THIS IS HARD WORK!

 (I write a twice monthly column for our local newspaper. I am supposed to be complaining, legitimately about anything that comes to mind at the time. Honestly, I am so stressed and obsessed by the Presidential election on Tuesday, that I cannot think of much else. Everything I thought about, I could not articulate because of the election. Then this idea hit me.)

THIS IS HARD WORK!

One has to admire those who write columns for newspapers and other weekly periodicals. Thinking of things that reader will find of interest, is hard! How do I know that? I am trying right now to write one and mine is just a two times monthly one!

I was going to write about "shrinkflation". But those younger than me, 80% of the world, would read it and not really follow it, having never bought a full pound of bacon or a 16 ounce can of soup. They would merely say that if it is not big enough, buy two. Then I was going to write about why gas prices can increase by, at least here in northeastern Michigan, forty cents per gallon just while we are shopping for groceries. "Fair point" for us old folks, but again, those younger just shrug and say "duh". They know, almost instinctively it seems, that gas prices and nearly all commodities are interconnected globally and the INTERNET allows real time "adjustments" based on conditions. An article discussing this and recalling the "good old days" when gas prices stayed the same until the next shipment of gas arrived at the station with a price change, would only be met with that eye roll they excel at and an "old dude" comment.

Trying to discuss the "cost of living" is almost a lost cause as well. First of all, that won't fit in this space and most importantly the solution to a high cost of living, is to lower the amount of money you pay. However, the same people that understand the causality for the extreme fluctuation in gas prices, will refuse to give up 37 monthly "subscriptions", enrollments in regular shipments, Starbucks and will continue to treat dining out & carry out like necessities instead of luxuries. So they continue to complain about not having enough money, while watching a streaming service waiting for dinner to be delivered. I like Dave Ramsey's approach: if you can't afford it, don't buy it.... eat rice and beans if necessary while making changes. But few will, because they feel they are "entitled" to these things they should not afford.

Redundancy has arrived and I am sitting in the front of that bus. Change is inevitable and to be honest, most change is welcomed as well as feared by those of us comfortable with the way it was.

So, this column remains without inspiration, being composed, on purpose, just three days before the Presidential & general election. I love to complain about things I feel need to be complained about and as an old man, I have to admit I am very good at it! But there is one thing that we all should agree on and if not, be reminded of so that we do. Something that is as old as the dream to build a Nation, a REPUBLIC here in North America.

By remaining here in the Untied States as residents and citizens, we, not our parents, not our ancestors kidnapped here hundreds of years ago, WE! WE make a covenant with the United States to live according to her laws, or to peacefully work to change them if we disagree. That includes elections, probably the most important part of that covenant.

We agree, by remaining residents here, to abide by the results of elections and insure the "peaceful transition of power". No, this is not a dig on one candidate over another. This is a truth that we should understand already, but may have forgotten in the chaos of this new century. The insinuation is simple, don't like the election results? SUCK IT UP AND LIVE WITH IT! Or, you are free to leave, freer in fact than in many countries. Don't want to leave and I don't blame you there....... live with the choice of the majority and work toward a different outcome next time.

Sure, there was ballot stuffing in the 19th century. Al Capone, among others,  told his people to "vote early and vote often". But that was in the 20th century. The same technology that causes gas prices to jump ten minutes after some obscure sheik on the other side of the planet gets the flu, also insures that voting is as accurate as possible. The same technology that was used to addict you to credit and "subscriptions", verified the count. Your candidate LOST...... or WON, period! No one stole the election, though some may argue one side gave it away with poor decisions.

The majority (keeping the Electoral College in mind) has spoken. If my candidate has lost, for me, it means I truly have aged out of touch with the pulse of the country. As the British say, "redundant". I personally will have to live with that and admit to that. It will mean it is time for my generation to relinquish our death grip on America and allow the next ones their time in the spotlight. If my candidate has won, it means exactly the same, our time is past! Bacon comes in 10.5 ounce packages, gas prices change hourly, I can get 500 "TV" channels on my hand held phone and _______ will be our next President.

United, let us walk together into this new cycle and do our best to improve our Nation and ourselves!

By The Way......

 

I want to get this out of the way early.......

Next Tuesday, we vote. The election will be over. Whoever wins, wins. There will be no huge amount of cheating or stolen votes, maybe 10 in the entire nation, if that many. so who wins, is the 47th President of the United States. Don't believe that? STOP DRINKING KOOL-AID!!!!!

