Company Pitch: EvEase

Company Organization: EvEase

Did you know that the walk from the row to the Coliseum is more than 1.5 miles? Imagine it’s gameday and you’ve been drinking. You already bought your tickets to the game but walking that far right now seems almost impossible. You could call an uber but traffic is horrible and that will cost a fortune. Meet your new best friend: EvEase! 

EvEase is a free small-scale transportation service funded by advertisement. It is located in major cities that lack efficient transportation over a 5-mile radius. EvEase uses a central database that meticulously maps out the best routes to take in busy, hectic areas. Our small electric vehicles can travel on roads, sidewalks, and even on campus. The drivers are paid by tips so generosity is appreciated when using our service. Not only does EvEase provide a safe, fast, and free alternative to mobile transportation, but using our service simultaneously protects the environment. The vehicles we use are strictly electric and produce zero CO2 emissions. Want to save the world and fix the whole in your wallet? Call EvEase or request a driver using our innovative user friendly app today.  

Join the green wallet and green world movement and sign up for beta testing or be one of our first drivers today! We are currently seeking environmentally conscious company’s that need mobile advertisement. If you have any contacts in the industry or an interest in contributing to EvEase’s developing stages, feel free to speak with me after and ask any questions. Thank you!

Blue Sweater Post 3

This book has changed my entire perspective on third world countries and different organizations involvement in contributing to their development. I was unaware of the lack of implemented political systems and negligence with resources and infrastructure. Most organizations focus on donating money to causes such as creating houses for stability, wells for water, food for cattle, etc; however, they fail to realize the physical labor needed in order to establish sufficient and functioning systems. We are merely centralizing our efforts on solutions that are only temporary because people do not have the knowledge to evaluate where they should spend their money. It is a lot more self fulfilling to spend 1000 dollars on buying a well or a cow for a family, then donating 1000 dollars to a contractor or plumber in order to pay for the essential labor that will keep these systems functions. The tangible items are more aesthetically pleasing for donors and they do not have the proper education on baseline infrastructure issues that need to be addressed. Africa lacks a proficient political system and therefore does not have proper leadership that can establish requirements for infrastructure and new developments needed in order to benefit society and solve the root of the problems. The developmental agencies created like Novogratz' are intended to solve this issues; however, the corruption within the government uses their resources for needs that are not pertinent or immediate and instead focus on more convenient and beneficial for themselves. Essentially they exploit their resources and do not contribute to social efforts. I love that the book does not beat around the bush and directly acknowledges the tougher issues that are normally dissolved and pushed behind the scenes. Even though the leaders tend to be dissipative with their resources and it furthers corruption office, it is inspiring to read Novogratz' experience in developing countries and her amazing contributions to their success.

The Blue Sweater Post 2

Reading this part of the book, helped me make connections between Novogratz' experience in Africa and her lifestyle back in the US. My favorite part of the section was reading about her and her friends' journey to climb Mount Nyiragongo. The endeavors they went through before the climb, and the challenges on the climb, parallel the life endured in Africa and the obstacles you face without warning. "The sky at dawn was nothing like it had been the day before.Heavy clouds portended storms, and the air was thick with moisture. We were exhausted, lacked proper gear and clothing for a climb, and couldn't find anything for breakfast because it was so early Sunday morning." This quote appealed to me because it represented the strength and realized needed in order to overcome a feat and a challenge that may seem unfeasible. The conditions were not good, they did not have everything they needed to continue, and were malnourished, and yet they still decided to take a leap of faith and see what they were made of. The thought process before climbing the mountain is very similar to what one would think of when considering a missionary trip to Africa and the projects ahead while there. It is impossible to predict what the future holds, but regardless of the tough trials you endure, you know the reward will be worth it. When climbing the mountain, the reward was the feeling of success, the test of strength and determination, and the amazing view. When doing work in Africa, the reward for Novogratz was the ignition of hope among the people, the utilization of knowledge for the people, and the act of philanthropy. Although there are many ways to establish one's worth in life, one's greatest value is the altruistic effort they put forth in helping others and instilling value upon them.

