Welcome to Pinoy Transcription!

End Impunity: NUJP's Countdown to Ampatuan Massacre's Second Anniversary

2011-11-20T22:00:00.000+08:00

End Impunity: NUJP's Countdown to Ampatuan Massacre's Second Anniversary

Best Sound Cards for Transcription

2011-09-01T21:57:00.002+08:00

http://blog.scriptosphere.com/best-sound-cards-for-audio-transcription/

Express Scribe setting using the CDR-King 100-peso gamepad

2011-07-07T22:17:00.004+08:00

Simply use the hotkeys to FFWD and REW, adjust the FFWD and REW speed to your liking. You can also adjust the autobackstep settings to the one you prefer -- I prefer to set it at 2500ms as I'm mostly doing general transcription work, but some medical transcriptionists prefer it at 1000ms.

HTH

Paypal Philippine Bank Codesx

2011-06-08T07:08:00.002+08:00

Official List of PayPal Philippines Bank Codes

Bank Name	Bank Code
ALLIED BANKING CORP	010320013
AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND	010700015
ASIA UNITED BANK	011020011
BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS	010030015
BANGKOK BANK	010670019
BANK OF AMERICA	010120019
BANK OF CHINA	011140014
BANK OF TOKYO	010460012
BANCO DE ORO (& EQUITABLE PCI BANK)	010530667
BANK OF COMMERCE	010440016
BANK OF THE PHIL ISLANDS (BPI)	010040018
CHINA BANKING CORP	010100013
CHINA TRUST COMML BANK	010690015
CITIBANK N.A.	010070017
DEVT BANK OF THE PHILS (DBP)	010590018
DEUTSCHE BANK	010650013
EAST WEST BANK	010620014
EXPORT & INDUSTRY BANK	010860010
FUJI BANK	010640010
HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK (HSBC)	010060014
INTL COMML BANK OF CHINA	010560019
INTL EXCHANGE BANK	010680012
JP MORGAN CHASE BANK	010720011
KOREA EXCHANGE BANK	010710018
INTL NEDERLAND BANK	010660016
LANDBANK OF THE PHILS	010350025
MAYBANK OF THE PHILS	010220016
METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST CO	010269996
PHIL BANK OF COMMUNICATION	010110016
PHIL TRUST COMPANY	010090039
PHIL NATIONAL BANK (PNB)	010080010
PRUDENTIAL BANK	010150018
PHIL VETERANS BANK	010330016
RIZAL COMML BANKING CORP (RCBC)	010280014
SECURITY BANK & TRUST CO	010140015
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK	010050011
UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK	010299995
UNION BANK OF THE PHILS (UBP)	010419995
UNITED OVERSEAS BANK	010270189

Source:
http://www.pinoymoneytalk.com/bank-code-philippines-withdraw-paypal/

Jhonny & Diane's Prenup

2011-01-11T09:50:00.005+08:00

Some of the shots I took, with the help of my wife who's the one holding the flash/umbrella. ^_^ My D200 broke down and was sent for repairs. Good thing the couple had a Nikon D5000 so i was able to use my lenses.

It was fun and the missus and I are looking forward to doing more of this kind of stuff in the near future so I'm thinking of spending more time to hone my skills and be able to produce better pictures. We still felt our way through this one as my knowledge of off cam lighting is very limited to say the least, but we're glad that the couple liked the results.

Home-based work

2010-11-16T09:46:00.002+08:00

Finance Controller

Medical Transcriptionist

iPhone Developer

Flash Developer

Android Developer

iPad/iPhone Developer

Engineering Designer

Cisco Deployment Engineers

Web Designers

Virtual Assistant

Telemarketer

Clinical Research Associate

Online English Teacher

These are available as of November 2010

Work-from-home Call Center Jobs

2010-11-16T01:29:00.001+08:00

Stumbled upon this while surfing...

http://www.remotestaff.com.ph/jobopenings.php?jr_cat_id=1&category_id=4

Financial Analysts (Asian)

2010-10-22T15:23:00.003+08:00

If you're into doing financial reports, getting tasked to do Asian companies can be a pain to do because their websites, more often than not, are not offered in English, and the analyst's names are hard to find.

Here's a list of some analysts that i encounter most of the time when i'm doing Japanese and Korean IR reports.

These are accurate as of 2Q 2010.

Atsuo Takahashi; Mizuho Securities
Chan Sung Min; JP Morgan
Fumiyoshi Sakai; Credit Suisse
Hidemaru Yamaguchi, Nikko Citigroup Ltd
Hiroki Hayakawa; Credit Suisse
Hironobu Sawake of JP Morgan
Jae-seok Park; Samsung Securities
Josh Bae; UBS
Neale Anderson; HSBC
Sean Lee; Citigroup
Sean Wu; Merrill Lynch
Stanley Yang; Nomura Securities
Yang Jong-in; Hankuk Investment & Securities
Yo Mizuno; Daiwa Securities Capital Markets

Foot Pedal Repair and Conversion

2010-09-17T12:47:00.003+08:00

I still get a quite a number of calls asking if i still repair and convert foot pedals (Serial to USB). I'm now based in San Pablo, Laguna, and as i've said in a previous post, is now too busy with the editing and transcribing work that I do.

For repair and conversion services, you can try to reach my Father, who lives in Pasay City.

My mother can pick your items up in the ff locations:

Metropoint Taft
MRT Edsa Taft Station
LRT EDSA Station.

Please don't bother asking if she's willing to meet with you at other places, as she's over 60 years old.

Their landline's (02) 8311246.

Here's a list of my mother's mobile numbers:

SUN: 09324979779

GLOBE: 09274254003

SMART: 09185651966

(she runs a small cellphone-loading business)

Conversion fee is PHP500 and repair fee usually starts at PHP150 (depending on the extent of the damage).

Transcription Foot Pedals

2010-09-06T23:23:00.003+08:00

I no longer have the time to build and sell transcription foot pedals because i've been so busy with the editing and transcribing work that i do, but I still get a lot of e-mails and text messages from people inquiring about 'em.

So i've decided to list a few of the sellers from my Sulit.com community, here's some of 'em, if you want to look for more choices, please visit www.sulit.com.ph.

Please do note that I do not personally endorse these products. These are just provided to aide you in your search. Should you decide to purchase these items, you do so at your own risk.

You could also try the 100 peso alternative to the USB foot pedal i've posted earlier HERE.

Or build your own 9-pin serial pedal using readily-available parts from your local electronics shop by following the instructions posted HERE.

Thanks.

P.S.

Footpedal sellers, please feel free to post links to your products, or if you want me to include them in the list, just give me a buzz.

DIY USB Foot Pedal for Transcription

2010-09-02T19:40:00.003+08:00

Need a USB foot pedal but don't have the cash. Here's a quick, easy and cheap solution: A USB PC Gamepad.

You can get one from CDR King for Php100.

Here's what it looks like to give you an idea.

It's plug and play for almost all versions of Window so no installers are needed.

It works with ExpressScribe and a host of other transcription player software as well.

Simply plug it to your USB slot, open ExpressScribe, go to the "Options" tab, select "Controller" click "Controller Set Up Wizard" you'll see that it will be detected as "generic game controller." click the necessary buttons until you reach the Command/Controller Map Test. Set buttons 1, 2, 3 and 4 (the ones bundled in the left) to "Play"

And presto, you have a single-step USB foot pedal.

You can also set it to have ffd and rewind functions but the buttons are too small, but if you have a bit of electronics knowhow and a soldering gun, you can hotwire the buttons to three external switches that will serve as your rew, ffd, and play buttons for more comfort.

Hope this helps.

Typing Speed

2010-08-16T18:33:00.002+08:00

A lot of people think that my typing speed must be north of 90 wpm with the volume of work that i do, but actually, i'm just hovering around the 60wpm mark. I just put the Autocorrect feature of MS Word to good use.

I have a shortcut key for just about everything. And when typing, and there's a word that pops up several times, i'll have a shortcut key for it, making me more efficient, and allowing me to squeeze the most out of what i have.

Some Healthcare Acronyms

2010-07-22T12:42:00.004+08:00

I always come across these acronyms whenever i'm doing healthcare related transcripts so i just thought i'd share them with you. I'll just add up new ones as they come along.

MIPPA - Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act.

ARRA - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

PQRI - Physician Quality Reporting Initiative.

CMS - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

CCHIT - Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.

Starting up

2010-02-13T11:54:00.005+08:00

I have heard a lot of horror stories about entrepreneurs who took the plunge in the transcriptions business and failed miserably in the end (i know some of them first hand), and they all have one thing in common, they don't know shit about what transcriptions is all about.

They usually spend in the wrong areas when they really should be spending on their core assets -- the transcriptionists. It is the they, after all, who does the work, and it's their skills snags the client, it's their skills who keeps the client happy.

