This post is about 4 opportunities, two that involve economic trends and two that involve regulatory changes. The first two will be about economic trends and the second two will be about regulatory changes.
1. Virtual reality (VR)
I found this here
I believe there is massive opportunity in virtual reality. At first glance you may think, "This is just for video games" but there is much more opportunity than we may be able to imagine right now. The article I included the hyperlink for explains that virtual reality could even be used for virtual tourism, immersive journalism, and even exposure therapy. I think there will be opportunity to make things that will be compatible with virtual reality, whether it be an innovative app or even attachments/accessories for the VR headsets. I believe an opportunity exist because VR has been up and coming for a while now. In an era where everything is within our grasp this is a perfect addition. This will allow us to watch videos, movies, play games, video chat, and so much more as if we are actually there. Another thing that makes me think VR will be a success is the economic trends of advancing technology. When we see sci-fi movies about the future we see VR and other types of technology that we already on our way to creating. I think to a certain extent that media can influence the future. VR is progressing to the point where it is becoming very advanced and practical for various applications. I think the younger generations would be the main customers, but VR has the potential to break through to many different markets. I think most opportunities are hard to exploit in one way or another. Forming the idea of an opportunity for VR might be easy but actually creating the opportunity would probably be difficult. I think that I would see this opportunity and someone else wouldn't because there is so much to be created that hasn't been created yet and VR isn't big enough at this point to reveal all of the needs that VR owners will have. It is still in the beginning stages and therefore there is a lot of room for growth.
2. "Health in our own hands"
I found this here
This talks about the future of healthcare, more specifically about monitoring our own healthcare through technology. We now have affordable watches and other forms of body monitoring devices that don't cost a ridiculous amount. These devices can monitor our sleep and other aspects of our life that can be indicative of our health. The market for these types of devices and healthcare is predicted to grow by 600% in the next 3 years. This type of opportunity would be attractive to almost anyone. Millions upon millions of people have health issues and those who don't can still benefit from monitoring their health. Imagine a watch that could warn you when it knows you are about to have a heart attack and automatically calls 911 for you or prompts you to call. It would be like a cross between a fitbit and life alert. I think the development that would have to go into this idea would be hard to accomplish but that the product itself would be easy to sell. I believe many other people will see similar opportunity but where I could find a niche is thinking outside of the box and creating something ahead of its time that has multiple functions and does not just function with a single purpose, but many that can be integrated into an app or something. I can see there being opportunity here because people no longer use the doctor as traditionally used. Now people use the internet first and the doctor second instead of going to the doctor as soon as they have abnormal feelings.
3. Cyber threats
found here
Cyber threats are becoming greater and greater as more people use the internet to transmit secure information, such as banking information. This ranges from companies having private information about their customers stolen to crippling whole financial markets. This could possibly affect anyone who uses the internet to make payments or who has sensitive information or money invested in a company who is at risk of being hit by a cyber attack. I believe an opportunity exist here because for every defense there is a way to get past, so companies have to continuously be updating their technology to keep information safe from a cyber attack. I think a lot of people and companies see this is as a problem but no one has come up with a definite solution. This is probably a daunting task but if a solution could be created to 100% defend against cyber attacks, it would be very profitable and helpful.
4. Whistleblowing activity
found here
I found this article very interesting. It describes how whistleblowing protections are increasing. There may be opportunity to create an app where that would allow people to send in tips when something fishy is going on at their workplace. This app could be an extension of a company consisting of lawyers who look into the claims submitted by the users of the app. There could be a protected system where people can feel safe blowing the whistle on their employer and have easy access to do so. The audience for this app would be anyone who currently is employed. Like most things, I believe this opportunity would take a lot of effort to bring to reality. I think the reason I see this opportunity and not the next guy is because maybe I'm wrong for one, but if this is a good opportunity I'd say it hasn't been created yet because it is an idea that is futuristic. It involves new age technology that wasn't really possible 10-20 years ago and also whistleblowing is becoming more popular. Ever since Edward Snowden blew his whistle, opinions on whistleblowing have been stirred up and people may be more inclined to blow the whistle today.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
My Solution
This is a post about a solution to a problem I have mentioned in a previous post. This solution is referring to my previous blog post "Bug List"
In my Bug List post I list 20 things that bug me during my daily life. The solution that I am writing about here is from #3
3. There is no quick and easy way to transfer a single file from my iPhone to a storage device or computer. Sending a picture, video, or other type of file can be a pain to transfer to another device but could be as simple as a couple of button presses on the phone. This bothers me because sometimes I'd like to transfer some kind of file quickly and there is no quick and easy process that I am aware of. This could be fixed by a memory stick made for my phone.
I think that a memory stick that is made compatible for iPhones and Androids would be a hit. For example last week I was trying to get my audio files of my interviews onto my computer so I could upload them onto sound cloud. This turned out to be a huge pain in the ass, however, if I had a memory stick that would allow me to specifically move the item that I would like to move without the unreliability of emailing something to myself or the time consumption of syncing my phone would have been much easier. This would also be a huge help for transferring video or other types of files that may be a pain to move from phone to another device (phone to phone, phone to computer, phone to tv, etc...)
