tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10827891848649731822024-02-18T18:40:29.615-07:00Home Security and Personal ProtectionHome Security and Personal Protection tips, tactics, techniques and procedures to make you, your family, your home, your identity and personal property safer.Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-47588433723076028822017-05-23T01:00:00.000-06:002017-05-23T01:00:01.026-06:00Ransomware- How to Protect Yourself<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.75pt; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">NCCIC has received
multiple reports of WannaCry ransomware infections worldwide. Ransomware is a
type of malicious software that infects and restricts access to a computer
until a ransom is paid. Although there are other methods of delivery,
ransomware is frequently delivered through phishing emails and exploits
unpatched vulnerabilities in software.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Phishing emails are
crafted to appear as though they have been sent from a legitimate organization
or known individual. These emails often entice users to click on a link or open
an attachment containing malicious code. After the code is run, your computer
may become infected with malware.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">A commitment to cyber
hygiene and best practices is critical to protecting organizations and users
from cyber threats, including malware.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">In advice specific to the
recent WannaCry ransomware threat, users should:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Be careful when clicking directly on links
in emails, even if the sender appears to be known; attempt to verify web
addresses independently (e.g., contact your organization's helpdesk or search
the Internet for the main website of the organization or topic mentioned in the
email).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Exercise caution when opening email
attachments. Be particularly wary of compressed or ZIP file attachments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Follow best practices for Server Message
Block (SMB) and update to the latest version immediately. (See US-CERT’s </span><a href="https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2017/03/16/Microsoft-SMBv1-Vulnerability"><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">SMBv1 Current Activity</span></span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> for more information.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">For general best
practices on patching and phishing, users should:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ensure that your applications and operating
system has been patched with the latest updates. Vulnerable applications and
operating systems are the target of most attacks. (See </span><a href="https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-006"><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">Understanding Patches</span></span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls,
visits, or email messages from individuals asking about employees or other
internal information. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate
organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Avoid providing personal information or
information about your organization, including its structure or networks,
unless you are certain of a person's authority to have the information.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Avoid revealing personal or financial
information in email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this
information. This includes following links sent in email.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Be cautious about sending sensitive
information over the Internet before checking a website's security. (See </span><a href="https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-013"><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">Protecting Your Privacy</span></span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Pay attention to the URL of a website.
Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use
a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.75pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you are unsure whether an email request
is legitimate, try to verify it by contacting the company directly. Do not use
contact information provided on a website connected to the request; instead,
check previous statements for contact information. Information about known phishing
attacks is also available online from anti-phishing groups such as the </span><a href="http://www.antiphishing.org/"><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">APWG</span></span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-left: 33.75pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Install and maintain anti-virus software,
firewalls, and email filters to reduce some of this traffic. (See </span><a href="https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-004"><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">Understanding Firewalls</span></span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-005"><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">Understanding Anti-Virus</span><span style="color: #eeeeee;"> </span><span style="color: blue;">Software</span></span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, and </span><a href="https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-007"><span lang="EN" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">Reducing Spam</span></span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> for additional information.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-60260902675315117252017-05-17T14:16:00.000-06:002017-05-17T14:16:29.301-06:00Security Tip- Typical SCAM and How to Avoid It<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks Original release date: October 22, 2009 | Last revised: October 01, 2016 </span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do not give sensitive information to anyone unless you are sure that they are indeed who they claim to be and that they should have access to the information. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The below screen shots was a recent attempt to steal/hack unsuspecting users with USAA accounts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_aGIUU5hdScIGwsUiLGuLii_MW7SDEVdgOBJV7YVH36FpPWUtUQcMdmus50c4Yktl30IYFPVOJvfLq2wBMoeQAUsSmGXyUSCN51bat2PN4qP598kqgH0jzPnhl82TX5zOAHvYwmIkpA/s1600/usaa+scam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_aGIUU5hdScIGwsUiLGuLii_MW7SDEVdgOBJV7YVH36FpPWUtUQcMdmus50c4Yktl30IYFPVOJvfLq2wBMoeQAUsSmGXyUSCN51bat2PN4qP598kqgH0jzPnhl82TX5zOAHvYwmIkpA/s400/usaa+scam.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>This was the ad sent out. Below was the site involved.</b></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>------------------------------------------</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpiKv0PaEyE9sBWQWuV_tYhMyyS7jX8znwI7lh9WocYFErfQ5OxDB7-VPFPqCQtRk21tmOLRUYMSEo2iVt_W8ChJ4K6KHwBEBNOGR2yFLF6dDFA9pSmmlQ70E_ejqeKFmTHr5MpR8SBs/s1600/Suspect+URL.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="71" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpiKv0PaEyE9sBWQWuV_tYhMyyS7jX8znwI7lh9WocYFErfQ5OxDB7-VPFPqCQtRk21tmOLRUYMSEo2iVt_W8ChJ4K6KHwBEBNOGR2yFLF6dDFA9pSmmlQ70E_ejqeKFmTHr5MpR8SBs/s400/Suspect+URL.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>--------------------------------------------</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What is a social engineering attack?</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a social engineering attack, an attacker uses human interaction (social skills) to obtain or compromise information about an organization or its computer systems. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An attacker may seem unassuming and respectable, possibly claiming to be a new employee, repair person, or researcher and even offering credentials to support that identity. However, by asking questions, he or she may be able to piece together enough information to infiltrate an organization's network. If an attacker is not able to gather enough information from one source, he or she may contact another source within the same organization and rely on the information from the first source to add to his or her credibility. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What is a phishing attack?</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Phishing is a form of social engineering. Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites to solicit personal information by posing as a trustworthy organization. For example, an attacker may send email seemingly from a reputable credit card company or financial institution that requests account information, often suggesting that there is a problem. When users respond with the requested information, attackers can use it to gain access to the accounts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Phishing attacks may also appear to come from other types of organizations, such as charities.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Attackers often take advantage of current events and certain times of the year, such as </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li>natural disasters (e.g., Hurricane Katrina, Indonesian tsunami)</li>
<li>epidemics and health scares (e.g., H1N1) </li>
<li>economic concerns (e.g., IRS scams) </li>
<li>major political elections </li>
<li>holidays </li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How do you avoid being a victim?</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, visits, or email messages from individuals asking about employees or other internal information. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company. </li>
<li>Do not provide personal information or information about your organization, including its structure or networks, unless you are certain of a person's authority to have the information. </li>
<li>Do not reveal personal or financial information in email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information. This includes following links sent in email. </li>
<li>Don't send sensitive information over the Internet before checking a website's security (see Protecting Your Privacy for more information). </li>
<li>Pay attention to the URL of a website. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net). </li>
<li>If you are unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it by contacting the company directly. </li>
<li>Do not use contact information provided on a website connected to the request; instead, check previous statements for contact information.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Information about known phishing attacks is also available online from groups such as the Anti-Phishing Working Group (http://www.antiphishing.org). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Install and maintain anti-virus software, firewalls, and email filters to reduce some of this traffic (see Understanding Firewalls, Understanding Anti-Virus Software, and Reducing Spam for more information). </li>
<li>Take advantage of any anti-phishing features offered by your email client and web browser. What do you do if you think you are a victim? </li>
<li>If you believe you might have revealed sensitive information about your organization, report it to the appropriate people within the organization, including network administrators. They can be alert for any suspicious or unusual activity. </li>
<li>If you believe your financial accounts may be compromised, contact your financial institution immediately and close any accounts that may have been compromised. Watch for any explainable charges to your account. </li>
<li>Immediately change any passwords you might have revealed. If you used the same password for multiple resources, make sure to change it for each account, and do not use that password in the future. </li>
<li>Watch for other signs of identity theft (see Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft for more information). </li>