So what does it need to succeed in this business? You need to have a strong foundation, and in this case, it is the mastery of the English language. And not just because a person is a good English speaker means that he/she will be a good transcriptionist.

I came up with a list of sorts. Know them by heart and you'd be sure to succeed. :)

Knowing the rules of grammar like the back of your hand.
Knowing that there are exceptions, and that those rules, every now and then, are meant to be broken.
Familiarization with the client's idiosyncrasies.
Very good to exceptional analytical skills. (you'll need them when you're typing non-native speakers).
Very good problem solving skills.
A Proactive attitude -- Americans/European usually are very straightforward in their feedback. Bawal ang sensitive at emokids.
You have the ability to meet deadlines, and will do everything to make sure that it is met.
The right equipment (as discussed earlier in a previous post)
Have an insatiable appetite to learn and improve.

That said, I think I've posted a few links way back which can help you in improving your English skills. Learn something new everyday. Keep a positive attitude.

Happy Transcribing!

A list of some companies that offer homebased work

2010-02-12T21:58:00.002+08:00

AC Transcription Service - Transcription of interviews, focus groups, and meetings from mini-discs and standard, micro, and mini-cassettes. Located in the United Kingdom.

A2i Transcription Services - Offers transcription services into Braille. Located in the United Kingdom.

All Transcription & Typing Services - Offers primarily transcription services, from cassette, digital, video, CD, DVD, and other media. Located in the United Kingdom.

Audio Digital Transcription Company - Provides word transcripts of all recordings from audio cassette tapes to digital sound files, from CDs to WAV, MP3 or downloads. Services, profile, and contact information. Located in the United Kingdom.

Bond Street Business Base - A typing, word-processing, and audio-tape transcription service. Located in the United Kingdom.

DeeWP & Audiosec Transcription Services - Offers transcription of interviews, conferences, webcasts, and teleconferences. Accepts mini discs, tapes, videos, CDs, DVDs, and various digital formats. Located in the United Kingdom.

IB Transcription Services - Transcribes from mini, micro, and standard cassettes, as well as from digital, DSS, and wav files. Also offers live transcriptions. Located in the United Kingdom.

JHTS - Transcription specialists offering transcription services from any audio source. Located in the United Kingdom.

Kemp Professional Services - Offers audio-tape and digital transcription services; also offers typing services. Located in the United Kingdom.

Libra Typing Services - Specialises in typing and transcription services. Located in the United Kingdom.

TinaTyping.co.uk - Offers primarily audio transcription services. Located in the United Kingdom.

The Transcription Agency - Services include transcriptions from cassettes, CDs, digital sound files, and video sources; as well as translations, analyses and summaries. Located in the United Kingdom.

Type 4 You - Specialises in providing typing and word-processing services, including but not limited to CVs, letters, dissertations, reports, and manuscripts. Located in the United Kingdom.

The Typing Factory - Offers typing/transcription and translation, mass-mailing, data entry, web design, hosting, and programming, search engine optimization, and software programming. Offices in the United Kingdom and Romania.

Typing4U - Offers typing and word-processing services. Located in the United Kingdom.

Voicescript Transcription - Professional transcription of all digital audio formats, as well as standard, mini, and micro audio cassettes. Conferences, focus groups, market-research interviews, and reports. Located in the United Kingdom.

A Way With Words - Specialises in audio-transcription services. Located in the United Kingdom, with several offices worldwide.

Word For Word - Copy typing and audio transcription from micro, mini, and standard cassettes, as well as from digital formats and mailshots. Located in the United Kingdom.

My Rig

2010-01-13T22:44:00.005+08:00

I always get emails asking me about my set-up for my home-based work, and i usually tell them that PC running on P4 with at least 512mb of RAM should be enough. What's important is that you can run a web browser, Word, IMs, ExpressScribe and maybe even a PDF viewer all at the same time.

For those who insist on knowing the set-up that i prefer, here it is:

Core2 Duo-powered PC with 4g of RAM and 1g NVIDIA 9800 for video.
A 19-inch widescreen LCD (which i'm planning to upgrade to 22 in some time) the bigger LCD is very helpful as i'm able to have everything in front of me (research materials) at the same time without the need to toggle in between windows.
The PinoyTranscription 1-step foot pedal (of course!)
Logitech Premium USB headset (i love the case ^_^)
Logitech Illuminated Keyboard (I could type all day!)
Seagate Free Agent Go. (I save my work here so in case of power failures, i could easily switch to my backup PC).
HP Mini upgraded to 2g of RAM(My back up PC, just make sure it's always fully charged though!)
UPS (in case of power failure, the extra time you'll get to save your work makes it all worth it)
3MBPS PLDT DSL Connection
I have both SmartBro and Globe Tattoo prepaid kits as back up.
A couple of back up headsets.

Looking for Home Based Transcriptionists

2009-12-18T13:18:00.003+08:00

I'm currently looking for skilled general transcriptionists for home-based work.

Requirements:

A solid command of the English Language
Excellent knowledge of American Idioms, Figures of speech, and culture.
Windows PC with MS Word, RealPlayer and ExpressScribe installed
Foot pedal
Reliable internet connection
Typing speed of no less than 35 WPM

If you think you fit the bill, shoot an email (preferrably with a well-written cover letter) to erwin.gipit@gmail.com with the subject "Application for Business HBT" along with your resume. I'd prefer that you have your resume attached as a separate document.

Those with editing/proofing experience in general transcriptions would be preferred. As soon as you're shortlisted, i'll be sending over a test file, which I would expect back within 24 hours of receipt. Your file will then be evaluated and a contract will be sent to you should you pass.

Thank you.

And no follow-up emails, no chatting/texting asking me if the job if is still available and if you passed the test. We'll be the ones to contact you.

Widget

2009-10-08T20:03:00.001+08:00

160 BC

2009-08-01T07:53:00.009+08:00

"The busiest day of the busiest week of the IR season" was the words that one of my clients used to describe yesterday. And indeed it was. I started the day at with a 5pm US Eastern Time call, (around 5am local time) and ended at around 3pm UKT (approx 10PM local time). When the dust has finally settled -- just found out that i plowed through 160 minutes of audio -- whew! So that's why my fingers were starting to hurt!

(And did i mention that I also had a day job?)

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend and prep up for another busy week. (which would start as soon as i'm finished with my weekend work so i better get going! Just realized that I'm taking a break off my typing work by doing more typing here! LOLs)

Thanks for dropping by! ^_^

P.S.
Like PGMA said in her SONA, there's indeed good money to be made in transcriptions, given that you have the right skills, of course. Yesterday's workload should be worth around PHP10,000 using today's FX rate (i've been doing this for more than 6 years and have direct contacts, that's why!)

Tempted? ^_^ Be prepared to invest a LOT of time though, you'll have to build your skills up, and earn your place with your clients. You have to show them that you are just as good -- even better -- than your onshore counterparts. Developing a professional attitude, the ability to adhere to your deadlines, and maintaining constant communication with your clients is a must if you want to get into this business. And always remember that you'll only be as good as the last file you worked on so grab your "Pwede na ito" mentality (if you have one) and throw it out of the window.

So if you think you have the right skills, why not try your luck here? Give transcriptions a shot, all you need is a working PC, better-than-average English skills, and a foot pedal (wonder where you could get one cheap? wink wink)

Haha Shameless plug! ang daming pasakalye, magbebenta lang pala ng pedal! :P

Lens problem -- who you gonna call? MANG ADY!!!

2009-07-28T23:31:00.006+08:00

One of the most common problems of photography enthusiasts in a country as humid as ours is fungus that grows in the lens, CDSC (Nikon's official distributor) charges an arm and a leg, and most of the stalls that offer cleaning services in Hidalgo are too unprofessional-looking for my taste.

So where do you go if your beloved lenses needs repair/cleaning/ and even a calibration? The answer-- the SuperSaiyan of Nikon-mounted Lenses, Adelardo Balce or simply known as Mang Ady in Pipho. Pros swear by the quality of his work and at a price that is very, very reasonable.

I have an old Sigma 24-70/2.8 that i wanted to dispose of and I'm planning to sell but it has some "issues" so I sent to JT Photo (Sigma's official distributor in the PI) for repair and cleaning, when I got it back, they were able to fix the misalignment at the rear barrel but they were not able to address the mold and the front focusing issues (albeit slightly but it can pose a problem with shallow DOFs). The mold build-up in the rear glass really irritated me whenever i take the lens off -- it's like an itch that i cannot scratch. Having mold build-ups can really hurt the lens' resale value, so i took my chances and looked up Mang Ady's contact number.

I've long heard about Mang Ady and his superhuman skills with lenses, so I sent him a text message and asked if he'd accept the job. He replied promptly and to save me the time from going to his place in Bulacan, he had it shipped via his preferred courier -- LBC.

