Employment has become contingent upon a negative drug test. Employers are concerned as to how those with a positive drug test report might perform on the job. By including your own clean report you will be setting your resume apart from the scores of others that the Human Resources Department must sift through just to identify a few good candidates.Statistics show that a worker who is an illicit-drug user is late for work more often, has more absences, is more likely to leave the workplace early due to illness, or just simply quits a job abruptly. This type of employee generally has moderate or even marginal job performance. With the flood of applicants in all areas of the marketplace, and with so few positions available, employers try to filter out potential problems and reduce liability. Consider the nightmare of an employer who thinks that he has found the perfect individual to fill a position, after a myriad of interviews, paperwork and background checks only to discover that the prescreening test results have come back positive. He has to be concerned not only about that employee, but about all of his other employees, were he to hire that individual. This is especially true if the job entails operating machinery of any kind. The time-consuming task of selection must begin again.

If, in your resume, you can provide proof of a clean drug report, your chances of obtaining an interview before other job seekers without such an assessment, are greater. It also saves much time and expense on the part of your prospective employer. An employer, seeing that you have taken the time and had the fore-thought to include your own clean test results, understands that you can be counted on to take initiative in the work environment as well.

To voluntarily take a drug test, without being sure it is even a requirement of the position desired, is a testament to your worthiness as an employee. It says you have neither weakness of the mind nor the body. Mybackgroundcheck.com tells you where you can find a testing facility nearest you, along with a complete background check, for a fee. Just answer a few simple questions to open an account. An employer can check the results right from your account, or get results in an email, if he prefers.

The sad saga of actor Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi, continues: The pair were busted this weekend for squatting illegally in a house in Santa Barbara. They claimed to have owned the house since the nineties, but the actual owners provided police with documentation proving the couple had sold it years ago. Now the Quaids are squatting in jail, where bail has been set for $50,000

Previously, Randy and his wife stated they believe that someone or something has been knocking off a number of Quaid's former co-stars in some sort of grand conspiracy. After allegedly snorting Demerol, Quaid's wife told a private investigator that she "believed [Michael] Jackson was murdered, along with Heath Ledger, Chris Penn, David Carradine, Natasha Richardson, and other stars who (had been) in movies with Randy." We're not sure how accurate this story is, but just to be safe, both Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo should consider taking extended vacations until the Scooby gang gets to the bottom of this mystery. [Daily Beast]

With a judge warning her to "treat this very seriously," Paris Hilton on Monday pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges that will allow her to avoid jail time after her arrest last month in Las Vegas on suspicion of cocaine possession.

Under the deal, Hilton will plead guilty to two misdemeanors, serve one year probation, pay a $2,000 fine and serve 200 hours of community service.

She had been charged with felony drug possession, but the charge was downgraded under the plea deal.

"You have now been sentenced to one year in Clark County Detention Center. I can assure you it's not the Waldorf Astoria," said Judge Joe Bonaventure.

Hilton, dressed in a white and black dress, admitted to the judge that she was lying when she told officers the purse where the cocaine was found didn't belong to her.

Hilton was arrested Aug. 27 with her boyfriend, Cy Waits, who was driving the black SUV stopped by police after officers said they smelled marijuana. A police lieutenant found 0.8 grams of cocaine in a purse Hilton was carrying.

Take for example the University of Virginia (U of V) student George Huguely who was a seemingly model student and lacrosse athlete but brutally murdered his girlfriend Yeardley Love, a fellow student at U of V in 2009. Campus authorities were shocked to learn that Huguely had a violent past, which he never disclosed to the university. Although U of V had a policy in place that all students inform them of criminal history, they never conducted formal background checks on potential students. If U of V would have investigated Huguely’s criminal past, they would have discovered he had prior arrests, including assaulting a female police officer and his own father. In addition, Huguely had prior charges of driving under the influence and a history of reckless driving, all of which would have been easily verified through a criminal background check.

Also in April 2007, Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people at Virginia Tech before turning the gun on himself. Previously, Cho was accused of stalking two female students; he was also diagnosed as mentally ill and ordered to seek treatment, although he never followed through with it. If Virginia Tech had screened Cho before admitting him into the college, they would have found that he had severe mental problems since he was three years old, which became progressively worse through middle school and high school.