<li>Consider reporting the attack to the police, and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (https://www.ftc.gov/). Author Mindi McDowell </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[Source: https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-014] </span>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-46669867877355525012017-03-08T10:45:00.000-07:002017-03-08T10:45:13.397-07:00Imposters Top The List Of Fraud Complaints<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwQbMKMvlIhGF9iFdh_f0t_-7Izx8HWPR_1QI1FSLlP3WSrSuVDWaw71qhukXXyY94WT9sEsGjcQ2-fKJBw2aU3P1G3dO68O9uMMpzO3sCJ1SnM9h4Zj1bcNNh_Pll02oG-o_7fT4ZDY/s1600/scam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwQbMKMvlIhGF9iFdh_f0t_-7Izx8HWPR_1QI1FSLlP3WSrSuVDWaw71qhukXXyY94WT9sEsGjcQ2-fKJBw2aU3P1G3dO68O9uMMpzO3sCJ1SnM9h4Zj1bcNNh_Pll02oG-o_7fT4ZDY/s320/scam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A short time ago, ID theft was the biggest scam out there. No longer.<br /><br />According to experts, the newest and biggest form of fraud are impostors.<br /><br />People claiming to be IRS agents or tech support agents or with the billing department of your power company. They’re trying to soak you for cash and sometimes, it works.<br /><br />The Federal Trade Commission tallies up the frequency and type of consumer complaints received each year and in 2016, there were more then 3 million complaints of impostors. The top gripe is still debt collection at 28 percent of all complaints, CBS News reports, but most of those complaints involve aggressive collection practices and not fraud.<br /><br />In the fraud department, impostors lead the list for the first time since the feds started keeping records in 1997. Not all consumers report all their losses – understandable embarrassment – but of those who do, they total $744.5 million or a whipping $1,124 per person.<br /><br />“We are very troubled by the impostor scams both because of the growth and because the many involve [crooks] using the names of government agencies to get money out of people,” said Monica Vaca, acting associate director in the Division of Consumer Response and Operations at the Federal Trade Commission.<br /><br />The FTC said it’s trying to hunt down these criminals through law enforcement and to educate consumers about the warning signs to prevent victims from losing more money.<br /><br />So here are some of the biggest scams and how to spot them:<br /><br />IRS Scams:<br /><br />Agents call you or email you or even text message you and tell you that you owe money. They threaten legal action and tell you to send payment by money order or cashier’s check or prepaid debit card. This is a scam for one reason: The IRS will always first contact you by mail and they never insist on payments by cashiers checks or credit card payments. They also never threaten you with arrest or jail time if you don’t pay immediately.<br /><br />Tech Support Scams:<br /><br />This is where you receive a call from someone who claims to be a Microsoft or Apple tech support agent who has detected a problem with your computer. They urge you to visit a site or do something with your computer to give them control over your computer and “fix” whatever is wrong.<br /><br />Or you get a popup window on your screen telling you your computer isn’t secure and you must download software immediately off of the internet.<br /><br />These are total scams. Real tech support departments don’t call you out of the blue, nor can they detect problems you haven’t reported. And while you may need security software, you don’t get it from a popup ad. Most computers less than five years old have security software that just needs to be regularly updated.<br /><br />Grand-kid Scams:<br /><br />With 37 percent of fraud victims 60 or older, senior citizens are a ripe target for fraudsters. One common tactic is the phone call from someone who claims to be a grandchild and that they’re in trouble and need cash wired to them or someone ASAP. Never take this at face value unless you’re 100 percent sure it’s a relative. A quick call back to the grandchild or another family member could clear this up.<br /><br />Online Romance Scams:<br /><br />If you’ve ever signed up for a dating site, you’re a prime target for this scam. The other person claims to be the person of your dreams and tries to strike up a romance. They tell you they would love to meet you in person, but are stuck somewhere for some reason that can only be solved with some quick cash. Of course, when they get the cash, they’ll always want more.<br /><br />You can tell this is a scam when someone you’ve never met claims to fall madly in love with you.<br /><br />Outside of romance scams, which are initiated and often pursued completely online, some 77 percent of impostors approach their victims via phone, federal officials say. One way to thwart these attempts is to let unknown callers go to your answering machine. Con artists rarely leave a message. You can also use services like Nomorobo or Hiya to block so-called robo-calls — machine-dialed calls that crooks typically use.<br /><br />Additionally, the type of payment you’re asked to provide can also serve as a warning. Government officials said 58 percent of victims said they paid via wire transfer in 2016. Prepaid debit cards are also popular with scammers because these payments are untraceable and impossible to reverse. If you paid a crook by credit card, on the other hand, you can dispute the charge and likely get your money back.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[source: <time class="entry-time" datetime="2017-03-08T08:13:36+00:00" itemprop="datePublished" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; display: inline-block; font-size: 14.4px;">March 8, 2017</time><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.4px;"> By </span><span class="entry-author" itemprop="author" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 14.4px;"><span class="entry-author-name" itemprop="name" style="background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out;"><a class="entry-author-link" href="http://thefederalistpapers.org/author/rgehl" itemprop="url" rel="author" style="background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out;">Robert Gehl</a>]</span></span></span><div class="otw-sidebar otw-sidebar-5 otw-row" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%;">
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-35987259060452301322016-11-24T13:02:00.000-07:002016-11-24T13:02:55.963-07:00Trapped In A Demonstrations?<i><br /></i>
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<i>[by Michael Wisdom, Senior Contributing Editor, Texas & U.S. Law Shield]</i><br />
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We’ve all seen the news reports of the mob scenes and riots across the country following recent police shootings and now the election. We feel that it is important that you understand your rights should you find yourself unintentionally caught up in such a situation where an angry mob blocks the roadway.<br />
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As a real-life example, we received a call to the emergency hotline from a member who was traveling and found himself and his family confronted by angry rioters in a major city out west. With the threatening mob descending upon his vehicle, the member turned around to make a hasty exit. However, as he was trying to get his family out of harm’s way, one screaming rioter charged toward the member’s car and was struck, landing on the hood before rolling off. Fortunately, the member and his family safely escaped the melee. <br />
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To figure out if the member’s act of running into a rioter was legal, we turned to Texas & U.S. Law Shield Independent Program Attorney Michele Byington with the question: Are you justified in hitting or “running over” someone in this scenario?<br />
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“The answer? It depends!” Byington said. “Don’t you hate that answer?”<br />
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Let’s look at whether an act of running down a rioter would be lawful as a justified act of self-defense. <br />
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To begin the analysis, she said we treat this situation just as we would any other use of deadly force in self-defense. Let’s start with some general concepts, and then analyze how the specifics of the law will apply in these scenarios. The concepts to focus on are imminence, reasonableness, and not being the aggressor. <br />
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<b><u>Imminence</u></b>. Prosecutors love to attack the imminence prong. Does a group of people blocking a roadway pose an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to you inside of the vehicle? Blocking a roadway, normally, cannot cause death or serious bodily injury to those inside the vehicle, much less pose an imminent or immediate threat. As a result, using a vehicle to “run them down,” or even to physically push them aside, is unlikely to be justified. However, if there is additional threatening conduct such as the protestors attempting to enter the vehicle, or say, charging toward you with a baseball bat, that is a completely different scenario. If you are placed in reasonable fear of imminent deadly force, you would be legally entitled to use deadly force in self-defense, including the use of your vehicle to neutralize the unlawful deadly force threat. <br />
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<b><u>Reasonableness</u></b>. What would be required to generate a reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily injury? The key here is that it doesn’t matter what your personal beliefs are if a jury would not believe that your fear was reasonable under the circumstances. There are extremes where your conduct will almost always be viewed as reasonable, such as attempts to set your car on fire or flip it over. On the other hand, under many circumstances, it will be extremely difficult to convince a jury that you acted reasonably if you use deadly force against protestors. One example would be injuring or attempting to injure a group of peaceful protestors who are merely blocking a roadway. If the protestors attempt, or reasonably appear to attempt, to forcibly enter blockaded vehicles, you will gain a presumption of reasonableness under the laws of many, but not all, states. You will also have a much better argument that you had reasonable grounds to fear an imminent attack with deadly force. Such conduct could include the smashing of windows or attempts to open doors. Also, you do not necessarily need to wait until the protestors have turned violent against your vehicle if you see it happening to someone else. Remember, you must have a reasonable belief from what you are seeing and hearing around you and not merely speculating about what might occur.” <br />
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Byington also noted, “Keep in mind, here in Texas, you may also use deadly force to protect a third party as long as you would be justified in using deadly force to protect yourself in that same situation.<br />
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If you intend to use your vehicle against a rioter, it will almost always constitute the use of deadly force – that is, force capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. Deadly force can be used in self-defense to the extent the force with which you are threatened also constitutes deadly force. In other words, deadly force can be met with deadly force, she said. If you are faced with anything less than deadly force, you will face an uphill battle in arguing that your actions were reasonable. To make matters worse, if you respond to a threat that is non-deadly in nature with unlawful deadly force, it would allow the other person to lawfully respond in kind with deadly force against you.<br />
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<b><u>Not the Aggressor</u></b>. Is the person seeking justification for the use of deadly force in self-defense a victim, or is he the aggressor? State laws may vary, but generally, the defense of justification is not available to the individual who starts the fight and does not stop to convey to the other person their intention to stop the aggression.<br />
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So, how might this apply in a protest or riot situation? Byington noted, “Say you are stuck for an hour in the middle of a protest and decide to ‘nudge’ one of these folks with your vehicle so that you can get out of the traffic snarl. If the otherwise peaceful protestor then becomes violent, and you use deadly force to protect yourself, a prosecutor, judge, or jury could easily argue that you were the initial aggressor. You may lose a number of legal protections, and on top of that, appear like the aggressor during the investigation or trial.<br />
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Suppose you yell out “Sorry! Didn’t mean to bump you, it won’t happen again!” If the other person continues the assault after having been informed of your intention to stop, at that point you may regain the right of self-defense, although the protestor will almost certainly argue that he/she could not hear you due to the noise of the protest.<br />
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<b>A Few Practical Tips</b>:<br />
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So, what should you do if you come across such a mob?<br />
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<b><u>STOP</u></b>. Don’t go any farther. Do whatever is necessary to change direction and get out of the area. If you are alert, hopefully you will see these masses of people far enough in advance so that you can completely avoid the situation, long before being surrounded.<br />
