Ginny D.

Most people remember begging their parents to take them to Mickey D's. The simple hamburgers, delicious french fries and perhaps a shake would just make anyone's day. Beneath those golden arches lurked a pot of gold. Those glory days are gone. Higher prices are understandable but there is no excuse for inconsistent, tasteless quality.

Nowadays, you're lucky if your meal comes in at $10. This is fast food. I understand wages went up and that's fair. Employees deserve to get paid well instead of earning slave wages. Meat prices have gone up as has transportation costs to get the inventory delivered. But what started out as a revitalized burger and new experience has turned into more of a nightmare.

Despite the automation, the wait time is often longer. Some burgers or chicken are often plump and tasty. Other times it seems they're tasteless, dried out and competitive with cardboard. With the type of clout that McDonalds wields, quality control should be enforced more uniformly and much better. Yet, McDonalds stock price has climbed steadily. I guess the guys in the C Suite are getting really greedy.

Best way to improve things would be to stop going to this Mickey Mouse operation for a while. When the corporate chieftains start getting hungry, perhaps they'll understand just how their customers feel after eating their crap.

Lately, I've noticed a trend by certain medical providers to bombard me with requests for reviews on Healthgrades. Most patients want to establish a positive relationship with their doctors and will tend to provide a 5 Star review. That assumes things went well. Sometimes that sentiment is short lived when things cause you to think differently. When you attempt to remove or edit your review on this site, it's intentionally made to be very difficult.
I have dealt with doctors who start off on their best behavior. They are marketing themselves. Soon, they're pushing unnecessary, expensive tests and treatments to pump up fees. Depending on your insurance, you can be on the hook for BIG and unnecessary deductibles.
Dentists do this often. The ultimate goal is to extract a certain amount of money from your wallet because they have a revenue target. The same goes for doctors employed by facilities such as HMO's. They push unnecessary x-Rays and lab tests to increase profits. Both are part of the root cause for skyrocketing insurance, low reimbursement rates, and everyone feels the pain. The patients, who are not qualified, find themselves questioning the doctor's decisions if they think they've been victimized. This is risky and insane. Healthgrades benefits by more site visitation and higher ad revenue. It's all about money, plain and simple.
Healthgrades has been cited numerous times for encouraging doctors to get patients to fill out their surveys as a fix to smooth out complaints them. The high volume of 5 Star surveys results in real negative reviews getting buried or deleted. I say this because I have seen many instances of providers with over 100 perfect ratings despite many of them being inept and unethical. Healthgrades is deceptive. The mere fact that editing reviews is next to impossible bears that out.
Your best bet is to avoid Healthgrades and not be quick to review something as critical as medical care until you feel confident. Their ratings are flawed. As humans, we do things based on emotion and ultimately conclude that we rushed to judgment.

I bought an LG OLED 4K UHD 65" TV about a year ago. It's phenomenal, highly advanced and considered the best in its class. It's expensive but redefines what you look at. It offers deeper blacks which improve definition and picture quality. This upscales some of the oldest movies to look their very best and watching this TV is truly amazing. It's more expensive than most at about $1700 to $1900, but it's updated often with the latest firmware, and does cool things like refreshing the pixels. It uses the latest protocols such as HDMI eARC to simplify communication between similarly enabled devices. There are work arounds, like optical cables, for older components. So, the TV is a solid winner.
For those that find technology overwhelming, you need good manufacturer support unless you want to do a lot of research into how all the settings and all things work. It can be confusing and time consuming to go it alone or rely on a lengthy user manual. LG Support is really important at times.
If you're spending this much money, you're going to want a home entertainment system to enjoy phenomenal surround sound such as Dolby ATMOS to simulate a theater experience. This is where things with LG Support can get dicey. LG might tell you that they can't possibly guide you with all these other components if you use non-LG brands, and they have a point. But there is no reason to not have a quick reference guide listing major manufacturers, their more recent models and what type of communication protocols they have. That would help them advise what you might have to do to make life a lot easier. This applies to LG and any other brand. But keep in mind, if you're paying a lot of money, you deserve premium support. It's up to LG to make that possible even if it means developing resources that narrow things down so they can guide you better.

Lastly, they can improve on how to best link your components. For example, do you go directly through your receiver with a single HDMI cable hooked to your HDMI port on the TV, or do you also link components directly to the available ports on the TV. With better resources, this is where LG can assist in helping you understand simple, basic things about your brands which will be invaluable and keep your sanity intact.

