World's Biggest Problems

Howdy! For this assignment, I am to identify 10 of the worlds biggest problems and what a practical solution would be for them.

Here they are (in no particular order):

1. World Hunger/Thirst
• Millions of people around the world do not have access to clean water and food even though it is one of the basic items one needs to survive. This leads to malnutrition and ultimately an early death. 
• SOLUTION: Donate food/money to people that are less fortunate either locally or farther away (lots of organizations do this already, but more couldn't hurt) to help make these resources more accessible.
2. Unemployment
• My knowledge of this only extends to that in the United States.  Although unemployment rates have gone down over the past decade or so, there are still many people that are looking for jobs, but are unable to because there are no jobs available.
• SOLUTION: Either create more job positions or help educate people to take their ideas and do something with it (whoa entrepreneurship), thus creating more jobs for people on a local scale.
3. Racism/Intolerance
• Through a particular type of elitism, some people are under the impression that they are better than others because of the color of their skin or the religion they follow (if any). This leads to hatred and occasionally acts of violence.
• SOLUTION: Spread love and not hate. Help people understand that we were all created equally and should be able to coexist. 
4. Terrorism
• According to the dictionary, the definition of "terrorism" is the "systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion." This means that people will resort to violence as a way to push their agenda (usually political, but it can vary). This has very much to do with number 3 in that some terrorism is based on religious and racial intolerance.
• SOLUTION: World leaders should promote peace and tolerance rather than enabling hatred.  While it would be ideal for no one to fight at all, it is not a perfect world. Therefore, countries should hope for the best while preparing for the worst (focusing on strengthening their own defenses rather than attacking people elsewhere as civilians are getting killed all them time for doing nothing). 
5. Overpopulation
• To put it very simply, we have too many people and not enough space and resources. 
• SOLUTION: Make contraceptives more available to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Find more renewable resources to support our growing population.
6. The Economy
• Everyone's national debt is increasing continuously and national spending isn't slowing down either. 
• SOLUTION: Although it is not ideal and not everyone would agree with it, raising taxes for those that are able to pay them would probably be good start. Also redirecting some of the funds from unnecessary expenditures would also be a good idea. 
7. Apathy
• People do not care about what is going on in the world if it doesn't relate directly to them. Since people aren't caring about the world's issues, they more than likely will do nothing to solve them. 
• SOLUTION: There really is no tangible solution for this unless more people have a change in heart and start caring or if they are made aware of these issues.  So I suppose making education more affordable for everyone would help (See number 9).
8. Pollution
• Whether it be air pollution or littering, pollution is a growing problem. While air pollution destroys the ozone, littering can kill off species
• SOLUTION: Some places, such as New York City, have implemented different rules to regulate the amount of air pollution emitted. For example, people aren't allowed to leave their cars idle and running for more than a short period of time.  If more places used this rule, air pollution would decrease. 
9. Lack of Available Education
• Education is very expensive and not very accessible to those in less fortunate financial situations.  There is almost no reason for school (college especially) to be as expensive as it is.  If education is to stay this expensive, how are we supposed to expect people to obtain knowledge to make a living for themselves? Most jobs (with the exception of most of the food industry) requires at least a high school education.  Higher paying jobs require an actual degree.  You can't get those if you have no money.
• SOLUTION: Offer better financial aid to those that need it.  Or lower tuition in general.  That would be great. 
10. Reliance on Antibiotics
• Bacteria are building tolerances to the medicines that have been discovered already. We rely very heavily on antibiotics as a source of health. Not saying that medicine is a bad thing, but eventually we might not be able to fight bacteria that have built up an immunity.
• SOLUTION: don't use antibiotics unnecessarily. This solution is very dependent on medical advances.

Unfortunately, none of these problems are issues that can be changed overnight, but hopefully in the future, these will all get solved (or at least be closer to getting solved).

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Howdy! Here is my reflection for week 3's reading.

1. What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 
• Although I knew how that there were risks and negative factors that come into play within any entrepreneurial venture, the biggest surprise for me in this reading was how many there were (especially when it has to do with ego).  
2. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.
• I thought this chapter was pretty straightforward, so nothing was really confusing to me.  
3. If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?
• In your opinion, between the types of risk listed, what is the greatest risk an entrepreneur takes when creating their own business?
• I would ask this because since there are multiple types (financial, career, social, psychic, etc.), they could potentially be ranked from worst to not-as-bad based on opinion.
• Have you personally had to recover from failure in any entrepreneurial endeavors?
• I'm curious to see if he had any first hand experience with the grief recovery process.
4. Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?
• There wasn't anything in this chapter that I really disagreed with in particular.