The Blue Sweater Post 1

 The moment I opened up this book, I felt attached to it. I have always had a huge heart for people in developing countries and want to pursue a nonprofit to help the underprivileged at some point in my life. Opening this book inspired me. I wanted to know what the importance was of the blue sweater and how it could hold so much value to give it the title of a book that had so much substance and depth. "In our neighborhood in Virginia in the 1970s, new clothing was a once or twice a year event." This simple statement made me realize the value of that blue sweater. The people here, they grow attached to the things close to them because they have so little. Everyday, the middle and upperclass Americans walk around with their wallets and typically will buy something they are interested in without hesitation in regards to money. To the people in Africa, shopping is more than a privilege, it is a means of warmth and survival. That blue sweater provided comfort and stability to Novogratz. It was more than just a piece of clothing. Furthermore, when she fast forwards to her 25 year old self, she reunites with that blue sweater on a young boy and says: "the abandoned, but beloved blue sweater." This blue sweater represents the journey of living in Africa. It is a symbol of the abandonment, the hardships, the poverty, and the pain endured throughout an ungoverned, underprivileged life, and yet the connection and bond one feels with their culture and where they came from. These little things we don't really think about is why this book is so powerful. The book traces her occupations and endeavors in different parts of Africa, how she was treated, how she grew, and how she impacted others' lives along the way. The beginning of the book focuses on the socioeconomic gap and the difference in lifestyle and character between the two. Reading this book has provided me knowledge and a clearer outlook on quality of life in Africa from a first-hand prospective. I cannot wait to read more about the challenges and successes of her hard work. I am looking forward to tracing her steps and watching her change her perspective about her surroundings and the way the world works beyond her underlying comfort in the states.

The Weekender

Every year, the USC football team plays another local California team and the majority of our school drives up for the weekend to support them. It is a huge celebration between California rivalries and the experience is unreal. This year, me and a few of my best friends drove up to UCBerkeley to watch the game and stay at Nina's place and the time would had together was priceless. Even though we went for the game and delicious home cooked meals, we got so much more out of the trip than you would expect. Typically, students get drunk out of the minds and pre game and party until they forget the night, but the memories we made, I want to remember every second. What started off as being an innocent, carefree college trip, turned into a bonding, unforgettable, best friend experience. To be honest, the car rides to NorCal and back could have very well been the best part of the trip. I opened up in ways I never thought I could after things I went through. In my life, so many things have changed and so many people have walked in and out that sometimes it is hard to process and appreciate all of the things and people around you. I dont take them for granted, but I think that sometimes I dont let myself feel everything I know I am feeling because I am afraid of losing people close to me. This weekend was a game changer and was revolutionary for me. For once, I felt safe again. And loved. I felt understood and genuinely cared for. I guess what I am trying to say is that I couldnt be more thankful for the people I have in my life now. Everything with my best friends, Nina and Hayley, just happens so naturally and effortless. I discovered that no matter what I did or said, I was supported. And I could feel myself caring for them and allowing myself to emotionally invest parts of me I didnt even know I had access to. When we went out to party friday night, all I wanted to do was be with them. There were so many people around drunk and dancing and hooking up, and yet they had all of my interest. Sometimes it is hard to even process how much you care about someone until you evaluate your actions and look at things from the outside...This weekend, I took everything in. We sat and ate meals together and it felt like family. I finally felt like I was where I belonged which is a feeling I have been craving my whole life. We finally have a healthy balance of dependency. They know how much they mean to me and how much I need them, but we know how to support one another and keep the independent parts of ourselves that make us so easy to love. At first, I was hesitant about going on the trip, but now I am so happy I went and never looked back. These are memories I will hold with me for life and I am incredibly thankful that I found the people I wanna spend it with. The weekender was by far one of the best weekends and most unforgettable experiences I have ever had. We have all grown so much together and I couldnt be more excited to discover what is to come.

Genius of Money Interview

This interview really appealed to me because it felt so pure, genuine and honest. Knowing that the person was answering the questions without any recognition, made the words so powerful. I felt engaged and found myself wanting to know more and more about the person as I read. And yes, I do believe the interviewee is a girl. One of the coolest things she talks about is why she decided to do philanthropy. When you think about giving back to people, humans' first instinct is to debate whether or not it is worth it to altruistically give. Knowing how time consuming helping others may be and the amount of effort expended, it is not always easy to lend a helping hand. She mentions that this is why she is mot a full time philanthropist; however, achieves incredible self fulfillment and happiness when she does help others. The biggest driving factor and motivation to do philanthropy is when you see that someone is suffering, and feel the urge to alleviate them from that need. I found that to be incredibly powerful. Sometimes people are just drawn to each other and you know that you can impact them in ways that will be beneficial to their life, and your soul. I also found it really cool that her way of connecting with others and their inner being is mediation. Recently, I have stumbled upon numerous people who use mediation daily and find it to be extremely soothing and relieving. I think that after reading so much about the benefits, I will be inclined to do some mediation of my own.