Conagra Brands products include Smart Balance buttery spreads, PAM Cooking Oil, Birds Eye and others. Since they were taken over by Hedge Funds including the big three ~ Black Rock, Vanguard and State Street, the products we've come to rely on as healthy choices are victimized by cost cutters. Smart Balance has thousands of complaints to bring back the original recipe, PAM apparently set people's hair on fire and Birds Eye Broccoli Tots was found to include baby metal nuggets which might require pre-scanning with a metal detector. These are just some problems that their packaging doesn't post a warning about.
These big Hedge Funds boast about environmental sustainability which is BS. It's all about money and making shareholders happy with fatter returns at the expense of felonious advertising. More often than not, food producers tout unsubstantiated claims about the health benefits of their products. The American health problem is due in part to food labeling that falls between the cracks. Conagra Brands annual revenue is $12 Billion. They can afford to at least level with the public. So, if Smart Balance is heart healthy, how can that be if I now have to use tons of it? And should I decide to use some PAM, do I need a fire extinguisher handy? Besides, do I really want to look like that infamous, deceitful Orange Blob?

PostNet offers a host of services including MAILBOX rental, direct mail, graphic design and shipping and packing services. In many respects, they provide useful conveniences for businesses and people on the go. HOWEVER, the Mailbox Service is abused. Many businesses and solo practitioners that show up on the internet display as being local merchants. While it's hard to begrudge enterprising people from trying to succeed, there are some downsides and risks that clearly outweigh any benefit derived from these tactics.
For small businesses in particular, the goodwill they earn in the local marketplace enhances their reputation and viability. It reinforces their image and is a critical source of value should they want to sell their business at some point.

Mailboxes are often used by businesses operating under various names to unfairly game market share. The mailbox number is often the equivalent of a "suite number". These proxy businesses cause a loss of potential revenue to other local businesses and can make the difference between success and failure. Also, the use of P. O. Boxes violates Google's Terms of Service if they catch on since their goal is to ensure a safe and reliable business landscape.

Some risks involve the reduced accountability should something seriously go wrong with a transaction. So how does this manage to fly under the radar? Sites like YELP and Facebook have low standards and accept zero accountability as they claim algorithms, not humans, are really in charge. So, the question we should ask ourselves is what can we do to correct this? We write reviews, talk about it in an open forum and try to promote positive change. A mailbox is not an address.

Everyone is aware of the phrase "wake up and smell the bacon." That also extends to the aroma of a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs. Or, if I going out for Chinese, baby back ribs are delish and hit the spot. So, while many muse "my thanks to the cow" after chomping on a nice roast beef sandwich, pigs deserve the same respect. That is until you consider the worst animal abusing company on the planet, Smithfield Farms.

Smithfield, are purveyors of other branded products such as Nathans, Farmland, and Farmer John to name a few. It has also been cited for abuse of workers including beating them when they asked for improved wages and working conditions. This got the attention of the U.S. Court of Appeals and a ruling against this abuse was upheld. That said, I'd rather starve than indulge in their fecal infested products. And please don't forget all the U.S. lawsuits regarding the massive accumulation of animal waste, billions of gallons of manure and the stench that pervades the states where their thousands of farms have operations. So much for respectable corporate citizens that by the way, have friends that just happen to be Judges that are complicit in tainted U.S. District Courts.

This is not an endorsement to go vegan as eating is a personal choice and one of the delights of life. But there is something unethical and highly immoral about squealing piglets in gestation cages where movement is so restricted that they chew the cages and go insane in the process. This is a far cry from the animal husbandry practiced by socially responsible farming that give dignity and respect to those that make it possible for us to eat foods we like. And in closing, let's not forget the tremendous abuse of chickens where the workers become so emotionally affected that they rip the heads off of live chickens and spray paint them for kicks. If you think Colonel Sanders is a cool dude who connotes positivity, think again. KFC and Tyson are runners up in the field of utter, unfathomable cruelty.