Many colleges and universities now conduct background screenings on students entering healthcare professions, but fail to require it on all other students. Is safety more important for students in the healthcare field? If university officials recognize the importance of student background checks in one area of study, why do they not conduct screenings on all students? Is there another problem student who could be prevented from causing harm to others by knowing about his/her history?

Currently some colleges and universities regularly check students’ backgrounds, while others rely on students to be up front and honest on their application. However, students who are truthful and do disclose that they have a criminal history are most likely not going to be repeat offenders. Students who are not candid about their past are the ones that parents, fellow students, and university officials should worry about. This is why background screening is so important. Should criminals be admitted to college on the honor system? Should people trust criminals to tell them that they are criminals? The answer is obviously no. Colleges and universities must implement student background checks into the admissions process in order to promote campus safety and security and mybackgroundcheck.com is just the way!

It is impossible to apply one explanation to the multitude of violent attacks plaguing the nation’s high schools, universities, and even grade schools. But there are many Americans who feel that the time has come for a more proactive approach to assuring such attacks become a thing of the past. They argue that the most effective weapon against the unpredictable actions of certain individuals is to require every student, faculty member, and school employee be asked to submit a background check prior to being allowed on school property.

From the horrific 1998 killing spree in Columbine, Colorado, to the more recent mass murder of more than 30 students and faculty members at Virginia Tech, violence in Americas educational institutions has become almost commonplace in recent years. Even so, when news that two educators at Metropolitan Community College, Penn Valley Campus (MCC-Penn Valley) had been attacked by a distraught and enraged student carrying a knife, there were many who felt the entire incident could have been easily avoided by requiring students submit to a background check.

The incident at MCC-Penn Valley has only helped to lend more credence to this idea, despite the voices of opposition claiming such tactics would constitute an unconstitutional invasion of privacy and could well set a precedent that opens the door for unintended consequences.
Fortunately, neither of the men, Al Dimmett Jr. and Mark James, were killed in the attack. But the attack itself reminded the public once again that part of living in a free and open society means living with certain risks that are somewhat difficult to predict or prepare for.

Fellow students and faculty members at MCC-Penn Valley describe 22 year old Casey Brezik as “quiet” and “a loner”. Tattoos of the “anarchy symbol” on his arm, online social pages with posts describing violent thoughts and inner rage, and a generally unnerving demeanor, should have set off more than a few alarms among those Brezik had daily and weekly contact with.
But when Brezik burst into a computer lab that was one of the many scheduled stops during a state wide tour by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon as part of a new multi-million dollar initiative to expand access to the internet throughout Missouri, it was too late for pre-emptive action.

After using his knife to cut the throat of Dean of Instruction Al Dimmett, Brezik then cut MCC-Penn Valley Chancellor Mark James, as James attempted to subdue the assailant. Following emergency surgery on Tuesday, Dimmett was listed as being in “stable condition”. James was treated and later released.

Although the entire incident lasted only minutes, the warning signs were visible prior to being enrolled at MCC-Penn Valley.  Moreover, there are many who believe that a mandatory background screening report supplied with his application for enrollment, would have been enough to have kept Casey Brezik from being enrolled and therefore stopped this incident from ever taking place.

The use of background screening in many types of businesses and industries is fairly common these days. However, most colleges and universities currently don’t require them except for healthcare students.  It’s difficult to argue with the point that a simple and inexpensive background screening would’ve been enough to help MCC-Penn Valley admissions staff to understand the past history and therefore the propensity for future problems caused by this particular student.  Educators can learn more about no cost student screening solutions here.

Jackson County prosecutors today charged a student wearing a bullet-resistant vest with slashing the throat of a dean at the Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley just 20 minutes before Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon was scheduled to speak there.

Prosecutors charged Casey Brezik, of Raytown, with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts or armed criminal action in connection with the 9:35 a.m. attack on the second floor of the Humanities Building on the campus at 3210 Southwest Trafficway.
Al Dimmitt Jr., the campus dean of instruction, was taken to a hospital, where his injuries were not considered life-threatening.

