HILARIOUS! Why we need Speech Recognition EDITORS!

I had a bit of fun this morning, and I laughed SO hard, I thought I should share!

As an experiment, I ran my WAHT TV video "Finish Faster with Microsoft Word" through YouTube's "speech recognition" transcript generator.

Here's what it came up with. (NO edits, I'm serious! ... but I did highlight some, uh, interesting recognition errors.)

consider or at the cineplex heating can also use how you can enhance your experience that we can start working if you have a different version of word interest in december

over the next few minutes i'll show you how to customize options and how to use time-saving features contracts and finally how to create you're bound shortcuts

 then customize your options famine them candidate christine's captain i find words formatting interaction teachers such as grammar and spelling

simple isn't idle corrected really housekeeping so long or or or distinguished formatting options he would like word of the department regency titled

move you mean which can certainly attest capitalize time-outs passed such a mess characteristically antitank some words scrap remains slang mccarran will not see recognized saints

indication here seeking at the streets in any way here simply soliciting seriously afterwards
if you need to remove the way you can see that he was found here and i think that british stand up to criticize against time and that's outside for

of course you don't have to include anti-racketeering and just you forget it she read eve that she is ppc user-agent settings to really see that your preferences
 
started casting lines changing click access to a bar for a shortcut keys equipped access to a practice at the very top you wind up choose this word features you would like to hear that you tried infanticide taking quickly without worrying about the states

 fifty right click on the celebrate she changed isn't ridiculous tight often just facts here are corrected in after a while comprehensiveness autocrat whereas this is the allotted time and
 
but yeah i can actually it's not set in stone
 
distressed control that you mention that did if you create a lot of times he's texas and she stopped working you can't stop you don't need it

you can create your own shortcuts using contracts is if you letters that you'd like teen
spirit shortcuts horrid expanded automatically three trace http and beeswax machine

that she is an issue competition gold

 

NEWSLETTER - AUGUST

A Girlfriends' Guide - AUGUST 1, 2011 

80-page lined notebook

NEWS!!!  WAHT TV is one month old :D  Since the first video upload on July 2, 2011, our YouTube channel has received over 1000 views. Never miss a video - subscribe today! 

www.youtube.com/user/WAHTVideos

"Transcriptionita" Mouse Pad

WIN STUFF!!! VOTE on  your favourite WAHT TV video! Send an email to transcriptionita@gmail.com with your #1 pick.  Win free swag!  August 15, three voters will be chosen at random for some WAHT TV swag from Vista Print. 

AGG BONUS:  Save up to 80% on custom printed products at Vistaprint. Order today!

Summer Productivity BLITZ

August is packed with FREE productivity tips and tools!  Do you like to WIN STUFF?  Visit us often in August for some fun productivity freebies :D

WIN STUFF!  Become an MTE for free! (Only hard work and study required ;D) 
WIN a FREE Enrollment in Career Step's Medical Transcription Editor Supplement (a $600 value!).
Fill out this quick survey and enter the draw.
http://app.fluidsurveys.com/surveys/agg/mte-giveaway-survey/
***CONTEST CLOSES AUGUST 31! DON'T MISS OUT ***

Did you miss something?

 July highlights: HOT topics!

PRODUCTIVITY:  PIMP YOUR BROWSER!
Customize your web browser (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Google Chrome...).  Make your own "transcription toolbar!"  Learn how-to here! 

CAREER:  EVER WANTED TO FREELANCE?

Freelancing: With great freedom comes great responsibility.  BUT, if you have the experience and know-how, it could be fun and profitable! :D Learn more here!

ECHO DICTATION:  THE ECHO TECHNIQUE

I've received lots of questions about the Dragon software - specifically, how does it really work?  I've answered the basics of "The Echo Technique" here!


NEWBIES:  LANDING THAT FIRST JOB... STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD!

A "newbie" reader's question is answered :D

Coming up - AUGUST!

BOOK OF THE MONTH: SUMMER PRODUCTIVITY BLITZ!

With so many resources out there, how do you invest your time (and money!) reading books that are truly useful?  I'll share my reviews of the best (and worst!) books for transcriptionists.

READER REQUESTS!  Coming up...  "Is OUTSOURCING Evil??"  --- touchy subject!  There is plenty of heated debate on this topic! To share your 2cents, I encourage you to visit some Forums such as MT Stars. The controversy convo - I will be posting a topic overview, carefully presented (with the heart of a journalist!)  I'll uncover some stats, look at both sides of the coin, and let YOU decide what you think!   


SMART CHICKS ARE SEXY:  Trail-blazing females - an inspiration to transcriptionistas!

