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Pakistani govt will take care of it. They just arrest union leaders

Posted By: and people go back to work. nm on 2006-05-13
In Reply to: Strike in Pakistan slowing down offshored work here. Just another example of offshore - work is crap. nm

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Govt is promoting EMR to reduce health care costs.
Major cuts taking place in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. See Bush's Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, billions of dollars being cut. Word is that private insurance will follow suit, with higher deductibles among other things. You can thank the
Indian and Pakistani, although (sm)
When I first started this account, there was one doctor who was so awful I was sure I'd never understand him. His dictations are usually very short, which you think would have helped. However, his speech is so bad, I could only make out a few words. After begging my sup for help and getting samples, I now love him! Now that I know what he is saying (even though he doesn't always make sense), I can breeze through them. And.....sometimes he even thanks us at the end of a shift. This is what he said today after the last report....."
Thanks for the help. Happy Holidays . I’ll be here back again Monday. Thanks for the help. God bless you". I wish he knew how much that is appreciated.

By a f*ckin Pakistani!

I bet it is from a Pakistani MT searching for work
that pays 3 cents per line!
YES IT IS OWNED BY A PAKISTANI DOCTOR. HE OR
SOME ONE ELSE KEEPS DELETING THE POSTS. I WILL KEEP AT IT THOUGH. GO TO MTSTARS.NET FOR ANSWERS.
Indian and Pakistani. Love the Orientals! nm
s
Just got E-mail from someone who is Pakistani wanting me to send them work for 3 cpl. (sm)

First off I am a MT myself, not a company and have no idea why they are soliciting work from individuals, unless they think we will sub-contract it to them.  


Edited by Moderator


How do you select your team leaders? When did you
lasst post a promotional position open? In 3 yrs I saw this 1 time, January I think, but I see lots of new team leaders. You spend a lot of time on this board, but how many times have you taken enuf time to write e-mail to the MTs you have to let them know what is going on. When did you get promoted? Is Jason still around? Did you ever tell us when you have new accounts so we can change ifwe want to? No, youjust hire more MTs from outside to fill those jobs. Sorry, but your team leaders still have only 1 answer when we need more work and that is they don't know what accounts are behind. So what you did is what somebody else said. you added another layer of management to answer with I don't know. Yeah, you sent out an e-mail last week and a few other times about this 1 account that is behind, but what about the rest of the time?

I started coming to this board when I started looking for a second job so I could make enough money to survive after you sold to Transcend and started this big hiring binge so we don't have enough work.

I won't call you,I won't write you, I just am tired of the empty worthless responses I get. I will sit iin my corner and type during my shift, but I am not happy. The communication is still horrible in the company and team leaders just add to the massive confusion.
Team leaders tell you to find another job too.
Don't expect any help from that end.   I can't see what the team leaders do other than send out account status reports twice a day if they happen to be home or harrass you about petty crap. 
our elected leaders do this every single day...why can't we? nm
nm
I wish US leaders had the balls to make a
It's so eloquently spoken and TRUE. They chose US, we did not choose THEM.

My grandfather came to this country LEGALLY. He learned English BEFORE he came. He had a sponsor to vouch for him, and a job waiting when he arrived. He wanted so much to be 'American' that he changed his name. He became a citizen as soon as he could. If I wanted to move to another country, I would want to feel ACCEPTED, and one of the best ways to do that is to assimilate oneself into that country's culture, I would learn the language, and woulnd not go bashing that new country's beliefs.
Please read post about MDI team leaders
Hello all,

Kill me it you want to, but I didn't stay up this late at night just for fun. (Although I did have fun). Please read the MDI post about Team Leaders. (You have to go about 5 boards down)...

I honestly don't know why MDI-FL gets such a bad rap on MT Stars. I have to tell you, recently I "learned how to post" and that is how dense I am. Sue told me how. I think she created a monster.

Everyone says "Well this must be from management because it is a good post"... or "This is a pet from MDI" - WELL THIS IS FROM MANAGEMENT... So you all can tell me the good and the bad. I don't have PETS. I have MTs who work hard.

