of history and is marked by a thousand years of tradition and religious fervour. Built in its modern design in 532 AD after the Nika Riots nearly burned

down Constantinople, it was the centre of Byzantine worship. As an Orthodox Christian ‘mega-church’, it was used by emperor and commoner alike and showcased Christian themes and imperial prowess. In 1453, Emperor Fatih Sultan captured Constantinople for the Ottoman Empire, converting the cathedral into the city’s central mosque. The Ottomans covered the original Christian artwork.

During the secularization of the Republic of Turkey in the early 20th Century, President Atatürk turned the Hagia Sofia into a museum, exposing the Christian artwork. From the fall of the Ottoman Empire to 2020, the Hagia Sofia stood as a symbol of religious tolerance of Christians and Muslims in Turkey.

But unfortunately, the notions of religious zeal have dominated the world since then. In Turkey alone, Christians are perceived as ‘Western imports.’ Their religious freedom (as a minority)

A church in a home in China’s Henan province is seen demolished

is practically inexistent. One of these instances is the inability of the Greek Orthodox community to train clergy at the Halki Seminary for future priests in Turkey. This leads me back to the Hagia Sofia. In 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pushed for the Hagia Sofia’s retransformation into a mosque.

The Supreme Court of Turkey obliged and the Hagia Sofia was transformed back into a mosque, covering its Christian artistry only during services. This leaves Christians out of the picture in a building they originally built.

The situation for Christians in Turkey will continue to worsen, but at least it now receives public attention.

China is the biggest Communist country in the world, and yet, people forget that religion and Communism haven’t always gotten along. In China, Christianity is small by comparison to mainstream atheism and other cultural beliefs, but Christianity was small in the Roman Empire and still ended up being a ripe target for Nero and his successors. Christian life in China is under heavy surveillance by the Chinese government and the Catholic Church’s attempts to make it easier for Christians to worship in China have met deaf ears. Even with the Vatican-China agreement—which is an entirely different problem on its own—Christians in China still have problems. They have seen their churches shut down with no just cause and their pastors and priests arrested or investigated. Catholic bishop appointments even need approval from the Communist Party, which has divided the loyalties of the Catholic population in China.

There are even practices in place that force churches to hang the Chinese national flag and play

patriotic songs in services. This reinforces the notion that it is the government that has the power in the Church and not God. High-ranking Church officials such as Cardinal Emeritus Joseph Zen have called out the Communist country for persecuting its citizens while also pointing fingers at the Vatican for remaining silent while countries like the US have published new reports that assert that “human rights abuse in China has worsened in the last year” (2020), and specifically highlighted that “the escalating persecution of Chinese Catholics in the wake of the Vatican-China agreement of 2018.” There was another time in Catholic history when Communist states weren’t the nicest rulers, most notably St. John Paul II’s Poland. When the future pope was still named Karol Wojtyla, he had to deal with an impertinent Soviet government, but this soon ended.

So, perhaps one day the People’s Republic of China will allow its citizens to worship without fear.

The third situation is in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Now it is no surprise that the Kingdom is predominantly Muslim or that it is a monarchy. But one surprise may be the fact that there are no churches—at least public ones, anyway. It has

been Saudi policy to not allow any Church for any Christian denomination to be built in the country. They do offer alternatives, such as online masses, and even as recent as 2018 the Coptic Orthodox celebrated the first public mass in Riyadh. But if someone were to wear a cross, or to hold a public religious service not sanctioned by the government, they could face serious punishment, all the way to being “arrested and risk expulsion from the Kingdom.” Saudi Arabia is also a country known to have many overseas workers—most of whom are Christian—who are forced to suppress their faith or feel pressured to convert. Now it’s one thing to separate Church and state, but it’s an entirely different thing to not allow any religious minority to publicly gather to worship one day a week.

This last instance is perhaps one you weren’t expecting. These days, Christian persecution in the West is barely covered. In truth, some people just don’t

protests that have gripped the world, many extreme protesters have toppled statues of saints, burned churches, and have written antisemitic or Nazi literature. When these community centres—Houses of God—and places of safety are burned and no one in government bats an eye, isn’t it hypocritical for the Western nations to proclaim their religious tolerance and yet do nothing? Say nothing? The greatest struggles in our societies are the ones we don’t see. Do we see this one?

