Top 5 World Problems

Worlds biggest problems in order of decreasing severity:

1. Terrorism 
2. Dependence on fossil fuels
3. Climate change 
4. Demand for food vs. food production
5. Increasing poverty population

Terrorism to me is the  biggest problem  facing the world today due to the fact that it can do the most damage to the earth in the shortest amount of time. It can affect the economy, political structure, mindset, and lives of people of all nations. The second most pressing issue today is our dependence on fossil fuels. We rely heavily on oil, coal and gas to power our home, manufacture the products we use, and even to make the food we eat. This must be a priority or it will eventually lead to climate change which is next on the list. Climate change is real and cannot be stopped. I put it as third on my list because it is not as pressing as terrorism and lowering our dependence on fossil fuels must be done before tacking other climate change issues. The next is demand for food versus food production. As our population increases, so does demand for food. However, large plots of land are becoming bare due to overgrazing or farming and it is becoming increasingly difficult to cater to the world's food demand. Finally, the increasing poverty population is an issue that can have catastrophic consequences in the long run. Poor populations tend to have large 4-6 children families and have little to no educational background. Therefore they don't contribute much to the developmen my of their country and make the world population and demand for food/water issue worse. They multiply but don't produce. 

The top 5 most implementable solutions in order of decreasing feasibility are:

1. Dependence on fossil fuels
2. Terrorism
3. Demand for food vs food production 
4. Climate change 
5. Increasing poverty population 

I believe the solution for our dependence on fossil fuels is the most feasible and easiest to implement out of all of the above. This is because there are many alternative forms of energy existent and available and many more innovations soon to be realized. There is solar power, wind energy, wave energy, safe nuclear power, etc. the second most feasible is the solution for terrorism. This one is tough because although I don't know the specific solution to terrorism, I feel like that world should and can come together to fight radical extremesism and eliminate it to a certain extent. There will always be extremism but I believe there is a solution to end the type of extremism that kills hundreds and thousands of people and affects global economies and political structures. The solution for the increasing demand for food is tough but can be found with more agricultural research as well as a shift in global conscientiousness. We must learn to not waste so much food and provide to those who don't have. Finally the incresiaing poverty population is a difficult issue to solve due to the fact that some countries might never develop into sustainable economies. It is possible to reach a point where countries can support themselves and their people, but that point seems very far into the future.

Very Short Interview No.1

The entrepreneur I chose for this week's interview is a man that goes by the name of "askamillionaire" on Instagram. Shawn Thomas is a well known entrepreneur and Angel investor with over 400 thousand followers on Instagram. He was able to turn his start-up company from $0 to 20 million dollars in revenue and ultimately sold it for millions. He now spends his time mentoring individuals about entrepreneurship, coaching companies that are struggling, and taking part in philanthropic projects. (Check out his webpage: shawnthomas.com)

The following is a transcript of our interview:

1. What does it mean to be an entrepreneur and what makes you an entrepreneur? (Is it a mindset? Is it being successful? What is an entrepreneur like?)

2. What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course? In other words, What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?

3. I struggle with the risk involved in being a true entrepreneur and the pressure my family puts on me to have a "secure" job. Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur and was there any pressure to enter into another more secure career?

I was not able to interview Shawn in time for this excercise but I will post this so that I may edit it later with his responses and so that I may follow up with week 14's interview. I did not complete the declaration for this assignment.

World's Biggest Problems

Increasing Poverty Population

1. Population growth is a big reality and dealing with it should be a top priority for world leaders. The large poor class in under-derveloped countries will continue to increase due to the fact that these people tend to have large families (4-6 children). This means more food production, more demand for water, more waste, etc. A solution is to industrialize in and develop the economies of those countries as well as lower the chances of child mortality. 

Climate Change

1. Most of the world's scientists agree that climate change is real and partly caused by human activities. If we are to preserve this earth for later generations and continue to live with high standards of life, climate change must be a priority. Leaders and people of the world need to invest in clean energy and adopt more sustainable living techniques.

Ocean Pollution

1. The oceans are polluted every year with tons and tons of solid and liquid waste that can be toxic to the sea life and natural habitats around it. There are even reports of Islands of trash appearing in the middle of the ocean due to currents. A solution could be to pay closer attention to marine life and beaches when traveling or simply visiting. Countries should adopt programs to manage waste and make sure that ocean clean up crews are ready for any disasters that can arise. 

Terrorism

1. Terrorism is one of the biggest problems facing the world today. It can affect the economy, political structure, mindset, and lives of people of all nations. Thousands of lives have fallen to terrorism and something must be done. I dont know of a specific solution to terrorism but better communication amongst nations, more experienced and qualified leaders, and a unification of the world is what comes to mind. 

