Uncharted Play
Jessica Matthews, the inventor of the Soccket, the soccer ball that generates electricity, must be super psyched. Not only is the Obama administration distributing her invention in a bunch of African countries, but President Obama had a little public dribble session with one of these babies, in front of reporters, as part of his African tour.
It was actually during a tour at a power plant here that Obama and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete got a look at the “soccket ball” — a soccer ball that has an electric generator placed inside of it. Invented by two Harvard University graduates, the balls can generate electrical power for lights and cell phones after they are played with for a while.
Obama took the ball and tossed it in the air. Then he let it drop and kicked it back up to himself. Finally, to the delight of the photographers at the scene, he threw it in the air and headed it to himself.
We are impressed! (But less impressed with his understanding of how much electricity the ball actually generates — it’s more than he guessed.) If we were Matthews, we’d start thinking of making a Basocketball, to be featured at all presidential pick-up games.
