Get The App
The move towards digital imprisonment continues.
I have been tasked to teach a course to prepare medical students for the TOEFL exam that they must take to study in the U.S.. Unlike other test they take where mnemonics are employed to ensure a good grade, this test is to see if the taker has enough of a command of English to thrive in an American university. It covers all topics one may take classes in as well as student life situations. To supplement the text book, I subscribed to Study.com for materials on a wide range of topics as no single textbook will met this requirement. Before starting the course, the school assured me that it would reimburse me for the subscription fee for this site.
I submitted the receipt sent to me by email and foolishly expected that to be acceptable. That’s what I do for my Zoom subscription to use as a deduction for my Japanese income tax, but doing the same for Study.com to my employer is a no go. They saw from what I submitted that I paid with Pay Pal, who then billed my credit card, so they requested my pay pal statement. After I submitted that, they said they need the actual credit card bill.
Problem. My credit card company no longer issues paper statements. Around the time they nixed cash payments, they switched to using an app for the monthly bill. I know they once had a website that much of the same functions, but I never used and I don’t think it’s still operational. I know that the service center always asks me to open the app on my iPad and have not since the other changes mentioned their website. I also know of other services that have shut down their website based online services and switched over to apps only. The med school apparently hasn’t got the memo yet.
Of greater importance, the reason why I share this is to share one route they are using to force us all into the digital gulag. First they off some new wonderful E-convenience that most can’t wait to get and will stand in line for. Then another, more convenient, justgottahave something or other is offered and the trained seals go for it too. Those of us you refuse to avail ourselves to the wonders of modern technology are then eventually forced to choose between accepting them or severely downgrading our involvement with society.
The difficulty I am having getting reimbursed for my work related expenses is just a necessary rough spot on the super highway to digital serfdom that TPTB are willing to have us suffer through, even if it means I end up having to pay in the end, which at this point is not expected but is now a possibility. In an earlier post I told how I can no longer be easily seen at the veterinarian with a sick pet without first down loading the vet’s app and making an appointment. Before this, we have to do the same at some of our nearby clinics. To order at certain restaurants, we must first scan a QR code that will download the app the has the menu and online ordering system. It has since expanded to credit card companies.
The funnelling is real, pervasive and most sheeple don't care!
Yesterday, i was traveling to find a discontinued laptop on clearance. I foolishly thought the mobile website view on my phone would match my home computer's view of the product page.
No!
And while i called around (my husband was driving us for errands & day out), i searched.
The CS phone bot is uniform across all branches/stores and is a gatekeeper pushing us all to chatbots for help.
If you get a live person, they instruct you to "Just download the app!" They also have no idea how to check inventory without looking at their own phone to check their app. Nothing like walking over to check the shelves.
No phone service has been more aggravating and aggresively inept than the now, ever present AI.
BTW, online purchases to hold for pickup tequire creating an account. No more guest check-outs. They want full permissions to bombard your cell phone (required!) email (required!) and address with junk for eternity.
Cash. That's a comfort, but only 1 of the 8 registers at the store accepted cash. 🤯
If you have the ability on a laptop I implore you to check your credit company bank information on that instead of the stupid "app." I say this because I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that what appears on say Bank of America's online site on my laptop versus Bank of America's online site on my phone app is different...and usually for the worse on the app. Good luck!