I know there is always good and bad in a company. We have made many mistakes, but honestly we are trying to learn from our mistakes. We have been in business since 1972. Sue and I are both MTs. I taught Sue transcription when she was 13 (much to her crying and dismay). (Sue is going to kill me for saying that).

If you all want to know what the deal is - here it is - MDI sold to Transcend (a really very good company) in February of 2005. We are operating as a separate entity from Transcend. MDI and Transcend have different policies that we are trying to combine to get the best of both worlds for transcriptionists.

MDI has an open door policy. Just call me at 800-205-7047 or e-mail me at Liz@medicaldictation.com.

I know we must not be the best transcription company in the world, but darn it - we try. We do not give our work overseas (God forbid). We try to be fair to our MT's. We give great benefits (though - our family insurance is high).

We have done many hiring practices wrong in the past, which we are trying to correct. (Too long to get an MT on board).

AND, I am sure all of you can tell me what else we have done wrong. lol... Bust by bubble on my first post on the Main Board. ....

I am open mostly for the BAD things you guys feel MDI-FL has done to give us a bad reputation on this board. Say what you want, I really appreciate all of you guys input. Go anonymous. (lol)... I want to change what you think we are doing wrong.

OK. I did it. Let's hear it.

Thanks a lot,

Liz



Everyone markets their product that way. Like loss-leaders at supermarket.
They get people into their stores by give-away prices on one item and hope you continue shopping at their store. It is a marketing ploy everyone uses.

As far as the GE microwave Walmart ploy, if the buyer doesn't research the market to see if they can get the same GE microwave cheaper, that would be the buyer's problem not Walmart. Stupid is as stupid does and to impulse buy something like a microwave is just plain stupid and/or lazy. Think this through. Been to a sale lately at say Kohls and then saw a full-price outfit you like better than the sale outfit. What do you do? Think Kohls is horrible for doing this? Or smart marketing?

I think anti-Walmart propaganda has too far and people get caught up in it without thinking every other successful retailer uses the same marketing strategy.
yeah, and our elected leaders are lining their pockets--sm
with our hardearned money, and making millions off the war monger toys like tanks, etc in Irag war...why do you think they don't want to stop the war...I had actually heard him say that another year of war in Iraq would produce another 1.3 million in his pocket as he owns company that produces this equipment. we suffer, and he wins, laughing all the way to the bank. geez people, open your eyes to the actual cause of all of this. He also approves off shoring for jobs, thinking it will democratize other countries. He is trying to change the world by our suffering. Keep it home, and fix our own problems before you give millions to other countries. sheesh. sorry...just venting.
Incompetent team leaders who keep switching rules and make you
switch accounts all the time.
But maybe mine is the only one that thinks she knows it all. What a witch!!
Tired of those insecure team leaders who are afraid to give any information
about the account, the names or titles of dictators, etc.  Are they so afraid that if someone learns how to do the job well that they will be replaced?   Everything is top secret.  
Heck yeah. Need leaders to come forward, moderators, a sense of patriotism (we pay taxes).




Coimbatore ready to spin a different storey


8 Mar 2009, 0129 hrs IST, S Sujatha, ET Bureau


Print EMail Discuss Share Save Comment Text:



The Manchester of South India, Coimbatore, is still brimming with a lot of positive energy as far as the real estate scenario is concerned. The
city, with a population of 1.8 million people, has a few pan-India players in the real estate market but the 35-40 odd local developers are confident of staying in business despite the economic slowdown.

Though many are in the wait-and-watch mode, buyers are looking at this growing city as the place for long-term investment, especially on the residential front. Industry experts say majority of the buyers are from nearby cities like Chennai and Bangalore and non-resident Coimbatoreans and NRIs, who want to settle here post retirement.

The latest Jones Lang LaSalle India30 Real Estate Opportunities in Tier III cities identifies Coimbatore as one of the top 10 growing consumer markets. “Though Coimbatore stands low on current office market activity, the growing engineering and IT potential is sure to throw up opportunities for the real estate market in the next few years,” said experts.

