The 30-Day @Casper Mattress Challenge: Order Process

Image screenshot credit: http://www.casper.com

Casper, a young New York company, set out in 2014 to attempt to do for mattress shopping what Steve Jobs tried to do in 2007: reinvent the product.  Think of things from a different angle.  Change the market.  After raising venture capital, they launched a mattress brand by the same name.  As I was already on the hunt for the "perfect sleep experience", I figured I would give them a try.  I'll use Blogger (assuming Google doesn't delete my blog because I have a photo of a mattress, which is normally used in porn - long story), and I will track the experience over time.

Frontier Airlines. You're ALMOST There.

I had a recent opportunity to not only fly on Frontier Airlines for the very first time (including the precedent airlines, Midwest and Republic), but to sample their nonstop route between Seattle, WA and Cleveland, OH.  The creation of nonstop routes used to be a "meh" moment, since every airline was traveling nonstop between popular destinations.  But as larger airlines merged and bought each other out and/or filed bankruptcy, we see less and less nonstop flights.  I want to share the experience, as well as tell you a bit about Frontier Airlines from an infrequent flyer's perspective.

Dear Mr. President: You're Wrong About #Ebola

Has anyone noticed how oddly similar the Ebola strain looks to Michaelangelo's "Creation of Adam"?  Coincidence? I think not.

Anyway, that's not the point of this post, Mr. Obama.  The point of the post is to call you out on a few things where you have publicly criticized "hysteria and fear".  This is because you totally missed the boat on why people are afraid.  They have legitimate concerns that haven't been addressed by the government that is elected to look out for them.  Here's what you missed.

Like A Boss: How To Debate Effectively

A lot of people don't truly understand what debating means.  Some think it means arguing.  It doesn't.  Though you do present "arguments" in a debate, it doesn't mean you're "arguing".  Let's explore that.

Buying That First Home Round Two - Part 4

So now you have a sense of things.  The next thing to know seems obvious, but many people make a critical mistake when going hunting for a home:

Get Your Funding In Order.

Buying That First Home Round Two - Part 3

Now, let's talk about a somewhat controversial topic: short sales, and the #1 thing to know about them:

Banks Don't Really Like Short Sales.

Buying That First Home Round Two - Part 2

Hopefully you read the first article.  If not, you should.  There's a lot of good information there:

Do Your Own Research BEFORE Contacting a REALTOR

Assuming you've gotten this far, it's important you understand what you're up against in terms of what's out there.  Depending on your buying power, you may find lots of inventory or very little.  It really does depend on the metro, and in this current economy, a lot of homes are being taken by Chinese investors who are dropping 100% cash to buy the homes as an investment (and in some cases, to hide their income in another country).  What's left over is going to fit into a number of categories, and you should understand the differences.

Buying That First Home Round Two - Part 1

Many may recall years ago (around 2008) I attempted to purchase a home in Oceanside, CA.  That home was a quant device that seemed as though it just was mistreated by the previous owners.  I didn't understand the process, and I trusted way too much.  I learned a lot of lessons about what not to do and swore never to make those same mistakes the next time I was "ready".

Since coming to Washington State I've realized that, though I'm working harder than I ever have before, the opportunity and net cost of living are dramatically different.  This year, as a New Years Resolution, I resolved to do two things: (A) graduate college and (B) buy a home.  Both are in progress (I told you about Western Governors University), but let me talk about (B), and let's see if I can help you.

Gay Rights <> Civil (Race) Rights

I make the assumption that you're up on the recent news about Mark Zmuda, right?  No?  Let me enlighten you.  Then I'll explain why Seattle and certain news outlets are responsible for the very negative image that Western Washington has compared to the rest of the nation.

What is the "Parable Test"?

Previously, I mentioned something I refer to as a "Parable Test".  I'm now going to define this test and how it applies to everyday life.

In a simple definition, the measurement of the Parable Test is that something must meet at least one of four criteria (though ideally it would meet all of them): Quantifiable, Justifiable, Verifiable, Testable.  But what's that exactly mean?

Analyzing the Pacquiao/Marquez Feud

The boxing universe (if there is such a thing) waxes emotional about certain feuds.  Ward/Gatti, Ali/Frazier, Ali/Liston, Tyson/Holyfield, Leonard/Duran, and a whole host of others across various weight classes.  Many years from now, they will be hotly debating one of the most controversial feuds in history: Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez - two certified Hall of Famers.  But if you look past the fights themselves and analyze the fighters behind the fights, you'll start to see some obvious signs about why they seemed so matched...and you can easily predict how each would perform against certain other notable fighters.  First, let's look at the fights.

