IRS seeks applicants for revenue officers

The Internal Revenue Service is now accepting applications for 300 Revenue Officer positions throughout the country. The agency is looking to bolster its compliance presence and is looking to fill positions locally in Laguna Niguel, Santa Ana, Long Beach, San Bernardino, San Marcos, Reno and Las Vegas.

Beginning salaries vary by location, experience, education and city but typically start at $35,752 to $39,367 per year. Qualified applicants must apply by June 21.

More information can be found online by visiting http://www.jobs.irs.gov/home.html. Application information, including all the details for the Revenue Officer position is available at www.usajobs.opm.gov.

The IRS is an equal opportunity employer.

Google raises antitrust concerns about Microsoft's Vista system

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Internet search leader Google Inc. is trying to convince federal and state authorities that Microsoft Corp.'s Vista operating system is stifling competition as the high-tech heavyweights wrestle for the allegiance of personal computer users.

In a 49-page document filed April 18 with the U.S. Justice Department and state attorneys general, Google alleged that the latest version of Microsoft's Windows operating system impairs the performance of "desktop search" programs that find data stored on a computer's hard drive.

The Vista operating system, which became widely available in January, includes a desktop search function that competes with a free program Google introduced in 2004. Several other companies also offer desktop search applications.

Besides bogging down competing programs, Google alleged Microsoft had made it too complicated to turn off the desktop search feature built into Vista.

With its allegations, Google hopes to show that Microsoft isn't complying with a 2002 settlement of an antitrust case that concluded the world's largest software maker had leveraged the Windows operating system to throttle competition.

The consent decree requires Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft to ensure its rivals can build products that run smoothly on Windows - something that Google says isn't happening.

In its own statement, Microsoft said it already has made more than a dozen changes to address regulators' concerns about Vista and pledged to address any other legitimate problems. "While we don't believe there are any compliance concerns with desktop search, we've also told officials we are committed to going the extra mile to resolve this issue," Microsoft spokesman Jack Evans said.

Qwest chairman to retire

DENVER (AP) - Richard Notebaert, who pulled a troubled Qwest Communications Inc. from the brink of bankruptcy amid a multibillion-dollar accounting scandal, announced plans Monday to retire as chairman and chief executive officer. Qwest shares fell 8 percent.

Notebaert, 59, said he will leave the Denver-based telecommunications company after the board of directors selects a replacement, although no timetable has been established. He is the third top-ranking executive to announce plans to leave Qwest this year.

Notebaert was tapped to head Qwest Communications International Inc., the main telephone service provider in 14 mostly Western states, after ex-CEO Joe Nacchio resigned in June 2002 amid the scandal that forced the company to restate at least $2.2 billion in revenue.