Chapter 14 Blog

Money only has the power we give it. The only value it holds is the label we place on it in order to fulfill our material needs. How you use your money, can be a big representation of the person you are and the lifestyle you choose to live. You can use that money to buy more material items, healthy food for a positive lifestyle, or you can donate that money to help people in developing countries. Whatever you choose to do with it, the money is going to the cause that you want, and therefore its only purpose is to meet your needs. This is why money makes invisible things, visible. Money can be used from a venture capitalist in order to fund a start up business. It can turn a simple idea and vision, into a reality. Money can buy a well for families in poverty, hydrate their bodies and nourish their crops. It can turn a famished family, into a flourishing, healthy one. The possibilities are endless. But money only has this power because our world has supplies, and international relation needed to find a way to meet demands. To place monetary value on items people want and need and chose to implement money into a system that would inevitably empower this piece of paper and give society order. Globally, our money is always relative to the value of other people's money and it is constantly changing. But ultimately, the value it holds is still only what we make of it and its' importance to us. Whether the dollar is worth fifty cents or 50 dollars, the real value is inside of us.

Chapter 5 Blog

The chapter was a pleasure to read because it actually discussed money and business in a way that wasnt intended for selfish need or interest. It was centralized around the idea of philanthropy and that people can be altruistic and and have interest in helping others. It discusses ways to use power and money to help people in need, rather than increase the social welfare gap. Social entrepreneurs are using new technology to solve systemic human problems and provide more support to the lower class consumer market. There is value in solving this socio-economic problem and expanding the circulation of money within every economic class. Foundations are being established in order to manage and find resources that can implement a way to get people in lower economic classes more involved in bigger markets. Specific markets need to be aware of how to support the needy and action needs to take place in order to do so.

LiveLoveLax: The inside scoop

Athlete. Lacrosse player. Attacker. To people that only know me from the outside, these words essentially define me. They've become my identity. You see someone walking around campus with a black nike dri-fit backpack on that says trojan athletics across the front, and automatically certain perceptions arise. Whether its about my personality, my decisions, my lifestyle, or my academics, the world is bound to form stigmas about a person based on the club, group or team someone affiliates themselves with. I mean I do spend at least 4 hours of my day on the field, watching film or meeting with my coaches. So here is a little insight into the life of a student-athlete at USC:

Wake up at 5 am. Hit snooze. Hit snooze two or three more times. Sleep thirty more minutes. Panic. Put on the outfit for the day. Freak out because you can't find the matching shorts. Scramble through your laundry. Race to the locker room. Find your shorts. Sigh of relief. Check your email. Memorize the practice plan. Pack your equipment and binder. Run to the field. Warm up. Hold your breathe and wait for how much running you have to do pre-practice. Run. Sometimes puke. Set up the field. Practice. Hard. For three hours. Run back to the locker room. Watch film in team room. Get quizzed on opponents and go over scouting reports. Almost fall asleep from exhaustion. Grab breakfast. Race to class in sweaty clothes. Freeze in class. Try to pay attention. Finish classes. Go to Mckay center. Do homework. Study. Scour for food in the facility. Splash water on your face and focus on your work. Go home. Eat. Clean. Pass out. Do it all over again. Every day except Sunday. It is a full time job.

This is our life. My life. On an easy day. There is hardly any time for a social life, friends outside of your sport, and sometimes even family. The lacrosse team becomes your family. Sometimes I feel like I hardly have time to breathe and never get the chance to take a step back and really visualize my life. Understand what is happening around me. How I am growing and how my opinions and perspectives are changing. It all happens so fast that I forget to appreciate the little things in my life. I have to force myself to remember that I am more than just an attacker on the lacrosse team. More than just a number on a jersey. A player on a scouting report. I still have hobbies. Dreams. Real passions and ambition. It is so easy to get sucked into the athlete lifestyle that it makes it hard to keep your individuality. So everyday, I open my bible, say a prayer and look myself in the mirror. I enter each day with a new mission. A mission to better myself and grow into the woman God intended for me to be. Here's to life and all of the adventures ahead of me!

Final Food Blog Post

"Life is rather grand here these days. The farm is sufficiently developed. Most of the twelve acres are being well utilized, although I have great plans for making areas more productive...On my morning walks around the perimeter I often wonder what this farm will be like in one hundred years."

