Happy Holidays

Now it may be past Christmas, but I would like to wish a Merry Belated Christmas upon everyone. For those who don't celebrate the holiday, I wish the greatest of the holiday of which you celebrate at this time.
As follows is my favorite Christmas movie:

Examination Frustration

Come monday, classes end at the University of Windsor. Following this, exams begin on Thursday.
I am lucky to have only three exams. My courses rely heavily on assignments. Hence, exams aren't necessary.
However, my heart goes out to those struggling through five or more exams. This time of year is stressful. But, at least there is the Christmas break to look forward too: family, dinner, presents, relaxation.
Just two more weeks. Two more, and it's home sweet home.

Water World

I've been up since 7:30 a.m.--bailing out my basement.
At least 680 L of water totalled. The house I'm renting has no sub-pump. Yet, I live in Windsor, the current 'rain capital' of Ontario this year (possibly even Canada). I think it's silly that my landlord hasn't installed one. The city offers a program to subsidize home-owners for installing them. But, I suppose he has his own reasons. Perhaps he doesn't know--the city isn't the greatest at advertising free money.
Anyhow, I skipped class and spent somewhere around three hours shovelling water with a bucket. My basement flooded--reason being the fact that it's raining outside and the city's drainage system failed.
Yes, I joked about surfing and sailing the treacherous tides of my under-home sea, but from now on I will always feel sorry for someone dealing with a watery basement.

Twilight: critics know best

Just checked Wikipedia's page for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. I only skimmed through the first few paragraphs, but I approve of something mention, "received mostly negative reviews from critics."
Twilight has been criticized by just about every English prof I've talked to as being an embarrassment--or disgrace--to literature. In fact, in my Creative Writing class, we constantly rag on the series. These are the books we insult. The movies can only be worse than the books--as is common when literature is transcribed into film.
I've never read any of the saga's books, or watched the movies. I don't want to. The main reason is that they label it as a vampire story; yet, there are no vampires in twilight. Twilight's vampires sparkle in sunlight and drink animal blood. This is a classic portrayal of a faerie. Va,pires are supposed to die by sunlight and feast off of humans.
It's also a clichè romance.
What's disgusting about it is that it was inspired by a dream Stephenie Meyer had. A wet dream, I've heard, but I'm not going to slam my hammer down on the verdict.
However, Twilight can be happy with the fact that, "response from fans and other viewers has been more positive," as stated by Wikipedia.

Umnumnum

I have this assignment where I have to make a map mashup. Since food seems to be on my mind (like most days) I figured I'd point out some of my favorite places to eat in the University of Windsor Area.
Enjoy!
Map of Food Places

You Draw

First came Karaoke, then Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, and a whole slew of mock music games. Now, the art games are spanning into a new direction--art.

Two days ago, the game uDraw came out. It gives the user a tablet-controller for their respective system and allows them to 'draw'. It offers drawing tutorials, fun games, and the option to be silly. From the video, it can be seen that the game is intended for younger individuals. However, this could offer the chance for older people to revisit their unexplored youth--and, learn how to draw something other than stickmen.
I think this is silly. But, it is also an awesome idea. I myself, suck at drawing. I try taking up a pencil every now and then, but then give up because I suck. Something like this could serve to teach people--like me--who don't have the patience/skills to learn the craft of visual/art. It's the same aspect with Guitar Hero. Many people who've given up on learning guitar, loved guitar hero--because, it's fun, and disguises learning. The only difference here is that Guitar Hero didn't teach guitar--uDraw teaches to draw (at least, I assume it does).
Anyhow, if this game does pick up, and should it drop in price, I may be willing to drop $40 or so on it.

To be!

