HOLIDAY -- COMMUNICATION EVOLVES -- 911

Some of you are busy readying to celebrate Christmas; others are focused on Hanukkah; and additional people have their celebrations in the offing.   My holiday preparations here at home are quite minimal compared to those sometimes frantic years when my family were all present to celebrate together, or in later years when I travelled to their homes. Since I'm doing so little I've had more time to ponder some of the matters in this epistle length post.   I hope all is going well for whatever you may be doing with decorating, gift selections, baking and more.

Michael Buble'   -- Album "Christmas" -- 10th Anniversary Edition

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas.                                                         

My recent transition from my cell phone to a smartphone has had me thinking about the changes that keep occurring in my life. Like so much in this digital internet world, the technology, even its security, has moved forward at a much faster rate than has the quality of some of the services provided.  The driving force in our capitalistic society where for many monetizing takes precedence over all else -- sometimes even including ethics and morality -- seems to have become the primary driving force in technological companies' operations (perhaps thanks to Wall Street) which is important, but only to a degree, especially after a company's viability is established.

We see this with questions arising about the values of those dictating the operations of social media companies such as Zuckerberg and Facebook; others who own Twitter, Instagram to name some additional ones; also businesses like Bezos and Amazon, Microsoft, Google and more.  Establishing a balance between the best interests of all Americans, especially those of our children, plus what constitutes "enough" for each company's profit-making goals are issues about which many express considerable concern.  Fair distribution of such income increasingly comes into focus given the uneven distribution of wealth in our country.  There are no easy answers.

Existing technology keeps evolving, some ideas developed being replaced before the services they offer are at least as reliable and efficient as what previously existed it seems to me.  Perhaps this is how progress occurs.  The public is subjected to tolerating a decrease in some operation functions that had been achieved by an existing technology, but they are gradually being replaced by the new technology that can't yet provide a previous important mastered feature but may have additional appealing new ones the old technology does not.   We're left with less than what we had, in some respects, while we navigate the treadmill of the latest new device.

Referring to telephone service in this instance is what comes to my mind as wireless cell phones, now smartphones replace our copper-wired landline phones.  The reality is that people are increasingly using wireless phone systems in preference to the wired landlines so the inevitable seems only a matter of time -- that wired landlines will cease to exist.  

Only about 37% of American households now still use landline phones according to Statista as summarized in numerous web site reports such as Digital Information World.  This data was obtained by the local telecommunication company running off the copper phone lines across the country in a report earlier this year.

Despite the declining use of landlines some of the pros and cons of keeping a landline, particularly in the event of an emergency, still apply as described in an older article written by Nicholas Gilmore.   Recent article comments describe individual's situations like my experience where this is true.

This brings into question the conclusion reached by AARP's John Quain in an article earlier this year.  Contrary to what he wrote, not all problems with 911 calls have been resolved as described above -- one problem he didn't address as well as a few others he cites as having been eliminated but have not everywhere either.  Additional commenters, too, have questioned the accuracy of his perceptions about the state of 911 call problems applying everywhere in the U.S.

My own personal experience a few years ago was with a cell phone in my home.  Surprisingly to me, my call went to a nearby city.  I had to be able to speak and tell them what city and where I was calling from.  They then transferred my call to my city's emergency system which also had the capability of identifying my exact location without my having to be able to speak as the landline 911 system does.  

What if I couldn't speak when I first called -- locating me via cell towers could have taken longer.   A 911 call from my home using my landline phone a few years earlier had gone directly to my city's emergency line and they knew my precise location though I could have verbalized then if needed.  All 911 systems today should have the same tracking capabilities as the landline 911 system.  

Note: I was unable to locate current percentages of cell/mobile phone systems that can precisely identify a 911 caller's location as quickly and efficiently as the 911 landline system.  The last figures I read a few years ago were that only less than 50% of cell/mobile phone systems in the U.S. had acquired this capability.  

Check the 911 system where you live to determine if their wireless emergency response system has adapted to be one equivalent to that of a landline phone.  The automatic and immediate location identification is time-saving and doesn't require the caller having to be able to intelligibly speak to say where they are -- both of which can be life-saving critical acts in the event of some medical emergencies i.e. stroke, heart, respiratory, and others.