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40). Christian persecution around the world is growing in places such as Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia, and even in our own backyard. There is a fine line between religious tolerance and religious intolerance, and we’ve passed that. Yes, no one can deny that the Catholic and even Christian churches have committed sins that God Himself wouldn’t be proud of. But

St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, DC burns during protests

care. But in 2020 alone, the number of reports regarding vandalism, theft, and burning of churches rose sharply. Anti-religious sentiments have been growing in the West, not just against Christians but all religions. Separation of Church and state has been noticeable in Western society for decades, but this goes too far. In the recent

Christians in Saudi Arabia protest violations of their religious freedom

that does mean the world can do it to us? In this time of hope and preparation let us appeal to God on high to save our brothers and sisters. Let us as Christians pray for our brothers and sisters in these regions but also pray for those who do not share the same beliefs as us and anyone who may persecute us. Let us also learn a lesson from these persecuted Christians, that to strive for Christ is not easy, it is a calling that sometimes requires us to lay down our lives. The greatest lesson for us Christians is to learn to pray, not simply pray for what we want, but pray because it’s a time when we gain the divine strength we need to endure this journey to sainthood. So, let us rejoice for the martyrs’ sacrifices and the lessons we can learn. All you holy men and women, pray for us.

COVID-19: When will we play sports again? the livelihood of the athletes.

Sports are a major industry in Sharif which colleges, schools, and McCurdy ’22 cities generate revenue.

The NFL, MLB, NBA, Indian Contributor Premier League, British Premier League, and the NHL generate 45.43 billion USD (58.05 billion CAD) annually in revenue and COVID-19 has, in one way provide millions of jobs. The or another, affected everyone uncertainty of their shortened around the world. Cancelled seasons and lack of ticket sales sports events have affected athhave taken a big hit to the proletes worldwide. Whether you fessional industry’s revenue. are an athlete, coach or even a Although professional seasons spectator at St. Paul’s, the abhave still continued at some sence of sports due to COVID capacity in most places, college has affected your livelihood. The and high school sports have sports that have been pushed been cancelled or postponed back, rescheduled, or cancelled across Winnipeg, not just at St. at St. Paul’s so far this year are Paul’s. We still managed to have volleyball, football, basketball, practices for football, volleyball wrestling, hockey, curling, and and cross country, although indoor track. The postponement heavily restricted. The seasons of these sports outside of St. are all delayed and all of the fees Paul’s has affected more than just students paid to run these pro-

grams have not been put to use, and may never be of use.

Despite all of the effort put in by Manitoba sports associations, some sports seasons will inevitably be entirely cancelled or shortened greatly. This will affect scholarships and will take away the final season of many seniors.

This was supposed to be their best and most exciting year. To combat this, colleges have added an extra year of eligibility, although that would be impossible

at the high school level. However, there is still hope of a spring season that most high school athletes are clinging onto.

We hope COVID-19 cases will decrease enough for us to play.

On top of all this, if there is a spring season, what sports will get priority? How long will the seasons be and what will the government do to keep everyone safe? Athletes have a lot of questions and too few answers.

Steelers or Chiefs? Who will make it to Super Bowl LV? Skyler Griffith ’21 Sports Editor As the 2020 NFL regular season comes to an end, a handful of dominant teams are emerging as potential Super Bowl LV contenders. While the New York Jets—who have yet to win a game this year—are watching the upcoming Super Bowl at home on TV (socially distanced of course), two exceptional teams will face off at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida in February. The winner of this battle will be crowned America’s best football team.

One major uncertainty of this year’s playoffs is which team from the AFC (American Football Conference) will make it to the Super Bowl. Will it be the

undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers?

Will the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning champs, defend their title?

