Technology and Communication

Technology around us is constantly improving and we constantly need to keep up with it. Sometimes that can be a pain, but sometimes these new technologies are superior means to improve our lives.

            Most of us should know what Wi-Fi is, as we each probably use it daily. Similar to Wi-Fi, is something called Li-Fi, which is being developed by many organizations all over the world. Li-Fi is a wireless communication technology that uses LED lights to enable its incredibly fast data. University of Edinburgh’s mobile communication professor, Harald Haas explained that the light bulbs could act as wireless routers in a Ted Talk.

https://www.techworld.com/data/what-is-li-fi-everything-you-need-know-3632764/

This technology could change the workplace, as the lights above everyone’s desk could serve as a transmission server. Some say that Li-Fi would be a good (and green) supplement to Wi-Fi, and even think it could replace Wi-Fi altogether.

            TechWorld gives examples Li-Fi uses:

·      Military - accessible in no-service zones

·      Parenting - turning off lights means turning off children’s access to prevent internet addiction

·      GPS - show certain access in a large workplace such as a hospital

·      Car-to-car communication - damage reports, warnings ahead, and collision warnings

·      Underwater communications - underwater vehicles communicate with one another

·      Internet of things - more devices able to connect to one another and data transferring at a high level

·      Enabled street lights: access to mobile phones = walking home at night safer

·      Security - more secure than Wi-Fi because of a shorter range

https://www.techworld.com/picture-gallery/data/-brilliant-uses-of-li-fi-3636688/

            Of course, what Li-Fi means in terms of communication is that there is a larger means to communicate. Connectedness, efficiency, and speed will increase, making it easier than ever to get messages sent. Some professional fields of work do not have the means necessary to communicate with one another, have access to the internet when needed, or have as fast of processing speed as they need.  

An example of this is the military as previously mentioned. Members of the military are not always in places that have internet, Wi-Fi, or even cell phone service. Li-Fi will enable them to communicate easily with one another, get orders from their superiors, and also communicate with the commander-in-chief quickly. Even a small light in a tent in the middle of nowhere will allow them to connect to Li-Fi.

Overall, Li-Fi would be a very beneficial asset to personal and professional communication in many aspects. 

Social Media Case Assignment Description

            I think we can all agree that President Trump is an avid tweeter. And his tweets are not just boring and political, but are entertaining and sometimes even comical to follow along with. But of course, it is not uncommon for these tweets to create huge controversy and upheaval.

            Today, I want to focus on the following two tweets from our President of the United States of America:

Let’s start with the White House situation. After national teams win championships, it is common— and an honor—to be invited to visit the White House and meet the President. When a team does not end up going to the White House, it is usually due to scheduling conflicts. But NBA 2017 champion Golden State’s Steph Curry stated that he simply did not want to go to the White House. Note that even though Curry and Durrant decided they didn’t want to go, the team was still going to sit down and discuss whether or not they would go. But of course after hearing what Curry said, Trump promptly responded by tweeting that the invitation is withdrawn. The Golden State Warriors released a statement explaining they were disappointed the invitation was withdrawn before they had made a decision as a team, and American citizens should be able to freely voice their opinions on matters that are important to them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/09/23/president-trump-says-stephen-currys-white-house-invitation-has-been-withdrawn/?utm_term=.ecb9276fac2c

Reflecting on the three times he was fortunate enough to get invited to the White House, NFL player Teddy Bruschi explains, “it didn’t really matter who the President was, whether I agreed with the President or not, it’s just the experience of going there with your team to be celebrated as a world champion by the President of the United States – it’s a pretty big deal”. Bruschi says this was the coolest experience of his life. It is interesting to note this interview took place well before Trump was president.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14870667/how-white-house-visits-championship-teams-became-american-tradition

            Next, if you have not heard about NFL players kneeling, sitting down, or locking arms to protest during the national anthem, where have you been? I was not sure what to make of this at first, or what it even means. So this brings up an interesting question. What makes kneeling during the national anthem disrespectful? What does kneeling actually mean? To some, kneeling is to show honor, a way to pray to God, even a humbling gesture. But this certainly cannot be the case in this context. So why? Why do they do it? Apparently it is because “athletes of color are either sitting down or taking a knee and raising a clinched fist in protest of police brutality and racial inequities”.  (1) Many people have opinions of what ‘the kneel’ means now, after all this buzz and twitter drama. But to sum it up, journalist David Corn explains, “the kneel will now become a sign of opposition to Trump”. (2)

(1) https://mic.com/articles/154349/why-are-athletes-kneeling-during-the-national-anthem-here-s-what-you-need-to-know#.SUkYeqb3A

(2) https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-appearances/what-will-taking-the-knee-mean-now

So although President Trump’s opinions or taking offense may be valid, the way he went about expressing it was simply not professional. This is not surprising knowing his Twitter history. Just as he obviously expects respect from these athletes, he should respect them right back. And referring to athletes who kneel as  ‘sons of a bitches’ (as he did when saying the teams' owners should fire them) is certainly not respectful or professional. In fact, his behavior is a little bit embarrassing. 

On the other hand, I do not think the protesting of the kneeling players was effective. Okay, they knelt to express that they have an issue with something… What then? It is not accomplishing anything – besides awareness. Also, it is not the right time or place. It would not be professional for others to do that at his or her place of work (they would probably get fired), so why would it be appropriate at theirs? A more effective approach to be to actually act on an issue, rather kneel down and submit to its “unfairness”.