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Remember, you can’t legally run people over just because they are in the road. You may think the safest action to take in a situation like this is to keep moving, which may result in hitting people with your car to get them out of the way. That isn’t legal! It could easily be considered an aggravated assault, or worse! Even if people are illegally blocking the road, you will go to jail. It is that simple. Avoidance is key.<br />
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However, once the rioters attack you or attempt to enter the vehicle, the game changes, and your legal justification kicks in. With your vehicle surrounded so that you can’t escape and attackers trying to burn your car, flip it over, or attempt to drag you out of it, it is reasonable to assume that you will suffer imminent serious bodily injury or death. It is at this point you may use deadly force. In this moment of adrenaline and pure fear, you must keep your common sense. Do not get out and try to shoot your way out of the mob! You will quickly be overtaken and perhaps have your gun stripped from you. Instead, use your vehicle to get out of that situation by driving away from the surrounding rioters.<br />
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An additional point to remember is, should your vehicle come under attack, roll your windows down about half an inch. Experts say it is harder to break a window that is partly down than one that is fully closed. Turn off your ventilation system so you do not draw in any outside air in the event there is tear gas or smoke present. Further, if surrounded and moving slowly, you may want to take off your seat belt to allow a quick exit from the vehicle should it be overturned or set on fire.<br />
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“Once again, it is evident that your best course of action is to avoid these, often, pre-planned demonstrations altogether and drive away quickly should you come upon one,” she said.<br />
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The law is different in every state. For example, Texas has the “Castle Doctrine,” which gives a person the presumption of reasonableness if he or she uses deadly force against a person attempting to enter or entering their vehicle. Byington said, “It is a HUGE legal tool. Unfortunately, other states may not expand their Castle Doctrine to the vehicle [New Jersey]. With that in mind, I hope everyone can stay safe – and also stay legal! – if you find yourself in any protest or riot situation.”<br />
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To help Members in other states, we contacted U.S. Law Shield Independent Program Attorneys to get additional insights. Their comments appear below.<br />
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<b>COLORADO</b><br />
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Independent Program Attorney Doug Richards offered this explanation on Colorado’s the law on self-defense. In the book Colorado Gun Law: Armed And Educated, co-authored by Richards, Stanley Marks, and Christopher Ferrero, Richards points out that “a person is justified in using physical force upon another person in order to defend himself from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by that other person, and he may use a degree of force which he reasonably believes to be necessary for that purpose.<br />
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“Importantly,” Richards adds, “a person is not justified in using any degree of physical force if he provokes the other person into the use of unlawful force with the intent of using that as a justification to cause the other person bodily injury or death.<br />
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Richards also points out that “[D]eadly physical force may be used only if a person reasonably believes that a lesser degree of force is inadequate, and he has reasonable grounds to believe, and does believe, that he or another person is in imminent danger of being killed or of receiving great bodily injury.”<br />
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For more specific information on this and other Colorado gun laws, click the Colorado Gun Law: Armed And Educated book link at the bottom of this post to order your copy.<br />
<b><br /> VIRGINIA</b><br />
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For the law on self-defense in Virginia, we turned to U.S. Law Shield of Virginia Independent Program Attorneys Mitchell Wells and W. Edward Riley of Riley & Wells. In the upcoming book, Virginia Gun Law: Armed And Educated, co-authored by Riley and Wells, they point out that a person caught in a demonstration that’s turning violent must reasonably fear that they are in imminent danger of suffering serious bodily injury or death to be justified in the use of deadly force. For more specific information on this and other Virginia gun laws, look for the upcoming announcement as to when Virginia Gun Law: Armed And Educated will be published and available.<br />
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<b>OKLAHOMA</b><br />
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Independent Program Attorney Robert Robles added “[T]hat the laws in Oklahoma regarding the use of deadly force in a self-defense situation are pretty well in line with the laws in the neighboring state to the south [Texas] and can be found in the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, Title 21, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 1290.1, et seq.”<br />
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“In Oklahoma, the law gives the presumption that a person held a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm and therefore deadly force was necessary, if it is used against an individual who was unlawfully or forcibly in the process of entering or entered into an occupied vehicle; or is attempting to forcibly remove another against his or her will from an occupied vehicle. Deadly force is also presumed to be justified to prevent the commission or attempted commission of forcible felonies including murder, burglary, carjacking, and home invasion robberies,” he said.<br />
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“Furthermore,” Robles added, “if people are present in any place where they have a right to be, they have no duty to retreat and have the right to meet force with force, including deadly force, if they reasonably believe that it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another, or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”<br />
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For more specific information on this and other Oklahoma gun laws, click the Oklahoma Gun Law: Armed And Educated book link at the bottom of this post to order your copy.<br />
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<b>MISSOURI</b><br />
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Independent Program Attorney Deborah Alessi summarized Missouri’s law as, “A person cannot use deadly force upon another person unless he or she reasonably believes that such deadly force is necessary to protect himself, or another against death, serious physical injury, or any forcible felony, and is used against a person who unlawfully enters, remains after unlawfully entering, or attempts to unlawfully enter a vehicle lawfully occupied by such person.”<br />
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Alessi added that “a person does not have the duty to retreat from their occupied vehicle before using deadly force under the circumstances described, and these laws can be found in RSMo Chapter 563 Defense of Justification, Section 563.0031.1.”<br />
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<b>GEORGIA</b></div>
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Independent Program Attorney Matt Kilgo expands upon the Texas law to explain how the law of self-defense would apply in Georgia under these circumstances.<br />
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<b><u>1. Innocence</u></b>. Is the person seeking justification for the use of deadly force in self-defense an innocent victim, or is he or she the instigator of the confrontation? In Georgia an individual may not claim as justified a use of force against another when he or she initially provokes the initial force as an excuse to commit an act of force; at any time when committing (or attempting to commit) or fleeing the commission of a felony; or anytime he or she was the initial aggressor in a situation or was engaged in mutual “combat by agreement”, unless or until withdrawing from combat and making that decision known to the other individual. See O.C.G.A. §16-13-21(b). If the other party continues an assault after having been informed of your intention to stop, then you may “reacquire” the right of self-defense.<br />
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<b><u>2. Imminence</u></b>. Does a group of people blocking the roadway pose an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm to you inside your vehicle? Simply blocking a roadway cannot normally cause death or serious bodily harm to those inside a vehicle. As a result, using one’s vehicle to “run them down,” or even to physically push them aside, is unlikely to be legally justified unless there is some additional threatening conduct. But suppose the mob begins more direct threats or the use of actual force against you? If you are now placed in reasonable fear of an imminent deadly force attack, then you could be legally entitled to use deadly force in self-defense, including the use of your vehicle to neutralize the unlawful deadly force threat. Remember, the use of force is justified in Georgia when a party “reasonably believes that such threat or force is necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person against such other’s imminent use of unlawful force. . . .” Imminence is vitally important, especially when using a weapon as deadly as a car: the threat must be real and immediate.<br />
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<b><u>3. Proportionality</u></b>. Keep in mind, however— should you intend to use your vehicle against anyone— this will almost certainly constitute deadly force, that force “which is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm.” Deadly force may only be used to protect yourself or another person when “necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury. . . or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.” O.C.G.A. §16-3-21(a). Should you respond to a threat that is non-deadly in nature with deadly force (or one that does not constitute a forcible felony, such as murder, rape, armed robbery, or aggravated assault; any felony that contains an element of force), it would allow the other person to respond in kind with deadly force against you. Additionally, you may be the one charged.<br />
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<b><u>4. Reasonableness</u></b>. What action would be required of a mob or any of its members to generate a fear of death or great bodily injury that justifies the use of a weapon like a car in the eyes of police, prosecutors, judges, and juries? If the protestors attempt (or reasonably appear to attempt) to forcibly enter your vehicle or the vehicle of others, this could certainly constitute reasonable grounds to fear an imminent deadly force attack. Such conduct would include the smashing of windows or attempts to force open doors. The same applies to attempts to set vehicles on fire, or to flip vehicles over. Generally, a defender need not necessarily wait until the protestors have turned violent against his particular vehicle: If members of a mob have begun threatening or using deadly force against other blockaded vehicles, it could be considered reasonable to believe your own vehicle is likely to be next — you are, after all, legally entitled to defend yourself not just against the danger already occurring to you but also against the danger that is about to occur, that is imminent. But you must draw a reasonable belief from actual evidence around you, not merely speculate what might happen.<br />
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Kilgo went on to add, “If you find yourself in a mob situation, remember, you can’t just run anyone over with your car. It’s best to just keep moving, which may result in your bumping people out of the way with your car. However, this may be considered battery on your part, which is a crime. You may be arrested if you strike someone with your car, absent a legitimate threat to your life or the life of others. So it’s best to avoid those situations.”<br />
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“Perhaps most importantly,” Kilgo went on to say, “familiarize yourself with Georgia’s laws on the use of force, as well as such important legal concepts as the ‘Castle Doctrine’ and Georgia’s stand your ground law. The law can and does protect you in situations such as this, but you must be aware of what your rights are. While your best course of action is to avoid these often pre-planned demonstrations altogether and drive away quickly should you come upon one, knowing what you may legally do to protect yourself and your family in such a situation is your best protection.”<br />
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<b>FLORIDA</b></div>
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Independent Program Attorneys David Katz and James Phillips offered this summary of the law regarding the use of deadly force in Florida.<br />
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“Under Florida Statute Chapter 776, Section 776.012(2),” says Katz, “A person is justified in using or threatening to use deadly force if he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.”<br />
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Phillips added, “If you use or threaten to use deadly force in accordance with this subsection, you do not have a duty to retreat and have the right to stand your ground, so long as you are not engaged in a criminal activity and are in a place where you have a right to be.”<br />
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“You are presumed to have held a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm if the other person was in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering, or had unlawfully and forcibly entered your occupied vehicle, or if that person had removed or was attempting to remove you against your will from your occupied vehicle,” Katz pointed out.<br />
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For more specific information on this and other Florida gun laws, click the Florida Gun Law: Armed And Educated book link at the bottom of this post to order your copy.<br />
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<b><u>PENNSYLVANIA</u></b></div>
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According to Independent Program Attorney Justine McShane, the law of self-defense in the Keystone State is similar to the law in Texas, but different in significant ways.<br />
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“The Pennsylvania self-defense statute provides that use of force is ‘justifiable when the actor believes that such force is immediately necessary for the purpose of protecting himself against the use of unlawful force by such other person on the present occasion.’ 18 Pa.C.S. § 505.”</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-80007437503170263122016-10-26T12:13:00.001-06:002016-10-26T12:13:38.054-06:00 Defending Your Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>This article is from a piece titled "Developing a Layered Defense" written by Dave Steen and posted on the International Forecaster. [http://theinternationalforecaster.com/
Developing a Layered Defense, By Dave Steen]</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Defending your home in a time of crisis is much different than defending it against common criminals. The conventional wisdom of home security is basically worthless in a survival situation, as people aren’t going to be acting like normal criminals. Anyone who tries attacking your home during a crisis situation is probably going to be more desperate than normal criminals are, causing them to be less circumspect and do things that normal criminals wouldn’t do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There’s also a good chance that anyone attacking your home in the midst of a crisis will do so in a
group. That increases the danger to you and your family considerably, even if they aren’t trained warriors. Just dealing with sheer numbers makes home defense much harder than dealing with one or two criminals. If ten people are shooting at you, even ineffectively, the chances of getting hit are much greater. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Legal Statement on Defense. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The law allows for the use of deadly force in self defense. The specific term that’s used in the legal
world is that your life is in “imminent danger.” In other words, someone has to be facing you, pointing a weapon at you, be in range of that weapon and have made it clear that they intend to use the weapon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All of that can happen at once and none of it requires any words. Generally speaking, unless it’s a
friend joking around with a squirt gun, pointing any gun at you is considered imminent danger, unless they are out of range. So, a guy a football field away from you with a pistol isn’t really an imminent danger, but one who is 50 feet or less away is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Some states add to your right to self defense, the rights to defend others, your home and your property. Before anything happens, you need to be sure of what the law is in your area. Even if there is a breakdown in society, you can be sure that when things are restored the hanky wringers will be looking to prosecute anyone who had to defend themselves; so, you want to be in the right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Where’s the Fight?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In normal times, a criminal has to be in your home, or trying to get into your home, to be considered an imminent threat. However, I think that could be challenged in a situation where you have multiple attackers. Say there’s a breakdown in society where food is scarce and ten hunger-crazed people attack your home to get your food. In such a case, I’m pretty sure you’d be justified shooting as soon as you are sure that it is your house that they intend to attack. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can’t really be sure of that until they cross your property line and are actually on your property. As long as they’re in the street, there’s an equally good chance that they will go to someone else’s house or just walk on by. Even standing there looking at your house isn’t a sure indication they are going to attack; they could be talking about your ugly paint job. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But once they cross your property line, with weapons in their hands, it’s reasonable to assume that they are attacking you. That’s when you shift from watching mode to fighting mode. In such a case, where you are outnumbered, it’s better to have the fight outside of your home, than inside. If they manage to breach your home and get inside, your chances of survival are drastically reduced. By
fighting while they are outside and you are inside, you have the advantage of cover and concealment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Building Your Layered Defense</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A classic layered defense consists of three layers. Many old castles and forts were designed in this
manner. The outer defense is to slow down the attackers and give you a first counterattack. The second layer of defense is the main defense used for holding off the enemy. Finally, there’s a third layer which is used as a last stand, if the perimeter is breached.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can and should do the same thing with your home. That way, when that hungry gang shows up at your door, you’re ready to deal with them. Your three layers are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Your property’s perimeter</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Your home’s perimeter</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Your safe room</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Each of these is created differently and actually has a different purpose. We need to understand that
purpose, in order to create those defenses correctly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The property perimeter</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Since you can’t definitely state that they are an imminent threat until they step onto your property, you can’t use your perimeter as it would normally be used in warfare. However, you still need that perimeter, as it can do a lot for you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When we talk about perimeter defenses, we’re talking about everything from your property line to the walls of your home. You aren’t limited to just the line that is the outer perimeter of your property. Every foot of that space can be useful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Some would want to build a ten foot tall cement wall around their property as their perimeter defense. While I can definitely sympathize with that desire, I can’t agree with it. Doing so would simply make your home obvious as someplace with something worth protecting. In other words, it would increase the chances of attack. Your perimeter defenses much be something less obvious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The biggest thing your perimeter can do for you, without appearing obvious is to shape the battle to
come. You can use it to steer the attackers to where you want them to be, so that they are under your guns. To do this, simply make it difficult to enter your property by any other means than the one which will direct them to your ambush. As most people will naturally take the easiest route, you make sure that you have one obvious easy route that they can take.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Don’t let them cross that line without providing you with some sort of warning though. You need some sort of perimeter alarm which lets you know that your perimeter has been breached. That way, you can react to the fact that you have intruders on the property. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Finally, fill the space between the perimeter and your home with traps. You don’t need anything big or fancy here, caltrops and broken glass will do just fine. The idea is to reduce their enthusiasm and get them to say in the killing zone that you’ve identified. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The home’s perimeter</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Your home’s perimeter needs to be hardened. That means making it harder to break through the
perimeter. A dead-bolted door can be busted open with one swift kick, so you need more than that. Windows can be broken open with the butt of a rifle, so you need to do more there as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The obvious purpose of hardening your home is to make it so that the attackers can’t easily break in. That way, they’re stuck outside, between your perimeter and your home, right where you want them. This isn’t all that hard and you can do the whole thing yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The safe room</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I don’t agree with the common idea of a safe room for a crisis situation. Normal safe rooms are
intended to be a place where you can hide when a criminal breaks into your home, while you’re waiting for the cavalry to arrive and rescue you. The problem is, in a crisis situation, there won’t be any cavalry coming to rescue you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What I mean by a safe room is a room that everyone in the family can get to easily, where you can
make your last stand before escaping. If you can, make it a room where they have to come down a long hallway to attack you. That way, you can shoot at them as they come down the hallway. If you can fortify the room against bullets, do so. But make sure that you have a good escape route to use, once you manage to beat off the attack. You don’t want to fight off a second attack from that place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is what they used to do in the old castles. The keep (main building) would be the “safe room” to
make the last stand. There would always be a secret escape route to use, so that the lord and lady could escape while their knights fought a defensive action. The same idea will work for you, with the exception that you don’t want to sacrifice any knights to make your escape.</span>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-10981900748362663052016-10-18T21:59:00.001-06:002016-10-18T22:21:37.657-06:00Avoid This Text Message Scam!<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers about a new text message scam that's fooling people into sharing their personal information with thieves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>The scam</b></span></span></span></div>
