DPR fails to conduct Background Checks

December 1, 2010 - The D.C Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) which no longer operates child care centers under the program, failed to meet basic background check requirements.

A D.C government agency which received $1 million a year which is use to provide child care services under the federal head program failed to conduct background checks on its employees which includes workers who has previous cases of drug and other felony offenses. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Investigators said that a total of 43 employees failed to meet basic background check.

According to the report, the workers includes six DPR drivers who have been disqualified from working with children because of their past offenses like kidnapping, assault with deadly weapon and possession of marijuana and cocaine with intent to distribute. According to a Security Expert conducting background and criminal check on employees is not a problem to the city agency. All they have to do is to submit the names of their employees with their social security number to a background check company out there which is not a problem because of dozens of companies which offers the same service.

Read More

EU Antitrust Probe targeting Google

November 30, 2010 - Last Tuesday the European Commission announced that they are investigating allegations that Google has abused its dominant position in online search to promote its other services.

The European Commission said that they will do some questions on PC manufacturers and software developers to see whether they were pressured by Google to make its search service the default in their products. The investigation was launched following a preliminary examination of complaints received by the Commission from a French legal search engine, and by two price comparators, Foundem of the U.K. and Ciao of Germany.

The Companies claim that their services were treated by Google unfavorably. The Commission was concerned that Google may have lowered the ranking result of its rival providers in order to promote similar service of its own.

Google Spokesman responded to the allegation saying that some restrictions are design especially to advertisers who are placing ads across several search engines; it doesn't play to the lowest common denominator -- which would hamper any new innovations in AdWords. They also hit back the complainants saying that background checking their international rival Microsoft they found out that Microsoft has a hand in two of the complainants. They stated that Microsoft owns Ciao and assisted Foundem to lobby in multiple cities around the world through an organization called ICOMP.

Still the Commission said that opening the investigation does not imply that it has been proven to any infringements. They said that the length of the investigation will depend on the company’s cooperation.

Read More