In my Bug List post I list 20 things that bug me during my daily life. The solution that I am writing about here is from #3
3. There is no quick and easy way to transfer a single file from my iPhone to a storage device or computer. Sending a picture, video, or other type of file can be a pain to transfer to another device but could be as simple as a couple of button presses on the phone. This bothers me because sometimes I'd like to transfer some kind of file quickly and there is no quick and easy process that I am aware of. This could be fixed by a memory stick made for my phone.
I think that a memory stick that is made compatible for iPhones and Androids would be a hit. For example last week I was trying to get my audio files of my interviews onto my computer so I could upload them onto sound cloud. This turned out to be a huge pain in the ass, however, if I had a memory stick that would allow me to specifically move the item that I would like to move without the unreliability of emailing something to myself or the time consumption of syncing my phone would have been much easier. This would also be a huge help for transferring video or other types of files that may be a pain to move from phone to another device (phone to phone, phone to computer, phone to tv, etc...)
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Forming An Opportunity Belief
This post is about a belief I have of an opportunity here in Gainesville.
Iteration #3 ----- link to interview 3
My belief is actually from my previous post. It is a belief that I developed from the news article about the neglect of an area in Gainesville. The area I am talking about it the area between the I-75 bridge on 20th ave and Tower road. Unlike many people at UF, I have lived in Gainesville for almost 12 years now and am very familiar with the city so I will describe it for you all. This stretch of road is about 3 miles long, has a bridge on one end, and only has sidewalks about half of the length the stretch. The neighborhoods and apartment complexes that are on this stretch of road are low income and most people depend on public transportation. This road has heavy traffic and very little safety measure for pedestrians. My belief is that there is opportunity to open a store on this stretch of land. At first I thought that creating a new form of transportation for people would be a good idea, but because the customers are low income and they have alternatives such as the bus it would be a better idea as a business man to open a store than try to wiggle into the transportation business. Because the transportation is so bad the residents of the housing along this road need stores that are close by so that they don't have to spend 3 hours traveling to the grocery store and back. My initial thought on what type of store to open is a gas station with a convenient store and fast food restaurant. I believe this would be very profitable because of the high volume of vehicles that flow through this road (being that it is one of the few that go west) and because there is only one mom and pop shop along the 3 mile stretch of road. There is actually commercial land for sale right now along the road that I imagine someone will make a killing off of in the near future. A majority of people along this road have a need for a store/gas station/fast food and those who don't have the need will still be attracted by the convenience and affordable food. My idea would also create jobs for those in the area who don't have means to travel far for work. I am 87.5% sure my idea would be a huge success.
The prototypical customer is nearly everyone that lives along the stretch of road but more specifically those without motorized transportation.
Iteration #1 ----- link to interview 1
I found that transportation is very bad and that some people waste more than 3 hours a day using public transportation. The buses don't run past 6:30 and 7:30 at the latest so for anyone who gets off work late they have to walk at least a mile on a road that is dangerous for pedestrians. The first gentleman I spoke to, Keith, told me he has had close calls with people in cars getting close to him while he was walking along the road, specifically the bridge. I also found out there is no convenient stores around. The closest stores are at least a mile or two. I also found that the roads are dangerous and do not have barricades on the bridge or sidewalks half of the stretch of road. There is not much support for bikers either so traveling far without a car can be dangerous. I found that there is a need for my opportunity because there is a large volume of people, most of which who lack motorized transportation, and not many stores around them. The most interesting thing I found about my opportunity is that there is almost no competition within a couple of miles of the stretch of road and there is lots of vacant land or land that hasn't been built on yet.
Iteration #2 ----- link to interview 2
The next man I spoke to, Jerome, said that he spends a lot of time waiting for the bus to take him to work and to run errands such as getting groceries. He said that there is a mom and pop store that has everything he needs for the most part, but my suspicion is he is modest and only shops there because he has no other option. He seemed like a very patient man and did not seemed too bothered by the fact that he wastes a large portion of his life on the bus or waiting for it to pick him up. The most surprising thing that I learned was that there is a store off of the road but it is down one of the side roads and is a small store.
Iteration #3 ----- link to interview 3
I learned that my opportunity would be very beneficial for some of the people along 20th. because the transportation is so bad a lot of people would rather walk to somewhere close by than try to travel via the bus.
I think that my original opportunity (transportation) would be way more of a hassle than what it's worth and possibly a failure. However, I believe that my most recent opportunity (opening a store/fast food/gas station) is very much a reality. I do believe my my opportunity is more accurate then when I started because I know better understand the needs of those in the area and what what they would like to change. There is definitely a trade off between adapting and staying firm. I believe there are somethings that you can adapt to and maybe more of the time you should adapt than stay firm, but there are also times when you have to stay firm on and hold your ground. Adaptation over time is key, times are changing and a business has to keep changing as well or it will get lost in the sands of time. We see many aspects of many different businesses changing today and it is all to adapt to their target audience.