After about a week of waiting, the lens finally arrived (and i haven't even paid for it yet!) When i took the lens out of the box, i gave it a thorough inspection, and lo and behold, the mold was gone! All that was there to see is a shining-gleaming piece of glass! And not only that, after running the lens through its paces, i found out that he had the minor front-focusing issues solved as well. I was so satisfied with the end-result that I decided to keep the lens.

I don't know what he did but the images are now tack-sharp, the adjustments had much better results than JT's calibration machine, and add to that the pristine quality of the glass and you've got one very satisfied customer.

I think he also works with Canon lenses, but he's much more adept with Nikon mounts. So for my fellow photographers who want to get a hold of the man with the Midas' touch on lenses, the easiest way to reach him is through his cell -- 09179394487.

Affordable Camera Accessories

2009-06-05T13:42:00.004+08:00

Just found out about Extremedeals in a forum that i frequent in TPC. I was looking for a relatively affordable ND8 Filter and a Step-up ring. My 18-200 has a filter size of 72mm, but i'm planning on investing on a 77-mm UWA lens in the future so i opted for the 77mm ND8 and a 72-77mm step-up ring.

The deal was pretty sweet at Php1,250 for an original lenspen, the ND8 and the step-up ring. And did I mention free delivery within Metro Manila? The reply was prompt and there are a variety of payment options available. I opted for Gcash. Delivery is swift as i got my package the very next day. Can't wait for my next nature adventure so i can out these babies to use.

Another thing that caught my attention is flashgun that sells for PHP2,500. It has an optically-triggered slave function like that of the Nissin's (not the ramen), has a built in bounce card, and what's cool is it can be attached to a radio-controlled remote trigger for more creative lighting.

The remote trigger sells for PHP1,300, so adding the price of the flash gun, PHP3,800 ain't bad for something that you can trigger off cam if you're not that much of a strobist. I'm still waiting for peer reviews of the product before i order, but it looks pretty promising.

For price comparisons:

The Nissin Di622 sells for PHP6,500 and has to undergo heavy modding in order for it tobe radio-triggered.
Best option still would be the Nikon's SB600/SB800 as it'll use TTL and can be used with the d80/d90's commander mode. The Sb600 goes for around 12k in Hidalgo, and the SB800, way higher (it goes for around 15k second hand)

If you have the money, and for best results, i'd go with the Nikon's Creative Lighting System, but if you're on a budget and don't do pro work, then third party flashes should be just about fine IMhO.

You can check out their items in http://extremedeals.multiply.com/

Apply PoH Me!

2009-06-05T00:56:00.006+08:00

"Muztah Poh! Open pa po ba yung ads u about homebased trans? Pwede poh ba me apply?"

Truth to tell, inis me pag ganito approach ng nagaaply at nahihiya lang poh me barahin u. Kasi naman poh, apply u for trans, at expect me na grammatically well-versed u. At full sized keyboard rin po ang gamit u so why not take the extra effort u para itype ng tama the words? After all, transcriptionist poh and position na inaaplyan u.

"I have a question" and "May question me" took almost the same effort typing out.

Please do remember that first impressions are important. I'm not the one hiring you, i just forward your resumes, which i pre-screen, to my contacts who are asking my help for aptly-skilled people (I'm not earning anything from this, take note). And PLEASE construct a decently-written cover letter, and not something that has been generated from the web (I've seen most of them).

So alam na u ha? I already gave you guys a heads up. As much as i wanted to help everyone out. Paalala na rin me na follow-up mails, no annoying text messages asking if you got hired. If my contacts are interested, they'll be the ones to call you.

Kaya wag na u kulit me ha? Azzzaarrrrrr!

Thanks ^_^

The White Sands of Cagbalete Island, Mauban Quezon -- Escape to Paradise

2009-06-02T19:35:00.009+08:00

This was taken from the boat, you can see the full extent of the island's white sands

Cagbalete Island is located in Mauban, Quezon. We heard about it from a friend who had been there so the missus and I got curious and decided to look it up and indeed, from the pictures that we saw, it really was. I was still loaded with work then because it was right at the peak of the financial season and there were tons of work to be done, but a window opened up when the files started to trickle down and with US Memorial Day coming up (in my line of work, I get to follow the US holidays ^__^) we finally decided to go ahead and explore Cagbalete Island -- The missus, the kid, and I.

We initally planned on staying at Villa Cleofas but we weren't able to get in touch with them so we took the risk and went ahead nonetheless (worst case scenario is Villa Cleofas is fully booked and we'd have to rent a house somewhere).

The trip:

We woke up at around 3:00 am (I wasn't able to get any sleep actually so I wouldn’t call it waking up) grabbed our bags, and took the Bus to Lucena City. There are a variety of buses that ply the Pasay-Lucena route but I would strongly suggest taking JAC transit as I find them to be more comfortable. JAM's buses has very limited space, and Lucena Lines (which is also parked in JAC's terminal) has a less than pleasant ride (better get your barf bags handy especially if you're travelling with a kid).

Bus fare from Manila to Lucena is PHP209.50/head

The bus left the terminal at around 3:30 am, so we grabbed the chance to grab some Zs. The trip took around 4 hours and the sun was already shining when we reached the Grand Terminal. We just grabbed a few bites at Jollibee and went to the next leg of the trip: The bus ride to Mauban.

NCR lines is also located at the Grand Terminal, you'll have to wait till the bus gets at least half full though before they leave. The trip took around one and a half hours, but you get to enjoy Quezon's nice sceneries along the way. Note: The buses are old school and are not airconditioned.

The bus trip to Mauban will set you back PHP40 per head. You can also choose to take the airconditioned vans, I think they have a terminal at SM Lucena, the travel time will be cut in half (around 45 minutes) and the fare is slightly higher at PHP60.

Arriving at the Mauban Bus Terminal, we took a trike to the Pantalan for PHP40 where the boat that will take us to Cagbalete awaits.

There are two boats that go to Cagbalete and they leave at around 10:00 - 11:00 am in the morning, if you miss this trip, for which you'd have to shell out another PHP40/head, you have no choice but to sit it out till the next morning, or take a special trip (ideal for large groups) which costs PHP4,000.

Finally, after 45 minutes or so, we finally arrived in Cagbelete's shores.

Here's a shot of Cagbalete's boat station, a flat boat will pick you because the water is too shallow.

This shot was taken around 11:30am at the height of the low tide

The view was nothing short of fantastic and the water, pristine and clear. We learned that Villa Cleofas was fully booked so we decided to look for another resort (there were four others in the Island) As luck would have it, we stumbled upon The Little Prince Garden Resort which was only a short trek from the boat station, and a stone's throw away from the small fishing village which meant supplies are easily accessible.

DAY 1: The Resort

Little Prince Resort is owned by a Judge (so it should be enough to deter wrongdoers, after all, who wants to cross a Judge?) We were well taken care of and all meals were inclusive with the fees. We settled on a small hut/tree house of sorts that fronts the beach and after a generous serving of Rice, Pritong Isda, Sinantomas (spare ribs in tomato sauce), and something that resembles Pakbet for Lunch. The missus and I dozed off (but not after taking some pictures) ^__^

We woke up just in time for merienda which consisted of Turon, Guinataan and Pancit Habhab. After that, the tide was already settling in and so spent the rest of the afternoon swimming the clean waters and I can't help but compare it to Boracay because the sand was of good quality. It was white, smooth and fine, and yet, it easily settled to the bottom so the water was not murky . We also saw lots of starfishes, crabs, sea urchins, and other creatures which you will not find in Boracay's already developed shores.

Dinner was Adobong Manok and Pritong Isda, and after admiring the night views (there's what resembles a Coal fired power plant from accross the bay) we tucked in early to prepare for the next day.

DAY 2: The Journey to the Pacific

Breakfast was Sinangag, Hotdogs, Sunny side ups, Coffee and Pandesal. After eating, we had someone from the resort escort us to Villa Cleofas' side of the Island (Villa Cleofas faces the Pacific whilst Little Prince fronts Lamon Bay) It took us around an hour in the scorching heat of the sun and amidst trails with sharp cogon grass. (Good thing we decided to leave our daughter in the resort to play with the local kids)

It rained the night before

Photo taken in front of Little Prince Resort during the low tide
The road to Villa Cleofas, and this was one of the nicer legs of the trek.

If you plan to stay at Villa Cleofas, wearing shorts during the trek is not advisable, believe me. It is best to wear pants or some sort of leggings during the trek from the boat station. A bottle of water, lots of suntan lotion, and a cap would also come in handy.

Upon reaching the Pacific side, it was low tide so we took some time to explore, there were lots of starfishes (of another variety than the ones on the other side)

A starfish of some sorts, if you love sea creatures (and birds too!) You'll find plenty of it in Cagbalete

After taking some pictures, headed back to the resort where lunch awaits.