“The prices are marginally down by 5-10% in Coimbatore but the situation will not worsen any further. Land prices are going up and construction costs have increased. We don’t see any downslide on price aspect,” said Omkar Mohan Sankar, a real estate developer in the city.

According to him, the city has perfect attributes such as excellent locale, ideally set in the footsteps of Nilgiris, pleasant climate and sweet Siruvani water. Further, it is an education and healthcare hub and the two industries are recession proof.

Though textile industry is going through tough times, work options are increasing as nearby districts such as Tirupur, Erode and Karur are fast catching the attention of world markets with their fashion products.

Also, with the entry of big players such as L&T and Suzlon in the engineering industry, more investment is expected in real estate market. “Once the companies look at increasing their work force, the requirement for housing would increase and the residential value in the city will go up,” said market sources.

State-owned Electronics Corporation of India’s Tidel Park in IT-SEZ is expected to be ready by January and is likely to provide employment to nearly 12,000 people, which means more residential space will be needed. The Wipro development centre inside the IT-SEZ is also nearing completion and more IT companies like TCS and HCL have plans here.

The city already has the presence of global engineering and IT giants like Robert Bosch and Cognizant and big IT & ITES players like Perot Systems and Spheris. “The city is looking at employing 20,000 more and even if 20% opt for new homes, there would be a demand for 4,000-5000 houses soon,” said Mr Rajesh B Lund, VP, Confederation of Real Estate Developer’s Associations of India.




Fed govt should have been prepared.
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Los Angeles Times
Despite Warnings, Washington Failed to Fund Levee Projects

By Richard A. Serrano and Nicole Gaouette Times Staff Writers Sun Sep 4, 7:55 AM ET

WASHINGTON — For years, Washington had been warned that doom lurked just beyond the levees. And for years, the White House and Congress had dickered over how much money to put into shoring up century-old dikes and carrying out newer flood control projects to protect the city of New Orleans.
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As recently as three months ago, the alarms were sounding — and being brushed aside.

In late May, the New Orleans district of the Army Corps of Engineers formally notified Washington that hurricane storm surges could knock out two of the big pumping stations that must operate night and day even under normal conditions to keep the city dry.

Also, the Corps said, several levees had settled and would soon need to be raised. And it reminded Washington that an ambitious flood-control study proposed four years before remained just that — a written proposal never put into action for lack of funding.

What a powerful hurricane could do to New Orleans and the area's critical transportation, energy and petrochemical facilities had been well understood. So now, nearly a week into the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, hard questions are being raised about Washington officials who crossed their fingers and counted on luck once too often. The reasons the city's defenses were not strengthened enough to handle such a storm are deeply rooted in the politics and bureaucracy of Washington.

With the advantage of hindsight, the miscues seem even broader. Construction proposals were often underfunded or not completed. Washington officials could never agree on how much money would be needed to protect New Orleans. And there hung in the air a false sense of security that a storm like Katrina was a long shot anyway.

As a result, when the immediate crisis eases and inquiries into what went wrong begin, there is likely to be responsibility and blame enough for almost every institution in Washington, including the White House, Congress, the Army Corps of Engineers and a host of other federal agencies.

For example, Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, the Corps commander, conceded Friday that the government had known the New Orleans levees could never withstand a hurricane higher than a Category 3. Corps officials shuddered, he said, when they realized that Katrina was barreling down on the Gulf Coast with the vastly greater destructive force of a Category 5 — the strongest type of hurricane.

Washington, he said, had rolled the dice.

Rather than come up with the extra millions of dollars needed to make the city safer, officials believed that such a devastating storm was a small probability and that, with the level of protection that had been funded, "99.5% of the time this would work."

Unfortunately, Strock said, "we did not address the 0.5%."

Corps officials said the floodwaters breached at two spots: the 17th Street Canal Levee and the London Avenue Canal Levee. Connie Gillette, a Corps spokeswoman, said Saturday there never had been any plans or funds allocated to shore up those spots — another sign the government expected them to hold.