A salute to inspiring women!  See what some "smart chicks" are doing to achieve success.

A GIRLFRIENDS' GUIDE TO GRAMMAR:  Grammar, Usage and Style.

When it comes to English, "The pure and simple rules are rarely pure and never simple!"  I'll try to make it easy and fun to brush up. MTs on a Mission:  Calling all Grammarians! Wanna help??

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Dollars $ Sense: The Frugalista

fru·gal[froo-guhl]  

–adjective

1.economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: a frugal manager.

2.entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

 

A moment in history :D

Many moons ago, during my "student years," I worked as a receptionist for a chiropractic clinic. It was during a time of "healthcare" change in Ontario - where chiropractic service, once covered by our public health insurance (in Canada), was no longer seen as an essential benefit and was cut from funding.  Unless it was covered by people's private insurance, patients paid for the treatments out of their own pockets.

Chiropractors across the province were hurting financially as a result.  They lost a great number of patients who were unable to afford the treatments - or unwilling to pay for it themselves.

 

Winter in Ottawa - as snowy, salty, mushy time.  Every night, a cleaner came in to remove the salt, dirt, and mush from the carpeting in the waiting room. ($$$).  Every few days, the doc would send me off to Staples to buy some more ink cartridges.  He used a "home use" PC and printer for his business.  ($$$$$) He was trying to replenish his dwindling roster of patients - so he placed a full-colour ad with photo in the local newspaper ($$).

 

My point is, if you run a small business, it's wise to think creatively (or just practically) to reduce unnecessary costs.  Many clinics ask people to remove their boots at the door before entering the clinic.  There are printers designed for business use.  He was spending hundreds of dollars on new ink cartridges each week - bad for the budget, and the environment.  Even still, there are many, many ink refill services out there.  Bring in your empties, they refill, off you go.  Much less expensive, and much less wasteful.

 

Putting an expensive ad in a great, big newspaper might bring in a few patients, but it's wiser to target people who have an interest in such therapies - health magazines, for example.  Online advertising is usually much less expensive, too, or even free for some classified sites like Craigs List or Kijiji.

 

 

Money-Saving Ideas for WAHT Frugalistas

 I'm not cheap - I'm FRUGAL

 

 

It's hard not to be a "penny pincher" when you are literally paid in cents!

Have you ever gone out for dinner, looked at your bill and thought,

"What? This just cost me 5000 lines!"

There are lots of ways you could save money - in fact, there are plenty of books on the topic!   

Here are a few "cheap tricks" of my own:

 

$ Reuse your ink cartriges.  You may even be able to refill them yourself.  Find out more on eHow.

 

$ Set your printer to "economy" or "draft."  Print double-sided, and reuse unwanted printouts as scrap paper, or let your kids scribble on it. :D

 

$ Use energy-efficient lighting in your office (and everywhere).  Choose a work spot with a window. The sunshine is good for your spirits - and reduces lighting costs.

 

$$$ BUY USED.  Seriously, whenever possible.  Used car, used books, used computer, used furniture, second-hand clothing.... you get the idea.

 

$ Borrow.  Need a dress for a one-time event?  Borrow one from a friend.  Use your local library.  Many even offer movies and magazines.    

 

$$$ FIND FREEBIES.  Free software downloads, free word lists, free practice dictations, free how-to videos :D such as (WAHT TV) :D Look for coupons, discounts, etc.  AHDI members are entitled to certain discounts.  Career Step students, also.  Check what your school or company offers in this regard.  (PS - Summer Productivity Blitz: Free productivity downloads and lists - coming soon!)

 
$ Take advantage of free trial offers - everything from software to Virus Protection to the Chicago Manual of Style. (Caution:  Be careful about providing your credit card info - lest you forget to cancel the trial!  No obligation "freebies" are the way to go) 

$$ Are you an online diva?  Learn more about SKYPE and the powers within it.  You could save an immense amount of money by using Skype services instead of a business phone line (or home phone line!).  Receive calls, call internationally, without paying for long-distance fees.  You can purchase a personal, online phone number for about $6.00 per month.

$$ Shop around.  And look for free shipping!  Let's say you'd like to purchase The CMT Review Guide.  The Stedmans.com list price is $56.95 plus shipping.    Amazon is currently selling it at $58.99 with free shipping.  Or --- buy it USED.  Depending on where you live, free shipping offers could save you a good chunk of money.

For more frugal tips, check out these resources:

  SocialShopper.com

  ThriftyFun.com

  FrugalLiving.about.com

  Frugal-Living-Tips.com