Identifying Local Opportunities
This post contains five local articles from a couple of different newspapers that present a problem to a group of people and have the opportunity to create a solution.
1. ASO: Another skimmer found at gas station near I-75
---Link---
This story brings attention to the finding of a skimmer, or device that is used to steal credit card information. A skimmer was found at a gas pump at a gas station near I-75.
The problem is that people credit card information is being stolen and sold to the highest bidder, who then uses the card to buy things.
Anyone who pays with a card at a gas station could potential be a victim and therefore this is a problem for anyone who uses a card at a gas station.
2. Make improvements to neglected area
---Link---
This article describes an area in Gainesville where reliable transportation and safe streets are hard to come by. The area described in the article is just west of the interstate on 20th. The bus schedule is horrible and when you do catch a ride it may take hours to get where you are going. For one man it took 3 hours of transportation to make one trip to the grocery store. The streets aren't safe either. There are no sidewalks along the main road near the interstate and crime is worse in this area than the surrounding areas.
The problem is that it is hard for the people of these communities to get anywhere if they don't own a motorized form of transportation. This could result in not being able to keep a job because you can't get to it or get fired for being late. It also could cause time conflicts and waste a lot of time to get groceries or carry out other task that are not a problem for people with good means of transportation. Because there aren't any sidewalks riding a bike or another form of non motorized transportation can be dangerous. On top of it all the crime is worse than surrounding areas.
The people who live in this specific area of town are the ones who have to deal with these problems.
3. Faculty spouse recommends state buy bullet-proof lecterns
---Link---
This article is about a spouse who is worried that if conceal carry is allowed in schools that his wife won't be safe. This to me is outrageous, but it is possible there will be a problem if conceal carry is permitted on campuses. The spouse proposes that the state spend millions of dollars on bullet-proof boxes for teachers to teach in so they can't be killed by a gun while teaching. It sounds crazy, but it is a possible problem and there could be an opportunity for a solution.
Gun safety is a problem because not everyone is trained and competent enough to carry a weapon on them. Of course, just because it is illegal to bring a firearm on campus doesn't mean someone won't do it. Should we buy the bullet-proof lecterns now?!?! The guy who suggested that is an idiot... The cost for enough bullet-proof lecterns without a discount for a large quantity sale was estimated at 57M for florida universities. However, there is a way to end senseless gun violence that we haven't thought of yet.
Gun violence at school could be a problem for anyone who studies, works or is on campus at any point in time.
4. 3 detained after traffic stop uncovers cell phone store burglary
---Link---
This article is about 3 people who were pulled over for not having their headlights on at night. When the officer pulled them over he smelled marijuana and detained them. Come to find out they had over 200 smartphones and tablets in the car from a store they recently robbed.
Robbery is a problem and although we have decent preventative measures it still occurs frequently today. The robbery could have been prevented with more advanced preventative measures.
Robbery is a problem for anyone who owns anything. There are people out there who want to steal other peoples' things and will break through security to get to them. The security has to be able to stop the robbers.
5. What makes clean people smell?
---Link---
This article is about what makes people smell. It tells us the science behind body odor and what the methods of preventing B.O. are and how they work.
This is a problem because people like other people who smell good and sometimes someone may smell bad enough that they disrupt class or other social settings.
This is a problem for anyone who doesn't like to smell bad or someone who is close to someone else who smells bad.
1. ASO: Another skimmer found at gas station near I-75
---Link---
This story brings attention to the finding of a skimmer, or device that is used to steal credit card information. A skimmer was found at a gas pump at a gas station near I-75.
The problem is that people credit card information is being stolen and sold to the highest bidder, who then uses the card to buy things.
Anyone who pays with a card at a gas station could potential be a victim and therefore this is a problem for anyone who uses a card at a gas station.
2. Make improvements to neglected area
---Link---
This article describes an area in Gainesville where reliable transportation and safe streets are hard to come by. The area described in the article is just west of the interstate on 20th. The bus schedule is horrible and when you do catch a ride it may take hours to get where you are going. For one man it took 3 hours of transportation to make one trip to the grocery store. The streets aren't safe either. There are no sidewalks along the main road near the interstate and crime is worse in this area than the surrounding areas.
The problem is that it is hard for the people of these communities to get anywhere if they don't own a motorized form of transportation. This could result in not being able to keep a job because you can't get to it or get fired for being late. It also could cause time conflicts and waste a lot of time to get groceries or carry out other task that are not a problem for people with good means of transportation. Because there aren't any sidewalks riding a bike or another form of non motorized transportation can be dangerous. On top of it all the crime is worse than surrounding areas.
The people who live in this specific area of town are the ones who have to deal with these problems.
3. Faculty spouse recommends state buy bullet-proof lecterns
---Link---
This article is about a spouse who is worried that if conceal carry is allowed in schools that his wife won't be safe. This to me is outrageous, but it is possible there will be a problem if conceal carry is permitted on campuses. The spouse proposes that the state spend millions of dollars on bullet-proof boxes for teachers to teach in so they can't be killed by a gun while teaching. It sounds crazy, but it is a possible problem and there could be an opportunity for a solution.