Yes, I bought Skyrim.
I have to say, the game is simply phenomenal. It misses out on seamless action like a whole bunch of games do nowadays, but that isn't the purpose of the game. The game is about adventure, you're thrown into a quest to save the world (sounds cliché, don't it?)
But, minus the cliché, the world is beautiful and huge. I think it was said to be something like 15 square miles, or something close. In a game, that's huge. In life, that's still pretty big (try walking it).
If you liked Morrowind or Oblivion, you'l love this. The world takes a que from Morrowind and Oblivion by mixing the idea of a surrealist fantasy universe (like in Morrowind) and throwing it into a typical one (like in Oblivion). You don't have typical medieval structure. Rather, think of Norse (Vikings) structures, armour, and landscape. That's what you have, a Norse universe mixed with Norse mythology. But, it isn't all Vikings and Valhalla (Viking 'heaven'). There isn't even mention of Valhalla. Instead, they mix everything in with the mythology of all the other Elder Scroll games. This is awesome because the Elder Scrolls already have a diverse and detailed fantasy universe to rely on.
I cold ramble on and on about this game, but there's only really one point that I have to make.
Dragons.
That is all. 

Skyrim: to be, or not to be?

Alright, so today is the epic release for Skyrim.
My Facebook has been plagued with people posting about it--even to the point that Facebook told me that "x number of people have posted about Skyrim."
So, Bethesda has worked it's magic once again. I bought Oblivion way back when, and now I have to decide whether to buy this. I'm poor--a product of being a student. I'm also a nerd--which sucks when nerd candy like this come out. Anyhow, to feed some nerdy appetite, I found this Youtube video a while back. It's hilarious, so give it a try.

Also, here's the Gamespot review: http://www.gamespot.com/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/reviews/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review-6344618?page=1

Murray found guilty

The jury has made their case--Conrad Murray is found guilty of the manslaughter of Michael Jackson.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15624869

- BBC's report.

I think he deserved it. He supplied Jackson with the drugs. Therefore, he is responsible for what resulted. If a parent hands his toddler a gun, and the toddler accidentally shoots himself, the parent is held responsible. Jackson was like a toddler, dependant on the Doctor to care for him. The Doctor gave him a drug--which he shouldn't have been giving him--and Jackson died as a result. How is this any different from giving a toddler a gun (except for the fact that a kid dying is much more horrific and terrible than a celebrity dying)?
Not only that, but the Doctor was giving him drugs he should not have been giving him. If a druggie goes into a Doctor's office, asking for codeine because of an addiction to codeine, the Doctore legally has to say no.
Not only did the Doctor here give a drug to someone addicted to it, but he did it to profit. He profiteered off someone's self-destruction.
This is wrong.

The Postman Always Rings Twice

Just read The Postman Always Rings Twice.
I just have to say that it is an awesome book and I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you're into noir fiction. The book is a little outdated, but the vocabulary doesn't knock you off your feet with confusion. The only things 'old' about it are outdated car mechanics (overheating really easy) and a few dollars being considered a lot of money.
It's a great story about a travelling bum who settles after finding the woman of his dreams. Chaos ensues.
That's about all I'm going to let on because I don't want to spoil it, even though it is a really old story.

Here's a trailer for the movie. Jack Nicholson looks young (1981).

To Occupy an Assembly

I checked out the Occupy Windsor site today. They have assemblies at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. every day. I attended the later one.

I would like to mention that it is cold--even though today was a fairly warm in comparison to other days. They say they're going to insulate some tents to get ready for the coming winter, but I have a feeling that people will get sick.

I appreciated the free coffee and food.

Other than that, they seem to be semi-organized. They have a hand-signal system that lets each person to express their opinion on the topic at hand (they can say yay or nay with their fingers, or break in to mention a point). They are still trying to work out how to make direct-democracy work. They do however try to keep things organized. Their president is Paul Chislett, and they switch the roles of who runs each assembly. All are welcome to come and sit in on a meet.

They are a lot better off than I originally speculated.

