Friday, May 27, 2016
"Looking for Opportunity"
Opportunity 1 Regulatory Change: Limited RTS Availability Over the Summer Terms:
(a) The source of this information is from the Gainesville Regional Transit System. When the traditional school year is out of session, RTS provides notice in advance on the buses, websites, and in written materials that notifies riders of the new route changes and bus schedules. where you found it (i.e., what the source of the information was that led you to form the belief about an opportunity)
(b) What leads me to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist is the consistent complaints I hear from avid bus users about their restricted schedules due to the lack of public transportation provided over the summer.
(c) The prototypical customer ranges from the summer-enrolled student to the bus-dependent Gainesville resident.
(d) The opportunity is easy to exploit for taxi services or companies such as Lyft or Uber, since during certain hours and to and from certain locations, these services become the only options for transportation. Although, I am unsure of the opportunity available to convince those presiding over the service regulations of RTS. This could also be a very great opportunity to establish a city bike share system, as Gainesville is currently rated highly as a bike friendly community.
(e) My first year here in Gainesville, I was solely dependent on the RTS busses for all of my transportation, to and from the grocery store, work, and social invitations. I have also lived in locations where bus systems were limited but there were other forms of transportation, such as subways and bike share systems. I believe that this dependency on the bus system in addition to my knowledge and experience with other transit systems fostered my belief for opportunity. I am very affected by the limited summer provisions of RTS busses, and I’ve met many others at the bus stops that have sympathized with me as well. This is a very personal issue for many residents in Gainesville, and surely my conversations with others contributed to the realization of this need.
Opportunity 2 Regulatory Change: Emission Regulations in California:
(a) This was brought to light during a conversation with an individual who personally experienced, at a large expense, coming face to face with emission regulations while getting his automobile serviced in California.
(b) I am lead to believe this information suggests an opportunity may exist for automobile companies to create parts that are more emission friendly and catalyze a competitive green movement in the automobile industry as regulations for emissions spread nationwide and possibly globally.
(c) The prototypical customer for the opportunity would be automobile companies or private engineering firms that would create cost efficient and emission efficient parts to sell to the automobile industry. The prototypical customer for the product would of course be the automobile owners which reside in states and territories with emissions regulations.
(d) The automobile industry is highly privatized and I don’t believe that this opportunity would be easy to exploit unless one with the wish to pursue this endeavor was closely involved with the companies decisions regarding budgets and new projects. Ultimately, I don’t believe there is enough initiative for an auto company to create model specific products to be sold which are emission efficient and also cheaper replacement parts in comparison to other auto companies, since regulations imposed are only affecting their customers in specific regions affected by these laws. Until the emissions regulation spreads across the nation, I don’t believe there will be enough momentum from the market to seek emission efficient cars, and therefore not enough reason for a company to create such products and parts.
(e) I came across this opportunity in passing conversation with a colleague who experienced it on the off chance that he had to have his vehicle serviced due to emergency during his visit in California. I had never been affected by or heard of these emission regulations until this moment in time. Really, what this brought to my perspective was a true need to expand that regulation across the nation, as I am adamant about palliating the effects of global warming and finding sustainable solutions. Being an engineer, I see this as an opportunity to create parts for cars which fit these emission standards but also serve to be more affordable and marketable to the average customer, and give the industry a run for its money and a drive to make their cars more earth-compatible.
Opportunity 3 Economic Trend: Rising rates for leases and Dramatic Discounts for Subleases
(a) I am a member of the UF Free and For Sale group on Facebook, and I am constantly receiving notifications of sublease listings amongst other various for sale items. Furthermore I have experience with lease hunting and from my own experience alongside accounts from friends have fallen victim to rising lease rates with passing time.
(b) This information proves as a great opportunity for the development of a mobile app. I think a platform can be created specifically for student subleasing options in the Gainesville area, allowing students to submit their subleases, as well as search for available leases that fit their criteria and get directly in contact with individuals this way. This could also be used as a venue for local apartment complexes to notify students in the area of leasing specials and openings for term-specific leases as they become available.
(c) The prototypical customer is a student enrolled in college looking for short term leases to pick up.
(d) This opportunity is relatively easy to exploit. All you need is to create a user friendly application and market it across campus and through social platforms that are similar, such as the UF Free and for Sale Page.
As a member of the UF Free and For Sale group on Facebook, an avid sublease hunter, and a past victim of last minute lease signing with an off campus apartment complex, I’ve had plenty of experience (and difficulty) hunting through student forums for a lease that fits within my budget.
Opportunity 4 Economic Trend: The Price of Solar Cells is dropping exponentially
(a) I found an article in Forbes online journal that discusses the revolution of solar energy, written by Peter Diamandis. Diamandis discusses the exponential drop of the price of solar cells and the rapid improvement of energy storing mechanisms.