In 13 elections, my choice of a candidate lost one time. I try to be on top of what I feel is best for America, but that is always the America my age group envisions and not the America every other American sees, or wants. I cannot see how trump would be good for America, based first on his morality and "person-hood", second on his lies and general bullshit. I also see no cohesive Republican policies, let alone polices I can agree with. I do in Kamala Harris and the Democrats...... this time.

But what if Kamala Harris loses the election...... or for that matter if trump loses? Well, if Harris loses the Electoral College, but wins the popular vote, I will feel my choice was correct. If she wins both, I will feel the same. But what if she LOSES? For trump supporters, substitute trump for Harris here and what if HE loses?

First off, it will show me that I am out of touch with the pulse of the country. That I have arrived at old age and irrelevance. That would be OK, as it happens to us all if we are lucky enough to live long enough. I will become a "one issue voter" in the future, voting only for whomever protects my Social Security.

But what else if our candidate loses??????? November 6th will arrive, as will January 6th and February 6th. YOU, will still be an American, as will I. We will be neighbors, countrymen, club members, share seats in restaurants, shows, attractions. We will be co-workers, law enforcement, military and everyday Americans. Will we still dislike, even hate those who did not vote "our" way? Will America just say, OK, the will of the people has spoken, as it did in the pre-trump debacle days and continue as always? 

While I think they were dumb and stupid, they spoke in greater numbers than "my side" did. The covenant we make with America by continuing to live here, mandates that we peacefully accept the results, grit our teeth if necessary and hope for the best until next election cycle.Do not agree with that? Get the hell out of my country!

So let's remember that on November 6th, we will all still be Americans, regardless of the political sub-group we may also choose. On November 6th, AFTER the election is the time we need to pull together as Americans in the same way our parents and grandparents pulled together on December 7th, 1941 and created an industrial miracle that won WWII. The miracle we can create, starting on November 6th, 2024, is to insure America endures this very brief blip in our political scene.

(No, I do not think Harris is about to lose, in fact, I think that the vote of 51% of the population: WOMEN, is poised to deliver an unexpected landslide for her.... not to mention Puerto Ricans and sympathetic Hispanics, BUT, the "IF" exists)

Thanks For The Lesson Mr. Constantine!

 My eighth grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Constantine, said something one day in class that defined my view of politics forever. It also started me on a lifelong interest in politics and Presidential history. This is not an exact quote, my memory of things 58 years old is spotty, but this is close enough:

"The effect on America of the policies of a President, typically run about two years behind their inception." 

Meaning a law or policy enacted today, really will not be felt until the Fall of 2026. I was 13 then and his 1966 class was my political awakening. I have to admit though, that I followed my family's pattern of supporting Republicans for quite a while. Back then, to oversimplify, Democrats wanted to increase taxes and give 'less advantaged" Americans welfare, food stamps and low cost housing, all perks we perceived encouraged "them" to not work and to  breed indiscriminately to increase the free stuff. Sad to say that much of my remaining family still feels that way.

Republicans however, were "champions" of reining this spending in and generally appeared to value traditional family more than Democrats. At 13, I had a very narrow world view that was skewed by our status in the world of Grosse Pointe Farms and the old "money" white folks we associated with.

All this began to change with the 1968 presidential election. War protests exposed me to a more diverse number of Americans as did being a "Counselor In Training" at a Summer camp that welcomed inner city kids to experience the outdoors. Had I been able to vote, I would have still voted for Nixon, due to his promise to end the Viet Nam war soon.

By 2001 I was totally discouraged by the Republicans, primarily due to the "hijacking" of it by "Evangelicals". Our founders inferred that America should be secular and this swing to the religious Right, bothered me. George Bush's actions after the attack on America, showed me how misplaced my Republican loyalties were, though as we were in a "war" I still voted for his second term to insure America showed strength and continuity. 

But his policies brought us the "Great Recession" and an economy Barack Obama had to repair and he did just that. But it was not apparent until late 2010, too late to affect the mid-term elections. Still, he brought us low inflation, low unemployment, a strong stock market, job growth and generally a strong economy and global respect, until 2018, when the next President: trump's policies kicked in.

Which brings me to 2024. The first 18 months or so of the Biden Presidency did have us struggling with high inflation, perhaps groceries were the highest, or maybe just the most talked about. But inflation was high as well. So was unemployment. Remember that trump was the first President since Herbert Hoover to leave office with less jobs in America when he was fired, than when inaugurated. This continued, "surprisingly" until early in 2022 (isn't that close to the two years since Biden implemented his policies?). By the way, southern border crossings by illegals also decreased over the last two years.

My feelings, based on how Mr. Constantine's lesson has played out over these 58 years, is that the better times we now enjoy, will continue under a Kamala Harris presidency, particularly since she help shape what has occurred over the last four to bring about today. Adding to that, her promise to further limit illegal immigration by securing the southern Border, economic policies that stabilize the current low inflation and high employment, she is the choice for this time!

Putting aside my hatred of trump as a (barely) human and my disenchantment of the Republican party due to the religious takeover. Also, putting aside the morals of the two candidates: one convicted of 34 felonies and cheated on his wife with a porn star while his wife recovered from the birth of their (dubiously "theirs") child and the other candidate, the sitting Vice-President of the country, morally admirable and vowing to continue the current trends of less illegal immigration, low inflation, high employment and promises to heal the broken housing market, I personally cannot see that a choice exists!

However, remember that this opinion is based on just 58 years of political activism, so there is a chance some "millennial" or "XYZ Generation" child with a "smartass phone" and the "wisdom" it bestows on its owner, knows better! We will know in two years, or sooner if the Constitution is suspended.

I am 72 and should not give a shit, but I do, for some strange reason!

One source used here, was the following article:

https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/2c298bda-8aee-4923-84a3-95a54f7f6e6f/did-trump-create-or-inherit-the-strong-economy.pdf

2024's "SILENT MAJORITY"

2024's "SILENT MAJORITY" 

There is a suspicion that the polls have been wrong since trump decided to ruin politics. The blame for this seems to lie in the fact that many people that LIKE him, are afraid to tell pollsters that, hence he overperformed in the polls in 2016 and 2020.

Case in point, the 2024 "Silent Majority"...............

He can thank the "Dobbs Decision",

as well as JD Vance ("childless cat ladies") for that!

NOW, A LEGAL, DISGUSTING SCAM!

 NOW, A LEGAL, DISGUSTING SCAM!

I did not think I would post another one quite so fast, but amazingly, someone else has been trying to run a scam on us for a week now and today, I decided to get to what it was all about. Turns out is it perfectly legal, but a scam nonetheless!

I will post what I put on FACEBOOK below, along with a follow-up. However, I want to say that both Social Security (FICA on your paycheck: Federal INSURANCE Contributions Act) and MEDICARE are BOTH defined as INSURANCE. They are not "entitlements", a term that brings an unfairly distributed gift to mind, they are insurance. We all PURCHASE this insurance through our contributions, mandatory, but still contributions. WE PURCHASE THIS INSURANCE, IT AIN'T A GIFT!

That being said and saying it in this way is vitally important, particularly if your politics are more "conservative" or worse, "trumped up".  It is our responsibility to insure that the insurance we purchased is not defrauded or exploited in any way. If we see that it is, we must speak up so it is there when we need it and it WILL be there when needed, unless our system of governance collapses due to poor voting decisions.

So the article I am posting below, deals with just one way MEDICARE is being defrauded of huge sums of money. It is also a very easy one to stop individually. Please read below:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Again, on the subject of scams, there is yet another one going around that I don't quite have the information on just yet. I will when the next call comes though.

We get 2-3 calls a day from bogus looking numbers, asking for Debbie. The calls all start with: "Hello, this is "Fran" (or something) calling on a recorded line for Blue Cross/Blue Shield (our insurer), is Debra available?"

I go into my "decrepit old lady" mode and tell them she is sick, on the toilet with diarrhea, at the casino gambling her Social Security, in rehab, or whatever comes to mind. I then launch into an "onion story" and they usually hang up, but call back in a few minutes.

Some calls are weird numbers and others are ID'd as coming from "SIGNIFY HEALTH" and BCBS does contract through them for services. Fairly certain that the calls really do not come from BCBS, I decided to check with them anyway yesterday. No, there was no department trying to contact either of us from BCBS. GOOGLING the numbers, GOOGLE says they are known scam telephone numbers. But call one back and they answer as SIGNIFY HEALTH.

But what is the scam? I know 90% of you would not answer and if so, they do not leave a message as BCBS would do. But as a lifetime "shit-stirrer", I have to know and do what I can to expose everything not acceptable. Also, as I am now "old" in years, the fact that these maggots are preying on my generation really pisses me off and I want to hurt them!

So I will play along next time, and let you all know what this scam is all about. Like the DISH one though, this starts out believable.