A recent Forbes article by Mike Vorhaus recognizes Americans are using their mobile phones to replace their landlines.  He also reports having a mobile phone but is keeping his landline and thinks it is very sensible to do so.  He describes how landlines have their "own energy" allowing "landlines to operate completely independent of the household electricity or the general electric grid."  Electric power to the house and grid if lost, over time results in phone batteries dying and the wireless home phone system failing.  Our landlines continue to live on.  

I think about possible earthquakes in California and being able to communicate with the rest of the world after a major disaster.   My landline phone will possibly be more readily operative in such a situation since I "...don't think it will fall as quickly as cell towers thus destroying wireless capability in an earthquake"   What kinds of disasters are you at risk for experiencing where you live?  Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, other destructive forces.

I didn't yet have my smart phone when I  experienced an unexpected sudden extended power outage of about 12 hours duration just before Thanksgiving.  I was certainly glad to have my landline phone then to eventually learn what was happening after several phone calls over time. The landline had to be used because my then cell phone's battery was almost completely run down but I had planned to charge it later that night.   

Another future landline benefit now is I could call my smart phone should it become lost.

Obviously, with these wireless phone and other devices we have become very dependent on batteries so need backup and supplemental energy sources -- reserve energy chargers, solar units, generators -- if we're going to be so dependent on wireless technology.  

Do you keep your tech communication devices fully charged for the unexpected?  What do you have for backup in emergencies?  A few hours outage is one thing, but what about longer outages?  

Are our tech device batteries immune to shortages unlike those for EVs?  Google summary reports for electric vehicles for example:  

"Lithium, nickel and cobalt are the key metals used to make EV batteries.  Analysts believe there is a potential shortfall in the global mining capacity required to extract the minerals needed to manufacture sufficient batteries to meet projected EV demand."

Apparently there is a scramble by countries around the world to acquire the necessary minerals for digital device batteries that might give you pause for what could occur in the future which you can read in this BR article.

There was an era when our  personal time wasn't taken up by riding herd on keeping our devices charged and needing batteries for everything.  Our phone and electric lines once installed just were and we rarely had to give much thought to them.  My-y-y, how that all has changed.

What's interesting to think about is what communication system may replace our smart phones and how long before that occurs?  Don't get too attached to your smart phone because Forbes MikeVorhaus suggests this may be our future (for however long this lasts, I might add):

"...the next disruptor of personal communications -- the messaging service.  Today, according to my recent national survey of U.S. households, over 75% of the US population with connection to the Internet and/or mobile phone services, use a messaging service at least once a week.  It is quite clear where this trend is headed because 91% of 18-34 year olds are using messaging services regularly, vs. only 56% of the over 55 year old age group.

"Messaging services are universally used by the 18-34 year old age group.

"Eventually the messaging service may well challenge the "phone" function of the smartphone.   Messaging services not only offer text, but also robust voice services, free, over the Internet.  And remember, your smartphone is also a TV."

On the other hand, or additionally, Augmented Reality Technology is being developed with headsets, glasses, or computers that can be worn on the head.  AR is thought by some tech leaders to be that smartphone replacement possibly in the next decade, but we'll not explore that here now.

Personally, I don't care for the idea of wearing such technological devices on my head, but who knows what most of our population, especially large numbers of influential younger generations, will adopt using.  Will other older systems like our smartphones then be gradually phased out like the phone landline so we're forced by a user majority into using a Messenger Service, AR, or something else?  Perhaps we don't have to have just one dominant system for all like we use to for so many years, or do we?

Mishmash

Mishmash: a confused conglomeration of mismatched information (my definition)


Internet factual personal data independently collected by commercial sites is highly suspect in the event you have any doubts. Specifics about themselves revealed by individuals, or those who know them, on social network sites are a different matter but could be questionable, too.

On a whim I thought I'd see what personal information about me some commercial sites offered free to readers who searched my name. What a hoot! I've never seen such a mishmash of mixed information. I hope no one is ever foolish enough to actually pay any of those sites money to see whatever other data they claim they may or may not have about me. (I don't know what they might have, since I wasn't about to subscribe to find out.)

First of all, the sites often don't even have my name spelled correctly. A nonexistent middle name's initial is indicated in other instances. These name listings are as mixed up as the credit reporting agencies were the last time I checked their written reports (facts they can't seem to get straight.) Reviewing further family data purported to be about me revealed continuing grossly erroneous information including total family members and names in the household.

This experience caused me to wonder how accurate these sites would be for a few other family members and friends, or to question if only my listing was inaccurate. I needed to search but a few names to discover their data was as bollixed up as my own.

Frankly, I'm quite accepting of the fact much data about me on those commercial Internet sites is untrue. I hope anyone who might refer to those sites realizes they may contain little more than a grain of fact in an ocean of misinformation. I have no intention of correcting falsehoods or providing missing particulars to any of those sites.

I guess I belong to a minority group that doesn't welcome the gathering of information about me, that is consolidated in one such public centralized location so readily available for marketing. So, I don't intend to take any corrective action to aid in their so-called fact gathering. At best this effort only slows the assault on my personal privacy.

This Internet activity set me thinking. Just as many individuals seek celebrity today -- either the famous or infamous variety seems desired by many -- numerous other people are dedicated to compiling as many facts as possible about each of us as a way for them to make money. They lead us to embrace the idea that revealing all about ourselves on the Internet is desirable. I think, despite rhetoric to the contrary, the primary motivation for gathering information about us is purely commercial -- to find a way to entice advertising dollars.

Eventually, one day the great computer with infinite storage in the cloud will know all there is to know about us. The mechanical wisdom of this computer, that will have been designed to program itself, will spew forth selected knowledge unique to each of our needs and desires. When we consult that digital wizard about products and other matters each of us will automatically be offered predetermined choices presumed to be our preferences.

I wonder if the computer will know to offer me a pair of special shoes I always wanted? Maybe I shouldn't wait for the wizard to intuit the wish of this then young girl who longed for springs on her shoe soles in preference to the pogo stick she never had. There were no such shoes with springs then, as far as I know, but finally, these many years later, someone somewhere has designed that footwear. Hm-m-m! I wonder if there's a model suitable for elders?

Propagating Remote Control Units

(BTW everything is not as it appears in the photo.)

Following-up on the theme of some of my previous posts the past two months . . . .

One other tech change at my house especially pleasing to me occurred when the many remotes required to operate my television, recording and playback units were consolidated on to one universal remote. The addition of the digital converter box suddenly made me realize just how many of these remote gadgets had to be used for various functions. I wondered, where had all these remote control units come from? Similar to people, they seem to exist in all shapes and sizes. Confronted with so many I imagined when no one was around a covert coupling had occurred creating another remote unit. I have been assured this fantasy did not occur but still I wonder.

When the remote consolidation process began I watched with great trepidation when two remote control units were placed end to end, buttons were pushed and occasional light flashes could be seen. This additional similarity with human beings seemed uncanny. Perhaps, contrary to what I had been told, this was how remotes propagated and I would end up with even more units, not just the single one? No doubt others have been subjected to remote control propagation in their household and have had to cope with my same problem. I continued to experience some anxiety while observing this procedure, wondering what might occur. I was greatly relieved when the transfer process completed and I could see there were no additional remotes. Gloriously my need to use so many remote control units actually diminished in number.



I am concerned that one remote has assumed rather over-sized proportions as you can see and this isn’t trick photography. What are the implications of this and what does that portend for the future? Perhaps I need to install a secretive video system throughout the house just to keep track of what those remotes are doing. Maybe I should just take their batteries away.

Still an escalating number of batteries still seem to be required despite my remote consolidation process since other energy using gadgets keep invading my home. Imagine if more people shared my home bringing their own devices how many additional batteries and remotes there would be. Now that I think about it, as I get older maybe I should have more batteries. Life often seems to increasingly be filled with my trying to keep charged. So, make of that what you will.

Why doesn’t some engineering tech genius invent a small inexpensive portable solar unit for various size rechargeable batteries? I want a unit I can periodically set outside on a sunny day to fully charge, then have at the ready to recharge my various batteries as needed. Someday … maybe sooner than I realize … this will be possible. Someone somewhere is probably working on such a solar battery as I write this. Or, maybe such a charger and battery has already been invented and I simply haven’t learned about it.

Reeling from Digital Converter Box

Technology changes for me continue in addition to my new laptop computer adventures (beginning with previously described “Tech – Unintended Consequences,” followed by some frustrations described in “Technological Mysteries.”) Now I have been confronted with converting to digital television and combating propagating remote control units.

My analog television has been up dated with the addition of a digital converter box. This installation enables me to expand my reception to over seventy high definition television channels from less than twenty analog stations. I receive most all local TV digital channel broadcasts now. When the switch from analog to digital TV finally happens, presently scheduled for June 12, 2009, I’m ready to receive even more should there be additional digital broadcast channels and stations.