The Steelers and Chiefs are arguably the league’s two strongest teams, although only one will make it to the Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Super Bowl as both teams are from the AFC. Fans in the league. The Steelers are a are left guessing which of the team with essentially no weaktwo it will be. nesses. The only way the Steelers will miss the Super Bowl is if the 1. Pittsburgh Steelers Chiefs defeat them and make 11-1 | 1st in AFC North their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance.

The Steelers remain one of the leagues’s highest-ranked teams.

2. Kansas City Chiefs Led by two-time Super Bowl 11-1 | 1st in AFC West champion and veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger, along with Chase After winning last year’s Super Claypool, a Canadian rookie Bowl, the Chiefs have made it WR (who has scored 10 touchtheir mission to become the downs), the Steelers’ offence is league’s next dynasty. QB Patrick unstoppable. Their defence is Mahomes, who was league MVP led by TJ Watt, who leads the in 2018, is on pace towards winleague in QB pressures and hits, ning his second MVP award this and is a strong contender for year. Mahomes is leading the this year’s Defensive Player of league in passing yards and has the Year Award. As a whole, the helped receiver Tyreek Hill and Steelers’ defence has allowed tight end Travis Kelce become the least points per game and is 2nd and 3rd in receiving yards a scary sight for any offence this year. This offence is simply unstoppable and is debatably

one of the greatest of all time.

Additionally, their defence is 6th in points allowed per game.

It is highly improbable for even the best of defences to stop this Chiefs offence. As long as their defence continues to hold their own, the Chiefs should be able to knock the Steelers out of the AFC finals and go on to win the Super Bowl.

This likely matchup between the Steelers and Chiefs will be even more exciting than the Super Bowl itself. Whoever wins should easily become the next Super Bowl champion. The league’s #1 offence will be tested by the league’s #1 defence, and whichever of the two outperforms the other will lead their team to victory.

Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes

The obscure art of speedcubing Yash Varma ’24 Contributor

There are two types of people in this world: those who can solve a Rubik’s Cube and those who cannot. Those who can solve a Rubik’s Cube may be a part of the global society of speedcubers.

What exactly is a speedcuber?

Essentially, it is someone who can solve the twisty puzzle at a rapid speed. The path to speedcubing is just like learning any new skill: starting from the bottom and working your way up.

The beginning of a speedcuber’s journey—after crying from frustration—starts by learning the beginner’s method, also known as “layer by layer” (LBL). It

begins by orienting all the edges on the white face, so it forms the shape of a cross. Following that, the four corners are inserted, which builds the first layer. To complete the middle layer, the insertion of four other edges is needed. The yellow face, being the last layer, follows a similar insertion pattern to the first layer’s, with the edges and then the corners being inserted. This method of solving trades off efficiency with simplicity, taking over one hundred turns to solve, and around a few minutes to complete.

Once this beginner method is perfected by a speedcuber, they explore the advanced method known as the Fridrich method, or “CFOP,” which stands for cross, first two layers (F2L), orienting the last layer (OLL), and permuting the last layer (PLL).

Unlike LBL, CFOP trades off simplicity with efficiency. What makes it harder? The need to think intuitively, turn faster, and learn algorithms. Algorithms

are a series of turns that help put the puzzle in a desired orientation, without disarranging any other pieces. To articulate an algorithm, every face of the cube is marked with its own letter: F (Front), U (Up), D (Down), L (Left), R (Right), and B (Back).

An apostrophe is attached to the letter if the face needs to be turned counter-clockwise, and the number 2 is attached to the letter if the face needs to be rotated twice. An example of an algorithm may look like this: R U R’ U R U2 R’. In CFOP, F2L requires 41 different algorithms, OLL requires 57, and PLL requires 21, which totals to 119 algorithms.

A big part of speedcubing is what cube a speedcuber uses.

While a beginner may start off with the Rubik’s branded cube, they will discover that these cubes are not fast enough for their needs. Subsequently,

the rookie speedcuber will purchase a speedcube. What makes these cubes different? Their smooth turning, tensions, controllability, and corner-cutting— how well you can turn a vertical face if a horizontal face is not fully aligned. These four aspects work together, as the absence of one takes a toll on the cube.