I didn't get any photos, but WindsoriteDotca has a nice collection from when the group marched out to the riverfront on October 22.

http://windsorite.ca/2011/10/photos-occupy-windsor-marches-to-riverfront/

Bond it

Another bond movie is in the works. Daniel Craig will be returning as another bond in the new movie Skyfall, and is set to hit North America on November 9, 2012.
Many critique Daniel Craig as ruining the witty Bond previously seen from Sean Connery to Pierce Bronsnan (and all those in between). I think different. Craig has revamped Bond. After Robert Ludlum's Bourne series hit the big-scene, the idea of a spy thriller featuring a character who got by through sheer looks and charming personality, seemed too surreal. People wanted realism mixed with an insane amount of action. People seem to detest long scenes of conversation, they want guns and explosions.
This is where the new Bond comes in plays. Pure explosions--pure action.
A Sean Connery type Bond would be awesome, but he doesn't fit the times.

For news on the movie coming out:
http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/Daniel+Craig+bounces+back+Bond+film+Skyfall/5651451/story.html
http://www.toronto.com/article/703008--the-next-james-bond-film-will-be-called

Strike me not

There will be no strike today--the WUFA have reached a tentative agreement with uwindsor administration. An email should be sent out by the WUFA within the next few days.

We can't kick back and relax with the joy of not having classes. But, at least our hard-earned money isn't being wasted on education that refuses to teach. That is what our money is wasted on: classes.
Why do we get all happy when there's a chance that we won't have classes?

Thanks to the UWSA for keeping updates on the strike.

Strike?

Wednesday, 12:01 a.m., we hear about the verdict of the strike. If they are in favour, university operations will shut down immediately. If the bargaining table bears fruit and they mediate a deal, we can enjoy our education.
Chances are that they will strike. They are in a legal position to, and most professors have been scrambling to set plans.

The question is, what will you do with your free time?
Will you study to make up for lost class time? Invest in a project (book, building something, etc.)?
Or, will you just throw away all ambition, and just chill?
Personally, I'm just going to chill. At least, for the first night or two. It's good to sit back and relax when you get a chance, life--especially student life--is stressful.
If the strike carries on for more than a few days, then I will take it upon myself to be productive.

See the UWSA Facebook page for updates:
http://www.facebook.com/uwsa.uwindsor

Image URL: http://t1.gstatic.com/imagesq=tbn:ANd9GcQUe6R2DERyDi2W5_YNMKjoU8xiAeu_15oxBjBFzXKRP7bkzO790g

Correction: Thoughts on Occupying

Okay, I removed the previous post here. The reason is that I threw down some vagueness as fact. I shouldn't have done that.
However, my opinion stands. If the groups of 'Occupy' want action, they're going to have to face some realities. We, humans, are pack animals. We need leadership.
They need a leader to organize their pockets of protesters. Once they're organized, they can set a demand--right now they just have some vague idea of what they want.
Once, they're organized, they may see some change.
It's good that they're giving up time and putting themselves at risk for change. I want to see change and the downfall of bank greed.
This is what I think.

Occupy Windsor

The Occupy movement that swept Wall Street embraced Windsor yesterday. Around 150 people marched out to City Hall, where they set up tents and camped out their protest.
There are 951 cities involved in the movement, stretching across 82 countries.

See the Windsor Star for more detail:
http://www.windsorstar.com/news/solidarity+with+entire+human+race/5556747/story.html
http://www.windsorstar.com/technology/Occupy+Windsor+joins+global+movement/5549774/story.html

PROTESTS CONTINUE CHICAGO GETS MARCHED

Russia Today talks about protests

The protests are growing.

Yesterday, more than 30 labour unions teamed up with the "Occupy" movement to march through Chicago. The police put estimates at 3000 marching.

Some protesters even went as far to dress up as Robin Hood.

More on this: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204450804576623672599343978.html

PROTESTS TO HIT CANADA

The 'occupy' movement that first hit Wall-Street is inclined to bombard Canada on October 15.

That's only a few days from now.

Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland are all planned to be hit at 10 a.m.on this date.

These protesters are fighting against corporate greed. They fight for the idea of things like robin hood tax (take from the rich, and give to the poor).