OXO sells a ton of products that are used in households such as kitchenware, shower and bathroom items, home and office accessories and the types of things everyone uses every day. The products are extremely well designed and the company boasts "Guaranteed for Life". I have never found an OXO product I don't love. They are functional with great aesthetic appeal.
The company founder, Sam Farber, had a simple mission. His wife Betsy had arthritis in her hands and fingers and he wanted to create comfortable cooking tools that would benefit others. The focus is on alleviating stress on the pressure points. We all get those nagging joint pains from time to time.
The product lines expanded over the years to include every kitchen gadget imaginable, beautifully crafted barware for making drinks, cleaning accessories for the bathroom, mops, buckets, etc. Pure simplicity.
All of my OXO products will outlast me and my hands will forever be grateful.

Well known for its coffees, Dunkin has been a favorite destination. My standard was a large Iced Hazelnut Coffee, unsweetened, light milk and 3 Splendas. I keep it low fat, low sugar. As I travel, I stop at the local outlet. But no matter where I go, the consistency is not there. A light looks like Guinness Stout and products like Ducolax and Miralax come to mind. Within 20-30 minutes, it's not uncommon to experience fight or flight in search of the closest commode. This begs a question: is it Iced Coffee or Colonoscopy Prep Time?

Let's face it, coffee is supposed to be a treat. Java junkies usually build up a firewall against feeling like a leaky faucet. But this is freaky and completely different. This is Shawshank redux. Should I bring Huggies?

I called Dunkin and they told me each location is a franchise and they have no control. That's nonsense since the franchisees have to buy their coffees and products and there are standards to ensure the brand is consistent. Perhaps because the company was bought out by private equity group, Inspire Brands, everything is now lax. And there have been numerous complaints as I've read.

I'd put a bug in the ear of Inspire Brands and reach out to them at *******100 since they're the parent company.

I don't use AOL for news content as there are better places. If you look on the net about AOL, all you see are comments from people equating them to an unrelenting variant that they want gone because they might get a brain infection. If you don't believe me, check out Consumer Affairs. The latest is that AOL has joined the sensationalist bandwagon and will silence and delete posts from anyone that's not a good fit. For that, I feel fine. I don't have AOL brain rot. But I'm sort of stuck with them for another reason.
I have Verizon email accounts that AOL controls. They are good to have because Verizon email is not scanned by search engines for data mining to sell you stuff. Now, if you have an email portal like Outlook with everything under one roof, you can look at all your emails without logging in to each account on line ~ that is until they no longer sync with AOL's servers as many people experienced. It was a deliberate move by AOL because it only happens to emails you receive, not what you send.

In a nutshell, instead of AOL just notifying account holders to generate a password on their site for each one, load it into your application, but keep your old password because you'll need one to log into AOL online should you want to punish yourself, until you do so, you will have to get your mail in AOL because AOL will not send it to your email program. That's why I have a program like Outlook ~ to make life simple.

I waited endlessly to get AOL on the phone to fix things, got disconnected several times, spoke to morons that were clueless, was stirred and shaken and repeated the same crap a few more times until I finally figured it out myself. Even though AOL could have made life easy, they chose to torture people like me, that just want to read their latest emails by forcing the need to log into their garbage site like a hungry rat so that they could ramp up site traffic. Even Verizon concluded it was a big error to invest in AOL-Yahoo. Do yourself a favor, get the AOL vaccine and also a booster if they're still around.

I would kind of like to give Walgreens at least 4 stars. Pharmacists are generally very good at discussing the pros and cons of different medications since physicians aren't always spot on. Also, if you're on Medicare, the AARP Walgreens prescription option is generally less expensive than its main competitor, CVS. But that seems to be where that story ends. Using the interactive voice option to order is a nightmare if you make an error. And the main reason to go to Walgreens is to pick up scripts.
I don't want auto refills every 28 days since they're the monthly dosage is 30 days. Maybe I'm picky, but I like some orderly precision. I evolved this way because I was constantly running into the prescribing physician saying he called them in and Walgreens telling me the opposite. Part of the rub is the people taking the orders aren't always reliable because in a busy pharmacy location, Walgreens creates brain fatigue which is probably why their prices come in a bit lower. In other words, they're slave drivers like Walmarts.
All I ask for in an interactive voice system is simplicity and a little versatility. What I get is "do you want your prescriptions the following day, and if "no", "how about 1 hour." C'mon Walgreens, don't jam it up your employee's butts. I feel their pain. Cut them some slack like "a few hours" or "later that day." The system also doesn't recognize recently called in prescriptions, only the prescription number. Hence, you have to call them unless you're tracking things with a spreadsheet.

