So the company that I work for is growing very rapidly and decided a few years ago to construct a new corporate headquarters. This will be a very welcome change given that we are now scattered among several buildings in the downtown area, all of which are outdated with few amentities. Below is a work in progress video tour of the new campus posted by our CEO. Move in is at the end of July. Enjoy!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
I'm Confused
My contract is up on my Verizon cell phone in about one month. I'm currently rolling with the original LG Dare. It's a decent phone but doesn't compare at all with the touch screen phones that are currently on the market. I'm looking to make the leap to a smart phone when I'm eligible to upgrade phones for the discounted price. I have two particular phones in mind when it comes to upgrading - the Apple iPhone and the Google Nexus One. Sounds like a simple decision considering I'm sticking with Verizon and the iPhone is currently not available. In fact, the decision is not simple at all and gets me thinking about Apple and Google business decisions.
My thoughts on Apple's stubborness are well documented. I believe they have made a poor business decision by not manufacturing an iPhone for the Verizon network. However, I must admit that at this point, the window for an iPhone to hit Verizon in the near future has closed. Verizon is currently testing its next generation network (LTE), which is the future of cell phone networks. Apple will likely wait until this new network is fully functionable before investing in a new iPhone for Verizon. The Verizon LTE network is in testing now and is due to hit the ground running sometime in the middle of 2011. That said, the best case scenario for an iPhone to hit Verizon is summer of next year. In other words, that sucks for me. Do I ride out my Dare for another year with the hope that Apple releases an iPhone on Verizon in 2011, or do I get the next best touch screen smartphone next month?
The next best phone, in my opinion, would be the Google Nexus One. However, that presents an entirely different issue that has me scratching my head over Google's rationale. It's documented that the Nexus One is coming to Verizon in the next few weeks. Well that's great news! I can go to the Verizon store and play around with the phone and decide then and there if I'll take the Nexus One or wait for an iPhone. Not so fast. It's very possible that Google will not allow the Nexus One to be sold in Verizon stores. That means that the Nexus One will be available only via Google's online store. Say what? To me, this move is even more dimwitted than Apple's decision to stick with AT&T. Google has already put up the investment to release a Verizon compatible Nexus One. Why in the world wouldn't you make it available for purchase everywhere, which would extend it's reach and increase sales. In fact, this possibility has caused Goldman Sachs to severely cut down the forecast of Nexus One sales. I thought Google was a top notch company with some intelligence. I haven't tapped into their logic on this one.
So I'm confused. Logic tells me that I should be patient and wait for the iPhone because that is the phone I really want. The "high maintenace" side of me doesn't want to wait and tells me that the Nexus One is a viable alternative. However, I'm not dishing out the cash for the Nexus One without a chance to thoroughly play with it. Maybe Google will decided to wise up because if they don't, sounds like I'm going to ride the Dare into 2011.
My thoughts on Apple's stubborness are well documented. I believe they have made a poor business decision by not manufacturing an iPhone for the Verizon network. However, I must admit that at this point, the window for an iPhone to hit Verizon in the near future has closed. Verizon is currently testing its next generation network (LTE), which is the future of cell phone networks. Apple will likely wait until this new network is fully functionable before investing in a new iPhone for Verizon. The Verizon LTE network is in testing now and is due to hit the ground running sometime in the middle of 2011. That said, the best case scenario for an iPhone to hit Verizon is summer of next year. In other words, that sucks for me. Do I ride out my Dare for another year with the hope that Apple releases an iPhone on Verizon in 2011, or do I get the next best touch screen smartphone next month?
The next best phone, in my opinion, would be the Google Nexus One. However, that presents an entirely different issue that has me scratching my head over Google's rationale. It's documented that the Nexus One is coming to Verizon in the next few weeks. Well that's great news! I can go to the Verizon store and play around with the phone and decide then and there if I'll take the Nexus One or wait for an iPhone. Not so fast. It's very possible that Google will not allow the Nexus One to be sold in Verizon stores. That means that the Nexus One will be available only via Google's online store. Say what? To me, this move is even more dimwitted than Apple's decision to stick with AT&T. Google has already put up the investment to release a Verizon compatible Nexus One. Why in the world wouldn't you make it available for purchase everywhere, which would extend it's reach and increase sales. In fact, this possibility has caused Goldman Sachs to severely cut down the forecast of Nexus One sales. I thought Google was a top notch company with some intelligence. I haven't tapped into their logic on this one.