Now, the addendum:

I did not have to wait long for the next call!!! It has been less than an hour since posting that and they just did call back.

It seems the call is genuine, but from this SIGNIFY HEALTH, contractor and not something BCBS is responsible for. SIGNIFY HEALTH is trying to "schedule our 'annual 'in home' visit". So while not a direct scam from scammers overseas, it still is a scam.

Medicare does allow for an annual sort of "wellness check" at your home. This is for people that cannot get out to their regular doctor (now called a primary care doctor), in order to see if the patient needs further care. But Medicare does not specify the parameters that such a visit should be needed, e/g: disabled, blind, bed-ridden and so on, simply that Medicare recipients MAY get one annually.

Now I have written on this in the past and this is essentially how it goes: The visit, if scheduled, usually performed but a bottom of the class "nurse practitioner", "physician's assistant", or doctor no one else will hire. They ask how you feel and take your blood pressure. Not a scam, right? WRONG, it is not mandatory as it is presented, it is optional and created for those who cannot get to the doctor otherwise, NOT EVERYONE, though everyone MAY do it!

The numbers may have changed in the four years or so since I first investigated this, but this will give you an idea. The visit takes place and your blood pressure taken (and little else). YOU receive a $75 gift card or prepaid VISA card. Meanwhile, Medicare is billed $1200 for the visit........ TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!! The health care person that comes to your house gets about $200 for the visit and must pay their travel costs out of that. So the cost of the visit is $200 plus the $75 gift card, for a total of $275. SIGNIFY HEALTH or whomever is conducting this is able to bank $925 for doing nothing of importance!

That may not be a scam directly, but it is definitely misuse of Medicare and YOUR money! It is a hard sell when they call! I got rid of them last time my telling them: "Sure, you can do that, just split the $1200 with me and have the person bring the VISA card or check for $600 when they come here! Hello? Hello?"

Yet some still object to Socialized medicine that would stop this and so much more!

BACK...... I hope!

Hello to any reader who remembers me! Life is full of changes and in fact, the only thing consistent in Life is inconsistency! On that note, there have been a lot of changes since I first started this. One big change that you can see, is that I changed the name of this blog.

In coming posts here, I will relate the changes and hopefully present decent content to you. Right now, I am posting an article I wrote for our local newspaper. I am doing this as a test to see if this still works and to see if anyone will read it. 

Do let me know if you like this post!! In my old age now, I have much more time to reflect and write and I will post random subjects here..... if there is interest! Look for another post very soon!

SCAMS!

Robert Earl

The technology available to us today is mind-boggling to those who grew up BEFORE it arrived. Of course those born SINCE the INTERNET, smart phones, smart TVs and the general rise in computer dependence in general, would find life without these thing, impossible. There is so much more information available to us now than in previous generations and that is a good thing. However, with good always comes the bad and THAT, is my focus today: SCAMS! I am going to discuss one new scam in detail, but bear in mind that there are many, all designed to trick the best of us into parting with our money! There are many legal “scams” out there as well: high interest credit, pre-packaged foods, subscriptions and much more. But that is an important discussion for another time. Here is what we experienced just this week:

The phone rang 5-6 times a day for three days from assorted strange looking numbers. Always aware of scams and possessing an “unusual”, demented sense of humor, I would answer each one, sounding like a decrepit “old lady”. The voice on the other end was clearly from somewhere in the vicinity of India. John, Joe, or Thomas was calling for DISH network. “The old lady” would respond with: ”What language are you speaking? I cannot understand you! You are scaring me! My son told me to hang up! You made me soil my DEPENDS, I don’t speak Swahili!” and a whole lot more until they got frustrated and hung up.

Hey, I am retired and have time on my hands and little patience for sales pitches!

Well, no one can be home all of the time and while I was out, “Jack Jones” from DISH network called and my wife answered. In the finest Hyderabadi accent he could muster, “Jack” patiently explained to my wife that DISH had merged and there was a mandated software update that must be installed if we are to continue to receive local channels and most premium channels. He asked her to hit a few buttons on the remote that displayed technical information, but did nothing, then told her the update was almost complete. All he needed now was her credit card information so DISH could charge us the $149.99 the update cost each customer and MUST be paid within 24 hours or the update would fail and our service would suffer. Not to worry was the quote, we would receive a $15 peer month credit on our bill for 36 months, effectively giving us a profit.

Knowing I watch many different current event and political programs during this election season, she did not want that interrupted, so she gave “Jack Jones” her debit card numbers. He thanked her for being a “loyal DISH customer” and she hung up. Luckily, she made notes of all this and recorded his phone number.