Gun safety is a problem because not everyone is trained and competent enough to carry a weapon on them. Of course, just because it is illegal to bring a firearm on campus doesn't mean someone won't do it. Should we buy the bullet-proof lecterns now?!?! The guy who suggested that is an idiot... The cost for enough bullet-proof lecterns without a discount for a large quantity sale was estimated at 57M for florida universities. However, there is a way to end senseless gun violence that we haven't thought of yet.
Gun violence at school could be a problem for anyone who studies, works or is on campus at any point in time.
4. 3 detained after traffic stop uncovers cell phone store burglary
---Link---
This article is about 3 people who were pulled over for not having their headlights on at night. When the officer pulled them over he smelled marijuana and detained them. Come to find out they had over 200 smartphones and tablets in the car from a store they recently robbed.
Robbery is a problem and although we have decent preventative measures it still occurs frequently today. The robbery could have been prevented with more advanced preventative measures.
Robbery is a problem for anyone who owns anything. There are people out there who want to steal other peoples' things and will break through security to get to them. The security has to be able to stop the robbers.
5. What makes clean people smell?
---Link---
This article is about what makes people smell. It tells us the science behind body odor and what the methods of preventing B.O. are and how they work.
This is a problem because people like other people who smell good and sometimes someone may smell bad enough that they disrupt class or other social settings.
This is a problem for anyone who doesn't like to smell bad or someone who is close to someone else who smells bad.
Monday, May 9, 2016
My Entrepreneurship Story
This is a post about a time in my life when I was exposed to entrepreneurship. Enjoy!
Remember back to high school when we were still developing our independence and freedom and chasing what we wanted? I remember... and I had a different method to achieve my wants than the other kids. I realized that at this point in life most kids had similar wants as me. We wanted money, transportation, and cool toys. Around the time I began high school was when the iPod touch was a hot commodity. I was in a dilemma - spend my hard earned money for an iPod touch or continue saving? Why can't I do both, I thought to myself. This was the beginning of a
young entrepreneur. I understood what people wanted, what I wanted, and how I could use those two things to my advantage. I started buying iPod touches and selling them to my classmates. Of course, there was a reason they should buy from me as opposed to the next guy. I understood they wanted a genuine product in good condition for a great price if buying, or a reasonable amount of money for the product if selling. Well I had both, and I made sure people knew it too. All it took was talking to people. You have an iPod touch you'd like to sell or just need cash? I have cash. You need a used iPod touch in good condition guaranteed to work? I have those for cheap. My iPod touch business was booming! In eight months I sold over 10 iPod touches to my classmates. It's hard to estimate my earnings because I didn't keep track but utilizing the buy low sell high method I probably made an average of greater than $20 per sale, that's over $200. I knew this gig wouldn't last forever, especially at a small high school. I realized I needed to expand from the iPod touch to other goods and even services. This is when I started offering jailbreaking for a small cost. It took me about a day with their original device and I would return it in the next day or two jailbroken. It was great to sell a product and have a service to offer along with it. This didn't last forever, but I learned a great amount from this experience and still continue to buy and sell, utilizing websites like craigslist and even Facebook groups.
I enrolled in this class because I am considering pursuing a minor in entrepreneurship and possibly a master in business. Currently I am pre-med but I just haven't found my inspiration here so I'm doing some soul searching. I expect to get a basic understanding of what it takes to be an entrepreneur and possibly some insight on the process of creating and owning a start-up.
Bug List!
This is a post listing 20 things that bug me in daily life, the reasons why they bug me, and my reflection on the creation of this list.
1. I live in a college town and most of the traffic lights (even on campus) don't recognize when scooters are waiting at a light and therefore won't turn green. This happens because there is no sensor to detect if a scooter is waiting at the light. This bugs me because I am forced to run a red light or make a right turn and then a u-turn to get to where I am going. This could be fixed to include a sensor for lightweight vehicles.
2. I pay for wireless internet and do not constantly receive the download speed that I am paying for. This could be due to many things, such as the modem, the wiring throughout the apartment, the wiring to the apartment, the internet provider not providing the full amount, and other wireless customers hogging the internet. This bug me because it is expensive and I should receive better service for the cost.
3. There is no quick and easy way to transfer a single file from my iPhone to a storage device or computer. Sending a picture, video, or other type of file can be a pain to transfer to another device but could be as simple as a couple of button presses on the phone. This bothers me because sometimes I'd like to transfer some kind of file quickly and there is no quick and easy process that I am aware of. This could be fixed by a memory stick made for my phone.
4. Some parts of my refrigerator are colder than others and if you put certain foods in the wrong spot they will freeze. This is because the area the cooling is provided from is localized and to fix this it could be redirected to come from multiple locations and not just one point. This bothers me because sometimes foods that I want thawed will freeze. To fix this I could buy a new fridge or try to modify mine, maybe turn the temperature up.
