Lex's Nexus

Holy crap. Am I really seeing what I'm seeing? -24°C? That's -11°F!!! And that's without the wind chill!!! May love and basketball (not the movie) keep you all warm tonight and tomorrow! #BabyItsColdOutside #Toronto #NBAAllStarTO #DesperationDay #ValentinesDay

This is what happens when your Fish'n'Chips rolls around your Coleslaw in your take out container, put it on the fridge for 6 hours and take out later. #BritishSushi

Never thought I'd ever come across this brand name! #HelloLadies #TheBigValbowski #ichoppychoppyyourpeepee

A snippet of my parody of Justin Bieber's"Sorry" called "Canadian Sorry". Check out the full video at https://youtu.be/LYda4s7QORA

Hmmm... A really classic New Year's celebration is on tonight! #partylikeits999 #NYE2015

Hmmm... A really classic New Year's celebration is on tonight! #partylikeits999 #NYE2016

https://youtu.be/iGKk6mIK4hk Meeting Christmas! I tried something fun for my last video. It's not perfect, but it was intended to be a bit raw in video and in audio. Hope you enjoy!!! - Lex Tan http://www.lextan.net/2015/12/24/watch-happy-xmas-war-is-over-on-youtube/

#WheelofFortune Free Play app. Just got this for the bonus round... I know the answer... What do you think? I know what you're thinking... And I thought the same!!!