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<br />The BBB says con artists are sending people text messages that appear to look like an alert from their bank. The message says you need to update your profile information and then provides a link to a website. The URL may even include the name of your bank.<br /><br />According to the BBB, once you click on the link, it takes you to a form that appears to be on the bank's website. The page will then ask you to "confirm" your identity by entering your name, user ID, password and/or bank account number. Do not do it! And even if it really is your bank sending you a message, don't risk the possibility that it's not. Taking the time to log in to your online bank account through a secure network is a lot easier than the trouble you'd be dealing with after thieves get their hands on your personal information.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Text scams are nothing new and the BBB warned consumers about a similar one back in 2013. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The lesson: Even if a message appears to be from a trusted source, don't trust it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's a general rule of thumb for avoiding these types of scams: Do not click on any link in any email or text message that you were not expecting. If there's a question and you think there's a legitimate message or notification intended for you, go directly to the official website of whatever business it is and check for any notifications there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If your bank needs you to update your profile, you should be able to find that information by logging in to your account separately through the official site -- or by calling your bank directly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are some additional tips from the BBB for you to protect yourself from text message scams:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Just hit delete! Ignore instructions to confirm your phone number or visit a link. Some scam texts instruct you to text "STOP" or "NO" to prevent future texts. But this is a common ploy by scammers to confirm they have a real, active phone number.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Read your phone bill. Check your phone bill for services you haven't ordered. Some charges may appear only once, but others might be monthly "subscriptions."</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Know your rights. Real commercial text messages must provide a free, easy way for you to opt out of future communication.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Know how to combat spam texts. In Canada, an anti-spam law covers text messages. Learn more about <a href="http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/eng/00303.html#ic-subnav-2">reporting and fighting spam here</a>. In the U.S., forward the texts to 7726 (SPAM on most keypads). This will alert your cell phone carrier to block future texts from those numbers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Watch out for look-alike URLs. Just because a URL has the name of a real company in it, doesn't mean it's legitimate. Anyone can register a sub-domain (realcompany.website.com) or similar URL (realcompany1234.com).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ask your phone carrier about blocking third-party charges. Mobile phone carriers permit outside businesses to place charges on your phone bill, but many carriers also allow you to block these charges for free.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Protect your information</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you're looking for mobile security, try a freemium service called <a href="https://www.lookout.com/">Lookout.com</a>, which offers protection for smartphones running Android, Blackberry, or Windows. And don't forget antivirus on your computer at home too. Check out Clark's <a href="http://www.clarkhoward.com/clark-howards-virus-spyware-and-malware-protection">list of free options for virus, spyware, and malware protection</a>.</span></div>
Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-18931912898899964782016-09-16T22:40:00.000-06:002016-09-16T22:40:56.315-06:005 Things About Home Security Intruders Don't Want You to Know <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />Few people are as familiar with home security systems as the professionals who install them. But unfortunately, there are some people who have an interest in understanding how your home's alarm system works: intruders. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They not only know how your system works, but there are a few things they hope you don't realize about it. Here are five things intruders don't want you to know about your home security system. <br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><b>The Alarm's Panel Is Visible Through Your Front Door.</b></span><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If your home has a fancy front door with decorative glass, your alarm system panel may be in plain view of anyone standing on your step. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">An intruder just needs to peer through the glass, and they'll be able to see the lights that indicate whether your alarm is activated. An activated alarm may not deter a professional burglar, but an opportunistic amateur will be tempted if you aren't home and they can see that the alarm isn't set. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If your alarm is already installed and it's in plain view from your front step, you can try placing a tall houseplant so that it obstructs the view of the panel.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">Your Alarm Only Works When It's Set</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>Alarms only work when they're set. Everyone knows this, but homeowners don't always set their security system. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a survey conducted by Nationwide, 30 percent of homeowners admitted to leaving their security system off while they ran "a quick errand." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is especially disconcerting, considering that the U.S. Department of Justice's data shows that most burglaries occur during the day when no one is home.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">You Should Have a Sensor on Your Master Bath Window</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>Your master bathroom window is one of the favorite entry points for intruders, as it leads directly to where you likely keep your jewelry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most homeowners' valuables are kept either in their bedroom or in the attached bathroom, but few consider installing a sensor specifically for the master bathroom window. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even if you forgo window sensors to save on an alarm system, consider having a single one installed on this window at least.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">Alarms Make Intruders Hesitate, Even If Just for a Second</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A home security system will not physically prevent an intruder from breaking into your home. That's what locks are for. An unexpected alarm, however, will make an intruder hesitate momentarily.<br /><br />Even if the noise only delays them a moment, the slight pause could be significant. According to Yahoo Homes, intruders aim to spend less than 60 seconds breaking into homes. A three-second pause could eat up 5 percent of the time they plan on using to find a way in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although it’s very short, this could be enough time to make them retreat.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">Your Neighbors Will Ignore Breaking Glass</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can't rely on your neighbors, even if you have nosy ones, to hear a window breaking. Even if they're home and notice the sound of crashing glass, they're unlikely to investigate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They may pause and wait to hear the sound again, but they probably won't take action unless it's repeated. If you're concerned about an intruder coming in through a window, your security system needs to have a sensor that will detect broken glass.<br /><br />When viewed through the eyes of a potential intruder, you may see several vulnerabilities in your home security system. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thankfully, though, these are usually easily remedied. If you'd like to learn more about how you can make your alarm system more secure, contact Vivint. They will gladly discuss any potential liabilities with you and suggest possible solutions. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[Article from Vivint Smart Home] </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.vivint.com/resources/article/5-things-about-home-security-intruders-don't-want-you-to-know?exid=160616&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=content</span></span></div>
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-45992888591522652592016-09-14T22:50:00.000-06:002016-09-14T22:50:19.065-06:00Door Security Chain- Not As Secure As You Thought.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sliding chain lock on doors are just an obstacle to slow someone attempting to gain entry. Chain locks used in conjunction with a deadbolt lock is the best defense from someone gaining entry into a room until help can arrive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watch the below video to see how easy it is to circumvent a sliding chain lock.</span></div>
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<br />Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-87612262744383810912016-08-06T13:19:00.000-06:002016-08-06T13:19:10.124-06:00Purify Water Using Chemical Treatments<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Water purification tablets are a great back up form of water treatment. They are excellent Bug Out Bags and survival kits because they are light weight and inexpensive. Water purification tablets are also great to store in your vehicle or your bug out location to disinfect water on demand. If the water supply I am drawing from is extremely shady I combine both a filter and the tablets to ensure my safety. Also, be aware that water purification tablets have a shelf life. Check the expiration dates on your tablets and replace any that are expired.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Water purification can come in tablet or droplet form. The tablet form is better because it is a lighter weight that droplets and easy to use when in a stressful situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two water born pathogens that commonly found in untreated water- <b><span style="color: lime;">Cryptosporidium and Giardia</span></b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="color: lime;">Cryptosporidium</span></u></b> is a genus of apicomplexan protozoans that can cause gastrointestinal illness with diarrhea in humans. According to the CDC it is one of the most frequent causes of waterborne disease among humans in the United States. In a disaster situation where government maintained services are effected, it is highly likely that this protozoa parasite will find its way into our water supply.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="color: lime;">Giardia</span></u></b> attached to the wall of the small intestines. Giardia is also an infectious protozoa and it is a big deal in emergency preparedness because it can have such a dramatic effect on your health. The symptoms of Giardia, may begin to appear 2 days after infection, include violent diarrhea, excess gas, stomach or abdominal cramps, upset stomach, and nausea. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The typical infection within an individual can be slight, resolve without treatment in about 2–6 weeks, although sometimes longer and sometimes the infection is more severe requiring immediate medical attention. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are three main types of water purification tablets on the market (Chlorine (NaDCC), Iodine and Chlorine Dioxide) . Not all are equal as each one has its strengths and weaknesses. Choose the purification tablet that works the best with your situation and location.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXvx3Y4eQ0AccSXSHuFsf273exTPPyuPjUlOal8x0XCD9KYPeRW79P9_L8TxUBcGoXhcoHIUS77LEr8TNzan1Ygk8gwGHEN7Zz4KVPkp2t0PQxaaaffJJM9c0cY-KD5KGbVcF4c-pLFjx/s1600/purify+chart.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQU507GBzLlcdOi0WN9gi5OxZP1OljVrjzVsMo4kA4uOe3I4EKkptfOjXN1FcHhxvVabTFY5NDaUsfoi1g51fE3n-QTWoMhuY5SJNN-QJCCEs1Xz4n5EL0HkqdlUSJWt8-S0IHNcY3N5u/s1600/purify+chart.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQU507GBzLlcdOi0WN9gi5OxZP1OljVrjzVsMo4kA4uOe3I4EKkptfOjXN1FcHhxvVabTFY5NDaUsfoi1g51fE3n-QTWoMhuY5SJNN-QJCCEs1Xz4n5EL0HkqdlUSJWt8-S0IHNcY3N5u/s400/purify+chart.