(b) The price of solar panels has plummeted from $76 per watt in 1977 to less than $0.36 per watt today. This is a great opportunity to make aggressive advancements of solar technologies such as solar roadways and electric vehicles.
(c) Energy companies such as General Electric can lead the shift toward green energy and would serve as the prototypical customer for the cutting edge of technology. I don’t think we would be limited to expanding solar technologies at all to large companies, and surely with this price small businesses and individuals could serve as viable prototypical customers.
(d) There have already been advancements for solar technologies and I believe the opportunity is more than available to exploit, it may be the most possible opportunity in this blog yet.
(e) I was very sensitive to the opportunity for expansion in solar technology due to my background as a research assistant for the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure. Last summer I worked closely with Dr. Fazil Najafi at the University of Florida to publish several journal articles for the American Society of Civil Engineers which were focused on global warming and solar roadways and technology.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Forming an Opportunity Belief
I believe that majority of the voting population is uneducated about the platforms of party candidates on the local, state, and federal levels.
Unfortunately, politics is a hard topic to bring up in any conversation. Many people are dogmatic in political discussion and, aside from their stubborn demeanor, I believe it is due to the lack of knowledge that individuals have regarding all platforms of candidates and policies that are at stake for the upcoming terms. Even worse, when it comes to voting on state or local officials that impact the immediate community, such as judge and county commissioners, most people are not even aware of who the candidates are at all.
In our fast-paced technological society, political platforms are not so easily accessible or reader-friendly, and they don't always speak to the general voting public. Campaign websites don't appeal to the younger app-trained generation and pose as troublesome for the older, less technologically savvy. While newspapers and news reports serve as additional sources for information, they are very subject to bias and do not provide a full snapshot of the candidate or a stark comparison against the promises of his or her opponent. Sometimes, information simply isn't available or provided by a campaign's team and their voter pull is solely reliant on how many yard signs they can get on major highways.
This need for resource accessibility and political education for American citizens has been in existence, and is becoming a larger issue as technology pushes our society away from long text investigations and radio resources and toward the convenience of breaking news and Facebook updates. Due to this technological shift, people are trying to meet their needs for political education through more readily available sources of information such as Twitter and Snapchat, where candidates are reveling in their timelines, submitting snippets of their campaign promises and maintaining their vast network with the American people and organizations. I'm very sure in my belief that there is a great opportunity for improvement in facilitating sufficient political information through social media platforms and engage citizens in politics.
Iteration No. 1 - Reflection
When I introduced my thesis to a colleague, they were very passionate about the topic and agreed that there is a need to provide more, unbiased, easily accessible political information. With the upcoming election well underway and our recent membership to the voting body of the nation, this need is very clear and prominent. My interviewee recognized that they have never been so politically involved until he had gained the right to vote. With that civic duty being endowed upon him, he felt the obligation to become educated. We discussed that this phenomena of political engagement is only at large when presidential terms or federal seats are at stake, every two or four years. Furthermore, when I asked what he knew about the platforms of each of the candidates he readily admitted that he didn't know much beyond what he followed on Twitter or what had popped up on his Facebook timeline. What surprised me most about this conversation was the stress this individual placed on political bias. My colleague felt as though he was gaining insight as to what was being debated on but never felt as though he had a clear understanding of the policy or provisions from the candidate's platform, as he recognized many of his sources were skewed with bias. Despite his political passion, he hasn't sought out each candidate's political platforms, and had not set out for any of the primaries' platforms because he "never got around to it" and saw the task as "too time consuming". He is not satisfied with obtaining all of his political knowledge through social media: although it is highly accessible, he does not think it is sufficient enough to form a full opinion on any of the candidates.
Iteration No. 2 - Reflection
When I introduced my idea to my father my opportunity belief was further justified: he had little to no current political knowledge regarding candidates. While I was embarrassed to find that he hasn't voted for years, my distress was somewhat palliated to know that he didn't feel comfortable voting without knowing who or what he was voting for. He stressed that his schedule simply rarely permitted him to engage and keep up with the political conversation, so he disengaged and caught up with the passing Facebook posts that his friends and family would share on his news feed. My father's concern for politics was minimal and fleeting, but he did agree with the concepts I introduced. As passionate as I am about this belief, I was surprised at my own acceptance of my father's political evasiveness and disregard. Speaking to someone of a different age range and lifestyle made me wary of a demographic that relies solely on mediums such as Facebook, which are easy to read and access, due to their demanding day to day routines.
Iteration No. 3 - Reflection
When I introduced this unmet need to the student I mentor in high school, I was not surprised to find that she had little concern regarding politics and her perspective was limited to discussion she overheard from her parents and Facebook. Although she did not feel a need to expand her political knowledge since she is not near the age to vote, she is aware of the need for herself and others. My mentee has only recently recognized this need due to the recent primaries and upcoming presidential election that inundates news feeds in social media. While she affirms that the need exists, she has no intentions or passions to address them and is currently satisfied with remaining out of touch with political happenings and the future of our government. Her immediate exposure to politics is limited, and while she receives some information from her parents regarding candidates and what they believe, her parents are also contently out-of-the-loop when it comes to elections at all levels, even though they do participate in voting in elections (being so passionate about educated voters, I couldn't help but cringe at that). While I bluntly stated at the beginning of this blog that many voters truly are uneducated in policy and platforms, being in the presence of a lackadaisical group of voters opened my eyes to the true obstacle I am facing: engaging unwilling apathetic voters to educate themselves.
After interacting with prototypical customers, I did undergo a bit of a reality check. Even if I successfully created a mobile platform that readily connected voters to topics on the table, candidate platforms and websites, and campaign events in their local areas, I am unsure how eagerly it would be received. No matter how accessible, interactive, or straightforward the information provided may be through the mobile application, the trueth is, some will still parade that it is a biased or insufficient source, while others will continue to lack the political enthusiasm to the information provided.
This doesn't entirely discourage me though, as I am still convinced that the original opportunity is still there and waiting for me to pursue. I believe that although I can't connect everyone in the nation to the platform or convince everyone of its ease of use and resourcefulness, I do believe that this is an easy way for me to reach a large amount of voters and engage people all across the nation in political conversation.
Customer feedback is crucial when it comes to improving your service or product, and can be the turning point in your business or company. After interviewing my potential customers, it is clear that my platform must be extremely user friendly and engaging. Further customer reviews will have to be conducted throughout the entire process of the launching of the application in order to improve, but that's even more opportunity that I believe I can take advantage of and flourish in.
"We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge." - John Naisbitt
Unfortunately, politics is a hard topic to bring up in any conversation. Many people are dogmatic in political discussion and, aside from their stubborn demeanor, I believe it is due to the lack of knowledge that individuals have regarding all platforms of candidates and policies that are at stake for the upcoming terms. Even worse, when it comes to voting on state or local officials that impact the immediate community, such as judge and county commissioners, most people are not even aware of who the candidates are at all.
In our fast-paced technological society, political platforms are not so easily accessible or reader-friendly, and they don't always speak to the general voting public. Campaign websites don't appeal to the younger app-trained generation and pose as troublesome for the older, less technologically savvy. While newspapers and news reports serve as additional sources for information, they are very subject to bias and do not provide a full snapshot of the candidate or a stark comparison against the promises of his or her opponent. Sometimes, information simply isn't available or provided by a campaign's team and their voter pull is solely reliant on how many yard signs they can get on major highways.
This need for resource accessibility and political education for American citizens has been in existence, and is becoming a larger issue as technology pushes our society away from long text investigations and radio resources and toward the convenience of breaking news and Facebook updates. Due to this technological shift, people are trying to meet their needs for political education through more readily available sources of information such as Twitter and Snapchat, where candidates are reveling in their timelines, submitting snippets of their campaign promises and maintaining their vast network with the American people and organizations. I'm very sure in my belief that there is a great opportunity for improvement in facilitating sufficient political information through social media platforms and engage citizens in politics.
Iteration No. 1 - Reflection
When I introduced my thesis to a colleague, they were very passionate about the topic and agreed that there is a need to provide more, unbiased, easily accessible political information. With the upcoming election well underway and our recent membership to the voting body of the nation, this need is very clear and prominent. My interviewee recognized that they have never been so politically involved until he had gained the right to vote. With that civic duty being endowed upon him, he felt the obligation to become educated. We discussed that this phenomena of political engagement is only at large when presidential terms or federal seats are at stake, every two or four years. Furthermore, when I asked what he knew about the platforms of each of the candidates he readily admitted that he didn't know much beyond what he followed on Twitter or what had popped up on his Facebook timeline. What surprised me most about this conversation was the stress this individual placed on political bias. My colleague felt as though he was gaining insight as to what was being debated on but never felt as though he had a clear understanding of the policy or provisions from the candidate's platform, as he recognized many of his sources were skewed with bias. Despite his political passion, he hasn't sought out each candidate's political platforms, and had not set out for any of the primaries' platforms because he "never got around to it" and saw the task as "too time consuming". He is not satisfied with obtaining all of his political knowledge through social media: although it is highly accessible, he does not think it is sufficient enough to form a full opinion on any of the candidates.