This completely goes against the Conservative ideology. They believe in free enterprise--and that allows CEOs to hoard all the money they want, with little taxing. 

The Conservatives hold a majority on the federal level.

Ontario just finished its provincial elections. The Liberals won a minority--but, the NDP hold a fair number of seats.

The Liberals and the NDP share similar ideologies and will probably work together to get bills passed. They believe in equality between the people--not the freedom to stuff your pockets.

The leftest province could possibly compromise with the protesters. They hold similar values.

If there is no compromise made with the mobs, these protests could go on until December 31. 

At least, that's what their Facebook says.

Their message to Wall Street

For information on the protests hitting Canada:

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1063292--occupy-wall-street-protests-spreading-to-canada

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/10/08/activists-plan-occupy-wall-street-protests-north-of-border

UFC 140: BATTLE TO BE WAGED IN TORONTO

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and Jon “Bones” Jones will shed blood for the light heavyweight champion title in Toronto this December 10.

“Alright Toronto!!! Dec 10th UFC 140 tix go on sale next weekend and ur main event is Bones Jones vs Machida!!!” tweeted UFC president Dana White on October 6.

Jones and Rashad Evans were expected to be brawling in the title bout. Evans is currently recovering from a thumb injury received from his last match.

The pins were removed on Wednesday. The recovery time is three weeks.

Both contestants have a solid fighting background.

Machida’s style is Shotokan Karate—hence his other nickname “Karate Kid”—and holds a record of 17 wins, 2 loses.

Jones mixes Wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai. He carries 14 wins and 1 loss. He is currently the UFC light heavyweight champion.

Jones gave his thoughts on going against Machida in June 2009 during an interview with USA Today. “I think he’s very beatable. They’re looking at him and his karate like he’s Bruce Lee. He’s not Bruce Lee. He’s very beatable.”

The fighters have not yet said anything about the fight since it was announced.

Machida decimated Randy Couture at 1:05 in the second round during his last clash—this was in Toronto. A flying front kick did the trick.

Jones last won against Quiton “Rampage” Jackson. He submitted him with a rear naked choke during round 4. It was close, scoring 10-9 (Jones) in each round.

What’s so great about UFC 140?

UFC 140 marks the second event to be held in Toronto. The first show (UFC 129) sold out at 55,000 tickets, bringing in over $10 million. Originally set at 42,000, the tickets were bought out on the first day.

If you want your tickets to see Machida and Jones square off in The Octagon, grab them before they sell out.

Rest Jobs

He raised and cultivated a company from the ground. He gave birth to much of the technical innovation we see today. His turtle neck and beard made him look like a James Bond Villain, but not in a bad way. The fight against the monopoly of Mircrosoft made him brave.

Tears are shed at news of his death.

Some curse him for the methods he used to raise Apple, but sometimes business is business. We should thank him for what he has done--not curse him because he fell to the faults that all other CEOs fall to.

Besides, unlike most other CEOs, he actually led his company. he didn't merely play golf while he watched the stocks rise.

Rest in peace Steve Jobs. May your dreams live on and your contributions never be forgotten.

Image from the Apple homepage. http://www.apple.com/stevejobs

Plunder Pirate: Street Sailors!

I know this is old news, but it's still fascinating.

Plunder Pirate: Street Sailors!: So, today was (like most days) really rainy. Got soaked going to class; invested in an umbrella--it was like any other rainy day (except thi...

Rankin the Wizard

A book tells me that I have to make a post that includes a picture.
Who dares defy literature?

At the time I wrote this, this was my profile pic.

This picture is me. I was wearing a hood, a hat, and a bandana to obscure my face. I had a floodlight in my right hand and shone that light against my left hand. The light made my hand glow, and some got through to the right side of my face to make it very bright. Meanwhile, the left side of my face was left in darkness.

To me, the picture served two purposes. It gave me a profile pic that left me anonymous (it hid my face). It also made me seem all cool and such like a wizard or something. I imagined that in my hand I wielded some form of intense magic.

