Top Five NCAA Basketball Teams

Deep in the college basketball season, and with March Madness closely approaching, many wonder which teams can make the run to the Final Four. Well, as everyone is entitled to their opinion, here is mine. Listed below are 5 teams I believe will be major players in this year’s tournament.

1. University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma program had to undergo a rebuilding process after its Elite 8 run in 2009 on the shoulders of current NBA All-Star Blake Griffin. That being said, the team looks rejuvenated this season. Currently the #1 ranked team in all of college basketball with an 18-2 record, the Sooners are looking like the team to beat. With star quality players like guard Buddy Hield and Forward Ryan Spangler, coupled with a great supporting cast, look for the Sooners to make a big run this year.

2. Michigan State

It’s hard to count out a team coached by Tom Izzo. Michigan State has made some runs in recent years, and behind standout player Denzel Valentine, the Spartans look poised to make another run the Final Four. With four players averaging over 10 points per game, they have many options on offense, which could be an advantage for the Spartans in March.

3. Kentucky

The University of Kentucky and Coach John Calipari have redefined the concept of One-and-Done players (ones who go to the NBA after only one year of college). They proved two years ago that even as a No. 8 seed, they have a strong program with some of the strongest players in the country. Lead by guard Tyler Ulis, the Kentucky Wildcats are always a dangerous squad regardless of their seed.

4. University of North Carolina

The UNC Tarheels are looking to make a deep run in the tournament. Behind lights-out guard Marcus Paige and big man Kennedy Meeks, who provides a big presence inside, this UNC team is looking dangerous going into the final month before the Big Dance. With a strong coach in Roy Williams, the University of North Carolina could make the Final Four in 2016.

5. Villanova

A No. 1 Seed in the tournament last year, Villanova suffered a major upset in the second round to No. 8 seed NC State. Seeking redemption this year, Villanova could make a run, and are currently sitting in the Top 5 of the College Basketball rankings. Senior guard Ryan Arcidiacono looks to lead a Wildcat team deep into the tournament and bring home a National Championship.

Yes there are only four spots in the Final Four, but five teams work, too! There are a lot of great players in the NCAA, and many teams could play at high levels in March. Everybody has their own picks, but one thing is for sure: the excitement is right around the corner. Feel free to post some of your top picks for #MarchMadness NCAA College Basketball Tournament.

Top Five City to Find Job

5. Honolulu, Hawaii

Population: 350,399
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%

Industries: Tourism, military, defense, banking, agriculture, and biotech

Highlight: Not only is the capital of Hawaii, Honolulu also the most populous city in the state. 
As a major tourist destination, Honolulu attracts numerals visitors to spend and rest, which contributes $10 billion annually to the local economy. The unique location also makes it an important business and trading hub between East and West. Meanwhile, military defense is also important in the economy.


4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Population: 620,602
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%

Industries: Aerospace, biotechnology, energy, business services, transportation and logistics, healthcare, hospitality and entertainment, telecommunications

Highlight: Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in state of Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Oklahoma is home to two Fortune 500 companies, Chesapeake Energy Corporation and Devon Energy Corporation. As well as other business such as Love’s Travel Stops and Sonic Drive-In. As a sign of strong economy, Oklahoma City is No. 7 on Best Places for Business in 2014 by Forbes.

3. San Antonio, Texas

Population: 1,436,697
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%

Industries: Business and IT services, biomedical and biotechnology, energy, auto manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, military

Highlight: As the seventh most populated city in US, San Antonio was in the fastest growing city list from 2000 to 2010. Six Fortune 500 companies such as Valero Energy Corp, USAA, decided to choose San Antonio as their headquarters as well as many other large business such as Frost Bank and Whataburger.  San Antonio ranked No. 9 in best market for job growth in 2013 by Forbes.

2. Irvine, California

Population: 248,531
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%

Industries: Corporate offices, healthcare, semiconductors, software, aerospace, and telecommunications

Highlight: Irvine ranked No.4 best place to live in US in 2008 by CNN Money and No.6 in 2012 by Businessweek. Many skilled workforce been attracted to Irvine every year. Numerals companies make Irvine their headquarters, such as Taco Bell, Vizio and In-N-Out Burger. Education, medical as well as Aircraft play important roles in the job market in Irvine.

1. Austin, Texas

Population: 912,791
Unemployment Rate: 3.0%

Industries: Advanced manufacturing, clean energy and power transfer, corporate headquarters and regional offices, creative and digital media technology, data management, life sciences

Highlight: As the capital of Texas, Austin is the 11th most populous city in US. Also, Austin is one of the fastest growing cities of US. Austin is a major center for high tech and skilled workforce. The remarkable growth makes it No. one in growing business in 2012 by WSJ. As a strategy if economy growth, Austin attracts many high-tech companies such as Dell and Whole Foods Market.

How do you like them? Do you agree or disagree to this ranking? Just leave a comment, and let us know if you like our post. Hope to see you soon!

Top Movies in 2015

Top picks:

Movies in 2015

Movies have long been a great form of entertainment for people worldwide with 2015 as no exception. Based on all kinds of resources recommendation online, here we go with our Top 5 list of the Best Films of 2015. Starting from the film coming in at number 5 and concluding with the number 1 flick of the year, my findings are as follows:

5. Aloha

The film starts with love and ends with family comedy. Love is never a multiple choice. When you are struggling in choosing old love and new couple, your heart might be out of control and you can fall in love with someone without senses.

This movie still continues Cameron Crowe ‘s down spiral with this lifeless mess that wastes an astounding all-star cast.

