Feed: All Things Transcription - AggScore: 71.8

The following quote is one of the most humble sentiments I have ever heard. The statement was made by a gentleman who had every reason to be an egotist. Don't you agree?

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.
Albert Einstein

Propaganda; the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines it as:

The spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.
Ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also: a public action having such an effect.

Hello, my name is Serena and I am a bookaholic. I try to be frugal and use the library and other resources that are available. However, the main problem I have is that I am a re-reader. I have been known to read the same books over and over and over. In fact, there are many books that I have read to tatters. I have paperbacks that are held together with rubber bands and masking tape. I also have books that I am on the second, third, or sometimes fourth copy of because I have read them until they couldn’t be held together anymore. There are no 12-step programs available for this problem that I know of, so the problem continues. I am not the only family member with this problem.

Okay, I just want to warn you that this is a little smarmy, but I wanted to write a bit about a good friend of mine today. You may have read my post about blessings. If so, this person is one of my blessings. She deserves a little time in the spotlight. Although, if she knew I was writing this she wouldn’t like it much. So we aren’t going to tell her until it is already posted, right?

We have been friends for about 18 years now. The time seems to fly when you’re having fun. Well, it hasn’t always been fun, but that’s the way life is. Even though life has been pretty tough sometimes, we have still remained friends even when the roller coaster was making that horrible ratcheting noise up the hills. I’d like to tell you why.

This woman is one of the most selfless people I know. I have known her to care for the dying, loan money and never be paid back, help people move, help lay tile in a friend’s kitchen, answer calls in the middle of the night from friends who just lost a loved one and didn’t know what to do, give generous gifts, cry with people, defend loved ones like a pit bull, and all while suffering absolutely devastating life events herself. She’s just the type of person you want in your corner. She’s pretty funny too.

I know that I can always depend on her to be there when I need her. I hope she can say the same about me. She’s just one of the best people I know and I wanted to make sure she knows it.

It may seem a little childish to talk about best friends when you get to be my age, but she really is my best friend.

There are many MTs (Medical Transcriptionists) on the job hunt right now. Besides having a good resume and cover letter there is another subject that strikes fear in the heart of newbie transcriptionists everywhere; the dreaded employment test! If you have started applying for jobs, you know that many companies require you to take both an objective and transcription test as part of the hiring process. I thought I would gather up some tips from some forum friends and make up a list of the ones I thought were most helpful.

I wanted to post a small update on the Dell situation I wrote about previously on 10/19/09. Dell is going to pay back $26 million of the more than $300 million in incentives given them for opening the plant in Winston-Salem, NC.

Again, let me state that even though I actually like Dell products a lot, I would encourage you to let Dell know that you don’t appreciate them taking these jobs away from US citizens. BOYCOTT DELL PRODUCTS!!!!

They are spending a great deal of money to take these jobs to Mexico and “other third party providers.” The folks in Winston were making pretty good salaries. Instead of going to all this trouble if they are making less money than they hoped, why not ask their employees there to take pay cuts temporarily? I bet they would rather than lose their jobs entirely.

Oh, and let me mention that Michael Dell is worth approximately $12.3 billion. Doesn’t he have enough yet? If I had that much money I bet I could come up with a better solution than the one he did for Winston-Salem. I’m just saying.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the quality of their products, won't it? Stay tuned.

Well, it seems I was a little premature in deserting my soapbox labeled “outsourcing.” On 6/13/09, I posted an article about outsourcing. That article was in response to an incident involving a Pakistani medical transcriptionist and her attempt to extort a large amount of money by threatening to put private medical records out on the internet. This article is in response to an article that was published in both the Economic Times and The Daily Mail in regards to a British TV station that purchased a large number of medical records from some Indian men that were outsourced from the London Clinic. The London Clinic is a well-regarded private clinic in London. Some National Health hospitals also outsource their records to Indian companies as well. Please, read the articles. You really need to see the reason these guys were selling the records.

I want to talk briefly today about companies that move their operations to foreign countries. Many people have a problem with this. I am one of them. At this point in time, I could care less about the Global Economy. I do not care about people in another country being able to support their families if it causes people in my neck of the woods to be unable to support their families.

This may sound a little harsh. Even though I really don’t care what others have to say about my opinion, I will elaborate just a little so you don’t think I’m a completely horrible person. I live in an area that is still suffering with a little over 15% unemployment. If you are aware of how the government comes up with these figures, you will realize that this is not accurate. It is probably much higher. This is mostly due to the number of textile and furniture companies that moved their operations to other countries. This has been going on a long time. It is worse now.

The reason I have climbed back up on this soapbox is this:

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/21315230/detail.html

Dell opened this plant just a few short years ago. It employs approximately 900 people. These jobs pay very well. Now they are going to Mexico and other “third party providers.” Now I guarantee you that those folks that get those jobs won’t be paid nearly what the folks here were paid. After all, that’s the point of moving them to Mexico. However, what will those people who will soon be out of work do? There are only so many Wal-Mart jobs to go around. (I’ll leave that subject alone for now.) Do you really think that anyone who accepts those jobs will give a thought to the people here who are now on the job hunt and will never be able to find a job paying the same thing? Of course they won’t.

Yeah, yeah, I know, most of them live in deplorable conditions and have very little chance to rise above those circumstances. I JUST DO NOT CARE! This has been going on here for awhile and has hit my family personally 3 times now. I have not gotten any sympathy cards from Mexico or anywhere else. Can you say “bitter, party of one?” I knew you could.

In closing, may I say “shame on Dell for breaking their agreement with North Carolina and taking jobs to Mexico?” My husband usually recommends Dell products to his customers, now I say, BOYCOTT DELL! Let them know that you think that this constitutes unethical business practice on their part. Not only did they break their contract with the state, but did they give a thought to their 900 employees? No they did not, and Christmas is just around the corner. Do you think the holidays will be happy for them? Maybe by then they might be able to get employee discounts for McDonald's gift certificates for their kid's stockings. If they can get a job at McDonald's. I hear the competition is getting stiffer for employment in the fast food sector.