Dependance on Fossil Fuels

1. Our depedance on fossil fuels is a huge issue. We are constantly looking for more oil, coal, or gas to burn to as automobile sales increase, demand for electricity increase, and manufacturing increases. This dependance affects the ozone layer due to large greenhouse gas emissions and causes confrontation between countries. A solution is to increase clean energy production and consumption and invest in alternative energy research. There are many relatively unknown inventions scattered across the world that provide cleaner energy. For example: Mechanisms that use wave pressure to create energy in the coast of Brazil. 

 

Wave Energy in Brazil

Water Scarcity

1. As the population of the world increases, demand for water increases. Not only are there more thirsty people but industrial production is increasing as well. Manufacturing takes up a large percentage of the worlds water demand. Companies and governments go to aquifers and other freshwater resources and are starting to dry them out creating desertification of land and robbing local people of their water supply. A solution could be to invest in water de-salination and improve existing techniques to make them more efficient. People could also become more conscience of their water usage.

Demand for Food Vs. Food Production

1. Demand for food has increased dramatically over the years and those in agriculture are looking at any technique to cope with this increase. Farmers are using chemical pesticides and fertilizers and genetically modifying crops to increase crop yield. Large cattle and chicken farms have been created that consist of crammed animals with poor living conditions and no space to roam. A solution could be to continue safe usage of genetically modified foods and chemical fertilizers while coming up with alternative ways to grow food like indoor growing facilities. 

Extreme weather events 

1. With climate change and increasing carbon emissions come more extreme weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and typhoons. Cities have been wiped out and economies take huge hits due to intense natural disasters. They can come unexpected and cause major damage. Solutions are similar to those for climate change and include investments in natural disaster detection and rescue relief. 

3 Hurricanes Visible at the Same Time

Cyberterrorism

1. Now that most of the world has become digitized and computerized, cyberterrorism has become a real threat. People have their identity stolen every day and bank, email, social media, and other important accounts are hacked. Information on any level can be hacked into and stolen. Whether it be social security numbers and bank accounts or classified documents and emails, it is available at the click of a button, literally. Solutions are to continue investing in cyber-security and make sure that those using the internet have the proper knowledge of privacy and security. 

Agriculture and Irrigation

1. With increasing population and demand for food comes an increase in agriculture and irrigation. Farmers struggle to meet demands and need to water huge fields. They try to do this in the most efficient way possible so as to save water and money. Irrigation accounts for a huge percentage of the world fresh water use. Therefore efficient irrigation is necessary. Solutions are to come up with more efficient watering techniques and more help from the government to food producers. 

Bug List

The following are things that bug me on a regular basis:

1. Waking up feeling as if I did not sleep at all. 
1. Why? I feel as if I wasted my time sleeping if I ultimately wake up feeling groggy and tired.
2. When I have to rush to get somewhere. 
1. Why? This bugs me a lot. It is a result of my own disorganization I know, but having to speed cook or rush in the bathroom are things that frustrate me. I would like to be at peace throughout the day.
3. Faulty kitchen products that delay me.
1. Why? This one ties into my previous bug of "rushing". I get frustrated when a can opener doesn't work properly or the toaster takes too long because it takes time from my schedule. 
4. Bad Customer Service. 
1. This is a big one. I dislike it when I feel disrespected as a customer when I am complaining about a product's performance or treated poorly during a service. I am paying you to be nice... 
5. People with poor manners.
1. I feel as if it is my social duty to treat others with respect. That is, respect their space and respect their peace. Poor manners such as chewing loudly with an open mouth, farting, loud gossip, and the like bother me and infringe upon my peace in a sense.
6. Close minded people.
1. I try to be open to others' ideas and beliefs and use it to enrich my own mind and understand the world better. So when people are close minded and try to shove beliefs and ideas down others' throats, I get annoyed. 
7. People that are very argumentative.
1. As previously stated, I enjoy learning from others which requires conversation and interaction. However, some people tend to turn everything into a heated debate and that truly turns me off.  
8. Those awkward looks in public.
1. It is true that worrying about what others' think is counterproductive and a waste of time. However, getting weird looks in public is not something that most people enjoy.
9. When others lie. 
1. No one likes a liar and no one enjoys being deceived. 
10. Passive agression. 
1. I like to be direct and get bothered when people beat around the bush.
11. When I go to a nice restaurant and something is not right. 
1. Either the utensils or table are dirty or something is missing. If Im paying for good service, I hope to receive it. 
12. Poor taste of food or noticeable disregard by the person making the food. 
1. This is aimed mainly at fast food restaurants that require little work on the part of the "chef". It bugs me when I am served a bacon cheeseburger with one tiny slice of bacon and melted cheese that runs down the side of the burger rather than on top of the patty. 
13. Long lines due to slow cashiers. 
1. I understand that some workers are faster than others and that it is tough work. However, It is clear when a cashier is deliberately putting little effort and slowing up the line. I have places to be and things to do! 
14. Professors that don't put in effort. I can read power points too. 
1. It feels like college is a waste of money when I attend a college course in which the professor simply reads off a boring powerpoint and assigns chapters to read. 
15. Slow drivers....like too slow. 
1. There is a speed limit. And there should be a speed minimum to accompany all limits. Slow drivers bug me because I don't like to waste time and they can sometimes endanger other drivers. 
16. Eating but not feeling satisfied. 
1. This is not a big deal but it bothers me because I have to get up and cook more or spend more money on food. 
17. TRAFFIC.
1. Traffic can really get on my nerves especially when I am in a hurry. It bugs me more when it caused by a crash that could have been avoided. Traffic bothers me simply because it is a waste of time. 
18. Poor weather. 
1. Poor weather gets on my nerves whenever I have something planned for the outdoors. It also bugs me when I wake up excited to have a productive day to then notice that there is practically a hurricane outside. 
19. Having to wait on someone.
1. This ties in with me not enjoying a waste of time. I get bothered when I get late due to someone else. 
20. Regret. 
1. I don't enjoy thinking about my past and wishing I had done something differently. I try to live with no regrets but i feel as if it is inevitable. 

