Identifying Local Opportunities
1) http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article212270859.html
"You can't fly to Miami to Iceland nonstop anymore. But you can go to these new places."
Miami Herald, by Chabeli Herrera
Since Miami International Airport has added new airlines and airlines at MIA are promoting competition among themselves, new routes have been added and great deals are likely for flights. A new record of 246.1 million travelers will be flying this summer. However, the cost of fuel is up 44.6% compared to last year. As such, summer travel will be cheap but airlines will most likely be forced to up their fares in the fall. Additionally, several routes and airlines have ended service at MIA."
There are several problems presented in this story. The cost of fuel is considerably higher than previous years. Additionally, airlines will be charging more for flights in the fall. Lastly, certain routes and airlines are no longer available to travelers flying from Miami International Airport.
These problems affect both travelers as well as airline companies. The first problem affects airlines due to the intense competition in the summer as they must keep low prices even with rising fuel costs. This reduces their profit to an extent, especially if they can't compete with all of the new airlines adding their services to MIA. The second and third affect travelers because they will have to pay more for flights in the fall, or won't even be able to get certain flights they want due to airlines rescinding their services. The third also affects tourism in the countries that those former MIA airlines had routes in as travelers are unable to get to those countries by plane.
2) http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article212322909.html
"They said they were priests. Then they asked for iTunes gift cards for the needy."
Miami Herald, by Waveney Anne Moore
Members of several Catholic churches in the Tampa Bay area have found themselves the targets of a gift card scam. This scam utilizes email addresses and names similar to those of the churches' priests to send emails requesting that parishioners mail iTunes gift cards to a certain address to give to the needy. The scammers particularly focus on targeting staff members of these priests. Several hundreds of dollars have been taken and the respective police departments have been notified.
There are two problems that I saw in this issue. The first is the ability of scammers to use email addresses similar to the churches' priests and it being misunderstood by the priests' own staff members. The cyber security system as well as preventive systems put in place by both the church offices and the email provider are faulty. The second problem is that gift cards are easy for scammers to use and get away with because purchasers are unable to get their money back (compared to a credit card dispute or a bounced check) and gift cards are hard to track.
These problems affect the church and its priests because of a connotation of distrust and a lack of proper security in its congregational affairs. It greatly affects parishioners because it is cheating them of their money in ways that they can not seek out retribution.
3)http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/article212323684.html
"Want to move like a 'Dancing With the Stars' pro? Maks, Val opening South Florida studio."
Miami Herald, by Howard Cohen
Maksim Chmerkoskiv, a pro-dancer on the TV show 'Dancing With the Stars', and his brother Valentin are opening a new dance studio on June 27th. They will hold tryouts to see who will fill the 150 seats available during the opening event. The studio will provide lessons in a variety of dance styles: ballroom, Latin, hip-hop, and contemporary.
The problem in this issue is the limitation that the studio puts on what it teaches. There are only four varieties of dance offered even though the Chmerkoskivs are trained in many more styles.
These problems affect dancers who are attending the studio or hope to attend the studio. Although they would have the opportunity to train under some of the dancing greats of our generation, they might not be able to creatively and/or fundamentally explore dancing styles and techniques they hope to learn due to the short list of dance styles taught at the studio.
4) http://www.alligator.org/news/uf-horticulture-chair-resigns/article_54b90ba0-6489-11e8-a2b8-974b3fb8ad8e.html
"UF horticulture chair resigns"
The Independent Florida Alligator, by Angela DeMichele
Kevin Folta is a professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida. He is widely known across the nation since his research involving genetically modified organisms is considered to have worldwide influence. However due to activist groups opposing him through allegations of abuse of his wife as well as promises of a thorough investigation, Professor Folta had to resign from his position as the chair of the department of horticultural sciences. He will remain resigned until the investigations by UF and by the activist groups are complete.
The problems in this issue are that there is no way for Dr. Folta or UF to stop the libel of the activist groups as well as that Dr. Folta is unable able to stay in his position during investigation periods.
Those affected by these problems are the university and the professor because it causes a loss of a job title, a mockery of one's lifetime work, and a financial and time-consuming burden on the university due to having to conduct a thorough investigation.
5) http://www.alligator.org/news/sorority-house-demolished-in-preparation-for-rebuilding/article_2e9495e4-648d-11e8-a1c7-bfb6fc930801.html
"Sorority house demolished in preparation for rebuilding"
The Independent Florida Alligator, by Sloan Savage
UF's chapter of Delta Gamma is in the midst of destroying its current sorority house on Panhellenic Drive and rebuilding it with new rooms, technologies, and amenities. The chapter will be holding its meetings on campus in places like the Rietz Union and Emerson Alumni Hall until the completion date of the reconstruction which will be in early July next year. The feeling is bittersweet for alumni and active chapter members alike as the house is over 50 years old. Only the anchor given in 1957 by the fall pledge class of that year will be something of the old house that is kept in the new hours.
The problems herein are that UF Delta Gamma's chapter meetings are unable to be held in a secluded place for the sorority's matters, that its chapter members are unable to live together in-house as is the norm for sororities (especially Panhellenic), that its alumni are unable to come back and celebrate the old house, and that only one item of the old house will be transferred into the new one.
Those affected by these problems would be the current and future members of the UF chapter of Delta Gamma as well as the alumni of this chapter as well. Current and future members will be unable to have the full experience of being in a sorority which include having chapter meetings in-house and living with sisters. Alumni are also affected because not only are they not given an event for them to reminisce over the old house but also because their respective marks left on the house (i.e. pledge class gifts) will be all for nothing soon except for the one anchor of Fall1957.
"You can't fly to Miami to Iceland nonstop anymore. But you can go to these new places."
Miami Herald, by Chabeli Herrera
Since Miami International Airport has added new airlines and airlines at MIA are promoting competition among themselves, new routes have been added and great deals are likely for flights. A new record of 246.1 million travelers will be flying this summer. However, the cost of fuel is up 44.6% compared to last year. As such, summer travel will be cheap but airlines will most likely be forced to up their fares in the fall. Additionally, several routes and airlines have ended service at MIA."
There are several problems presented in this story. The cost of fuel is considerably higher than previous years. Additionally, airlines will be charging more for flights in the fall. Lastly, certain routes and airlines are no longer available to travelers flying from Miami International Airport.
These problems affect both travelers as well as airline companies. The first problem affects airlines due to the intense competition in the summer as they must keep low prices even with rising fuel costs. This reduces their profit to an extent, especially if they can't compete with all of the new airlines adding their services to MIA. The second and third affect travelers because they will have to pay more for flights in the fall, or won't even be able to get certain flights they want due to airlines rescinding their services. The third also affects tourism in the countries that those former MIA airlines had routes in as travelers are unable to get to those countries by plane.
2) http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article212322909.html
"They said they were priests. Then they asked for iTunes gift cards for the needy."
Miami Herald, by Waveney Anne Moore
Members of several Catholic churches in the Tampa Bay area have found themselves the targets of a gift card scam. This scam utilizes email addresses and names similar to those of the churches' priests to send emails requesting that parishioners mail iTunes gift cards to a certain address to give to the needy. The scammers particularly focus on targeting staff members of these priests. Several hundreds of dollars have been taken and the respective police departments have been notified.
There are two problems that I saw in this issue. The first is the ability of scammers to use email addresses similar to the churches' priests and it being misunderstood by the priests' own staff members. The cyber security system as well as preventive systems put in place by both the church offices and the email provider are faulty. The second problem is that gift cards are easy for scammers to use and get away with because purchasers are unable to get their money back (compared to a credit card dispute or a bounced check) and gift cards are hard to track.
These problems affect the church and its priests because of a connotation of distrust and a lack of proper security in its congregational affairs. It greatly affects parishioners because it is cheating them of their money in ways that they can not seek out retribution.
3)http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/article212323684.html
"Want to move like a 'Dancing With the Stars' pro? Maks, Val opening South Florida studio."
Miami Herald, by Howard Cohen
Maksim Chmerkoskiv, a pro-dancer on the TV show 'Dancing With the Stars', and his brother Valentin are opening a new dance studio on June 27th. They will hold tryouts to see who will fill the 150 seats available during the opening event. The studio will provide lessons in a variety of dance styles: ballroom, Latin, hip-hop, and contemporary.
The problem in this issue is the limitation that the studio puts on what it teaches. There are only four varieties of dance offered even though the Chmerkoskivs are trained in many more styles.
These problems affect dancers who are attending the studio or hope to attend the studio. Although they would have the opportunity to train under some of the dancing greats of our generation, they might not be able to creatively and/or fundamentally explore dancing styles and techniques they hope to learn due to the short list of dance styles taught at the studio.