So I'm confused. Logic tells me that I should be patient and wait for the iPhone because that is the phone I really want. The "high maintenace" side of me doesn't want to wait and tells me that the Nexus One is a viable alternative. However, I'm not dishing out the cash for the Nexus One without a chance to thoroughly play with it. Maybe Google will decided to wise up because if they don't, sounds like I'm going to ride the Dare into 2011.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The NFL Combine
One would certainly think that the majority of NFL pro scouts and multi-millionaire (and sometimes billionaire) NFL club owners would be smart individuals. One would think that properly evaluating talent is the way to succeed in the NFL. Then again, maybe this is where common sense breaks down.
Exhibit A: Taylor Mays. He is a freakish athelete from the University of Southern California. He plays free safety and is known for his punishing hits in the secondary. Coming in to the 2009 football season, Mays was projected to be a top 5 pick in the NFL draft after a solid 2008 campaign. Well, the 2008 USC defense was stacked with talent and that covered up Mays' weaknesses. As the 2009 football season unfolded, Mays' draft stock fell seemingly every single week. The problem? Mays' decision making and slow reaction time. He was often found to be out of position. By the end of the season, Mays was projected to be selected in the late 20's of the first round. Still solid. He went into the Senior Bowl with something to prove. He failed and after that game, "experts" expected him to be a fringe first rounder. These "experts" I speak of are draft gurus and pro scouts.
That brings us to the ridiculous NFL pro scouting combine. The whole concept of the combine does not make sense. It's a chance for NFL scouts, coaches and owners to watch NFL prospects essentially run a series of drills. Apparently, hours upon hours of game film are not good enough. Mr. Taylor Mays goes into the combine with lots of flaws in his game. From day 1, all scouts know that Mays has freakish physical tools, but lacks a strong football IQ as evidenced by the mountain of film they have watched on him. Now to the combine, where May's proceeds to run a 4.41 second 40-yard dash, the fastest among all defensive backs. Certainly, that's an achievement, but this is where the system breaks down. I've read several instances that Mays improved is draft stock by as many as 10 picks because of his combine workout. Really? Surely, you're smarter than that (you listening Al Davis?). Does his 40 time erase the questions about his football abilities? And that's only part of the issue I have with the emphasis placed on 40 times. The second part is even more ridiculous. Do you realize that there were offensive and defensive lineman ran the 40 in the high 4 second range. That's a half second slower than Mays. That's one half of one second. Think about that. The combine fires me up because not a year goes by where someone shows "amazing" speed at the combine and gets drafted way too high as a result. Exhibit B: Darius Heyward-Bey and the infamously stupid Al Davis at the 2009 NFL draft. How did that return on investment wind up for you, Al?
Stupidity such as this makes me think that I can make millions of dollars as a scouting director for one of these teams.
Exhibit A: Taylor Mays. He is a freakish athelete from the University of Southern California. He plays free safety and is known for his punishing hits in the secondary. Coming in to the 2009 football season, Mays was projected to be a top 5 pick in the NFL draft after a solid 2008 campaign. Well, the 2008 USC defense was stacked with talent and that covered up Mays' weaknesses. As the 2009 football season unfolded, Mays' draft stock fell seemingly every single week. The problem? Mays' decision making and slow reaction time. He was often found to be out of position. By the end of the season, Mays was projected to be selected in the late 20's of the first round. Still solid. He went into the Senior Bowl with something to prove. He failed and after that game, "experts" expected him to be a fringe first rounder. These "experts" I speak of are draft gurus and pro scouts.
That brings us to the ridiculous NFL pro scouting combine. The whole concept of the combine does not make sense. It's a chance for NFL scouts, coaches and owners to watch NFL prospects essentially run a series of drills. Apparently, hours upon hours of game film are not good enough. Mr. Taylor Mays goes into the combine with lots of flaws in his game. From day 1, all scouts know that Mays has freakish physical tools, but lacks a strong football IQ as evidenced by the mountain of film they have watched on him. Now to the combine, where May's proceeds to run a 4.41 second 40-yard dash, the fastest among all defensive backs. Certainly, that's an achievement, but this is where the system breaks down. I've read several instances that Mays improved is draft stock by as many as 10 picks because of his combine workout. Really? Surely, you're smarter than that (you listening Al Davis?). Does his 40 time erase the questions about his football abilities? And that's only part of the issue I have with the emphasis placed on 40 times. The second part is even more ridiculous. Do you realize that there were offensive and defensive lineman ran the 40 in the high 4 second range. That's a half second slower than Mays. That's one half of one second. Think about that. The combine fires me up because not a year goes by where someone shows "amazing" speed at the combine and gets drafted way too high as a result. Exhibit B: Darius Heyward-Bey and the infamously stupid Al Davis at the 2009 NFL draft. How did that return on investment wind up for you, Al?
Stupidity such as this makes me think that I can make millions of dollars as a scouting director for one of these teams.
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