            Overall, is interesting to notice professionals with large followings on social media get so worked up about certain issues that their professional communication goes out the door. And despite President Trump’s preferred method, deleting regretful comments does not make them go away forever. Famous or not, it is important for everyone to think about their posts, comments, and actions that can – and will – be there for everyone to see. 

Online Reputation

To: Karina Hernández

From: Jessie Innis

Date: Sept. 27, 2017

Re: Online Reputation

If I could summarize Karina Hernandez in one word, it would be: involved. Seriously, she is passionate about getting involved in her community, school, and wants to work towards a greater good. She has received many awards, and has been on the Dean’s list at Utah State University nearly every semester. She’s a smarty-pants for sure.

Source: 

http://www.biology.usu.edu/education/scholarships/undergrad-scholarships/2017-undergrad-recipients/HERNANDEZkarina_bio.pdf

Karina is the daughter of immigrant parents, who came to the United State for search of a better life. They have strong work ethic, and she has learned so much from their example in that aspect. In high school, Karina won a ‘Distinguished Student Award’, and was even featured on the local channel 8 news because of it. She maintained a 4.0 grade point average through high school, and was a part of the “school’s award winning debate team”. She also got involved in the Idaho Community Action Network, focusing on immigration rights. This was such an inspiration to her and has driven her passionate in this subject.   

Source: 

http://www.localnews8.com/news/karina-hernandez-distinguished-student_2016082503142294/57957828

Source: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-hernandez-95043191

Karina is passionate about embracing her Latino heritage and sharing the importance of diversity on campus. She is the Vice President of the Latino Student Union here at Utah State University. However, it can sometimes be discouraging to embrace the significance of her culture in Cache Valley, as it has pretty monotone demographics. However, she believes that everyone can benefit from learning about the Latin culture because it is a truly beautiful culture, and has been involved in Hispanic Heritage Month. Not only is Karina involved in the Latino community on campus, but off-campus as well. She was even invited to be part of the Cache Valley Latino Advisory Board. She also volunteers at a local charter school teaching Spanish lessons in ‘Spanish Club’. 

Sources: 

http://usustatesman.com/hispanic-professor-and-students-explain-the-importance-of-hispanic-heritage-month-for-everyone/

https://www.facebook.com/karina13h

http://www.biology.usu.edu/education/scholarships/undergrad-scholarships/2017-undergrad-recipients/HERNANDEZkarina_bio.pdf

Along with her rich Latino heritage, Karina is also passionate about health. She is currently studying Public Health at Utah State University with an industrial health emphasis.  She is pursing a master’s degree in Occupational Heath and Safety and/or Industrial Hygiene. She is even considering going to medical school. She was accepted into a Summer Public Health Scholars Program at Columbia University in New York City. This is a big honor, as it has a 2% acceptance rate and offers unique, real-life opportunities for undergraduate students interested in increasing their knowledge in public health careers. This means she has some serious experience under her belt and is knowledgeable in the fields. This makes her very qualified, and she is an even better asset to her program and in her studies.

Sources: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-hern%C3%A1ndez-95043191/

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1577448552307445&set=a.433956743323304.112260.100001269457986&type=3&theater

https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/preprofessional/opportunities/8310

http://ps.columbia.edu/education/student-life/office-diversity/programs/college-and-post-baccalaureate-students/summer-publ

            Overall, the things you learn and find about Karina Hernández are impressive to say the least, and you definitely want her on your side. She would be a great asset to a variety of organizations and companies, and in fact you would be lucky to have her.

Letter to Cousin

Dear Taylor,

A few weeks ago at our family reunion in McCall, I told you about all the courses I would be taking this fall, and you seemed especially interested in my class called Technical and Professional Communication. You asked me many questions about what this class was all about and what kinds of things I would be learning and doing throughout the semester. I didn’t know all the answers to your questions but I would like to explain a little more about what Technical and Professional Communication is all about in this letter to you.

To begin, a great place to find general description of ‘what this class is all about’ is in the USU course catalog. In this course’s description, it reads, “skill development in oral technical reporting, interviewing, and interpersonal communication to meet the unique communication requirements of business, industry, and the professions.” The following are some assignments I will do throughout my time in this course: I will be writing a letter to a corporation and actually sending it, I will be learning how to write a letter to a customer as if I were from the headquarters of a corporation, and I will practice interviewing skills for a job of my choosing. This class may be a bit outside of my usual comfort zone, but I am excited for what I can learn and gain over the next few months.

The nice thing about this class is that it will be so applicable to the real / professional world. A website called “Writing Commons” explains that there are two categories that professional and technical writers generally fall under. The first being writers who focus specifically in technical areas, and the second being those who write as part of their jobs (even if they do not consider themselves “writers”).  They also explain the terms ‘technical’ & ‘professional’ and ‘writing’ & ‘communication’ are used pretty interchangeably and that “the field is pretty broad itself”. So I figure it can be anything from writing about technology & technological instruction to exchanging formal business letters to being an author.

I look forward to tell you more about what I learn and allowing you to also apply it to your life and even your future career.

Much love, Jessie

The USU Course Catalog:

http://catalog.usu.edu/content.php?catoid=12&navoid=3321&filter%5B27%5D

Writing Commons Website:

https://writingcommons.org/professional-and-technical-communication-an-overview