Lastly, enough of those child proof containers. I'm an adult and a cap is fine. And because I'm getting older, print a little larger and make life easier by not hiding how many pills are left in the prescription. Perhaps I'm getting older and crankier, but Walgreen makes my head hurt and I might have to order pain killers next.

On the net, if you look hard enough, you can find most things. You become more informed and can make better decisions. Along comes sites like MyLife which focus on one thing: your personal business, your privacy. They extol some ramped up benefits by being a member but the downside is they just want your money and YourLife becomes miserable according to the many complaints filed involving billing issues.
They compile information from a variety of public sources courtesy of the FOIA. While they claim there are benefits to their services, they're just purveyors of things often better left untold.
For example, you're a female and had a few nips and tucks and people are taking notice. Age fibbing is part of your DNA if you aspire to be timeless. Or suppose you had a speeding ticket ~ you're red flagged. Quite often the information is either wrong or dated.
The real service they offer is being a pit stop where you can see if anyone has skid marks. If you want to get them off your back, call them (phone number found online) and tell them in stark terms that you want to be off their site permanently. Emphasize that you have a need for privacy perhaps because you have a local business or gossip can hurt your standing in the community. Anything!

It is said that the universe is expanding at 150,000 mph. I'm not sure if even God knows. But on Earth, as we witness the miracle of the technology revolution, none of us can be masters of our universe and that's where Wikipedia plays an invaluable role. This online encyclopedia is in itself an expanding universe of almost anything you need to know and the "go to" place for everyone. It's so amazing that your knowledge about anything will expand faster than what would have been possible without it. If you're a parent with young children, this site must be bookmarked. In fact, if you're still alive, this should be bookmarked.

The nice thing about Wikipedia is that it is neutral, can be edited by anyone, tends to be highly accurate since changes to content undergo the scrutiny of contributing editors, and is an ongoing self-sustaining body of thought. It is also a major contributing website used in the current versions of AI (Chat gpt 4) You've probably noticed that internet searches are now more meaningful. It's rich in inter-wiki hyperlinks which will enhance your original search by providing links to all types of relevant info. Your destination starts in one place and depending upon how curious you are, takes you to places you didn't intend to go or knew existed.

So, while most people think in terms of the present, Wikipedia provides you with enough information to think way beyond the beyond and envision what the future beholds. Check it out. Just add the magic word "wiki" to your internet search query, and enter this phenomenal website.

Facebook and Mark Z are inseparable. Until he starts to embrace democracy and shed his autocratic ways, Facebook users will just be a collection of little toys he uses to please himself. Because people want acceptance, he cleverly exploits that by getting users to earn "likes". That means your comments on the platform are tabulated, sliced and diced and sold to anyone trying to sell to you. That also means very limited privacy as he tracks you wherever you go. That's why some of his employees became ex-employees and ratted him out. He deserved that. But, on the flip side, he's brilliant and can do a lot of good if he could become nice for a change. That also means don't do things like stroking Donald Trump ever, ever again. Until he proves himself, I'll give him 2 stars.
Where I see him doing a lot of good will first require him screwing his head on right, quit screwing his Facebook users by cleaning up his platform., and then pursuing the metaverse which is in its infancy and holds a lot of promise.
As to the metaverse, it's difficult to grasp, but its unstoppable and mankind will benefit. It will start out as virtual reality and a virtual place where we will work and play. But where I see it going is way beyond that. We'll pierce the 4th dimension ~ time. We'll ultimately feel like we are somewhere over the rainbow while maybe just being in our bedroom in Kansas or wherever. If it sounds cooky, it might be. But I doubt it. We are trying to get off planet Earth and if we really want to experience our universe out in the future, the metaverse will start out with Act I and there will be many more after that. Think ~ the movie "Contact" with Jodie Foster. That was written by Carl Sagan, an astronaut.

If Marc could come back down to Earth and be grateful to the people that made him money, his Facebook community users, and stop using people, maybe then Facebook or Meta, and Mark could be 5 stars. He might also save his hair.

Enlightened makes a decent range of delicious ice cream products that are generally low fat and low calorie. My focus is on my favorite, Chocolate Peanut Butter. At 100 calories per 4 oz serving, 8% sat. Fat, 2% cholesterol, obviously not unhealthy. Best of all, it has a super premium taste, real swirls of frozen peanut butter, and you'll be hard pressed not to eat the entire pint because you won't feel a sense of guilt.
It's not cheap costing about $5-6 per pint. I'd love to see larger size containers. My only pet peeve which cost it a perfect score was that it's not solidly packed. There always seems to be a hollow section of the container. They claim it melts in transit and solidifies a bit smaller. I believe it's more an issue of keeping the price down by shorting the container a bit. For that, and that only, there is no excuse. Pack it to the gills and I'll do some ab exercises to fit into a two piece.