4) http://www.alligator.org/news/uf-horticulture-chair-resigns/article_54b90ba0-6489-11e8-a2b8-974b3fb8ad8e.html
"UF horticulture chair resigns"
The Independent Florida Alligator, by Angela DeMichele
Kevin Folta is a professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida. He is widely known across the nation since his research involving genetically modified organisms is considered to have worldwide influence. However due to activist groups opposing him through allegations of abuse of his wife as well as promises of a thorough investigation, Professor Folta had to resign from his position as the chair of the department of horticultural sciences. He will remain resigned until the investigations by UF and by the activist groups are complete.
The problems in this issue are that there is no way for Dr. Folta or UF to stop the libel of the activist groups as well as that Dr. Folta is unable able to stay in his position during investigation periods.
Those affected by these problems are the university and the professor because it causes a loss of a job title, a mockery of one's lifetime work, and a financial and time-consuming burden on the university due to having to conduct a thorough investigation.
5) http://www.alligator.org/news/sorority-house-demolished-in-preparation-for-rebuilding/article_2e9495e4-648d-11e8-a1c7-bfb6fc930801.html
"Sorority house demolished in preparation for rebuilding"
The Independent Florida Alligator, by Sloan Savage
UF's chapter of Delta Gamma is in the midst of destroying its current sorority house on Panhellenic Drive and rebuilding it with new rooms, technologies, and amenities. The chapter will be holding its meetings on campus in places like the Rietz Union and Emerson Alumni Hall until the completion date of the reconstruction which will be in early July next year. The feeling is bittersweet for alumni and active chapter members alike as the house is over 50 years old. Only the anchor given in 1957 by the fall pledge class of that year will be something of the old house that is kept in the new hours.
The problems herein are that UF Delta Gamma's chapter meetings are unable to be held in a secluded place for the sorority's matters, that its chapter members are unable to live together in-house as is the norm for sororities (especially Panhellenic), that its alumni are unable to come back and celebrate the old house, and that only one item of the old house will be transferred into the new one.
Those affected by these problems would be the current and future members of the UF chapter of Delta Gamma as well as the alumni of this chapter as well. Current and future members will be unable to have the full experience of being in a sorority which include having chapter meetings in-house and living with sisters. Alumni are also affected because not only are they not given an event for them to reminisce over the old house but also because their respective marks left on the house (i.e. pledge class gifts) will be all for nothing soon except for the one anchor of Fall1957.
Hey Thuy Linh! I really enjoyed your selection of stories from Miami since I'm from Miami. These were news I haven't heard before and I especially enjoyed the one about the Miami International Airport since I really enjoy traveling. I had no idea some airlines aren't flying from MIA anymore and how fuel is rising so airlines are also charging more to travel this summer. Flying from Ft. Lauderdale is already less expensive than flying from MIA so I'm wondering if this will effect the amount of people choosing MIA now. Great stories, but one problem I noticed is that the last two were from a different newspaper. I think all 5 had to come from the same newspaper.
ReplyDeleteHi Thuy-Linh,
ReplyDeleteI think your local opportunities you found are great ideas. I did find it disturbing about the members of Catholic churches in Tampa Bay being scammed by people portraying themselves as priests, I guess people will do anything nowadays if they know they can get away with it. I also believe there is a problem with many airlines as they have to compete with many other airlines and people will most likely choose whoever has the cheapest fare.
Good Post!
Hello Thuy-Linh, I really enjoyed the articles you chose, as I also used the Miami Herald for my articles. For the first story, I was very shocked at the fact that the prices of fuel had gone up so much since last year, so I hope that the prices of tickets will not go up as much as it is predicted. I was very worried about the second article, as the idea that members of a church are scamming people is very sad
ReplyDeleteHello Thuy-Linh,
ReplyDeleteA lot of your opportunities are very relatable to me as I am from the Miami area. The opportunity that caught my eyes was the Miami International Airport story. Due to the fact that fuel prices have gone up drastically, airlines have to adjusts their fares accordingly. However, I am curious to see if there are going to be airlines that try and avoid spiking their ticket prices just to attract more flyers knowing that every airlines are going to be more expensive.
Hey! You have great articles available here with great points. I myself have been a victim of your first article about summer traveling. Usually there is a direct flight from Miami to Finland but the option isn't offered in summer. It is definitely a downer and causes complications. Misrepresentation of who your are and what you represent is always disappointing but allows for changes to be made. Really enjoyed your articles!
ReplyDelete