Nevertheless, the Corps hardly was alone in failing to address what it meant to have a major metropolitan area situated mostly below sea level, sitting squarely in the middle of the Gulf Coast's Hurricane Alley.

Many federal, state and local flood improvement officials kept asking for more dollars for more ambitious protection projects. But the White House kept scaling down those requests. And each time, although congressional leaders were more generous with funding than the White House, the House and Senate never got anywhere near to approving the amounts that experts had said was needed.

What happened this year was typical: Local levee and flood prevention officials, along with Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.), asked for $78 million in project funds.
President Bush offered them less than half that — $30 million. Congress ended up authorizing $36.5 million.

Since Bush took office in 2001, local experts and Landrieu have asked for just short of $500 million. Altogether, Bush in his yearly budgets asked for $166 million, and Congress approved about $250 million.

These budget decisions reflect a reality in Washington: to act with an eye toward short-term political rewards instead of making long-term investments to deal with problems.

Vincent Gawronski, an assistant professor at Birmingham Southern College in Alabama who studies the political impact of natural disasters, said the lost chances to shore up the levees were a classic example of government leaders who, although meaning well, clashed over priorities.

"Elected politicians are in office for a limited amount of time and with a limited amount of money, and they don't really have a long-term vision for spending it," he said.

"So you spend your pot of money where you feel you're going to get the most political support so you can get reelected. It's very difficult to think long-term. If you invest in these levees, is that going to show an immediate return or does it take away from anything else?"

Gawronski said flood control projects do not have the appeal of other endeavors, such as cancer research and police protection. At the same time, Congress habitually approves billions of dollars for highways and bridges and other infrastructure that politically benefits individual congressmen.

Gawronski called it inexcusable for the United States to have been "gambling so long" that the old levee system in New Orleans would hold.

"Disasters are often low probability, high consequence events, so there's a gamble there," he said. "It's not going to happen on my watch, there's the potential it might, but I'll bet it won't."

In the case of New Orleans and flood control, another factor was at work: the reputation of the Corps of Engineers. Over the years, many in Washington had come to regard the Corps as an out-of-control agency that championed huge projects and sometimes exaggerated need and benefits.

The Corps began as a tiny regiment during the Revolutionary War era; it now employs about 35,000 people to build dams, deepen harbors, dig ditches and erect seawalls, among other things. But critics say some projects are make-work boondoggles.

In 2000, Corps leaders were found to have manipulated an economic study to justify a Mississippi River project that would have cost billions. The agency also launched a secret growth initiative to boost its budget by 50%. And the
Pentagon found in 2000 that the Corps' cost-benefit analyses were systematically skewed to warrant large-scale construction projects.

As a result, said a senior staffer with the Senate Appropriations Committee who spoke on condition of anonymity, requests by the Corps for flood control money were especially vulnerable to budget cutting. "A lot of people just look at it as pork," said the staffer.

The Bush administration's former budget director, Mitch Daniels, was known as an aggressive advocate for Corps reform who cast a skeptical eye on its budget requests.

"The Army Corps of Engineers has a very large budget, and it has grown a lot over recent years," Daniels, now the governor of Indiana, said. "To the extent there's been any limitation of [the Corps'] budget, it has to do with previous tendencies to build marinas and things that don't have much to do with preparing us for disaster."

The Bush White House maintains it never ignored the security needs of the Gulf Coast. "Flood control has been a priority of this administration from Day One," said White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan.

He said hundreds of millions of dollars were spent in the New Orleans area in recent years for flood prevention, and he said the failure of the levees was not a matter of money so much as a problem with drawing the right plans for the dike work and other improvements.

"It's been more of a design issue with the levees," he said.

Other administration officials said there were not enough construction companies and equipment to handle all the work that had been proposed.