Everyone gets scam calls. Using websites like Whitepages.com to check these numbers and the carrier reveals that many are associated with Level 3 Communications LLC. The question is why do the scammers choose Level 3 as their go to place for dead phone numbers to ply their trade. Sounds like this scummy company is a purveyor of illicit opportunity.
This company merged with CenturyLink in 2017. According to Bloomberg.com, CenturyLink has been accused of running a Wells Fargo type scam to solicit phone accounts by any means possible, fraudulent or otherwise. So, it's not just that rotten apples don't fall far from the tree, the bare root seedling that became the tree should not have been given a start in life.
Aside from the thousands of complaints lodged against the company on the BBB website, the Minnesota Attorney General has been investigating them for grossly overcharging customers for internet services, they have been fined millions for the same unsavory practices, and even the stodgy FTC hit them up with fines.
So, all of this paints a picture of a venomous octopus with tentacles reaching into your wallets.
Best Option: File complaints with the FCC to hound them that CenturyLink is not acceptable. This is the link: https :// consumercomplaints. Fcc. Gov/hc/en-us? Return_to=%2Fhc%2Frequests

I lost my faith in Ford as I became a victim of across the board sleaziness. This extends beyond the fast talking salesman. It includes inferior warranty repair work leading into to brand new repairs for things that were working just fine until you got your vehicle back. This also hinges on those special warranty programs or extended warranties which turn out to be as bogus as the ones offered by used car dealers. SO, much of my beef is with Ford Motor Company which creates chaos in their own backyard.

Ford has typically sold decent quality vehicles. Fast forward 2019 where auto vehicle sales are down according to JD Power https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/04/01/Figures-show-new-car-sales-in-US-way-down-in-2019/*******493/. The biggest slump in 5 years. Dealers feel the pinch so neither they nor car salesmen can be trusted. The average price of a new car is $36,000 and car payments vs. the wages for many are out of whack. But, what I would really caution people to watch out for are Extended Warranty Repair Plans. Don't buy the hype that they save you anything. They're sold because they typically make a lot of money for Ford and the dealer. Here's why:

Ford will tell you that the average consumer saves a lot of money for each of its plans. Since most vehicles don't experience a lot of problems for years other than unanticipated recalls, that claim is for those that got stuck with a lemon ~ the robot that assembled it has been drinking too much. So since you'll be out of warranty after 36,000 miles, you might opt for a plan to protect your investment. Here's where the greedy dealer gets you:

Dealers get paid a lot less for per labor hour from Ford on any warranty repair than from the customer with a routine repair. They have to tie up their service bays and make peanuts. However, as part of many repairs, there's often a particular part that is essential but NOT covered by the warranty. So the sleazy dealer unnecessarily replaces the uncovered part and profits on the markup, and then shifts as much labor as possible onto the replacement of the part that was probably fine to begin with. They now get their full labor rate, Ford Motor Company pays out very little warranty labor, if any, and the customer gets sand bagged. Since the dealer often claims there were other parts that went bad also, by not allocating labor to each phase of the repair, they shifted the expense to the consumer. And sometimes, it gets worse. If you notice something different when you pick up the vehicle, the service tech set the stage for a new problem which enable them to come back for a brand new déjà vu.

What can you do? Plenty! Most states have a DMV unit that monitors dealerships. Watch the dealer like a hawk when they do the repair and see if they are replacing a lot of parts. Notice if you have to quickly return the vehicle because the repair wasn't done right because there must have been another failing part that seemed alright but is now on the blink. And if you want to avoid wasting time if you're waiting during the repair, hold them to a reasonable timeline. I've walked to the service bay after a couple of hours only to find that nothing had been looked at. Remember, the customer keeps the dealer and Ford Motor Company in business since you're buying their vehicles. Ford owes its allegiance to you first, not the sleazy dealer. And as a final note, write to FORD and tell them that when you receive a final invoice, you want to see what the itemized cost of each part replaced and its labor is, along with the savings that the warranty claims you received. Dealers always hide that information, particularly the labor since you would CLEARLY know if you were picking up an unfair share.