Since I was not home, “they almost got away with it” as the TV show would say. But we have a service contract with DISH and that covers all updates, including hardware AND software. We should not be charged for anything.

I called back, livid and started in on “Jack Jones” about the service contract, the price, his accent, that “Jack Jones” could not be his name, and more, adamant that I was not going to pay anything and if there was a charge, I would dispute it and have it removed. He offered to reduce the charge to $99.99 as a courtesy. I refused and became more belligerent. It finally hit me that this was a scam, so I tested him with a few sentences that contained “the ‘F’ word”. Telemarketers are instructed to disconnect if the customer gets vulgar and I went beyond that. “Jack” did not hang up, so I baited hime for a few more minutes until HE hung up.

I immediately phoned DISH Network and after the usual 33 minute wait for a human, recounted the experience to the representative. Of course it was not DISH and was a scam as suspected. I gave them all the information, including the phone number and was reassured that our service was unaffected in any way.

My wife had given her debit card number, which would make recovering any money far more difficult than a credit card. So first, I went online to the bank and moved all the money in our checking account out of it. I then phoned the back and cancelled that card and put a 48 hour hold on the use on MY debit card, just in case. Once that was done, I moved money back into the account.

This would have been a difficult scam to detect for anyone. But for senior citizens, particularly those who are starting to “decline” a bit, 100% believable. I tend to be pretty sharp and it took me a few minutes to realize and I was in sales, including CAR sales, for decades!

The “red flags” in this operation were these:

• DISH never asks for payments for necessary upgrades, unless you are upgrading services
• There is a mandate that this fee must be paid within 24 hours
• They asked for a credit card, despite having one on file to “autopay” our bill
• We have a service contract to cover any software or hardware changes
• He allowed me to curse like a longshoreman and did not disconnect

Sophisticated scams are coming out of India regularly now. They are getting harder and harder to detect for anyone. Being a senior citizen now and watching the decline in observational skills among my peers, makes me far more angry about exploiting these folks than it used to. However, exploiting anyone, ANYONE, is despicable!

We all know the drill on “how to not be scammed”. But as much as we do and know, THEY are evolving their tactics to stay ahead of us. There was a data breach at DISH Network that affected up to TEN MILLION customers! But that was in February of 2023! They waited over NINETEEN MONTHS to strike. By that time we all forgot there had been a breach, so the fact that these “people” had our information was not a red flag unto itself.

But here is the one thing that will ALMOST guarantee you are never scammed: DO NOT EVER GIVE OUT YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION ON AN INCOMING CALL.... NEVER!

Be super cautious when calling a company you have never dealt with as well. In the Spring of 2023 we were trying to buy an outboard motor. They are expensive! But a couple websites had prices about 50% less. I tried to buy one there, but one card was “declined”, so I tried another: declined, so I tried my debit card, declined........ or rather MINED! They were going to charge up all three and I would not get my outboard, ever! They were fast too! I called the bank first and the charge was JUST hitting there and was stopped. The other two credit card companies approved the charge, but reversed them on my call. I replaced all three cards and bought the motor locally. But here is the kicker: these people have no shame, morals or whatever you call it, I received a phone call from the company asking me for another credit card to pay for my outboard. The caller’s had an almost unintelligible African accent. I would have hung up anyway, but it just happened I was looking at an article about Nigerian scammers trying to sell outboards for ridiculously low prices and this company was the first one named!

Not only should buyers beware, they should be angry, contact law enforcement and if possible, do what I am doing here: let as many people know of a new scam whenever you hear of one!

NOTE: I am adding this, as I just saw the story on CNN and thought it was very important:

A recent CNN report, reminds, or informs us of another, more insidious way people are being talked out of their money. We all get texts and emails from our political candidates asking for another donation....... OFTEN. If you are like us, we just delete them and go on with our day. However, many Senior citizens who are "cognitively impaired" in any way are giving their life savings in some cases, because they feel they have to donate every time they receive a request, or forgot they just donated. One person was getting requests every three minutes!

While not a scam per se, it is an unintentionally immoral way to solicit donations and needs to be reined in. However, as no laws are being broken, it falls to those of us who have family or friends that could unintentionally donate more than they intended and more than they can afford.

I would urge every reader who knows an elder person, whether cognitively impaired or not, to check with them to see how they are responding to these incessant donation requests, just to be sure that they are not inadvertently over-donating.