#my double desk setup is about to be FUNCTIONAL again

[cliff-and-the-kid]

(I HAS! NEW CHAIR!!)

[enragedbees]

Does He Make You Happy?

Updates Saturdays 6pm EST!

Pairing: Logicality, side Prinxiety

Summary: With the wedding coming so close, Logan and Patton are both struggling. Logan can’t run away.

Warnings: suicidal thoughts, insecurity, worthlessness, a few swears, depression, self-loathing (If I missed anything, please let me know!)

Words: 3831

Song rec: Could be two; Stone Cold by Demi Lovato (thanks to Catrina Mae on AO3 for mentioning this!) and (It’s Hard) Letting You Go by Bon Jovi

A huge thanks to the remarkable @xionbean for being my beta reader!!

A/N so, wow, this ended up being really difficult to write. Please heed the warnings!! Just so you guys know, I have an epilogue planned, and something in the works for after that. I don’t think the epilogue will be very long, so I may not wait until next week to post again. However angsty this gets I hope you guys enjoy!

Taglist: @xxpeach-bobaxx @starwarsdestroyedme ​  @faded-paper-colours @nafsbluebery @cass-isdumb  @fall-sunflowers @darkstrange-son @thenewlarislynn @cas-is-a-hunter @endless-rain-of-words 

Please let me know what you think! :)

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Chapter 6: A Different Kind of Blue

        Patton walked into the hotel he was supposed to be staying in for the night. Roman and Virgil were at the front desk. A few other wedding party members were in the lobby.

        Roman picked up two room cards and walked over to Patton.

        “Hey, James was looking for you,” Roman said. “He told me to let you know he’s up in your guys’ room.”

        Patton nodded absently. “Oh, okay, thanks.”

        Virgil squinted. “Hey, you okay?”

        “Hm?” Patton tried to think through the cotton stuffed in his head. “I’m fine.”

        Roman was oblivious, apparently. “What time do we have to be at the venue tomorrow for setup?”

        Patton thought about it. He couldn’t remember. “I’m not sure. James should know.”

        “That’s okay,” Roman shrugged. “It’s probably still on the itinerary on my phone.” He turned to Virgil. “You ready to head up?”

        “Go ahead, I’ll be there in a minute.” Virgil pecked him on the cheek. Roman turned to leave.

        Virgil pulled Patton to the seating area in the corner of the hotel lobby and gently sat him down. “Okay, spill.”

        Patton looked over at Virgil, the pure concern and love he saw in Virgil’s eyes. His sluggishness and lack of focus disappeared, and everything else in his mind honed into a sharp point pressing into his chest. Patton’s dam cracked and broke open and everything burst out all at once.

~

Logan sat in a bar downtown, an empty glass of what used to be a neat double tequila resting lazily in his hand.

        He stared down at the bar, feeling like he was barely functioning. He didn’t even know how he got to where he was. He had no idea how long he had been there. The bartender had walked over to check on him a couple times, but it was clear Logan didn’t want company, so he soon stopped.

        Logan did know he had stopped crying before entering the bar. He was sure his eyes were still red, but he was just exhausted. Logan had used up the remainder of his energy in maintaining a sitting position and knew he didn’t have the motivation to get up and go home or even flag the bartender for a second drink.

        Logan felt another person sit down next to him and saw the purple sleeve of a sweater out of his peripherals.

        “I’ll have a cosmo,” Virgil told the bartender. He gestured to Logan. “And get him another of whatever he’s having, on me, thanks.”

        Virgil turned to Logan as the bartender walked away. Logan still couldn’t gather the energy to shift his position.

        “You don’t have to buy me a drink,” Logan mumbled. “How did you know I’d be here?”

        “I didn’t,” Virgil said. “I had just about given up looking for you, so I walked in to get a drink. Total coincidence.”

        Logan wasn’t entirely convinced that that was true, but he didn’t care enough to argue. Virgil peered over at him.

        “Are you okay?”

        Logan almost scoffed. “No.”

        Virgil pursed his lips and thanked the bartender, who had set their drinks down. He watched as Logan gingerly moved his hand around the glass, hesitate, then toss his head back and down the drink, setting it back on the counter and not moving again.

        Virgil sighed. “I wish I could help you, man.”

        Logan still couldn’t look up, as much as he wanted to. “Thanks.”

        Virgil hesitated a moment before continuing. “But, you know, you were the one who left. He managed to find happiness again. This is good for him. You can’t blame him for getting over you.”

        Logan swallowed. “I know.”

        “Really, though.” Virgil tried to catch Logan’s eye. “I’m sorry you’re dealing with something like this. You don’t deserve it.”

        Logan almost immediately broke down. He bit his lip as his face heated again. Virgil turned back away and sipped his drink, pulling out his wallet.

        Logan sniffed. “Are you leaving?”

        “No, just paying my bill. I’ll stay here as long as you need me to.” Virgil shuffled some cash.

        Logan nodded, nearly choking on his own suppressed emotions again. He couldn’t even croak out an expression of his immense gratitude.

        He didn’t know how long they sat there together, in silence, until Logan mustered the energy to stand up. He thanked Virgil again and walked out the door, wanting to go anywhere but home.

~

        Logan packed the next morning.

        He didn’t have a plan. He didn’t have a destination. What he had was an expanse of time before his classes started and a desperate need to run away.

        Logan packed light. He put a few versatile clothing items and some basic necessities in one suitcase and got into his car and drove. A few minutes in, he decided to stop once for coffee so he wouldn’t have to stop again for a while.

        Logan walked into a coffee shop and ordered his drink. He sat down to wait, turned, and saw Mia Rojas walking through the door.

        She stopped when she saw Logan. Logan prayed she would wave politely and leave him alone. She walked over.

        “Hello, Logan,” she said. “We were just on our way over to the venue. I didn’t expect to see you before the wedding.”

        The knife in Logan’s gut twisted. “It’s nice to see you again, Mia. Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to make it to the wedding.” Logan hoped he was able to hide the crack in his voice. Mia seemed to understand. She nodded slowly.

        “That’s too bad. Patton seemed excited when he said he had reconnected with you.”

        Logan looked down. “I don’t want to cause any discomfort.”

        “That’s…considerate of you.” Mia hesitated, then sat down across from Logan. “May I ask, what do you think of James?”

        Logan took a breath. Why is she still here? “I think he’s a great guy. I think he’s good for Patton.” At least Logan didn’t have to lie.

        “He certainly makes Patton very happy.” Mia sighed.

        Logan swallowed and looked down. “Yes, he does.”

        Mia glanced at him, gaze full of sympathy. She chose her next words carefully. “And it’s true that he fits with Patton well. Even though…” She hesitated, looking Logan in the eye. “I’ve seen Patton happier.”

        Logan heard the silent words that would have come next. With you.

        And he recognized the underlying message that Mia would never even think of verbalizing: It should be you.

        Logan didn’t know why, but Mia’s implication pissed him off. This wasn’t something she had the right to decide for Patton; he had made his choice and nobody had the right to pretend like they knew better. Not only was it ridiculously inappropriate. Even if she did believe it, Mia shouldn’t have said anything, especially not to Logan.

        Logan stood up, the ground swaying under him from the sudden change of state. “It was nice seeing you, Mia, but I have to get going.”

        Mia pursed her lips, quickly changing it into a tight smile. “Nice seeing you, too.”

        Logan picked up his coffee and walked out the door, shaking. He climbed into his car and started drove, passing the exit sign for the city and, eventually, the state, with no plan in his head other than escape.

~

Patton couldn’t concentrate.

        He was supposed to be excited. The whole day was meant for preparations for what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. The whole experience was supposed to be a time he would look back on with love and nostalgia.

        James was oblivious, for which Patton was eternally grateful. They had gone to bed the night before and Patton’s guilt ate through him all night. He couldn’t sleep. He didn’t feel like he had a right to even touch James, but then James would roll over and wrap an arm around Patton and he’d feel even worse.

        Patton tried to forget. He focused on his fiancé, the love of his life, his almost-husband. He ignored the sourness that swelled in his chest when he looked at James, he didn’t allow himself to worry that it would never go away.  

        They decorated the reception venue in the morning. Their families were there to help, along with the members of the wedding party who could make it there the night before.

        James was blissful. He didn’t stop smiling all morning. He put everyone to work and made sure everything was running smoothly. He was so happy and it almost broke Patton’s heart. How could he betray someone who had never done anything but make him happy, someone he loved more than anyone else in the world?

        James squeezed Patton’s hand. “Hey, you okay?”

        Patton shook the thoughts from his head. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He smiled tightly. “I just can’t believe it’s…really happening.”

        “I know, right?” James chuckled. “It feels like we’ve been waiting for so long, it almost hasn’t set in for me yet.”

        He turned away, and Patton’s vision flashed. He felt hands grasping at his shirt, tears wetting his cheeks, Logan’s mouth on his. Patton gasped a little, pulling himself out of the memory. He looked around.

        His parents were unpacking boxes of glassware. Roman and Virgil were over across the room, giggling about something and putting together the table centerpieces. James sat nearby with his sister as they arranged seating cards. Everyone was cheerful, helpful, making every effort to make his day the happiest it could be. Patton looked at the floor, swirling with guilt, shame, doubt.

        The day passed way too quickly. After setting up the venue, Patton and James went for lunch with their friends. The restaurant had some small celebration for the happy couple, reminiscent of those awful birthday performances waiters were forced to give. It was nothing elaborate, but enough to supposedly make them feel special. Patton forced himself to grin through it as their friends toasted to their happiness. James was embarrassed, but beaming effortlessly, and Patton hated himself.

        Not long after lunch came the rehearsal. Patton walked down the aisle to James four different times until the organizer was happy with his pace. Each time James watched him walk to the altar, his smile grew bigger and lovelier. With each redo, the knot in Patton’s stomach grew tighter.

        And once Patton got to that altar and joined hands with his fiancé, his vision flashed again, and he saw Logan standing across from him, and he hurt even more, and he hated himself even more.

        The only even partial comfort was seeing how excited James grew with each passing hour. Patton knew James deserved better than the thoughts running through his head all day, but he hoped he could make James smile like that every day for the rest of their lives. But every time a thought like that flitted through his mind, he once again remembered Logan, and the night before, and he just went back to hurting.

        The rehearsal passed and Patton went back to the hotel to get ready for the rehearsal dinner, where he would be expected to hold onto James’ arm the whole night, thanking guests for coming and showing them how happy he was to be there. But even that passed in a blur.

        Before Patton knew it, he was back at his hotel. James kissed him goodnight, clearly about to jump out of his skin with anticipation, but James soon went up to his room to get some sleep. Patton stayed in the empty hotel lobby for as long as possible before he forced himself to leave.

        Patton unlocked the door to his hotel room and switched the light on. His suitcase and belongings had already been brought in, and his outfit for tomorrow laid neatly packed on a chair, ready for transport to the venue. The door closed behind him. Being completely alone for the first time since Logan walked away the night before, the weight of Patton’s misery swelled enough to crush him.

~

Logan checked into a hotel hours away from home.

        He had no idea how to escape. He wanted to just keep driving farther and farther until he fell off the face of the Earth. Nowhere was distant enough. He couldn’t outrun everything happening.

        Logan rolled his suitcase into his room. His limbs hung heavy with fatigue and grief. He locked the door and started unpacking the few thing’s he’d need that night before leaving again.

        Logan sat on the bed and pulled out his phone for the first time all day. A notification from a few hours before popped up.

        Event Tomorrow: Patton’s Wedding

        A sudden surge of adrenaline lit Logan’s nerves on fire. He didn’t form a coherent thought. He didn’t think at all. The only thing running through his mind was run escape leave get away escape GET RID OF IT and he threw his phone away from him as fast as he could. It smashed against the wall and shattered, the few remaining intact parts of the screen going black.

        Logan’s heart pounded. He really hadn’t expected such a visceral response. But Logan realized in that moment just how much he couldn’t handle it.

        Was it really already happening?

Patton sat on the bed in his hotel room, staring at the wall with his hands folded on his lap. He glanced at the clock: 12:03am.

        He was getting married today. In less than sixteen hours, Patton would be married.

        He continued to repeat that to himself, married, today, married, married, trying to make the words bring him the same excitement and joy they had brought over the past few months.

        Today was supposed to be the happiest day of Patton’s life. And why wouldn’t it be? He had his dream wedding planned, with everyone he cared about most coming to celebrate with him. They rented a gorgeous venue that was even more breathtaking after the hard decorating work from the day. Patton had a wonderful, relaxing honeymoon planned the day after.

        And he had such a great fiancé. James was great. He was kind, patient, accommodating, funny, sensitive, and exceptionally good looking. And he cared so much for Patton. His friends and family loved James. And so did Patton.

        He loved James. He knew he did. Patton loved James so desperately and it killed him that he wasn’t as happy as he should have been. Patton was being offered everything he ever wanted, and all he had to do was marry the love of his life.

        Why the hell was that so difficult?

        Logan wanted to do anything to stop the shattering of his heart, anything so that he wouldn’t have to live in a world where Patton was married to someone else. Escape. Get away. Run. Hide.

Where could he possibly go that was far enough? How could he escape when everything was a reminder of what he had given up? And how was the excruciating pain he was in better than feeling nothing at all?

He couldn’t live like this. He had to run away, any possible way he could. He’d jump out the window of his hotel room if he had to. He’d steal a bottle of chemical cleaner and down the whole thing.

        A cold darkness settled on Logan. Where had that come from?

        Logan’s chest heaved. He tried to ignore it. He couldn’t help but fixate on the fact that tomorrow Patton would be getting married. Logan gasped again, tears slipping out of his eyes and between the fingers that rose up to cover his mouth.

        He saw now. It would be so easy to escape. One jump, one swallow, one tightly wound sheet hung from the ceiling, and everything would go away.

        Maybe it would work. What else could be farther away?

        Logan’s heart pounded. Stop it, he chastised himself. You’re being ridiculous. You’re going to throw your life away over something as pathetic as this? You won’t.

        Logan stood up, panting, and paced the room. The pit in his stomach expanded to swallow his entire body in despair. Tears continued leaking uninhibited down his face as he ran his fingers through his hair. The voice in his head, the same one that had tormented him his entire life returned, dark and malicious.

        But what if you did?

        A knock sounded from Patton’s hotel room door.

        “It’s open,” Patton called, unmoving.

        The door opened. Patton heard footsteps behind his back, and Roman sat down next to him on the bed. The door closed on its own.

        “How are you?” Roman asked, fidgeting with his hands.

        What a ridiculous question. Patton was expected to be able to answer that in a single response? He barely knew how he was, and it’s not like he would have been able to form a comprehensible string of words to express it if he did know.

        Patton sighed through his nose. He shook his head. “Am I making a huge mistake?”

        Roman took a deep breath, leaning back on his hands. “Okay, so we’re getting right into it.”

        “I’m sorry, I don’t want to put you in the middle of this. “Forget I said anything,” Patton added quickly.

        Roman waved his hand, dismissing Patton. “No, no, it’s okay. This is why I came by.”

        Patton sighed again. He wondered what he was supposed to be feeling right then. He had no shame, no fear, no excitement. He just felt hollow. And hurt. Always hurt.

        “Patton, it’s normal to be nervous the night before a wedding,” Roman said. “I don’t think it’s normal to already be doubting the decision to get married.”

        Patton closed his eyes and put his face in his hands. “I don’t know what to do.”

        Roman put a hand on Patton’s back, rubbing his shoulder affectionately. They stayed there in silence for a few moments. Hesitantly, Roman bit his lip and opened his mouth.

        “Patton, you still love Logan. I think you always have.”

        “But I love James, too!” Patton cried, head shooting up.

        “I know you do,” Roman continued. “James is good for you. I think you guys would be happy together.” He sighed. “But not if you aren’t over Logan.”

        “Of course I’m over him!” Patton stood up. “He left me! I was forced to get over him! He left, out of nowhere, and I never even had time to prepare! I didn’t get a chance for closure before he walked away and left me alone and James was the only one who gave me back everything Logan took! I had no choice but to get over him!”

        Roman pursed his lips, one eyebrow raised. Patton stifled a dry sob and collapsed back on the bed, covering his face again, eyes burning.

        Patton felt Roman’s hand go back to his shoulder. “What’s wrong with me?” He sobbed. “Why is this so hard?”

        Logan sat on the bed. His hands shook. His vision was clouded with tears and darkness. Was he really considering something so drastic?

        He wondered who would miss him. He didn’t have very many family members. His mother would miss him. Virgil would. Roman, too, probably. Was that it? Would the knowledge that three people would miss him be enough? Would anyone else be sad if he was gone?

        Would Patton?

        Logan could see Patton’s face as a faceless messenger told him what happened. Logan saw his features contort in grief, in denial, in regret, in guilt, in complete and total anguish. Logan saw Patton fall to his knees as it overtook him. Logan thought it would make him feel better to see Patton miss him so painfully in his mind, but it just deepened the wound in his chest.

        Logan tried to talk himself down. Something has to get better. This isn’t the end. You’ll be happy again someday. This isn’t rational. You haven’t been together in years. It would be almost embarrassing to go to such an extreme over one ex.

        But all Logan could feel was the all-encompassing hurt hitting him in waves. He couldn’t live like this for long. And it really would be so easy. And then everything would be over. He wouldn’t hurt so much.

        One swallow. One jump. It would be so easy.

        Patton looked up at Roman, a single tear running down his cheek. “I really love James. I swear I do. You have to believe me. I hate this.”

        “I know.”

        Patton took a shaky breath in. “I really don’t know what to do.”

        “If you’re struggling with the choice, I can’t help you.” Roman sighed and pulled his hand away. “This is your responsibility. Just know…” Roman leaned over and locked onto Patton’s teary gaze.

        “Whatever you decide, we support you. The people who love you want you to be happy. Nobody will be upset with you for making a choice that’s right for you.” Roman paused. “That includes Logan.”

        Patton nodded and sniffed. He took a moment and a deep breath. He wiped his eyes and stood up. “Thank you, Roman.”

        “Of course,” Roman said. “Are you okay?”

        “I’m okay.” Patton nodded again.

        “Do you want me to stay here?”

        “Yes, please.”

        Roman nodded. After a moment, he stood up and held open his arms.. Patton stepped forward and fell into his embrace. Patton took a deep breath and let himself relax, for just a few seconds ignoring the ache in his chest.

        Logan stood back up, trembling. He looked for his phone before remembering he didn’t have one anymore. Logan took quick, deep breaths, at first not realizing he was hyperventilating. He started pacing again. The voice egged him on.

        What are you waiting for, then? Nobody’s coming to stop you. Nobody knows what’s going on. You really think it’s going to get better? You actually believe you haven’t fucked everything up beyond repair? You know the truth. This is exactly what you wanted, remember? This is your fault. You deserve this. You deserve this.

        Y̶̛̩̰͚̒͂́͒͂͘͝O̶̻̠͍͎͎̭͓̲̓̔͊͘U̵̻̮̞̬͉̟̮̬̅͌̍͘͜ ̴̨̫̦͓̮͍̘̊̽D̸̛̞̭͙̲͈͎̫͇̹̂̌͂͐͛̀͘͜͠E̸S̷̢̰͔͎̠͍̏͆́Ȩ̵̡̭̩̏͝ͅR̴̆̆V̸̲̝͒͂̾̋͊́̇̾͠͠Ȅ̷͛͊̔́̀̒̈́ ̵̝̦͑̏̽̍͛͠T̷̓̚Ḩ̷̛̞͎̗̺̋̅̑͐́̄̑Į̵̠̩̠̳̺̳̫͂S̶.

        Logan stumbled to the window and out onto the small balcony of his room. He gripped the railing and tried to steady himself, taking deep gulping breaths of the cool night air.

        Logan looked up into the sky, scanning the stars. He couldn’t focus hard enough to recognize any familiar constellations, any minor source of comfort. The usual golden glow of the stars was gone, replaced with a cold, painful white light.

        Logan swallowed and glanced down. He was positive the ground was a million miles away. The wind whipped his hair back as he squeezed the railing until his knuckles went white. His thoughts stormed through his mind like a tempest. It would be so easy. One jump. Logan’s eyes prickled. He bit his lip, letting a few more tears stream down, gasping panting shaking clinging to the railing. One jump, so easy.

        Above his racing thoughts rose the sinister voice, the only coherent idea in his mind, moving in for the kill.

        What are you waiting for?

[storyinmypocket]

As someone who’s been Frankensteining PCs together from the leftovers from other people’s upgrades for over twenty years now, I want to let y’all know that building/repairing a desktop PC* is not hard. The hardest part for me is going through the specs for motherboards/CPUs/memory and making sure everything’s compatible, and if you’re doing a major upgrade, sites like Newegg often sell bundles of components guaranteed to work together.

Some PC manufacturers do try to make it harder because they want you to buy a whole new computer from them instead of replacing one component. I recommend building your own from scratch if you can, or, if that’s too intimidating, having a trusted friend build you one that you can then work on upgrading piece by piece to build your confidence. However, if you can’t afford that (gods know I couldn’t if I hadn’t originally built my computer when I was living with family), grit your teeth, go slowly, and remember to chant, “Die capitalist scum, die,” whenever you encounter an unexpected difficulty.

You will need:

A Phillips-head screwdriver. Just average sized, not huge or tiny. (So technical! So specific! But seriously, I’ve had no problems using whatever’s handy.)

A container in which to put your screws. You can use a Solo cup for this, or a plastic container for leftovers, or even flip over an empty paper drink cup and use the shallow container formed by the bottom part. I’m not judging. Just make sure the lil fuckers can’t roll away and hide under your desk for the rest of time.

A large flat surface (desk, countertop, kitchen table, etc).

If you’re doing anything with the CPU/motherboard (CPU used here to mean “the chip about the size of a large coin that functions as your computer’s brain”, not “the entire box”), have some rubbing alcohol, q-tips, and thermal paste handy. (I use Arctic Silver.)**

You will probably find it nice to have:

A flashlight. Headlamps/small flashlights you can hold in your mouth have worked best for me, since you don’t have to give up the use of a hand so you can see, but I did yesterday’s motherboard swap with just my phone’s LED, and that went fine.

A can of compressed air. You don’t need this if you’re building from scratch, but if you haven’t cracked the case in a while... well, dust happens. So does pet hair. A can of air will clear that shit away without the risk of getting tiny spit droplets on your sensitive electronic components. (I’ve blown dust away and it’s been fine, but still, compressed air is better if you have the time and spare cash to get some.)

A personal grounding strap to keep static from zapping your components. I have literally never used one -- I just frequently touch the exposed metal parts of my PC case, and that keeps the static from happening -- but if it gives you peace of mind, go for it, they’re like $5.

Speccy. It’s a free program that will show you all your components and specs, which is great for me because no fucking way do I remember anything about parts I installed five years ago. I always check Speccy before ordering new components, to make sure everything will play nicely together.

A phone or tablet you can use to google for additional help.

That’s it, that’s all you need to fiddle around with your computer’s guts.

If you want to know what should go in your computer’s guts, there’s a very simple explanation of the components you need at my bank’s website? For some reason?***

If you’re replacing a component, at this point, your job is to find the thing, unplug any cables that go into it, take it out of your computer, put the new one in, plug the cables back in, and you’re good to go. Your component will usually have instructions showing you what goes where. If it doesn’t, google is your friend.

Things to keep in mind:

Components should fit neatly into place, and you shouldn’t force them. However, things like memory sticks and video cards can take a bit of pressure to slot into place, so finding that sweet spot between “super gentle” and “forcing and possibly breaking your components” will be terrifying the first few times. Or at least, it will if you’re anything like my high-anxiety self. To make it less terrifying: use your light source to get in there and be sure it’s lined up properly with the slot. Double- and triple-checking is a good thing when you’re starting out. If there are clips to hold the component in place, make sure they’re disengaged. Also, don’t go from gentle push to slamming your whole body weight down on it: slowly increase the pressure as you push. Although it’s possible to break something if you just force it in without paying much attention, my generally careless and clumsy self has never had this happen, even once, so just make sure you’re putting the thing in the right place and you should be fine.

If you have to take the cooler off your CPU, note that it will probably take some messing around to get it off. You will not break it. Just go slow and keep breathing.

Once the cooler is off your CPU, you’ll want to take your q-tip and alcohol and carefully wipe away the old, dried-up thermal paste, because it’s not going to conduct heat so well anymore now that you’ve messed with it. Before you put the cooler back, draw an X on the CPU with your tube of fresh thermal paste. That’s all you need to do.

And those are all the basic things I wish someone had told me when I was starting out.

My biggest piece of advice, though? Find friends who also build their own computers, because then the magic of the upgrade chain takes place. My childhood computer was made out of hand-me-down parts, where my mom would get an upgrade, and her old part would go to my stepdad, and then his old part would go to me. Brand new components were special things, that would show up very rarely for my birthday and Yule, but otherwise, my computers were entirely dependent on the upgrade chain. If you’re poor, having an upgrade chain going with your friends can be a wonderful source of unexpected free upgrades, which can make the difference between an out of date computer that can still play most games, and a constantly-crashing piece of shit that makes you want to cry when you try to run anything.

* I’m sure there’s someone who’s like, “Who even uses desktops anymore?” and the answer is a) gamers, and b) people who are on their computers all day and want to not be in major pain, because laptops are a goddamn ergonomic nightmare and so as someone with chronic pain, I hate them. If your laptop is causing you pain, I can’t recommend an ergonomic desktop setup enough.

** Remember how I mentioned some PC manufacturers will make things harder on you? The one and only prebuilt PC I’ve ever owned -- a gift -- had an unnecessarily large CPU cooler that had to be removed completely in order to get to the power supply. After my power supply died, I had to deal with all the bullshit involved in replacing it, and vowed to never again use a pre-built PC because fuck that shit. And I always keep thermal paste handy, just in case.

*** Hey, so since my bank’s computer building page was one of the top google results, I’m going to pimp out my referral link now, because I’m poor and have huge medical bills and hey, free $20 for both of us. If you’re not interested, you can stop reading here.

Do you like bank accounts with no fees whatsoever, because they just do the sensible thing and deny the transaction if you don’t have the money instead of charging you $30 for going $0.02 over your limit? Do you like minimalistic debit card design in aesthetically-pleasing white and blue? Do you like being able to put money aside for specific goals, and then hide that money from your available balance so you don’t accidentally spend it? Do you like really fucking amazing customer service? Well, if you sign up with Simple, you can have that. And if you use the link in the previous sentence, you get $20 free the first time you use your debit card, and I get the same amount, which is 1/3 of a doctor visit! Help me go see a doctor, please.

[putthison]

Transitioning out of Dress Codes Altogether

I’ve always paid attention to what I wear -- I specifically remember the floral tie and pegged pants I wore to my first dance, where I awkwardly box-stepped with a girl, shout out to Junior Capers and the Tredyffrin/ Easttown school district--but I didn’t really think about it in relation to others’ clothing deeply until I started going to work. In a cubicle. Wearing a tie I stole from my dad.

Most weekdays since then (for over a decade) I’ve left my house in the morning to work in a traditional office, and worn what I’d like to consider thoughtful business casual. The boundaries of business casual are rarely clear and tend toward the khakis-and-polo side of things. As Derek wrote, “Not as interesting as casualwear could be; not as sharp as the traditional coat-and-tie. It’s just vanilla bland.” It’s one of those areas where we’re technically free to wear nearly anything but unwritten rules often keep us boxed in, or else we’ll raise the eyebrows of our Kirkland polo-d co-workers. I mostly wear OCBDs (lighter cotton weaves in summer), cotton twill or wool flannel trousers, and extra-casual sportcoats (like Engineered Garments or Camoshita might make) or a cardigan.

Last week, though, I started working from home close to full time. My new situation has a lot of benefits -- I can access snacks at any time -- but it’s made me wonder whether my business wardrobe is obsolete. I have a decent desk setup with natural light, I literally do not have to leave the house; who am I getting dressed for?

Of course, many men work mostly on their own terms, don’t have an office, and cope just fine. I asked a few guys who’ve been working this way for awhile how they approach dressing for the home office.

The Tailored Uniform Approach

Mitchell Moss is an editor and writer working for a church in Cincinnati, but he lives and works in an older house outside of Nashville. He likes tailored clothing, mostly Italian, and doesn’t let the lack of a conference room and water cooler stop him. “I usually wear open collar shirt and sportcoat, and jeans or dress pants. I’m almost always in tailoring. That’s how I like getting dressed.”

So no sweatpants. “The slob thing? I cannot do that. Tailored clothing -- it’s what I’ve spent money on for years, and didn’t buy it just to hang it there. Plus I get on instagram in the morning, and a lot of accounts I follow are in Europe, and have already posted cool outfits -- it gets me excited about wearing a jacket again.”

In the two years he’s had this work style, Mitchell says he’s gotten more casual and wears ties less often. “I do wear jeans a lot more -- almost every day now. Wearing a tie with jeans just feels weird. Part of my philosophy is trying to keep it real: ‘OK dude you’re working from home.’ I have a very strong utilitarian streak in me, I live in the real world -- and there’s no point in putting wear and tear on nice pants.” Plus he does have to set up and break down for photo shoots sometimes, which is better to do in jeans, and shoes he won’t scratch.

What does he do in the summer swelter of the South? “At the extremes of the seasons, when it’s hot, I will forego a sportcoat. No shorts! Don’t quite go that far.”

The Approach That Changes Day to Day

Eric Cano runs a fashion casting agency -- that is, he connects brands with the right-looking people for photo shoots or runway shows. Striking out on his own a couple of years ago after a long time working for a single company, he’s changed his style with his role and the shifting sands of men’s style. “I don’t have to worry about what I look like. I consider myself a fashion person, but on any given day I can kinda wear whatever I want. I don’t really have to put a suit on, which is a shame because I have so many.”

When he was in ad sales, wearing tailoring felt like it fit the role. “My uniform was sports jacket, woven shirt, nice pants, and shoes. I’d show up to meetings with Nike, it was kind of my calling card to be the guy in this market in a suit, meanwhile it was just a sports jacket. Asking a company to do a media buy, it would have felt funny showing up in a tshirt, jeans, and Jordan Is asking someone to spend that much money -- a navy blazer justified what I was asking for. I don’t know, maybe people thought I was a narc.”

Now he balances his interest in fashion with the different demands he has every day: sometimes meeting clients or models, sometimes spending the day at his home office or co-working space answering emails.

“I want to be comfortable, and functionality is great, but I still want to look nice. When it’s my first time meeting someone other than email, want them to think ‘Oh, that’s what he looks like, that’s really sharp.’ Then next time we meet I’ll be in sneakers and a trucker jacket.”

