I just realized why Penn State sets their credit limit at 18. Anything more takes away your life.
This semester, I am taking 20.5 credits. Although it was in an attempt to graduate on time with a major and a minor, it may not have been worth it. In order to maintain my GPA, I have spent the most time on coursework this year than I have at any point in my undergraduate career. My social life and health have suffered. My grades are on the verge of suffering.
This brings to mind a question that has been bothering me lately: How much is too much for one's plate? It seems that every day I take on another task and more responsibilities. This either comes from my refusal to say "No" or the value I place upon getting that extra task accomplished.
Would this type of mindset have been possible 30 years ago? I'm sure it would, but my time lines would be much more drawn out. Virtually everyone raves at the advent of new technologies and how they will make our lives easier. I think this statement is complete bull shit. Sure, new technology is great at making certain aspect of our lives easier. E-mail gave us the ability to communicate with written communication at lightning speeds; however, it also gave us SPAM, quicker deadlines, and longer electronic task lists. The technology does not make our lives easier, it just allows us to get certain things done more quickly. This allows us to pile more things on our plate that we need to get done in a more immediate manner.
I think I have information gluttony.
B.K.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Fantasy with Fantasy Sports
I just finished up my fantasy baseball draft. I am fairly happy because I got Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Howard, and Tim Lincecum.
Don't know what I'm talking about? It's ok, I will briefly explain. Fantasy sports are similar to real sports where normal Joes like my friends and I act like general managers. Professional atheletes are aquired by fantasy owners and they are placed onto rosters that covet them only for their statistical abilities. Fantasy owners are responsible for drafting players, negotiating trades, and picking up free agents. The goal is to acquire better overall statistics than your opponent. The team with the best statistics (usually) wins the fantasy league.
For a better description please consult the all knowing wikipedia : Fantasy Sports
More important than grasping the concept of fantasy sports is grasping the explosive popularity of fantasy sports. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, nearly 30 million people in the United States and Canada played fantasy sports. 30 million. In addition, 22 percent of males age 18 to 49 currently partake in fantasy sports.
What began as nerds trading professional athelets in their basements in the 80s has morphed into a worldwide phenomenon. Owners no longer have to check the newspaper to see what their fantasy shortstop did the night before. They can just have the stats texted to their iPhone instantly, or they can just watch his at bat live.
In addition to the sites that offer fantasy management (ESPN, sportsline.com, yahoo.com), fantasy advice sites are also multi-billion dollar markets. For just 19.95 a month, you can pay rotowire.com to tell you which of your fantasy players to play the next week. Doesn't that take the thinking (and the fun) out of it?
B.K.
Don't know what I'm talking about? It's ok, I will briefly explain. Fantasy sports are similar to real sports where normal Joes like my friends and I act like general managers. Professional atheletes are aquired by fantasy owners and they are placed onto rosters that covet them only for their statistical abilities. Fantasy owners are responsible for drafting players, negotiating trades, and picking up free agents. The goal is to acquire better overall statistics than your opponent. The team with the best statistics (usually) wins the fantasy league.
For a better description please consult the all knowing wikipedia : Fantasy Sports
More important than grasping the concept of fantasy sports is grasping the explosive popularity of fantasy sports. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, nearly 30 million people in the United States and Canada played fantasy sports. 30 million. In addition, 22 percent of males age 18 to 49 currently partake in fantasy sports.
What began as nerds trading professional athelets in their basements in the 80s has morphed into a worldwide phenomenon. Owners no longer have to check the newspaper to see what their fantasy shortstop did the night before. They can just have the stats texted to their iPhone instantly, or they can just watch his at bat live.
In addition to the sites that offer fantasy management (ESPN, sportsline.com, yahoo.com), fantasy advice sites are also multi-billion dollar markets. For just 19.95 a month, you can pay rotowire.com to tell you which of your fantasy players to play the next week. Doesn't that take the thinking (and the fun) out of it?
B.K.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Viral Video - I will never solve thee
So, you say you want a viral video? My best advice is to try, but not too hard. It seems like a crap shoot to me.
For my group's ENGR 407 project, Forging Fame, we were given the assignment to take an invention and to try to get it to make it big on Youtube, Metacafe, etc. The winner of this assignment would be the group that got the most hits on their invention/idea/marketing.
Our idea was to take Guitar Hero or Rock Band and add a pyrotechnic element to the common household show. In order to accomplish this, we made a flamethrower, linked it to the motion of the guitar during "STARPOWER," and set the room ablaze when the guitar was tilted verticle. Pretty cool, huh? What responsible pyromaniac (giant paradox here, I know) wouldn't want that. With the huge success of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises, I thought this was destined for viral status. At the very least, I thought it would give our team a legitimate shot at winning the Forging Fame contest.
Since Seeing is Believing, here is our video that best illustrates the concept:
Since Friday, this video has recieved 147 hits. We switched to Metacafe because Youtube froze our hit-count. However, that is another post for another day. We posted this video at the same time:
I Am Rambo! - For more funny videos, click here
The result? 5332 in the same amount of time. I have a few theories as to why, but this is a blog and maybe I will let this be an interactive post.
