code: private int compareToIgnoreCaseWithNullCheck(String me, String other) {
          if (me == null && other == null) {
              return 0;
          } else if (me == null) {
              return -1; //the other string is greater than me
          } else if (other == null) {
              return 1; //me is greater than the other string
          }
          return me.compareToIgnoreCase(other);
      }
docs: Wrapper around
  {@link java.lang.String#compareToIgnoreCase(java.lang.String) String.compareToIgnoreCase}
  with an exhaustive, possibly duplicative, check against nulls.
  
  @param me the value to be compared
  @param other the other value to be compared
  @return true if the values are equal; otherwise false