I grew up. It still looks cool, but that is not me. That was me.

I do however feel that I should still obscure my face because I do not like the idea of having it spread all over the internet. With social networks like Facebook though, it is impossible to hide your face from the web. Someone will find it.

So, I will continue to use this picture until I find another that I deem worthy.

Catching the News in a Digital Age

Some may ask the question, how do you keep up with all the news shooting through the vast cyberspace?
Take a deep breath. Being calm is the first step to anything. Then think. Have you heard of RSS? You probably have, if not, I'll give you a quick rundown.
An RSS allows you to subscribe to a feed. For following news, I use news-feeds. You can usually find the RSS by searching a site that hosts them (like pretty much and news site). You can also search for one through Google (try Googling: CBC RSS). Then, you need a reader. I use Google Reader. I subscribe to the Huffington Post, Tech Crunch, CBC, BBC, Wired, and a variety of newspapers.
Because I hardly check the reader directly, I have the reader as a gadget on my iGoogle homepage. This homepage is also one of the pages my browser opens on start-up; therefore, I am forced to quickly glance at the news every time I want to use the internet.
No, you don't have to read every single article. I quickly scroll through them until I find one that has an eye-catching title. Then I read the summary. Usually the summary tells you what happened. If still intrigued, I may read the article.
Feeds are free, easy, and quick to use. I am a University student. I am cheap and have very little time on my hands. I highly suggest the use RSS to catch the daily news.
Besides, I can't even afford cable or newspapers. But this--this just costs me a few seconds here and there.

Jobs: Liberal & NDP Insight

Two nights ago I took part in a 'Town Hall' hosted by CBC Windsor. The point of this was to have all three political representatives (NDP, Liberal, and PC) from the Essex region come and answer questions about jobs. However, the PC candidate refused to come. The reason  of which, I can only guess.
The two people at question were Ken Schmidt (Liberal) and Tara Natyshak (NDP). Mr Schmidt's well spoken and has years of experience behind his belt (as you can see by his age). Mr Natyshak on the other hand is more of the average Joe--and he was very nervous (his face lit up like a firetruck).
My job here was to ask a question. My question, I directed at the Liberal's, "You plan to carry through with the Samsung Deal--which should bring in up to 300 jobs to the Windsor area. But, at the same time, you plan to decrease student tuition costs by up to $1,500. Where is the money supporting both these expensive plans coming from? also, which one would most likely be scrapped should funds be insufficient?"
Schmidt's reply hinted at the fact that the Samsung Deal was somewhat out of their hands, but that they are very much aiming to keep it in place. As for students, they are the priority. They set the future in students--which makes sense because technically we are.
Natyshak on the other hand, complained about the Green Energy Act and how some communities are burdened with things such as solar farms (such a burden?). He complained about the deal being done behind closed doors, and he feels that things like that should be brought out into the public. He also stated that the Liberals are planning to freeze tuition rates as they are. He feels that this will save more money in thing long run--I feel different.
I have three years of undergraduate education left. The Liberals are presenting me $1,500 a year. That's $4,500 (should I get compensation for this year). And, if I go off to do my Master's, that's more money. If tuition rates stay as they are, they stay as they are. I highly doubt that tuition is going to jump by over $1,500 within the next few years, so chances are that the Liberal proposition will present more money in a student's pocket.


http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Canada/Windsor/1305547067/ID=2141442801
Here is a link to the video of the Town Hall.


Overall, the Town Hall was an eventful night. Both of the parties that showed up are respectful. Both wish for a better Canada.

In the Beginning

This is The Rankin 'Port. I--yours truly--will serve to report to you what matters. I am currently a Digital Journalism & Creative Writing student from the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada). If you don't know where that is, it's that place just South of the Detroit River.
My goal is to bring news (and other interesting tidbits of the like) to you. Some of it will be funny--other stuff, kinda more serious. Some stuff obviously won't be relevant to you, but who cares? A story is a story, and that's what I deliver.