John Paul Woodley Jr., assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, who has responsibility for the Corps of Engineers, said: "It's true, we cannot accomplish all of our projects at full funding all the time. I think that's true of any agency, particularly any public works agency, but we had a lot of work underway in New Orleans, and I was personally supportive of it.

"As a native of Louisiana," Woodley said, "I understand the problems associated with flooding in New Orleans. I don't think there's any lack of support for flood control projects in New Orleans, particularly within the context of other projects around the country."

On Capitol Hill in recent years, several Democrats warned that more money should be marked for the protection of New Orleans. For instance, in September 2004, Landrieu said she was tired of hearing there was no money to do more work on levees.

"We're told, can't do it this year. Don't have enough money. It's not a high enough priority," she said in a Senate speech. "Well, I know when it's going to get to be a high enough priority."

She then told of a New Orleans emergency worker who had collected several thousand body bags in the event of a major flood. "Let's hope that never happens," she said.

But in May 2004, then Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he had visited the levees as a guest of Landrieu and believed them adequate.

He praised the ancient water pumps for keeping the waters from cascading into the city, proclaiming them "these old, old pumps that hadn't been changed since before the turn of the century, that still keep New Orleans dry."

"It was as clean as a restaurant," he added. "These big old pumps work."

Today, eight of those 22 pumps are underwater and inoperable.

Over the years, several projects either were short-changed or never got started. The Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project was authorized by Congress after a rainstorm killed six people in May 1995. It was to be finished in 10 years, but funding reductions prevented its completion before Katrina struck.

The Army Corps of Engineers did spend $430 million to renovate pumping stations and shore up the levees. But experts said the project fell behind schedule after funding was reduced in 2003 and 2004.

The Lake Pontchartrain Project was a $750-million Corps operation for new levees and beefed-up pumping stations. Because of funding cuts, it was only 80% complete when the hurricane hit.

The project that never was started was an examination of storm surges from large hurricanes. Congress approved the study but did not allocate the funds for it.

In May, AL Naomi, the Corps' senior project manager for the New Orleans district, reminded political and business leaders and emergency management officials that a Category 4 or 5 hurricane was always possible. After that meeting, Walter Brooks, the regional planning commission director, came away shaking his head.

"We've learned that we're not as safe as we thought we were," he told the local newspaper, the Times-Picayune.

Last week, Corps commander Strock defended past work, saying, it was his "personal and professional assessment" that work in New Orleans was never underfunded. What he meant by that, he explained, was that no one expected such a large disaster before all the renovations and other improvements could be completed.

"That was as good as it was going to get," he said. " We knew that it would protect from a Category 3 hurricane. In fact, it has been through a number of Category 3 hurricanes."

But, he said, Katrina's intensity "simply exceeded the design capacity of the levee."

Asked whether in hindsight he wished more had been done, Strock said: "I really don't express surprise in my business. We don't sit around and say 'Gee whiz.' "