After lunch, I strolled around and took some shots. Low tide is around 10:00 am and the waters starts to rise at around 2:00pm. The tide rises up to approx 1.5 meters at its highest level (around 6:30pm) there were a lot of kids playing by then so I took some shots of the kids jumping from a nearby ledge.

Dinner was Rice, Steamed Crabs, Coconut Crabs cooked in gata (a local delicacy) Grilled Fish and Pininyahang Isda.

Day 3: Going home (Bummer!)

Woke up early the next day to take advantage of the high tide and took a dip. After which, breakfast was served. At around 10:00 am, we started to pack up our stuff, took some final pics, ate lunch, and headed to the boat station. The boat leaves at around 1:00 pm, so we waited at a nearby pondohan, whilst enjoying Halo-Halo and some local donuts.

I'll definitely come back again and do some more exploring next time. I heard that you can find Pawikans and small sharks in another side of the island so maybe I'll spend 4 or 5 days there the next time around.

Here are some tips if you plan on taking the trip:

It is definitely NOT for the pasosyal! Electricity is only supplied by a generator and is only available at certain times of the day and the most luxurious accommodation only consists of a plain bed, an electric fan, and a clean restroom.
Do not forget to bring some insect repellant as the mosquitoes can be pretty darn nasty (and there are lots of them).
For photo enthusiasts, Neutral Density filters, extra batteries for your flashgun and your DSLR, and loads of space on your memory cards is a must! (i learned this the hard way) Ask some of the local kids to tour you around the island.
If you wish to go snorkeling, bring your own gear.
HAVE TONS OF FUN!

Travel Time: Approx 7 hours by public transpo from Metro Manila

Transpo Fees: Approx 600 per head/round trip

Resort Fees: 4,500 for the three of us, 3D/2N inclusive of meals (Little Prince Garden Resort)

Giving the resort owners a heads up is advised so they can better prepare

Lamon Bay Sunset, Sunrise is on Villa Cleofas' side

Boat Station

More pics can be found at my Flickr account, and my wife's Facebook albums here, here, and here.

All About G-CASH

2009-05-18T13:08:00.003+08:00

People who order pedals often ask me what Gcash is all about and how it's done so i've decided to list down the nittygritties.

General GCASH FAQS

What is GCASH?

GCASH empowers you to send and receive money, buy prepaid load, pay bills, and do a lot of other money-related transactions, anytime, anywhere with just 1 text message from any Globe or TM cellphone.

Why use GCASH?

GCASH is a faster, more affordable, and secure way to do various transactions:

Remittance/Money Transfer – as fast as a text message, fee to exchange GCASH into cash as low as P10 for every P1,000 or just 1%

Buying Load – buy load anytime, anywhere, for as low as P10

Paying Bills – pay bills anytime, anywhere, without having to fall in line at a bills payment center

Is there a maintaining balance for GCASH?

There is no maintaining balance for GCASH. However, GCASH has a maximum transaction limit of P40,000 per day and a maximum transaction limit of P100,000 per month (both for incoming and outgoing transactions). This is to comply with the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Where do I get GCASH and where can I convert GCASH into cash?

You can get GCASH or convert your GCASH into cash from any of the thousands of GCASH partner outlets nationwide. For more information on how to convert your cash to GCASH, you can go here.

Will my money be safe with GCASH?

Yes. GCASH uses state-of-the-art technology that ensures only the subscriber can use his/her own GCASH. In order for anyone to make any GCASH transaction, a subscriber has to have both the cellphone and PIN number of the account. In addition to these, in order to convert cash into GCASH or GCASH into cash, the subscriber must also possess a valid ID for proper identification.

What if I forget my 4-digit PIN? What should I do?

If you forget your PIN, simply call 2882 and request for a PIN reset from the GCASH customer service representative. They will need to verify your account with the information you provided during registration. So, make sure that the data you give matches what you registered with. After having verified your account, you will be sent a temporary PIN, which you will need to change by texting CHGTemporary 4-digit PINNew 4-digit PIN to 2882.

What if I lose my cellphone, will I also lose my GCASH?

GCASH is safer and more secure than other alternatives because your money is safe even if you lose your phone! You can have your GCASH account blocked immediately so no one else can access it by calling the GCASH hotline, 2882, using any Globe or TM cellphone for FREE or call (+632)7392882 using any landline. Afterwards, you can go to any Globe Business Center and collect your money by providing a valid ID and answering some security questions about the account.

Gcash is usually sent through Globe Business Centers, but a list of other Gcash Partners can also be found here.

Thanks.

To Globe: Wala ba kong libreng load dito? hehehe

Financial/General Transcriptionists Needed

2009-04-24T07:03:00.004+08:00

A leading US-based transcription solutions s looking to expand its Philippine operations and is in need of HOME-BASED TRANSCRIBERS.

Position:
Financial / General Transcriptionists

Qualifications:

Excellent command of the English language.
No less than 1 year experience as a proofer/editor on general/financial transcription work
A typing speed of at least 55 WPM
The ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
Team player and can work under minimal supervision

Kindly send your resumes to erwin.gipit@gmail.com

You'll also need to provide your own set of equipment (foot pedal, computer, a fast and reliable internet connection)

Follow up emails will be ignored. We will be the ones to contact you.

Thank you.

Contact Number Update

2009-04-05T15:54:00.019+08:00

Hi,

Luck hath frowned upon me yesterday and I've lost my mobile phone.

Please route all your calls and inquiries to my new number:

0927-326-9858

N O T E:

For the Foot Pedal Customers:

I prefer communicating via email or instant messenger as i'm not into the habit of checking my phone.
I do check my emails habitually and will try get back to you with a response at the soonest possible time.
Gcash payments -- my new number has already been G-cash-enabled.

Home-Based Transcriptionist Applicants:

PLEASE refrain from texting me and asking about the details. I hate to be rude by ignoring your messages, but it is such a waste of time IMhO.
Everything you need to know has been posted and all that i ask of you is to follow the instructions (it's as simple as that).
As stated in the post, email your resume (preferably with an impressive and superbly-written cover letter).
I'll then screen your letters, and forward them to the appropriate people.
If you do not receive a reply, it simply means that you did not make the cut.
Follow-up inquiries will be ignored. Please don't take it the wrong way but I am not at liberty to disclose any further information about the job offer other than those I have already posted. I hope you understand.

How to set-up the People's Pedal using Express Scribe

2009-03-17T18:33:00.005+08:00

How to set-up the People's Pedal using Express Scribe

Single-Step Transcription Pedal

Plug the pedal into your USB/Serial port
Open ExpressScribe
Go to the"Settings" Tab (you can find it in the top part)
Select "Pedals and Hotkeys"in the dropdown menu
Tick the "Use foot pedal control" box
Untick the "Quick tap on play pedal locks play on" box
In "Port" Choose "Gameport1 or USB" if it is a USB pedal ,and "COM1" if you have the 9-pin Serial
Set the number of pedals to "3 pedals" (Yes, you read it right, it's three).
Run the "Foot pedal control setup wizard"
Step on the pedal for rewind, play, and ffd.
Next, you'll need to configure ExpressScribe's autobackstep feature
Go to the "Playback" tab
Set the auto back step on stop to a figure you are comfortable with (I prefer 2500ms)
You're good to go.

The 3-Step Transcription foot pedal

It's basically the same steps as the single-step's, you'll just set the switch on the left as your "Rewind", the middle is "Play", and the one in the right is your "Fast Forward" the speed of which, you can set in the Playback menu.

There are clients that require you to insert timestamps, and you can do it with Expresscribe by following the instructions posted HERE.

If you're in need of extra work, you can also try your luck by submitting your resume, please follow the instructions posted HERE.

Please also make use of the transcriptions-friendly sites I've posted HERE and HERE.

Thanks and happy transcribing!

Single Step Transcription Pedal

2009-03-13T09:19:00.009+08:00

A transcription foot pedal is a tool attached to the transcriptionist's computer to control the playback of a dictation. It makes the person more efficient by freeing his/her hands from the hotkeys and allows the person to concentrate on the typing work.

Foot pedals usually sells upwards of Php4,000 and the cheapest locally built ones sell for Php2,000 so I've decided to see what makes them tick and have built one for my self, thereby allowing me to offer to the market a cheaper alternative to the imported foot pedals and make a few bucks for myself. (not bad!)

My 3-switch foot pedal sells for Php1,600 and has the rewind, play, and fastforward functions. But for those of you who are only in need of the play function, why not get for yourself, or your loved one, a single-step foot pedal?

It's priced very competitively at PHP1,200 for USB and PHP1,ooo for 9-pin/15-pin serial

About the 1-step foot Pedal.