Everything is finally coming full circle for Kurt. Those twelve acres he first stumbled upon, transformed into a full functioning farm and lifestyle that he has embraced. He has gained an appreciation for the animals and the process necessary to create a self sustaining business. Every day Kurt does his evening chores and his morning chores. Which primarily consists of feeding the cattle, milking the cows, and cleaning the stables. He lives a very simple, day to day lifestyle that may seem boring and unfulfilling from the outside, but when you put your heart into something and invest your time, it becomes your passion. Your purpose. Kurt looks at this system he has embellished and is proud. He envisions its future. How it will prosper when he dies. How it will grow. It has become a part of him. Kurt loves that he can control the process. He loves that he gets to decide every step of how the animals are raised and the produce grown. "I can control how the animals are born, how they are fed and raised and how they are slaughtered. The end result is a superior product." Over the years he has learned exactly what he wants to do and what he doesn't. Farming has become an art form. A way of expressing himself and investing love and effort into something beyond himself. He has connected with nature and mother earth and is more wholly now than he has ever been. Watching him develop over the book as a farmer and a person has been eye opening to the opportunities to grow and prosper all around us. Overall, I thought the book was incredibly insightful. It was not a terribly exciting novel to read, but it made me understand the culture and appreciate the things I take for granted all around me.

Expert Article Final Draft with Works Cited

STOP! It’s Hammertime…

Discover the great mysteries of the Hammerhead Shark

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

Let’s take a dive. How far will you go to spot the Mufasa of the sea? The deeper you dive, the scarier it gets. Since the beginning of mankind, marine biologists have tried to uncover the mystifying depths of the ocean. But what if I said I could finally uncover the hidden secrets that have been locked hundreds of miles below the surface for so long? Take a shark bite and find out.

Southern California’s warm waters brings more than just surfers and suntans to the coastline. Although hammerhead sharks were just recently added to the endangered species list, a shocking sighting of a 7-footer in Huntington Beach captures the attention of the locals and reporters in all of the area (Perez). What are they doing so close to the shore? Why do they have elongated heads and wide set eyes? Other than their appealing and unique aesthetics, why are hammerhead sharks so intriguing? Read further, as I guide you into the misleading world of the hammerhead shark.

What’s wrong with their head?

Have you ever wondered why the head of a hammerhead shark is so oddly shaped? Believe it or not, there is a purpose behind their anatomy. The head’s shape is specifically designed to pin down the shark’s favorite treat under the sand: the stingray. Stingrays innate ability to lie completely flat on the ocean floor make them no easy prey to slay. The head of the shark resembles a metal detector in that it uses electroreceptors called ampullae of Lorenzini, to scour over the sand and detect the stingrays electrical pulse (“Hammerhead Shark”). As if that feature isn’t distinct enough, hammerheads also have panoramic vision. The location of their eyes allows them to essentially have 360-degree view, the only blind spot being right in front of their nostrils (“Hammerhead Sharks-National Geographic”). Being primarily bottom feeders, their limitless vision enables them to hunt camouflaged small creatures such as squid, crab and sardine that live at the bottom of the ocean.

Let’s talk about sex.

How does a shark have sex one might ask? Well, their mating and birth processes are incredibly similar to ours.  Hammerhead sharks are viviparous, meaning that the fertilized eggs hatch inside a female and after a gestation period of about 11 months, the offspring (also known as “pups”) are released into the waters. A typical litter consists of anywhere from 20-50 pups (Edwards)! Male sharks typically scope out the larger females because they can carry three to four times more pups than smaller females. However, romancing with females is not an easy task. Female hammerheads tend to travel in groups of 100 or more, with the largest residing in the middle of the pack for protection from the males. Once the male shark spots his lady, he pulls her out to the open ocean where they can have a little privacy (Ince). From here, the waters start to get a little rough. The male portrays his dominance by aggressively biting and whipping the female until she submits to him, similar to a Fifty Shades of Grey routine. After the female has become his submissive, the sharks begin the mating process as most mammals do; through sexual intercourse. Fun fact: sharks have two penises known as claspers that channel semen into the females. It’s a shame they don’t mate for pleasure.

