[Hidden-tech] Home labor for an unskilled laborer

[Chris Hoogendyk]

David Korpiewski wrote:
> So I have an interesting predicament.  I'm currently working two jobs 
> so that my wife can stay home with our two toddler children, however, 
> it just isn't making the bills anymore.  So I'm interested in getting 
> some information from all of you about home opportunities so my wife 
> can bring in some income as well.
>
> My wife knows how to type and is skilled with her hands (painting, 
> crafts, sewing, baking, etc), but has has no formal schooling.  I've 
> seen tons of these scams where people are advertising "No skills 
> required, work from home make 2000 dollars a week!" however I know 
> most of them you pay like 150 dollars and then never get any work!
>
> So my question is are there actually any of these miracle jobs that 
> are real?   Can my wife work putting stamps on envelopes and letters 
> in jobs and actually make 2 bucks an envelope??  Or type of medical 
> transcriptions and make more than I do at two jobs? :-)
>
> If this isn't a good route to follow, are there any other routes that 
> we could investigate to generate more income for our family? 

Well, it may or may not be worth anything, but there's also virtually no 
risk and you totally control your own time -- I found the stuff on 
Amazon's Mechanical Turk very intriguing. It's almost like a piece right 
out of Vernor Vinge's sci fi. I wouldn't be surprised if they read 
"Rainbow's End" and pulled the idea out of there. I have no idea how 
much they've got it ramped up yet, but at least it wouldn't hurt to 
investigate.

When I was unemployed in 1997/1998, I allocated my daily time with the 
obvious slots for job hunting, investigating new ways of job hunting, 
but also a few hours a day for studying. I was a computer geek already, 
but I found a warehouse book outlet that had computer books and started 
reading up more on networking, internet, network security, web 
technology, etc. I set up Virtual PC on my Mac so I could install 
Windows and Linux and have access to those. I put together an html 
version of my resume. Etc. It paid off. Anyway, I'm not suggesting an 
identical route for her, but the approach seems applicable. Use your 
time well. Build your skills for potential. Keep looking for the 
connection or breakthrough.

Of course there is the traditional, old fashion, labor intensive, high 
level of commitment, holding pattern of setting up to do child care. 
Then, when your children are in school, moving on. I understand that is 
becoming somewhat more difficult with state regulations and such (piece 
in last weekend's Gazette I believe); but, depending on how she feels 
about it, it can work.

I've also seen that some people actually make money as entrepreneurs in 
Second Life. Of course, you have to have the time, ingenuity, and 
proclivity for doing that sort of thing. It's a gamble. But, it's also a 
learning process.

Of course, maybe someone among the hidden techies will have something 
more interesting, concrete and local.

Note on your specific items -- last I heard, medical transcription stuff 
was being shipped out to India. Transmit sound files, have them 
transcribed and transmitted back. Different time zone. Come in in the 
morning and find it done. Minimal labor costs (certainly nothing like 
$2000/wk -- that would be a come on for a scam).


---------------

Chris Hoogendyk

-
   O__  ---- Systems Administrator
  c/ /'_ --- Biology & Geology Departments
 (*) \(*) -- 140 Morrill Science Center
~~~~~~~~~~ - University of Massachusetts, Amherst 

<hoogendyk at bio.umass.edu>

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Erdös 4