STURDY
AFFORDABLE
DURABLE
RELIABLE
PORTABLE

KEY Features:

Made of durable steel with no-slip rubber foot grips
Designed/made by a seasoned transcriptionist to aide fellow/would-be transcriptionists
Plug and play -- Vista-ready (yay!)
Works with most transcription softwares out there
Ergonomically-designed for a more fluid, more natural foot movement
Includes a DVD-ful of transcription handy software (ExpressScribe, Audio Recorders, Filezilla, OpenOffice, Audio Conversion Tools, Audio Players etc.)
2-meter long shielded cable

Price includes delivery to the following meet-up points:

Boni/Shaw blvd/Taft MRT Stations
MOA/MetroPoint Mall
San Pablo, Laguna (Only on Weekends)

I'm only available for meet-ups Mondays to Fridays.
Please note that I do not ship on weekends.

If you're from the provinces, I can ship the items to you via AIR21 and you will receive it within 1-2 working days.

Shipping Fees (very minimal if i might add!):

For Luzon and Visayas, Just add Php 100 to the list price
For Mindanao, Just add Php 150 to the list price

The preferred payment method for transactions like these is Gcash. I also accept Paypal, discounts available for bulk orders.

IF YOU STILL CAN'T AFFORD IT BUT WANT TO GET INTO TRANSCRIPTIONS, CHECK OUT My Instructions on how to build your own pedal.

A fraction of the price imported pedals, and cheaper than most locally built pedals in the market.I CAN ALSO CUSTOMIZE THE PEDALS TO YOUR COLOR OF CHOICE (just add P100 on the list price)

I can convert your existing serial pedals to USB and viseversa for a minimal fee

STILL HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS? FRET NO MORE AS THIS PRODUCT IS COVERED BY A RISK FREE WARRANTY!

You can return the item within 3 days from the date of purchase (or the day of your receipt if it's via courier)
Should there be any defects, the item will be covered by a 1-month replacement guarantee, and a 6-month repair guarantee.

You think you have what it takes to get into transcriptions? Then send your resume and follow the instructions posted here

Interested? I can be reached through the ff means:

Mobile: 09273269858
Gmail: erwin.gipit@gmail.com
YM: erwingipit
MSN/Live: erwingipit@hotmail.com

Thank you!

For Sale: 3 Step Transcription Foot Pedals

2009-03-13T08:31:00.012+08:00

A transcription foot pedal is a tool attached to the transcriptionist's computer to control the playback of a dictation. It makes the person more efficient by freeing his/her hands from the hotkeys and allows the person to concentrate on the typing work.

Foot pedals usually sells upwards of Php3,000 and the cheapest locally built ones sell for Php2,000. so I've decided to see what makes them tick and have built one for my self, thereby allowing me to offer to the market a cheaper alternative to the imported foot pedals and make a few bucks for myself. (not bad!)

I've christened it the People's Pedal :P

About the Three Step USB Transcription Foot Pedal.

PRICE: Php 1,600

STURDY
AFFORDABLE
DURABLE
RELIABLE

KEY Features:

Made of durable steel with no-slip rubber foot grips
Designed/made by a seasoned transcriptionist to aide fellow/would-be transcriptionists
Plug and play -- Vista-ready (yay!)
Works with most transcription softwares out there
Ergonomically-designed for a more fluid, more natural foot movement
Includes a DVD-ful of transcription handy software (ExpressScribe, Audio Recorders, Filezilla, OpenOffice, Audio Conversion Tools, Audio Players etc.)
2-meter long shielded cable

Price includes delivery to the following meet-up points:

Boni/Shaw blvd/Taft MRT Stations
MOA/MetroPoint Mall
San Pablo, Laguna (Only on Weekends)

I'm only available for meet-ups Mondays to Fridays.

Please note that I do not ship on weekends.

If you're from the provinces, I can ship the items to you via AIR21 and you will receive it within 1-2 working days.

I accept Gcash and Paypal (for an additional fee), discounts available for bulk orders.

IF YOU STILL CAN'T AFFORD IT BUT WANT TO GET INTO TRANSCRIPTIONS, CHECK OUT My Instructions on how to build your own pedal.

A fraction of the price imported pedals, and cheaper than most locally built pedals in the market.
I CAN ALSO CUSTOMIZE THE PEDALS TO YOUR COLOR OF CHOICE (just add P100 on the list price)

I can convert your existing serial pedals to USB and viseversa for a minimal fee

HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS? THIS PRODUCT IS COVERED BY A RISK FREE WARRANTY!

You can return the item within 3 days from the date of purchase (or the day of your receipt if it's via courier)
Should there be any defects, the item will be covered by a 1-month replacement guarantee, and a 6-month repair guarantee.

You think you have what it takes to get into transcriptions? Then send your resume and follow the instructions posted here

Interested? I can be reached through the ff means:

Mobile: 0927-326-9858
Gmail: erwin.gipit@gmail.com
YM: erwingipit
MSN/Live: erwingipit@hotmail.com

A Mini Food Review - Ramon Lee Fried Chicken

2009-02-25T15:32:00.008+08:00

About a week ago, me, the missus and the kid took s stroll around Divisoria in seach of cheap finds. We tirelessly scoured the 168, Divisioria, and Meisic Malls and even the Tutuban Center was not spared in the quest for chea.... reasonably priced goodies. And after a day of non-stop walking, haggling (i leave this part to the missus) and window shopping, we didn't go home empty handed, but that was not the case for our rumbling stomachs. :P

I decided to take the opportunity to visit one of the famous eateries I've seen featured in lifestyle shows (or maybe it's in one of QTV's Tony Pet's food trips). The Panciteria Lido, but it was closed for renovation. We've already eaten several times at the eateries in the estero area, so that was stricken out of my list.

Hungry and no place to go, I've remembered the infamous Ramon Lee Fried Chicken restaurant and since I've long been curious about its taste, so we decided finally to march towards the much-talked about resto.

The atmosphere was old school, like the eateries of old, and you could tell that they've had their staff for quite some time now, :P (but not as old as the ones at MaMonLuk) The waitress handed us the menu and naturally, we went for the stuff that made them famous -- Pancit, the RL Fried Chicken (Half an order), and Fried Rice (one serving).

Servings were for sharing and there was enough to go around for three hungry bargain-hunters. As for the taste, i found nothing exemplary. Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's because of the fact that i grew up in an old-school resto which my Angkong ran that virtually served the same range of dishes. Alas, our resto (Superiority Restaurant) died with him. :(

The chicken was prepared veryt much like the one we served (I'm assuming it's cooked asado-style before being deep fried) because that's how we did it and I dunno if my memories of my childhood have started to fail me, but the RL chicken was not as good as ours. It was different from the fast food fried chickens that most of us are used to, but it's nowhere near as say, Max's or Savory (which is the best tasting IMO, I've yet to taste Tambokikoy's, but I'm planning to one of these days).

Same goes with the pancit and the fried rice. Our family can whip up better tasting pancit any day and I can trump their fried rice with my own cooking. For pancit lovers, i'd recommend that you try our heirloom recipe Pata Pancit (my aunt still makes it). I can give you her number if you're interested and I think they can do deliveries in the Pasay-Makati area so long as you give them a heads up.

Overall, the food was okay, maybe it was just hyped too much that it didn't live up to my expectations. The food and drinks was also a bit overpriced vis-a-vis the taste and the serving sizes.

Somehow, there's a part of me that wishes that I should have just gone to Chowking, saved a few bucks, enjoyed the air-conditioning whilst also having a full stomach, but i guess what you pay for was experiencing the good 'ol days of Manila, and the fact that the place allowed me to look back to fond memories of my childhood was not bad either. But if you'll ask me if i'll come back, the answer is no. Somehow, I am of the belief that my 500 bucks would be better spent on a family- size pizza, or better yet -- a Fried-Chicken-Yang Chow-Chop-Suey combo from Savory.

Home-Based Medical Transcriptionists Needed

2009-02-18T20:20:00.014+08:00

Looking for experienced/skilled medical transcriptionists for home-based work opportunity

Basic Requirements:

Excellent grasp of American English.
Excellent grammar skills.
No less than 2 years of experience in the Medical Transcription industry, preference will be given to those with proofing/editing skills.
Reliable DSL/Cable/Wireless Broadband connection
Your own equipment -- PC, Footpedals, etc.

What you need to do:

Send your detailed resume with cover letter to erwin.gipit@gmail.com

In the cover letter, discuss in detail the ff:

Years of experience
Positions held
Companies you have worked for

If you've just graduated from an MT training course, but wanted to try your luck nonetheless, write a letter why you should be considered for the position.

Your letters will be screened and those who make the grade will subsequently be forwarded to appropriate persons and will be contacted at the soonest possible time.

If you do not receive a notice, it just means that you did not make the cut.

No follow-up emails, please. We will be the ones to contact you.

Payment will be on a per 65-character line basis, the rate of which will hinge upon your skill level.

Thank you.

How to Get a Camp Crame-Issued Police Clearance

2009-01-21T18:10:00.004+08:00

When the missus was required by PAL to have a Camp Crame-issued Police Clearance, I told her not to worry because for sure, there'd be plenty of Blogs discussing that topic and she'll be able to get a lot of tips on what to bring and what to anticipate.

But alas, there was none, so I've thought of whipping one up, for the benefit of those who'll be in the same predicament as hers.

HOW TO GET A CAMP CRAME POLICE CLEARANCE:

Step 1:

Prepare the documents that you'll need (Have them photocopied in advance):

An up-to-date Community Tax Certificate (Cedula)
Barangay Clearance (This is required by some local police stations, but not in Crame)

Step 2:

How to get there

Take the MRT and get off the Santolan Annapolis Station. Camp Crame is a short trek away. The area where the Police Clearance is processed is Gate 2, it's on Boni Serrano Ave.

Step 3:

Submit your requirements at the designated window.

Be wary of fixers and petty thieves, so mind your belongings

Step 4:

Pictures:

Some local police clearances require that you bring a 2x2 ID Picture, but there's no need for the one in Crame, they prefer taking a digital picture of you on site.

Step 5:

Wait for your Clearance's release and you're done.

Things to bring (it's alongside the road so there's not much shelter. Plus you'll have to walk a short distance so it pays to be prepared):

Umbrella
Mineral Water
Sunglasses
Tissue/Hanky

Fee Collected: 80 Pesos

That's it! Hope it helps.

Fostering Cameraderie

2009-01-14T12:09:00.012+08:00

Having just purchased a Nikon D60 about a month ago, i felt the need to upgrade my lens because it just didn't suit my lowlight situation needs, and the Manual Focus on the lens was a bit tough to operate (who the hell needs better MF on an AFS lens? Me! LOLs) After some research, i considered getting a Sigma 17-70 Macro HSM, but the price was a bit steep, so when the opportunity came to swap my lens to a 18-70mm AFS, I grabbed it.

It was well worth the trade, IMHO, sure, the 18-70 was around 2 years old, but the build quality sure is good and the AF, a hell of a lot faster. I appreciated the extra 15mm reach but if you like taking Macro shots, unlike the 18-55VR, this lens has a hard time focusing on close up objects, you have to back up by at least 2 feet. But the lens was fast, heavier, has a 67-mm filter ring which means that you'll have to buy the more expensive CPLs and NDs, but for my needs, I think it'll suit me just fine.

Planning to invest in a 50mm/1.4 prime next, with an extension tube so i'd be able to do macro shots.

For those newbies who's in the same dilemma as mine, here's a link for an extensive side-by-side review of the entry-level DX lenses

I've also included a list (I got this from Tipid PC) of the stores where you can get the best bargains to satisfy your gear acquisition needs:

Mayer Photo - MRF Club! ^__^
Address: 111, 113, 115 C. Palanca St., Quiapo, Manila
Tel: 733-7598, 733-7722, 314-7786.

Henry’s Photo Supply
Address: 310 P. Gomez St., Quiapo, Manila
Tel: 733-7723, 734-6198

Avenue Photo Supply
Address: 712 R. Hidalgo St., Quiapo, Manila
Tel: 733-2761, 733-5474, 734-3307

Watson Photo Shop
Address: 312 P. Gomez St., Quiapo, Manila
Tel: 733-7697
Look for: Philip King Tan Tang
Products: Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, Sunpak, Olympus

JT Photoworld
Address: 1132 Pedro Gil St., Paco, Manila
Tel: 523-4396, 536-6590, 536-6591
Fax: 521-3621
Contact: Jerome Tan

Island Photo (For Cokin Filters, Manfrotto items and Kata and Natgeo Bags)
Address.: 108 Gamboa St., Legaspi Vill.,Makati City
Tel No(s) : (02)894-5108

DP Online Store
1082Pasong Tamo St., Makati City
Tel No(s): (02)8972561, (02)8995018

EchoStore
Buendia-Taft area, Pasay City
Tel No. (63 2) 551-7394 /(63 2) 551 7394

Tay Hua Trading
620 Sto. Cristo St., Binondo, Manila
Tel. No. 242-3152 & 382-5211

Aperture
Room 5A, Prosperity Center
395 Banawe St.
Quezon City, Philippines
Phone: +632 732 8991

Makati branch:
1170 Chino Roces Ave.
Corner Estrella St.
Makati City, Philippines
Tel. No. 893 3656

I've also included some tips for those planning to visit Hidalgo for the first time:

Pinoy Photography's Hildago Buying Tips

I've also included a map on how to get there:

tripping out

2009-01-12T23:12:00.004+08:00

With the earnings season still a week away (at least) I tried to kill time by playing with my camera and taking some B&W self portraits, here are my first attempts. I should really invest in a good "fast lens" and a decent flash/strobe set-up :P I'm thinking of attending a digital photography seminar come summer time if my schedule permits.

For the meantime, pagtyagaan nyo na lang tong mga to.. LOLs

Roadtrip to Liliw Laguna

2008-12-31T01:04:00.010+08:00

The town of Liliw is famous for it's shoe/slipper making industry, in fact, they even hold an annual Tsinelas (slipper) festival, yesterday, the missus suggested that we drop by there so she could buy a new pair that would match the dress that she'll wear at our friend's wedding.

It was about an hour's trip away from San Pablo City, but i remembered that they have a magnificant Catholic church there, and the scenery's pretty nice too -- and the fact that they also have a t little Italian resto that serves damn good food is not that bad either.

So we took the hour-long trip, too bad it was drizzling when we got there so i only managed to pull out the camera for a short period, and most of the shots was taken indoors, which reminds me that i really need to invest in a good prime lens and a decent speedlight. But with the D60's VR, taking shots with the kitlens in lowlight still managed to churn out pretty decent results.

And at the end of the day, it was a worthwhile trip -- the shutterbug in me was pretty much satisfied, the missus' too, was pleased with the pair that she got, and my tummy was too -- with Arabella's Shrimp Fra Pomodoro, Pizza bread, and topping it all off with a coffee and chocolate cold drink -- chi mangia bene, mangia Italiano as they say. But nothing still beats kaning lamig and my pop's guinataang tulingan.

Dication Guidelines for Physicians

2008-12-28T13:22:00.004+08:00

Got this from Cyrus.... ^__^

DICTATION GUIDELINES FOR PHYSICIANS

Adherence to these guidelines will assure the highest quality transcribed reports in the shortest amount of time.

At the beginning of the dictation, take as deep a breath as you possibly can. Now, try to dictate the entire report before you have to inhale again.

When dictating a particularly difficult word or phrase, please turn your head and speak directly into your armpit.

We charge per character, including periods. An effective way to cut your cost is to dictate your entire report as one sentence.

It is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.

If you have to sneeze or cough suddenly, please remove your head from your armpit and sneeze or cough directly into the microphone.

If you must eat while you dictate, please stay away from foods such as marshmallows, bananas, and pudding. Apples, pretzels, and celery are much better choices.

Please don’t stop dictating when you yawn. It throws off our rhythm.

If the patient’s name is Alan Ratzlaffenhasenphepherzinsky, please have the courtesy to spell "Alan" – there are several possible spellings, you know. For the last name, simply state "the usual spelling".

It is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.

Please note – the phrase "well-developed, well-nourished white female" is only three syllables.

Cardiologists, it is not necessary to dictate at the rate of your patient’s atrial fibrillation.

Do not stop dictating in the event of minor background noise such as an office party, the janitor’s vacuum cleaner, a screaming infant, etc. Again, it throws off our rhythm.

Be sure to place the emPHAsis on the CORrect syLLABLE, especially if enGLISH is your SECond lanGUAGE.

It is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.

Talk as fast you possibly can. Fair’s fair; after all, we type as fast as we possibly can.

Please speak as quietly as you can.......we want to be able to hear what’s going on around you.

If you need to pause for 5 or 10 minutes between words or phrases, pounding the receiver on the desk or repeatedly saying, "still dictating.... still dictating..... still dictating.... still dictating..... still dictating......" reminds us that indeed, you are still dictating.

Just because you need to use the restroom is no reason to stop dictating. Time is money!

Don’t dictate so loudly that you disrupt your fellow physicians’ football game in the doctors’ lounge. In fact, you really should whisper all of your dictation, since the information is confidential.

Similarly, if you are going to watch TV while dictating at home, please watch a war movie with lots of bombing, and be sure to have the volume high enough so everybody in your living room can hear above your talking.

If you need to correct yourself -- sorry, correct an error, please do not rewind the tape -- sorry, do not back up and record over the error -- sorry, wait, the mistake -- just continue with the sentence -- wait -- go back -- with the paragraph and fix the error -- er, the mistake.

Please go back and just delete that last guideline.

When dictating on your cell phone from your car, be sure to go through as many tunnels as possible. This will ensure confidentiality of the information.

You (y-o-u) do not need (n-e-e-d) to spell (s-p-e-l-l) obvious words (w-o-r-d-s) for us (u-s). It is our job (j-o-b) to know (k-n-o-w) how to (t-o) spell words that (t-h-a-t) we learned (l-e-a-r-n-e-d) in third (t-h-i-r-d) grade (g-r-a-d-e).

One last thing, it is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.

Cheers! Happy New Year, everyone!

My rig

2008-12-19T12:43:00.005+08:00

I finally got the time to upgrade my desktop and my portable's RAM. Each only had 1g of RAM out of the box and i've been having problems with multitasking. Praise the heavens for Moore's Law and the prices finally dropped to more reasonable levels. I updated the desktop to 4g and the portable to 2g (which is the about the maximum level the systems would allow).

I also got myself a spanking new Nikon D60. :) I had long considered the D40 because of the price, but when the D60's price finally came down to about $80-ish range on top of the D40, the VR lens started to look tempting, it's like a D60 with all the bells and whistles. Perfect for a newbie photographer like me. For now,I'm only using the Auto and presets, a little more time and I should be able to fiddle with the manual settings (I already got a CPL, a UV and a Close up filter) couldn't wait to try them on my up and coming trip to Liliw and to Enchanted Kingdom (a long overdue promise to my Princess)

I've already posted a few pics on Flickr and these machines really do live up to the expectations of taking wicked pictures right out of the box.

On the transcriptions side, work is starting to slow down in lieu of the holidays, but things should pick up again early next year for the year-end reports. Hope I'd be able to jack up my photography skills by then. :P Pedal orders are still quite steady though, so I could also keep myself busy by building up my stock.

Happy Holidays everyone! And thanks for dropping by!

Rock and roll!

Transcriptionist-friendly sites

2008-11-19T01:52:00.005+08:00

Here's a list of useful online sites which can be a big help, in addition to the transcriptionist's/client's required resource materials.

http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalabbreviations.php - medical abbreviations and much more
http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/hp.asp - pharmacological terms
http://www.edrugsearch.com/ - pharmacological terms
www.thefreedictionary.com – dictionary, thesaurus, medical dictionary, legal dictionary, acronyms, idioms
http://medicaltranscriptionwordhelp.googlepages.com/ - medical transcription phrases, words, and helpful hints
www.wheelessonline.com - orthopedic terms; useful for orthopedic procedures http://www.acronymfinder.com/ - acronyms
http://www.globalrph.com/index.htm - for all categories and specialties

dangling modifiers, double negatives and run-on sentences...

2008-11-05T17:44:00.007+08:00

Someone shared with me these links and I thought that it'd just be right to share this with everyone else as well. I've noticed that the quality of applicants that come in lack the basic skills needed for transcriptions and has been going down at a steady pace ever since.

I've found them to be very useful and managed to learn a thing or two just on my first few minutes of reading their contents, I hope they'd be of help to you too.

Seven steps from eHow
LearningNerd's links and tips
40+ Tips to Improve your Grammar and Punctuation

Happy transcribing!

Inserting Time Stamps with ExpressScribe

2008-11-04T13:21:00.007+08:00

Other than the home-grown audio player we use at the office, I've been pretty much an ExpressScribe user since I've stumbled my way into transcription. My years of doing transcription work has introduced me to various types of work and various client formats. One format that I very much dreaded was the one that involves inserting timestamps -- lots of it. I hated those things and it even came to a point where i turned down projects that involves a lot of timestamping.

I used to type out the minutes and the seconds manually, until recently, when i found out that it can be inserted automatically. Darn, if only i knew then. It really does pay to know the nittygritties of the software that you're using. :(

Virtually everyone I know was not aware of this feature so it's safe to assume that there are still a lot of folks out there who are still in the dark with this. Here's how you can do it. It's as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Ctrl+T (to Copy Time to clipboard)

2. Alt+Tab (to Word or whatever word processor you're using)

3. Ctrl+V (to insert timestamp)

Voila! There you have it, folks.

Happy transcribing.

How to Build your Own Transcription Foot Pedal using Cheap DIY Parts

2008-10-24T18:49:00.009+08:00

How to Build your Own Transcription Foot Pedal using Cheap DIY Parts

For the would-be transcriptionists that don't have the money to spare to buy foot pedals, (Even the relatively affordable ones like mine) Money (or the lack thereof) should not be a hindrance. This data is available in the Web for those who know how to look, i'm just spreading the word out so that it'd be able to reach more.

Here's how you can build your very own foot pedal.

And before running off to Radioshack to start on building one, I'd remind everyone that the instructions mentioned below have only been tested for use witn ExpressScribe, Startstop, and Inqscribe.

All you need are the ff:

Serial 9-Pin/15-pin plug and housing (you can buy these at the electronics shop, price varies from P35 to P100)
Shielded cable - (the thicker ones are better but it's gonna cost you around Php25/meter)
Soldering gun and a little soldering know how.
Foot switch (the ones used in Sewing Machines) These can be bought for around 500 bucks a pop, but i think you can get them cheaper in Raon. For the single step, you'd need one for every switch
If you still don't have cash for the foot switch, door bell buttons or any other naturally-open switches with springs would do just as well (although not as sturdy)

As for the wiring, i got these from ExpressScribe's website.

Technical Specifications of Pedal Wiring

Standard pedal wiring for 15-Pin Gameport control

(Count the pins as 1-8 from left to right on the top row, and 9-16 left to right on the bottom row)

Single Step Pedal

Pins 1, 3 and 6 must be connected to each other.
A pedal switch between pins 5 and 7 is play

2-Step Pedal

Pins 1, 3 and 6 must be connected to each other.
A pedal switch between 2 and 4 is Reverse.
A pedal switch between pins 5 and 7 is play.

3-Step Pedal

Pins 1, 3 and 6 must be connected to each other.
A pedal switch between 2 and 4 is Reverse.
A pedal switch between pins 5 and 7 is fast-forward.
A pedal switch between pins 10 and 5 is play.

Standard pedal wiring for 9-Pin Serial Port control

(Count the pins as 1-5 from left to right on the top row, and 6-9 left to right on the bottom row)

Single Step pedal

Ground - Pin 4
Play - Pin 1

2-Step Pedal

Ground - Pin 4
Play - Pin 1
Rewind/Forward - Pin 6

3 Step Pedal

Ground - Pin 4
Play - Pin 1
Rewind - Pin 6
Forward - Pin 9 (RING) or Pin 8 (CTS).

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me and I'll try to answer it as best I can.

And before building one, please opt for my footpedals first, they'r reasonably priced, made of durable steel, and have six-month warranties. List down your cost of building one and pit them against buying one of mine's and you'll see that I'm giving you a pretty sweet deal.

For small groups who want to start in transcriptions, I can refer you to aptly-skilled Tech Support people (with experience in the transcriptions and call center field) who can help you set up your work stations. (You'd have to pay for their services, of course)

Happy Transcribing!!!!

Here are some photos of the home made single-pedal housings that i've built

I'll bet we'll be hearing this a lot in the financial reports...

2008-10-18T12:55:00.002+08:00

I first encountered the term snafu during my early years as a financial transcriptionist and has only heard it used twice in my more than 5 years of listening to transcripts (it was used as a verb). It stuck on my mind because I had to google with different sound-likes and key word combinations in order to come out with the right one.

I have a feeling that we'll get to hear this more often, with the world economy at the brink of collapse. ...

SNAFU is an acronym meaning roughly, "things are in a mess — as usual". The most commonly accepted rendering is "Situation Normal: All Fucked Up". In computer jargon, it sometimes is intended to mean "Systems Neatly All Fucked Up". It is sometimes bowdlerized to "Situation Normal: All Fouled Up" or similar,[1] in circumstances where profanity is discouraged or censored. In modern usage, "snafu" is often used as an interjection, as a shorthand for the sentiment expressed by the phrase. "Snafu" is also sometimes used as a noun or verb, referring to a situation that suddenly went awry, or the cause of the trouble. The acronym is believed to have originated in the US Army during World War II.

Source: Wiki

Bigger is Better....

2008-10-18T12:22:00.001+08:00

The earnings season projects are now slowly starting to come in. Last quarter was pretty tiring because I did most of my files from my laptop and the screen (14-inch widescreen) was not sufficient for my needs. So when I shopped for a new PC some time back, one of my prerequisites was something that came with a fairly good-sized LCD screen. So when i chanced upon a sweet-deal with an Acer PC that came with a 19-inch widescreen, i didn't let the opportunity pass by. And boy, did i make the right choice. I purchased it when it was near closing time and during the slow season to make the salesguy throw in other goodies as well. :P

Watching movies has been more fun with the 19-inch widescreen (and the sound wasn't bad either because it came with a 5.1 channel sound card). But i was able to saw real benefits of a bigger screen when I started work. I'm able to open multiple windows at the same time (this is particularly useful for research-heavy files) and I'm able to display the ExpressScribe windows, the IM windows, and the Word window at (120% size because i'm near-sighted) all in one screen.

I'm now setting my sights on a 22-incher (or bigger) the next time i do an upgrade. Other benefits of the LCD screen is that it takes up much less space, gives off less heat, does not strain my eyes, and it consumes way way less energy.

LCDs monitors are a still big investment, especially by Philippine minimum-wage earner standards, but I'd have to say that it's is well worth the bucks that you shell out, and the pleasure that you'll get from staring at its beauty is a plus that can't be ignored. :)

Converting PDF to Doc

2008-10-16T23:24:00.001+08:00

A few hours earlier, I encountered a dictation which required me to convert a document from PDF to an MS Word compatible format. At first, I thought, "piece of cake" with the PDFs being so common and all.... I thought wrong.

First, I installed a PDF to Doc conversion software (free of course) but the tables in the document were not preserved. Then, after a few minutes of googling, I chanced upon this cool article here. It pitted different PDF conversion services/program and laid out the pros and cons. I found it to be very helpful and informative, unfortunately, after trying each of the services/programs mentioned, the tables still came out wrong.

I ended up building the entire thing from scratch :( But maybe it's just because my document had lots of tables to begin with.

Hope this'd be able to help someone who'll be in the same predicament in the future.

Happy transcribing.

Kalamansi, patis, atbp....

2008-10-16T23:11:00.002+08:00

A very good friend from India happened to chance upon my Chicken recipe and asked me what the Kalamansi and Patis were, so for the benefits of non-pinoys...

Patis - Fish sauce, it is a condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment. It is an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. It is common throughout many South East Asian countries. :)

Kalamansi - acid orange, calamondin orange, or Panama orange, used for cooking. If it isn't available in your local markets, lemons should do just fine. :)

And lest i forget, you could try to add a spoonful or two of baking soda in the boiling water to make the skin crispier.
To make it more tender - after the chicken has cooled down, brine it in the same broth you used for boiling for at least two hours in your fridge. Then dry the meat, sticking it in the freezer helps. :)
You could also experiment with the taste by throwing in some lemongrass or laurel leaves to the mix.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do. :) Goes well with ketchup mixed with a little Worcestershire sauce.

Crispylicious Juicylicious

2008-10-15T21:05:00.000+08:00

I was watching TV earlier when i chanced upon a commercial and caught sight of a nice, juicy crispy pata. For those unfamiliar to what it is, it's pork hocks boiled, dried, and then deep fried. Something that dieters dare not touch and only a few of us have the willpower to resist. :P

I've tasted the cripy patas of Grilla, Congo Grill, Max's, and a host of many others in my quest to find the perfect crispy pata but nothing comes close to the one they have in San Pablo, Laguna -- Fat Crackles. The skin is crisp, and the meat, tender and moist. The sauce - a concoction of vinegar and spices complements the meat's taste to perfection.

Which also reminds me of a neat fried chicken recipe that I have, it's kinda like the one they have at Max's if you do it right. It's a work in progress, but feel free to throw in any suggestions that you may have to improve its taste.

Here's how it's done.

Daddy's Fried Chicken

Rub chicken with rock salt and put it in boiling water along with a few star anises, whole peppercorn, chicken stock, and some laurel leaves.
Add a tablespoon of baking soda
Cook in low heat until the chicken floats.
Pat the chicken dry
Rub the skin with cornstarch (optional)
Deep fry
Brush skin with a mixture of patis and kalamansi
Enjoy

I've always wondered what the outcome would be if i usepata instead of chicken, but i'll be sure to give it a shot one of these days. :)

The best things in life are libre...

2008-10-15T17:02:00.002+08:00

Since most of us work-from home, it's very important that we keep our PCs up to date, so here's a list of free software musthaves for every transcribing (and nontranscribing) PCs out there...

I also try to download from reliable sites like CNET's Downloads.

Grisoft AVG AntiVirus Free Edition - free.grisoft.com - Basic protection from all the nasty stuff out there in the web.
Lavasoft Ad-Aware Free - www.lavasoft.com - Another nifty tool that you'll find handy.
Adobe Reader - Use to view,edit, or add security to PDF files.
Java - www.java.com - Allows the execution of web apps, and then some.
Adobe Flash - like Java, only cooler.
Mozilla Firefox - www.mozilla.com/firefox - better than Internet Explorer IMHO
Google Chrome - www.google.com/chrome - Google's web browser, need I say more? I use gmail and googledocs so it's my browser of choice.
Opera - opera.com/download - another cool alternative to IE.
Mozilla Thunderbird - offers an alternative to MS Outlook
Express Scribe - www.nch.com.au/scribe - a nice, reliable transcriptions software
OpenOffice suite - download.openoffice.org - offers an alternative to MS Offfice
Filezilla - filezilla-project.com - the best free FTP solution out there, bar none.

Since most of the work at home populace are already internet savvy, I'm assuming that everyone is already aware of these neat freebies, but what the heck? :)

Home-grown, just like momma used to make.... Affordable Single-Step and 3-Step Transcription Pedals

2008-10-15T15:04:00.002+08:00

It all started out with an idea... :)

When I first got hired as an IC, it meant that I'll be needing to provide myself with my own set of transcriptions equipment. PC - check, headset - check, pedal -- darn! So I stared to browse around the web for a transcriptions pedal only to find out that the Infinitys and the Olympuses cost an arm and a leg (the cheapest one will set you back by 4 grand) and is not within reach of the average guy, especially the onese who's just starting to get into this business.

Then I happened to stumble upon Sulit.com.ph, a great free ads site, and found some local folks who manufacture transcription pedals, I was able to get meslef a neat single-step USB pedal which set me back around P1,750 (including the delivery fee).

The pedal worked great, and the price, although relatively cheap when compared to the imported models, are still too steep for the common Pinoy. So then came the idea of building one, I'm a B.S. Electrical Engineering graduate anyway so there's no sense of letting all those gruelling hours of physics and electronics classes go to waste. :)

Hopping around the different electronics forum which abound the web, I studied what makes it tick, I also took apart the single-step i bought to see what makes it tick (and it's a tribute to good old Filipino ingenuity, really).

I first came up with a single-step using a 9-pin serial connector and a plastic foot pedal (the ones used in sewing machines) and when i got it to work, I tried to offer it to my officemates (most of them my staff, so they'll find it hard to refuse :P) for P800 a pop.

From there, i tried to improve the design and worked on building a three-way pedal, and because the plastics foot pedal housings were a bit on the expensive side, I decided to build my own housing instead, made of sheet metal -- that way, it'd be more durable and would be able to handle all the stress that a person working on crappy audio could dish out. :P

If you have the time, please check out my home-grown foot pedals -- in 3-way and single-step designs and in available in USB/9-pin Serial/15-pin gameport configurations at www.sulit.com.ph/homebasedtrans. They're solidly built, and best of all, it's strategically priced to be well-within the reach of your average Juan DelaCruz.

I've also posted instructions on how to build one for those who, despite my budget-friendly price, is still unable to buy one. I'll echo what i said in my ad -- it'd be a shame if someone with the right skills, be deterred just because of some money issues. So if you're just starting out, and you're willing to invest to becoming a full-time professional transcriptionist, consider my products first, if you don't have the cash, just follow the instructions and you'd be able to build something that works for P500, or you could buy the more expensive ones, whichever best fits you needs - (though I'd very much prefer that you choose mine LOLs).

Till next time, happy transcribing!!!

Rock and roll!!

Break-in

2008-10-15T14:50:00.002+08:00

I've been thinking of putting up this baby for some time now, but just didn't have the time (translation: I'm just being too lazy haha). I've been in the transcriptions industry for roughly six years now, from my days as trainee who has a typing speed of 11 words per minute to a somesorta production officer/account manager for a Philippine-based transcriptions company. Now, besides the dayjob, I also work as an IC (Independent Contractor) for two other US based companies, one in the UK, and one in France.

With this, my goal is to set something up which can help my fellow Pinoys who want to get into the business, share what I know, so they'll know off hand what they're getting into. I'm also thinking -- better make it dreaming -- that this would be a place where my fellow Pinoy Transcriptionists could hang out and share views, tips and tricks of our trade.

With the financial earnings storm looming in the horizon, it may take some time before I'd be able to whip this site into something worth your stop, but I'll try to find the time to update it everynow and then.

Thanks for dropping by....

Happy Transcribing