Kassiquan

Digital Technology

On my way to work this morning, almost everyone was looking at or texting on their cell phones, including yours truly.  There is really nothing wrong with this but, it can be quite irritating.  I got off the train this morning walking up the stairs behind one texting on his cell phone; watch where you are going, please.  I am walking the corridor trying to catch my next train and most of the people walking in front of me, behind me or beside me are looking into their cell phone scrolling through emails, texting or commenting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram ; watch where you are going, please.  I am walking up the street to or from my office; people are on their cell phones.  Do not be staring into your cell phone or texting and then suddenly stop in front of me and I bump into you and then you turn around and give me “the look,” as if it is my fault; watch where you are going, please.  Most of us are habitual users of cell phones; I am one of them but not while I myself am mobile; walking, running or driving.

I am fascinated with digital technology.  If you think about it, the variety of ways we use digital technology just blows my mind; I am completely amazed and astonished in how technology developed throughout recent history to where it is today.  The first transmission of one’s voice from device to device was the telephone in 1876 invented by Alexander Graham Bell; a research in hearing devices probably influenced by the deafness of his mother and his wife.  The printing of images onto paper was invented by Nicepore Niepce in 1816 and the Daguerreotype Camera in 1839 by Louis Daguerre who finished Niepce’s work after his death.  The use of photographic film was pioneered by George Eastman between the years 1885 to 1889.  In 1888, Eastman’s first camera called “Kodak” was a simple box camera with a fixed-focus lens and a single shutter speed that was available for sale to the average customer.  In 1895 Louis Lumiere invented the first motion picture camera in France.  In 1896; Thomas Edison invented the Vitascope, the first successful and commercially used projector in the US (Information source – Wikipedia Online).

Most of us live with and by digital technology.  I do.  I have a laptop computer that uses Windows (had to buy a new one because my other is now run down and out of date).  I have an Apple iPad mini (thinking about upgrading).  I have an iPhone 7 Plus (won’t upgrade, yet) and, I have an Android tablet (free with my service provider).  I did not purchase an iWatch and I don’t think I need one of those, maybe not now (Ha, ha).  I do not use all my devices religiously except for one, my iPhone.  Most everything I need and use during my travels each day is on my iPhone.  I am in touch with my family; not just with a phone call but on social media; I only use Facebook and Messenger.  Through Facebook, I hope to reach family members who I have yet to include in my Family Tree which is now accessible from an APP (Application) from my iPhone (and iPad).  I can check weather, news, transportation schedules, and my finances.  I am able to make online purchases, take pictures and videos, watch movies and television shows.  I can especially read my Bible in the translations and versions I choose, and search commentaries all with one Bible APP.  I am living, “Star Trek” and I am not on the Enterprise Starship.

I am a Star Trek Follower.  I call myself “a follower” because I do love Star Trek; The Classic Series starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelly and Nichelle Nichols; The Next Generation Series starring Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner and Marina Sirtis; The Voyager Series starring Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Tim Russ and Roxann Dawson; and The Star Trek Movie Reboots starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban and Zoe Seldana.  I have yet, to watch Discovery; it is not on a “free” channel to watch, and that stinks.  I would not exactly call myself “a Fan;” it is the short form for “fanatic,” to which I do not identify.  My favorite Star Trek Series is the Next Generation; it dealt more with realistic topics to which one could identify in today’s society.  One of the major reasons I am a follower of Star Trek is because of the use of technology, digital technology in the devices used on the episodes.

In 2000, I had my first cell phone, a Motorola StarTac Flip Phone.  Guess what, the flip phones reminded me of the Communicator devices that the Original Star Trek Series used; hey progress.  When the first iPads and E-readers came out, they reminded me of the tablets that Star Trek Next Generation used in one of the episodes where Dr. Crusher was organizing a rehearsal for a play; each member was given a tablet with their lines, no paper.  Let me include the following viewed on most of the Star Trek Generation episodes and subsequent series of Star Trek shows; sub-space messages where video calls were made and received, computer voices which receive commands and give information, computer logs that store information and accessible from anywhere, and of course, touch screens.  Our current cell phones can do all this with Apps like, Face Time, the Cloud, and checking with Siri, Alexa, etc.  Yes, I am definitely a Star Trek follower.

But there are risks to Digital Technology that can be harmful and threatening.  Working with victim survivors of Domestic/ Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence one of the main concerns is their safety.  Working on a safety plan we advise victim survivors to keep important documents (birth certificates, social security cards, passports, health records, etc.) in one place and in safe keeping.  We encourage victim survivors with children to develop special codes so they will know what to do or where to go if in school should the family need to escape an abusive situation.  In safety planning the use of digital technology is also discussed; change your cell number, your password and email accounts and, should the abuser own and pay for your cell, best to get a new one with a different service provider.  Many of our participants share stories that their cell phones are being tracked by their abuser.  Recently added to our safety planning, is informing our participants not to provide any important personal information when answering a call; especially calls that allege, your banking information needs updating, or “This is IRS calling regarding an immediate arrest that can be settled right now on the phone;” to which one of my participants with whom I was assisting fell victim.  The participant, fearing immediate arrest (as she was told) withdrew money from her bank account, bought a stack of gift cards and proceeded to give the ID numbers to the caller.  As a result, she had no finances left to pay her rent the following month.

The risks of Digital Technology in safety planning with our participants not only affect them, the risks affect all of us.  Never answer a call on your cell if the number is not recognized.  Most of the telephone numbers on my cell are attached to names of people I know.  If you receive a call you do not recognize, let the call go to voice message.  If this call does not, it was not an important call to answer.  Should there be a voice message from a solicitor or scam artist, do not call back but block the number.  Do not download attachments from email or online if you are not 100% sure who sent you the attachments.  Computer Hackers and Scammers are always developing new viruses and ways to get into your computer system.  Watching Star Trek Next Generation episodes where other alien ships would access the Enterprise’s computer logs by hacking into their codes (passwords) stealing information and/or disabling the ship proved helpful.  To assure that my information on my computer is safe I do not store any information on my laptop itself; I use an external hard drive.  Should my computer crash, I have lost nothing but the programs I installed.  I even set up an external hard drive for my Aunt, who is not a computer whiz but, would be frustrated because her computers would crash and she loses everything she stored on them.  Now my Aunt can store everything on her own external hard drive and she is a happy computer user.

Imagine; all digital technology comes from the earth’s resources, formed and fashioned with most of the energy taken from the sun.  When King David wrote:

“I will praise you (God); for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows this well.  My substance was not hid form you, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought (formed) in the lowest parts of the earth.  Your eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.  How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God!  How great is the sum of them (Psalm 139:14-17)

If King David was fascinated and in awe about how he himself was created, formed, living and mobile just imagine how much more King David would be should he witness what we witnessed?  Yes, I am fascinated with digital technology which keeps changing, upgrading and developing.  I will always be a “follower” of Star Trek; we are working on a space station, yes?  Oh, a reminder - please, pull to the side of the road should you really need to be on your cell phone, talking or texting.  I do not want you driving in front of me, in back of me or beside me swerving around because you can’t put the cell phone down.  It’s irritating enough having to avoid human traffic while traveling to and from work each day.  Remember, the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil” still exists and all knowledge does come from God.  But, it is up to us to use this knowledge wisely and in safety for all concerned.  “Make it so.  Engage!”