Identifying Local Opportunities

Howdy!  In this post, you'll find 5 different local unmet needs. Here they are:

1. How to Avoid Boredom, Monotony in Retirement - The Orlando Sentinel
• People transitioning from a full-time job to retirement are having issues staying busy and motivated, whether it be at home or in retirement homes. There are some companies that offer "transition programs" to help with the adjustment, while donating to nonprofit organizations.  There are also many volunteer programs that "offer programs for retiring workers looking to engage with nonprofits." One company (My Next Season) trains executives to be able to effectively help these people start projects and to keep busy.  The head of this company wishes to/is in the process of creating a mobile networking app to develop a more phone-based service.  Potentially, other businesses could solve this issue.
• PROBLEM(S): Elderly/Retired people are not enjoying their retirement. One of the main organizations wants to expand their service to different markets through mobile phones.
2. Video-game Realism is Big Business - The Orlando Sentinel
   • The video-game community is beginning to migrate toward highly immersive/virtual reality game play, meaning that they are able to experience the game more first-hand rather than staring at a TV and using a controller. If gamers aren't able to use these devices, they expect the companies that create the games (Bethesda, Bungie, etc.) to implement higher graphics, updated player rosters, and improved game play.
   • PROBLEM(S): While there are major companies like Samsung and Oculus Rift creating VR games and hardware, these are very expensive and not accessible to everyone.  There also aren't that many popular video games that are made for the Oculus Rift (and products of the sort).
3. Hoverboards with Fake Batteries Seized at Port Miami - The Miami Herald
• Police confiscated over 200 of the "self-balancing scooters" that contained fake batteries.  The batteries had "LG" labels on them, but they were not actually produced by that company.  Since the batteries are not legitimate, they are at a higher risk for bursting into flames. Since there is no "one hoverboard manufacturer" (although they are mostly produced in China), it is hard to keep track of all of the counterfeit and potentially dangerous products. 
• PROBLEM(S): Batteries in general aren't very well made and even if they are legitimate, they still have the potential to malfunction (especially Lithium-ion batteries).  Also, if an organization were to create their own hoverboards, they would be able to ensure that they meet certain safety requirements before distribution.
4. As Veterans Come Home, a New Generation of Caregivers - The Miami Herald
• The article provides data for the amount of caretakers in the US post-9/11.  The author notes that this is the longest period of war that the country has been in, so the consequences of that are finally beginning to show.  They talk about a veteran in Miami who is no longer able to store short-term memories.  They also mention how the training of the caregivers "directly affects the health and wellness" of the veterans,
• PROBLEM(S):This isn't exclusive to Miami, but there doesn't seem to be too many reliable resources for veterans to receive help from (especially psychological help).  There also isn't many places for potential caregivers to receive training to help the veterans.
5. Have Bike, Will Travel -- And Will Suffer - The Orlando Sentinel
• MetroPlan Orlando, who is in charge of regional transportation, needs to install bike racks in a more accessible place, rather than on the second floor of their office building.  The reporter also said that there were no bike racks or lanes near the Orlando Executive Airport. "The authority has 109 miles of toll road along six expressways but no bike lanes."
• PROBLEM(S): There are not enough bike racks or bike lanes for people to use in different areas of Orlando.

Very Short Interview No. 1

Howdy!

This post contains a very short interview with an entrepreneur.  For this assignment, I interviewed Jezrael "J" Flecha.  J is an IT at the University of Florida and my boss.  He has worked for the University for ~10 years.  Recently, he decided that he wanted to create his own company that would assist other people with either their IT, carpentry, or vehicle maintenance needs at an affordable rate.  He is an entrepreneur because he is taking advantage of a need for a service by using skills he has accumulated over the years from both the University of Florida and from his personal hobbies. Here are his answers to the questions:

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? 
To me, it gives me a sense of freedom. Even with taxes upon taxes upon taxes, I still feel less restricted than when I’m on business with the University. I’ve learned while starting up my own business that I am a victim of my own success. 

What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course? 
The ability to research efficiently and effectively. The saying, “time is money”, is never so real until it affects you directly. Communication is also another great tool to keep in your toolbox. Effective communication is key all throughout business.    

What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur? 
I didn’t attend college for business prior to being an entrepreneur. If I had to choose, I would say learning a bit more of the law side. One small mistake and all the time, effort, and money can simply just disappear.

During this interview, I learned that people can choose to be entrepreneurs for different reasons. Some people do it for money, while others do it for freedom.  I also didn't think about how important the legal aspect of business could be (which in retrospect, it is very, very important).  I actually will be working with J within his startup as he is looking for people with IT skills (he trained me in all that). At the end of the semester, I will be interviewing him again.