Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Assignment 6a

Economic: 

1. Baby Boomers Aren't Retiring 
1. This article I ran into while learning about the recent economic trends of last year that are trickling into this year. The article discusses how the older generation has basically been forced to continue to work instead of retire due to the Great Recession that was felt by many of those that fall into the baby boomer generation. It also talks about how this generation is working longer into their lives and not giving way to the millennials seeking for these very positions. The prototypical customer then becomes collegiate students seeking for a job after they graduate college and then having trouble landing one because of the older generation who cant give up their jobs yet due to not being financially ready for retirement. The opportunity to aid the baby boomer generation exists and this in turn aids the millennial generation who are seeking jobs
2.  Thinner Tax Refunds
1. This article discusses how this tax year, many people are going to see a significant decrease in their tax refunds due to the new tax law. People are going to either see a dramatic decrease or are actually going to end up owing money to the government because of this new law. I sought this opportunity while I was thinking about the fact that I had to file my taxes soon. This cut in returns will affect people who were not aware of the new law. People are going to expect high returns and will budget their upcoming months with this prediction. The opportunity to educate the public about current tax news and laws exists and this would help prepare them to budget according to changing economic situations.

Regulatory

1. Amazon and Ecommerce Putting Pressure on Supermarket Giants
1. The age of buying groceries digitally has finally hit the stage. While still a new concept, this trend has been on a steady increase ever since Amazon promoted their partnership with whole foods and other grocery chains. This has meant that physically supermarkets around the nation are suffering due to the steady decrease of in-store buyers. This has reduced profits and highly impacted grocery stores. The opportunity to promote physically supermarkets exists and is necessary to pursue if the interests of them is to remain standing. People like the idea of fresh groceries being delivered to their house through same-day delivery, so the opportunity for supermarkets to jump on board with same-day delivery exists and this could help ween out competition.
2. Major Trends in Electric Vehicle Industry
1. This article describes the positive impact that electric vehicles have had on the environment and how California will be one of the major states to continue pushing electric vehicle deployment and policies. Prototypical customers would be those with incomes high enough to afford the purchase and maintenance of electric vehicles, however, overtime, the transition from fuel to electric will balance this income gap out. The opportunity to manufacture affordable and environmentally friendly vehicles exists and those who can partake include major car manufacturers all over the nation.

Identifying Local Opportunities

Assignment 5A- Identifying Local Opportunities

1. Gainesville Sun- A horse named Highway is on the road to recover
1. The article talks about a horse (Highway) that was travelling on a moving horse trailer and fell off of it on while it was moving and injured itself. The driver managing the trailer never reported to the authorities that there was a missing horse, and because of this, was charged with animal abandonment. The horse was treated for a torn knee and road burns, and the surrounding community were able to gather $8,000 to pay for Highway's surgery.
2. The problem with this story is that the horse was handled carelessly due to poor trailer handling and inexperienced horse travelers. 
3. The problem falls into the hands of horse owners who are looking to transport their horses safely and in good-condition. 
2. Gainesville Sun- Panel: 'Stand Your Ground' law should be repealed
1. The article briefly discusses that a panel of two attorneys and an elected official argued to ban Florida's "stand your ground" law that allows people to use deadly force in the case they feel threatened by an intruder in their own home. The attorneys argued that this law impacts African-Americans largely and that it promotes vigilantism. They also mention that hose who claim "stand your ground" in court are mostly protected from being sued and from being persecuted,
2. The problem with this article is that there is a lot of controversy about the "stand your ground" law and the controversy affects the public in dangerous situations.
3. The problem then falls into the hands of the state. This law, according to the attorneys, is one that is deemed unnecessary due to the self-defense rule already existing. These attorneys note that many people are granted immunity unfairly because of this law, and it is then up to the state to do something about this controversy. 
3. Gainesville Sun- County raises tobacco buying age to 21
1. The article reports the new ordinance taking place in Gainesville that will raise the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21. This ordinance will also require tobacco vendors to hold a sales license for tobacco.
2. The problem in this article is that many residents in the local Gainesville area are college students who are under 21 but are above 18 and regularly purchase tobacco items. This means there will be a decrease in sales from this specific demographic and possibly an illegal market of tobacco for those under 21. 
3. The problem falls on both the underage clients and tobacco vendors.
4. Miami Herald- More than 68,000 pounds of chicken recalled after wood was found by some customers
1. The article simply details the incident that occurred recently where a few people found wood in their chicken and were therefore unable to consume them. The article locates the exact batch of chicken that these wood chips were found in and suggested readers that if they purchased from the specific batch then they are entitled to a full refund.
2. The problem here is the lack of detailed inspection of food from Purdue chicken producers.
3. The problem then becomes the audience's because they are the ones consuming the chicken and could fall gravely ill due to an incident that is related to poor inspection. In this case, Purdue can be sued by its consumers.
5. Miami Herald- FSU apologizes for photoshopping Martin Luther King Jr. in ‘tomahawk chop' tweet
1. The article discusses FSU's poorly planned MLK tweet and the backfire it received from its followers. This led to FSU having to publicly apologize for the insensitive tweet and having to provide an explanation for the post. In this article, FSU's recruitment team was compared to others who also posted about Dr. King but did so in a respectful and appropriate way.
2. The problem here is that those in charge of the page do not have a set of guidelines that determines what is and what is not appropriate to post. Certain topics are more sensitive and should be thought of carefully.
3. The problem becomes FSU's because they are not enforcing certain professional guidelines simply to seem trendy.

My Opportunity Belief

Assignment 4A

For many decades, the way a woman dresses has been a popularly discussed topic. Their choice of clothing has been talked about at schools, jobs, clubs, and even in a court room. The notion that a woman who is wearing a risque outfit is "asking for it" has been used as an actual argument in rape cases for many years. I, and many others believe that the way a woman dresses does not suggest whether she is looking to get hit-on, approached, and lastly, sexually assaulted. However, in many rape cases, one of the most commonly asked questions is: "Well, what was the victim wearing?" This has been a topic of controversy, as in many cases, prosecutors seem to link suggestive clothing to consent. A woman does not ask or suggest to get raped, and the entire notion of dictating their consent based on what they wear is ludicrous.

#1 Female UF student, 19, Single

• Have you ever felt scared walking home from a night out because of what you're wearing?
• Yes I have. My dad bought me a taser to carry with me at all times, especially going out. He knows I go out a lot and wants me to be safe whenever I walk home from midtown. My friends have pepper spray too. I'm single so I like to dress cute to attract guys but I obviously don't want them to think I want to have sex with them.
• Have you ever purposefully not worn an outfit because you thought it would bring unwanted attention?
• Yes. Sometimes my shirt is too revealing for a night out so I change out of it because I don't want guys staring at my chest because it's larger than most. 
• Do you think that what a woman wears influences whether she is "asking for it"or not?
• Nope. No woman is ever asking for it, and that is the final answer to that.
• Do you think it is a valid argument to suggest some women get raped for wearing a suggestive outfit?
• Absolutely not. That's as sexist as Trump saying "grab her by the *****."
• Would you argue to have this kind of argument ruled invalid in court?
• That argument should totally be eradicated. It is uncalled for to blame the victim on her own sexual assault because she was dressed in a skirt instead of sweatpants. 

Reflection: This person agreed that something should be done to remove such comments in a courtroom. She feels like she has to watch how she dresses because it can bring negative attention that she isn't seeking for.

#2 Male UF student, 22, single

• Do you think that what a woman wears influences whether she is "asking for it"or not?
• No. End of the day, a woman's choice in clothing can't be held accountable for a man's sexual instincts.
• Do you think it is a valid argument to suggest some women get raped for wearing a suggestive outfit?
• No. Even if a woman is naked, no means no and that is the end of it. 
• Would you argue to have this kind of argument ruled invalid in court?
• If the defense asked "did you see what she was wearing?" then I would say "what does that matter?" A person who chooses to attack and rape another person attacks them for reasons unrelated to the victim's attire.

Reflection: Similar to the first girl, he believes that such arguments should be brought up in court because the way a woman dresses does not equate to their consent or lack of. He even goes to say that even if they are naked, they are still not asking for it. No woman is.

#3 Female UF student, 21, long-term relationship

• Have you ever felt scared walking home from a night out because of what you're wearing?
• Yes. I've been cat-called in the past and it only happens when I'm wearing something that shows skin or my legs.
• Have you ever purposefully not worn an outfit because you thought it would bring unwanted attention?
• Yes because one time I wore shorts to the club and I got hit on a lot. The next time I went, I wore something more modest like jeans and I didn't get hit on nearly as much as I did when I wore shorts.
• Do you think that what a woman wears influences whether she is "asking for it"or not?
• No, because girls can wear whatever they want without wanting that attention. However, I think for a guy, when they see a woman wearing something sexy, they think she wants to get hit on and touched. 
• Do you think it is a valid argument to suggest some women get raped for wearing a suggestive outfit?
• Definitely not a valid argument. The outfit has nothing to do with consent. 
• Would you argue to have this kind of argument ruled invalid in court?
• For sure. That argument is absolutely ridiculous. No woman is asked to be sexually assaulted because they're wearing a skirt. Skirts are cute and trendy, not meant to simply be eye-candy for men. That's disgusting that stuff like this is even brought up.

Reflection: This girl thinks similarly to the other two interviewees. She even gives examples of her own experiences at clubs, and how a simple change of wardrobe made a big difference in how harassment-free her night went.

Summary

After interviewing these prototypical customers, my belief still remains in need. All three people agreed that this argument needs to be eradicated from every court room, and not be allowed as an argument. This unmet need can be satisfied if by limiting certain pieces of evidence/arguments into court, such as this one that violates a woman's freedom to comfortably dress as they please.

My Entrepreneurship Story

Assignment 2A

All week, I have been working my brain, trying to get it to remember of a time that I was exposed to entrepreneurship. I have lived a pretty simple life, and do not feel like I have truly encountered a time, or a person, that has left me with an entrepreneurial impression. Shows like Shark Tank often times leave me boggled and amazed at the ideas that people come up with. What leaves me even more astounded, is the way they execute these ideas and make them a reality. My mother, long ago, was a business owner herself. She owned her own bake shop, and produced incredible creations for her customers. However, with the arrival of three kids, she decided it was best she close the business, and dedicate her time to us. Now that she is nearly finished raising all of us, she expresses her desire to reopen her business and get back into her passion. But as most of us know, reopening a business isn't as easy as we all may hope. Watching her long for something so badly, and not being able to execute it due to financial reasons saddens me, and even puts me off from the whole idea of creating something. This is why I joined ENT3003. I have never been in a setting with an energy as entrepreneurial as this one has revealed so far.

Currently, I am a pre-law student with big dreams of accomplishing a lot in the field. I have a life-long goal of becoming a judge some day, but I know I have a lot of work to complete before I even get close to that goal. One thing I wish to achieve along the way is an entrepreneurial and business mindset. I wish to flex my way of thinking, and perfect different points of view. To me, perspective means a lot, and I seem to have trouble thinking outside the box. I am already having a hard time coming up with a belief for assignment 3a., and I feel like this says a lot about my creativity. With this class, I hope to grow better in that sense. I speculate that becoming good at thinking outside the box comes with practice, and I expect to practice this discipline with this class's workload.

  

Bug List

Assignment 2A: Bug List

1. My upstairs neighbor throws a party every Wednesday night

WHY it exists: Perhaps Wednesday is the only day my neighbors don't have homework due or class the next day so they take advantage of it and decide to have fun in the middle of the week. 

2. My upstairs neighbor's dog does not like my dog because my dog is bigger

WHY it exists: The neighbor's dog is a chihuahua who has a big-dog complex and therefore believes it is tougher than it truly is. Despite this big-dog complex, the chihuahua may also be aware that it is small in stature and may bark aggressively to defend itself from other dogs who may seem dangerous because they are bigger. 

3. My apartment residence never refills dog poop bags

WHY it exists: Perhaps my residence never refills bags because there are not enough dog-owners in the residence who use the complimentary poop bags featured throughout the complex. 

4. The parking and drive-thru situation at the Starbucks on Newberry Road is horrendous because there are only 6 parking spots available, and those spots are usually taken up by the employees.

WHY it exists: Because this Starbucks was built right off the 75 highway, it was designed to mostly service customers taking a detour from the highway and who do not want to get out of their cars. 

5. The lack of buses that visit Cabana Beach residence

WHY it exists: Only one bus directly navigates to Cabana Beach because the residence is an inconvenient detour from all other destinations in Gainesville. The residence is far from UF, and it is also squared away in a corner right next to the highway. Also, the road it is next to constantly gets backed up by traffic and this would cause the bus schedule to be delayed. 

