I’ve been AMPed

Posted on by February 26, 2017

Back in the golden era of blogging, when Google Page Rank was the status symbol of bloggers, I jumped through a lot of hoops to improve my Page Rank just because it was a
“status symbol.”

Then Google over a period of time changed things and Page Rank was kaput – as far as tiny blogs like this one.

So I cut way back on number of posts and commenting – Page Rank helpers – and moved to Costa Rica. The latter wasn’t Googles fault, it was coinky-dink.

Today, you’re seeing a whole new blog – it’s been AMPed thanks to Grandad, my blog host at Curratech.ie

Grandad was tinkering around with the blog to secure things, speed things up and clean things up. He killed some plugins that were slowing down page loads, he dumped some plugins that were out-of-date, updated the theme, and other back-end stuff that is over my head.

When he said he was done emptying “the bin” as they say across the pond, I asked him if I had been AMPed. He said no. In his opinion – and of others – it was AMP is Google over hyping some fancy code.

I said good enough for me and to forget about AMPing up Going Like Sixty. In return email, he said… “too late” he had already done it.

AMP is a way to build web pages for static content that render fast. AMP in action consists of three different parts:

AMP HTML is HTML with some restrictions for reliable performance and some extensions for building rich content beyond basic HTML. The AMP JS library ensures the fast rendering of AMP HTML pages. The Google AMP Cache can be used to serve cached AMP HTML pages.

And Grandad is pretty pleased with the result, reporting:

Your page speed ranking has now jumped from 65% to 91%, and you have moved from my “Slow,” bypassing Average into the Fast category.

I’m not sure I can see the difference, but Costa Rica internet is funky at best most days.

If you need a blog host that cares about such things as security, load speed, and up-to-date back end goodies, give Curratech.ie a try.

It’s AMPed up Going Like Sixty recommended and approved.

 

 

Suspended! Social Security Form 7162 gotcha…

Posted on by February 15, 2017

My Social Security benefits – money and medical benefits – have been suspended. Medical benefits – not usable in Costa Rica. Money does come in handy.

I didn’t return Form 7162.
Which I never received.
Form 7162 asks:
1. Print current address
2. Telephone number
3. Has there been a change in citizenship or country of residence that I have not reported to SSA
4. Have I married or had a divorce or annulment since you last reported your marital status to SSA
5. Did I work for someone else…
and question 6 applies only if I’m getting benefits for somebody under the age of 16.
What a load of bureaucratic manure.
It only applies to people living outside the U.S.
I should have gotten paid 2/3/17 for benefits earned for January 2017.
But I didn’t. Nancy did, I didn’t.
After a 50 minute wait on hold, a call-center guy said my benefits had been suspended because I didn’t return a form that was mailed to me…
wait for it…
ON JANUARY 26, 2017.
Eight days ago.
Eight.
Wish me luck in getting my benefits restored.
Or look for my gofundme.com page.
UPDATE: Friday I sent in a question via online form to the Benefits office at the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica. Monday, I got the following response. If I can get benefits restored in 5-10 days as indicated, I’ll be one relieved guy.

Dear sir/mam:

 

Thank you for contacting the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Embassy.

 

Your benefits have been suspended because we did not timely receive the attached Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire. In order to reinstate the benefits please complete the attached form. Please make sure to include your social security number on the form, sign and date the form. You should email a scanned pdf copy of the completed form to [email protected]  to have your benefits reinstated. We will reinstate your benefits within 5 to 10 business days.

Please mail the original completed and signed form to:

 

Social Security Administration

Wilkes Barre Data Operations Center

Attention: FEQ Analyst, FEQ Forms 7161-7162

1150 E. Mountain Dr.

Room 341

Wilkes Barre, PA 18702-7997

 

For general information, the Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire is mailed to the beneficiaries or representative payee in May/June of each year.  Beneficiaries with social security numbers ending 00-49 must submit their enforcement questionnaire in even numbered years. Beneficiaries with social security numbers ending in 50-99 must submit their enforcement questionnaire in odd numbered years.  Beneficiaries with a representative payee and 90 years or older must complete the form annually.

 

 

Thank you,

FBU, San Jose Region

ABM

 

What you need to know about receiving benefits outside of the United States: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

—

UPDATE: matter resolved and benefits deposited 2/10/2017. Also done via email to Federal Benefits Unit at the embassy.

Bingo: Where trained underdogs succeed.

Posted on by February 1, 2017

Online bingo permits you to play your most loved bingo game at your most loved bingo hub, all without setting even a solitary stride outside your home. Online bingo conveys the fun to you, rather than you going out to play at customary halls. The reports calculate that online bingo conveys to its players is one of the principle reasons why the amusement’s notoriety has notched up so amazingly in such a limited capacity to focus time, as far back as the primary online bingo room came up in early 1996.

The best aspect concerning on the e-bingo is that there are a lot of availabilities on how you can play bingo online for no cash without spending a penny – something that would be incomprehensible at a conventional bingo parlor. These are the principle ways you can get the chance to play some genuine cash bingo for free:

  1. No Installment Rewards:  A no deposit bingo reward is a reward you get only to sign up at an online bingo site, and they don’t require a store. These sites offer these as misfortune pioneers to get you through the virtual way to experiment with their games, with the expectation that you’ll like what you see and stick around. The no installment rewards can be utilized to buy bingo tickets and, much the same as real cash, whatever you win is all yours.
  2. Free Bingo Tickets:  Numerous e-bingo sites run ‘free bingo‘ games for their players. These are much the same as the ordinary recreations you would play, aside from the ticket cost is 0p. The estimation of the prize varies from site to site, albeit most free bingo amusements have a tendency to have moderately small prizes. Having said this, some online bingo locales run unique advancement recreations with huge big stakes!

Numerous online betting sites likewise offer an assortment of energizing bingo and clubhouse side games – for example, slots, roulette, blackjack and scratch cards. So in the event that you favor having a different evening at home, you can do as such without walking down to the nearest customary hall.

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