3 Most Dangerous Myths About Searching for Public Records Online May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedLots of people would have us believe that conducting a reasonably comprehensive or especially free people search is a piece of cake. However, that would only be one of the three most dangerous myths about online public records floating around today. To begin with, (1) the availability of online public records is not as widespread as one might think. According to our research:
- Only 35% of public records can be found online;
- Nearly all/ every “free” government public record website contains no personal identifiers, i.e., for privacy purposes, they provide summarized information rather than information about specific individuals.
The federal, state, and local agencies that maintain public records systems make substantial efforts to limit the disclosure of Social Security numbers, phone numbers, and addresses. Some even go so far as to limit the use of the dates of birth. The Social Security number is no longer the “key search tool identifier” it was in the 1980s and early 1990s. Websites with open record searching available to the public generally require only a name, unless a specific case file or docket number or registration number, et cetera, can be substituted.
(2) Government agencies that offer online access on a fee or subscription basis generally disclose partial personal identifiers. Nowadays, very few give Social Security numbers, and those that do often cloak or mask the first five digits. Some cloak the month and date of birth, and only reveal the year of birth. For example, most U.S. District Court and bankruptcy court online systems reveal no personal identifiers on their search results, thus making a reliable “name search” nearly impossible (I’ve tried).
We point this out because the lack of identifiers presents a real problem for employers or financial institutions who, at the same time, are legally required to exert a certain amount of “due diligence” in the process of making certain decisions. The existence of any possible adverse information may have to be double-checked by a hands-on search to ensure the proper match of a given subject to a given adverse record.
Also, we noticed that many governmental websites offering online record access tend to include a warning or disclosure stating that their information could have mis-spellings and/ or should be used for “informational purposes only.” For this reason, such sites should be considered as supplemental or secondary sources only. Again, to protect individuals’ privacy, they may provide summarized information rather than information about specific individuals.
The upshot of which is simply that . . . (3) A criminal record search from such a source usually does not, in and of itself, comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act regulations involving preemployment screening . . . see video below:
In the meantime, you can find a dozen or so lists of public and private record information companies on this website:
- Address and Telephone Numbers; other lists (provided on that same page) include information on the following topics:
- Aviation
- Bankruptcy
- Corporate/ Trade Name Data
- Credit Information
- Convicted Criminal Information
- Driver and/ or Vehicle
- Education/ Employment
- Environmental
- Foreign Country Information
- Genealogical Information
- Licenses/ Registrations/ Permits
- Litigation/ Judgments/ Tax Liens
- Military Service
- Patents
- Real Estate/ Assessors
Sometimes, the only way to conduct a reasonably certain background check online is from a reputable private vendor. A reputable online vendor may provide access to many records that might not be otherwise found online via Government online sources.
Coping With Workplace Stress May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedStress, no matter where it comes from, is an ever-present reality. There is no getting away from most of it, so just how can you learn to cope with stress?
Susan Owen-Thursfield has a great blog which deals with stress, stress reduction tips and personal development which are all useful when you are starting out online. Here are a few stress busting tips which she gives to help you reduce your stress levels.
Stress is all about perception. So firstly determine whether the cause of your stress is something you can “decide” not to stress about. Can you let go of it? For example, if you have a lot to do, can you delegate it? Often times, we think that we’re the only one that can do a certain thing when in reality once we let go, everyone is happier.
Another thing you can do is learn to say “good enough is good enough.” If you’re a perfectionist striving for the ultimate all encompassing report, remember “good enough” is always “good enough”. So, lighten up on yourself.
Don’t get bogged down in tiny irritations. Make sure you communicate effectively and in a timely fashion with your co-workers. That way, problems can be dealt with as they crop up and not just when they become insurmountable.
And learn when to walk away. You can effectively deal with workplace stress by taking a mini vacation. The whole world will not fall apart if you just take the time to relax.
Delegate work when you can. And then take time to find something relaxing to do on your down time. All of this will go a long way toward coping with stress in your life.
Dog Heart Murmur Symptoms May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedWhen a dog has a heart murmur, what this indicates is that there is abnormal blood flow within the dog’s heart. This can be caused by a change in the heart valves and their function, or a number of other potential causes. Dog heart murmur symptoms may be caused by an abnormal communication between the left side and the right side of the heart. There are a number of things that may cause this, as they may be congenital or present from birth, or acquired which means the heart was affected after birth because of age or disease. There are two types of heart murmurs in dogs, benign murmurs which do not concern the health of the dog, and much more serious heart murmurs which may indicate the development of congestive heart failure in dogs.
Dog heart murmur symptoms often include coughing, poor exercise ability, bluish tinge to the gums or tongue, labored breathing and even fainting. While some of these symptoms can be linked to other health issues, and the symptoms are the same between benign heart murmurs and the more severe forms, you should consult a veterinarian any time you have a concern about your dog’s health. Some of these symptoms can be easily missed, including poor exercise ability and even a bluish tinge to the gums. If you have any suspicion that your dog may be suffering from issues relating to a heart murmur, canine heart disease or the development of congestive heart failure, contact your vet immediately for an official diagnosis.
These are symptoms that indicate that something serious is going on with your dog’s health. The best way to identify the source and severity of the dog’s heart murmur is to conduct a thorough physical examination by a veterinarian, however sometimes additional testing is needed including a heart ultrasound, blood testing, an EKG and chest x-rays. The ultrasound offers a particularly enticing list of benefits because it allows your veterinarian to measure the extent of the murmur, defining whatever the cause of the underlying heart disease may be. It is vital that you be able to properly diagnose the cause of your dog’s heart condition because some conditions that cause heart murmurs are treatable, either through surgery or through medication.
If your dog has a congenital heart murmur, surgery may be a viable solution to eliminate the problems it creates. On the other hand, specific types of medication may be necessary because non congenital heart murmurs are often an underlying symptom of congestive heart failure in dogs. You cannot be sure about which treatment is going to be the right path to proceed with until you have consulted the right veterinarian and received advice regarding the health of your dog. You should never leave symptoms like these to chance, because not every heart murmur is benign, and serious changes could be occurring in your dog’s heart.
It is important to share any questions or concerns that you have with your veterinarian, especially when it comes to your dog’s lifestyle and physical condition. If you do not feel comfortable with a diagnosis from your general veterinarian, consider seeking out an opinion from a veterinary cardiologist or internist, as these specialized veterinarians have special training and expertise in these and similar problems.
Dressing for the chilly elements to manage our heating bills May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedYou need to confirm that when the climes is colder outside you have to be ready for it and so we see people making use of bristol central heating. You need to be sure that you are dressing for the climes and keeping yourself comfortable so that you are able to cut your heating bills as well. No one wants to pay those high heating bills each year and there is no reason why you should have to. Dressing for the cold weather is going to help you, keep you are heating costs down. When you are wearing layers and keeping your body heat in you will observe that you do not have to turn up the thermostat as much. You will understand that you will have less need for the heat because you are dressing to keep warm.
Having layers on is one way to keep your body warmer and help with the less warm climate but using quality electric heaters is better. You will find that if you put on a few layers at a time you will observe that you keep the heat in so that you are not feeling cold. You should know that thermal underwear is a great choice for when the climes is cold. You will consider that you see the difference with this type of clothing. It is amazing when you are freezing because the thermal underwear is going to help keep you more comfortable. Think about wearing heavier socks when the climate is colder outside. You will want to confirm that you have the heaviest socks possible. You need to keep your feet warm so that you are better able to keep your body heat in. You need to be sure that you are keeping the draft off your body so that you are not feeling colder and your body does not want to be warmer. Keeping the layers on is going to be a great way to feel more comfortable and keep your heating costs down low.
The less you pay in heating costs each winter means that you will be able to use the money for something else that you want to so it is worth paying attention to your heating radiators needs. It is a going to be a great feeling knowing that you are able to use your money for something that you want instead of filling up your heating tank. It is going to take some thinking but you need to figure out what is going to be comfortable for you and also keep you warmer in the less warm weather. Think about how warm you want to be in the winter months. Realize that you can keep your body as warm as you want with the right type of clothing. There are plenty of different fibers out there that will help you stay warm and all you have to do it look for them. Figure out what you like the most and then use it throughout the winter to keep your heating costs lower.