Iteration No. 2 - Reflection
When I introduced my idea to my father my opportunity belief was further justified: he had little to no current political knowledge regarding candidates. While I was embarrassed to find that he hasn't voted for years, my distress was somewhat palliated to know that he didn't feel comfortable voting without knowing who or what he was voting for. He stressed that his schedule simply rarely permitted him to engage and keep up with the political conversation, so he disengaged and caught up with the passing Facebook posts that his friends and family would share on his news feed. My father's concern for politics was minimal and fleeting, but he did agree with the concepts I introduced. As passionate as I am about this belief, I was surprised at my own acceptance of my father's political evasiveness and disregard. Speaking to someone of a different age range and lifestyle made me wary of a demographic that relies solely on mediums such as Facebook, which are easy to read and access, due to their demanding day to day routines.
Iteration No. 3 - Reflection
When I introduced this unmet need to the student I mentor in high school, I was not surprised to find that she had little concern regarding politics and her perspective was limited to discussion she overheard from her parents and Facebook. Although she did not feel a need to expand her political knowledge since she is not near the age to vote, she is aware of the need for herself and others. My mentee has only recently recognized this need due to the recent primaries and upcoming presidential election that inundates news feeds in social media. While she affirms that the need exists, she has no intentions or passions to address them and is currently satisfied with remaining out of touch with political happenings and the future of our government. Her immediate exposure to politics is limited, and while she receives some information from her parents regarding candidates and what they believe, her parents are also contently out-of-the-loop when it comes to elections at all levels, even though they do participate in voting in elections (being so passionate about educated voters, I couldn't help but cringe at that). While I bluntly stated at the beginning of this blog that many voters truly are uneducated in policy and platforms, being in the presence of a lackadaisical group of voters opened my eyes to the true obstacle I am facing: engaging unwilling apathetic voters to educate themselves.
After interacting with prototypical customers, I did undergo a bit of a reality check. Even if I successfully created a mobile platform that readily connected voters to topics on the table, candidate platforms and websites, and campaign events in their local areas, I am unsure how eagerly it would be received. No matter how accessible, interactive, or straightforward the information provided may be through the mobile application, the trueth is, some will still parade that it is a biased or insufficient source, while others will continue to lack the political enthusiasm to the information provided.
This doesn't entirely discourage me though, as I am still convinced that the original opportunity is still there and waiting for me to pursue. I believe that although I can't connect everyone in the nation to the platform or convince everyone of its ease of use and resourcefulness, I do believe that this is an easy way for me to reach a large amount of voters and engage people all across the nation in political conversation.
Customer feedback is crucial when it comes to improving your service or product, and can be the turning point in your business or company. After interviewing my potential customers, it is clear that my platform must be extremely user friendly and engaging. Further customer reviews will have to be conducted throughout the entire process of the launching of the application in order to improve, but that's even more opportunity that I believe I can take advantage of and flourish in.
"We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge." - John Naisbitt
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Identifying Local Opportunities
Following, I have explored the online journal of the Miami Herald in order to identify unmet needs that may serve as business opportunities.
1. "In search of bigger butts, women find South Florida death traps"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF1BC701EB9B90?p=AWNB
The story: This article highlights the recent passing of 29 year-old West Virginian mother Heather Meadows, who traveled to South Florida for a Brazilian butt-lift on behalf of Encore Plastic Surgery. Due to medical malpractice, Heather's surgery resulted in fat particles clogging her arteries and heart, and ultimately her death. Heather is not the only individual who has passed due to poor surgical procedure, and while The Florida Department of Health has charged these doctors for malpractice and employing unlicensed professionals, these poorly equipped clinics continue to practice.
The problem: A clear a problem here in this story is the lack of justice that victims of such surgeries see. Not only did Heather's surgery come at the cost of her life, but her death was not brought to justice, as the clinic continues to operate. Individuals who fall ill due to medical malpractice should have the immediate resources of a law firm which specializes in such injustices in order to compensate the victim for medical attention and furthermore ensure that the clinic will suffer the consequences for medical malpractice, should that mean the clinic itself is shut down or the doctor's license is removed.
The victims: Women who undergo cosmetic surgery
2. "Today, friendships require more than Facebook, FaceTime"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEF9795180BA68?p=AWNB
The story: This blog discusses virtual friendship versus physical relationship and camaraderie. People are affiliated with others in close relationships through social media rather than in their tangible person. Although technology makes it easier to stay connected, we seem to be more disconnected in our friendships: they are not as authentic and are relatively disposable.
The problem: The issue is that it is hard to share a close, authentic, relationship over social media. Relationships have been reduced to "likes" and exchanges of 10 second videos or pictures.
The victims: Avid users of social media
3. King tides flush human waste into bay, study finds
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEF9797768D080?p=AWNB
The story: Floodwater pumps are dumping law-breaking levels of fecal bacteria into Biscayne Bay. Human and dog waste enters floodwaters from outdated sewer lines and broken septic tanks. The projections of chronic flooding with the rising sea levels only entail that the pumps will be operating near full-time. What does this mean for Miami Beach and other coastal areas? More floodwater from urban areas will breach coastal waters and impact tourism. Frequent sewage spills due to heavy rains and flooding have forced Miami to undertake a public works project, beginning the installation a $500 million stormwater system. In the projects youth, with four of the 70 pumps installed, a team of scientists sampled the water to find pollutants toxic to marine life: levels of fecal matter still well beyond state limits. Tidal flushing keeps filthy water from building up in the bay but is still flushed out into coral reefs.
The problem: The floodwater pumps and faulty sewage systems and septic tanks are polluting the environment and affecting marine life as well as tourist sites.
The victims: Coastal residents and their local economy, owners of businesses that profit off of tourism, the environment, marine life
4. Youngsters taught water safety in wake of many drowning deaths
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF1BC623133F80?p=AWNB
The story: Florida is the highest ranked state in the nation for child drownings, the second most common cause of accidental death among young children. South Florida is undertaking efforts to raise awareness and combat the issue through annual safety events to inform the community about rip tides, and provide resources for swimming lessons, safety procedures, and safety gear. The article stresses the necessity of swimming lessons at a young age, to the extent of suggesting they be mandatory in school. Mother to a child lost to drowning, Quintana relayed that there were few organizations that could support her efforts to promote water safety. Quintana then started Kyan's Kause, named after her lost son, which has thus far provided 2,000 swimming scholarships, and provided county-wide sessions of free swimming lessons.
The problem: Drowning is the second leading cause for accidental death for young children and Florida leads the way in national ranks. Not enough organizations like Kyan's Kause exist to combat the issue.
The victims: Young children and their families.
5. 1 shot and wounded at Miami Metromover station
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF70286F3C6458?p=AWNB
The story: Recently at the Miami Metromover, the station's security guard came across a panhandler. According to Miami-Dade officials, after the security guard requested the panhandler vacate the premises, the panhandler complied, but returned. Some physical altercation arose between the two and after being choked and bitten, the guard shot the panhandler. The confrontation landed both parties in medical facilities, and the identity of the panhandler remains unknown.
The problem: Panhandling is a nationwide crisis in all major cities and areas of dense population. Not enough resources are advertised or available to combat homelessness or assist those in serious need of residential security.
The victims: Panhandlers, homeless individals.
1. "In search of bigger butts, women find South Florida death traps"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF1BC701EB9B90?p=AWNB
The story: This article highlights the recent passing of 29 year-old West Virginian mother Heather Meadows, who traveled to South Florida for a Brazilian butt-lift on behalf of Encore Plastic Surgery. Due to medical malpractice, Heather's surgery resulted in fat particles clogging her arteries and heart, and ultimately her death. Heather is not the only individual who has passed due to poor surgical procedure, and while The Florida Department of Health has charged these doctors for malpractice and employing unlicensed professionals, these poorly equipped clinics continue to practice.
The problem: A clear a problem here in this story is the lack of justice that victims of such surgeries see. Not only did Heather's surgery come at the cost of her life, but her death was not brought to justice, as the clinic continues to operate. Individuals who fall ill due to medical malpractice should have the immediate resources of a law firm which specializes in such injustices in order to compensate the victim for medical attention and furthermore ensure that the clinic will suffer the consequences for medical malpractice, should that mean the clinic itself is shut down or the doctor's license is removed.
The victims: Women who undergo cosmetic surgery
2. "Today, friendships require more than Facebook, FaceTime"
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEF9795180BA68?p=AWNB
The story: This blog discusses virtual friendship versus physical relationship and camaraderie. People are affiliated with others in close relationships through social media rather than in their tangible person. Although technology makes it easier to stay connected, we seem to be more disconnected in our friendships: they are not as authentic and are relatively disposable.
The problem: The issue is that it is hard to share a close, authentic, relationship over social media. Relationships have been reduced to "likes" and exchanges of 10 second videos or pictures.
The victims: Avid users of social media
3. King tides flush human waste into bay, study finds
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CEF9797768D080?p=AWNB
The story: Floodwater pumps are dumping law-breaking levels of fecal bacteria into Biscayne Bay. Human and dog waste enters floodwaters from outdated sewer lines and broken septic tanks. The projections of chronic flooding with the rising sea levels only entail that the pumps will be operating near full-time. What does this mean for Miami Beach and other coastal areas? More floodwater from urban areas will breach coastal waters and impact tourism. Frequent sewage spills due to heavy rains and flooding have forced Miami to undertake a public works project, beginning the installation a $500 million stormwater system. In the projects youth, with four of the 70 pumps installed, a team of scientists sampled the water to find pollutants toxic to marine life: levels of fecal matter still well beyond state limits. Tidal flushing keeps filthy water from building up in the bay but is still flushed out into coral reefs.