This excersise was very challenging and has made me realize that there are a lot of things that bug me on a regular basis. At first I thought nothing bugged me but quickly realized that there are plenty of things that get on my nerves. It is good to reflect on these things to realize what we take for granted in life and I feel like this excersise will help me with identifying things I need to fix about my life. Perhaps my it is my lifestyle that is allowing these bugs to pop up.

My Entrepreneurship Story

My entrepreneurship story begins with a primetime television show. You probably already know which one I am talking about and might be thinking, "how cliche".

And yes it is.

After watching "Shark Tank" for the first time, I immediately was captivated and fell in love. Seeing ordinary people like myself walk up to multi-millionaires with confidence and come out with a large investment was awesome to me. It personified the American dream to me. It was the culmination of an idea, hard work, creativity, and opportunity to create something beautiful. I started to give my ideas more credit from that day on. No longer did I brush off an idea thinking it was "silly" or not plausible. Rather, I began to write things down on my phone for later reflection and in hopes that one day I would be able to invest serious time and money into the viable ones.

The show was a sort of validation that my dreams could come true if I work hard at it and persevere. It allowed me to be exposed to the entrepreneurial spirit and gave me a glimpse into real life decisions between investors and inventors. If it were not for Shark Tank, I don't know if I would be in this class. I am grateful for the creators of that show for bringing something real and useful to television and inspiring me to fulfill my dreams as an entrepreneur.

I hope you can follow yours,

Enrique Lam :)

Introduction

Hello there,

I'd like to tell you a little about myself.

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela to a family of 4 kids. I lived there till I was 6 years old, then moved to Miami, Florida where I grew up. I attended an all-male jesuit middle and high school and loved to participate in sports like Water Polo and Soccer. My older brother attended the same school while my 3 other sisters attended other catholic schools in the Miami area. I am currently studying Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship and hope to get involved in product design and marketing in the future. My older sisters graduated from studies in Hospitality and Law while my older brother studied Finance and Accounting. My goal in life is to reach a financial freedom in which I can pursue my own interests and venture out on my own projects (products/services and/or companies).


I like to have an open mind and learn from other cultures. I have traveled to South America and visited Venezuela and Brazil (my mom is Brazilian) and have been around the Bahamas. However, I have a thirst for traveling that has not even begun to be quenched. I would like to study abroad in Europe and visit countries in both Asia and Africa. I hope I can have these experiences one day and become a better person as a result.


Enrique Lam

Entrepreneur's Mantra

My Aspirations.

Hello,

My name is Enrique Lam and I am currently studying Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I have hovered between different bachelor's degrees (engineering and business) and have decided to pursue product design and marketing. I think this University provides their students with multiple opportunities to succeed both as a student and young entrepreneur.

With my product design software knowledge and access to the school's 3-D print lab I can create a prototype of my liking. Similarly I can create and develop an app if I wanted to using the Made@UF Lab located in the marston library. I hope to learn how to manage myself, my time, and my work to create an environment in which I can thrive as an entrepreneur. These are the skills I will use one day when I have the financial and leisurely freedom to venture out on my own projects.

These are my aspirations.

Have a nice day.