There are thousands of complaints by really angry business owners that have advertised with YELP only to find that the sales pitch lacked credibility. Website traffic wasn't better, overcharging took place, and canceling the ads required performing due diligence to avoid another month of billing. Does YELP sound trustworthy for businesses or consumers?

To some, YELP's clever shamrock logo might mean Good Luck. To others, it's just another sham. A closer look at the content makes that more clear.

Since mobile activity accounts for most sales and we're all on the go, we tend to scan things quickly for guidance. As YELP was early to internet advertising, it became a household word and a symbol of trust. The clever "star rating" is a trigger to stay or move on. Since many small businesses don't get many reviews, that type of symbolism is often premature. In fact, many businesses get a lot of legitimate, good reviews that YELP decides are "not recommended". This is often very unfair to the businesses.

Some are reviews from real people with many honest reviews and friends and a real picture. It's well known that many of the reviews not recommended are by people providing their 1st review. That means they were really happy with the service and took the time to register with YELP so that they can express their gratitude about the work somebody did. And how does YELP reward them? For no real valid reason they list them as reviews that "WE DON"T RECOMMEND". That's a slap in the face to the reviewer.

But they believe there exists a method to their madness. YELP craves hyper addicted YELP reviewers, Virgin YELP reviewers with very little under their belt are often overlooked in deference to the compulsive clique of elite reviewers. But this is really madness. These people review more businesses than realistically possible Sometimes the amount exceeds 1000 reviews. Those reviewers should be listed as not recommended since those extremes lack credibility. The result is the review process gets really distorted and unreliable and the YELP ecosystem becomes a rabbit hole.

Lately, as many local businesses have concluded advertising with YELP is a waste of time, when a consumer does a search in YELP they often see businesses located far away. Combine this with all of those people whose reviews are not being counted and what might have started out as a great concept has become increasingly unreliable as a gauge of what is good and what is bad.

So, according to YELP, reviews are handled by an algorithm which in essence is an invisible wizard making decisions that nobody, not even YELP employees, can ever, ever question. So the wizard is really an autocrat who has final say.

Do you trust autocrats? Do you trust the ones that seem to be running our federal government? For most, the answer is NO! And true to form, if businesses challenge YELP sometimes those businesses and any good reviews they have get buried. YELP has to do this otherwise their business model would be questioned, challenged and they would lose credibility.

I thought it might be useful to read what one person had to say about his experience regarding a decision to advertise on YELP:

https://raymondfong.net/a-candid-yelp-advertising-review-is-yelp-ripping-people-off/

In this era of health insurance woes, everyone wants a
Dependable insurer that will also continue to underwrite policies for the
Foreseeable future to avoid finding a new one.

There are 12 companies that comprise 50% of the market that generate roughly $550 Billion in premiums. Depending upon whether they insure in your state is important factor for what is available. So according to one summary, Anthem.com ranks #3 with a market share of 6.3%. So on that basis, they have the resources to deliver. However, in the context of the Health Insurance Swamp, my experience has been somewhat murky when it comes to speaking to their Claims and Benefits Customer Service which is your lifeline regarding your policy with them.

Like all industries, depending upon who you speak with, it's a coin toss as to whether you're getting correct info. It's just as daunting to get Anthem to be accountable if they advise you incorrectly and you make a decision that ends up costing you more than you bargained for. You might want to get that procedure done that's in your best interest and they tell you it's just a small co-pay only for it to mushroom into a $1000 chunk of your deductible. So, you have to be hyper-vigilant, read some of the boring coverage details and either get things in writing or get a reference number. Beware, though, that if they want to go into denial, things have a tendency to get lost. It's all about their bottom line and if you don't cover your butt, you might feel all jammed up.

So a few pointers, if you have to escalate things or appeal anything, use your cell phone where you will have a record of making a phone call. Anthem is not above lying about whether you actually called them.

Don't depend entirely on your state Insurance Commission to bail you out. They have all they can do to make sure that residents have insurance companies with deep enough pockets to sustain the trauma of dealing with most people that have pre-existing conditions that is the centerpiece of the ACA.

In my opinion, the ACA is positive and helps society. It just needs to be tinkered with and things will get better. While some people might disagree, the Individual Mandate is important in lowering overall costs as they get spread over a higher base of people.
Should you have a sudden unexpected illness, you will be supremely grateful that you're properly insured.