                                                       Cannot wait to see the movie? Click

4. Mad Max: Fury Road

The film is a gritty, relentless action movie with plenty of art house tendencies. In the future world, the shortage of water causes serial wars, and people fight each other in order to compete for the limited resource. In this situation, the earth becomes a bloody battle field. All in all, Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best movie-going experiences of 2015 — a year that also sees the release of an excellent new Star Wars movie.

Cannot wait to see the movie? Click

3. Steve Jobs

Are you an apple fan?  If you are, I bet that you must like Steven Jobs, a guy full of legend. Fans of director Danny Boyle's manic camerawork may find the film — which is broken up into three distinct 40 minute chunks, set moments before a monumental product launch — a bit dull, but he makes up for it by employing three different formats (16mm, 35mm, and digital) and an all-star cast (including Golden Globe-winner Kate Winslet alongside Michael Fassbender and Jeff Daniels) to make Jobs' life seem as electrifying and vivid as the products he helped create.

Cannot wait to see the movie? Click

2. Spotlight

The movie spotlight is like the love letter we write to our past. Because the survey form of investigating films and journalists with full senses of responsibility seem to be far from us for a long time.

Just as the investigative reporters at the Boston Globe used their different sets of skills to bring to light a large group of priests engaged in pedophilia inside the Catholic Church, the brilliant ensemble cast in Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight employs their individual talents to bring the story to life.

From the movie, we can summarize the following features: first, the teamwork is of vital importance and reporters are not alone; second, the movie’s success is mainly due to the complete document resource, and it is really easy to search for the related newspapers because of good classification.

Cannot wait to see the movie? Click

1. The Fantastic Four

Four young outsiders teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. The four must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

After seeing the film, I find that some scientists are really dangerous and one day when you are capable with super ability, what will you do with this situation? The film gives fans a lethargic, dark, dreary origin story that ended with a truncated dismal battle finale with a boring revamp of Doctor Doom. 

                                                      Cannot wait to see the movie? Click

How do you like them? Do you agree or disagree to this ranking? Just leave a comment, and let us know if you like our post. Hope to see you soon!

Easy and Popular Chinese Receipes

Easy and Popular Chinese recipes

                                                                                                                       

Some people think Chinese dishes take time and effort, but that’s not entirely true! Followed are 7 recipes that are easy, tasty, and healthy. I personally make some of them quite often, say more than once a week, even in such a fast-paced MSBA program. I highly recommend you try them sometime. You’ll be surprised how easy they are. There is also a Youtube video link underneath each recipe to show you how to cook them. Hope you enjoy it!

1. Fried Eggs with Tomato

Fried eggs with tomato is a very common dish in China. Almost every single Chinese has his or her own recipe for it. It is easy and quick, takes less than 10 minutes, but at the same time, yummy. Eggs provide protein, and tomato is a good source of vitamins. If you are in a hurry cooking dinner, but still want something healthy and tasty, definitely try this!

How to cook it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj9_luDe7EE

2. Mapo Tofu

Mapo tofu is a popular Chinese dish originated from Sichuan province. It consists of tofu set in a spicy chili- and bean-based sauce, and minced meat, usually pork or beef. Variations exist with other ingredients such as chestnuts, onions, or other vegetables. If you love spicy and hot food, you just can’t miss it.

How to cook it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-rB3f8lqEg

3. Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao chicken is a staple of westernized Chinese cuisine. Almost every Chinese restaurant in the U.S. has it, but in fact, the dish is not that popular in China. Kung Pao Chicken is a spicy stir-fry dish made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers. The traditional way of cooking it also includes using Sichuan peppercorns. Although the dish is found throughout China, there are regional variations that are typically less spicy than the Sichuan serving.

How to cook it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YQMvlhPInA

4. Dumplings

Dumplings consists of small pieces of dough either wrapped around a filling or incorporating other ingredients. The dough can be based on bread or flour, and may be filled with fish, meat, or vegetables. It may be cooked by boiling, frying, or steaming, whichever the way you prefer. It is usually served as an entree if cooked by boiling, and a dim sum if cooked by frying or steaming.

How to cook it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6xFRlG5Qxg

5. Fried Rice

Fried rice is a dish of steamed rice stir-fried in a wok, often mixed with other ingredients, such as eggs, vegetables, and shrimps. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with leftover ingredients in the refrigerator, leading to countless variations. There are also Japanese and Korean style of fried rice, the later usually includes kimchi.

How to cook it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWsXF9CIdbY

6. Steamed Fish

Steamed fish is an effortless way of cooking fish. Simply put some sliced gingers and green onions on the top of the fish fillet, add a little wine and soy sauce, and steam it till fully cooked. The whole process will take you less than 20 minutes, and the dish is nutritious, healthy, and tasty.

How to cook it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQVLJT_RmQ

7. Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. Every country has its own way of making chicken soup. The classic Chinese chicken soup consists of a clear broth, often with pieces of chicken and mushrooms. Sometimes, Chinese people will also put traditional Chinese medicine into it, making it more nourishing.

How to cook it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGFC49amuaE

Have you tried those dishes before? How do you like them? Do you agree or disagree to this ranking? Just leave a comment, and let us know if you like our post. Hope to see you soon!

Welcome to Datakings' Top Picks!

Welcome to DataKings' Top Picks! 

Welcome to DataKings Top Picks!  We are a group of graduate students from Southern Methodist University in the Master of Science in Business Analytics Program. We have created this blog for our Web and Social Media Analytics Course. Our goal here is to provide a fun and interactive experience that challenges readers to interact with the bloggers on this site and even disagree with their opinions. Bloggers each week will be providing their own opinionated rankings in a variety of topics ranging from Entertainment to Fashion to Sports and beyond! Feel free to make your opinions known on the site. We look forward to hearing from you! Enjoy!