Times staff writer Mary Curtius contributed to this report.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20050904/ts_latimes/despitewarningswashingtonfailedtofundleveeprojects
they deserve the 2,000 from govt
Do you keep track what is happening to our tax money for Iraq?  Halliburton?  FEMA?  Homeland Security Dept?  How much do we pay each politician and do they work 8 hours or more a day?  Did they check with the tax payer when they went on a months paid vacation?  Our taxes also pay for politicians health plans.  Dont worry you wont feel it, you will continue to pay the same taxes.  These people were displaced, due to a major screw up, either local, state or federal govt..The investigation will tell.  In the meantime, they no longer have jobs, escaped with the clothes on their bodies, they have no money.  The govt is now their employer until they can get new jobs and homes.  Do you tell your employer what you do with each paycheck?  Well, they shouldnt have to either.  They werent asking for hand outs, then the hurricane and levee broke.  It is not their fault, they are victims..It is the govts fault, either local, state or federal.  Buy alcohol?  LOL, I think I would buy them a beer after all they have gone through and still are going through.  Our tax money is wasted every day by the govt, give aways, pay offs, pork, mismanagement.  At least I know my tax money is going to human beings that are in dire need.  God help them all to get over this preventable tragedy.
Govt responsibility
Totally agree with you.  I dont care if some were not prepared..what I care about is now they are hungry, thirsty, homeless..It is the responsibility of our government and the brothers and sisters of America to help other Americans when they need help.  I am from NY and I have been through quite a few hurricanes..nothing like what Florida goes through but I do know hurricanes hit sometimes when you are a day or two from your paycheck and really dont have any money to go shopping or rent out a hotel room.  It scares me that so many Americans blame the victim and turn a blind eye and deaf ear to Americans in need. 
Too dependent on the govt?
Too dependent on the govt?  Then what the heck is the govt for?  Where is my tax dollars going?  Lets just get rid of the govt and have a free for all..Why depend on the govt to repair our bridges, pave our roads, conduct school?  Lets just do it ourselves..Ridiculous..The govt is there to care for this country and its people when the people cant do it themselves.
Govt contracts... been there
done that.  I wouldn't do another one in a million years.  Most are one-year contracts with 4 one-year renewals (their discretion, no guarantee).  Their systems are mostly Dictaphone, some with VPN for voice.  Most of the cost is on you for anything connected to account such as C-phones.  The amount of paperwork and reports they wanted daily was overwhelming.  They call you every 10 minutes 24/7 with "need it right now" stuff.  The 2 facilities I did had about 75% ESL doctors that rotated in/out every few months -- especially if a military hospital.  Then, because it's posted on the web site who was awarded the bid, I started getting a lot of calls from offshore companies wanting to work on the accounts, asking me not to tell the contractor.  I also got a few calls from offshore companies asking if I would "front" for them and bid on contracts cuz they needed an American company to actually have the contract.  As of just a few months ago, you needed evaluation from D&B (your cost $250) and their required liablity insurance limits (varies with accounts).  You don't just go in and bid -- it's a process of applying to be a vendor first and filling out LOTS of tedious paperwork.  (My last contract was about 80 pages long to fill out).  If you miss one little thing in this paperwork, your bid gets bounced.  They do call all of the required references, and if you haven't done the VA contract volume before, it's not likely they will award you contract.  Getting paid took literally months - I was about broke and had borrowed money before I got my first check.   (We didn't do anything incorrectly for billing, just took that long cuz it sat on somebody's desk)  I'm sure others have had better luck - this was just our experience with these contracts.   I wish you better luck!
good ole' govt
I was shocked to find that Pres. Bush states that offshoring helps our economy. Was all over the news last week. Was going to take some time out to read more online about his thoughts, but realize, I have too much work to do and would prefer to read up on who is running next year, so why give him anymore of my time. I am one of many hardworking Americans trying to raise my family and provide for them, I do not need him or anyone else telling the US that outsourcing is good for anyone.
Exactly! If the govt was not using the money for --sm
everything else in its brother, there would be enough for all of us who are paying into the system, and I really do not believe that the original system was designed to help only those who fell on hard times, or that it is a handout. It was supposed to be used as an "account" for those who wish to retire. and to the person who said that SS disability money came from the same account, sooo wrong. entirely different program, entirely different funds. SSI and SS are two different entities.
Quit the job and let the govt pay. sm
The way I look at it, 49% of the people in this country voted to have the govt take care of them, so go for it. It's what they want.

My whole outlook on this country and its people has changed since the election. I've worked for 36 years, since the age of 16, have always supported myself, but paid taxes upon taxes to support others because they were too lazy or too entitled to support themselves, and now they have voted to have more of my hard work be THEIR reward. Screw 'em all.

My husband's job is going to Mexico soon. His prospects will be dim for anything other than a minimum wage job (age and lack of degree), so you can bet I will now take advantage of everything our wonderful govt has to offer; food stamps, healthcare, unemployment pay, paid job training, assistance with utilies. You name it. I'm taking it. Maybe I'll even be able to qualify for (un)Earned Income Tax credits. Woohoo!