An Open Letter to the Westfield Group

This blog is not affiliated with, managed, sponsored, or written by Westfield. The logo above was linked from another blog to support the reader's regarding Westfield's influence on shopping.


Dear Westfield,

For the sake of discussion, call me "Franchise".  For the sake of demographics, I'm in my 30's, and fairly well traveled.  I consider myself a fan of technology and everything it grants a person, and I am not afraid to try new things.  That said, I don't like when good things change.  In those cases I am a strong resistor until I see that what has happened ends up better than what came before.  It is this that I want to speak to you about, and I hope this letter finds its way into the right hands of those who can make a difference.

Let's Talk About Western Governors University

This blog is not affiliated with, managed, sponsored, or written by Western Governors University. The logo above was linked from another blog to support the reader's confirmation that the source material matches the school for which they are searching.

"Diploma mill!!"

If you've done frequent searches online, this is likely the first thing you've seen on numerous sites, and it's got you curious whether or not this school is credible.

No time to read?  The answer: WGU is NOT a diploma mill.  Not even close to one.  As hard as it may be to believe, it's the real deal, and deserves a serious look for anyone wanting to continue their education.  (For the bullet reasons and to skip the below, go to the very bottom of the post.

WWE's Missed Opportunities

I'm starting to notice a pattern with WWE.  It's a pattern I've seen before: tons of talent, not used in an obvious or logical way.

I just got done watching RAW.  Alberto Del Rio was on commentary with Zeb Colter during what was arguably the best match of the night, a three-way tag match with Cena and the Rhodes Brothers vs. Damien Sandow and the Real Americans.  Never mind for the moment the fact that Cena is not main eventing the night.  Never mind the fact that the Real Americans are losing matches.  The tag team scene in WWE is at its hottest, and now is the time for them to strike and get some good bids out of it.

What we have here...are factions.

Why PG WWE Can't Work Long Term

Viewing this blog post is likely hazardous for someone who feels that the programming on television should always be child friendly.  It's an unfortunate state of affairs when you can't even have the kind of programming quality and separation that we used to have before the days of the internet, cell phones, tablets and other mobile devices.  Because you see, a lot of parents simply allow their technology to raise their kids.  They don't have a concept of proper parenting, and they lose sight of what really matters: Your kids should be watching certain types of programming.  You should (or may) watch other types of programming.  The two are oil and water.

The Problem With "The Cloud"

It's the going buzzword these days.  Everyone wants to move to this thing called "The Cloud" and apparently - allegedly - all of your storage worries go out the door completely.  In an era where mobile devices are gaining traction and fixed desktops are starting to be less available, it seems a logical evolution.

Only problem is that there is a piece people are missing, and until that piece is in place, "The Cloud" is really vaporware.

Really Bad Words: "Busy"

Everyone is fully aware of the various swear words that exist.  I won't repeat them here.  But did you know that they're not really "bad" words?  Perhaps words that certain audiences don't care to hear, or terms that may offend certain groups.  But they're not "bad" in that they don't do direct harm.  There are a number of words that do harm others, even if you don't realize they are harming.  The harm may be to a friendship, a relationship, an interview, a business meeting, or some other social event.  I call these Really Bad Words, and we're going to start with one of the worst: "Busy".

What?

Much Ado About Requirements

Maybe you're a Project Manager who is ready to attack my commentary.
Maybe you're a Developer who is ready to applaud it.

Either way, you're reading it, and that's progress.

If you work in IT, you've heard the term "requirements" before.  You have a basic idea of what requirements are, and what they're supposed to do for you, your customer and your team.  If you're on the end user side, you may have heard the term thrown around by various IT people in their quest to get you a solution that works for you.  The problem is that many people fail to understand how to avoid what I can only term "bad requirements".

Microsoft "Security Essentials" - Nope.

What Microsoft currently calls its "Security Essentials" suite is really, frankly, a scam.  At least, in the post-Windows XP world.  How they pulled the wool over people's eyes is brilliant, and I don't blame them for the approach.  However, calling it any sort of security "essential" is borderline false.  I can't complain since they don't charge for the product, but I felt it necessary to divulge things you may need to know about this so you can make informed decisions.

Viva Las Vegas

I attended a business conference from Sunday all the way through Thursday. The conference was in Las Vegas, & I admit to being someone over the excited about the idea of meeting people that I haven't interacted with in a long time. (And no, it's not at Golden Nugget.  I just like that casino.)