If you have time, please help out the team:
http://www.youtube.com/user/teamfire2009
http://www.metacafe.com/channels/Teamfire09/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/teamfire2009/
Click on Everything!
B.K.
For my group's ENGR 407 project, Forging Fame, we were given the assignment to take an invention and to try to get it to make it big on Youtube, Metacafe, etc. The winner of this assignment would be the group that got the most hits on their invention/idea/marketing.
Our idea was to take Guitar Hero or Rock Band and add a pyrotechnic element to the common household show. In order to accomplish this, we made a flamethrower, linked it to the motion of the guitar during "STARPOWER," and set the room ablaze when the guitar was tilted verticle. Pretty cool, huh? What responsible pyromaniac (giant paradox here, I know) wouldn't want that. With the huge success of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises, I thought this was destined for viral status. At the very least, I thought it would give our team a legitimate shot at winning the Forging Fame contest.
Since Seeing is Believing, here is our video that best illustrates the concept:
Since Friday, this video has recieved 147 hits. We switched to Metacafe because Youtube froze our hit-count. However, that is another post for another day. We posted this video at the same time:
I Am Rambo! - For more funny videos, click here
The result? 5332 in the same amount of time. I have a few theories as to why, but this is a blog and maybe I will let this be an interactive post.
If you have time, please help out the team:
http://www.youtube.com/user/teamfire2009
http://www.metacafe.com/channels/Teamfire09/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/teamfire2009/
Click on Everything!
B.K.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Spring Break Takeaways - Spring Breakaways
So I went on a Carribean Cruise with Carnival Cruise Lines for Spring Break this year. This was the first time I had ever been on spring break. Seeing as this is my last Spring Break at PSU, I figured I would finally break down and pay for a trip. I consider it the best decision I could have made.
The cruise we took went from the port at Jacksonville, Fla. to Key West, Fla. and the Bahamas. It was a five day, five night cruise. That seemed to be the perfect amount of time as I was begining to get sick of the crowds and the tiny cabin. I didn't begin to get sick of the weather or the comradery.
I know this post seems kind of hodge-podge, but that is exactly how the cruise was. It wasn't exactly relaxed or orderly, it was a "fly by the seat of your pants" experience. We went from port to port and only relaxed to lay out on the deck or sing a little karaoke. I was pleasantly suprised in all areas and would definately consider a Carnival Cruise again.
Most importantly, this spring break gave me an opportunity to recharge my batteries. Rather than going home work at my old job or sit around the house all day, I spent this spring break traveling the warm Carribean. Although I didn't get much rest during the trip, I feel more recharged coming back from this break than I ever have. I just about ready to tackle the rest of the semester.
B.K.
The cruise we took went from the port at Jacksonville, Fla. to Key West, Fla. and the Bahamas. It was a five day, five night cruise. That seemed to be the perfect amount of time as I was begining to get sick of the crowds and the tiny cabin. I didn't begin to get sick of the weather or the comradery.
I know this post seems kind of hodge-podge, but that is exactly how the cruise was. It wasn't exactly relaxed or orderly, it was a "fly by the seat of your pants" experience. We went from port to port and only relaxed to lay out on the deck or sing a little karaoke. I was pleasantly suprised in all areas and would definately consider a Carnival Cruise again.
Most importantly, this spring break gave me an opportunity to recharge my batteries. Rather than going home work at my old job or sit around the house all day, I spent this spring break traveling the warm Carribean. Although I didn't get much rest during the trip, I feel more recharged coming back from this break than I ever have. I just about ready to tackle the rest of the semester.
B.K.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Something Wal-Mart comes this way
Today, I shopped at WalMart. I have to say it again to convince myself. . . Today, I shopped at WalMart. As long as I tried to stay away, I couldn't. Their low low prices and convenience got the best of me.
The reason why I dread going to WalMart so much is not because their warehouses are located in China or because I can never seem to get through a checkout line in under 15 minutes; moreover, it is because WalMart treats their employees terribly and is driving a lot of small business out of the market. I recently watched a documentary that showed a WalMart manager teaching an employee how to file for Welfare. He was doing this because pressure from administrators forced him to encourage employees to apply for Welfare so that their wages could be held low. That is pretty screwed up. I love Adam Smith as much as the next guy and I believe that the minimum wage is a price floor that may be unfair to some employers. However, what I saw in this case is crossing the line. There are things that corporations just can't do and that, in my opinion, is one of them.
So, I did go to WalMart today. Over the past few hours I have come up with a few excueses why:
1) WalMart is operating under all established business laws and regulations. Sure, they are doing some pretty shady stuff, but it is all legal. I think if enough people had a problem with what WalMart is doing (they should) then they would pressure their representatives to make "anti Sam Walton" legislation
2) Small businesses and start-up retailers are not adapting. The greatest asset to a small company is its ability to change and adapt rapidly. Small businesses can fill a niche that WalMart cannot and still be profitable. There are many things that WalMart does badly - not offering premium products, excellent service, and personability to name a few- thus allowing a small business to take care of these societal needs.