I'm going to quit smoking (no support for SCHIP), quit consuming (no sales tax), drive an older model car (less personal property tax in the till), earn only what we need to stay under the income guidelines. Yeah, let's have some more of that redistribution of wealth as it sure won't be dollars earned with my blood, sweat, and tears they redistribute. Not anymore.
why are you allowing the govt to keep your money

Federal Govt program (sm)
I am going to ask my tax person about this. I am currently working for a company as an IC, but now I'm thinking it should actually be called SE status, since they withhold, what looks like, about 7% of my income for OASDI and medicare. I also worked for MQ as an SE and they took out FICA, so I think I'm okay for now. However, if I switch jobs, I will need to make sure this is taken care.
I don't want the govt telling businesses how
That is MY privilege to negotiate with my employer!

Too much interference by governments already by forcing minimum wage, etc.

You'll have businesses closing down if you put too much mandatory regulation in the mix. It's a free enterprise, you know.


Maybe the govt will give them a bailout
x
No, she does not.She will be asking us "the govt" to supply her necessities
and we will do it.  You and I, who carry Wal-Mart purses (speaking for myself, of course).  Makes me mad too.  I also noticed the Budweiser can.  Jaundiced eye?  I think not.
Govt should help the citizens in natural disasters
I disagree 100%.  If you dont have the govt to turn to, who can you turn to?  What are we paying taxes for..to continue a never ending war around the world?  What is FEMA for..to pay big salaries to Bush's cronies?  My gosh..if families didnt get water and food in time, I say government get your stuff together you need to help the citizens of America. 
as long as the govt continually refuses to

Our kids will be at risk.  I am one who pushed for public schools, thinking if a kid can get through public schools they end up being able to deal with all types/cultures of people.  The govt puts *security guards* in most public schools and the incidents have escalated in the past 20 years!!!  Until the govt cares about our kids, IN ALL AREAS, we are not safe.  I just read today that the US is not checking prisoner mail all across this country regarding terrorists....it's like it's a HALF-ARSED job is being done....they are only going to START checking all the cargo on airplanes, did you know that?  Yep, the cargo underneath where we all sit on a plane is JUST NOW going to commence getting screened/checked.


It's, unfortunately, been evident to me for way too long a time in this country that they don't TRULY CARE about our children, and our children ARE THE FUTURE.  Really galls me and my child is now 25.  *tsk tsk on all of them.......


I agree with "Snow Bunny" Federal govt. sm
Everyone new that New Orleans was pooooooooooooooooooooor
While you're questioning qualifications for govt' office
How about Nagin, who had no updated disaster plan in place and blamed the federal government for his lack of expertise and experience?

How about Blanco who was told by none other than the Bush administration to start evacuation proceedings days before she ever did?

Tunnel vision, anyone?
That has already been brought up by the govt.They asked Carnival cruise lines sm
to bring a ship into port and allow some residents to board the ship. Carnival says they will "consider" it. Carnival is owned by a Florida company...I can try to find the link for you where I read this.

I am irritated because "they have to think about it." If I owned the ship I would be more than happy to let the homeless use it for a while - at least a month - until they can get on their feet - get insurance stuff together, etc.

Carnival is taking WAYYYY too much time "thinking" about it as people lay dying in the streets of New Orleans
I am going to have my son present this on Thursday for his position paper in Govt class.
One way to get people, even though they're seniors in high school besides the teacher, to become aware of this situation.  Because it's not just the VA, it's every record that goes overseas, and Mr. Messiah Obama, et. al., fail to understand that or address it.
Good point. Welfare abusers, govt program misuse gets PR,
p
Not to mention you're letting the govt use your money INTEREST FREE
Ack!

Now that said, I usually have them withhold a little too much simply because we can't take a payment hit.
Kinship care versus foster care/adoption
Having been placed in a position where I now have custody of my 3 YO granddaughter and going through the legal system, I sought an online network of relative caregivers for children. I would encourage you, especially since you are in Georgia, that if you take any children into foster care with the idea of adopting them, there is federal law that requires the state to take certain actions in a specific time frame. When a child is removed from it's bio parent(s), the state is required to investigate any possible relatives who can take the child before foster care is considered, but even before that, reunification with the parents is the priority. Once a child enters the system and is in the system for 15 out of any 22 months, the state is required to find permanent placement for the child.

