Modern Problems 9-13-24

Government Spending 

Government spending on unnecessary things accounts for 30% of spending at all levels from Cities and Counties to State and Federal. This includes wind and solar power construction, replacing sidewalks with multi-use paths for bikers, mandating EVs and building charging stations, funding Colleges that allow pro-Hamas organizations to protest, allowing protest marches in commercial and residential areas, funding Sanctuary Cities, Counties and States, funding Cities Counties and States refusing to prosecute criminals, allowing non-citizens to vote and allowing outside money to affect elections. 

Telemarketers

Telemarketer calls are easy to spot. Often there is a delay after you say “hello”. There is often a “bloop” sound. I hang up if there is a delay or a “bloop”. Sometimes I say “hello” that there is a voice with a heavy foreign accent asking for me by my first name. I hang up then. Sometimes the voice doesn’t have an accent and they identify a company. I say “I’ll pass” and hang up.  It’s usually a phone company or internet company or cable service wanting to bundle in my internet service. Lately telemarketers ask if I want to sell my home. I say “no” and hang up. The only robo-caller that persists is Google Business Listing. I’ve tried to get off their call list, but it keeps coming back.

Scams

Some phone calls are scams. We hang up on calls claiming to be from Social Security. We had a calls from scammers claiming to be from our phone company and another claiming to be our bank. We bring our monthly bill payments directly to our local Post Office to avoid mailbox theft.

Adult-proof Packaging

Adult-proof Packaging has been a problem ever since the Tylenol Tampering decades ago. It got worse with “big box” grocery items when the food companies stiffened their boxes to strengthen them for the supply chain trick ride. All “twist-top” caps are harder to take off. I use a towel on top of the twist-top. If that doesn’t work I use a large wrench. We have 3 can openers that operate at different depths.

TV Commercials

6 TV Commercials run for every station break on some news channels. I toggle to my alternative channel when this happens. Most ads are for ailments we don’t have. Some have a long list of side effects that convince us that we wouldn’t use their product. Many are weight reduction products. I used magnesium to loose weight and lower my hunger pangs and now limit the size and contents of my meals.

TV Campaign Ads

These are “hit pieces” that look like liable and slander.

Campaign Websites

These don’t usually contain the Candidates resume or position on Issues.

PC Desktop Confusion

I use “Geek Squad” to clean up my PC. I recommend them. Windows is now so complicated I call my grandkids to find the screens I need to do what I want to do.

My 1996 Gateway PC with CorelDRAW was easy and fun to use. My old HP printer, scanner, fax machine enabled me to write text and insert pictures  Those days are done.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader