Reco'd reading on outsourcing: The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman
Posted By: Nancy on 2005-10-14
In Reply to:
I just started this book about globalization of the workforce. Friedman is a NY Times reporter and his book has been on the bestseller list for months. Anyone concerned about outsourcing should check this out. I've got a long way to go but even after just a couple of chapters, I'm finding it very insightful and true to my experiences.
I read an interview with the author that appeared in Wired Magazine a few months back. My favorite quote of his goes something like this:
"When I was a kid my mother told me to eat all my vegetables because people in India are starving. I tell my kids to do all their homework because people in India are hungry--FOR THEIR JOBS!"
PS: My company does not outsource any transcription!
LINK/URL: Domenichelli Business Services
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My husband read about that in the book The World Is Flat.
Makes me mad! What has happened to our country!?
Friedman
Friedman was an editor, not a reporter. He is very PRO OUTSOURCING. This book is his effort to convince the rest of us, especially those of us whose jobs are on the line, that this is a good thing.
Do not mistake this book for an objective reporting of world events. He is extremely biased towards shipping jobs to other countries and has been at the forefront of it for years.
Rob Thomas
Singer from Matchbox 20, just saw him in concert last week and Constantine Maroulis from last years AI.
Can point in a direction but takes reading, re-reading sm
Goggle.com and enter various phrases to get articles and companies. I use a free doanload of ExpressScribe, yep, it is free. They have a number of various software things on their site to read and perhaps one will fit. The express Scribe is a piece of sotware to download, it is very simple and I like simple. You can listen and transcribe various voice file formats. You can use a wav pedal one is called a serial pedall and I think it is 9 pin and plugs in the back of PC and also another pedal I think a 15 pin wav pedal and goes in the USB port in front. However, you can also use it without a pedal and it works fine. You use a couple of key to stop, pause, rewind, I forget the key. There are a lot of pedals so don't just jump in. On this site you may benefit from emailing the company after reading and rereading, even if you don't understand. .
_______________
http://nch.com.au/
Express scribe site above Copy and paste into address bar in your browser.
Need help can email darleneh1111@earthlink.net
Thomas the train is there sometimes too
We went a couple of years back and my 4 yo loved it! 
omg yes!! Rob Thomas is soooo HOT! nm
nm
Ok, doubting Thomas, breaking down what we pay
No health insurance (husband is union- nada, nothing, zilch), I paid 1500 in taxes last year and husband paid out more on his job and when we did out taxes, itemizing got back 3500 on that, 900+ month for house pmt and he has paid that, we have 2 new vehicles and he pays for both, the house and vehicle insurance both run a little over 1000 each- both came due in May and we each pay half of those - he 500 and I pay 500. The small house bills I pay, 184 for cable, television, internet combined, 75 budget billing for gas, about 200 for electric. We eat very reasonably as he cooks and the other night he did stir fry. He had used 1 chicken breast, package of mixed vegetables and with the rice I counted that meal to be less than $5.00 for dinner. He and I both have plenty left over. We both like to do shopping on QVC and HSN and do frequently. I do not see how so many unbelievers out here. We do it and have left overs.
Yes! Rob Thomas, another great Canadian singer - sm
- REALLY a man, unlike KD Lang LOL
An error reading or a negative reading? (nm)
nm
Thomas Gibson (from Dharma and Greg) and John Stamos.
x
Great site...thanx for sharing :) I'm a huge Thomas Kinkade fan, so I may have to get something
myself, too 
It's not a flat 30%
My mother-in-law managed an income-based place. What they do is figure 30% of your income BUT they deduct so much for each dependent. It should fall between 300 and 400 after deductions, which is still good rent consider housing prices these days. Depending on where she lives, she may find a mobile home less expensive or in some towns, private homes are cheaper. Tell her good luck and it will work out!
I have a flat screen already, but sm
it is small. I would like to go larger. Thanks for posting. This answers my questions as well. Didn't know if bigger is always better, but sounds like it works well for others.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Flat screen!
I have a 19 inch flat screen and love it! Once you get a flat screen you will never go back! Also the weight difference betwen them is huge! To can pick up that flat screen and move it around anywhere you like. Would highly recommend. PS. I have a Westinghouse 19 inch, and I would recommend a 19 to 21 incher!
flat screen
I have a 19" flat screen monitor and I love it to pieces !
Flat screens rock!
When I worked at a hospital that had regular computer monitors, by the end of the day my eyes would be really tired and I usually had a headache, no matter how I tried to adjust the brightness/colors/fonts on the computer.
At home I have a flat screen and even after working all day, I could come home and chat literally for several hours using my flat screen and my eyes would not be tired at all.
I highly recommend them! I have a ViewSonic 17", which is plenty big enough for what I need, which includes transcribing, internet, some Photoshopping/graphics, and playing computer games like Freecell and Scrabble for relaxation.
I charge a flat fee of $30.00 to compose
Once I receive the check/money order, you receive the letter/resume. LOL (I do not work for free.)
The bigger the better. Flat screen.
nm
I just got a 22" flat panel LCD Monitor for $119. sm
at BestBuy. I absolutely love it. It will automatically adjust. It has an "auto adjust" feature. It is a "plug & play" when you hook it up to your computer.
You will like it.
All of my computers are Dell and the new LCD monitor is Westinghouse. Works fine!!
I got a new monitor, flat screen, but
on getting it bigger and do I need to put the CD in that came with the monitor? Not my computer, it belongs to the company I work for.
I used to charge a flat rate
If they don't like it, then they'll get it right the first time. I think 2.00 is fair since you have to pull it up, etc., and it is taking time out of your day.
You are basically charging for your time, but why shouldn't you? It's not like it was your error.
I have been in this business a long time and I am in a funky mood, and let me tell you, I am about ready to charge out the ying-yang for everything from now on because so does every other business operating in the USA.
Say what you will, but I did "walk into" this after being a nurse and I have not fallen flat o
face. In fact, I have been an MT for about seven years now (not a long time, but long enough to realize that I haven't fallen flat on my face). I enjoy my job and I do it very well. Not everybody can do this, but I can and my nursing helped me tremendously.
how do I clean my flat screen monitor...
I have wiped it off very lightly, but something is smudged on it and I don't wanna ruin it! 
really? i thought flat screens were harder
on the eyes -- boy, that is good to know otherwise...
Flat rate long distance sm
I have been using a Lanier for dictation since November and got one of those not so nice letters from AT&T giving me 5 days to stop or they would switch me to 10 cents per minute. (Not in this lifetime will I pay that.) Anyway, I checked around (only took about 2 hours to look) and didn't care for anything I found and really did not want to switch companies as it is a PITA. So, I checked on the AT&T website to see what else they offered. They have a business plan for 49.95 a month plus tax-total cost around 70.00 a month. I called and talked to them and asked them at least five times if I can use dictation on this plan and they said yes, I could. I wouldn't get anymore nasty letters from them. Instead of putting in another line, I just switched my residential over to business and it's only going to cost me $20.00 more a month than what I am already paying right now. Not a bad deal at all for unlimited use. You have to sign up for one year, but heck, if I can work and not be hassled by them, it will be worth it.
On-call like she says with a flat minimum rate - sm
would be the way to go. My DH used to have to do on-call for some equipment his company had in a local plant here. He was on-call one week out of every month as it was rotated with 3 other techs so they would have a break as this was 24/7 for 1 week. We got the odd call at 3 a.m. which stunk and he had to go in right away to deal with the problem, but he got $400 extra a week for doing this, and it was over 5 years, and he probably got called in maybe 5 times, so it can be worthwhile. He hated it just because he felt tied down that week and could not have more than 2 beers those nights, but he lived, and it helped out our finances a lot. I missed it when it was gone, but by then I was working so it really did not matter. He also got extra if he had to go in in the middle of the night. During regular business hours he did not, but any other time he got mucho extra $$$$ on top of the $400, very sweet deal. I think it would have to be worth my while to be on-call, especially if they happened to call you in a lot. If you do it, I'd leave a clause that the fees were to be reviews and renegotiated/increased as necessary at the end of 3 months or something like that.
Sorry! Wrists at 180 degrees in same flat plane as
s
? switching monitors to flat panel sm
I have ordered a flat screen monitor from Dell and will be switching from a 14 inch dinosaur to a 17 inch flat screen on an Acer tower. I just wonder if I am going to have problems or does it "adjust itself" without problems. Need more desk space. TIA
Our company pays a flat rate
based on the length of the meeting, and they schedule multiple meetings so you can choose which one to attend (during your shift or outside of your shift). Of course, they also pay downtime, so it sounds like our companies have somewhat different philosophies.
Have you tried placing your keyboard in neutral (flat) position? (nm)
I bought a 17" Samsung flat screen for under 200 bucks. I like
j
I got my computer locally so as not to deal with Dell and Fed Ex etc. I have a flat panel and I
think it is okay but not as clear as the regular monitors. I think if you pay a fortune for an LCD you get great clearness but with the 3 or 400 dollar ones it is adequate. I live in PA also. I got it because it is better for your eyes.
Try Packet 8 - Unlimited long distance phone - flat 22.05 per month.
nm
Try putting phone book next to pedal so your foot is flat and not angled on heel. NM
x
OF INTEREST TO ALL TIME WARNER CUSTOMERS...THEY ARE GOING TO START CHARGING FOR USAGE AND NOT A FLAT
This really sucks as the article said it would impact heavy users only. My cable bill is already high but to be charged for actual using will skyrocket my bill. I think I could spit nails right now. I can post the article if anyone is interested. They said it will be a trial period. Anyone else use Time Warner?
More reading
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287641/site/newsweek/
"I hope we realize that the people of New Orleans weren't just abandoned during the hurricane," Sen. Barack Obama said last week on the floor of the Senate. "They were abandoned long ago—to murder and mayhem in the streets, to substandard schools, to dilapidated housing, to inadequate health care, to a pervasive sense of hopelessness."
Well, from what I'm reading, it's best to have
a real contrast between color of skin and color of hair. It sounds like your daughter was maybe dark skinned? That's difficult because the hair will be dark, too.
I have very fair skin and very dark hair and have read that is good. I've also read that if the laser isn't set high enough it's not permanent.
Unfortunately, this isn't some hormonal thing that just came along. I'm almost 40 and have been waxing, plucking and bleaching since I was a teenager. Probably spent many times over what laser would cost.
I will. I would much rather be here and reading
some very entertaining and sometimes informative posts than deal with rudeness at another site:) Good to be here!
ME Too! Reading, PA.
nm.
I can't believe what I'm reading sm
here. One suggestion, since you must have had it so good before, is to go right back to the other place you were working before you took the 3 years off. They're not in business anymore? They've been sold? The MTSO got out of the business? Welcome to 2009. Do it or get out of the field.
Even 3 years ago we were doing 2, 4, up to 8 different accounts to get the required lines we needed. Three years ago I was still required to do at least 1200 lines per day. Three years ago, an MT with a well-rounded work history could do what you are saying.
If you have been there as long as you say, you are doing something wrong to make $6 an hour. At that rate, you are typing about 75 lines per hour at 8 cpl. You need to kick it up quite a bit if you intend to stay in the field, because the service will fire you if you don't get faster.
Am I reading this right?
It seems like you are trying to say that it's OKAY for people to trash newbies:
I quote here, without quotation marks, because I refuse to give up my beloved Firefox browser in order to regain punctuation marks, but you said:
Stop attacking one another and stop trying to bully individual posters or opinions. This means trying to police others' posts for grammar, spelling. It also means to stop trying to personally address others' posting styles or personalities by calling them out.
END QUOTE...
It seems like you're taking the side of people like MT30+ here, like you're saying that it's okay for her and others to put newbies down and tell them repeatedly how they're whiners, complainers, and slackers because they expect a reasonable work environment and reasonable expectations from their employers.
Am I missing something here?
Everything in the paragraph I quoted sounds good until you get to the last sentence:
QUOTE: It also means to stop trying to personally address others' posting styles or personalities by calling them out. END QUOTE.
The only people personally addressing other people's posting styles on this forum are the ones who keep calling the newbies whiners, slackers, etc. When we who are trying to keep this an encouraging forum protest this treatment of newbies and others, we're STILL not calling names - we're trying to create a POSITIVE environment. Sometimes creating a POSITIVE environment, much like childrearing, requires that we point out what is being done wrong, but with the end goal in mind of DOING IT RIGHT.
I'm sure that didn't come out the way I intended, but please please please, take a stand for the GOOD! Thank you!
Just reading it was USB - sm
As suggested below there has to be more than one, I have 4 on the back and 2 on the front. Maybe under a panel so they are hidden? Some Dells have panels on the front that open up to reveal 2 USB ports usually. Otherwise I suggest you get an external powered USB port. I have a powered external Dynex 7 USB port as well as I have lots of USB stuff plugged in...only have 3 spare ports out of all 13 I have. Just make sure it is powered, meaning it runs off of electricity (power cord), not your computer, less of a draw on your computer then. Mine has a power cord plugged into wall outlet, and then a cord from the Dynex is plugged into one of the USB ports on the computer, and I have 4 things plugged into the Dynex. Works great. Was not about to play multiple plugs with all my stuff, printer, memory card, external hard drive, picture transfer device, not sure what else, lots of stuff though.
OUTSOURCING....
http://msn.com.com/2100-9589_22-5757832.html?part=msn&subj=ns_5757832&tag=tg_itdc
outsourcing
In this day and age, especially with globalization, any one of us can be replaced quite easily..not just in the MT field, in all fields. When I heard they are outsourcing radiology work to India and hospitals are letting some radiologists go, I almost choked! The other day when I called the local court house to postpone my jury duty service, I talked with a lady who had a thick Indian accent. I was tempted to ask, are you in India.
outsourcing ad
about 20 or so posts down, subject "censorship" ... two advertisements at top of page, one soliciting transcription to be sent to india for great savings, etc. outrageous.
Outsourcing
Great article-- but do you think the CEOs care? They are too busy with their big 6-7 figure salaries and bonuses to worry about us. All they care about is the bottom line-- how to save an extra nickel so they can line their pockets and buy that new yacht every year.
Outsourcing
I think it will get to the point where everybody will outsource at least some of the work. With all these companies begging for employees it doesn't seem like there's enough of us. The employer I just left was a private owned company and one of the biggest accounts decided to outsource. Don't know who they chose to do this for them, they didn't say, but my income was cut from 4500. a month to 1300. a month. Right now just desperate for a good job.
outsourcing
No way. It's here to stay. There just aren'the enough transcriptionists out there to do all the work and turn it around as quickly as it is expected these days. I would not worry. There is enough work for everyone.
Outsourcing
...I hear you. The more we rely on technology, the greater the risk, and the more our private information goes bye-bye to India, Timbuktu, or where ever, the greater the risk we are putting ourselves. Interesting to find out China, the sleeping giant, has thrown out all things MICROSOFT in the country. See, there're thinking ahead, years down the road. They use only Linux, won't chance anything to a world wide shut down someday by terrorists or otherwise. THAT, I find interesting. I also wonder if our powerful men in politics, especially our President and his administration have arranged to keep their private healthcare records state side ... hmmmmm...
outsourcing
I agree with the posters. Check your medical reports, some of them contain serious errors, I was misdiagnosed in an op report as having a serious condition I was determined "not" to have.
I also was treated like a common criminal by a foreign country because I bought a laptop from someone who lost their job in 9/11. I paid a little more than I should have because I felt sorry for him and unless I pretended to be "him" they would not help me. I finally after two months got the right part from an American company and my laptop worked just fine after two shipments of the wrong part and a whole lot of aggravation and misinformation.
They are a third world country and we will take their place soon if we don't watch out. They'll be taking over more than our jobs. It's very dangerous. It is life-threatening as far as information goes. Some will be saving money but losing lives.
outsourcing
What worries me is it's bad enough when they mess with our finances because they don't understand how things work in our country. But now with transcription being outsourced, they are literally messing with our lives! A transcription mistake of left versus right, Klonopin versus Clonidine, 0.5 mg versus 50 mg, could mean disfigurement or death if not caught in time by an overworked nurse or doctor.
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