PERSONAL ATTACKS (SM)

Cut it out with the personal attacks. If you don't like the subject matter, skip it. Banning is the next step. I'm tired of deleting unnecessary, ugly posts.

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Control the inflammatory remarks. This is not your own personal war zone. Take your confrontations elsewhere.

Dozens killed in India terror attacks

There now are reports of as many as 80 people dead -- a number that is likely to rise -- in apparent terror attacks aimed at tourists and travelers in Mumbai, India.

Reuters is reporting that at least 250 people have been wounded in the attacks, which appear targeted at tourists. In addition, Indian television is reporting Westerners are being held hostage at at least two hotels. News networks and wire services are reporting there have been at least seven separate attacks in the city, largely at luxury hotels and restaurants.

"I heard some gunshots around 9:30. I was with my friends. Something hit me. I ran away and fell on the road. Then somebody picked me up. I have injuries below my shoulder," Reuters reporter Sourav Mishra said from a hospital bed, Reuters reported.

The Times of India reports there have been eight separate attacks, including a major terror strike at a large passenger railway station.

Our coverage is here.

(Television broadcast capture of a fire at the Oberoi hotel in Mumbia courtesy NDTV, via AP)

Update at 3:57 p.m. ET: According to the AP, gunmen are known to have attacked a major train station, a well-known restaurant, two luxury hotels and a police station. A previously unknown group calling itself "Deccan Mujahideen" has sent e-mail to news organizations claiming responsibility for the attacks, the Times of India is reporting. The AP now lists the death toll at 78. There are multiple reports that attacks are continuing.

in the Independence, MO area. The city governments have passed laws banning pit bulls and last week something like 100+ pitbulls were picked up by animal control or dropped off at the city pound and all were destroyed.

Personally, I think the owners of these animals should be held just as accountable as the dog. Well, I guess maybe putting the owner to sleep is a bit extreme.

My daughter was in the process of being preopped for back surgery for scoliosis in her thoracic spine. She had had before playing basketball, but she got injured during a game, which really exacerbated it when a girl fell on her neck/upper back.

Anyway, the PA in one of the many consultants offices we went to actually asked, "Who fell on you? A teammate or someone from the other team?" My DH and I looked at each other and could hardly keep from laughing, but God love my daughter who answered her with a completely straight face, but asked later, "What difference does it make who fell on me?" That question still makes me scratch my head.

Can weight gain be a side effect of hormone-replacement therapy? Has anyone tried anything else for symptoms of menopause? I need help! Gained 40 lbs in the 1-1/2 years on HRT and gotta do something about it!

I prefer IC as well. When you're an employee, they pay you less per line than as an IC. You still pay taxes, federal, state, Medicare, Social Security as an employee. However, the employer pays for Worker's Comp and matches the social security and Medicare only portion of your taxes, which I believe is only 7.65%. That social security percentage is quite small when you consider the fact that self-employment taxes are only 15.6%. I don't remember the exact percentages because it's been a while since I had to manually figure it all, but you can look it up on Google.

As an IC, I get to deduct every little thing I can think of. I can deduct my home office, a portion of my utilities, a portion of my Internet and phone, any mileage, office supplies (and I love office supplies!), furniture, software, computers and other equipment, paper, reference materials, everything.

The issue is that when you are an employee, those taxes get taken right off the top so you don't even miss that money. Most people don't set aside a percentage of their pay that should have gone to those taxes, so they grumble when they owe at tax time. You actually get to see how much you're paying out in taxes. However, they got to use their money all year instead of loaning it to the government interest free. That's a perk.

Is that it is a side effect of spending so many hours alone. I worked in one office (in-house transcription) for 8 hours a day second shift. I seemed to be better when I walked to work (3 miles to work one way) and could get regular exercise, sunshine, fresh air. Then I started a business and was unable to do anything more than work, work, work. Over the next 5 years I wasn't paying attention to the signals. It wasn't until I cut back and started dating (have since gotten married this year - I'm 41 - yes, there is happiness after 40), and started relaxing that I began to recognize the symptoms. I think it is a symptom of working too much and being alone too much, and losing a sense of self esteem from becoming a slave to corporate America.

Symptoms like not wanting to write out the bills even though there is money enough to cover them, not wanting to take the kids out for fun activities, and instead dropping them off so that they can have fun while you return to "things that just gotta get done", discontinuing use of makeup, or ceasing to wear nice clothing and just "bumming it" all the time, no more time with girlfriends or family, procrastinating grocery shopping until you absolutely have to get some, etc. The symptoms are similar to depression, and it may be part of the solution, depression therapy. Music therapy, aroma therapy, light therapy, color therapy, church time, friends time, hobbies, play with babies (even if they are borrowed babies). I think Kissing helps too, but not everyone has that available.

Our pay for VR was dropped to 60% of our MT CPL rate. The theory that VR produces more lines for MTs is, IMHO, hogwash. The dictators I had were so bad, I usually blocked out paragraphs and retyped them. VR took my pay down to near minimum wage and I had to find another job. BUT, if you can, give it a try to see how it works out for YOU. I once received 2 long VR reports from an unfamiliar account and breezed through them with very little editing. That's where you make your $$, if you are lucky enough to get dictation like that. Good luck with whatever you decide.