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="color: yellow;">Chlorine Dioxide Tablets</span></u></b> (Potable Aqua, Katadyn and Aquamira Brands). Even though the word “chlorine” is in the name, chlorine dioxide is neither iodine nor chlorine. It uses a highly active form of oxygen to purify water so it leaves absolutely zero taste. As a nice bonus the action of chlorine dioxide causes a lot of sediment to drop out of suspension (fall to the bottom) leaving the container of water more clear and further improving flavor. Chlorine dioxide tablets are a good choice for those allergic to iodine, with thyroid problems, or on lithium. Always follow product usage instructions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="color: yellow;">Chlorine NaDCC Tablets</span></u></b> (Potable Aqua, Oasis Plus, Aquatabsand Rothco’s Military “Chlor-Floc“ Brands). NaDCC, also known as sodium dichloroisocyanurate or sodium troclosene, is a form of chlorine used for disinfection. NaDCC tablets are different and improved over the older chlorine based (halazone) tablets. When added to water, NaDCC releases hydrochloric acid which reacts through oxidization with microorganisms and kills them. Many tablets advertise no chlorine after taste. Unopened NaDCC tablets have a shelf life of 3-5 years, if opened they should be discarded after 3 months. Always follow product usage instructions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="color: yellow;">Iodine Tablets</span></u></b> (Potable Aqua,Coleman, and Coghlans brands). Iodine Tablets use iodine to purify contaminated water. Most iodine purification tablets tend to leave a funny taste to the water and some discoloration, however vitamin C or ascorbic acid can be added after the treatment time to improve the taste and remove the color. This often comes in the form of two bottles with two separate tablets. Iodine water treatment has been proven to be somewhat effective against Giardia and not effective against Crytosporidium. Always follow product usage instructions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[Source: www.swordofsurvival.com]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-61021867702128532282016-07-12T11:22:00.004-06:002016-07-12T11:22:52.675-06:00Developing a Layered Defense<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Defending your home in a time of crisis is much different than defending it against common criminals. The conventional wisdom of home security is basically worthless in a survival situation, as people aren’t going to be acting like normal criminals. Anyone who tries attacking your home during a crisis situation is probably going to be more desperate than normal criminals are, causing them to be less circumspect and do things that normal criminals wouldn’t do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There’s also a good chance that anyone attacking your home in the midst of a crisis will do so in a
group. That increases the danger to you and your family considerably, even if they aren’t trained warriors. Just dealing with sheer numbers makes home defense much harder than dealing with one or two criminals. If ten people are shooting at you, even ineffectively, the chances of getting hit are much greater. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Legal Statement on Defense</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The law allows for the use of deadly force in self defense. The specific term that’s used in the legal
world is that your life is in “imminent danger.” In other words, someone has to be facing you, pointing a weapon at you, be in range of that weapon and have made it clear that they intend to use the weapon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of that can happen at once and none of it requires any words. Generally speaking, unless it’s a
friend joking around with a squirt gun, pointing any gun at you is considered imminent danger, unless they are out of range. So, a guy a football field away from you with a pistol isn’t really an imminent danger, but one who is 50 feet or less away is. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some states add to your right to self defense, the rights to defend others, your home and your property. Before anything happens, you need to be sure of what the law is in your area. Even if there is a breakdown in society, you can be sure that when things are restored the hanky wringers will be looking to prosecute anyone who had to defend themselves; so, you want to be in the right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Where’s the Fight?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In normal times, a criminal has to be in your home, or trying to get into your home, to be considered an imminent threat. However, I think that could be challenged in a situation where you have multiple attackers. Say there’s a breakdown in society where food is scarce and ten hunger-crazed people attack your home to get your food. In such a case, I’m pretty sure you’d be justified shooting as soon as you are sure that it is your house that they intend to attack. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can’t really be sure of that until they cross your property line and are actually on your property. As long as they’re in the street, there’s an equally good chance that they will go to someone else’s house or just walk on by. Even standing there looking at your house isn’t a sure indication they are going to attack; they could be talking about your ugly paint job. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But once they cross your property line, with weapons in their hands, it’s reasonable to assume that they are attacking you. That’s when you shift from watching mode to fighting mode. In such a case, where you are outnumbered, it’s better to have the fight outside of your home, than inside. If they manage to breach your home and get inside, your chances of survival are drastically reduced. By
fighting while they are outside and you are inside, you have the advantage of cover and concealment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Building Your Layered Defense</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A classic layered defense consists of three layers. Many old castles and forts were designed in this
manner. The outer defense is to slow down the attackers and give you a first counterattack. The second layer of defense is the main defense used for holding off the enemy. Finally, there’s a third layer which is used as a last stand, if the perimeter is breached.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can and should do the same thing with your home. That way, when that hungry gang shows up at your door, you’re ready to deal with them. Your three layers are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your property’s perimeter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your home’s perimeter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your safe room</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Each of these is created differently and actually has a different purpose. We need to understand that
purpose, in order to create those defenses correctly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The property perimeter</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since you can’t definitely state that they are an imminent threat until they step onto your property, you can’t use your perimeter as it would normally be used in warfare. However, you still need that perimeter, as it can do a lot for you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we talk about perimeter defenses, we’re talking about everything from your property line to the walls of your home. You aren’t limited to just the line that is the outer perimeter of your property. Every foot of that space can be useful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some would want to build a ten foot tall cement wall around their property as their perimeter defense. While I can definitely sympathize with that desire, I can’t agree with it. Doing so would simply make your home obvious as someplace with something worth protecting. In other words, it would increase the chances of attack. Your perimeter defenses much be something less obvious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The biggest thing your perimeter can do for you, without appearing obvious is to shape the battle to
come. You can use it to steer the attackers to where you want them to be, so that they are under your guns. To do this, simply make it difficult to enter your property by any other means than the one which will direct them to your ambush. As most people will naturally take the easiest route, you make sure that you have one obvious easy route that they can take.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don’t let them cross that line without providing you with some sort of warning though. You need some sort of perimeter alarm which lets you know that your perimeter has been breached. That way, you can react to the fact that you have intruders on the property. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, fill the space between the perimeter and your home with traps. You don’t need anything big or fancy here, caltrops and broken glass will do just fine. The idea is to reduce their enthusiasm and get them to say in the killing zone that you’ve identified. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The home’s perimeter</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your home’s perimeter needs to be hardened. That means making it harder to break through the
perimeter. A deadbolted door can be busted open with one swift kick, so you need more than that. Windows can be broken open with the butt of a rifle, so you need to do more there as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The obvious purpose of hardening your home is to make it so that the attackers can’t easily break in. That way, they’re stuck outside, between your perimeter and your home, right where you want them. This isn’t all that hard and you can do the whole thing yourself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The safe room</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don’t agree with the common idea of a safe room for a crisis situation. Normal safe rooms are
intended to be a place where you can hide when a criminal breaks into your home, while you’re waiting for the cavalry to arrive and rescue you. The problem is, in a crisis situation, there won’t be any cavalry coming to rescue you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I mean by a safe room is a room that everyone in the family can get to easily, where you can
make your last stand before escaping. If you can, make it a room where they have to come down a long hallway to attack you. That way, you can shoot at them as they come down the hallway. If you can fortify the room against bullets, do so. But make sure that you have a good escape route to use, once you manage to beat off the attack. You don’t want to fight off a second attack from that place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is what they used to do in the old castles. The keep (main building) would be the “safe room” to
make the last stand. There would always be a secret escape route to use, so that the lord and lady could escape while their knights fought a defensive action. The same idea will work for you, with the exception that you don’t want to sacrifice any knights to make your escape.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>[Source: written by Dave Steen and posted on the International Forecaster. http://theinternationalforecaster.com/ Developing a Layered Defense, By Dave Steen]</i></span>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-84198305177640198042016-06-24T11:44:00.000-06:002016-06-24T11:44:55.048-06:00Protect Items In Your Baggage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of this is a good idea.</span>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-22210022336565754782016-06-18T16:45:00.000-06:002016-06-18T16:45:27.615-06:00International Hotels<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>By <a href="https://www.stratfor.com/about/analysts/scott-stewart">Scott Stewart</a></strong><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">[Source: Strafor.com]</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">International hotels are alluring targets
for attack by terrorists. By their nature, hotels are quintessential soft targets,
crowded with people. In addition, their fixed locations and daily business
activity create a perfect cover for preoperational surveillance. Extensive
traffic — both human and vehicular — inside and around a hotel's buildings also
creates a significant burden for hotel security.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The announcement on Feb. 22 of a thwarted
plot against a hotel in Morocco, coupled with recent warnings of possible plots
against hotels in Senegal, Chad and Ivory Coast, are timely reminders of the
threat of attack. Given this, it is important to not only understand why hotels
are targeted but to review steps that travelers can take to mitigate the risk
of being caught up in a hostile action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h3 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">An Enduring Problem<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The terrorist threat to hotels is not new,
and neither is the threat posed specifically by jihadists. In fact, the first
al Qaeda attacks to target U.S. interests were the December 1992 twin bombings
of the Gold Mihor and Movenpick hotels. The attacks were directed against U.S.
