Latest News and Articles
No record kept of criminals convicted abroad
Hundreds of serious criminals convicted abroad - including killers and rapists - were left off the police national computer because their details were never passed on by the Home Office, MPs were told yesterday.
The extraordinary blunder means they may have been cleared to work with children and other vulnerable people or obtained jobs without their employers knowing of their background. As their details were not entered on to the computer they would not have shown up on checks carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau. .
Home in on a better lifestyle
For many people the idea of working from home is about as good as it gets. Not only does it offer a stress-free alternative to the horror of the daily commute, but it also allows you to dictate your own hours and gives you freedom from the tyranny of the office. Recent advances in technology mean that the dream has never been easier to attain. Faster broadband internet connections, smarter phones and sophisticated software and web services allow you to log in to your computer from anywhere in the world, work collaboratively with colleagues on projects over the web, and even retain a London-based phone number if you decide to emigrate to warmer climes.
.
Workers leave their green habits at home
Workers who turn off lights and computers and adopt other green practices at home often fail to do the same in the office because they are put off by their employers' lack of action, a report said today. Research among more than 1,000 employees found the workplace behaviour of many sat in sharp contrast to their environmental efforts at home.
While 94% said they switched off domestic lights whenever they weren't using them and 85% said they switched off their home computer after use, only 66% turned off lights in the workplace and only 53% shut down their computer at the end of the day.
.
In 'Balboa,' a legacy we can respect
Unless "Rocky VII" is Balboa boxing George Foreman in a retirement home or fighting Apollo Creed in heaven, "Rocky Balboa" will be the last we see of the Italian Stallion, and it really is a fitting goodbye. After the travesty of "V," Stallone heard the disenchanted masses wanting more and set to work on the film he knew he had to make. A metaphor for his own career, "Rocky Balboa" sets out to prove that both Stallone and Rocky have what it takes to go the distance and be the best, even after all these years.
We reunite with Rocky (Stallone) as an aging former champ who recently lost his wife, Adrian, to cancer. He barely talks to his workaholic son (Milo Ventimiglia, TV's "Heroes") and watches as the old neighborhood crumbles around him. In a world where professional boxing has become stale and routine, a computer simulation on SportsCenter predicts that in his prime Rocky would K.O.
Working From Home Adds Convenience But Poses Risks
ITASCA, Ill., Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether it's the shortened commute, a hectic work schedule or the desire to spend extra time with family, more Americans are choosing to work from home or telecommute. Adding to this trend is the popularity of laptop computers and PDAs, which allow Americans to work at any time from any location, especially the home.
In a national survey of nearly 500 full and part-time working adults(1), 45 percent of adults said they work from home one or more days per week and 73 percent said they have a home office or work area at home.
As more professionals opt to bring work home and maintain an office area within the home, two risks become prevalent: properly disposing of work- related documents and keeping a working area safe for kids and pets.
Blair defends Home Office staff
Tony Blair has defended the work of Home Office officials, saying they face "a range of incredibly difficult issues". Last week it was revealed that 27,500 files on Britons convicted of crimes overseas were ignored by Home Office staff.
The failure to enter the details onto the Police National Computer sparked a major political row.
And it was confirmed on Tuesday evening that a further nine offenders convicted of crimes abroad had applied to the Criminal Records Bureau for vetting. .
Home Office has known of foreign crimes scandal for three years
Home Office ministers knew as long as three years ago that UK offenders who committed crimes overseas were not being recorded on police computers, David Davis has revealed. Referring to a National Audit Office report published early in 2004, the Shadow Home Secretary accused the Government of "utter incompetence" - just as Tony Blair defended Home Secretary John Reid's handling of the current shambles, in which hundreds of Britons guilty of foreign crimes - including rape and murder - have had the opportunity to seek jobs involving children and the elderly without any official checks. Mr Davis protested: "It now emerges that Ministers knew there was a problem with the records of overseas convictions three years ago. This report clearly shows that the system was not working and that the Government knew that organisations that worked with youngsters including sports organisations were having problems.
Computer-TV connection pits hobbyists against pros
Give Tom Feeley a big-screen TV, surround-sound stereo and computer to link together and he's one happy fellow. But Roger Sumner wants nothing to do with it.
"It's like a hobby," said Feeley of Barrington, who buys wire in bulk and enjoys tinkering with electronics.
"My time's worth more than all the pain people go through," countered Sumner of Batavia, who is a technologist in communications.
There you have the great debate that's building as more people decide to combine their home entertainment systems with their computers: Who will make it work?
Major players are choosing different sides.
AT&T Inc. in November launched Homezone, which enables customers to move photos and music from their computers to TV/stereo systems, as well as converge high-speed Internet content with satellite TV.