MCC Chancellor Mark James suffered a nick to the chest during the attack, according to court records. James helped wrest the knife away from the attacker, witnesses said.

Kansas City police were investigating whether the attack was originally intended for Nixon because of the bullet-resistant vest and Brezik’s political views, including recent rants on his Facebook page.

About an hour before the stabbing, Brezik posted an update that said: “Pharaoh let my people go! We have but two options.” In earlier postings, he referred to himself as a radical and posted several updates challenging people to take a stand, including being willing to “lay your life on the line.”

He was also arrested in June for spitting on an officer during a protest at a G-20 summit, according to his Facebook page.

Nixon’s talk was planned for 10 a.m. It was canceled. Nixon had just arrived at the Wheeler Downtown Airport when the incident happened, a spokeswoman said.
Before the attack, the suspect had walked into a large room with multiple computer labs where the press conference was to be held “acting crazy,” one witness said. He briefly grabbed the microphone and said “Check, check, check” and “Can you hear me?” before leaving the area near the podium.

An administrative assistant at the college saw the suspect acting suspiciously, moving slowly around the computer room and playing with a butterfly knife in his left hand. Another witness said the suspect was pacing back and forth.

The assistant told Dimmitt that they should notify security. They believed the suspect overheard them and when Dimmitt left the room to call security, the suspect charged at him in a “full sprint,” police said.

The suspect caught up with Dimmitt in the hallway just outside the lab and stabbed him several times. The dean collapsed to the floor. Students and faculty rushed to his aid and applied pressure to the wound with some using paper towels. Faculty members fetched a first aid kit from a nearby room and used those supplies as well, witnesses said.

Other people in the hallway tackled the suspect and twisted his hand, forcing him to release the knife.

The suspect — dressed all in black — appeared to be under the influence of drugs, police said. Officers found marijuana in his front pocket.

Other students described him as having demonic tattoos and said he had written symbols on a wall poster before the incident began. Brezik reportedly has a tattoo on his hand of an “A” with a circle around it — an anarchist symbol.

Relatives referred to Brezik as an “anarchist” when they reported him missing to Raytown police last year.

Brezik’s Facebook page paints a portrait of an angry man. He had 26 friends and bragged in June about being the first person arrested at the G-20 Summit.

“Crossed the security fence. Ran from the cops. Was tackled. Spit on an officer. Was arrested, charged, and deported. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED,” he wrote.

Last week, Brezik posted a story about a small Florida church whose members planned to burn copies of the Quran. Then on Monday, Brezik wrote: “This is now a Holy war. Scriptures have been desecrated. War U can’t handle. Make a choice and quick.”

College officials were waiting to greet Nixon and witnessed the attack, authorities said. Police interviewed at least 15 witnesses.

Nixon had planned to discuss details of $57.6 million in funds awarded to expand high-speed broadband access in Missouri, including at seven community colleges. He is scheduled to talk more about the topic this afternoon in Springfield, Mo., and Camdenton, Mo.

A governor’s spokesman said they had “no comment” on whether the attack was aimed at Nixon.

Original Article can be found at: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/14/2222665/penn-valley-deans-throat-slashed.html
By CHRISTINE VENDEL and MARÁ ROSE WILLIAMS

College Campuses across the U.S. face the daily threat of violence from the wide variety of students, faculty, and staff that fill their campuses. College Campuses are taking every measure to combat this and keep their campuses safe. One way, is to have potential students screened for their background before they are accepted by the college. Educators can learn more about a Student Screening Program here.

The series, airing this fall, revolves around bad marriage stories told by people who thought they knew who they were married to until a surprise past surfaces, leaving them to wonder why they didn’t do a background check on the person before so readily saying “I do.”

In one case, an unsuspecting woman met her future husband in church of all places. Ana claims she met her Cuban Don Juan in church and believed his story about being a defector from the Cuban military. They dated for three years before finally tying the knot. Less than a year after their marriage, her husband disappeared during a trip to Key West. It was then that she found out by watching a television news show that her husband was actually a Cuban spy.