5. There is not enough parking on or near campus for cars and scooters. This is because either there is not enough space to build parking lots or in some cases because the person(s) in control of the planning did not do so strategically and did not create more parking where there could have been if planned better. This bothers me because sometimes I cant find a spot when I need to study or get to class. To fix this I could try another means of transportation or join the committee that is responsible for the crappy parking.
6. Traffic really bugs me. Wasting away ones life in a car is not fun at all, especially when you are stuck sitting still. This is because the lights do not coordinate with one another. There is a way to write a program along with sensors at each light to detect volumes of traffic which can be communicated to a light further down the road to warm it of the large volume of incoming traffic or the lack there of. Such a system would decrease traffic. This bother me because I am trying to get somewhere quickly and I cannot.
7. Paying a tax and/or tip at a store/restaurant is annoying and not many people care for spare change these days. This is a problem because some jobs depend on part of the income coming from tips and nearly every store prices items before tax. A place where everything is all inclusive for a reasonable price would be great. This bugs me because you don't see the full price until you are required to pay. It would be nice to know the total you will be spending ahead of time and not be judged on how much you tip.
8. Gun ammo can be too expensive at certain stores (maybe the ones close to your house!). This is because sometimes there's not a lot of places nearby that sell ammo or because the customers are unaware they are being overcharged. A store that buys used casings and sells affordable reloaded casings for target ammo could be a hit! This bugs me because places that sell reasonably priced ammo are not always convenient to go to.
9. Lots of water bottles that I have used grow mold and are hard to clean. This is due to the water bottles having tight spaces that are inaccessible to cleaning and being made of materials that mold can grow on. This bugs me because I like to drink out of clean reusable water bottles.
10. On the third floor of library west there is a certain kind of chair that has a design flaw where the fabric wears and rips, therefore the seat is uncomfortable and in need of replacement. A new design would be more comfortable for students and more cost efficient for the university. This bugs me because it is uncomfortable to sit in crappy chairs and might deter me from sitting at a nice table.
11. Have you ever noticed how every humus brand's humus looks the same? They all seem to have a majority humus with a small amount of topping in the center of the container. The topping may be peppers, nuts, etc... This bugs me because I find myself running out of the topping before I finish the humus. I do enjoy the taste of humus, but you have to admit it's somewhat bland and is way better with the topping mixed in. Why don't they mix the toppings in with the humus? maybe it doesn't look as appealing? That's still no excuse for such a small portion of the topping. There definitely needs to be a humus that includes more topping, at least, and premixing the humus with the topping might be an even better idea.
12. Waterproof iPhone... Why hasn't this been created yet? Sure, they have cases and sprays to make your phone water resistant, but why not come that way from the factory? The only reason I can imagine there isn't one is because of money. I'm sure people wouldn't break their phones nearly as much if the phone was water resistant/proof leading to less sales of new phones or phone components. This bothers me because accidents happen and one less thing that can break my phone is a good thing.
13. Why aren't bathroom trashcans always next to the exit? Many people don't wash their hands and then proceed to use the door handle to exit, so people like me use the paper towel I used to dry my hands with to also open the door. This bugs me because when there is no trashcan in reach I am forced to "shoot the J" and with a shot that looks more like Shaq's than Kobe's I'm sure to miss the trashcan most of the time. This could be fixed by locating the trashcan by the exit. I recently saw someone created a trashcan that will calculate the trajectory of your trash and move to catch the trash.
14. Customer service can be aggravating sometimes, like when I was told the other day, "we can definitely probably have you computer looked at by the end of the day" This is aggravating enough by itself because I am a college student who has everything important on that computer, but is amplified by the fact that I was told it would be done the previous night. I understand things don't always work out as planned but things going wrong should be a rare occurrence if you are good at your job. There are many reasons my computer may not have been looked at in a timely manner but in this case I suspect the technicians were screwing around when they should have been diagnosing my computer. This bothers me because I need my computer for school and it seems the people at the computer store are wasting my time. This can be fixed by a better training program for the employees and maybe a new manager who will hire competent employees.
15. This ties in to the previous bug on my list. When I finally hear back about the condition of my computer I am told that they are not sure the extent of the damage to my computer but that they suspect the logic board is bad. Being handy with electronics and mechanics I decided to see what the cost would be to fix the computer myself, expecting the cost to be less that if I have someone else fix it. Boy was I wrong. The replacement part is $1,000... One thousand dollars??? "You've got to be kidding me" I tell the lady on the phone. This is insane considering the computer cost me less than that brand new. Shocked, I ask what else I can do. The lady on the phone tells me I can send my computer in to apple and they will fix any and everything wrong with the computer for four hundred dollars. This sounds like a good deal considering the part is one thousand, but this is barely less than half of the new price of the computer. At this point I feel defeated and Helpless. Giving in to the four hundred dollar deal is the best that I can do.
This is very common with electronics - replacement parts costing half or more than the original product. In many cases it's more cost efficient to throw your electronics in the trash and buy a new one than to fix them. What causes this? corporate greed, lack of resources, manufacturing costs? There is something that can be done to improve this system of buy, break, and buy again. This bugs me because I am forced to spend more money than is reasonable. A fix may be to find a way to make aftermarket replacement parts at a fraction of the cost.