To make matters even more interesting, a recent study has revealed that female sharks can reproduce asexually. In an unusual method called parthenogenesis, females can fertilize their own eggs without the need for male sperm (Queen’s University Belfast). Though the ability to switch between sexual and asexual reproduction may seem advantageous, it also poses a threat to the species. Without paternal DNA, asexual reproduction reduces genetic diversity and increases the likelihood of genetically disadvantaged offspring.

Trained Assassins!

Scream. Panic. Freak. If you are the typical uninformed beachgoer in the ocean, when you see a shark fin popping out of the water your first instinct is probably to swim away, assuming you aren’t already in paralytic shock. What you have in common with millions of other people who have the same fleeing instincts, is that you are unaware that the chance of you dying from a shark attack is 77 times less likely than dying from a lightening strike (“5 Things More Likely Than A Shark Attack”). Yeah…take a second and really process that. As Finding Nemo’s Great White Shark Bruce once said: “Fish are friends, not food.” Since 1580, only 33 hammerhead shark attacks have ever been recorded, none being fatal (“Has There Ever Been a Fatal Hammerhead Shark Attack Recorded?”). If I were to see a shark fin above water and a hammerhead shape beneath me, there would actually be a moment of relief knowing they pose no real threat. Of the nine known species of hammerheads, only 3 of them have ever attacked a human: Great, Scalloped and Smooth.

Save The Sharks!

Knowing that hammerheads are relatively harmless, it's surprising that last year scalloped hammerheads became the first shark on the U.S. Endangered Species List (Shiffman). Since the 1950s, populations have decreased by 99 percent, primarily due to overfishing (“Great Hammerhead Shark”). Shark fin soup has been a delicacy in China since the Ming dynasty. With each bowl costing anywhere from $5 to $2000, it is safe to say you aren’t merely paying for the taste (“History of Shark Fin Soup”). Ordering shark fin soup signifies the customers’ wealth and self esteem. People are placing value on financial eminence and societal status over free will of the animals whom we share our home. Since when has monetary value possessed more beauty than watching a hammerhead shark swim swiftly below the surface? How did we establish superiority over a creature whose habitat covers 70 percent of our earth? These creatures are hunted for sport and then thrown back as bait, yet we call them the killers? Take a look in the mirror and let’s make a better reflection of ourselves. Now that you have been empowered with this information, join my efforts and save the next hammerhead!

  

Works Cited

"Check Out These Amazing Hammerhead Shark Facts!" SharkSider. N.p., 2015. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.sharksider.com/hammerhead-shark/>.

Edwards, Steven. "Hammerhead Sharks Reproduce Asexually." Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 23 May 2007. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.wired.com/2007/05/hammerhead_shar/>.

"Great Hammerhead Shark - Our Endangered World." Our Endangered World. N.p., 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.ourendangeredworld.com/species/sharks-fish/great-hammerhead-shark/>.

"Hammerhead Shark." Shark Facts and Information. BioExpedition, 2014. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.sharks-world.com/hammerhead_shark/>.

"Hammerhead Sharks - Hammerhead Pictures - Shark Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., 2015. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/hammerhead-shark/>.

"Has There Ever Been a Fatal Hammerhead Shark Attack Recorded?"Answers. Answers Corporation, n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. <http://www.answers.com/Q/Has_there_ever_been_a_fatal_Hammerhead_shark_attack_recorded>.

"History of Shark Fin Soup." History of Shark Fin Soup –. Shark Truth, 2015. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. <http://www.sharktruth.com/learn/history-of-shark-fin-soup/>.

Ince, Sarah DeWitt. "How Do Hammerhead Sharks Mate?" EHow. Demand Media, 2015. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4569342_hammerhead-sharks-mate.html>.

Perez, Jessica, and Hetty Chang. "Warmer Weather Drawing More Sharks to SoCal Coast." NBC Southern California. NBCUniversal Media, 17 Sept. 2015. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. <http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/shark-california-beach-spotted-closed-hammerhead-328115911.html>.

Queen's University Belfast. "No Sex Please, We're Female Sharks." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 May 2007. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070523072254.htm>.

Shiffman, David. "Calloped Hammerheads Become First Shark Species on the U.S. Endangered Species List." Scientific American. A Division of Nature America, 2015. Web. 21 Sept. 2015. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scalloped-hammerheads-become-first-shark-species-on-the-u-s-endangered-species-list/>.

"5 Things More Likely Than a Shark Attack." 5 Things More Likely Than a Shark Attack. The Diving Blog, 2013. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. <http://www.thedivingblog.com/5-things-more-likely-than-shark-attack/>.