At last, after mastering CFOP and owning a speedcube, you are officially a speedcuber. As challenging as it may be, with determination, perseverance, and practice, anyone can become a speedcuber.

with Wiseman is whether or not he has enough experience since he was only able to play three college games before being suspended by the NCAA. Despite the suspension, he’s been training for the draft, so he’s got the body, the mind, and the technique of a true star.

7 assists, and a whopping 1.6 steals while playing professionally in Australia, is a perfect fit for a Hornets team that needed a great point guard. On top of that, he’s going to an environment that will make him one of the main contributors. Altogether, this makes him a top candidate for Rookie of the Year.

Grading the NBA Draft Kieran Light ’21 Contributor

On November 18, the NBA held its draft for incoming rookies at the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. Today, I will be grading the top three picks and one draftee that just might surprise you.

1. Anthony Edwards (B+) SG | Pick #1, Minnesota Timberwolves Edwards is probably the most ‘boom or bust’ pick from this entire draft. Edwards has many positives to his game that can perfectly complement the two stars already in Minnesota, but they require lots of development.

That’s the million-dollar question: does he have the mentality to work harder than the next guy? Just hours before the draft, Edwards said, “To be honest, I can’t watch basketball… I’m still

not really into it.” This sparked plenty of speculation amongst fans. In his defence though, we can’t expect a Kobe-like work ethic from a 19-year-old kid.

2. James Wiseman (A) C | Pick #2, Golden State Warriors This 7’1” center is the perfect fit for a Warriors team getting most of their stars back from injury. Wiseman is a fantastic shot-blocker and rebounder, and he can catch a lob like no one else in this draft. Even throughout the Warriors’ fantastic dynasty—in which they went to five straight finals and won three—the Warriors always lacked a true presence in the paint. The only major question

3. LaMelo Ball (A) PG | Pick #3, Charlotte Hornets Where do I start with Ball? Well, all I can say is that he’s come a long way since lighting up the internet with his deep range back in high school. Since then, he’s grown from a mere 5’10” to a gargantuan 6’8”. For comparison, the average height of an NBA point guard is 6’0”. Ball, who averaged 17 points, nearly

(L-R) LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards

4. Obi Toppin (A++) SF | Pick #8, New York Knicks Rookie… of… the... Year. For the past 21 years, the Knicks have been a dumpster fire of an organization, but let’s give credit where credit is due. Under newly appointed President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose, they have assembled a great young roster for the future. Toppin is a fantastic scorer with athleticism that is unmatched by anyone else in this draft class. The high-flying forward is third in field goal percentage by an AP Player of the Year, even ahead of the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The two ahead of him are young superstar Zion Williamson and Hall of Famer Bill Walton. The future is bright for Toppin.

A Christmas message from The Crusader News Donovan Martin ’22

James Brennan ’21

Deputy Editor

Chief Editor

The end of this year’s different, From the ends we’ve had before.

For one, instead of going out, We spend our days indoors.

No longer can we visit Our close friends and family.

Our grand dinners, our grand parties Are now distant memories

Hello St. Paul’s!

I’d like to echo Donovan’s words in wishing you a Merry Christmas. After this difficult year, I wish you peace and comfort.

I hope you enjoy this new edition of The Crusader News. Our team is growing, and it’s exciting

to have so many new writers.

Remember, you can find us online at www.thecrusadernews.ca.

There you can find more articles and the full editions in pdf form.

If you’d like to write for the newspaper, let us know. Send me a message on Teams. There is no formal time commitment and you are welcome to write about anything you wish.

On behalf of the entire The Crusader News team, I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed, healthy new year.

Yet even with a virus Being present everywhere, Your friends at The Crusader News Couldn’t help it not to share Stories from the outer world, To our small community Of religion, sports, politics, Arts and technology.

So even in our bizarre times, We wish to deliver the news To humour and to educate To inform and to amuse Be you lighting your menorah, Kinara, or Christmas tree A safe Christmas, Cru’ News wishes, To all of your family.