The problem: The floodwater pumps and faulty sewage systems and septic tanks are polluting the environment and affecting marine life as well as tourist sites.
The victims: Coastal residents and their local economy, owners of businesses that profit off of tourism, the environment, marine life
4. Youngsters taught water safety in wake of many drowning deaths
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF1BC623133F80?p=AWNB
The story: Florida is the highest ranked state in the nation for child drownings, the second most common cause of accidental death among young children. South Florida is undertaking efforts to raise awareness and combat the issue through annual safety events to inform the community about rip tides, and provide resources for swimming lessons, safety procedures, and safety gear. The article stresses the necessity of swimming lessons at a young age, to the extent of suggesting they be mandatory in school. Mother to a child lost to drowning, Quintana relayed that there were few organizations that could support her efforts to promote water safety. Quintana then started Kyan's Kause, named after her lost son, which has thus far provided 2,000 swimming scholarships, and provided county-wide sessions of free swimming lessons.
The problem: Drowning is the second leading cause for accidental death for young children and Florida leads the way in national ranks. Not enough organizations like Kyan's Kause exist to combat the issue.
The victims: Young children and their families.
5. 1 shot and wounded at Miami Metromover station
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15CF70286F3C6458?p=AWNB
The story: Recently at the Miami Metromover, the station's security guard came across a panhandler. According to Miami-Dade officials, after the security guard requested the panhandler vacate the premises, the panhandler complied, but returned. Some physical altercation arose between the two and after being choked and bitten, the guard shot the panhandler. The confrontation landed both parties in medical facilities, and the identity of the panhandler remains unknown.
The problem: Panhandling is a nationwide crisis in all major cities and areas of dense population. Not enough resources are advertised or available to combat homelessness or assist those in serious need of residential security.
The victims: Panhandlers, homeless individals.
Monday, May 9, 2016
Bug List
1. Bug: There is consistently unmixed protein powder in the bottom rim of my blender bottle.
"Why" the bug exists: The rigid edge between the walls of the cup and bottom of the cup make it hard for the blender sphere to reach the protein powder in these edges.
2. Bug: Time after time, my deodorant stick will fly out of it's casing.
"Why" the bug exists: I suppose it may break due to rough handling of the stick and the fact that deodorant is very soft, doesn't take much to snap it in half.
3. Bug: The clamps on hangers always break: when opening the clamp, the top (plastic) portion will snap off, making it unusable.
"Why" the bug exists: The hangers are made with cheap material that cannot withstand the pull in the opposite direction of the metal.
4. Bug: The line at the Target Copy Dunkin Donuts on University is consistently out the door during Happy Hour.
"Why" the bug exists: Aside from the large influx of hundreds students during this time who wish to take advantage of $1 coffee, the out-of-the door lines are surely an effect of the recent closing of another Dunkin Donuts location close to campus, directing all of the Happy Hour traffic to this location at Target Copy.
5. Bug: My name has been personally victimized by Starbucks employees.
"Why" the bug exists: Typically due to high traffic in the coffee shop or a lack of communication or interpretation, baristas at Starbucks habitually misspell names on customer's cups.
6. Bug: RTS Busses will fly by my bus stop and leave myself and other poor souls to shrivel on the sidewalk.
"Why" the bug exists: During certain times in the day on certain routes, buses will reach maximum rider capacity before making a full round, having to turn down passengers as they drive on, until enough passengers unload the bus and make room for more riders.
7. Bug: On multiple occasions, I have called every number in the Student Financial Affairs Office and not one employee picks up their phone.
"Why" the bug exists: SFA employees may prioritize their emails or other duties over the calls, responding only to voice mails they receive.
8. Bug: Erasers that smudge writing rather than erasing it.
"Why" the bug exists: The material used is not conducive to erasing lead or graphite, likely because it is cheap.
9. Bug: The clamp bar collars at the gym are often difficult to open and slide onto the bar, consuming time.
"Why" the bug exists: These clamps are cheapest for the University and are durable - so they keep them around.
10. Bug: The rubber that encases the wires of iPhone chargers tends to peel off at each end, exposing the wire.
"Why" the bug exists: The casing polymer is not durable.
11. Bug: My visor on my motorcycle helmet does not allow rain to run off, and specs of rain flood my view
"Why" the bug exists: The material is not slick enough to allow water to run off, or it does not have an additional coating of a solution similar to Rain-x in order to increase the visors visibility in poor weather conditions.