The vehicle-for-hire war is taking on apocalyptic undertones, and very close to becoming a mortal combat between the traditional taxicab industry, and the modern-technology-based car sharing service, Uber.  You've probably already known that for months.  However, the taxi industry has made big bold statements agains their competition, including remarks from Toronto's Beck Taxi Operations Manager, Kristine Hubbard.  She has gone so far as to call Uber's operations "outside the law" and "breaking the law," and calling her companies services the safe option, compared to Uber's practices.  This past Wednesday, December 9 in Toronto, taxicab drivers took to Toronto's streets as usual, but refusing to pick up passengers, clogging up city streets, and even causing minor acts of violence.  They even ignored Mayor John Tory's pleas to end their protest before the evening rush hour.  And a video being circulated by the major news outlets shows someone identifying as a Toronto taxi driver confronted an alleged Uber driver in his Honda Civic, pounding on the window and hanging onto the door as the Civic attempted to get to safety, and was (thankfully) chastised by Cynthia Mulligan for his actions.  This man even likened Uber to ISIS. This is the retold tale of old versus new.  The once mighty video rental company, Blockbuster Video, is no more, in favor of illegal downloading, DVR, Video-On-Demand, and over-the-top streaming services such as Netflix and WWE Network.  The conventional "snail" mail service has diminished greatly in the age of email, social networking, VoIP, and video conferencing.  The war between the two vehicle-for-hire services like the story of the young lion battling the old lion for leadership of the pride. My opinion is clear: I support Uber and its right to operate in the business model that they currently have.  It's not that I don't support the taxicab industry, but seeing the events of today including the video from above, taxi people are getting desperate to the point where they are digging their own grave.  I sympathize with the plight of the many taxi drivers out there whose livelihoods are in question because the a wave of technological transition has finally hit this industry.  But that also means that the taxicab industry needs to find a way to stay relevant throughout the years if they want to stay in business. Formerly working as a driving instructor, I know that working as a driving instructor or as a cab driver is expensive. First of all, the car has to be good working condition with no exterior damage.  The more you're on the road, the more likely an incident may happen, which even in a minor situation, is costly.  Plus, who would want to get into a taxicab whose fender is out of shape? Second, the money you spend on maintenance is much more than the average person who drives from work to home, again, because they are out on the roads a lot more than the average joe. And third, perhaps the biggest thing frustrating cab drivers is the yearly licensing fee each cabbie and driving instructor must pay the city in order to operate.  To start, a license to work in the City of Toronto will cost $648 (depending if you have your own car or a company car), plus another $329 per year after that.  Cabbies are frustrated because Uber does not have to pay this fee. Uber does not identify as a transportation service, but rather a technology company whose app connects users to drivers who are partnered with their company; this is a part of the rhetoric from the taxi industry where they claim that Uber is not licensed to operate, and are not insured, therefore, unsafe and unreliable. I very much sympathize with the taxi drivers when it comes to the licensing fees.  I found it a burden to pay for my Toronto driver's license fee each year, especially since I had to pay in December when business slows down, and having less money to spend on Christmas presents for the family is always a bummer.  I would have loved to not have to pay that fee.  I'm sure that taxicab drivers share the same feeling.  While it is not very fair that taxis have all that jazz to go through while Uber reaps the benefits of a legal loophole, Uber was very smart to exploit that in order to help their partners. I have a friend who is a partner driver with Uber, and gained a lot of insight from him.  "John" actually gave me the opportunity to explore his Uber file in the first couple of months of his partnership with the car sharing company.  I saw how much he made, how he got paid, their business model, and all the documentation he had to submit to Uber to become a partner.  He has all of his documentation in order.  He has his full driver's license and a clean driving record.  "John" has his own insurance, as well as commercial insurance.  Uber's insurance covers him and his passengers well.  One of the things he really likes about Uber is he feels safe when picking up his clients.  "John" knows that his passengers will not cheap out on him, since in order to book a ride, one needs to have an active credit card that has enough funds for the ride.  Plus, signing up for the service will not complete unless you have a credit card.  As a result, he handles no cash, so that virtually removes the chance to be robbed.  Also, as a driver, he can pick and choose who he wants to pick up, which minimizes the chance that a total stranger will rob him.  While the money he made could have been better, it was at least good enough to pay his monthly dues for his car, and cover some living expenses.  And, he doesn't have to pay the city for a taxicab license.  These are the factors that make Uber an appealing alternative for passengers and drivers alike; even a former taxi driver union boss is now driving for Uber, and likes it. While I do not have experience taking an Uber ride, I have many friends who do, and are extremely happy with their experience, mainly citing the lower cost, the safety of the transaction, and the safety of the ride itself.  Taxi companies have kept up the notion that Uber is unsafe because they don't have to go through a cab driving course mandated by the city.  While I very much respect that part of of the argument, by my experiences riding in cabs, and sharing the road with cabs, the City of Toronto's cab driver course maybe one of the most ineffective driving courses ever offered.  Why? In my opinion as a former driving instructor, taxicab drivers are some of the most unsafe drivers in the city. To name a few of those unsafe actions, many of them overspeed, make illegal and unsafe turns in order to be the first to pick up a passenger, weave through traffic in an attempt to save time (which only amounts to about 10-20 seconds), and stop too closely and tailgate other cars they deem to be too slow, even though they are driving at the proper speed limit or with the traffic flow, however slow or fast it may be. In basic driving school (or at least a legitimate one), these are actions you are told not to do because of its danger.   I'm sure there are Uber drivers out there as well who are not following proper safe driving habits and may be aggressive drivers.  But I would hope someone with mandated training and proper licensing by the city of Toronto would be safe for their passengers, themselves and the others they share the road with, especially because I literally place your life in the hands and feet of another, paying them money to get me to my destination alive. Where is Uber in all of this? Quietly going about their business. And this attitude is what is making them look good in the eyes of the public, as the cab drivers seem to be shooting themselves in the foot with their questionable actions. Jerry "The King" Lawler referred to the legendary Wrestlemania match between Hulk Hogan and The Rock to the battle between the old and the young lion.  Sometimes the young lion kills the old lion and becomes the new lion king.  Sometimes the old lion is able to best his adversary and remain leader of the pride.  Can these two business models work well together, or will one of these companies suffer a fatality like opponents of Mortal Kombat's original Sub-Zero getting their head and spine pulled off their body? It seems like one of these sides of going to die a painful and bitter death, and the aftermath of this war will reverberate for years to come. What are your opinions? Leave a comment! Thanks for reading! Lex Tan http://www.lextan.net/2015/12/10/round-round-get-around-i-get-around-how-uber-is-winning-and-how-taxicabs-are-losing/

