Identifying Opportunities

With no tower, is airport safe? Crash at Peter O. Knight sparks concerns over risks to neighbors

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15C0D8121438BE18?p=WORLDNEWS

This airport does not have a tower or air controllers. Planes must rely on radio communications to signal their intentions. Due to this, two men lost their lives in a plane crash. Citizens and safety officers want to see a tower and traffic controller to increase safety for both the residents around the airport and the pilots. Others argue, however, that a traffic tower would not prevent traffic conflicts. Pilots must also effectively communicate.
The problem here is that, in smaller airports, communication is often lacking. And since these airports usually house smaller planes and non-commercial pilots, lots of people do not see the need for air traffic control as strict as in other airports.
This affects pilots, passengers, and residents who live at risk of a plane crash.

Trump said he'd round up 'bad hombres.' How did a Jamaican grandma get on that list?

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/169A1F8C442A4CA8?p=WORLDNEWS

Due to recent regulations and laws in this country, a Jamaican grandmother was put in detention by the Border Patrol. She was escorted off of the bus for one reason: she overstayed her tourist visa. While she was legally detained, the article argues that this wasn’t right or fair. Seveeral other similar cases are listed here, due to Trump’s orders to identify, detain, and quickly deport any undocumented immigrant whom agents come upon.
The problem here are the poor people who are trying to live their lives being deportd without fair process and not even getting a chance. It is reminiscent of other past societies that have not fared well and does not comply with our nation’s rich cultural diversity.
This is a problem for immigrants and people who come from other countries.

Ankle bracelet fails to stop violent offender Man flees while awaiting trial in sexual battery, kidnapping - Man flees while awaiting trial in sexual battery, kidnapping

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15C0D810D63EFA10?p=WORLDNEWS

Ankle monitors seem to be failing. Kevin McGruder was released from jail with one. He had been arrested with false imprisonment and domestic battery. The jail argues for ankle bracelets: saying tha they are economical for the jail. You save money with fewer people. The man was later found and arrested.
The problem here is that ankle monitors are failing and not as trustworthy as one would hope.
This is a problem for society and jails, as well as the justice system.

'We are numb to the suffering of animals, which makes us numb to the suffering of people'

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/1695DB6DD043F0C0?p=WORLDNEWS

James Cromwell argues that the world is too cruel to animals. Our lack of empathy for them translates to a lack of empathy for the suffering of people. According to him, violence towards animals “infects us as a species and corrupts our nature”. He describes eating animals, keeping them in zoos and aquariums and the mistreatment towards them there.
The problem here, according to him, is that people are too cruel to animals. Our society turns its head from the abuse, and that leads us to be violent towards other humans, as well.
This affects animals and everyone around the world.

A driving frustration Until new locations open, new drivers in Hillsborough can face monthlong delay - Until new locations open, new drivers in Hillsborough can face monthlong delay

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15BF89251885DCD0?p=WORLDNEWS

There is only one location in Hillsborough County for a road test to get a license. Up to 120 appointments are scheduled per day. The wait for a road test can take up to 30 days, so many people are going to Polk County. Tickets don’t guarantee an appointment, just a place in line. A new larger tax collector/DMV place will be built soon. The state will pay most of the construction cost.
The problem here is that the wait times are too long and people have to wait extended periods of time to get drivers licenses and road tests.
This affects new drivers, parents, and employees.

Forming An Opportunity Belief

1.       I think that there needs to be more scooter-only parking spots throughout Gainesville, so that scooters can have designated parking spots without taking up room needed by cars on the sides of the street.

2.       Not only do car drivers have this need, but it would likely benefit scooter drivers as well. Too many times has a scooter driven into a spot as I was backing into it, meaning that I can no longer park there. This is not only a dangerous situation for them (what if I hadn’t seen them in time?), but it’s a major annoyance when I’ve already spent twenty minutes searching for a spot. Or, sometimes, I will be parked in a spot, only to come out to my car and discover that I can’t leave because there are two scooters almost leaning on my car. My roommates have complained about both of these exact experiences. This need has existed for as long as there has been joint car and scooter parking throughout town. People are just dealing with it at the moment.

3.       The prototypical customer would be both car drivers and scooter drivers who use street parking in Gainesville. I found three- Adam, Momo, and Chris.

4.       I interviewed my roommate Adam, who complains about this most often.

5.       Me: Tell me about your parking experience in Zone 1 here.
Adam: It’s awful. Sometimes I’m driving around for fifteen minutes looking for a spot. It’s not as bad on the weekends, but especially late at night I can never find a spot within ten minutes of our place.
Me: Do you feel like scooters contribute to your frustration?
Adam: Oh, hell yeah, dude. I mean, seriously, they are literally the most frustrating thing. They just drive up wherever they see the tiniest bit of room and leave their scooters around. Doesn’t matter if a car is backing into the spot, doesn’t matter if the car won’t be able to get out, doesn’t matter if the scooter is in the middle of two open spaces, rendering a spot that could fit two cars useless.
Me: What if the city were to implement scooter-only parking spots?
Adam: You mean like on campus?
Me: Oh, yeah, I guess they do have those scooter areas. Just like that. I mean, it would take some spots away from cars, but then you wouldn’t have to worry about scooters driving in and blocking your vehicle or whatever.
Adam: I bet they could do that, too. The city would probably never fund something like that, though. They’d be too cheap to buy the tiny bit of paint and too lazy to enforce the new rule.
Me: But hypothetically, you would support it?
Adam: Yeah.

6.       I also interviewed Momo, who parks here somewhat often.  She has a small car that can fit into spaces much more easily than mine or Adams’.
Me: How do you feel about the parking situation when you come visit me.
Momo: What do you mean? You do all my parking for me, I can’t parallel park.
Me: Yeah, but like how do you feel about the amount of time to find a spot?
Momo: It’s ridiculous. A waste of gas, too. I hate driving around for so long only to have to walk for like ten minutes.
Me: And what about the scooters? Do you think they contribute to the whole frustration of the experience?
Momo: Probably. There was that one time where like you literally couldn’t get out of that spot and your friend just moved one of the bikes back a few feet.
Me: Do you feel like the city adding scooter-only parking spots would make everything a little bit easier?
Momo: Oh, yeah, sure, I guess. I hadn’t thought of that before. But what do you mean, should they, like, make new spaces or replace old ones or what’s the deal?
Me: Like, turn some car parking spots into several scooter spots. They could have like ten-twenty spots per street, and it would only take up about three or four old car spots.
Momo: Yeah, then we wouldn’t have to worry about them blocking you out. Seems cool to me.

7.       I also interviewed my friend’s friend Chris, who rides scooters!
Me: How has the parking situation been for you and your moped off-campus?
Chris: Not bad. I can usually find a little opening somewhere.
Me: Do you ever feel like you’re blocking cars from getting out?
Chris: Yeah, totally. Sometimes I worry that they’re gonna knock my bike over or whatever, but it’s ends up fine.
Me: What if the city provided scooter-only parking?
Chris: You mean like the little striped spots on campus? Near Broward?
Me: Yeah
Chris: That could work. I feel like people driving wouldn’t be cool about that, though. Wouldn’t you be taking some of their spots?
Me: Yeah, but then we wouldn’t have to worry about being blocked in or almost fitting in a spot, only to be blocked out by a scooter.
Chris: Yeah. I bet that wouldn’t be too hard to do, either.

8.       My opportunity is very popular with the people I interviewed who park in the same area, as they all agree that the parking situation is mediocre at best and could be improved.

9.       My original opportunity still remains. Everyone seemed very into what I was suggesting, and most agree that it would be somewhat simple for Gainesville to enforce scooter-only parking spots around town, just like the ones that exist on campus. No one really gave any suggestions on improving the idea, as it’s pretty simple. I don’t actually feel like it changed at all, everyone seemed to agree that it was a good plan.
However, had the people given suggestions, I would definitely listen to their feedback and make changes accordingly. Staying firm will often lead to an unpopular idea if you don’t listen to customer feedback. Listening to customer feedback will allow you to work with the public and make decisions based off of what they want. 

Your Entrepreneurship Story

Perhaps the only time I really could consider myself an "entrepreneur" is when I had a band in high school. I personally worked on our "concept pirate album" and promoted it around school, financing the recording and doing most of it myself. It was a very interesting time or sure, but this leading and financing of a product helped set me up for future endeavors, and I look back upon it as a great time that helped me grow as a person! Here is the "purposefully terrible" album art I designed for the project:

I enrolled in ENT 3003 mostly for the credit towards the innovation minor. However, all of the innovation classes have been interesting so far, so I'm hoping for a class that I can get something out of that will further my development and be helpful as I work towards my career. Working on projects and on assignments in these classes have been especially useful, and I'm hopeful that I'll get to have a similar experience in this course.

20 bugs

1. Scooters park around my car near the Courtyards, often nearly blocking me in in parallel parking spots. They are often leaned against my car or almost touching, meaning I have to move them slightly and do a thousand-point turn to get out of the spot.
Parking around Gainesville is incredibly difficult, especially with few spots being offered around my apartment complex. Scooters don’t have any spots designated for just them in my zone, so they are forced to park in whatever spaces they see between cars, with no regard to whether or not the car can get out easily.

