Where Is Everyone?

The forum is too quiet.  Talk please.

Hi Alice,

The only discussion that seemed to be rolling was the one on religion...won't jump into that!


Stay well, God Bless

Alice, I am here.  I have been cutting out appliques an dealing with David's unemployment and social security.  Scary, it is.  I wish we were more adept at stuff.

Betty, been thinking about you and David.  Wish there was something we could all do to help. Suggestions without full knowledge may do more harm than good. 
I'm looking for a positive outcome.  When your back is against the wall it can trigger creativity. 
To say, "I've been there" doesn't help.  Situations may be similar, yet the differences huge. 
Keep in mind that there is a solution ot every problem.  I am confident that you will find the solution.

Hoping that you are having a good day.

Applying for social security is no picnic.  Neither is applying for medicare benefits.  It seems the more technology available the more complicated life becomes.  With one exception.  The toll road system in Florida is getting quite slick.  The Sun Pass that is stuck on my windshield means I whiz through the toll booths, have access to express lanes and just keep feeding the monkey with my stored credit card for their use.  Sure beats dropping quarters in the box or handing a ticket to the booth and then paying it at the end from all the cash I could scrape up. However, that cushy but boring ticket and toll taker job has bit the dust.  If you don't have enough money in your account, they bill you based on their photo of your license plate and really add on the late fees, etc.  Storing a credit card is a good idea and access to the accounting is easy.  At least one modernization with technology makes something easier.

Betty,

I hope something good works out.
Love ya,

Alice

Let's talk about electonics and how it affects our lives.  At the moment, I'm pissed-off at electronics in general from cars to coffee-makers.  Consider also how electonics has affected unemployment.

Cell phones are the worst.  People are glued to them and miss the moment because they are such a distraction. I  wish they could only be used for emergencies.

Agree Alice.  On my last job, I was required to carry a cell phone.  Since I worked in Atlanta and the home office was in Holland, I got calls in the middle of the night.  Some would forget the 6 hour difference in time.  Traveling around the loop in Atlanta I almost had an accident when my phone rang and I looked to get it and took my eyes off the road.  It was a narrow escape.  From that time on I didn't turn on my cell phone when driving.  When I retired, I vowed not to have one and have kept that promise.  There are times when I feel the need to have one only to call out in case of an emergency.  When I'm alone in the woods it would be good to have should something happen.  If I could get a cell phone with only outgoing call function, it would be great.  It's the incoming calls that are a nuisance.  I don't have an answering machine on my home phone.  If people want to call me and there is no answer, they can call back. 
There are those that will say you can have a cell phone and not give the number to anyone thus having only the outgoing use.  That doesn't work.  People can get your number if they want it.  They can also get it when you call them. 
An emergency call phone would be a big hit, especially for seniors.  Keeping it simple is the key.

So much today is electronic that people become accustomed to the warning signals and depend on them.  Cars have warning signals when backing up or getting too close to some object.  When they fail, and they will, accidents will happen.  I don't trust electronics and I don't want to become dependent on them.  I don't think it is "Just me".

It was through electronics we all became friends!

Don, why is it that you inject truth to mess up our rant?

I can't complain about the progress of electronics...it gave me a great career for over forty years.

Don, I can’t argue with electronic careers.  Electronics has given many people careers and a good living.
My objection deals with the effect.  Oil has given many careers as well.  The effects of what we call progress are beginning to be noticed with our environment.
Staying on the subject of electronics, I think dependence is the problem.  For the user, it can be a crutch eliminating the need to think.  Engineers enjoy software programs that eliminate the need for time-consuming manual calculations.  Learning the basics must be part of any training.  What happens when the electronic device breaks?  What happens when the software develops a bug or a virus?  Try checking out of a food store when the power is off and the scanning device isn’t working.  “Murphy’s Law” is still valid.  (“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”)  Being prepared is as valid today as it ever was.  IMV, being prepared for the failure of electronics requires more attention than it is given. It could be claimed that our dependence on electronics has caused us to become lazy.  Our concern about terrorism should include the disruption of essential services.  Hacking into electronic systems has already occurred.  The more we depend on electronics, the more vulnerable we become to attack.  We can’t affect much change with our economic structure, however we can control our own way of living.  As a home owner, having back-up systems is not just a matter of convenience, but could be a matter of survival.

You are right, as  is usual, Don. I just wish they, the electronics owners, would  have better etiquette.

  Constantly checking and  answering a cell phone is rude in  my opinion.

My friend refused to have a cell phone.  Yet, any time we went somewhere, she asked to use mine - in the days of each call as an expense.  Then, she didn't hesitate to call me on mine if she tried to reach me on the home phone.  Thus, I was available to her but not in the reverse.

I have a friend who refuses to use the Internet yet has me look up things for him.  He also has me work on some projects and I have to fax the result -which does not look like the electronic version.  Also, if I need to reach him, I must phone and leave a message and wait for his return call.  At least on email one doesn't have to disturb another.  One can look at the email whenever desired and respond similarly.  I think email is much less invasive than a cell phone.

Then to Alice's concern.  I agree that electronic gadgets came onto the scene with no Miss Manners to guide their use.  No one should be allowed to use a cell phone in an automobile except in a dire emergency.  Period.  That includes me - and I violate my own rule.

Cell phone use at dinner is disgusting.  And in public places where people carry on loud conversations even to vile words, how disgusting.  People with that thing on their head walk around talking like a crazy person talking to no one.

Then there's the simple telephone.  I am always so very grateful to call a place and get a human.  When I call Suntrust I have learned to hit zero about ten times and get a real person in spite of all their threats about not following their instructions leading to a longer service.  Do not call Social Security or the IRS - the wait is interminable and they offer to call you back.  Once I got my call-back the next day.

Robocalls and sales calls are the last straw.  There's someone collecting a debt that calls my cell at 9:00 a.m. every morning from somewhere else in the U.S.  I tried answering, and I had to admit to a bunch of untrue information before I'd get a human so I hung up.  The calls continue.  I have a debt of $72 to Lee Memorial Hospital on my credit report - and Lee Memorial Hospital swears I don't owe it.  I wrote an appropriate letter to the credit card agency and they sent a form response that "this is a legitimate debt and will continue to be recorded on your credit report."  I can appeal...

I have another call from a credit consolidation company that calls at all hours and tells me they will help me consolidate the credit card debt - that I don't have.  There is no human whatsoever associated with that call.

DK,

So sorry!