If anyone reading this who doesn’t have cable service or a high definition television (HDTV) hasn’t yet prepared for this change, you need to visit this digital TV government website, order a discount coupon ($40 value.) Allow several weeks for coupon receipt, then purchase and install a digital converter box available where you buy electronics i.e Best Buy, Costco, Sears, Radio Shack to name a few stores. Maybe there is someone in your community who is unable to obtain a discount coupon to whom you could donate yours if you don’t use it. I’ll write about coupon donation another time.

My previously existing roof antenna installed for analog reception when we moved here over a quarter century ago has required no adjustments. My younger TV accepts all the television stations digital broadcast signals I received in analog and a combination of many additional channels plus a few new stations now. Digital television programming with just my converter box is clearly a dynamic process as more channels and stations may be offered in the future.

An independent commercial station, “This,” has recently added a movie channel featuring classic movies and more current stars’ early movies. A listing of U.S. stations is on this Wikipedia link. I’m enjoying spontaneously being able to enjoy this entertainment fare when I’m in the mood for such film viewing.

Here are a couple examples of recent film offerings: “The Woman in the Window,” a 1945 film noir starring Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett with Raymond Massey, directed by Fritz Lang. Later film fare starred a youthful actor John Travolta in the 1981 thriller “Blow Out” with Dennis Franz, and John Lithgow, written and directed by Brian De Palma.

A couple of the traditional local affiliate major commercial networks offer additional channels including constantly updated local/national weather and news. In some ways I prefer their offerings to what I’ve seen on cable’s Weather Channel when I’ve visited Midwest and east coast cable households.

A few of these digital TV channels cater to our diverse Los Angeles, California area cultures by offering programming in a multi-variety of foreign languages. I’ve identified Spanish, Armenian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese languages so far. Those channels sometimes feature English, too, or English captions. I understand some non-English speakers in other countries have acquired English by watching American movies captioned in their language. It occurs to me these stations might offer an opportunity to familiarize myself with some other languages. Maybe I could even learn a few words and phrases in languages other than English.

Perhaps someday I’ll succumb to a cable television subscription, but so many of their programming basic stations don’t interest me. Often additional channels I might want must be purchased extra in addition to accepting so many of those unwanted basic stations. I realize I currently receive a few stations in which I have little interest, but so far they all come to me free over the airwaves we citizens own. I really have all the programs I have time to see now, anyway.

Tech - Unintended Consequences

Lots of tech changes for me, family visits, and activities with friends partially account for the lapse in new posts here. I have a new laptop computer. A wireless setup I’ve long desired is now operative and I’ve changed Internet Service Providers. Hopefully, Internet connectivity problems that have plagued this blog for many months have ceased or, at least, won’t occur as they have in the past. I’ve also changed my phone package but will keep my land line and can now make free local toll calls and long distance calls anywhere in the fifty U.S. States and Canada. My cell phone continues to allow me free calls with other same provider subscribers.

I elected to finally purchase a new computer when family members began cautioning me that my older desktop computer was giving signals it might crash at any time. So I, finally, hastily copied my hard drive for back up. Incidentally, sometimes I, too, have noted symptoms that could be interpreted that I was crashing. If anyone has any suggestions about how I might back up my bodies hard drive, please let me know. Actually, my hard drive has gone a little soft, but I’m doing the best I can. I’m already taking vitamins, but think I read recently that’s a waste of time and money.

On a more important note, when my son and his wife visited from out of state, they delivered my new laptop computer I had earlier arranged to be sent to him for special programming. One feature I now have that I didn’t have previously allows me to give him control of my computer. This should simplify trouble shooting and other assistance I might need in the future. Once he arrived, he made certain I have a secure wireless system here at home. He also cleaned/scrubbed the hard drive on my old desktop (or however you describe that sort of refurbishing.) The old desktop functions more efficiently, so I’ll be able to continue using it on a limited basis in addition to my laptop. I plan to download a free Word-like program there later since I have Word on the laptop.

I didn’t work while family members were here, so when they made an overnight San Diego trip, I went along part way and visited friends of mine, excitedly taking my laptop. While there I received a beginning crash course in Excel courtesy of the husband. Later, the wife and I excitedly perched side by side on the sofa with our laptops, joking that this must be how modern day friends interact. I realize now that activity is out of date, as we should be twittering on our cell phones. Also, I keep getting invites to Facebook and other social networks, but can hardly keep up writing my blog so haven’t accepted any.