12. Bug: The servers at 43rd Street Deli are consistently impersonal and inattentive to the needs of my table.
"Why" the bug exists: The employees may not be treated properly by their managers or may be hired for reasons other than their personality, such as their efficiency or versatility in the workplace.
13. Bug: The Spirit brand hammock straps do not stay taut and are difficult to adjust when hanging the hammock.
"Why" the bug exists: The straps are not adjustable-friendly. Rather than being made of loops to clip and unclip the hammock for the appropriate height, the strap is one long continuous band with a metal loop at one end to hook through and double back, resulting in a lot of wiggling and twisting of the band in order to hang the hammock properly.
14. Bug: Automated phone services that extend the time that I am on the phone with a company.
"Why" the bug exists: Automated services exist so that your service can be identified and directed to the right extension or department, rather than going through a series of transfers to the wrong people in the company. Reduced individual to individual contact also may reduce the possibility of a customer becoming irate.
15. Bug: Motorcycle arm swings are bulky and do not travel well.
"Why" the bug exists: They aren't typically meant to travel or be carried longer distances.
16. Bug: When I sharpen a pencil with a pencil sharpener and the pencil only continues to break, rather than sharpening.
"Why" the bug exists: The lead in the pencil is too soft.
17. Bug: When I write with pen and the side of my hand is covered in ink.
"Why" the bug exists: the ink does not dry quickly enough before my hand brushes over it.
18. Bug: The past couple of times I have been to a hospital for emergency care, the wait time was long to be seen, processed and cared for, and discharged.
"Why" the bug exists: It could have taken a long time because the hospital was low on staffing, because other patients had a higher priority over my care, or because the system for filing patients was outdated and slow.
19. Bug: My windshield wipers don't help increase my visibility in the torrential Florida downpours.
"Why" the bug exists: The wipers cannot remove the rain water from the windshield fast enough before the windshield is covered again by the heavy rain.
20. Bug: I always end up accidentally breaking or snapping chalk in half when I use it on the chalkboard.
"Why" the bug exists: the chalk sticks are not thick enough or have a dense enough structure to withstand the pressure from your hand.
I found this assignment quite challenging to complete. While I know there is something that pops up at least once or twice a week that I will verbally declare "bugs" me, I experienced difficulty recalling those instances or products. Also, for many of my "bugs" which were products, I could not explain in a deep or detailed manner why the bug existed beyond the reason of shoddy or cheap materials.
"Why" the bug exists: The rigid edge between the walls of the cup and bottom of the cup make it hard for the blender sphere to reach the protein powder in these edges.
2. Bug: Time after time, my deodorant stick will fly out of it's casing.
"Why" the bug exists: I suppose it may break due to rough handling of the stick and the fact that deodorant is very soft, doesn't take much to snap it in half.
3. Bug: The clamps on hangers always break: when opening the clamp, the top (plastic) portion will snap off, making it unusable.
"Why" the bug exists: The hangers are made with cheap material that cannot withstand the pull in the opposite direction of the metal.
4. Bug: The line at the Target Copy Dunkin Donuts on University is consistently out the door during Happy Hour.
"Why" the bug exists: Aside from the large influx of hundreds students during this time who wish to take advantage of $1 coffee, the out-of-the door lines are surely an effect of the recent closing of another Dunkin Donuts location close to campus, directing all of the Happy Hour traffic to this location at Target Copy.
5. Bug: My name has been personally victimized by Starbucks employees.
"Why" the bug exists: Typically due to high traffic in the coffee shop or a lack of communication or interpretation, baristas at Starbucks habitually misspell names on customer's cups.
6. Bug: RTS Busses will fly by my bus stop and leave myself and other poor souls to shrivel on the sidewalk.
"Why" the bug exists: During certain times in the day on certain routes, buses will reach maximum rider capacity before making a full round, having to turn down passengers as they drive on, until enough passengers unload the bus and make room for more riders.
7. Bug: On multiple occasions, I have called every number in the Student Financial Affairs Office and not one employee picks up their phone.
"Why" the bug exists: SFA employees may prioritize their emails or other duties over the calls, responding only to voice mails they receive.
8. Bug: Erasers that smudge writing rather than erasing it.
"Why" the bug exists: The material used is not conducive to erasing lead or graphite, likely because it is cheap.
9. Bug: The clamp bar collars at the gym are often difficult to open and slide onto the bar, consuming time.
"Why" the bug exists: These clamps are cheapest for the University and are durable - so they keep them around.
10. Bug: The rubber that encases the wires of iPhone chargers tends to peel off at each end, exposing the wire.
"Why" the bug exists: The casing polymer is not durable.
11. Bug: My visor on my motorcycle helmet does not allow rain to run off, and specs of rain flood my view
"Why" the bug exists: The material is not slick enough to allow water to run off, or it does not have an additional coating of a solution similar to Rain-x in order to increase the visors visibility in poor weather conditions.
12. Bug: The servers at 43rd Street Deli are consistently impersonal and inattentive to the needs of my table.
"Why" the bug exists: The employees may not be treated properly by their managers or may be hired for reasons other than their personality, such as their efficiency or versatility in the workplace.
13. Bug: The Spirit brand hammock straps do not stay taut and are difficult to adjust when hanging the hammock.
"Why" the bug exists: The straps are not adjustable-friendly. Rather than being made of loops to clip and unclip the hammock for the appropriate height, the strap is one long continuous band with a metal loop at one end to hook through and double back, resulting in a lot of wiggling and twisting of the band in order to hang the hammock properly.
14. Bug: Automated phone services that extend the time that I am on the phone with a company.
"Why" the bug exists: Automated services exist so that your service can be identified and directed to the right extension or department, rather than going through a series of transfers to the wrong people in the company. Reduced individual to individual contact also may reduce the possibility of a customer becoming irate.
15. Bug: Motorcycle arm swings are bulky and do not travel well.
"Why" the bug exists: They aren't typically meant to travel or be carried longer distances.
16. Bug: When I sharpen a pencil with a pencil sharpener and the pencil only continues to break, rather than sharpening.
"Why" the bug exists: The lead in the pencil is too soft.
17. Bug: When I write with pen and the side of my hand is covered in ink.
"Why" the bug exists: the ink does not dry quickly enough before my hand brushes over it.
18. Bug: The past couple of times I have been to a hospital for emergency care, the wait time was long to be seen, processed and cared for, and discharged.
"Why" the bug exists: It could have taken a long time because the hospital was low on staffing, because other patients had a higher priority over my care, or because the system for filing patients was outdated and slow.
19. Bug: My windshield wipers don't help increase my visibility in the torrential Florida downpours.
"Why" the bug exists: The wipers cannot remove the rain water from the windshield fast enough before the windshield is covered again by the heavy rain.
20. Bug: I always end up accidentally breaking or snapping chalk in half when I use it on the chalkboard.
"Why" the bug exists: the chalk sticks are not thick enough or have a dense enough structure to withstand the pressure from your hand.
I found this assignment quite challenging to complete. While I know there is something that pops up at least once or twice a week that I will verbally declare "bugs" me, I experienced difficulty recalling those instances or products. Also, for many of my "bugs" which were products, I could not explain in a deep or detailed manner why the bug existed beyond the reason of shoddy or cheap materials.
My Entrepreneurship Story
Most of us at some point in our life have had our parents threaten to kick us out for some irresponsible action we recklessly committed. "You either pay for it, or you're out of here!" were the endearing words my father screamed in my face when I scored my first-ever, very own, traffic ticket for a rolling stop. This of course, occurred shortly after obtaining my driver's license, way back in my sophomore days of high school. In efforts to maintain the roof over my head, I embarked on one of the most difficult journeys a sixteen year old high school student could face: finding a job.
After two weeks I came to the realization that I would not be able to find a job and earn a pay check by the due date for the fee, and had to take the matter of allocating money into my own entrepreneurial hands. Utilizing the season of student government campaigns in my high school to my advantage, I struck deals with a couple of candidates who willingly forked over money for a few campaign T-Shirts. It wasn't long before my hand-crafted designs swept the school and business was booming. Within another two weeks time my wallet was fat with glorious T-Shirt cash. In due time, I eagerly slid the fellow at the DMV all of my hard-earned money along with the necessary paperwork to ensure that I wouldn't accumulate points on my license. Needless to say, my father was very proud of me and allowed my reckless, rolling-stop self to remain in the warm confines of his home. That, ladies and gentlemen, is my entrepreneurship story.
I am enrolled in ENT3003 in order to complete my Innovation minor here at the University of Florida. With this class, I hope to gain knowledge of the foundation of entrepreneurship and learn about the tools needed to catalyze my own business ideas.
After two weeks I came to the realization that I would not be able to find a job and earn a pay check by the due date for the fee, and had to take the matter of allocating money into my own entrepreneurial hands. Utilizing the season of student government campaigns in my high school to my advantage, I struck deals with a couple of candidates who willingly forked over money for a few campaign T-Shirts. It wasn't long before my hand-crafted designs swept the school and business was booming. Within another two weeks time my wallet was fat with glorious T-Shirt cash. In due time, I eagerly slid the fellow at the DMV all of my hard-earned money along with the necessary paperwork to ensure that I wouldn't accumulate points on my license. Needless to say, my father was very proud of me and allowed my reckless, rolling-stop self to remain in the warm confines of his home. That, ladies and gentlemen, is my entrepreneurship story.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)