I haven't been the biggest Kobe Bryant fan.  Don't get me wrong, I think he's had a great career, and he's achieved some of the greatest feats in the history of professional basketball.  I know greatness when I see it.  He's no Michael Jordan, but he even said in the beginning of his career, that he didn't want to be the next Michael Jordan, but the first Kobe Bryant. I remember him being the hotshot 17 year old entering the NBA playing a game similar to Michael Jordan, becoming a 5 time NBA champion with the Lakers, imitating Michael's jump-on-the-stats-table celebration.  I remember the 81 points he scored against the Raptors, actually getting excited that maybe, just maybe he'd break Wilt Chamberlain.  I remember him passing his idol, Michael Jordan, for third place on the NBA all-time points leaderboard.  I also remember him publicly running into trouble with his marriage which showed that for everything he's done and achieved, he was just as human as the rest of us. I remember him going up against Air Jordan, and Air Canada.  I remember Jordan's retirement, proclaiming the game was in good hands, knowing that Kobe was his heir apparent.  Kobe even inherited his coach. Today, on his final game in Canada, in Toronto, I feel similar to when St. John Paul II died:  Kobe, like JPII, has been such an ingrained part of our collective existence and consciousness, and you think they'd be there forever.  When St. JPII died, it was so weird not living in a world where another dude would be Pope.  Likewise with Kobe, he'd been playing ever since I was in high school.  It's hard for me to imagine an NBA without Kobe.  Sure, Lebron is there, and Stephen Curry is quickly becoming one of the biggest stars in the NBA.  And all of today's stars directly owe a debt of gratitude for the development of their game. Father Time and Mother Nature will win out in the end.  He's not the player today that he was even 5 years ago.  Life is ironic.  In his mind, he has the knowledge and experience that could run circles around every player in this game and could take them down like nobody's business.  But his body isn't as strong as his mind.  All of us, elite athletes or Joe Shmoes will have the same thing happen to us.  It happened to Michael.  It happened to Wayne Gretzky.  It will happen to Lebron, and Steph.  Kobe will never get the feeling of hoisting another Larry O'Brien trophy.  But a glimpse of the young Kobe may happen tonight.  It happened on Gretzky's last game in Toronto, where he got an assist from his Office, in the old Maple Leaf Gardens. So let's appreciate the entire career of Kobe, rather than just focussing on his downfall.  Let's remember that this guy will never play here again, but remember all the great things that he did as a player, even if it was against the Raptors.  He may not be the greatest of all time like Michael Jordan.  And he may not be what we and even he remembers Kobe Bryant to be.  But he is still the man, Kobe Bryant, and has lived the dream of millions around the world: excelling at his chosen profession and able to support himself and his family.  And no matter who you are or what you do, that is a dream that we all share. Thanks, Kobe. http://www.lextan.net/2015/12/07/kobes-last-hurrah-in-toronto/

