Cartoon Barry Blog - Barry Schwartz's Personal Blog

Notice: Can't Respond To Google + Discussions

google%2B.jpg I am an idiot, I was on a call and skimmed the announcement Google+ is now available with Google Apps.

I've been using Google + on my Google Apps account but while it was under the pre-migrated version, meaning, it was like a Google Private account, not a fully transitioned Google Apps account.

I've been waiting for Google to announce Google + for Google Apps users to finish the migration process. I thought that was today but it was not. Well, it is for some users, users who did migrate over but did not use Google + yet.

I skipped the last section which reads:

For those of you who've already started using Google+ with a personal Google Account and would prefer to use your Google Apps account, we're building a migration tool to help you move over. With this tool, you won't have to rebuild your circles, and people who've already added you to their circles will automatically be connected to your new profile. We expect this migration option to be ready in a few weeks, so if you'd like, you can go ahead and get started with your Apps account today and merge your connections once the tool is available.

So as of now, I asked for help explaining that I have a ghost profile which I need migrated to my new profile.

Ghost Profile: https://plus.google.com/u/0/107945426404682361496/posts

New Profile: https://profiles.google.com/u/0/112116680648779331229

The main issue is, I need the Ghost profile back and un-ghosted (if that is a word). It is what is used for my Google Authorship profile, it has all my circles, shares and so many +1s. I can't start over - well I can, but all the data is gone.

Hoping one of my Google buddies can run the beta migration tool between the two profiles, so I have a solution or should I just start over?

Update: Found a loophole to get back in to the temporary account that I was using. So I can access it if I need it. Basically I login using emailaddress@gtempaccount.com and password.

Posted at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Category: Buddies | Comments (0) (0)

Touching Bathroom Door Knobs

I never thought about this before I got married but now I do.

I go to the bathroom in my office a few times a day, sometimes a lot more if I drink a large Snapple or something. :)

Often I'll see people do their thing, and then simply skip the sink and go right for the door. Forget using soap after taking care of their business. They simply skip turning on the faucet completely.

The other day, someone in the office said she spotted someone turn the faucet on and not use it. Trying to pretend she was using it. Are you serious?

In any event.

After I do my business, I want my hands to stay clean. So I use a paper towel on the inside bathroom door knob.

Not all doors, just the inside bathroom door knob.

Video added later after Tony Kummer notified me of it.

Posted at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Category: Just Interesting | Comments (3) (0)

Time For Bear Crossing Signs In My Neighborhood

More and more often, people in my neighborhood are spotting bears. My sister had one outside her home, treating itself to dinner by her garbage pails. My wife just saw one at the supermarket near our home. There have been plenty of bear spotting reports in the area.

I grew up here and have never had such a thing. But I guess we are cutting into their territory more and more, and they have no where else to go.

Soon we will have to not just put up deer crossing signs but bear crossing traffic signs. :)

Here is a picture of the bear my wife just saw:

Click on it to see a larger image.

When was the last time you've seen a live bear outside of a zoo?

Personally, I've never seen one. But my wife and sister and even brother have.

Posted at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Category: Homey | Comments (0) (0)

The Drug Store Is Not About Drugs

Yesterday, I was sent to the drug store to pick up a prescription (don't worry, everyone is healthy) and I was a little upset by what I saw.

I had to go twice, each time there were about four people ahead of me. I was able to witness some interesting things while I was there. So much so, I want Rite Aid or another pharmacy to create a show like SouthWest airlines has with the show Airline. Obviously, this is a bit harder to do in a pharmacy setting.

What did I observe?

Instead of taking care of patients and sick people, the pharmacist is standing there defending himself on why the prescription ordered is either a certain price, or needs pre-approval, or is not covered by insurance.

One person's debit card wasn't working.
Another person was picking up for his mother and her government insurance card was not renewed and thus cannot get the medicine she needs.
Another person didn't have insurance at all, and had to pay a fortune.
Another person needed a pre-approval to get the drug they needed.

By 8pm, the pharmacist has been dealing with insurance and doctor issues all day that he is fed up. He doesn't blame the insurance company nor the doctor, he blames the individual who walks into the pharmacy before checking with the insurance company or doctor if it is okay.

This is the world we live in. Sick? Don't go to a doctor. Go to the insurance company first to make sure you are allowed to get better.

The pharmacist is spending most of his time defending himself when he is not allowed to give someone the drugs they need because of the insurance company. He should be filling prescriptions, instead, he is fighting with patients.

Sad world - I wish I would have recorded some of it.

I can't really blame the pharmacist or the doctors. Hard to blame the patients. There are just so many rules and complications with insurance companies that no one knows the rules and rights.

Posted at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Category: Just Interesting | Comments (1) (0)

iPhone: Waiting On Line Online Instead Of On Line Offline

You know I ordered the iPhone 4S, in fact, I woke up at 3am EDT Friday morning to try to be one of the first on line to order it online.

It ended up taking me over an hour to order and I ordered it from AT&T, not Apple.

First, I feel bad not ordering from Apple. Every single iPhone I purchased for myself was ordered from Apple. Yes, all 4 iPhones I owned were Apple ordered. This is the first iPhone being shipped from a non-Apple order.

But after over an hour of trying to order from the Apple Store online or via the phone, I gave up and ordered via AT&T's web site. I feel bad, but I had to go back to sleep and make sure my order went through before it was sold out.

That being said, in the past, I had camped out a bit at the Apple Store to get the iPhone. I did this twice in the past but this year, I am not able to because the pick up day is this Friday, which is a Jewish holiday and I will be offline.

So instead of waiting on line offline at the Apple Store, I waited on line online at the store.apple.com last Friday.

Orders are reportedly shipping now, it would be nice if mine arrived Wednesday, since I'll be offline Thursday and Friday, but not counting on it.

And yea, Apple sold over a million iPhone 4S devices, which surpasses their 600,000 unit record. I am honestly shocked by that, since I know a ton of people who told me they aren't upgrading because there isn't enough of a difference, compared to last year where almost everyone I spoke with wanted the 4.

Posted at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Category: iPhone | Comments (1) (0)

Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011

Apple has just announced that their founder and leader, Steve Jobs, has passed away.

This is the Apple home page right now:

When you click on it, you see this:

This is so sad.

Posted at 7:49 PM | Permalink | Category: Apple Macs | Comments (1) (0)

Fine, I'll Get The iPhone 4S & I Qualify

So you heard, iPhone 4S is available for pre-order this Friday. Which is a good thing, because pick up in store is on a Jewish holiday. So I can order it this Friday, have it delivered to my office and then pick it up from there after the holiday.

That being said, this is the first time I am not *excited* to get the new iPhone. It is not 4G enabled, I am so unhappy. I guessed it would be the iPhone 4G, I also said it wouldn't be the iPhone 5 - so I was both wrong and right - it is the iPhone 4S, without the 4G connection.

But I will get it, because I've always got the new iPhone, every single new one since they were released. And yes, since it is not 4G, i'll stick with AT&T because Verizon's 3G stinks.

I have the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and the original iPhone. So it would be a shame to let that streak go.

Here is what it looks to be eligible: