Match.com and Sex Offenders

So Match.com agrees to screen for sex offenders only after a lawsuit by screenwriter Carole Markin. WOW!  They claim “1 in 5 relationships begin online”.  If this is the case, why haven’t they been background screening?  Come on people, our sons and daughters are on these sites.  These companies should have been screening all along.  I know it’s not a traditional brick and mortar dating service, but they are facilitating the encounters, they need to be accountable.  Let’s think about this, if pedophiles go where the children are, i.e. schools, playgrounds, sports, etc.,  wouldn’t it make sense that adult sex offenders go where the “available victim” pool is?  These companies just made it very easy for these individuals to find their prey.  I’m sure if we had true and accurate numbers of how many people have been assaulted by someone they made a date with on one of these online dating site we would be appalled. 

The same issues arise with our kids.  How many organizations that we trust to look after them do a good job screening?   Doing a background check tells us about previous history, but what about future behavior?  Organizations in the know use a screen that shows the level of risk adults pose sexually to our kids.  It looks at boundaries.  One study showed that 16% of volunteers  at a youth organization should not be near our kids.  It showed that 4% admitted prior inappropriate relationships. 

 Ok, so maybe we are to blame for the level of morals portrayed in society today.  We as parents don’t do enough to speak out against these moral atrocities and create effective change with the ever changing available technology.  Too many prime time shows have too much sexual content today.  What happened to the shows like Family Ties, Growing Pains, The Brady Bunch, etc.  We as parents and grandparents need to request, if not require an immediate about-face in the way we and the companies we do business with conduct our everyday lives.

You can find out more about a thorough background screening including the boundary screen at  http://www.singlesourceservices.com/

Debt Crisis or Washington Crisis, the NFL Can Get It Done!

So let's keep score here...

NFL                                                          Washington

32 Teams                                                 50 States

2 Conferences (AFC/NFC)                    2 Chambers (House/Senate)

34 Owners                                                1 President

1696 Players                                            535 Members (Senators 100/Reps 435)

$9 Billion                                                  $2.4 Trillion

Wow, just by looking at the numbers, it looks like clearly the more difficult compromise will come from the NFL, although the cost is much higher at the Washington side.

What is happening in the NFL

The players (NFLPA) allege that the NFL conspired to deny player's ability to market their services in what is a $9 billion business.  They contend the NFL has a long history of NFL antitrust violations, citing at that time, the potential lockout, rookie salary limitations and the franchise and transition player designations.  Teams use the franchise tag to keep key free agents off the open market.  Four of the named plaintiffs, Manning, Jackson, Leber and Mankins are free agents, all tagged as a franchise player by their respective teams.  The NFLPA invoked the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 and the related Reggie White led class action suit that guided toward the 1993 settlement opening doors to free agency.

Outcome:  Owners approved the NFLPA's proposal for a new collective bargaining agreement at their meeting Thursday in Atlanta by a vote of 31-0 (with the Oakland Raiders abstaining).  This led to the committee meeting in Washington, D.C. over the weekend by the NFLPA to hash out their end of the deal.  The 10-year deal, (with no opt-out, as was in the old contract, and exercised by the owners in 2008 leading to the lock out on March 11, 2011 when the contract expired) included how the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues will be divided (53 percent to owners, 47 percent to players) also included a per-club cap of about $120 million for salary and bonuses for 2011 and at least that in 2012 and 2013, plus about $22 million in benefits, a salary system to rein in spending on first round draft picks, and unrestricted free agency for most players after four seasons.

What is happening in Washington

The President alleges that we need to raise our debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion or more and the Congress alleges that we need to reduce spending.  As of June 29, 2011 the total public outstanding debt for the United States was $14.46 trillion dollars (98.6% of the 2010 GDP of $14.66 trillion). In fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010 the debt was increased by $1 trillion, $1.9 trillion and $1.7 trillion respectively.  Contrary to what the politicians are telling us, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac obligations, guaranteed obligations relating to mutual funds, banks, and corporations under TARP, and unfunded obligations such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are all EXCLUDED from the national debt computation, thereby making the actual total obligations to nearly $62 trillion dollars! Raising the debt ceiling is like asking yor credit card company (Chase, Citibank, Capital One) to raise your credit limit so that you can spend (really borrow someone else's capital) more money than what you have or earn.  Do we have a spending problem or a debt limit problem?

Outcome: None, thus far, but let's face it folks, the United States as a country is NOT going to default on its debts, everyone will get paid.  How do we know this... well they always do.  Along with all the billions of dollars in aid we provide to many other not so fortunate countries and peoples.  This is a completely artificial crisis and the government needs to quit grand standing, solve the problem and get to work on JOBS and the ECONOMY! 

At the end of the day, it seems a group with many more parties and individuals can get more done, than the business as usual bunch in Washington, D.C. Ok, I'm done with my tirade for the day!

America - Mediocre or Exceptional?

I guess the country is content where we are… mediocre, depressed, indebted, underwhelming, and just downright miserable!  With the exception of a group called the Tea Party, American’s don’t seem to be too concerned with finding answers to our problems.  We can’t just sit back and let the career politicians solve the problems for us, they clearly don’t have any answers!  This country was founded on “We the People”.

Now what does that mean?  We the People means that we don’t just sit on our laurels and wait for those in Washington to get their collective heads out of the sand and make a decision that is good for the country and not just good for their career and popularity.  It took many great and concerned citizens to create the wonderful, prosperous and ingenious country we call the United States of America, NOT a bunch of politicians.  They are simply the avenue we as citizens control to create our end destination. 

This country would not be what it is today without citizens like: Captain John Smith (an early advocate of “tough love” and my favorite), Anne Hutchinson, Roger Williams, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, Dred Scott, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Thomas Paine, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and so many others I just cannot possibly name them all.  All of these individuals had two things in common: they were all citizens NOT politicians and they all created a better society for our citizens instead of just waiting for it to happen.  How did they “create” a better society you ask?  Well, they created enough inspiration, collaboration and ingenuity to force our “politicians” hands and create the end destination they desired and we as a country desperately needed. 

Wake up America!  Don’t just rest while we allow the politicians to slowly destroy the country we love and value and that so many have given their lives to protect!  American's are not content to be just mediocre, we have always aimed at being exceptional!  We teach our children to always strive for their best.  We tell them never to "just settle".  We also teach them that actions speak louder than words.  Well now is the time to put up or shut up America!

For more history facts please visit www.ushistory.org or the Heritage Foundation at www.heritage.org .

FL Gov. Scott Vetoes Bill That Would Weaken Background Screening

Florida Governor Rick Scott vetoed a bill on Thursday that would have allowed some volunteers with in-home social service groups to avoid background screenings.  The bill, SB1992, passed unaminously by the Florida Legislature, would have waived background checks for mental health personnel who had less than 15 hours per week of direct, face-to-face contact with patients, along with nursing assistants and "law enforcement officers who have a good moral character."  Gov. Scott contends that the negative aspects outweigh the positives on this bill.  "Volunteers who work with social service organizations to provide state-funded services can have unresticted access to seniors, children, and persons with disabilities.  I am vetoing SB1992 because it will allow certain volunteers to work directly with vulnerable Floridians without first submitting to a background screening.  That is a risk that is not worth taking."

Background screening is critical in any work or volunteer environment.  Anyone working with vulnerable people must be screened – ask the daughter of the parent battered by the care giver, or the mother of the child molested by the Sunday School Teacher. Whether they are working or volunteering for 40 hours or 4 hours it makes no difference.  Those with the intent to do harm, need only a few minutes to cause irreparable damage to our most vulnerable citizens!  FAILING TO BACKGROUND SCREEN INVITES ALL THE WRONG VOLUNTEERS OR WORKERS! 

If we exempt these people they will just volunteer for less hours to get their evil way.  Our duty is to protect the innocents – NOT the perverts.  Hats off Governor Scott!    How can AARP abandon their people like this?

For more information on conducting affordable background screening in your work or volunteer environment, contact a proven background screening company at  www.SingleSourceServices.com or www.hr4nonprofitorgs.com if you are a church or non-profit organization.