When I talked to Eric (over the phone), he was in post-gym-wear -- snow boots, sweatpants, and a bubble jacket. “I’m meeting people for dinner later, I’ll probably get out of the sweatpants. I’ll wear good jeans, a knit, nice shoes, and call it a day.” Eric, who’s in his 30s, told me he likes Dior Homme for jeans but also Levis 511s or 501s, recently picked up a shawl cardigan from Martin Margiela, which he’s been paying attention to, he estimates, since 2003.

He’s always liked black boots, and guesses he has 40 pairs. Recently he’s been wearing Balenciaga biker boots or Dries Van Noten chelseas. “Work hard, buy nice things. On sale of course.”

The Sophisticated Traveler Approach

Gus Walbolt works as an artist’s licensing agent and business consultant--selling his publishing business in the early 2000s afforded him the opportunity to set his own work style, which includes a couple of phone calls a day in his home in Walnut Creek, California. “Then off to gym; it’s one of the advantages of selling your company.”

While in publishing, he witnessed the casualization of the workplace in the 1980s and 90s. “When everyone still dressing up a lot, I still got questions-- ‘Gus, why do you get so dressed up -- it’s your company, you don’t have to dress up.’ But it’s all about showing style. In the 1990s my uniform was a double-breasted blue blazer, jeans while traveling, and gray flannels when I arrived. And I wore a tie. During that time, because we were selling art-based products, I felt it was important to project style. I thought it was necessary to show that I understood style in order to sell style and design.”

Nowadays Gus, who’s in his 60s, mixes his tailored taste with modern dressed-down looks, mixing the vibes perfected in global style capitals. “When I started working for myself, I started wearing what I wear today: American jeans, English shoes, and Italian shirts. Maybe LVC 1954 jeans, an Italian collared shirt, a casual sport coat -- like Ring Jacket, Japanese made in an Italian style.”

In the last year, Gus has started to favor cardigans rather than sport coats all the time. "Cable-knit cardigans, maybe with pockets; not so much grandpa cardigans, a stand-up rather than shawl collar, with a scarf."

“Every now and then, my wife goes 'Everything’s so casual, don’t wear a jacket; can you wear something else?’”

[harrimir]

Upgrading Your on-line Gaming Setup With Netgear Hardware: Is It worth It?

Over the final 12 months, I’ve been looking to drastically improve my on-line gaming setup. It’s no longer that my normal connection speeds were especially slow or my remote interactions rather laggy. Multiplayer suits of Overwatch and Sea of Thieves ran well ample, and most video game downloads chugged alongside at a more than applicable tempo except i used to be on the psnetwork—why the insistent statistics cap, Sony?.

however here’s the thing: For a small while, i used to be buying 250Mbps internet service and not ever even getting near that marketed velocity. Most connection checks petered out at a measly 140Mbps, which isn’t anything else to scoff at, but I wasn’t getting what i used to be procuring. After dealing with that minor frustration, I knocked my plan right down to 150Mbps and, to be fairly sincere, nothing in reality changed. speed checks nevertheless reported a max of round 140Mbps.

bottom line became this: I just knew that my hardware became surprisingly out of date and that definite improvements can be made that might alternate my cyber web experience for the enhanced, so I reached out to Netgear in an try and are trying a few of their extra enjoyable gaming-connected items. They were kind ample to send over three compelling items of hardware, and what follows is my honest event with each and every gadget.

CM1000 ultra-high pace Cable Modem MSRP $169.ninety nine

As i discussed above, I’ve been getting around 140Mbps down load and 6Mbps add on a comparatively out of date Motorola SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 modem. I feel I’ve been using that equal piece of hardware for around 10 years now, supply or acquire, so I’d say I’m due for an improve. Enter Netgear’s DOCSIS 3.1 beast, and what the field reproduction dubs as delivering the “World’s quickest Cable cyber web” at “up to 6Gbps downstream and 1.8Gbps upstream”. if you’re unique with what DOCSIS three.1 is, here’s an outstanding video describing the technology. In a nutshell, it’s an up to date protocol that allows for fiber-caliber internet speeds over current cable web infrastructure. Granted, your web provider issuer needs to present that form of lightspeed option, after which you certainly deserve to be paying for observed speed.

That talked about, I’m not currently procuring gigabit information superhighway I wish!, so i will be able to’t verify that selected tier of provider on this new modem, unfortunately. however after tinkering round with things, what i will say is that, strictly out of the field, the machine definitely looks to have stronger my network condition vastly. without even touching my historical router, I conveniently swapped out my SURFboard modem with the clean CM1000, had the cable enterprise activate it, and right away administered a wired ethernet velocity test. With simply the modem trade on my own, my clocked velocity went from 140Mbps to round 180Mbps—dazzling damn fantastic. add velocity still hovered surprisingly low, round 6Mbps, though I suppose that’s extra of a controversy with my frequent service area.

The CM1000 allows for some critically speedy cable internet speeds.credit: Netgear

on the grounds that installing, the CM1000 has delivered constant connection and speeds with none deserve to be rebooted, all whereas staying mostly cool to the touch. For journalistic functions, I bumped my carrier tier back up up to 250Mbps just to see how the modem would react, and now I’m getting a whopping 300Mbps ! download. The upload velocity doubled marginally to round 12Mbps, which I’ve study is more than satisfactory for many excessive nice gameplay streaming. I’d say this is all an awful lot proof that Netgear’s hardware will increase whatever thing speeds you’re currently paying for.

So the question turns into here: Does the standard gamer need this cable modem? It pains me to say it, however probably no longer. which you could fully nevertheless get through with more run-of-the-mill hardware, primarily in case you’re most effective purchasing lessen-tier internet speeds. but if you have Xfinity from both Cox or Comcast and wish to supercharge your connection with more moderen gigabit cyber web which you’ll want the blanketed DOCSIS 3.1 to permit, or in case you’re without problems trying to future-proof your getting older home network, I’d wager it’s value the just a little high asking expense. The CM1000 is in reality the caviar of cable modems: A tasty luxury.

XR500 Nighthawk pro Gaming Router MSRP $299.ninety nine

I have to say that my trusty Netgear Nighthawk R7000 has treated me smartly through the years, and honestly, it’s no shabby router via any stretch of the creativeness: A swish design, three adjustable antenna with impressive wifi signal energy and a bunch of normal firmware updates left little or no to complain about. however now that I’ve tried Netgear’s personal Nighthawk seasoned Gaming XR500, it’d be basically problematic to head again, as I suppose like I’ve graduated to the networking massive leagues.

The Nighthawk pro Gaming router has all of the commonplace instant community facets we’ve all come to predict, together with 2.4GHz, 2.5GHz and visitor networks. There’s even a sensible connect function that unifies and intelligently sorts all incoming device connections beneath an single, automated SSID in reality easy, in fact. Don’t overlook Quad circulate and MU-MIMO for sooner all-around connections, and fancy beamforming technology that provides additional-stable wireless indicators. also, there’s 4 antenna as a substitute of my general three, which managed to enhance my wireless connection speeds by using about 20Mbps. Then there’s the further gaming stuff, which is what makes the XR500 in reality stand out.

Netgear’s XR500 is a very strong choice for hardcore gamers.credit: Netgear

first off, the main UI browser dashboard DumaOS allows you to display screen literally everything occurring in your community in real time: ordinary download endeavor, normal add exercise, ping, as well as the bandwidth utilization of every connected device. that you can then go past that to the QoS, or quality of provider, and dictate which gadgets ideally gaming consoles or PCs get to use essentially the most bandwidth at any given time. i will be able to see this coming in handy for large households where on-line gamers should coexist with heavy-usage Netflix and Hulu streamers. that you would be able to moreover utilize the Geo-Filter, which draws up a global map that lets you control the gap of online connections to multiplayer servers with a purpose to curb lag. It’s a very amazing set of features that presents some critically customizable options for dedicated game enthusiasts.

yes, it’s an expensive—and extreme, some would argue—networking accent geared nearly fully towards the hardcore gaming market, however I consider that it hits the bullseye in terms of what that demographic desires. It’s additionally a superb choice for anybody who with ease desires greater authority over their home network. It’s having comprehensive agency over the Handmaid’s tale binge happening within the living room while Fornite and Overwatch rages upstairs, all while somebody is watching outlandish ASMR movies on YouTube in the basement and a kick back-out Spotify mix plays within the backyard. My biggest criticism is that it doesn’t consider like it prices $300; i might have favored a pleasant metal casing as hostile to the low-cost plastic Netgear selected to go along with. perhaps it turned into for overheating causes.

SX10 Nighthawk seasoned Gaming change MSRP $299.ninety nine

Rounding out the trio of premium Netgear hardware is one severely pricey networking swap. searching suspiciously like the spaceship from ‘80s Disney sci-fi traditional Flight of the Navigator, the SX10 in contrast to the XR500 fully seems like an elegant piece of package for your palms. With foremost steel housing, it weighs in at just over three pounds, so we’re talking particular doorstop fabric right here. You recognize, some thing that looks like it might effortlessly outlive the cockroaches. Such solid fabric may come throughout as overkill for whatever as purposeful as a swap, however I appreciate the attention to aspect. Makes it more durable to by accident tug the device off a desk or entertainment center.

blanketed onboard are 2 10GMulti-Gig ethernet ports, eight 1G ethernet ports, a whole bunch of customizable RGB LEDs and a physical button to manually flip the lights on and off. just like the Nighthawk professional Gaming router, the SX10 has an attractive in-depth interface that lets you fully customize your network experience. you’ve got the power to manage each and every of the 10 ports, so the rest wired without delay to the swap is commence for bandwidth allocation. that you could also alternate the hue of any LED gentle to your liking, whatever thing specially positive for determining certain video game consoles or PCs at a glance. keep in mind that one of those 10 ports is reserved for connection to a cable modem or router.

The SX10 has a number of ports and LEDs for total customization.credit score: Netgear

regardless of some salt-of-the-earth reliability, the SX10 is possibly the hardest Netgear contraption to recommend on its own, and never most effective because of the steep fee. It’s without doubt a high quality piece of hardware with quite a lot of alternatives game enthusiasts curious about their wired ethernet have a great deal to be enthusiastic about right here, nevertheless it feels much extra like an augmentation to the XR500 than any kind of standalone product. That’s not to say you couldn’t spend it absolutely independently of the aforementioned router and find a ton of great use. I’m easily seeing the SX10 as an unbeatable partner piece to an already rocking XR500 setup. probably that’s nitpicky aesthetics, however there it’s. besides the fact that children, if you do should extend your wired ethernet alternatives and choose to fork over the money for this swish little manage container, you gained’t be upset, not in the slightest degree.

Netgear provided complimentary evaluation product for insurance purposes.

[daybyjae]

The Tale of a Desk

I finally have a functioning desk setup!!

My History with Desks:

I have been needing a new desk setup for months now. From May 2020 up until this past February. That may come as a shock to you as this past year being the working and schooling from home era, desks were a necessity.

I've had a desk for the majority of my life. My childhood bedroom set came with a desk, then I later bought a replacement before I went off to dorm where bedroom desks were a given. Even though I've always had desks rarely did I fully utilize them. My childhood desk was a catch-all during my sloppy phase. It held books, school papers, clothes, hair products, everything!! Because of this I never used it to study, do homework, or even read as the entirety of its surface area was occupied. Fast forward to my late teen years I wanted to get rid of the desk. I was aware that the desk was causing more harm than good, feeding into my clutter habit. So I downsized to a small desk that I intended to use as a vanity since I wasn't going to lie to myself and say that I'd actually do any work on it. I still have it to this day, it's still fulfilling the role of a vanity as I store makeup and hair products there but it's too small to function as a desk for me.

When I went off to dorm for college I had no choice but to finally use a desk. I was determined to do well in school and I knew that the best way to limit procrastination was to separate my areas of work and rest. It also helped that in the tiny room that I shared with another person that it was the only seating with a flat surface in front of it. Instead of using a dining table for a desk (as I had been for most of my life) I was using a desk as a dining table. The truth of its role was a constant reminder to get work done. When I returned to college again last year I fell back into the routine of getting most of my work done at my desk. However, once the panoramic pandemic hit I wanted to not only separate work and rest but also put creativity in its own realm. At this point, I was still dorming but my roommate had left so I had an extra desk.

I made that my creative space. I would paint, read and even edit videos at that desk. I loved having a designated fun space and it helped me out of a couple cycles of the lockdown blues. When that semester ended it was time for me to move on and out, I rented a small room in Brooklyn. Sadly there was no space for a desk so I couldn't create a solid work or creative space there. I would do whatever work I had in bed and but it was only a temporary stay so I made it work. After 3 months of renting that room, I went off to rent my own apartment! I was ecstatic but slightly broke. I had just put down over $5k to move in and I had to spread out my furniture purchasing. For about the first 6 months of my living in this apartment, I had no desk OR dining table. This is especially wild since I worked from home for months. I moved my vanity desk from my childhood home into my space but it was too small for what I needed plus I didn't have any chairs. I spent the first three months furnishing in other ways as to not completely blow all my money in one go. The last 3 months were spent hunting for a desk. Now I know what you're thinking, "It doesn't take that long to find a desk", but in a pandemic it does!

I had a particular size and style in mind to match my current space and the options were limited so I was saving. The first desks that I was looking at were upward of $200 so I had to double-check my decision and would then always change my mind. One day I had FINALLY decided on a desk but two issues arose. One, it was constantly out of stock in the color that I wanted. Two, the shipping was $50. The desk I ended up getting ended up being around $90 but it was coming from IKEA and they don't do free delivery. This lead to me trying to bulk up my order so that the purchase would be "worth it". I finally bit the bullet in February as the $50 on top of the actual price of the desk still kept me under my original budget.

How I Will Use the Desk:

With this desk, I had a few things in mind. Yes, this is a working space (typing this on her right now) but I also wanted it to be my creative space. Since I'm not in school and I go out for my job all the work that I do at this desk is leisurely work. Education and self-administered projects that I do for me and me alone. Because of that, I don't feel the same need I did when I was in school to separate creative space from working space. At this desk, I will continue to learn and grow in whatever avenue that piques my interest. I will hone my writing, study math, edit videos, paint, and oftentimes eat at my desk ( still don't have a dining table).

When I have the time and energy I choose a subject to learn or introduce myself to. Some of the educational work I have done on my own time have been; using Codecademy to learn the basics of different coding languages, taking Coursera courses on whatever they are offering for the great price of free, use my college provided Linkedin Learning account to learn the basics and intricacies of a variety of topics and currently I am teaching myself statistics through Khan Academy. I love to learn even about things that don't immediately impact me. My true goal in life is to learn about as many things as I can and those online resources that I mentioned are just a few ways that I work on my never-ending status of being a student.

Let's talk a little more about the creative side of this desk. I already told you about some of the fun things that I will do here but let's dive into it a little more. I have been writing and editing more even before I got this desk since I started working on this blog and posting videos for it but I want to expand. When it comes to writing I want to improve not just my grammar and wording but also my physical handwriting. I have pretty bad handwriting, certified chicken scratch, and I plan on improving that. This will probably be a project that goes across several years but we all need a starting point and mine was simply to actually have a flat surface to write on. I started journaling before I had the desk to get some thoughts down and actually use my handwriting more often but I would have to cut it short since writing without a table or desk is pretty difficult to do for long periods of time. Now with this desk and the excess of time caused via coronavirus I can easily journal two pages without my wrist crying out for help. Today I even started to watch some videos on how to improve my print. The true goal is to be able to produce amazing calligraphy but I understand the value of baby steps so I will start off small for now.

I will especially plan at this desk! I love to plan out my days, weeks, goals, habits, whatever comes to mind I will try to plan for it. However, it felt somewhat counterproductive when I would hunch forward in bed to plan out my day and week for productivity. I plan my best when my mind and body feel good and planning with poor posture didn't make sense.

Hobbies I plan to test out/improve that benefit from having a desk

calligraphy

editing

painting

sketching/ drawing

planning (yes it's a super fun hobby, fight me in the comments)

people watching through my window

comment how you're personally enjoying your desk besides school and work

Simply Benefits of Having a Desk:

The separation between leisure and work. I have goals with my home studies, I don't have goals for my streaming consumption.

I have already felt an increase in productivity. Since I know have a designated space to work it is easier to focus. It has even made falling asleep easier. With my bed no longer being a place of productivity I can sleep easier and faster with far fewer tossing and turning.

My room is less empty. I moved into my current apartment around 6 months ago and it is still pretty bare. Having this desk take up some of the blank white space feels good and makes me happy when I see it.

I'm not sure what my desk status will be in my next home but hopefully, it takes less time to figure out.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.

[reviewandbonuss]

Best Business Intelligence Software

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Business intelligence software has become a necessary tool in the era of big data.

Your organization collects tons of data about your customers, website, and total health of the company. But without BI software, making sense of that information is nearly impossible. This software exists so you can analyze various data sets and make data-driven decisions. 

For example, you can use BI software to predict consumer buying behavior or project the financial impact of an operations decision. Rather than waiting for a quarterly or annual report, you can leverage BI software for real-time data insights. 

Due to the complexity of business intelligence software, the vast majority of tools in this category are designed for large organizations, SMBs, and enterprises. 

The Top 6 Options For Business Intelligence Software

TIBCO Jaspersoft

Entrinsik Informer

Zoho Analytics

Sisense

Chartio

Tableau

How to Choose the Best Business Intelligence Software For You

Finding the right BI software for your business can be challenging if you don’t know what to look for. I’ve created a simple buying guide with features, factors, and elements that must be taken into consideration as you’re shopping around. Keep an eye out for the following aspects of BI software as you’re comparing solutions and narrowing down your options:

Data Reporting

Remember, the number one reason why companies invest in BI software is to make sense of their data. So it’s only natural that data reporting itself would rank so high on our list of factors to evaluate.

The best BI tools turn complex data into visuals that are easy to understand. You can view this information from real-time dashboards or turn them into individual reports. 

Being able to share these reports with decision-makers, stakeholders, clients, and other members of your team is also something that must be considered. Users that generate the reports won’t always be the people making sense of that information. So the reports must be easy enough to comprehend by the final decision-makers.

Data Sources

How are you going to integrate your existing data with your BI solution? Where is that data located?

Don’t make things more confusing for yourself. Make sure you find a business intelligence tool that makes it easy for you to connect with your existing data sources. It’s worth noting that not every business intelligence software on the market will integrate with specific databases. So don’t make assumptions; always double-check that your data is compatible with the software in question.

Your BI software should seamlessly integrate with help desk tools, CRM, ERP software, advertising networks, and more. The best tools should accommodate cross-platform access to every user as well. 

Development Tools

Some business intelligence software will improve the way you collect data as well. 

Your in-house developers or IT department might want to implement custom application development into your processes. Certain tools will have pre-built analytics apps for you to use. Other solutions offer developers an open API, making things easier for developers to customize apps with unique rules. 

Setup and Deployment

Unlike other types of business software on the market today, BI tools are a bit more complex. Getting started isn’t really as simple as clicking “sign up” and being done. 

These solutions are highly customizable and built specifically for your business. The deployment process could potentially take weeks, depending on the software you choose. You’ll be faced with options for on-premises deployment, hybrid server deployment, desktop software, and cloud software deployment. 

Cloud software is a great option for businesses on a tighter budget. This deployment method makes BI tools more easily accessible to smaller companies. But large organizations with complex data sets and custom needs would likely benefit more from on-site deployment. 

Ease of Use

Again, BI software can be complicated. 

If it’s your first time using this type of software, don’t overwhelm yourself with a solution built for seasoned veterans. 

Think about who will be using the software on a day-to-day basis. Is it your IT team? Sales reps? Product managers? Developers and tech-savvy individuals won’t have as steep of a learning curve as the average user. 

Just make sure you understand the difference between tools that require advanced technical knowledge and software for beginners. Beginners should avoid software that’s built for data engineers. 

The Different Types of Business Intelligence Software

Business intelligence software can be segmented into different categories based on its primary functionality or toolset. Here’s a quick overview and explanation of the most popular types of BI software available on the market today.

Data Visualization Software

As the name implies, data visualization software helps you analyze complex data sheets with visual tools. Visual reporting is arguably the best way to make sense of large sets of data. You can turn huge data sets into meaningful reports in a matter of minutes. This makes it much easier for decision-makers to analyze the insights.

Business Process Management (BPM)

Business process management software is a component of business intelligence. These tools are also a core component of operational management and intelligence. 

BPM software leverages automation and improves the efficiency of day-to-day processes. You can find business process management functionality within BI software.

OLAP (Online Analytical Processing)

OLAP software leverages tools that help analyze data from several sources. These interactive solutions provide a multidimensional view for each user (such as different department heads). OLAP tools will consolidate and aggregate different operational data.

Embedded BI Software

Embedded BI software is exactly what it sounds like. These tools are integrated directly within your applications for process management. They can also be embedded in operations portals, websites, portals, and other types of business-related systems. 

ETL Software

ETL (extract, transform, and load) software combines data from different sources into a single dashboard. Then the software will blend these various data sets and make sense of them in terms that the end-user can understand. 

Data Mining

You can use data mining tools to identify patterns in your data sets. Data mining software typically leverages tools like machine learning and AI to uncover these patterns for data-driven decision making. 

#1 – TIBCO Jaspersoft Review — Best For Embedded Analytics

TIBCO Jaspersoft is a developer-friendly business intelligence solution. The software uses embedded BI, which brings the power of business intelligence directly into your company’s applications.

The dashboards are ultimately displayed within the interface of the application to enhance the end-user experience and improve decision-making in real-time. 

More than 500,000 developers across different industries use TIBCO Jaspersoft to improve applications for millions of users. Here are some of the other reasons why this BI tool ranks so high on my list:

Customizable visual reporting

Production reporting for high volume distribution to the masses

Javascript API for embedding

Deploy using any method with an agnostic architecture that’s 100% open

Pre-configured multi-tenant support

Ad hoc self-service reporting

Big data connectivity for native reporting and real-time analytics

The tool is a bit unique in the sense that it’s built for developers but enhances the decision making for end users. If you don’t have a technical background, you won’t really be qualified to deploy this on your own. 

Try TIBCO Jaspersoft free for 30 days to see if it’s right for your business before buying.

#2 – Entrinsik Informer Review — Best For Analyzing Multiple Departments

Entrinsik Informer is perfect for large organizations that collect data from multiple sources and need to make sense of that information within different departments. 

The software makes it easy for you to connect data from the cloud, spreadsheets, unstructured web data, traditional databases, enterprise applications, and more, and aggregate it within a single source. 

It’s a popular choice for manufacturing, insurance, distribution, education, and government organizations. Noteworthy features and highlights of Entrinsik Informer include:

On-demand self-service reporting

Powerful data visualizations

Ability to evaluate roles of end-users across your organization

Streamline data workflows

Faster access to data with curated subsets of information

Aggregated data flows for higher quality data

Robust governance and security features including team roles and custom security levels

Flexible architecture for endless extensibility

For businesses seeking a fast and simple way to discover intelligent data, this will be a top choice to consider. 

Users across your entire organization, such as department managers, business users, industry partners, data scientists, executives, database admins, and more, can all see unique information within Entrinsik Informer based on their needs and role. 

Schedule a free demo to learn more. 

#3 – Zoho Analytics Review — The Best For Data Visualization

More than 500,000 companies and 2+ million users rely on Zoho Analytics for business intelligence. It’s trusted by well-known brands like HP, Hyundai, Ikea, and Suzuki.

Compared to other solutions on our list, Zoho Analytics is definitely a bit more user-friendly. If you’re just getting your feet wet with BI software, this tool won’t have as steep of a learning curve. 

My favorite part about Zoho Analytics is the visual reporting. Non-technical users can easily navigate within the platform to create and view custom reports that are easy to comprehend. Other features and benefits include:

Ability to embed analytics in your product, website, portal, or application

Integrates with 500+ tools out of the box

Secure team collaboration features

Augmented analytics powered by AI

Blend data from multiple sources into single dashboards

Assess the health of your entire organization across each department

Customize reports with drag-and-drop dashboard

White-labeling capabilities with ability to fully re-brand the portal

Powerful HTTP-based web APIs for scalability and extensibility

You can even access your BI reports on the go with the Zoho Analytics app, available on iOS and Android. 

Zoho Analytics is the best beginner-friendly BI software on the market today. Plans start at $22 per month, and you can try it free for 15 days.

#4 – Sisense Review — The Best BI Software For Complex Data

Sisense is one of the most popular BI tools on the market today. It’s used by developers, business leaders, product managers, and data professionals alike.

The software is trusted by 10,000+ companies, including well-known brands like GE, Verizon, Motorola, Wix, Hewlett Packard, and the Salvation Army. 

Sisense has industry-specific solutions in categories like retail, healthcare, government, manufacturing, marketing, supply chain management, and more. They also have solutions that are tailored toward specific departments within your organization.

Noteworthy highlights of Sisense include:

Ability to create powerful analytics applications

Self-service analytics for each user

Cloud-native data analytics

Ability to embed analytics with full customization

Deploy on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid deployment with Windows or Linux

Seamlessly integrate Sisense with your existing tools and branding

Secure access to information at the object, data, and system levels

Users of any technical skill level can use Sisense to transform complex data sets into interactive dashboards. Watch the demo and request a free quote to get started. 

#5 – Chartio Review — Best For Simple Charts and Dashboards

Chartio is a cloud-based BI solution. It empowers users of varying technical backgrounds to analyze data from business applications.

The tool makes it easy for you to simplify data with charts and dashboards for more informed decision making.

Here’s a closer look at some of the top reasons why your business should consider using Chartio for business intelligence:

Easy to share visuals in embedded web pages, Slack, PDFs, and more

Tools for product managers, sales teams, and customer success

Self-service functionality for all users (C-suite, sales reps, etc.)

Easy to browse data with visual SQL

Connect all data from multiple sources (Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, etc.)

Create and save custom themes

Collaboration and team chat tools

Chartio also provides exceptional support. They view themselves as a strategic partner in your success. So they provide you with live training, extensive documentation, and access to experienced data advisors. 

Plans start at $40 per user per month. You can try Chartio free for 14 days with a no-obligation trial. 

#6 – Tableau Review — Most Versatile BI Software

Tableau is an industry leader in the business intelligence space. The software is trusted by individual analysts, small teams, large organizations, and everything in between.

They offer a wide range of BI tools, including Tableau Desktop, Tableau Online, Tableau Server, Tableau CRM, embedded analytics, server management, data management, and more. The list goes on and on.

In addition to the extensive product offerings and use cases, Tableau also has industry-specific solutions, and tools based on different types of technology, making it the most versatile software in this category.

Top features of Tableau include:

Cross-platform support (desktop, browser, mobile) and embedded analytics

Team collaboration tools

Advanced analytics displayed in powerful visual interface

Easy to organize resources and content

Centralized data sources and custom permissions

Multiple deployment options (cloud, on-premises, hosted, Windows, Linux, Mac, multi-tenant)

Actionable insights in real-time

Easy to connect with data from multiple sources (Google Analytics, Salesforce, etc.)

Ability to map your data

Overall, Tableau is robust and feature-rich. The only real downside is that it can be tough to figure out with so many capabilities. But it can still be used by developers and non-technical users alike.

You can try Tableau for free with a 14-day trial.

Summary

Business intelligence software has rapidly gained popularity over the past few years. If your organization is ready to take your data analysis to the next level, I strongly suggest investing in a BI solution.

Which business intelligence tool is the best?

Just use the buying guide I outlined at the beginning of this article to help narrow down your options. Then start by exploring the top picks reviewed above. 

The post Best Business Intelligence Software appeared first on Neil Patel.

[autoplaysdigimon]

I feel like I’m disconnected from the playthroughs I did for the blog since they were all so long ago (I don’t think I’ve touched any of the actual games since the first lockdown started??? wowie) and it sucks because

by my last calculations I got all the way here and that’s uh. pretty damn good

(but also inaccurate because I definitely started both DW4 and Cyber Sleuth so it’s slightly higher)

and like

I don’t want to double up, these are long-ass games and to finish one only to have to pick it up again and play it all the way through twice isn’t ideal

but also if I pick up Cyber Sleuth where I left off I have no idea what is happening and it’s just weird and ugh.

AND THEN when I’m blogging them (remember when I used to do that? ahh, good times) it’s been so long since I recorded that I have no idea what I did so my reactions to things are genuine because I’ve literally forgotten all of it but I don’t know what to focus on and it’s terrible and AUGH.

SoI could potentially even Get Back Into blogging again?? if I just. changed it. so that I were blogging at the same time (or similar?) as I recorded. It’d be different, I dunno, maybe it’d work? BUT my recording setup is, by necessity, vastly different to my blogging setup, to the point where I can go a month or so delaying switching it between one or another. (Yeah, going to the doctor about the ADHD Brainworms is ALSO on the list, cheers.) And before I start blogging Game again, I promised I’d do an episode first, because they’re the most popular posts, (let’s be real Anime Blogging is what you’re here for, Game Blogging is for Me :P) but before I do THAT I need to clear the desk because I can’t access the laptop and also I need to be able to use the PC because Photoshop doesn’t work on the laptop I use to blog but the itnernet doesn’t work on the PC so I have to edit screenshots on one then USB them over to the other constantly and it’s awful and frustrating and also the actual episode is playing on the PC which is a GAMING PC which means that it functions terribly but it has a loud fan so I can’t hear the episode anyway and internal screaming

so yeah that’s how I am, how have you been

sudden urge to play a digimon game

[pogueman]

Pogue's holiday picks: 8 cool, surprising tech gifts

The holiday season is the lifeblood of the tech industry. About 70% of U.S. consumers will buy tech stuff as gifts this holiday season, spending an average of $478 each, according to the Consumer Tech Association.

Most of that stuff is predictable: laptops, tablets, phones, Amazon (AMZN) Echos. OK, we get it.

But what if your lucky recipient already has that stuff, doesn’t want it, or doesn’t deserve an expenditure that big?

That’s where these more offbeat tech gift ideas come in. They join my earlier list of ideas for less expensive (but still surprising) gifts.

ConnectSense Smart Outlet $60

You’ve heard of the Internet of Things, right? It’s those gadgets that you can control with a phone app. You know—thermostats, light bulbs, door locks.

But if you get an Internet of Things outlet, you can control anything from your phone. Anything you plug in: lamp, heater, fan, radio, TV, Christmas lights, whatever.

There are lots of these “smart outlets.” But I’m a particular fan of the ConnectSense Smart Outlet ($60), because it’s compatible with Apple’s (AAPL) HomeKit. First, that means an incredibly easy setup: Open the ConnectSense app, point your phone’s camera at the sticker on the outlet, and boom—the device is recognized and configured.

You can control either outlet from an app, by voice, or from miles away.

HomeKit also means that you can turn the outlets on and off remotely, either from your phone’s Control Center (you don’t have to open some app first) or by voice. You can say, “Hey Siri—turn on the Christmas tree” [or whatever you’ve named that outlet] or “Hey Siri—turn on the Table Lamp!”

It just works.

You can also set up schedules for these on-and-off-turnings, or (if you have an Apple TV) even control it from across the internet. The app tells you how much energy each formerly dumb device has consumed.

Then again, if you’re not an Apple person, you might prefer the Wemo Mini Smart Plug; it lets you voice-control your outlet using Alexa or “OK Google” commands. It’s only $34, although it has only one outlet.

Logitech Craft Keyboard

You wouldn’t think there’s much call for PC peripherals anymore. Those were the hot items during the holidays maybe 20 years ago—but now? Who’d want a mouse or keyboard for Christmas?

You might, if you could try the Logitech Craft Keyboard for Mac or Windows (MSFT). It feels like it’s made of stealth-bomber carbon-fiber or something. It’s fully wireless, super thin, super sturdy, with a great typing feel and a complete set of keys, including a numeric keypad.

The best part, though, is the knob at top left, called the Crown. It’s an input device that works in three ways: You can turn it, you can tap it, and you can click it down—and in many programs, you can program what those things do!

You might set it up so that in most apps, turning it controls volume; tapping it means Play/Pause music; and pressing it switches apps. In Photoshop, you can have it change brush sizes. In a web browser, turning it might switch among open tabs.

It’s a great keyboard—with a knob.

Sadly, those customizable functions are available only in Microsoft Office and Adobe programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere—not any program you want. I’d love for that knob to scroll the timeline in Final Cut, for example. Still, this keyboard transforms the experience of typing and doing creative work. The computer nerd in your life will adore it.

ReMarkable Tablet

What a weird, wonderful product!

The ReMarkable tablet, born as a Kickstarter success story, is true to its name. It’s pretty remarkable, and you can mark it over and over again.

It feels like a legal pad: very light, easily one-handable. You use the included stylus to write on it. (The stylus never needs batteries or charging.) There’s no lag when you write, and the grayscale E-Ink screen has no glass (the company says that the tablet is “virtually indestructible”); it’s a finely textured plastic, so it feels exactly like you’re writing on paper.

The ReMarkable is like a Kindle that you can write or draw on.

You can have your “paper” be blank, lined, or equipped with a grid, like graph paper. You can import PDF documents and mark them up, easy as pie—incredible if you’re a teacher or a lawyer or something.

And in real time, anything you write or draw on the tablet shows up on your computer, ready for sharing or printing. It’s all automatic and wireless.

I recognize that upon hearing the $600 price, a natural reaction might be, “Holy moly—for that money, you could buy an older iPad or Android tablet! Which is color, and has speakers and microphone and a backlight!”

And that’s all true. On the other hand, the comparison isn’t quite right. This thing isn’t a full-blown computer with a complex operating system and millions of apps. It’s simple, true to function, and an absolute joy to use. There’s really nothing else like it.

EvaLight Personal Air Conditioner

This little box, from Evapolar, sits on your desk and cools you much more effectively than a simple fan; it’s an actual personal air conditioner. It can’t chill an entire room; it creates a cocoon of cool only around you, using a tiny fraction as much energy (10 watts) as a regular air conditioner (900 watts).

It’s a personal air conditioner for your desk.

Now, the science of this thing makes no sense to me: You fill its reservoir with water, and its “evaporation pads” humidify the air that it blows on you.

I’ve always thought that heat is worse when the air is moist. (You know: “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!”) Don’t air conditioners work by drying the air they blow at you? I asked the company, and the response wasn’t crystal clear: “When the hot air is saturated with water, it gets cooled.”

In other words, it works because it works, I guess.

Well, whatever; the point is, it does work. It’s very quiet, it simultaneously filters the air, and it drops the temperature around you as much as 55 degrees Fahrenheit in dry climates—much less in humid climates like Florida.

Eero 2 Mesh WiFi Network

The Eero was one of the first mesh WiFi systems for consumers. When I reviewed it last year, I wrote:

Instead of installing just one Wi-Fi transmitter, you install a set of them, spaced evenly throughout your house.  The result is a single "mesh network" that blankets the entire house with a good, strong signal. (The company’s marketing pitch goes like this: Expecting a single router to fill an entire home with Wi-Fi is like expecting one speaker to fill every room with music.) Eero smashes the dead-zone problem like a sledgehammer on an ant. It’s drop-dead simple to set up and a joy to use.

Now there’s the Eero 2, which lowers the whole-home price of entry, from $500 to $350. That’s because the $350 kit includes only one main router—and two half-size “beacons” (satellite units), which plug into any power outlet.

These three WiFi pieces can blanket a four-bedroom house with no dead spots.

As a lovely touch, the beacons also double as automatic night lights, whose brightness adjusts to the room.

Why put so much effort into making these gizmos small and attractive? Because they work best when they’re out in the open. “We don’t want people putting them behind the dresser or a couch,” the company tells me, which is exactly what you’d do if they were ugly.

The Eero 2 is also 20% to 30 % faster than the original Eeros, and offers twice the range. The app is still lovely and simple to use; you can set the whole thing up in about six minutes.

(The company also offers a $100-a-year subscription service that offers whole-home virus/malware protection and parental controls. You’d know if that’s appealing to you.)

Prank Packs

These things are hilarious. They’re incredibly real-looking, earnestly designed packages—yes, empty boxes ($5)—for terrible products. They’re pranks: You’re supposed to put a real gift inside, and then enjoy that moment when the recipients tear off the wrapping to behold what they think is a huge misfire of a gift. “Oh, uh…wow. Thanks!”

(And what’s wrong with regular gift bags? As the website puts it: “Because gift bags are boring and dull and mundane and stale and they end up in landfills. Prank Packs are entertaining, colorful, and rigid. Last we checked, no one throws away entertaining, colorful, and rigid items.”)

If you have a baby, you might really enjoy the convenience of the Crib Dribbler, which is essentially a hamster-cage water dispenser for infants. The testimonials on the back are fantastic. (“I forgot I had a baby for six wonderful hours!”)

Or how about the Tech Neck? It holds your phone so you can be hands-free—by clamping a bendable arm around your neck.

Real boxes for fake products.

Then there’s the Earwax Candle Kit, the Bathe+Brew (shower coffee maker + soap dispenser), the Cheese Printer (“Adding a nutritious component to fond memories is as easy as One, Two, Brie!”), and many more. You can look them over here. (The funniest stuff is often on the back.)

And don’t miss the same company’s prank gift cards, like the one that’s redeemable at the SOAK Hot-Tub Dining restaurants, or Barry Del Greco’s MobileRub massage trailer.

You can slip an actual, useful gift card into one of these phony, hilarious sleeves.

I’m also a fan of their fake wine labels. They neatly cover up the real labels of bottles (front and back)—perfect for the wine you bring when you’re a dinner guest. (They peel off to reuse.) There’s Highway Bounty 2011 Table Wine (“Harvested Daily from HWY 64, Teminville”), for example, and my favorite, Chateau La-Di-Da.

There are hilarious bogus wine labels available, too.

Lyric Speaker

OK, this last one—holy moly. It’s called the Lyric Speaker, and it’s hand-made in Japan, and it’s just unbelievably cool.

It’s a Bluetooth speaker the size of a small suitcase. The front and back are glass. And somehow, when you connect it to your WiFi and play music from your phone, the lyrics of the song appear suspended in space inside the glass. I have no idea what kind of display technology it’s using; it’s crisp grayscale images on transparent glass. You can see through this thing.

Art? Music? You decide.

This is not just karaoke. The lyrics don’t just scroll; they use different fonts, sizes, animations styles, and background visuals to create live, moving art. The speaker really is an art piece as much as it is a speaker; you could sit and stare at it for hours. (The company says it has 2 million songs’ lyrics in its database. When you choose a song it doesn’t know, it plays super-cool screensaver visuals instead.)

Now, I don’t really expect you to buy this thing unless you’re in Donald Trump’s tax bracket. It costs $4,500 for the black one, $5,600 in gold color. But hey, cut me some slack—my previous gift idea was a $5 cardboard box.

Happy Hollydays!

So there you go—gift ideas nobody saw coming. All of ‘em are great, in their own ways—and all of ‘em will lead to a delightful day of playing with the new toys.

More from David Pogue:

Royal Caribbean’s big bet on new tech

Battle of the 4K streaming boxes: Apple, Google, Amazon, and Roku

iPhone X review: Gorgeous, pricey, and worth it

Inside the Amazon company that’s even bigger than Amazon

The $50 Google Home Mini vs. the $50 Amazon Echo Dot — who wins?

The Fitbit Ionic doesn’t quite deserve the term ‘smartwatch’

Augmented reality? Pogue checks out 7 of the first iPhone AR apps 

David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, is the author of “iPhone: The Missing Manual.” He welcomes nontoxic comments in the comments section below. On the web, he’s davidpogue.com. On Twitter, he’s @pogue. On email, he’s poguester@yahoo.com. You can read all his articles here, or you can sign up to get his columns by email. 

[kamenriderlock]

Kamen Rider Lock: The Doors Opened

With a soft hum the machines in the room came on, lights flashed and beeped as technicians set about getting things in order. Jason finished his part and went to check his monitor, everything was being confirmed through it and once a system was cleared for operation its icon would flash green. With only a few systems remaining Jason switched on the microphone that sat in front of him and cleared his throat,

“Eh hem, all systems will soon be operational. At this time we ask that Mr. Walker finish his preparations and join us on the testing deck.” He took a sip of his coffee before continuing, “Once again Mr. Walker, we ask that you join us on the testing deck as soon as possible. Thank you.” Switching the microphone off, Jason went through the check list again. The last thing everyone wanted was another failure, especially him.

As the speakers clicked off Jeff was already on his way. He had already double checked everything and was confident he’d remembered it all in anticipation of today. The hallways were cool in the grey and white morph suit his new employers had provided and the briefcase he was carrying was heavier than he’d expected. 

“This is a bit much for clinic research,” he thought to himself, “But the pay is good and I need to pay rent.” 

Rounding the corner, Jeff came to the doors leading into the transportation deck. Two guards stood on either side and one of them stepped forward to pass a metal detecting wand over Jeff before they let him pass. Walking inside, he stopped and looked around at the large room filled with people. 

There were at least twenty of them, each one doing various sciency looking things, with a large rectangular frame dominating one of the other sides of the room. Not really sure were to go, Jeff looked around for whoever was in charge.

Spotting the desk on the opposite side of the room, he walked over to talk to the man behind it. 

He didn’t pay Jeff any mind at first, opting to just sit and type at his key board, his sunken eyes focusing on the screen. Deciding not to disturb the guy while he was working, Jeff stood there, briefcase in hand, waiting for him to finish. 

After five minutes, the guy shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. Leaning back in his chair he final took notice of Jeff standing nearby.

“Mr. Walker, glad you could join us.” He said, sounding disappointed.

“I’ve been here for almost ten minutes,” Jeff replied, a little annoyed at the guys tone. 

“Well, you should’ve been here sooner.” The guy replied as he pushed himself out of his chair, “Please follow me,” and took off without looking back. 

Begrudgingly, Jeff followed the guy to the center of the room; marked by a large black rectangle with two white foot prints on it. 

“Stand here.” He the guy said, gesturing to the spot. 

Complying just to get things moving, Jeff obliged and waited further instruction. “Let’s get Mr. Walker setup.” The man said to some of the other people in the room; several of them rushing towards the pair. The attached several wires to Jeff and stepped back, checking their machines for something.  

“So, what happens now Mr….?”

“Smith. We’re setting up ou-

“Mr. Smith?”

“Yes, and if you make a Matrix joke I won’t be paying you; don’t interrupt.” Jeff stood quietly after that, “We’re setting up our machines to monitor you when the tests begin. If all goes well, we’ll keep testing. Now, open the case.” 

“Okay.” Setting the case on the floor, Jeff popped open the clasps on either side of the case and opened it; what was inside confused him. 

Inside there was metal cylinder in the top half of the case, a clear small box with a set of keys, and set into the bottom half was…something. Its center piece was a black triangle with a yellow triangle logo on it, with either side being rounded; the rounded sides had key holes in their center. Pulling it out Jeff saw that each side looked like a deadbolt lock and it had a strap around the back, “Um…what do I do with this?”

“Attach the hilt to the right side of the strap and the key rings to the left, and then put it around your waist.” Smith said, walking back to his desk. “It’s a belt?” Jeff asked as he attached each piece.

“Yes,” came the reply. 

Fling the belt around his waist, it attached with a click, the keys clanging against each other, “What now?” 

“Now we test it. Push the up the right lock.” It popped up with a click. 

“Now take the key marked with an R off your key ring.” 

It came free with a tug.

“Put it in the lock, turn it, and then pushing the Lock down will start the test.”

Jeff got as far as putting the key in and turning it, the belt started to hum once the key was turned. 

“Stop there Mr. Walker. Is everyone ready?” Smith asked the room. Each person came back with a yes, “Okay, Mr. Walker, whenever you’re ready.”

Taking a breath to steady himself, Jeff pushed the Lock down with a loud clang. 

The belt hummed louder and the center triangle extended from the belt. Four small glowing bronze circles popped out and floated in front of Jeff, each one attaching themselves at different spots on his body; one on either shoulder, one on his chest, and the other on his hip. As each one attached silver pieces of metal formed themselves out of nowhere and attached themselves with a thud. 

Several pieces formed over his head and just as quickly as it began; it was over; the whole process taking maybe ten seconds. 

“Wh…what just happened? Mr. Smith? Was it supposed to do that?” Jeff asked, a little unsure.  Looking down he could tell he was wearing armor of some kind, its silver plates gleaming in the room’s lights. 

“Yes Mr. Walker, it was,” came Smith’s voice in his ear, causing Jeff to jump in surprise, “Calm down, here’s a headset built into the suit you’re wearing, I can talk to you through it and watch through the camera built into your helmet.”

“Okay,” Jeff replied, touching the helmet as if to confirm that’s where he was hearing him, “So is the test over?” He looked over to see Mr. Smith and his coworkers working furiously. 

“Not yet, we need to make sure there are no side effects for now. We’ve never had a subject get this far before.”

“Um, why not?”

“Issues with the belt usually, let’s leave it at that. We’ve tweaked it after every test to try and get it right, looks like you were the lucky subject to get the proper version.” 

“Wait, could this thing have hurt me?!” Jeff asked, freaking out a little. 

“Probably not,” Smith replied unconcerned, “We’ve never actually had a body around long enough to tell what happened to them exactly.” 

Jeff stood in silence for a moment, “Okay, I think I’m going to go now. Thanks for the work; you can send the check to my apartment.” He tried pulling the helmet off but nothing happened; realizing he probably needed to take the key out, he reached for it.

“Stop!” shouted Smith into the earpiece, loud enough that Jeff reached up to cover his ears in reflex.   

“Why? You guys could have killed me and I didn’t even know it! Why am I even still here?” Jeff started to head to the door, but then an icon flashed up on his visor and his body locked up, he couldn’t move no matter how much he strained against the armor.  