Comic by Toe Toe Moo ’24

Cross in light: https://www.thepublicdiscourse. com/2019/11/58496/

Empty Streets in Wuhan: Getty Images, nature.com/ articles/d41586-020-00478-7 Coronavirus close-up: https://www.cdc.gov/media/ subtopic/images.htm Coronavirus patient: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times Joe Biden: AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File Chadwick Boseman: https://www.elle.com/culture/ celebrities/a33837574/chadwick-boseman-tributes/ Billie Eilish: Rachel Luna/FilmMagic Trevor Noah: https://news.yahoo.com/ host-2021-grammy-awards-unexpected-141800421. html Vaccines: http://globalnews.ca/news/7503458/former-b-c-man-testing-covid-vaccine/

Hagia Sophia: Dennis Jarvis, https://www.britannica. com/topic/Hagia-Sophia Church in China: Ng Han Guan/AP Photo Saudi Arabia protest: https://www.eurasiareview. com/05082018-the-sad-fate-of-the-arab-christiansanalysis/ Church on fire: HTTPS://WWW.MEDIAITE.COM/ TV/CNNS-BRIAN-STELTER-APOLOGIZES-FORCLAIMING-ST-JOHNS-CHURCH-WAS-NOTBURNING-I-FELL-VICTIM-TO-THE-WORSTFOOLISH-IMPULSES/AMP/

Christmas Albums: photos from Spotify (www. spotify.ca) How the Grinch Stole Christmas: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/how_the_grinch_stole_christmas The Shining: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ how_the_grinch_stole_christmas The Muppet Christmas Carol: https://www. rottentomatoes.com/m/muppet_christmas_carol#&gid=1&pid=8 Elf: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/elf Home Alone: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ home_alone#&gid=1&pid=4 A Christmas Story: https://www.rottentomatoes. com/m/1004151-christmas_story

10. Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas (10/10)

This is another classic Christmas record that puts a creative spin on classic songs. The tracks have a feel that resembles reggae. The tracklist is practically watertight, which makes for an excellent complete listen. My only criticism is that there aren’t a lot of truly incredible moments on the record, but it’s just so entertaining and interesting that the lack of standouts isn’t really an issue.

Truly saving the best for last, this album is nothing short of stellar. It was hard to find one of my peers who hadn’t listened to and loved this record, which just speaks to its brilliance. It has some of the best earworm jazz—not for just a Christmas album, but arguably any jazz album. No album truly emulates what Christmas feels like than this one. Every moment of the album is perfection, pure Christmas bliss for the whole 44 minutes. I would consider it the best Christmas album of all time.

Continued from inner pages:

Photo Credits

The Killing of a Sacred Deer: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_killing_of_a_sacred_deer Steinbach protest: Austin Grabish, CBC Manitoba Samsung earbuds: Samsung (www.samsung.ca) iPhone: Apple (www.apple.ca) Apple MacBook: Apple (www.apple.ca) Apple M1: Apple (www.apple.ca)

9. Boney M: Christmas with Boney M (8.5/10)

Man alone in stadium: Ben McKeown/AP Photo, ttps://www.ocregister.com/2020/03/15/new-cdccoronavirus-guidelines-could-mean-no-sports-formuch-longer/ Kansas City Chiefs/Pittsburgh Steelers: https://www. gamblingsites.com/blog/preview-pittsburgh-steelersvs-kansas-city-chiefs-betting-advice-47604/amp/ Ben Roethlisberger: https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/ articles/steelers_qb_ben_roethlisberger_listed_as_ questionable_vs_washington/s1_13132_33491624 Patrick Mahomes: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ sport/nfl/article-7934325/Kansas-City-Chiefs-SanFrancisco-49ers-one-evenly-matched-Super-Bowls. html Speedcubing: Yash Varma NBA Draft: https://www.nba.com/magic/ news/2020-nba-draft-most-common-mock-draftpicks-1-20-20201116 Christmas lights: https://www.cleanpng.com/ png-christmas-lights-clip-art-christmas-day-portable-n-7262218/ Santa hats: https://www.cleanpng.com/png-santaclaus-santa-suit-hat-christmas-clip-art-chri-612219/

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