2. My job required me to work two shifts the weekend of each home game, meaning that I was only able to attend two of the games.
Since I was hired in August, they needed the new hires to work shifts that more experienced employees would most likely not sign up for. Everyone wants to go to the games, so they would most likely have a lot less volunteers for shifts if they didn’t require new employees to work them.

3. The cartridge on my turntable needs to be replaced, and is constantly causing my records to skip.
The cartridge is old and the stylus has started wearing down.

4. Woodwind instruments are exceptionally difficult to play, and I wish they came more naturally.
Blowing into them is the challenge- the positions of the fingers is just simple memorization necessary for any instrument.

5. Our apartment charges overages for electricity, meaning that we have to pay an extra thirty-six or so dollars with rent each month, despite not overly using any devices.
The apartment I live in is notorious for charging overages, and with our A/C constantly being on, they can easily charge us.

6. Video games have become too much of a “cultured” thing for me to enjoy playing them regularly like I used to.
Most of my friends who play video games spend all of their time doing so, and it’s hard to just casually game or play once in a while without getting confused expressions from people who assume that you don’t know/enjoy video games.

7. My friends (roommates) enjoy playing music loudly, and I can’t focus on studying for classes while music is playing.
My friends can easily study and listen to music, but that doesn’t come naturally for everyone, including me. I have no issue with them doing it, but it is slightly annoying when I’m up in my room and can still here music blaring from downstairs.

8. It’s very difficult to find another guitarist and a bassist for my band, and everyone who does come in seems to come with some limitations.
Perhaps this is because I am looking for very specific types of musicians, and I should lower my expectations and be more open.

9. Drivers often don’t put on their blinker when turning on South Florida in Lakeland, meaning you have to guess if they’re turning or growing straight.
Some drivers just don’t think that blinkers matter and go on through life without warning.

10. The Physics building is a twenty minute walk from my apartment, making the trek home difficult, especially if it’s hot outside.
I live on the complete opposite side of campus from the physics building and have never considered taking the bus or biking (my bike was stolen).

11. Visiting my girlfriend between 4 and 6 p.m. is very difficult because the traffic on her street backs up and turns what is usually an eight-ten minute drive into a half-hour trek.
Rush hour traffic makes everything slow down, especially since many people are trying to get onto i-75 through an exit that is near her apartment.

12. My phone battery drains quickly, and often through ten minutes of straight use I will see the battery percentage decrease by 8-12 percent.
Phone battery seems to drain over time, and with mine being an iPhone, there’s not really much a of a way to replace it. My phone is getting older and over a year of bad charging habits and overuse probably have not helped.

13. I really wish that the existential dread that is constantly trying to set in would just go away and I could feel like I used to, without a care in the world.
I’m not sure why this exists exactly, but I think it’s just a part of getting older and worrying about death and the future (as well as why and how I exist).

14. The two hour-fifteen minute drive to Gainesville from my hometown is neither too long nor too short: it is just an annoyance.
This bug exists because we live in such a fast paced world that I’m used to getting places quickly, and two hours of sitting alone seems like a waste.

15. The new Jurassic World film looks fun, but only because some of my favourite dinosaurs will be heavily featured in it. I wish they would come up with better stories and ideas that would bring me back, as opposed to just the excitement of seeing dinosaurs on the big screen.
I’ve always been heavily interested in dinosaurs, but I also love a good plot!

16. I have to sign up for work so far in advance (to get shifts that I want) that I have no idea what my schedule’s gonna look like, and now have to base it around when I work.
This exists because I need work and I love my job, but only certain shifts. Those shifts are often taken quickly, so I have to sign up in advance!

17.  There are no mountains in Florida
Florida is a relatively new land form which has only emerged in the last few millions of years, and is mostly around sea level. This is unfortunate for me, since I love hiking and can’t wait to get out of the state!

18. I don’t have a good enough program to record music on here in Gainesville. Back home, I had Logic, but here, I only have FL Studio (which I’m not acquainted with yet), Mixcraft (Which is difficult to use), and Audacity (Which doesn’t have the features I need).
My computer here is a PC, and at home I had a Mac, which could support Logic and Garageband.

19. My downstairs neighbours often throw hammers at nails in their fence, along with knives and forks. This often occurs well after 12 am, and is a majour annoyance.
Who knows why this occurs. Who throws knives at fences? In a rented apartment?

20. I got a speeding ticket and now cannot afford getting a new guitar pedal without dipping into my savings.
I was speeding and going 16 mph over the speed limit. A police officer took notice of me and pulled me over, proceeding to give me a ticket.

I’m not someone who gets bugged or annoyed by things that easily, so this exercise was very difficult. While I’m annoyed by some small things, I really don’t think about them that much, so dwelling in these bad thoughts and minor annoyances was incredibly challenging. 

Music

I am listening to Jeff Rosenstock at this moment