I was completely packed well ahead of time, and I had my clothes set out for an easy TSA walk through. I also had subscribed to the NEXUS program, and I tested that with flying colors (later).

By the way, this is what I look like right out of bed:

There was a time when I could simply walk out of the house never having touched any part of my head.  An ex girlfriend would get upset at me for having such fortune.  But those days are long since past I fear.

My packing skills remain peerless.  6 days worth of clothes, underclothes, toiletries, and assorteds, in a bag this size.  I thought I should include a DVD so you can get a sense of how not-big the bag is.

To help the matter, I got some McDonalds Bacon, Egg (White) and Cheese Biscuits, a large coffee and a small orange juice.  That gave me enough energy for the next 4 hours.

I breezed through TSA Pre-Check in 2-3 minutes.  In fact, they order you not to take your shoes off or to take anything out of the bag.  I found that rather interesting.  (more to this story on the trip back, though.)

In case you've never seen SeaTac (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport), once you get past TSA, this is what you're confronted with.  Quite visually appealing.

 Since I was terribly early, as usual, I figured I would prepare my system with the elixir that keeps me forever young: Starbucks' Shaken Iced Green Tea, Unsweetened.  No matter how hot it may be, you will be refreshed.  I AM straightedge, after all.

Once on board the plane it was a different ball game.  

Rather than local shots at the airport, I got to capture what I'm 98.76% sure is Mount Rainier, as the plane reached altitude.  I included the normal shot as well as one that was post-processed by the Nexus 7 (I didn't want to pull out the Galaxy S4 and have the flight attendant start yelling about phones on the plane).

I got asked more often than I care to admit why I would pay $50 to upgrade to first class on a 2 hour flight.  The answer is simple.  I come from the old school when airplane tickets were over $500 a piece, but with that you got roomy, comfortable seats, REAL meals, and a much more pleasant flying experience.  That's back when you had airlines like Northwest, Pan Am and TWA.  But I digress: I am one of those who is willing to pay for a comfortable experience, especially on shorter flights.  $50 is a small price to pay for that experience and I really wish they would consider doing it upfront at that price.  I mean look.

REAL glasses.  Clean trays.  A very well prepared veggie wrap.  This kind of stuff used to be standard on planes and I'm sad to see people settling for the garbage they put out now.  I on the other hand am more than willing to pay for this.

Anyway, I arrived fine, and National Car Rental as always took good care of me.  I'm an Emerald Club member, and under Alaska's Mileage Plan saved quite a bit of money.  The way it works: you rent a midsize car but can pick any of the cars currently on the Emerald Aisle, which include full size and SUVs.  Look at what they had waiting for me.  A Ford Fusion Titanium (non-Hybrid).  I got to feel right at home, although the car ran rather rough given it only had like 8,500 miles on it.  I'm assuming that's the EcoBoost engine; compared to Aston Marcus which purrs like a kitten, I wasn't impressed, but at least it was a familiar overall experience.

Here I am, approaching the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.  More on this scam hotel later.

My hotel reservation was very nearly messed up.  I had to pay out of pocket to at least stay the night.  Fortunately it got sorted Monday morning.  But I didn't like having to pay money.  I then proceeded to settle in and relax for the conference.  I did go to the local stores to get some food though; I wasn't paying the ripoff prices for snacks (more on that later).

Here are some shots from the event.

My tweet even made it up on their ticker.  How cool is that?

I also got to visit a past co-worker which was refreshing, and despite the nonsense traffic from the Mayweather/Canelo fight crowds, I did enjoy the fight itself.

Before leaving, I had to make sure to get a couple of shots from my hotel room window.  It was facing the strip, so I took full advantage.  First, a small panorama in the daytime (and unfortunately, since Mandalay Bay doesn't believe in washing their windows, it wasn't a very clear shot).

Then, I caught this rather appealing shot the night before I headed home.

 At the Las Vegas Airport, after turning in my car (which consisted of simply parking it and walking away, mind you), I then patiently awaited my flight home, capturing some of the signage (aka, a bunch of TVs slapped together in a crooked pattern).

All in all a great week.  I learned a lot and got quite a bit of useful information from the trip which I'm eager to share with the team.  This was the first time I'd gotten to attend one of these particular conferences though I'd helped others go, so it was enlightening.  A bit overkill with some of the fluff, but a great event nonetheless.

Tune in later for my review (aka REAMview) of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.