“Mr. Walker, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Smith. 

“Let me go!”

“No,” shoes clicked along the floor as Smith walked over to stand in front of him, “We need someone to test out the remaining functions of the Driver and we can’t just let anyone walk out of here knowing about it.”  Smith walked over to the door and knocked, signaling for two armed guards to come inside. 

“So here’s what’s going to happen Mr. Walker, you’re going to help us with our little project. Any time you try to escape these two gentlemen will stop you; if you try to use the Driver to escape I’ll lock it up and leave you that way. Do I make myself clear?” 

Jeff pushed and pulled but no matter what he couldn’t move, not really seeing another way out of it he agreed, “Fine, I’ll help you.” 

“Good,” Mr. Smith said. Reaching down he turned the key in the Driver and pulled it out, causing the armor to disappear in a flash and Jeff to stumble forward. 

“They’ll take you back to your room now. I look forward to working with you again Mr. Walker.” Mr. Smith said dispassionately as Jeff and his guards walked out of the room.

[wikitopx]

Here are the best cheap hotels in Osaka!

[toc]

1. Richmond Hotel Namba Daikokucho

This hotel is a 20-minute walk from the Namba shopping area and the Namba train center. The taxi fare between the hotel and Namba is about 1,000 Yen. The hotel amenities are good - a welcome pack is given to each guest comprising room slippers and sample skincare from DHC and other little personal care products.

In the room, you will find other personal care items such as toothbrushes, hairbrushes, disposable razors, q-tips and so on. The room is a good size although the double bed is a small queen, can be a squeeze for two adults.

But there is room to walk around the bed, more than we have experienced in other hotels. Small touches are what impress. The bathroom mirror has a section on the sink that doesn't fade after a hot shower. Free telephone for guests to use.

They even have free non-alcoholic drinks from 2 pm to 8 pm every day for guests. All the staff is friendly and helpful and most we encountered speak some English. All in all, this was the best of the three hotels we stayed on during our trip to Japan.

2. Shin-Osaka Station Hotel Honkan

Our first stay at Shin Osaka Station Hotel. My family and I are there because it is very close to Shin Osaka station and consider it winter, near the station as an advantage. I'm glad we chose this hotel. Very cozy, low-rise hotel with front desk staff very polite and courteous.

With luggage, just follow the directions given on the hotel website, proceed to the east exit at Shin Osaka station, take the lift down to ground level and follow the guide to the hotel. About 5-10 mins.

No luggage, just 5 minutes walk from the hotel, across the sky bridge (green) and you'll reach the south-central entrance of the station. Very easy and convenient. There are 24-hour eateries near the hotel if you need to have dinner late. Lawson is just around the corner so it is extremely convenient.

Our stay includes breakfast and the hotel staff will ask us to choose at the end of each day for breakfast the next day. They have either Western (sandwich) or Japanese (a slice of salmon or mackerel).

Drinks (orange juice, water, coffee, tea) are free flow and have a buffet-style side dish, with miso soup. Personally I would recommend the Japanese breakfast. Neat, tasty, not too filling, appetizing.

There is also a selection of shampoo, face cleanser, moisturizer, both wash, hairbrush and washcloth, made available near the counter. You can pick and choose daily.

Lift is small, fits about 3 pax with 24inch luggage. The rooms are clean and neat. The toilet bowl has a heating element that warms the seat. So it is very comfortable during the winter. Pillow is a bit hard but still comfortable.

Although the hotel still uses the traditional keys to the rooms it is functional. Overall, a very pleasant stay. I will return to this hotel when I visit Osaka again.

3. Hotel Cordia Osaka

I could not wish for a better hotel to stay at. A bit bigger for a Japanese hotel, a spacious bathroom, and a toilet. Shower water temp perfect. Location is an amazing and lovely walk to attractions. Only 1km from the Osaka train station.

The staff is amazing, so helpful and curious. Rooms clean and fresh PJ’s every night. We stayed for 9 days, it was so good. We will be staying here next time we come to Japan. Best accommodation for the whole trip so far.

By the way, probably the best accommodation if you are disabled and need good access. Our room, however, has a large step up to the shower and toilet. I would ask if they have a disabled setup room. This is a great hotel. Nearly forgot, Starbucks around the corner and the TGIFridays restaurant just down the road has amazing food and service.

4. Dormy Inn Premium Namba

There are two Dormy Inn hotels literally facing each other. They even have a huge sign in front of both hotels to warn visitors. But, we were so tired and didn't see the sign. I guess a lot of travelers made this mistake, so the front desk guided us to the right as soon as I handed her my hotel voucher.

The hotel is a little walk from the subway station, about 10 minutes from Shinsaibashi subway station. The room was clean and well kept. There's even an omelet station serving fresh omelets! Free ramen is offered in the evening. The onsen is clean and relaxing.

5. Dotonbori Hotel

I stayed in this hotel for two nights on the last leg of our trip to Japan. The hotel is located in a quieter area of Dotonbori district but is just a short walk from where every action takes. There are also several restaurants and 24/7 convenience stores (Lawson) nearby.

The rooms and sauna are compact but this is not really surprising in Japan. Wi-Fi is free, but sometimes it is a bit spotted.

One of the best things about this hotel is all the freebies they provide for their guests. Ramen, beer, and wine are served free in the lobby every evening at 10:30 PM - many take advantage of this so the lobby area can become quite busy at night.

In addition, all drinks (canned coffee, soda, beer, etc.) in the refrigerator in the room are free. Guests can also borrow things like laptops, wheelchairs, strollers, pocket WiFi devices, etc. free. Things like hairbrushes, shower caps, razors, etc. are also provided in the lobby.

6. Arietta Hotel Osaka

Because it is located far away from the tourist area, it is relatively cheaper, quieter and compared to the hotels in Tokyo that I have booked, more spacious. The staff is excellent--they speak or at least understand English, and are efficient and warm. Basic breakfast is included-- the boiled egg is my favorite, and brewed coffee is available 24 hours.

7. HOTEL UNIZO Osaka Yodoyabashi

Englishman alone spent 9 nights in this splendid business hotel 45 seconds from Yodoyabashi Station everything in the small room but no safe..reception was excellent especially Naomi...quiet area, supermarket next door...great stuff......

8. Shin-Osaka Station Hotel Annex

Staying in Ostay Shin-Osaka Hotel Apartment. The place is so near to the train station & family mart but there is nothing there to do. But the rooms are super clean & high floor. Bought the 5days Kansai West Train ticket and took the Shinkansen to Yokohama.

A nice place to go & travel is easier with train tickets. Im just loving JAPAN so much as this is my 5th time in Japan. loving the cool weather & the atmosphere in Japan. Manage to go Kobe for a ropeway, visit the Castle, Nara, Kyoto & many more places with the 5days train tickets. It's worth the dollars.

9. Hotel Bali Tower Osaka Tennoji

From the moment you entered you were welcome. The number of toiletries free salt bath snacks wine hairpin hair samples nails polish wiping nasal strips and more is unbelievable. You are provided robes and can even wear all day to wear in the hotel.

All charging plugs are provided and if you choose eco clean, you have 500 yen to pay for room service. Very close to Tennoji station and lots of food around you. Breakfast is great and the three monkey bars are good value and you can get free or 20% discount with the room key.

I would definitely stay if I was in Osaka. We had room 1101 free wifi well staff doing well.

10. Hotel Brighton City Osaka Kitahama

As for Osaka, I found this hotel, the same price as other people, but the room was much bigger, and I could actually open my large suitcase on the floor and there was still room to walk around it.

And the bathrooms have higher ceilings, and the shower/bathtub is separate, which is my favorite part. Three or four stops to the north and you're at Osaka Station, south and you can get to Dotonburi. 7-11 right across the street. I would recommend this to anybody.

More ideals for you: Top 10 Cheap Hotels in Ohio

From : https://wikitopx.com/hotels/top-10-cheap-hotels-in-osaka-711633.html

[theinvinciblenoob]

The Portal is a head scratcher. It’s a chat app that manifested itself into a hardware through sheer force of will. The first commercially available product from Building 8 isn’t as instantly iconic a piece of hardware as Snap’s Spectacles. In fact, at first glance, the device seems like little more than an Echo Show/Google Home Hub competitor.

And then there’s the matter of timing. In a meeting with TechCrunch ahead of launch, Facebook’s hardware team was quick to list the various ways the company is proactively protecting user privacy, from a camera button to a physical lens cap. The social media giant has always been a lighting rod for these issues, but 2018 has been particularly tough, for reasons summed up well in Taylor’s simply titled post, “Facebook, are you kidding?”

What’s most peculiar, however, is in this age of multi-tasking devices, the Facebook Portal and Portal+ are devices that are designed to do one thing really well. Rather than pushing to develop a true Echo competitor, Facebook’s first ground-up piece of hardware is essentially a teleconferencing device for friends and family.

It is, in the product’s defense, one wrapped in solid hardware design with some clever choices throughout. If the Portal ultimately winds up lining the thrift store shelves of history, it won’t be due to choices Facebook made to serve its core competency.

Rather, it will be due to the fact that the product team has neglected some other features in the name of focusing on video chat — a feature that’s got no shortage of delivery devices. Facebook told me that Portal’s other features will be updated based on user feedback — almost as if the company is unsure what, precisely, customers would want from such a device outside of video chat.

The timing of the device is certainly telling. Facebook is clearly banking on selling a lot of Portals for the holidays. You can practically see the ads playing out, as some melancholy voice sings the beginning strains of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” The first spot isn’t as on the nose, but similar heart-strings are tugged, as evidenced by the “Feel There” title. That’s Facebook’s pitch in a nutshell: We know it sucks you can’t be with your nieces and nephews or elderly parents right now, but hopefully this screen will do the trick.

From a hardware design perspective standpoint, I’m on board. The smaller Portal looks quite a bit like Lenovo’s Google Assistant-powered Smart Display, albeit with the different speaker placement. I’m into it. Lenovo’s device is probably the best-looking smart screen around, and the Portal is an identical cousin with a slightly different haircut.

The Portal+ — the model that’s been hanging on my office desk for a few days now — is the more innovative of the two products from an industrial design perspective. It is, essentially, an ultra-wide 15.6-inch tablet mounted atop a tall, thin base. The display is connected to the base via a joint that allows it to swivel smoothly between portrait and landscape mode.

The screen is 1080p — plenty good for video chat, and a big step up from the Echo Show and (especially) Google Home Hub. Of course, the large footprint means it’s going to be tough for those in smaller spaces to find an ideal spot (says the guy living in a one-bedroom apartment in New York City). At present, it’s sitting atop my AirPort router.

The all-important camera is positioned an inch above the screen, like an unblinking eye of Sauron. The 12-megapixel camera can do 5x zoom and capture movement within a 140-degree range. The four-mic array flanks the lens on either side, doing double duty of listening to commands and noise canceling during chats.

Along the narrow top ridge are three inductive buttons — two volume, one to turn off the camera and mic. When you hit that last one, a notification will pop up on screen, and a small red light will illuminate just to the right of the camera, for added assurance. As an extra measure, Facebook also tossed in a plastic clip to physically cover the camera.

I found myself making a point to keep the lens cap on the majority of the time when I was using the device to chat. When I was talking to someone, I slipped it to the side, but kept it clipped on the base. The little piece of plastic is pretty easily lost. If Facebook does end up making another one of these, a mechanical lens cap like the kind you find on a point and shoot camera is probably the way to go.

The button placement is a bit of a shit show. The way I have the Portal+ set up on my desk, the buttons are above eye-level. Makes sense, you want the display right around your face, you know, to look at it. This means when I want to, say, change the volume, I find myself fiddling in the dark for them. Given that they’ve got no tactility, I invariably end up hitting the wrong one, more often than not jacking up the volume in the process.

Similarly, I often end up hitting a button or two when attempting to clip on the lens cap. Next time out, Facebook needs to either go with physical buttons or find a better spot to place them — tough, I know, given the odd shape of the thing.

The screen placement ensures that the display doesn’t obscure the camera in either portrait or landscape — though when swiveling, the corners do eclipse the shot. When in portrait, the bottom of the display does block roughly half of the bottom speaker. This is a bit of a design flaw, though surprisingly, it doesn’t dampen the sound as much as I’d initially expected. That said, when you’re using the device to listen to music, keep it in landscape mode. In fact, I found myself keeping it that way the majority of the time I was using it, regardless.

The sound quality on the thing is decent. I haven’t had a chance to put it up against the standard Portal, but the deluxe version sports a more complex speaker array — 20w (2 tweeters, single 4-inch bass) versus 10w (2 full-range drivers). Like all of these smart displays, I’m not going to recommend this as your default home stereo, but I’ve been using it to listen to Spotify all day, and have been largely enjoying the experience.

The Portal’s interface is an extremely bare-bones experience. The UI flips between two primary cards. The primary is, naturally, a list of your Facebook contacts. Up top are the six you most regularly chat with, and below are your hand-picked favorites. One of the nice bits here is that the people you speak with don’t actually need a Portal to talk. They can chat with you on their phone or computer.

Swipe left and you get a screen full of large icons. From here you can click into Facebook videos or pick from your Portal apps — Food Network, iHeartRadio, Newsy, Pandora and Spotify by default.

Click into the apps icon and you’ll find that that’s really all there is for Portal apps at the moment. Thin soup doesn’t really begin to describe it. It’s a decent enough starting point, but honestly, Facebook doesn’t seem particularly interested in courting more developers or opening up the API to all comers. Again, the company is taking a very wait and see approach to just about everything here.

Still, Portal does bring some interesting innovation to video chat. To trigger the function, say “Hey Portal” and then “call [enter name here].” Simple enough. Though the actual “Hey Portal” features are essentially limited to things like making calls and putting the unit to sleep. Anything beyond that and poor Portal gets confused. Even something like “Hey Portal, turn off camera” is met with an “I can’t do that yet” in Portal’s uneven speech pattern.

For everything else, Portal defaults to Alexa — functionality you can add during the setup process. That the system relies on Amazon’s smart assistant to do much of the heavy lifting here further makes one wonder why Facebook expects users to adopt its product over the Echo.

Portal’s greatest trick is its automatic zooming and panning. Using built-in AI, the system automatically tracks users and follows them around the frame. So you can, say, cook dinner while chatting and Portal will be with you the whole way. The camera will also pan in and out as additional people enter and leave the room, keeping them all in frame. While chatting with Sarah Perez (who was using the standard Portal on the other end), the camera even zoomed in on her dog when she left the room for a moment.

The zooming is smooth and the effect is impressive, owing in part to the fact that the team worked with a Hollywood cinematographer to help polish its execution. By default it moves a bit too much for my liking, slowly zooming in and out in a way that can may you low-level seasick — though you can adjust the sensitivity in settings.

My second favorite part in video chat is the ability to share songs via Spotify, Pandora and iHeartMusic. When I start playing something on my end, Sarah hears it, too. And we can both adjust our individual volumes. You can also pair the system to Bluetooth speakers or headphones, if that’s more to your liking.

This being Facebook, the system comes equipped with AR-style photo filters — 15 in all (with more coming, no doubt). You can turn yourself into a werewolf, add a disco ball — you know, the usual. They do a good job tracking your movements and add an extra little dimension of fun to the system.

Story time is another fun feature for those Portaling with young children. On your side, you’ll see a teleprompter with a story — on theirs, it’s you embedded inside an AR storybook like the Three Pigs. There are only a few stories at launch, but then most kids enjoy repetition, right?