The problem with this is that there are case workers who may favor a foster family and do not seek out relative care. I have a good friend in Georgia who had to fight all the way to the state level to get custody of her grandson after the child was placed from the hospital into a foster care home with the promise that the foster parents would be allowed to adopt. She has now adopted her grandson, but it was a long, hard battle to get the state to admit their own interests were placed above those of the child and/or family.

If you get a child placed through the state, please make certain there is not a relative who wants that child before you get your hopes up. The courts are now favoring return of children to relatives even after a child has spent years with a foster family who hoped to adopt them.

States get bonus federal funds by complying with the time lines and being able to close the case, so some states place children in foster care because it is easier than trying to locate relatives.

Didn't mean to go off on a tangent, but I can't imagine my sweet bella going to someone outside her family.
are you with a union?

Union -YES
NM
union
yes
union
YES!!!!!
Even the grocery baggers have a union
union for MT's
I'm in 1199 at my hospital - and this is a transcription position. (in NY).
What union? lol Please tell.
nm
Union
I wonder if it is possible for MTs to organize. This is a profession that requires a good amount of training, skill, and responsibility.  We should be able to make a living at it.  There is something really wrong here.
union..
very interesting concept, but one has to keep in mind, transcription is a very degrading job nowadays as there are alternatives for companies i.e. outsourching, voice recognition, etc...so, everyone needs to just face the fact as I have so degradingly done so....there is no respect or money in transcription anymore! Try being on your own and raising children on "transcription wages"...not gonna happen!
I'm not in a union now but used to be...
It depends on the union.  We MTs need a union badly.  I'd say go for it.  I used to belong to the American Auto Workers Union (about 30 years ago).  DH belongs to an electrical union. 
Anyone union here?
I have been offered an MT job that requires me to be in a union. Anyone in a union? Pros, cons?

TIA
Union for MTs
I am sorry, but I do not agree with you about a union for MTs. I have been married for 25 years to a man whom I have seen fight for everything in his union, pay union dues and watch the lazy people get away with everything they possibly can either due to the fact that they were hired by a friend or just are not hard workers to begin with. My husband is a hard worker, goes to work every day, does not steal, sleep on the job, smoke dope on the job, and these are just a few of the illegal practices that go on. He is now the shop steward and he does not recommend a union as he does not see in 15 years that his union has done that much for raises, benefits, etc. It just seems that unions some how represent a lot of people who do not want to work and hide behind a union to get away with it. Of course, some people do get fired, because unions will not stand up for the law breakers, but the others use it as a crutch. Our government has to stop sending our work overseas, but as long as the companies can save a few million dollars by sending our work over, they will continue to do it because it is the dollar that rules. But, our government is at fault here. Unions can work sometimes but not all the time. But, this is my opinion, and I have been in the MT business for over 30 years. I have seen the quality of the work from overseas and so have doctors, and some are appalled, while others could care less, because they save money. It is just like China making toys or dog food with poison and lead poison, our country needs to stop having them make these things, but they won't because labor is cheap over there. All of this is truly sad that we have to pay a price to save a few dollars. What is wrong with this country?
MT Union
I am fully in agreement that we need an MT union, particularly to protect our profession and stop those who do not know our profession from taking over and making decisions that they know nothing about. Everytime I have worked for a hospital, all the decisions as to our equipment, typing platform, pay et cetera have been made by the board of directors of that institution who know nothing about what we do. The last hospital I worked for, the supervisor was told not to make any noise about sending our work offshore. We knew nothing about this until later, and lo and behold this failed miserably, and we could have told them it would. The quality of work was deplorable, yet we worked with horrible equipment and for low pay, but they thought they were saving money. How about putting the same money they would to offshore work into better equipment and better pay. Yes, I would fully support a union.