So, keep detailed notes on conversations, who you spoke with, a reference number and anything to back up your version of what was said should you find Anthem crossing the line.
As far as pharmacy benefits, most of that very well defined so Anthem will generally follow through. There are plenty of sites that rank health insurance companies so get reviews about insurance companies, their reviewers, etc.

So you thought we moved on from the stereotype "used car salesman". Well, meet the gents from Stanley Steemer. This 70 year old franchisee has great name
Recognition and has been known as a leader in the industry. Normally that implies good will, dependable service and honest pricing. The problem is, typically, their initial quote is a lure, and if you take the bait, they
Might also clean your wallet ~ free of charge, of course.

Their gimmick is old and shop worn. Quote the customer a price that seems very
Fair and then try to upsell them everything and anything. Whether they actually need the products and services to clean and extract their soiled furnishings is secondary to how much money can be extracted from their wallets.

The problem with many of these outfits is that employees are remunerated based on how many add-ons they can push regardless of true need. In addition, many national franchises have high employee turnover so it's a hit or miss when it comes to landing a technician that provides quality work and has the requisite knowledge. Also, many franchises have restrictions on how work should be performed, what employees have to use in the performance of their work, and the end result is a regimented approach with very little flexibility.

If you think about what constitutes a true professional, it is experience, knowledge, resolving errors quickly, being innovative when the need arises, and so forth. So while the spectrum for achieving results has a fairly good range, with this type of
Business model, it's very narrow and predictable. Unfortunately, what is not predictable is how much an unsuspecting consumer might fall prey to hard selling techniques if they haven't experienced them, or, like many people are decent and trustworthy

Word of advice, when getting a quote from Stanley Steemer or any other service, ask questions. Ask them how they arrived at their quotes, specifically what is their pricing method. Ask them if there are exceptions that might affect their quotes. Tell
Them that you're aware that companies sell all types of products and accessories but you might only be interested in paying for their basic service ~ and what specifically does that include.

An informed consumer is a smart consumer. There is nothing worse than unnecessary surprises or suffering sticker shock when a quote of $100 mushrooms to $300. Even worse is when you need the promised service ASAP. When you call them, explain you expect their quote to be reliable.

Everyone likes to watch news programming that reflects their views. Politically we find ourselves in two camps ~ Democrats and Republicans based on candidates that capture the vast majority of all votes. However, there's a spectrum including Independents and left and right of center. Frankly, the system has become confusing, often fueling unnecessary hatred and bias. So I like CNN because its TV personalities are journalists with solid credentials performing due diligence.
Unlike Fox News which tends to have commentators and "personalities" who
Thrive off of unsubstantiated claims such as "The Deep State" and "Obama Birther
Theories" that are without merit, CNN represents legitimate coverage of
Important issues affecting everyone.

I've never bought into this liberal/conservative crap because those are merely convenient labels which tend to isolate and divide rather than unite. We're all people, we all have needs, feelings and beliefs which are shaped by society, social
Interactions, and also the news. But in the final analysis, the news should represent what is true, what is logical, what is informative to provide sensible and well-grounded public policy and most of all, make us feel that in the absence of news programming, we would suffer a vital learning deficit. This, is where CNN delivers.

I enjoy the evening lineup with Anderson Cooper, Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon. Each one of them deliver. I also like many of the political analysts, particularly Kirsten Powers.

With that said, look at the other side of the coin, Fox News. You have conspiracy theorists, inept journalism, and nonsense from the likes of Sean Hannity ~ Trump's shadow Chief of Staff and a leaky conduit for Trump seepage, Tucker Carlson ~ the
Product of an absentee Bohemian mom who has warped political views and is
Another prominent conspiracist, Jeanine Pirro ~ a former respected DOJ official
Who has devolved into Deep State alternative thinking but really wants Trump to
Appoint her Attorney General, and the list goes on and on.

So, CNN appeals to people with a mature point of view that are focused on believable issues. However, Fox News, which in fact, has viewers who rank 2nd from the bottom in educational levels for the top 25 news programs, is the go to source for those requiring 24/7 screwball, screw loose entertainment, and serious surrealism. The upshot, CNN for those with a head on their shoulders, Fox News, a bulwark for Donald Trump to prop up his relevance
And his oversized mushroom head.