March Madness - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I am a basketball fan.

This is the best sports time of the year for me.

Call in a favor, use personal time, but free yourself to catch a few college basketball games. Those office pools bring out folks from all corners to put their 2 cents in to win bragging rights (or maybe a prize).

While I enjoy both college and pro basketball, the energy and excitement that goes with March Madness is unmatched--particularly in the first weekend. I am generally neutral in games like Stanford vs Marquette. HOWEVER, it was a great game to see. The Stanford coach gets thrown out in the first half. The game goes to OT. A 7 footer wins the game on an incredible, off balance, twisting shot.

While there are not as many games this Thursday-Sunday, I am sure that some of them will be very close and the crowds will be into them far more than any other event that starts and stops during three weeks.

While I enjoy watching, Cheech and Chong recognized the excitement that players have for the game in the early 70s. Love the song, but the video can rub some the wrong way. The Basketball Jones

Preference vs Process

The other day, the UT got a request to purchase a specific brand of peanut butter. I paused because the current 2 brands of PB were not the generic that this frugal shopper would love to buy. Even though I bought fancy brand #3, I was not convinced that it was any better than the other two. The comment that Mrs. UT sent my way stated that I had no appreciation for the taste that was clearly better in brand 3.

I’ll admit that I am not an expert foodie, but I did score in the middle of the pack (debonair diner) on a foodie quiz. I do wander over to the Food Network sometimes. I don’t think my kid is a foodie either, just far too picky to enjoy the variety of foods out there. Anyhow, Mrs. UT tossed a Pepsi challenge mumble in the air just before I started making lunches. GAME ON! A process idea initiated.

I got the opportunity to test both Mrs. Picky and her mini protagonist before they left the house. With 3 jars of peanut butter and 3 spoons for each, they both showed a dislike of brand 1 and general indifference between brands 2 and 3 before settling on brand 2.

You should have seen the UT doing the “You didn’t pick brand 3” dance.

My future work on the differences between things we buy into because of marketing versus reality is born!

Halo

This video game may generate more revenue than your favorite movie.

I love video games. Many folks my age don't get it. From an economic view, the revenues are huge and the profit margins are probably better than movies. You won't see a video character holding up production because he's doing another movie, in rehab, or wants more money for the sequel.

What you will see is an interactive story telling genre that allows the participants to be a major part of the happenings. If you wanted to be James Bond, now you can!

Looking forward, video games provide a strong signal of where we can go with education. If we create learning that allows kids to have an active role, the information is more likely to stick with them. The challenge for the educational and technology communities is to come together and find appropriate ways to blend lessons and technological activities. That's where conferences like NECC, CES and other educational/technology conferences are key opportunities to for these groups to better understand what they can bring to the table of learning...and hopefully how to collaborate to make learning more fun.

Hail to the Master Chief!

Halo 3 Update--$170 million revenue in US on first day. I wonder how many folks were "sick" on Wednesday???

Gattaca Meets Minority Report - Your death might be used against you while alive

The other day someone sent me a link to an article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution about your body knowing how you will die(<--free subscription). Studies at Emory University are headed right toward Gattaca. The insurance and medical communities are keeping an eye on the research.

If you have watched either of my two favorite movies from recent times, you know there are all sorts of implications and flaws with this concept. On the mental side, if you "knew" you were going to die next week of a heart attack, how would do things differently this week? Quit your job, take out a big life insurance policy, suicide, attack your 6th grade bully, spend time with family?

Lot's of ways that different folks would deal with the situation. On the other hand, if you get hit by a bus this week, while you are doing the stuff that you decided to do instead of your normal routine, does that make your demise the fault of someone else? In the world of Minority Report, maybe the knowledge of upcoming death makes you more liable for things that week.

On the fiscal side, the insurance companies would love to terminate coverage for folks that they think are going to run up medical or life insurance claims. Now, it is harder to live a normal life because the DNA police are messing with perceptions of your existence. Would you do an Anna Nicole for someone in this situation (marry for money assuming death is coming soon?)

For now, nothing changes, but know that we are getting closer to a world where the more society understands about individuals, the more likely that information will be used strategically against you.

Look out for the pre-cogs!