The technological togetherness of my friends and I began a night the three of us will long remember. A simple act of connecting my laptop to their wireless network somehow went awry. Suddenly, their laptop and desktop computers had relinquished control of their system to my laptop. For some reason my friends weren’t too happy about this! Since one of them had engineered this unintentional event, my conscience was clear and I was guilt-free.

In addition to my laptop having control of their computers personal and other information, I was now the sole operator of their large screen HDTV’s new spectacular Apple audio and video system. Colorful detailed family photos and travel scenes sailing across the screen had mesmerized us only moments earlier as we anticipated more viewing delights. We hadn’t even gotten around to exploring all the other features including some from the Internet that were available through their new system

When their efforts to undo this inadvertent technological power transfer were unsuccessful I was held hostage as they threatened I could not leave their premises with my laptop. I determined to keep my cell phone secreted in the event I might need to SOS my son to come rescue me. I didn’t think they would resort to violence, but one never knows in hostage situations. Finally we had to resort to phoning their tech savvy son who had assisted their initial setting up of the system they operated with their computers and one television remote. I thought about how much we require others with whom to trouble shoot in order to use all our new electronic gadgets and technology.

Despite their sons long distance efforts, ultimately, we resorted to calling help, which you may not be surprised to hear connected us to India. Indian technical workers finally determined they could resolve our problem. Unfortunately, my friends free service plan expired a few days earlier. I think it seems often the case that service, sooner or later, is usually needed but only after such contracts expire. The tech rep said, not unexpectedly, that now service charges would apply to reverse this convoluted mix of user names, passwords and secret codes to resolve our dilemma.

After brief deliberation, my friends selected another short term service contract. The tech experts successfully provided the instructions restoring appropriate computer control to each of us and putting the television system operation again under my friends control only. My laptop was now impotent and unable to control their operations, but could access their wireless Internet system which is all we wanted in the first place. Our friendship was saved. Violence was avoided.

We were exhausted, noted the hour was after midnight and commiserated with each other that this was not how we had planned to spend our evening. Furthermore, we had expected to retire much earlier in the evening to be well rested for the next days schedule when they had plans and I would be returning home -- “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an ‘men Gang aft agley…” (Robert Burns.)

Throughout those hours some waiting time between transfers to various technical consultants allowed small talk with the tech service guru. In one instance my friends mentioned the Indian home city of one of their immediate family members relatives. I was reminded of what a small world we’ve come to inhabit in my lifetime; how our families and friends encompass an interesting variety of nationalities, and social groups.

I thought about how my friends family is an absolutely wonderful fascinating blend of several varied cultures, a fact incidental to the caring and affection all feel toward one another. How lucky I am to have such friends, to know their family, I realize. I also recalled when some years earlier my friends told me of unexpectedly being subjected to covert exclusionary discrimination following a workplace social situation when they casually mentioned one of them was of minority heritage. I thought again, that still today, we human beings inhabiting this world still have much to learn with a need for acceptance and tolerance toward all.

On a less serious note, I’ve since spent another weekend with them. This time we celebrated the wife’s earlier in the week birthday. The event reminded her that she had moved slightly past that landmark classic retirement age. I gained a new experience as she shared her new birthday gift. In fact, they were merciless challenging someone older in age, such as me, to battle my way through competitive Wii Sports with them. We tackled only bowling and a bit of baseball – I kept striking out, but was a wicked pitcher. Beginners luck did apply, much as in my real life sports experience. I’m glad to report I emerged from the games with my pride intact and my physical being uninjured.

Living In Place Complications

Technology is carefully interrelated in such a manner today that I find once I succumb to using one tech item, sooner or later I must adopt another, ad infinitum. Frankly, I think I can hear conversations exchanged between all these communication devices. Today, I think I heard a cell phone I was using chuckling with the ATM which had tricked me, over what a fool I'd been made of, and now the borrowed cell phone (since I didn't yet have one of my own) was going to rescue me from my dilemma, thus proving how we humans cannot survive without any of them.