16. Since I am on the topic of repairs being overpriced, here's another one. Scooter repairs are definitely overpriced. One day I drove my scooter to library west to study. When I returned to my scooter it appeared that someone ran into the rear of my scooter, breaking my turn signal and brake signal lenses. I went to New Scooter For Less to pick up what should have been a couple of cheap parts for my scooter. I ask the man at the register how much it was for just the left turn signal lens. BAM! "$42.99 for the whole kit", he says. "I can't buy them separate?", I replied. Of course not, I have to buy all of them because "they come together". That might have been alright with me if they weren't approximately $15 each for three pieces, two of which I did not need. This is on the cheap side of a scooter repair. This is another example of repairs not being worth it because they are more expensive than the item being repaired is worth. These items are "totaled" and there has to be a better way to deal with it. This bugs me because, once again, I am being overpriced. This problem has the same solution as the previous bug on the list.
17. A reoccurring annoyance is paying for a service you I am not receiving. This time it's not the internet provider, instead its a landlord. When I am renting and sign a lease that states both the landlords obligations and mine, I abide by them. It is not always the case however that the landlord does the same. I have been having a problem with the dryer for months now. I have brought this to the landlords attention multiple times and someone actually came out to look at it, but nothing has been done. The person who examined it claimed that it is working fine, but I disagree, having to run the clothes through two full dry cycles to dry them is not "working fine". I assume the reason this is a problem is a combination of the landlord being cheap and figuring that because it dries the clothes eventually, that it does not need to be fixed. This bugs me because it takes forever to do laundry and it probably increases my electric bill. This can be fixed by moving somewhere new, buying a dryer myself, threatening the landlord, etc...
18. Another thing that bugged me recently is when I went to the new pizza place, Dough Religion, and tried to order the "pizza of the day" for me and my girlfriend. The deal is you get a predetermined pizza for $5 if you check in on Facebook. The pizza of the day happened to be sausage and green peppers, which is fine with me but my girlfriend hates peppers. We waited in line assuming that trading green peppers for spinach would be no big deal and may even be more cost effective for the business, not to mention the advertisement we are about to post to Facebook for the discount. We are up next in line and we order the pizza of the day. I add in afterwards, "Can we substitute the green peppers for another vegetable like spinach? My girlfriend can't eat green peppers" to which the man behind the counter replies, "Sorry, we are only supposed to put what comes on it". It's not like I was asking the guy for some special treatment; it was a reasonable request and very little to ask to maintain my business. I walked out without completing my order and I have not been back to Dough Religion since and don't have plans to do so. It's not that he wanted to charge me an additional three dollars that aggravated me, it's the principal. We were not important enough for the business to please us. I asked for such a small favor, something so incredibly simple that would have given them more business from me in the future, an advertisement on my Facebook, and possibly a recommendation to friends and family to try the restaurant out - and they denied me. I think this happened because the employee who I was speaking with was not properly trained and lacked experience in customer service. Proper training could fix this issue. This bugs me because it is not how you run a business effectively and I wont pay $8 for a small mediocre pizza.
19. My girlfriends hair gets all over the place! I find it everywhere, even in spots I didn't think I'd find hair. This isn't very bothersome but can be annoying sometimes. Her hair is great, but not on the floor, in the shower, in bed, in my backpack... This could be due to not brushing it enough maybe? Maybe a specialized brush could fix this problem.
20. Number 20! Another hair related bug. Why do showers have drains that are easily blocked by hair? There should be something built into the drain that collects debris without blocking it from draining the water efficiently. The drain gets blocked because it functions not only as the drain but the debris collector as well. These two things need to be separate so the shower doesn't stop draining every week and the debris (hair mostly) can be discarded easily. This bothers me because sometimes it clogs and I have to fix it immediately or it will not drain.
Reflection on writing this post
This post was somewhat difficult to complete. When I am out and about during the day I am constantly surrounded by things that bug me and I'll even tell the person I'm with on certain occasions, but when I sat down to write this post I couldn't think of more than three significant things that bug me. I realized that to complete this post I was going to have to take note of things that bothered me throughout the day and put this post together one addition at a time. I started taking notes on my phone so I could write about them later. This seemed to be an effective way of compiling this list.
1. I live in a college town and most of the traffic lights (even on campus) don't recognize when scooters are waiting at a light and therefore won't turn green. This happens because there is no sensor to detect if a scooter is waiting at the light. This bugs me because I am forced to run a red light or make a right turn and then a u-turn to get to where I am going. This could be fixed to include a sensor for lightweight vehicles.
2. I pay for wireless internet and do not constantly receive the download speed that I am paying for. This could be due to many things, such as the modem, the wiring throughout the apartment, the wiring to the apartment, the internet provider not providing the full amount, and other wireless customers hogging the internet. This bug me because it is expensive and I should receive better service for the cost.