6.Rude fast food employees

WHY it exists: Some employees do not care enough about their jobs, and express this carelessness onto innocent customers who simply want to order a meal and enjoy good service while doing so.

7. Rude Customers

WHY it exists: Some customers feel that they are superior to fast food employees, therefore feel comfortable berating innocent employees who are simply trying to do their job. Some customers voice their opinions to employees in a distasteful matter, despite the fact that some employees do not have control of company-issued regulations, such as the price of a hamburger. Some customers think that employees do have control of these issues. 

8. Having a one-hour discussion class on Monday morning even though all your other classes are scheduled Tuesdays and Thursdays and no other time-slot is available for the discussion course.

WHY it exists: Professors acknowledge that students may forget to review course-related material over the weekend for the lecture class on Tuesday and therefore establish a discussion class at the beginning of the week to give students an opportunity to get started for the week ahead of time.

9.When public bathrooms do not offer seat-covers 

WHY it exists: Businesses might believe seat covers are a waste of money because people can simply use toilet paper to cover the toilet seat. Also, money is spent on maintenance workers to clean and sanitize bathrooms.

10. Uber drivers who talk to you in the car ride despite one expressing the lack of interest in the conversation

WHY it exists: Uber drivers may believe that if they hold a conversation with their patron and do not have awkward silence then their patron will give them a higher service rating on the app.

11. Guys that rudely stare at girls in the gym

WHY it exists: Guys may find a girl attractive and think that by staring at them then the girl will notice the guy is interested in holding a conversation. 

12. More than one final exam on the same day

WHY it exists: Professors do not have control over their student's school schedule and therefore can't accommodate a test date for each and every single one of their students.

13. Mandatory attendance for classes that are powerpoint-based and the professor simply reads off the slides and then posts the powerpoint online.

WHY it exists: Professors require attendance so that students put more effort into the class and stay up-to-date with the class requirements and have a clear understanding of the material.

14. Students who take up an entire booth even though they are only one person and do not take up an entire booth, therefore students studying in groups are forced to move chairs and tables around to fit all together.

WHY it exists: Perhaps students who do this have social anxiety and want to sit comfortably without being forced to sit with other students. Another reason it may exist is because there are not enough booths in the library and everyone loves to sit in booths, so it is a first come first serve basis.

15. Waking up at 6AM to take a half hour bus ride to school only to find out your 8AM class is cancelled and you did not know because the professor did not send an up until 10 minutes before the start of class. 

WHY it exists: Perhaps the professor did not have time to write an email ahead of time because they became suddenly ill or they had a family emergency.

16. When drivers honk at cars to move after the traffic light changes and it has only been .3 seconds since it has changed. 

WHY it exists: Drivers who honk immediately after the light changes might be in a hurry, or late to work, or have to use the bathroom extremely bad and need the driver ahead to accelerate their pace. 

17. Being so short that the sun visor in my car does nothing to protect my eyes from the sun

WHY it exists: I was born too short and most cars do not have sun visor extensions for short people. 

18. Not being able to lay on your side and watch TV because your glasses shift due to your head being against the pillow.

WHY it exists: Glasses are made to be taken off and on, therefore are not secured on one's head permanently. This is why they shift when moved.

19. Parents who put a leash on their small kids.

WHY it exists: In crowded areas, parents feel like they might lose sight of their kids and lose them, so in order to keep  better view of them, they leash them.

20. Picking up a variety of fruits at the supermarket that aren't ripe and then having them all ripe at the same time, making it impossible to eat them all at once. This results in having them thrown out.
WHY it exists: Supermarkets that provide fruit in bulk don't measure fruit that vary in ripeness. For example, a bag of avocados does not have single avocados that are more ripe than the rest.

Reflection

Coming up with this list of bugs was not nearly as challenging as I thought it would have been. To make it easier on myself, I took the advice given in the instructional video, and started thinking about each bug a couple days before the assignment. Every day, I encountered a bug. During my drive to work, at work, while walking my dog, while doing homework, etc. One thing I found challenging was explaining why the bug exists. A lot of times, I found myself describing why the bug frustrated or annoyed me, instead of explaining why it exists in the first place. To stop myself from explaining why it bothered me, I had to do a mental switch and think in a very objective way. I also found myself coming up with crazy solutions to each problem, and wanting describe that as well. Overall, I found the assignment fun, as I humored myself a bit with the things I found "bugged" me.

Test Post

Test post text.