3) A lot of people need WalMart, including me. Being a college student, I don't have a lot of money. I can go to walmart and get what I need while paying at least $20 less than I would have paid at Wegmans or McLanahan's and $10 less than I would have paid at Giant or Weiss. That is money that I can keep and spend on other necessities.
Yeah, I went to WalMart today. And I am finally ok with it.
The reason why I dread going to WalMart so much is not because their warehouses are located in China or because I can never seem to get through a checkout line in under 15 minutes; moreover, it is because WalMart treats their employees terribly and is driving a lot of small business out of the market. I recently watched a documentary that showed a WalMart manager teaching an employee how to file for Welfare. He was doing this because pressure from administrators forced him to encourage employees to apply for Welfare so that their wages could be held low. That is pretty screwed up. I love Adam Smith as much as the next guy and I believe that the minimum wage is a price floor that may be unfair to some employers. However, what I saw in this case is crossing the line. There are things that corporations just can't do and that, in my opinion, is one of them.
So, I did go to WalMart today. Over the past few hours I have come up with a few excueses why:
1) WalMart is operating under all established business laws and regulations. Sure, they are doing some pretty shady stuff, but it is all legal. I think if enough people had a problem with what WalMart is doing (they should) then they would pressure their representatives to make "anti Sam Walton" legislation
2) Small businesses and start-up retailers are not adapting. The greatest asset to a small company is its ability to change and adapt rapidly. Small businesses can fill a niche that WalMart cannot and still be profitable. There are many things that WalMart does badly - not offering premium products, excellent service, and personability to name a few- thus allowing a small business to take care of these societal needs.
3) A lot of people need WalMart, including me. Being a college student, I don't have a lot of money. I can go to walmart and get what I need while paying at least $20 less than I would have paid at Wegmans or McLanahan's and $10 less than I would have paid at Giant or Weiss. That is money that I can keep and spend on other necessities.
Yeah, I went to WalMart today. And I am finally ok with it.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Those Credit Companies
I just finished my reading assignment for BA-250 (Small Business Management) and a few of the facts regarding American credit card spending jumped out at me. According to the text, Essentials of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management by Thomas W. Zimmerer and Norman M. Scarborough (2008), "[customers] now make 30 percent of personal consumption expenditures with credit cards." Now this is a fact that I can identify with and I would guess that my percentage is much higher. Nearly all of my daily expenses are charged to my credit card account. Heck, even my monthly rent bill is put on my credit card. One reason I do this is because I receive a cash back reward for all purchases of at least 1% (3% on gas and groceries). I figure it is the only way I will ever get a discount on my rent (even if it is only 4.55).
While the 30% statistic really didn't suprise me, one that did was the fact that the average interchange fees for Visa and MasterCard transactions "will increase from 1.75 percent to 1.86 percent in 2010." Now I know why I can get 1% cash back fee for any purchase I make. It's because Visa and MasterCard are still getting .75% to .86% of that purchase I just made. And with annual credit card charges of more than $2.2 trillion a year in the U.S. alone, the credit card companies are getting at least 1.75% of that or $38.5 billion dollars!
While the 30% statistic really didn't suprise me, one that did was the fact that the average interchange fees for Visa and MasterCard transactions "will increase from 1.75 percent to 1.86 percent in 2010." Now I know why I can get 1% cash back fee for any purchase I make. It's because Visa and MasterCard are still getting .75% to .86% of that purchase I just made. And with annual credit card charges of more than $2.2 trillion a year in the U.S. alone, the credit card companies are getting at least 1.75% of that or $38.5 billion dollars!
Monday, February 2, 2009
We're Going Dancing
If you didn't hear/read/see already, my beloved Nittany Lions Men's Basketball team beat the No. 9 ranked Michigan State Spartans on the road last weekend. I had to emphasize on the road in that last sentence being as it was the first time that the second most popular team at Penn State won a game in sixteen tries when playing in East Lansing, MI. Sixteen tries! I guess that seventeenth try was a charm as Taylor Battle went off for 29 points. I'm excited about this team. That sentiment is also something that scares me. Every time I get excited about PSU basketball, I inevitably find myself disappointed. In my first three years at Penn State, I have made it a point to see at least 5 home games a season at the BJC. For my Freshman through Junior years, the basketball team is a combined 2-13 in the games I attended. Maybe I should just stay away while they are on a roll?
On a side note, I thought about making this post about the Steelers Super Bowl XLIII victory yesterday; however, I feel like Penn State becoming nationally relevant once again is a little more intriguing for the Penn State community in general.
Go Stillers. Six Pack.
B.K.
On a side note, I thought about making this post about the Steelers Super Bowl XLIII victory yesterday; however, I feel like Penn State becoming nationally relevant once again is a little more intriguing for the Penn State community in general.
Go Stillers. Six Pack.
B.K.
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