My day began innocently enough as I awakened to the sound of grass being mowed, hedges being trimmed and power blowers chasing leaves, all manned by those hired to aid those less able to do all that themselves. I remember as a young girl the days before all this power equipment and having to use an old-fashioned push mower -- I was the power. I have no nostalgia to return to those days. Once I had a home of my own, my husband and I (mostly my husband) prided ourselves in performing our own yard care as did our neighbors.

Then, something happened in our neighborhood. We all became older or health changes occurred. Next thing we knew the better part of wisdom dictated letting someone else perform those yard care tasks. Gone are the days when the neighborhood boys wanted to earn a few extra dollars, so we could hire them to assist with yard care to supplement their newspaper delivery route income. Boys don't even deliver newspapers anymore, adults deliver the papers now from their cars. Even teenage girls are rarely available for babysitting, for by the time they're old enough and mature enough for that responsibility as sophomore to senior high school students, they no longer are interested in such employment. I'm told babysitters today are often Jr. High School age girls from sixth grade through ninth. I would never have allowed a child that young to sit with my babies and young children.

But I digress as I am prone to do. I retrieved the morning papers from the drive, noticing this was a lovely warm Southern California Fall day. The sky was blue, now, streaked with white clouds, a delight to the eye, compared to the dirty tan and ashy gray we had seen with the recent Southern California fires. The atmosphere appeared clear, but I knew invisible particles and respiratory irritants were still present in the outdoor air, since my voice continues to acquire an every so slight raspy quality daily with much exposure to outdoor air. The fires east of here are still not quite contained.

As I readied for my day, I took personal pleasure in the fact I had planned and executed well some routine periodic tasks the day before, involved in caring for my auto, such as the regular oil change, tires rotated, a cleansing wash and wax to rid the exterior of damaging ashes plus any other residue from recent fires, along with having the auto interior cleaned. They also washed all the little round yellow drops off the surface of my car. Just as a side note, I've been wondering for weeks what the round yellow drops were. I just read in the L. A. Times that research had confirmed they were from bees and were pollen associated, but not as everyone had thought. They were in fact: bee "poop" processed pollen. Who knew.

I decided on breakfast out, taking along my usual newspaper to read, which was my plan following performing a number of errands before going to work around the lunch time hours. Prior to leaving the house I had completed my regular end of the month reports and paperwork which I would copy at the nearby printer, then drop off at our local office. With some errands completed, I cheerfully arrived at the ATM, inserted my card, entered the requested information as usual, then inserted the check I definitely wanted credited to my account that day. I also needed to withdraw some cash from my account.

On the screen, up jumped the little flashing dots that raced one after the other horizontally in front of me, then started over again, while the printed message above said "Processing..." Nothing more happened after that, the "processing" continued with those increasingly maddening little flashing dots repetitively racing nowhere. Finally, striking the "Cancel" key in an attempt to retrieve my card and check, I discovered, nothing changed -- "Processing" and those now irritating flashing dots continued as before.

What to do? I wasn't about to leave the machine with my card and check inside, my account open, should the ATM suddenly finish processing and spit them all back out, leaving my account exposed for whoever might appear there next. Several people came by, but beat a hasty retreat as soon as I explained there appeared to be a cash machine malfunction. They turned a deaf ear to my queries about how to get to a phone to report this dilemma to the bank while safeguarding my ATM card and check lost inside the machine. Privately, I dreaded making the phone call, as I knew it meant reaching a recorded message offering me umpteen different choices from which to select and then after a likely interminably long wait, to actually talk with a human being (probably on the other side of this continent, but, hopefully, not outside the country.)

Finally, some good hearted soul came by, was sympathetic to my plight, offered me her cell phone without my asking. Later I learned she was a nurse on her lunch hour which I inadvertently caused her to spend with me. Who says health care workers are insensitive to other people any more? As expected, the bank person I reached with the cell phone was located elsewhere and was quite unfamiliar with my community. I carefully made certain he didn't mix up the name of my city with another pronounced the same but spelled differently, as I had long ago learned the hard way was a mistake often made by others with undesired results.

This bank representative elicited needed personal information, so I'm spewing out my most private security data to which the cell phone lender was privy. (There is no privacy any more as someone keeps telling me, and I keep getting convinced regularly.) The Rep then gave me assurance my deposited official bank check would be credited to my account at the end of the day when they closed out the machine, thus covering checks previously written for which I did not want to be overdrawn. My card having been devoured by the ATM would be cancelled and I would receive a new one within days in the mail.