So I sent my mom that newfangled Facebook Portal

Like the Home Hub, Portal defaults to a makeshift digital picture frame when not in use. Naturally, it defaults to photos and videos from your Facebook feed. As someone who doesn’t really use Facebook to put my life on display, the Superframe feature wasn’t really by bag, though the ability to display info like the weather and reminders of things like friends’ birthdays was nice.

Above all, Portal is a bit of a one-hit wonder. Admittedly, it does that one thing (video chat) fairly well, and at $200 for the Portal and $349 for the Portal+, it’s certainly priced competitively (and in spite of Facebook’s insistence otherwise, may be a bit of a loss leader). But it’s a hard sell compared to more well-rounded devices like the Echo Show and Google Home Hub.

And, of course, there’s all the privacy baggage that inviting Facebook into your home entails. Between the camera/speaker disabling button, lens cap, localized AI and the promise not to eavesdrop or spy, Facebook has gone out of its way to ensure users that it’s not using the device as a portal into your own privacy. But given the kind of year the company’s been having, for many potential buyers not even all of that is likely to be enough.

There’s a default screen saver on the device that asks “Hey Portal, what can you do?” It’s meant, of course, to prompt you to click through and discover new features. But it’s an important question — and in its current iteration, it’s not one for which Portal is able to offer a particularly compelling answer.

via TechCrunch

[usatrendingsports]

WWE Uncooked outcomes, recap: Ronda Rousey and Roman Reigns impress in scorching present

If the general execution of Sunday’s Elimination Chamber left emotions of hit or miss, Monday’s episode of Uncooked felt much more like midseason kind on the Highway to WrestleMania. In a three-hour episode that was virtually all killer (with little to no filler), WWE packed in a ton of swerves and storyline developments as the ultimate feuds start to take form 41 days out from WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans.  

Essentially the most aggressive facet of the present turned out to be which angle would exit as essentially the most compelling. Ronda Rousey continued to maneuver the chains as her storyline reverse Triple H and Stephanie McMahon continued to take form. John Cena additionally toyed with the hearts of followers by difficult The Undertaker to “The Present of Exhibits,” solely to modify course with one other reveal. However the spotlight of the evening was a “shoot to thrill” promo from Roman Reigns that was geared toward Brock Lesnar’s part-time schedule and real-life tease of future plans in UFC. The neatly written takedown firmly shifted the polarizing Reigns into the function of babyface because the probably predominant occasion to WrestleMania produced a memorable opening chapter.

Huge fan of WWE? You should definitely subscribe to my podcast In This Nook with Brian Campbell the place I break down the whole lot you must know every week.

Ronda Rousey faces the music vs. The Authority 

One evening after Rousey put Triple H by a desk and obtained a smack to the face from McMahon, the events concerned returned to the ring in Uncooked’s last section. The Authority defined that Uncooked common supervisor Kurt Angle’s divulge to Rousey that this was all a setup by saying he was “hallucinating” from double pneumonia. Referencing Rousey’s signed contract, McMahon additionally mentioned that Rousey now “reviews to me, which suggests WWE owns Ronda Rousey.”  

Rousey got here sprinting out to the ring in search of a battle, however Angle adopted proper behind pleading together with her to listen to him out. Angle informed Rousey that coming to WWE was the very best determination she ever made. She countered by saying, “I would like this greater than something, however I’ve by no means been slapped earlier than in my life. I refuse to be disrespected and I’m nobody’s property.” Angle responded by altering course and admitting he misheard The Authority and lied on Sunday evening, telling Rousey he is sorry however he wants his job. Nonetheless not keen to place the slap behind her, Rousey ordered McMahon to apologize or “I can’t hesitate to tear your arm out of its socket.” McMahon obliged in dramatic trend. However as The Authority turned to exit, Triple H cold-cocked Angle and McMahon walked over his fallen physique.  

Whereas Rousey nonetheless has an extended approach to go in her development on the microphone, she stays plausible in presenting herself as an intense, bodily risk. Inserting her right into a well-written feud reverse three confirmed performers can be no coincidence. Identical to on Sunday evening, there is likely to be parts to choose aside by way of the execution of the section, however the total story seems headed in place. That’s what’s most vital, and it is being informed at a average tempo. Anticipating Rousey to step in and be nearly as good or higher than the corporate’s high feminine superstars is simply not lifelike. However regardless of the presence of her full-time contract, if you evaluate her as an alternative to what she truly is — a star introduced in to assist promote WrestleMania — you shortly understand she’s already forward of the curve.

John Cena makes a activate his Highway to WrestleMania 

One evening after a loss at Elimination Chamber he deemed “demoralizing,” Cena gave an extended speech about how failure made him who he’s immediately. “You both keep down otherwise you determine it out,” he mentioned. “I figured it out.” As a way to repair his downside of not having a Highway to WrestleMania, Cena briefly popped the gang by issuing a problem to The Undertaker earlier than shortly providing a swerve. “I am informed that match is just not taking place as a result of it is inconceivable,” Cena mentioned. With the gang confused, the free-agent Cena revealed that his “actual street” to April eight in New Orleans is by going to SmackDown Reside. “I am going to do no matter it takes to hopefully earn a spot at WrestleMania,” Cena mentioned.  “See you tomorrow evening.” 

The tease of falsely asserting an Undertaker match was not solely a robust swerve, it might have been WWE’s approach of testing the heartbeat of followers earlier than pulling the set off. Sending Cena to SmackDown can be a robust use of his “free agent” storyline standing, which was created to spice up rankings on each reveals and can probably just do that on Tuesday. Contemplating the rumors that Taker is in a significantly better place bodily than he was one 12 months in the past due to surgical procedure, do not be stunned if we hear from The Deadman earlier than this story concludes.

Roman Reigns work-shoots on absent Brock Lesnar 

Contemporary off a victory at Elimination Chamber, Reigns spoke about fact and the way he is a person of his phrase for saying he would face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania for the common title and backing it up. He then started his personal model of a “pipe bomb” promo in what gave the impression to be a labored shoot geared toward The Beast. After referencing how a lot warmth he’ll probably face for saying it, Reigns known as out Lesnar for not exhibiting as much as Uncooked regardless of being scheduled. He additionally referenced the real-life photograph that UFC president Dana White tweeted out late Sunday of Lesnar in a UFC T-shirt.  

“Brock Lesnar is a bit of crap who hides behind his contract,” Reigns mentioned. “I am sick of it; we’re all sick of it.” After saying there is a tremendous line between enterprise and respect, Reigns mentioned, “I am going to say this proper now: I do not respect Brock Lesnar, and I rattling positive do not worry that bitch.” Mic drop.  

Oh heck yeah. Regardless of whether or not you most well-liked his work reverse Cena final fall, it would not be a stretch to name this the very best promo Reigns has ever delivered. From good writing to his shoot-like supply, Reigns was at his highest in delivering the increase. Credit score WWE for enjoying up the trustworthy realities of Lesnar’s unsure future due to his contract being up after WrestleMania amid rumors of a flip again to combined martial arts. For a predictable feud that was telegraphed 12 months within the making, this can be a juicy approach to kick it off and construct buzz.

What else occurred on Uncooked? 

Is Asuka going to face Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania? Though this match was by no means formally introduced, it was referenced a number of occasions off-hand. A lot for Asuka, the Royal Rumble winner, getting to decide on her opponent like Shinsuke Nakamura did. Bliss, with Mickie James in tow, opened the present by heckling everybody she defeated in Sunday’s inaugural Elimination Chamber match. She additionally reduce into Asuka, who got here to object. After Bliss made enjoyable of Asuka’s poor English expertise to her face, Nia Jax ran in and a brawl shortly ensued. Sasha Banks and Bayley joined the social gathering with Bliss and Jax standing tall ultimately.  

Asuka, Sasha Banks & Bayley def. Alexa Bliss, Mickie James (by way of submission) & Nia Jax: Predictably, a by-product six-woman tag match ensued. Banks and Bayley continued to stroll out their leftover uneasiness from Sunday as Banks hit her former greatest pal with a tough tag and Bayley later reciprocated by refusing to let a weary Banks tag her in. Banks lastly hit Asuka with the new tag which led to a knee bar/armbar submission on James to pressure the faucet.  

Bray Wyatt destroys Heath Slater: Wyatt was so zealous in attacking Slater and his sidekick Rhyno, their singles match by no means received began. After taking each out, Wyatt grabbed Slater and maniacllly danced with him earlier than hitting Sister Abigail. He closed by slicing a promo on Matt Hardy, blaming him for inflicting him to harm these harmless males. “You led them to slaughter,” Wyatt mentioned. “The nice struggle is way from over. You’ll face me once more.” 

Kurt Angle places a hurdle in The Miz’s ‘Mania plans: An in-ring promo from The Miz, who claimed he is 62 days away from changing into the longest-reigning intercontinental champion in WWE historical past, featured complaining concerning the disrespect he has been proven about being not noted of the WrestleMania predominant occasion. The Miz referenced an argument he had with the Uncooked GM that ended with Angle cryptically mentioning that Miz’s opponent tonight “would possibly decide who you face at WrestleMania.”  

Seth Rollins def. The Miz by way of pinfall: Rollins lived as much as his new “Monday Evening Rollins” nickname in a giant approach, hitting a sequence of spectacular aerial strikes from a blockbuster and superplex/Falcon Arrow to consecutive suicide dives. The end was probably the night’s high in-ring second as Rollins adopted a Revolution Knee with an absurd frog splash from the highest rope, leaping three-quarters of the way in which throughout the ring to complete The Miz. Rollins’ celebration was arrogantly interrupted by Finn Balor, who soaked up the gang’s cheers on the ring apron.

Finn Balor def. The Miz by way of pinfall: Regardless of the dearth of an evidence as to why The Miz was compelled to wrestle once more, his match with Balor was immediately halted by an assault from The Miztourage. The Good Brothers ran out to set off a brawl and defend Balor. Angle immediately appeared on the large display to eject the corners of each side and restart the Miz-Balor match with the caveat that Miz settle for or “you will not be going to WrestleMania.” The match featured loads of close to falls from each till Balor hit his Coup de Grace for the 1-2-Three. Afterwards, Rollins informed Renee Younger backstage that Balor was making an attempt to indicate him up earlier than revealing his hope of going through The Miz in a title match at WrestleMania.  

Uncooked Tag Crew Championship — The Bar (c) def. Titus Worldwide 2-Zero (Greatest 2-of-Three falls match): A distraction from Cesaro off the opening bell helped Sheamus hit a Brogue Kick on Titus O’Neil for the short pin. The second fall was a lot tougher to come back by as Apollo showcased his acrobatics a number of occasions to assist Titus Worldwide rally. The end, nonetheless, got here off the heels of one other Cesaro interference. The Bar then hit Apollo with their double-team finisher off the second rope to brush the match. After studying off latest tag groups they’ve crushed, a cocky Sheamus introduced in the course of the postfight interview, “Who’s there to face if there isn’t a one left to beat?” 

Braun Strowman def. Elias by way of disqualification: The lengthy, methodical beatdown from Strowman was ended when Elias crawled below the ring. He emerged with a hearth extinguisher to spray Strowman and pressure the DQ. Regardless of being partially blinded, Strowman chased Elias up the ramp. However his try at slamming Elias by the announce desk was stopped by a raking of Strowman’s eyes. Following an extended backstage chase, Elias escaped by the open storage doorways. Simply as Strowman gave up his pursuit, a limo pulled up in entrance of him. The digicam panned on the door however nobody in the end emerged, dropping a tease for the long run.  

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[garynsmith]

Upsizing on the Upswing: The Big Decision More Homeowners are Making

http://ift.tt/2vxCS3r

For Rhiannon Kruse, moving to a bigger home was about facing the music.

For five years, Kruse and her husband had squeezed themselves into a downtown Seattle high-rise. At 700 square feet, their home meant giving up a dresser to cram clothing into an under-the-bed storage space, and limiting the number of guests they could invite over for dinner. Even Kruse’s parents had to stay in a hotel after making the six-hour drive from Oregon to visit; there just wasn't enough space for overnight guests.

But for the duo, both professional entertainers, the final straw may have been the makeshift recording studio they crammed into a tiny desk space, wedged between the bed and the window. It just wasn't practical for a couple that make their living as piano players, Kruse says.

"We had a keyboard setup and a desk and recording equipment. To play, we had to wear headphones because we were in a shared space," Kruse says. "We definitely maximized the space, but everything had to have a purpose."

So when Kruse's husband broached the idea of moving into a much larger house just outside the city limits, it took a little bit of convincing - but not much. The couple fell in love with a 2,700-square-foot new construction home about 15 miles north of the heart of the city.

They also fell in love with the idea of having a place to put a piano - an actual piano.

"My grandmother had given us her grand piano. It was sitting in a storage place for two years," Kruse says. "[Now] I play a lot more at home. Probably five times as much - and when I do, it's relaxing. I don't feel suffocated."

Rhiannon Kruse and Jeff Coleron in front of their home on the day they moved in. Photo courtesy Rhiannon Kruse.

“People want these larger houses”

The couple's story may not seem like much of an anomaly these days. They're part of an uptick in upsizing: More homeowners are opting for a bigger home and larger price tag, skipping the traditional starter home altogether. Millennials are especially part of this movement, according to Zillow research.

What's more? A new analysis of census data shows that the median square footage of new homes is up 20 percent since 2000, from about 2,000 square feet to about 2,500 square feet.

The data corresponds with what sociologists are seeing firsthand, says Brian Miller, an associate professor of sociology at Wheaton College, just outside Chicago. Miller, who studies cities, suburban migration and culture, argues that several factors could be impacting the shift in housing trends, including the strength of the national economy.

"I see a lot about tiny houses and micro apartments in Seattle, San Francisco, and New York - these cities who are really grappling with housing issues and trying to fast-track 200- or 400-square-foot apartments," Miller says. "And yet the overall pattern across America is that people want these larger houses.

"The economy has gotten better over the last few years," he continues, with a nod to cities like Dallas, one of the hottest housing markets in the country. "It seems it's enabled people to [buy large houses] again."

Popular culture may be influencing this decision as well, Miller adds, pointing to how homes are depicted on television, in both the reality and scripted genres.

"The typical home on TV is huge. Think about the 'Friends' apartments, which were impossibly large," he says. "I'm thinking of HGTV shows I've seen over the past few years, where the dining room seats 10 or 12. I don't have those parties, but if you're watching HGTV, it just seems like everything is huge."

Popular reality and scripted TV shows often depict larger homes as the norm.

Growing home size, guided by research

The abundance of larger homes in popular entertainment isn't by accident. Home design shows are rooting their programming in extensive research, says Julie Link, director of research and consumer insights for Scripps Networks, which owns HGTV, the Food Network, and others. The company recently conducted an in-depth, comprehensive study they called Dynamics Shaping the Future of Home.

The study’s goal was to better understand what is going on in the lives and in the homes of Scripps Networks’ audience in order to cater programming to them. The network asked consumers to complete video journals, diary entries, collages, and even Pinterest boards.

"We don't want to be showing million-dollar homes when we're in a recession," Link adds. "We want to be reflective of what's going on in the homes of our viewers."

The results? Both surprising - and not. Younger consumers (adults between 25 and 39 years old) are beginning to prioritize space, the study found. Fifty-six percent of millennials said that having a large home is important to them, compared with 42 percent of Gen Xers and just 35 percent of baby boomers.

As millennials move into larger homes, they often delay buying new furniture and decorative pieces until they find just the right item.

Once young homeowners find the perfect space, many are biding their time until they find items that are multi-functional and carry meaning, Link continued. They might wait to fill an empty wall until, say, they can frame Instagram photos from a favorite trip, or afford to purchase a high-tech yoga mat that can also double as an elegant carpet.

"Millennials want a story behind [what they buy]. They're doing this to create a sanctuary," Link explains. "The world is a chaotic place right now, no matter what your views on politics are. [Millennials] really look inward, and they want to control something. The easiest thing for them to control is their home."

Open floor plans reflect modern lifestyles

Add that focus on intentional buying to the shift in how homes are designed, with a nod to larger, open spaces. Gone are the days of rigid, closed-off eating spaces or television rooms. In their place are open floor plans and shared spaces, says Mary Dignan Hill, a real estate agent with John Aaroe Group in Southern California.

"Definitely I would say a home design trend is happening. People don't have formal dining rooms, or aren't interested in formal dining rooms anymore," says Dignan Hill. "A more casual lifestyle is becoming more common, and I can see that reflected in home design."

Dignan Hill, who has worked in real estate for a decade, recently noticed more clients seeking out open floor concepts or renovating older homes to take down walls to create larger, open spaces.

"People want to be able to be in their kitchen and cook, but also be with their family," she notes. "Where you used to have a separate kitchen, a separate dining room and a separate television room, it's all becoming one big space."

Open floor plans’ popularity derives from the flexibility they provide homeowners.

Room to stretch

Two years after upsizing from 700 square feet into her 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home, space is still a novel idea to Kruse - and one she doesn't take for granted.

"Now that I have the extra space, I understand it. I understand why people want to do it," she says. "I really don't miss living in the condo, and I thought I would."

She mentions the give-and-take of their old, cramped quarters: How, when she lived in the small condo, if she bought a shirt, she'd have to get rid of an old one. A new pair of shoes meant donating a worn-out pair to charity. It was a dance of space.

Most importantly, her new 2,700-square-foot home - with backyard raspberry bushes, fire pit, and private recording space - just brings her peace, she says.

"I had felt so tense living downtown," Kruse recalls. "When we finally got to space and we could stretch and everything - a lot of that tension was alleviated."

Find out how much upsizing would cost you in major U.S. metro areas.

Related:

Your New, Bigger Space: 5 Ways to Win at Upsizing Your Home

Bigger Homes and Gardens: Caring for Your New, Upsized Outdoor Space

6 Critical Questions to Ask When Buying New Construction

from Zillow Blog http://ift.tt/2v4FULT via IFTTT

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Upsizing on the Upswing: The Big Decision More Homeowners are Making

For Rhiannon Kruse, moving to a bigger home was about facing the music.

For five years, Kruse and her husband had squeezed themselves into a downtown Seattle high-rise. At 700 square feet, their home meant giving up a dresser to cram clothing into an under-the-bed storage space, and limiting the number of guests they could invite over for dinner. Even Kruse’s parents had to stay in a hotel after making the six-hour drive from Oregon to visit; there just wasn't enough space for overnight guests.

But for the duo, both professional entertainers, the final straw may have been the makeshift recording studio they crammed into a tiny desk space, wedged between the bed and the window. It just wasn't practical for a couple that make their living as piano players, Kruse says.

"We had a keyboard setup and a desk and recording equipment. To play, we had to wear headphones because we were in a shared space," Kruse says. "We definitely maximized the space, but everything had to have a purpose."

So when Kruse's husband broached the idea of moving into a much larger house just outside the city limits, it took a little bit of convincing - but not much. The couple fell in love with a 2,700-square-foot new construction home about 15 miles north of the heart of the city.

They also fell in love with the idea of having a place to put a piano - an actual piano.

"My grandmother had given us her grand piano. It was sitting in a storage place for two years," Kruse says. "[Now] I play a lot more at home. Probably five times as much - and when I do, it's relaxing. I don't feel suffocated."

Rhiannon Kruse and Jeff Coleron in front of their home on the day they moved in. Photo courtesy Rhiannon Kruse.

“People want these larger houses”

The couple's story may not seem like much of an anomaly these days. They're part of an uptick in upsizing: More homeowners are opting for a bigger home and larger price tag, skipping the traditional starter home altogether. Millennials are especially part of this movement, according to Zillow research.

What's more? A new analysis of census data shows that the median square footage of new homes is up 20 percent since 2000, from about 2,000 square feet to about 2,500 square feet.

The data corresponds with what sociologists are seeing firsthand, says Brian Miller, an associate professor of sociology at Wheaton College, just outside Chicago. Miller, who studies cities, suburban migration and culture, argues that several factors could be impacting the shift in housing trends, including the strength of the national economy.

"I see a lot about tiny houses and micro apartments in Seattle, San Francisco, and New York - these cities who are really grappling with housing issues and trying to fast-track 200- or 400-square-foot apartments," Miller says. "And yet the overall pattern across America is that people want these larger houses.

"The economy has gotten better over the last few years," he continues, with a nod to cities like Dallas, one of the hottest housing markets in the country. "It seems it's enabled people to [buy large houses] again."

Popular culture may be influencing this decision as well, Miller adds, pointing to how homes are depicted on television, in both the reality and scripted genres.

"The typical home on TV is huge. Think about the 'Friends' apartments, which were impossibly large," he says. "I'm thinking of HGTV shows I've seen over the past few years, where the dining room seats 10 or 12. I don't have those parties, but if you're watching HGTV, it just seems like everything is huge."

Popular reality and scripted TV shows often depict larger homes as the norm.

Growing home size, guided by research

The abundance of larger homes in popular entertainment isn't by accident. Home design shows are rooting their programming in extensive research, says Julie Link, director of research and consumer insights for Scripps Networks, which owns HGTV, the Food Network, and others. The company recently conducted an in-depth, comprehensive study they called Dynamics Shaping the Future of Home.

The study’s goal was to better understand what is going on in the lives and in the homes of Scripps Networks’ audience in order to cater programming to them. The network asked consumers to complete video journals, diary entries, collages, and even Pinterest boards.

"We don't want to be showing million-dollar homes when we're in a recession," Link adds. "We want to be reflective of what's going on in the homes of our viewers."

The results? Both surprising - and not. Younger consumers (adults between 25 and 39 years old) are beginning to prioritize space, the study found. Fifty-six percent of millennials said that having a large home is important to them, compared with 42 percent of Gen Xers and just 35 percent of baby boomers.

As millennials move into larger homes, they often delay buying new furniture and decorative pieces until they find just the right item.

Once young homeowners find the perfect space, many are biding their time until they find items that are multi-functional and carry meaning, Link continued. They might wait to fill an empty wall until, say, they can frame Instagram photos from a favorite trip, or afford to purchase a high-tech yoga mat that can also double as an elegant carpet.

"Millennials want a story behind [what they buy]. They're doing this to create a sanctuary," Link explains. "The world is a chaotic place right now, no matter what your views on politics are. [Millennials] really look inward, and they want to control something. The easiest thing for them to control is their home."

Open floor plans reflect modern lifestyles

Add that focus on intentional buying to the shift in how homes are designed, with a nod to larger, open spaces. Gone are the days of rigid, closed-off eating spaces or television rooms. In their place are open floor plans and shared spaces, says Mary Dignan Hill, a real estate agent with John Aaroe Group in Southern California.

"Definitely I would say a home design trend is happening. People don't have formal dining rooms, or aren't interested in formal dining rooms anymore," says Dignan Hill. "A more casual lifestyle is becoming more common, and I can see that reflected in home design."

Dignan Hill, who has worked in real estate for a decade, recently noticed more clients seeking out open floor concepts or renovating older homes to take down walls to create larger, open spaces.

"People want to be able to be in their kitchen and cook, but also be with their family," she notes. "Where you used to have a separate kitchen, a separate dining room and a separate television room, it's all becoming one big space."

Open floor plans’ popularity derives from the flexibility they provide homeowners.

Room to stretch

Two years after upsizing from 700 square feet into her 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home, space is still a novel idea to Kruse - and one she doesn't take for granted.

"Now that I have the extra space, I understand it. I understand why people want to do it," she says. "I really don't miss living in the condo, and I thought I would."

She mentions the give-and-take of their old, cramped quarters: How, when she lived in the small condo, if she bought a shirt, she'd have to get rid of an old one. A new pair of shoes meant donating a worn-out pair to charity. It was a dance of space.

Most importantly, her new 2,700-square-foot home - with backyard raspberry bushes, fire pit, and private recording space - just brings her peace, she says.

"I had felt so tense living downtown," Kruse recalls. "When we finally got to space and we could stretch and everything - a lot of that tension was alleviated."

Find out how much upsizing would cost you in major U.S. metro areas.

Related:

Your New, Bigger Space: 5 Ways to Win at Upsizing Your Home

Bigger Homes and Gardens: Caring for Your New, Upsized Outdoor Space

6 Critical Questions to Ask When Buying New Construction

from Zillow Porchlight http://ift.tt/2v4FULT via IFTTT

[feamproffitt]

Upsizing on the Upswing: The Big Decision More Homeowners are Making

For Rhiannon Kruse, moving to a bigger home was about facing the music.

For five years, Kruse and her husband had squeezed themselves into a downtown Seattle high-rise. At 700 square feet, their home meant giving up a dresser to cram clothing into an under-the-bed storage space, and limiting the number of guests they could invite over for dinner. Even Kruse’s parents had to stay in a hotel after making the six-hour drive from Oregon to visit; there just wasn't enough space for overnight guests.

But for the duo, both professional entertainers, the final straw may have been the makeshift recording studio they crammed into a tiny desk space, wedged between the bed and the window. It just wasn't practical for a couple that make their living as piano players, Kruse says.

"We had a keyboard setup and a desk and recording equipment. To play, we had to wear headphones because we were in a shared space," Kruse says. "We definitely maximized the space, but everything had to have a purpose."

So when Kruse's husband broached the idea of moving into a much larger house just outside the city limits, it took a little bit of convincing - but not much. The couple fell in love with a 2,700-square-foot new construction home about 15 miles north of the heart of the city.

They also fell in love with the idea of having a place to put a piano - an actual piano.

"My grandmother had given us her grand piano. It was sitting in a storage place for two years," Kruse says. "[Now] I play a lot more at home. Probably five times as much - and when I do, it's relaxing. I don't feel suffocated."

Rhiannon Kruse and Jeff Coleron in front of their home on the day they moved in. Photo courtesy Rhiannon Kruse.

“People want these larger houses”

The couple's story may not seem like much of an anomaly these days. They're part of an uptick in upsizing: More homeowners are opting for a bigger home and larger price tag, skipping the traditional starter home altogether. Millennials are especially part of this movement, according to Zillow research.

What's more? A new analysis of census data shows that the median square footage of new homes is up 20 percent since 2000, from about 2,000 square feet to about 2,500 square feet.

The data corresponds with what sociologists are seeing firsthand, says Brian Miller, an associate professor of sociology at Wheaton College, just outside Chicago. Miller, who studies cities, suburban migration and culture, argues that several factors could be impacting the shift in housing trends, including the strength of the national economy.

"I see a lot about tiny houses and micro apartments in Seattle, San Francisco, and New York - these cities who are really grappling with housing issues and trying to fast-track 200- or 400-square-foot apartments," Miller says. "And yet the overall pattern across America is that people want these larger houses.

"The economy has gotten better over the last few years," he continues, with a nod to cities like Dallas, one of the hottest housing markets in the country. "It seems it's enabled people to [buy large houses] again."

Popular culture may be influencing this decision as well, Miller adds, pointing to how homes are depicted on television, in both the reality and scripted genres.

"The typical home on TV is huge. Think about the 'Friends' apartments, which were impossibly large," he says. "I'm thinking of HGTV shows I've seen over the past few years, where the dining room seats 10 or 12. I don't have those parties, but if you're watching HGTV, it just seems like everything is huge."

Popular reality and scripted TV shows often depict larger homes as the norm.

Growing home size, guided by research

The abundance of larger homes in popular entertainment isn't by accident. Home design shows are rooting their programming in extensive research, says Julie Link, director of research and consumer insights for Scripps Networks, which owns HGTV, the Food Network, and others. The company recently conducted an in-depth, comprehensive study they called Dynamics Shaping the Future of Home.

The study’s goal was to better understand what is going on in the lives and in the homes of Scripps Networks’ audience in order to cater programming to them. The network asked consumers to complete video journals, diary entries, collages, and even Pinterest boards.

"We don't want to be showing million-dollar homes when we're in a recession," Link adds. "We want to be reflective of what's going on in the homes of our viewers."

The results? Both surprising - and not. Younger consumers (adults between 25 and 39 years old) are beginning to prioritize space, the study found. Fifty-six percent of millennials said that having a large home is important to them, compared with 42 percent of Gen Xers and just 35 percent of baby boomers.

As millennials move into larger homes, they often delay buying new furniture and decorative pieces until they find just the right item.

Once young homeowners find the perfect space, many are biding their time until they find items that are multi-functional and carry meaning, Link continued. They might wait to fill an empty wall until, say, they can frame Instagram photos from a favorite trip, or afford to purchase a high-tech yoga mat that can also double as an elegant carpet.

"Millennials want a story behind [what they buy]. They're doing this to create a sanctuary," Link explains. "The world is a chaotic place right now, no matter what your views on politics are. [Millennials] really look inward, and they want to control something. The easiest thing for them to control is their home."

Open floor plans reflect modern lifestyles

Add that focus on intentional buying to the shift in how homes are designed, with a nod to larger, open spaces. Gone are the days of rigid, closed-off eating spaces or television rooms. In their place are open floor plans and shared spaces, says Mary Dignan Hill, a real estate agent with John Aaroe Group in Southern California.

"Definitely I would say a home design trend is happening. People don't have formal dining rooms, or aren't interested in formal dining rooms anymore," says Dignan Hill. "A more casual lifestyle is becoming more common, and I can see that reflected in home design."

Dignan Hill, who has worked in real estate for a decade, recently noticed more clients seeking out open floor concepts or renovating older homes to take down walls to create larger, open spaces.

"People want to be able to be in their kitchen and cook, but also be with their family," she notes. "Where you used to have a separate kitchen, a separate dining room and a separate television room, it's all becoming one big space."

Open floor plans’ popularity derives from the flexibility they provide homeowners.

Room to stretch

Two years after upsizing from 700 square feet into her 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home, space is still a novel idea to Kruse - and one she doesn't take for granted.

"Now that I have the extra space, I understand it. I understand why people want to do it," she says. "I really don't miss living in the condo, and I thought I would."

She mentions the give-and-take of their old, cramped quarters: How, when she lived in the small condo, if she bought a shirt, she'd have to get rid of an old one. A new pair of shoes meant donating a worn-out pair to charity. It was a dance of space.

Most importantly, her new 2,700-square-foot home - with backyard raspberry bushes, fire pit, and private recording space - just brings her peace, she says.

"I had felt so tense living downtown," Kruse recalls. "When we finally got to space and we could stretch and everything - a lot of that tension was alleviated."

Find out how much upsizing would cost you in major U.S. metro areas.

Related:

Your New, Bigger Space: 5 Ways to Win at Upsizing Your Home

Bigger Homes and Gardens: Caring for Your New, Upsized Outdoor Space

6 Critical Questions to Ask When Buying New Construction