Other cases involve a woman who meets and marries Mr. Right only to find out years later that he is capable of robbing banks, and a woman who meets a man on the internet, marries him four months later, then finds out that he is not only fleecing her out of hundreds of thousands of dollars but also doing the same to other women he’s met on the internet. From secret spouses to criminal pasts to affairs lasting years, the stories told all come down to one thing, a betrayal of trust.

It is no wonder why this show is so popular with the 20-50 year age group. In today’s society, making a love connection involves huge leaps of faith, especially when so many are going online to meet people. We’ve all heard stories of friends who’ve met the men of their dreams online, handsome, good jobs, great family background, only to find out that when the two actually meet in person the man is nothing at all what he described himself to be or worse.

However, taking chances in today’s society isn’t really necessary when it is so easy and inexpensive to run a background check on someone before you invest yourself and your finances in a relationship that can turn out as badly as those on "Who the [BLEEP] Did I Marry."

While many online companies offer free background checks and name searches, oftentimes the information provided is minimal, outdated and of no real help. If you find yourself in a situation that has you wondering who the [bleep] am I planning to marry, the small amount you’ll pay for a quality online service such as www.MyBackgroundCheck.com to gain information for anything from multiple identities to criminal records will ultimately provide you the peace of mind needed to decide if you truly have met the person of your dreams. It’s better safe than sorry.

You want the best possible candidate. Not only do you want them to possess all the skills to fulfill your job requirements, but you want them to have a stellar background and be of good character. The cost of the hiring process, from recruiting, to hiring, training and terminating one employee can run around $10,000!

By not completing background checks, your company is left vulnerable to all types of potential loss, from negligent hire lawsuits, where someone in your company harms another person, to the possibility of internal loss of company revenue or even identity theft by breeches of employee or client information.

With the complexity of both state and federal laws, many companies are turning to professional background screening companies. It is quick, easy and efficient. By having a third party company, who will follow Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines, you are assuring yourself and the applicants that everyone applying for the position will be given the same set of questions and the same background checks.

It is not uncommon for a company to have an applicant cover the cost of a background check. There are reputable screening companies out there with “no cost” background screening solutions for small businesses. There is one in particular that offers an applicant some nice extras to go along with their background check. The company is my background check.com. They will set the applicant up with their own account, where they are able to monitor the information gathered on them. If there are discrepancies, they can use dispute resolution services to correct the problem. The applicant is able to monitor their information and see who is making inquiries on their account. They are also able to share this account information with others, for example, to lease an apartment, and apply for a loan or assistance in getting them into school. There is the added bonus of getting a free 90 day trial membership to identity fraud protection services. These reports are FCRA compliant and are on a secure network. Information cannot be altered by an applicant.

Most applicants don’t mind paying for their own background check because they know that a company, who is requiring one, wants to provide them with a safe, secure, stress free work environment in which to perform their job.

For anyone who isn't familiar, your credit report (including your credit score) is a major determining factor as to whether or not you end up getting a loan after you apply for one. Lenders can check your credit report to review your history, and if you have run into trouble that you have yet to repair, they will most likely deny you the loan. The simple fact is that many people have no idea what their credit report even looks like. There is no worse way to go into applying for a loan than this.

Fortunately, by utilizing a reputable consumer credit report service, you can obtain your report quickly and without hassle. Your credit report will show everything about your credit history, including all things to do with credit cards, student loans and other debt that you may have. If you have a clean history, your credit score will be high and you will be a far better candidate for a loan. On the other hand, a history of missed or skipped payments and too many inquiries for credit cards is a surefire way to disqualify you for a loan.

It should be noted that while there are many services who offer "free credit reports," more often than not these are too good to be true. Usually, these services make you pay for either a product or subscription in order to get your "free" report, and are generally considered to be scams by many consumers. While it might be tempting to try to utilize one of these services to obtain your credit report, it's best to stay clear of them at all times.

MyBackgroundCheck.com offers checks on your credit history, and allows you to continuously monitor your credit report, without any hassles or fine-print. For more information, visit http://www.mybackgroundcheck.com/CreditReports.aspx.