How I Loved Thee, Google

"Oh, how I loved thee, Google,
Let me count the ways . . . "

I started my third real job in May 1970. Stock Clerk again, but instead of Woolworth's, this was for the State of NJ Bureau of Data Processing. The days of the 80-column punched cards. The days of the 256k magnetic core IBM mainframe computer. I worked hard for nine years, mostly as a Computer Operator, running that 256k mainframe, then a 512k mainframe, then larger and larger until I knew JES2 and Job Control Language (JCL), by heart. And taught others.

And in early 1979 I confessed to management something I should never have done at work -- search thru the director's desk papers for news of promotions or layoffs. I was verbally fired immediately, but after much begging, was transferred to Resource Development, a planning and procurement set-up unit, run by Chris Reid. A hard taskmaster. And I'm always grateful.

Best thing that ever happened to me except for meeting Janet in high school, and running across the Baha'i Faith. All three major milestones. So in '79 I was in a grey padded chair in a cubicle looking at a computer screen for hours, and typing with two fingers. Not any computer most of us would know today. Lotus and Visicalc instead of MS-Excel, WordPerfect instead of MS-Word. No MS-Office.  E-mail? Unknown to us stringent IBMer's until PROFS in the early 80's; but no major use to the '90s.

Jan and I had bought a Commodore 64 for kids games like The Hobbit and Barbie in the early '80s. Later I produced a 2-page area Seeker Newsletter on it. So I'm no expert, but familiar enough with computing, PCs, browsers, applications, e-mail systems et al.

Eventually, after Compuserve and AOL elsewhere, came Microsoft's Internet Explorer in '95. The Google search hit in the late '90s, followed by release of Gmail in 2004. I had always used AOL, but the spam was ridiculous, until our friend Abbey sent me a Gmail invite circa 2007 (or 8?). Its spam filter was far superior to AOL's, so I switched permanently. By 2009 when I retired and started RR Energy & IT Consulting I had 3 Gmail accounts/email addresses. In 2012 when I started ABLiA Media Co LLC for publishing my book(s), it was the fourth.

Three of these Gmail accounts I use every day, the earliest one maybe once a week. But, I have over 200 email subscriptions to IT, energy, writing, publishing and many, many more subscription sites. I receive 150 emails a day from all four. Many are important, many informative and I either print or archive those, and 40% of others can be deleted 'cause I have since dissolved my RR Energy company.

Be that as it may, these four accounts are my lifeblood to the Internet; to hundreds of friends, acquaintences, colleagues and family.

But Google has now abolished three of these important accounts. No matter how hard I try, Google, with this new "One Account" BS, will ONLY let me get to the same account address!

My Mission: Find easy access to my legitimate Gmail addresses! Like it used to be!! more soon.

By Rodney Richards, copyright 2014.  Email to 1950ablia@gmail -- will get a delayed response.

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Time to Change Doctor and Hospital Bills

Past due for my eye check-up.

Had a normal experience at the Eye doctor's office today. First, it's an Eye Group in Hamilton, i.e a corporation I'm sure. A profit-making venture which all businesses need to be. I am loyal to those I like, such as Dairy Queen, Villa Mannino's, Longhorn, Chili's and AMC. I like them so I want to give them my business (not exclusively but regularly); I really want them to stay in business until I'm incapacitated. Then I want to use their online deliveries (someday in the future I'm sure). If I was really smart and market-savvy, I would only put my investment money in companies like these, and Pepsi, Kohl's, Home Depot etc.

Back to this Eye Group. It's always busy with average people like me, so that says something about their services. They're efficient. I adore that. They move quickly which I like, but which also means they aren't that personable. No "Good morning, how you doing?" or introductions. I asked both the technician, Ben, his name, and the doctor's (Dr. L), and the business clerk's (I forget). I complimented the last on her efficiency and got a warm thank you, so I also said "Happy New Year!" upon leaving, which she returned. So there's hope.The doc reminded me he saw me 2 and a half years earlier. Nice guy.

But I asked the questions I was concerned with since he hadn't volunteered the info yet: "What's glaucoma? When's it strike?" "What about cataracts at my age?' "Last time I told you they're beginning; everyone gets them in old age. By 90 we all need surgery, many earlier. At 60 like you? Maybe 3% of the population." Whew! Not bad.

Other good news after putting my chin on three complicated eye exam machines made by Zeiss, operated by silent Ben except for instructions. Afterwards the doc says, "Your eyes have changed very little. Still 20-25. You could go longer with your same glasses." Cool. I like glasses. Always have, since the '70s in my twenties.

Jan said, "Rod, why are you slowing down so much? This is busy Route 31." "Oh, in this rain and road shadows I thought I saw a dog." "Ah, no dogs. You need glasses." And so it started.

But for the last decade my glasses have flexible, form-fitting, rubber-coated temple-ends, meaning they fit close without hurting -- never have to push them up. I highly recommend them, but they're harder to get now.

Nick at DBP Optical will come thru as he has in the past -- I hope. Janet and daughter Kate are itchin' to get me in modern frames - you know, the thinner ones. Not like mine now which cover my entire face and always have. I like that there's no gap around the edges when I look out or down. (Bifocals now, of course.)

So 30-minutes ago I got home and looked at the Eye Group's bill. $480 for three different exams. I was surprised and happy they actually printed the charges on my receipt. You may recall my past blog experience at Hamilton RWJ Hospital for an emergency room visit and six stiches. A $50 copay but no itemized bill because "your insurance will cover it." I went back 2 months later to hospital billing and found over $2,000 in charges -- but they weren't sure if that was the final total.  

My firm belief and simple fairness and transparency dictates everything should get get an itemized receipt. And they conjecture and blab about high healthcare costs?

At the Eye Group I only paid 10 bucks copay. How in the world insurance companies make huge profits off of payin' these bills based on a few hundred I send them every year . . . ? But what about when the cataract surgery hits for $1,000's? Well I guess it balances out . . . .

Thank God I'm lucky enough to have any insurance in my retirement years, right?

I sure hope all Americans get insurance coverage at a reasonable price. We all need it; even when we expect good eye care. Or any care.

Now . . . think about hospitalization bills for a moment.

By Rodney Richards copyright 2013. Subscribe free with comments or contact me at 1950ablia@gmail.com