During my time studying in the University of Toronto at Scarborough's Dramatic Arts program, I incorporated professional wrestling in my projects and final essays quite regularly.  From the collaboration of the different performing arts in its production, to the analysis of lyrics of Mr. McMahon's theme music, wrestling has not only entertained me, but helped me get my degree.  Therefore, I present to you this series of articles combining the extraordinary worlds of 1) faith in Jesus Christ and 2) professional wrestling in series called: Wrestling With Faith Part 1: The Father Sacrifices The Son In the life of Christian, whether you are Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant, the seminal moment in human history is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In a spiritual and religious sense, it opened up the possibilities of salvation and eternal life that would not have been had Christ not redeemed us. In the natural world, human history has changed so much since that Passover weekend that modern society would not be the way it is today. Similarly, in the wild, crazy, cartoonish, beautiful world of wrestling that I continue to love and delve into, wrestling’s seminal moment occurred at the 1997 iteration of the World Wrestling Federation’s Survivor Series, which went down in history for the infamous Montreal Screwjob. This is the moment that not only set the stage for the WWE to win out over its competition, WCW, but also contributed to the proliferation and continuation of professional wrestling to the level it is today. Vincent Kennedy McMahon’s WWF (now WWE) is the continuation of his family’s business. Beginning in 1915, Roderick James McMahon began promoting wrestling business in the “Promised Land” of entertainment, New York City. His son, Vincent Jess McMahon continued the business, and created the company that his son operates today. Though Vince Senior preferred to keep wrestling to the niche of the Northeast United States, the younger Vince made wrestling a global phenomenon with his own Elijah: A clean, all-American hero who trained hard, took his vitamins, and said his prayers named Hulk Hogan. Thanks to the success of Hulk Hogan and the supercard event Wrestlemania, WWF stood atop the wrestling world and was a pop culture fixture. WWF would hold on to this status unopposed for years, until September 4, 1995, when World Championship Wrestling, run by Eric Bischoff and bankrolled by Ted Turner began, direct competition with their Monday Nitro wrestling show, beginning the Monday Night War. Initially beginning operations in 1970 as Georgia Championship Wrestling, WCW acted as the Roman Empire swooping in and taking over territory that had been in control for years by a group that predated them. WCW Monday Nitro had been scoring major ratings victories against WWF Monday Night RAW. Focusing on less cartoonish storylines, and sparked by the shocking heel turn by former WWF hero Hulk Hogan, WCW had overtaken WWF as the largest wrestling promotion in the world. WCW sought to steal away WWE’s talents, market and ultimately run them out of business.   Along with financial difficulties brought by the success of WCW, McMahon and his promotion already suffered a great humiliation when his own Women’s Champion, Alundra Blayze secretly defected to WCW, taking the championship belt with her, and, under her new boss’s influence, literally threw her title in the trash on live, international TV. Fearing the same could happen with the men’s championship, held by a departing Bret “Hitman” Hart, McMahon changed the ending of the main event match of Survivor Series, which would have seen Hart retain the belt due to his opponent, “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels getting disqualified. This was done without Hart’s prior knowledge. As Judas’s betrayal of Jesus Christ set the wheels in motion for the salvation of humanity, the death of Bret Hart’s WWE wrestling career, in hindsight, saved wrestling from becoming just a blip in the pop culture machine. Christ’s willing and perfect sacrifice contrasts with Hart’s unintended and manipulated sacrifice. The father and high priest of the modern wrestling industry allowed the son of Canadian wrestling royalty to be sacrificed: One man for the sake of the many. After the arena cleared and the production crew were taking apart the set, Bret and many of his colleagues in WWF and other companies asked themselves why Vince had forsaken him. Locking himself in his office, Vince McMahon was unwilling to face Hart after what had happened.  However, the spirit (and leader) of the WWE locker room, The Undertaker, convinced Vince to meet with Bret. No one outside of Bret and Vince really knows exactly what happened, but McMahon held an interview with Jim Ross on RAW the next night sporting a pretty fresh black eye. And with the words “Bret screwed Bret,” Vince McMahon set the wheels in motion for one of the greatest heels professional wrestling had ever seen: himself. The evil, tyrannical, megalomaniac “Mr. McMahon” character was born.  And with this character, the Vince the man would use that heat and momentum to carry the WWF into the new era, with the two biggest wrestling superstars the world would ever see. Thanks for reading!  In Part Two of "Wrestling With Faith," just like Sts. Peter and Paul began the initial boom in evangelization, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock grow the WWE's wrestling audience with a fervour that the world had never seen before. http://www.lextan.net/2015/12/03/wrestling-with-faith-part-1-the-father-sacrifices-the-son/

Hi everyone!  Welcome to my Wordpress site!  Here I'll be posting blogs, articles, podcasts, and anything related to media, broadcasting and the like.  I hope you enjoy my the stories I'll be telling as much as I enjoy creating them for you! Special thanks to Eman Gerna for securing my domain name, for hosting my page!  For any web-related inquiries or projects, please email him at [email protected] Come back again for more updates! http://www.lextan.net/2015/12/03/a-new-venture/

One of the greatest wrestlers winning the most prestigious championship in one of the greatest matches in @WWE and wrestling history. #WWEChampion #VivaLaRaza #EddieGuerrero #ThankYouEddie #WeLieWeCheatWeSteal