3. There is no quick and easy way to transfer a single file from my iPhone to a storage device or computer. Sending a picture, video, or other type of file can be a pain to transfer to another device but could be as simple as a couple of button presses on the phone. This bothers me because sometimes I'd like to transfer some kind of file quickly and there is no quick and easy process that I am aware of. This could be fixed by a memory stick made for my phone.
4. Some parts of my refrigerator are colder than others and if you put certain foods in the wrong spot they will freeze. This is because the area the cooling is provided from is localized and to fix this it could be redirected to come from multiple locations and not just one point. This bothers me because sometimes foods that I want thawed will freeze. To fix this I could buy a new fridge or try to modify mine, maybe turn the temperature up.
5. There is not enough parking on or near campus for cars and scooters. This is because either there is not enough space to build parking lots or in some cases because the person(s) in control of the planning did not do so strategically and did not create more parking where there could have been if planned better. This bothers me because sometimes I cant find a spot when I need to study or get to class. To fix this I could try another means of transportation or join the committee that is responsible for the crappy parking.
6. Traffic really bugs me. Wasting away ones life in a car is not fun at all, especially when you are stuck sitting still. This is because the lights do not coordinate with one another. There is a way to write a program along with sensors at each light to detect volumes of traffic which can be communicated to a light further down the road to warm it of the large volume of incoming traffic or the lack there of. Such a system would decrease traffic. This bother me because I am trying to get somewhere quickly and I cannot.
7. Paying a tax and/or tip at a store/restaurant is annoying and not many people care for spare change these days. This is a problem because some jobs depend on part of the income coming from tips and nearly every store prices items before tax. A place where everything is all inclusive for a reasonable price would be great. This bugs me because you don't see the full price until you are required to pay. It would be nice to know the total you will be spending ahead of time and not be judged on how much you tip.
8. Gun ammo can be too expensive at certain stores (maybe the ones close to your house!). This is because sometimes there's not a lot of places nearby that sell ammo or because the customers are unaware they are being overcharged. A store that buys used casings and sells affordable reloaded casings for target ammo could be a hit! This bugs me because places that sell reasonably priced ammo are not always convenient to go to.
9. Lots of water bottles that I have used grow mold and are hard to clean. This is due to the water bottles having tight spaces that are inaccessible to cleaning and being made of materials that mold can grow on. This bugs me because I like to drink out of clean reusable water bottles.
10. On the third floor of library west there is a certain kind of chair that has a design flaw where the fabric wears and rips, therefore the seat is uncomfortable and in need of replacement. A new design would be more comfortable for students and more cost efficient for the university. This bugs me because it is uncomfortable to sit in crappy chairs and might deter me from sitting at a nice table.
11. Have you ever noticed how every humus brand's humus looks the same? They all seem to have a majority humus with a small amount of topping in the center of the container. The topping may be peppers, nuts, etc... This bugs me because I find myself running out of the topping before I finish the humus. I do enjoy the taste of humus, but you have to admit it's somewhat bland and is way better with the topping mixed in. Why don't they mix the toppings in with the humus? maybe it doesn't look as appealing? That's still no excuse for such a small portion of the topping. There definitely needs to be a humus that includes more topping, at least, and premixing the humus with the topping might be an even better idea.
12. Waterproof iPhone... Why hasn't this been created yet? Sure, they have cases and sprays to make your phone water resistant, but why not come that way from the factory? The only reason I can imagine there isn't one is because of money. I'm sure people wouldn't break their phones nearly as much if the phone was water resistant/proof leading to less sales of new phones or phone components. This bothers me because accidents happen and one less thing that can break my phone is a good thing.
13. Why aren't bathroom trashcans always next to the exit? Many people don't wash their hands and then proceed to use the door handle to exit, so people like me use the paper towel I used to dry my hands with to also open the door. This bugs me because when there is no trashcan in reach I am forced to "shoot the J" and with a shot that looks more like Shaq's than Kobe's I'm sure to miss the trashcan most of the time. This could be fixed by locating the trashcan by the exit. I recently saw someone created a trashcan that will calculate the trajectory of your trash and move to catch the trash.
14. Customer service can be aggravating sometimes, like when I was told the other day, "we can definitely probably have you computer looked at by the end of the day" This is aggravating enough by itself because I am a college student who has everything important on that computer, but is amplified by the fact that I was told it would be done the previous night. I understand things don't always work out as planned but things going wrong should be a rare occurrence if you are good at your job. There are many reasons my computer may not have been looked at in a timely manner but in this case I suspect the technicians were screwing around when they should have been diagnosing my computer. This bothers me because I need my computer for school and it seems the people at the computer store are wasting my time. This can be fixed by a better training program for the employees and maybe a new manager who will hire competent employees.
15. This ties in to the previous bug on my list. When I finally hear back about the condition of my computer I am told that they are not sure the extent of the damage to my computer but that they suspect the logic board is bad. Being handy with electronics and mechanics I decided to see what the cost would be to fix the computer myself, expecting the cost to be less that if I have someone else fix it. Boy was I wrong. The replacement part is $1,000... One thousand dollars??? "You've got to be kidding me" I tell the lady on the phone. This is insane considering the computer cost me less than that brand new. Shocked, I ask what else I can do. The lady on the phone tells me I can send my computer in to apple and they will fix any and everything wrong with the computer for four hundred dollars. This sounds like a good deal considering the part is one thousand, but this is barely less than half of the new price of the computer. At this point I feel defeated and Helpless. Giving in to the four hundred dollar deal is the best that I can do.
This is very common with electronics - replacement parts costing half or more than the original product. In many cases it's more cost efficient to throw your electronics in the trash and buy a new one than to fix them. What causes this? corporate greed, lack of resources, manufacturing costs? There is something that can be done to improve this system of buy, break, and buy again. This bugs me because I am forced to spend more money than is reasonable. A fix may be to find a way to make aftermarket replacement parts at a fraction of the cost.
16. Since I am on the topic of repairs being overpriced, here's another one. Scooter repairs are definitely overpriced. One day I drove my scooter to library west to study. When I returned to my scooter it appeared that someone ran into the rear of my scooter, breaking my turn signal and brake signal lenses. I went to New Scooter For Less to pick up what should have been a couple of cheap parts for my scooter. I ask the man at the register how much it was for just the left turn signal lens. BAM! "$42.99 for the whole kit", he says. "I can't buy them separate?", I replied. Of course not, I have to buy all of them because "they come together". That might have been alright with me if they weren't approximately $15 each for three pieces, two of which I did not need. This is on the cheap side of a scooter repair. This is another example of repairs not being worth it because they are more expensive than the item being repaired is worth. These items are "totaled" and there has to be a better way to deal with it. This bugs me because, once again, I am being overpriced. This problem has the same solution as the previous bug on the list.
17. A reoccurring annoyance is paying for a service you I am not receiving. This time it's not the internet provider, instead its a landlord. When I am renting and sign a lease that states both the landlords obligations and mine, I abide by them. It is not always the case however that the landlord does the same. I have been having a problem with the dryer for months now. I have brought this to the landlords attention multiple times and someone actually came out to look at it, but nothing has been done. The person who examined it claimed that it is working fine, but I disagree, having to run the clothes through two full dry cycles to dry them is not "working fine". I assume the reason this is a problem is a combination of the landlord being cheap and figuring that because it dries the clothes eventually, that it does not need to be fixed. This bugs me because it takes forever to do laundry and it probably increases my electric bill. This can be fixed by moving somewhere new, buying a dryer myself, threatening the landlord, etc...
18. Another thing that bugged me recently is when I went to the new pizza place, Dough Religion, and tried to order the "pizza of the day" for me and my girlfriend. The deal is you get a predetermined pizza for $5 if you check in on Facebook. The pizza of the day happened to be sausage and green peppers, which is fine with me but my girlfriend hates peppers. We waited in line assuming that trading green peppers for spinach would be no big deal and may even be more cost effective for the business, not to mention the advertisement we are about to post to Facebook for the discount. We are up next in line and we order the pizza of the day. I add in afterwards, "Can we substitute the green peppers for another vegetable like spinach? My girlfriend can't eat green peppers" to which the man behind the counter replies, "Sorry, we are only supposed to put what comes on it". It's not like I was asking the guy for some special treatment; it was a reasonable request and very little to ask to maintain my business. I walked out without completing my order and I have not been back to Dough Religion since and don't have plans to do so. It's not that he wanted to charge me an additional three dollars that aggravated me, it's the principal. We were not important enough for the business to please us. I asked for such a small favor, something so incredibly simple that would have given them more business from me in the future, an advertisement on my Facebook, and possibly a recommendation to friends and family to try the restaurant out - and they denied me. I think this happened because the employee who I was speaking with was not properly trained and lacked experience in customer service. Proper training could fix this issue. This bugs me because it is not how you run a business effectively and I wont pay $8 for a small mediocre pizza.
19. My girlfriends hair gets all over the place! I find it everywhere, even in spots I didn't think I'd find hair. This isn't very bothersome but can be annoying sometimes. Her hair is great, but not on the floor, in the shower, in bed, in my backpack... This could be due to not brushing it enough maybe? Maybe a specialized brush could fix this problem.
20. Number 20! Another hair related bug. Why do showers have drains that are easily blocked by hair? There should be something built into the drain that collects debris without blocking it from draining the water efficiently. The drain gets blocked because it functions not only as the drain but the debris collector as well. These two things need to be separate so the shower doesn't stop draining every week and the debris (hair mostly) can be discarded easily. This bothers me because sometimes it clogs and I have to fix it immediately or it will not drain.
Reflection on writing this post
This post was somewhat difficult to complete. When I am out and about during the day I am constantly surrounded by things that bug me and I'll even tell the person I'm with on certain occasions, but when I sat down to write this post I couldn't think of more than three significant things that bug me. I realized that to complete this post I was going to have to take note of things that bothered me throughout the day and put this post together one addition at a time. I started taking notes on my phone so I could write about them later. This seemed to be an effective way of compiling this list.
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