I repeated what an earlier party who had stopped by the ATM to commiserate with me (but could offer no further assistance,) advised me to do, simply because I liked the way what he said sounded and it made me feel more in control. I told the bank official I would hold the bank personally responsible for any charges that might occur against my account as a consequence of this if all he promised didn't happen and I incurred financial loss.

Then, just when I thought the matter was finished, the bank person transferred me to another employee, to which I had the joy and pleasure (I am being sarcastic) of going through much of this again -- their "Loss and Claims Dept." or some such title. Whatever happened to the days when one employee could take care of everything? I normally would have been writing employee names and promises down, but was unable to do so, and by this time the poor nurse is telling me, "I have to go back to work now," so she needed her phone returned. As she quickly departed, I didn't even get her name or where she worked to offer more than the verbal "thanks" I gave her. I sure hope she had lunch before she came to do her banking which she obviously didn't get to complete.

This is about the third new ATM model installed in this location as they keep "improving"(?) them. Well, I haven't liked this latest model from the beginning, partially because there's much less privacy since it takes any checks that are being deposited, then displays them on the big screen, anyone around could easily see. After this little event today off I went to complete more of my errands, including a newly added stop at my bricks and mortar bank to which that ATM belongs. Also, by going there, I increased my comfort level by double checking to see if I needed to advise my "real" bank directly, as I think of the "bricks and mortar" one, to insure no problem (there was no need to do so, I learned.) I finally got that extra cash I needed. I decided to provide my assessment of this new ATM -- a not very pleasant appraisal -- to my friendly local banker while I was there.

Imagine my surprise when he commiserated with me, saying he had managed to keep that new ATM model from replacing the several directly outside the bank because he had learned the new model had entirely too many unresolved problems. He said he hopes by stalling, that within the next few months they'll get the problems with this new model resolved, because he knows that model will ultimately be installed everywhere. Whatever happened to working out technical machine problems BEFORE putting them into use? They seem to do a lot of that premature releasing of tech equipment -- letting customers work out the bugs.

My banker advised me not to use that ATM any more that I used today, or others placed out like that (it's in the front of what was my deli in a solid connected series of store fronts in a small shopping center.) He also said to avoid the lone standing ATMs in stores or elsewhere, instead to transact ATM business through my grocery store check out clerk. Or, come directly to his and other brick and mortar buildings using their ATMs, or the tellers inside the bank.

I said having to drive myself now for banking, defeated my carefully laid plans for later life independence. First the bank did away with my brick and mortar branch, then they finally put in this ATM 'cause so many people complained. Now, I learn it's best to avoid that ATM. I told him I had discovered not long ago, my residence was positioned so that I was located within walking distance of just about every service I might need, should I ever reach a point where driving a car was no longer possible, and that I liked the idea of living in place as I aged.

I added, I thought it was quite likely that a number of increasingly aging adults were also interested in aging in place. Therefore, we need nearby good safe reliable places whereby we can transact our banking business. I didn't mention my bank wasn't the first to thwart my goal, since a few years ago my local deli closed, which is where they put this ATM and gave the rest of the building to the last thing we needed -- a nail salon and tanning booth.

He suggested I should consider banking on line, and he would like to teach me how to do so securely. Maybe the time has come to check into that, too. Not all checks can be deposited automatically though, nor can I retrieve cash from my computer,so guess I still will need to get to my bank sometimes. I expect to be able to do so for a lot of years to come, but you never know what can happen. Can't plan too far ahead these days, so who knows what will develop with my expectation to live in place here in my home, or how the neighborhood will evolve.

I don't like the idea of banking in my supermarket, but... I guess I'd better consider investigating banking online, but ... I think before this year ends I'll get a cell phone, but... I don't really need it that much and I still want to keep my land line. Did I mention right after the ATM fiasco I walked two doors down and picked up a cell phone catalog at my local Verizon store, co-incidentally re-opened today, and listened to the salesman's pitch? I'll consult with my kids for the real scoop.

I'm not going to use that ATM anymore, but... do you think it knew that I didn't like it? Was there some sort of conspiracy in the airwaves between the cell phones in the re-opened store and the ATM? Then, I remembered the date 10/31/07 -- that the day was Halloween. Those darn goblins! The way things were going, I decided not to go out to the pumpkin patch last night to watch for "The Great Pumpkin," just in case the goblins might turn up there. Maybe next year.