military personnel stationed in Aden, Yemen, and I was sent to investigate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The intervening decades have done little
to dilute the attractiveness of hotels as targets. As noted in a special report
on the militant
threat to hotels, published by Stratfor in 2009, we believed that
the massive publicity gained by such attacks was going to exacerbate the
existing threat and lead to even more attacks against hotels — specifically
more armed assaults. The report followed on the heels of violent terrorist
actions in Mumbai, India, in November 2008 and the bombing of two hotels in
Jakarta, Indonesia, in July 2009. Recent events have shown that the trend we
identified some years ago has developed as forecast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">On Feb. 22, Moroccan officials reported
that they had arrested 10 members of an Islamic State-aligned group that was
planning attacks against targets inside Morocco. One of those targets was the
five-star Sofitel hotel and resort in Essaouira. Also on Feb. 22, the Pentagon
announced that a U.S. airstrike against an Islamic State training camp near the
Libyan city of Sabratha killed dozens of militants, mostly Tunisians. It was
speculated that among the dead was Noureddine Chouchane, an Islamic State
leader thought to be connected with attacks in Tunisia, including a June 2015
armed assault on a seaside hotel in Sousse, Tunisia, that killed 38 — mostly
European tourists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Coming in the wake of the Nov. 20, 2015,
attack against the Radisson
Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali, and the Jan. 15, 2016, attack against the Splendid
Hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, the Feb. 22 announcements are a timely
reminder that the threat of attacks against hotels has not abated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Despite increased security at
international hotels, they remain vulnerable. One factor leading to the
continued allure of hotels as targets has been the hardening of embassies and
other diplomatic facilities. Embassies became iconic terrorist targets in the
1980s, and attacks against them resulted in major
programs to defend against hostile activities. As embassies became
harder targets, terrorist planners shifted their attention to easier targets
with less security — what we refer to as soft targets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Unlike an embassy, a hotel is a commercial
venture. To make money, the hotel needs to maintain a steady flow of visitors
who stay in its rooms, eat at its restaurants, drink at its bars, use its gym
facilities, and rent its banquet and conference facilities. On any given day, a
large five-star hotel can host hundreds of guests and have hundreds of
additional visitors using other amenities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In cities such as Peshawar, Pakistan, or
Kabul, Afghanistan, such amenities are often difficult to find outside of
hotels. Therefore, these hotels become gathering places not only for foreign
businesspeople, diplomats and journalists residing in the city, but also for wealthy
residents, including government officials. It is fairly easy for a militant
operative to blend in with the visiting throngs to conduct surveillance as a
restaurant patron or shopper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Large hotels are akin to miniature,
never-sleeping cities with people, luggage, food and goods coming and going at
all hours. The staff required to run such facilities can number in the
hundreds. The Jakarta bombings were facilitated with inside help by a staff
member.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Many hotel security programs have
dramatically improved in response to the threat against them. As a result, we
have seen terrorist planners shift their tactics in an effort to create larger
death tolls that draw more attention. One shift was away from large vehicle
bombs detonated outside hotel perimeters to smaller bombs carried into hotels
by individuals. Armed assaults have become a favored method recently. In places
such as Kabul, we have also seen attackers target smaller hotels and
guesthouses, which are often chosen by travelers attempting to avoid higher-profile
hotels. Attacks have also been directed against restaurants and shopping malls
in other places.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Armed assaults against hotels or other
soft targets are fairly easy to plan and execute. They are also cost-effective
because they do not require many resources other than firearms and willing
suicide operatives. For the price of one large vehicle bombing, a terrorist
group could fund several armed assaults.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Armed assaults also do
not require much in the way of special training. Most jihadist recruits are
trained to use small arms and grenades, so are well prepared for an armed
assault on a hotel or other soft target. The simplicity of conducting an armed
assault means that such attacks are not limited only to professional
operatives. They are well within the reach of grassroots operatives those
inspired by but not directed by a movement. Such attacks can occur outside of
areas considered traditional operational territory for jihadists. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Generally,
however, those attacks tend to happen more against hotels in the developing
world — which tend to draw a greater concentration of Western visitors — than
hotels in the West.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Grassroots operatives in the West also have a far wider
selection of soft targets, and hotels are only one type of many potential
attack sites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h3 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mitigating the Threat<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Since hotel attacks are going to remain a
problem for the foreseeable future, travelers should consider taking steps to
help avoid becoming a victim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">First, a traveler should learn whether
adequate security measures are in place at a specific hotel before making a
reservation. This information is best acquired from a trusted business
associate or other source in the country, rather than the hotel itself, which
has a financial interest in providing hollow assurances. Alternatively,
consider other sources of information, such a Stratfor guides on planning a safe trip
abroad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Once a hotel is selected, we advise that
guests follow an expanded version of the "avoid, deny and
defend" active
shooter advice. We encourage guests to avoid rooms that face the street
near the main hotel lobby, which is where bombing attacks and armed assaults
are most frequently focused. Those rooms can be damaged by bombs or receive
stray fire from an armed assault.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Upon check-in, hotel guests also should
learn where emergency exits are located, and then physically walk the exit
route to verify that doors and stairwells are unlocked and free of
obstructions. We recommend you keep a flashlight, a smoke
hood, a cell phone and your hotel key on the nightstand next to your bed.
In some cases attackers have intentionally set hotels ablaze, and in other
cases grenades or bombs have ignited fires. Because of this fire threat, we
also recommend that travelers stay on the third, fourth or fifth floors — high
enough to prevent criminals from getting into the room from the street but not
too high for fire rescue ladders to reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Hotel guests should also avoid lingering
near high-risk areas such as the front desk and entrance areas, or lobby cafes
and bars. People gathered in these areas have been killed or wounded in past
attacks. Armed assaults also generally start from the outside and progress inward,
so a restaurant or cafe well inside the hotel or on an upper level is safer
than one on the sidewalk or in the lobby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If an attack occurs while you are in a
hotel, avoid the area where the attack is taking place and get to safety either
by leaving the hotel and running to a safe place or by staying in your room. If
you do shelter in your room, use all available locks and resist the temptation
to look out the window or peek out your door to see what is happening. Draw the
shades or drapes, because in the case of a bombing, flying glass can be deadly.
Attackers generally travel light and do not bring tools to breach doors,
although they could possibly take master keys from hotel staff, so it is
prudent to use additional locks and items of furniture to barricade the door.
If you travel with a door wedge, use it to help secure the door. Try to move
the items used to barricade the door as quietly as possible so that an attacker
in the hall cannot hear you. Also turn off the television or radio, silence your
cell phone and turn off the lights if at night — you want the room to appear to
be unoccupied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the past, people have survived attacks
because assailants have bypassed locked doors in favor of open ones. People
sheltering in their rooms should remain there until authorities arrive. They
should also keep low and find as much cover as they can. In a hotel, attackers'
bullets will likely penetrate many interior walls and doors. But such features
provide concealment, so attackers would be firing blindly. Heavy wooden desks
or tables and mattresses can provide extra protection from gunfire that might
come through doors or walls and even through exterior windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It might take hours for authorities to
reach all the rooms in a hotel under attack (in the case of Mumbai, it took
days). Be patient and wait for them to do so. They will work through the hotel
room-by-room to clear it of attackers. When authorities do arrive, comply with
all instructions and keep your hands empty and in sight. Unless instructed
otherwise, it is a good idea to be on the ground with your hands visible as the
authorities conduct a dynamic entry. Attackers could try to blend in with
survivors in an effort to escape, and to prevent this, it is possible that the
responding forces will want to restrain and control everyone until they can
sort out who is an attacker and who is not. Travelers should be aware of this
possibility and comply if authorities decide to use restraints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you cannot avoid the attackers or deny
them entry to where you are, then you must fight, and fight viciously with any
improvised weapon you can find. There are generally a number of items inside a
hotel room that can be used as improvised weapons if you practice a little
creativity. Such weapons could include a table lamp, a glass bottle, an
electric iron or even your computer's power adapter, swung by the cord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 1.66667rem; margin-top: 1.66667rem; outline-style: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Millions of Western travelers stay in
hotels around the world each year and very few will ever encounter this type of
threat. However, by being prepared, remaining vigilant and reacting at the
first sign of danger, people can greatly increase their chances of survival if
they get caught in a hotel attack.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-29751342757321283122016-06-04T18:38:00.002-06:002016-06-04T18:38:27.846-06:00Getting Out Of A Sinking Vehicle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here is how to get out of a vehicle in the event you plunge into a lake or river or other large amounts of water. Act fast and don't panic.</span>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-8281399178501452402016-05-20T10:36:00.000-06:002016-05-20T10:36:38.694-06:00Lock The Doors to Your House<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>This article was written by Greg Ellifritz, from Active Response Training. I highly suggest people subscribe for his e-mail articles or the RSS feed for free updates. A lot of free things are worth much, but articles written on Active Response Training are always worth the time to read. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/lock-your-damn-doors </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two years ago, I wrote an article titled Lock Your Damn Doors. In that article I looked at a month’s worth of burglary and theft reports from the city where I worked and tracked how many theft victims had left their houses or cars unlocked before the thefts occurred.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The results? 83% of the theft victims had left their doors unlocked, making the criminals’ jobs extremely easy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another spring, another increase in theft offenses. I decided to repeat the study to see if the victims in my city had learned any lessons in the last two years. I tracked all the thefts from vehicles and burglaries reported in the city where I work (an upper-class Midwest suburb with around 35,000 residents) during the month of April.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the numbers:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Number of vehicles entered- 23 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unlocked vehicles- 19</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Locked vehicles- 2</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unknown or unreported status- 2</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Number of Houses (or attached garages) entered- 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unlocked houses (or attached garages)- 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Locked houses (or attached garages)- 0</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More than 83% of the vehicles with items stolen were unlocked! EVERY house that was burglarized was entered through an unlocked door or window. In only two cases did thieves actually break a window to steal something. In each of those cases, the item(s) stolen were expensive and clearly within view from the outside of the vehicle. You can safely assume that if there is nothing visible to steal in your car, thieves won’t break windows just to check. On the other hand, if you leave your doors unlocked, thieves will open the door and see what they can find. As the title of the article says: Lock your damn doors! If you don’t want your crap stolen, keep your doors locked and valuables out of sight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I find it extraordinarily interesting that I got almost the same numbers for the study that I did two years ago. We had one fewer theft from a vehicle, but the percentage of locked vehicles entered was exactly the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While most residents think it’s mischievous teens stealing from cars, that really isn’t the case anymore. Twenty years ago, almost all car break-ins were kids looking for pocket change or something they could quickly sell for beer money. Now it’s almost all adult heroin addicts who are breaking into cars. We catch these thieves on a regular basis and I can’t remember the last one I’ve dealt with that wasn’t hooked on heroin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Locking doors should be common sense, but for 23 of our residents last month, it wasn’t. Want to see how a thief operates? Check out this surveillance video from a friend. He has cameras trained on his vehicles in the driveway and on the street. Here is footage of a thief checking his car doors. Take note that the thief, in his quest to look “casual” barely even looks inside. He’s just checking for unlocked doors. If he finds one, he’ll look for valuables from the inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The same advice also applies to your house as well. We had at least four burglaries last month where thieves entered through an unlocked door. The standard M.O. for these burglars is to find a house that appears unoccupied. They’ll knock on the door and if no one answers, they will walk around the house looking for an unlocked entrance. If they find a door unlocked, they go inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thieves go straight to the master bedroom and steal jewelry and all the small electronics they can gather on the way. They are in and out of the house in only a few minutes. A couple years ago, one of our residents came home to find a thief in his house. He had been gone only a few minutes and left the front door unlocked. The female thief told him a story about being sick and needing to use the restroom immediately. She apologized and told him she couldn’t wait and didn’t have time to knock on any other doors to ask permission. The homeowner checked her to make sure she didn’t have any stolen property and then let her go. He called us about 20 minutes after she left, wondering if he had done the right thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fortunately, one of our detectives recognized this M.O. from a previous investigation. Sure enough, it was the same girl. The girl went to jail for felony burglary. Lock your damn doors!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the common excuses I hear for not locking home doors is “I have a big dog. No one will come in when he is barking.” Don’t be so sure. I worked one case where dogs had no deterrent value at all. This one was also a house burglary where thieves entered through an unlocked door. The two thieves got away with more than $40,000 worth of jewelry. Nothing else was taken.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The homeowner didn’t lock her door because she had two very large and aggressive dogs in the house. She didn’t think any burglars would take the chance of being bitten by the dogs and wouldn’t dare open the door. She was wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thieves saw the dogs and concocted a plan. They entered the (unlocked) detached garage. One of them grabbed a yard rake and the other grabbed a scrap piece of lumber. They used the rake and lumber to drive the dogs back into an area where they could close a pet gate and isolate them to a small area of the house. With the dogs walled off, the criminals went straight for the bedroom and stole the jewelry. They left the rake and the piece of lumber in the house entryway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I previously wrote about the problems with making the assumption that your are “safe” just because you have a large dog. I wrote about how the formal research really doesn’t support that conclusion. Now I’ve experienced that first hand. These big aggressive dogs didn’t deter the thieves for a minute. Don’t rely on your pets to protect you. Lock your damn doors!</span><br />
<br />Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-80516220683122803682016-04-01T12:48:00.001-06:002016-04-01T12:48:33.774-06:00Hazards of Plug-In Air Fresheners<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAHaqhpI_E6yX5Z3lXylpzYA7DO8lzK4swbAj7-G17rA3TMEZ4VjD9GjVJ1wwBVQNx65eRof9zGscd1xN4IjPSG9d3BGxSIF9dgvUHEuGbPrcH6gChGgu2FqO0n-tqj4KJbdDVyYqDsw/s1600/glade.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAHaqhpI_E6yX5Z3lXylpzYA7DO8lzK4swbAj7-G17rA3TMEZ4VjD9GjVJ1wwBVQNx65eRof9zGscd1xN4IjPSG9d3BGxSIF9dgvUHEuGbPrcH6gChGgu2FqO0n-tqj4KJbdDVyYqDsw/s1600/glade.jpe" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Hazards of Plug-In Air Fresheners. Each year 53,000 home fires occur due to the malfunction of electrical appliances and systems. It is important to understand the risks associated with all appliances brought into the home, including plug-in air fresheners.<br /><br /><b>Fire Hazards</b><br /><br />Like any electronic appliance, plug-in air fresheners come with an inherent possibility of fire. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 2.5 million plug-in air fresheners were recalled in 2002 due to manufacturer error. Avoid leaving plug-in air fresheners unattended. Plug-in air fresheners contain a small heating element, and their oils have a moderate flammability rating on the Household Materials Identification System (HMIS), so fire is possible.<br /><br /><b>Air Pollutants</b><br /><br />A study at the University of California found that plug-in air fresheners release compounds that, in the presence of elevated ozone, can form hazardous air pollutants. The ingredients can irritate the respiratory tract, particularly in sensitive individuals. To mitigate your risk, use plug-in air fresheners in a well-ventilated area away from ozone-producing air purifiers.<br /><br />Deodorizers and air fresheners generally contain the chemicals 2, 5-dichlorophenol (2, 5-DCP) and 1, 4-dichlorobenzone (1, 4-DCB), which are implicated in precocious puberty as well as lung damage. Endocrine-disrupting phthalates are often present as well. Consider using essential oils, which offer other health benefits as well. And don’t forget to open your windows and let the fresh air inside. <br /><br /><b>Skin and Eye Irritation </b><br /><br />The fragrance refills for plug-in air fresheners contain a mix of oils and other chemicals that can irritate the skin and eyes. The scented oil refills for plug-in air fresheners are rated by HMIS as posing a “moderate” health risk. This indicates a slight potential for toxic chemicals and irritation. Sensitive individuals have a greater chance of irritation, so they should avoid handling plug-in air freshener refills and oils. <br /><br /><b>Electrical Hazards</b><br /><br />Being an electronic appliance, plug-in air fresheners can pose a risk of electrocution if used incorrectly. Place the air freshener in a location away from sinks and bathtubs. Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets are a perfect way to mitigate this hazard, as GFCI outlets lower the risk of electrocution.</span></span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><b>Sources: </b><br /><br />Geeks on Home, Hazards of Air Fresheners<br /><br />http://www.geeksonhome.com/list_6729325_hazards-plug_in-air-fresheners.html My Aching Knees, Common Health Hazards at Home <br /><br />http://myachingjointsandknees.blogspot.com/2016/03/common-health-hazards-at-home-these-are.html</span></span><div>
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-51123943819867827872016-01-28T20:56:00.000-07:002016-01-28T20:56:21.522-07:00Door Security<header style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><h1 class="title" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #b30404; font-family: 'Gill Sans', 'Gill Sans MT', Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Her Dad Took Out the Door Screws In Her Apartment, and She’s Warning Everyone To Do the Same</h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">Though it has been several years since Mariana Harrison moved out of her parent’s home and into her first apartment, one important piece of fatherly advice has stayed with her.</span></div>
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As Kayla Brandon of <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">IJR</em> recounts, Harrison, who is now a real estate agent in Texas, says the screws in most front doors typically have screws that are only ‘half an inch long’ and easily fall out with one kick by a burglar.</div>
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However, she says her dad replaced them with 4-inch screws, making it near impossible for anyone to kick her door in.</div>
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You can see a noticeable difference between the size of the two screws in the picture below:</div>
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Here are some other helpful tips from a former criminal, Michael Fraser, in thwarting burglary attempts at your home:</div>
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<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Never leave your keys under flowerpots, bricks or mats — these are the first places a burglar will look, especially if it appears such places have been disturbed.”</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Photograph valuable items in your home and take a note of their serial numbers. Should you be burgled it helps with remembering items that have been taken and could help recover them.”</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Don’t just leave the bathroom light on, as many burglars feel confident enough to enter if they think the owner is taking a bath or shower.”</li>
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According to the most recent data FBI data from 2010, more than 60 percent of all burglaries involved forcible entries, with over 30 percent considered ‘unlawful,’ meaning they didn’t require force to break in.</div>
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<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: maroon; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jason DeWitt</strong></em></div>
</section>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-70167671918086204462016-01-05T08:36:00.000-07:002016-01-05T08:36:50.475-07:005 Top Safe Driving Tips<h2>
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5 Top Safe Driving Tips<br />December 5, 2012 by Police Driving </h2>
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<b> No. 1—Speed </b><br />
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Driving at a “normal” speed is dangerous enough for law enforcement. Granted, we often drive fast in our profession, but the risk must always be weighed against the potential gain of higher speed.
The danger level increases dramatically as the speedometer needle rises. Be aware of your total environment (road conditions, traffic conditions, weather conditions, etc.) before you decide to press that gas pedal a little harder.<br />
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You’re stuck with the speed at which you enter a turn or negotiate a corner, so slow down in advance of changes in direction to maintain your position on the roadway. Entering at the proper speed and position, and then gradually accelerating out of the curve will ensure that you continue to your destination. After all, you can’t help if you don’t get there.<br />
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<b>No. 2—Intersections </b><br />
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When running code and coming up to an intersection, you must stop and clear that intersection lane by lane (in both directions) before continuing through. Your red and blue lights and siren don’t give you carte blanche to blow through an intersection, and you can be held civilly liable if you do.<br />
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<b>No. 3—Distractions </b><br />
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We have a lot of technology mounted inside our patrol vehicles these days. All this technology will distract the best of us. Use them wisely and at the appropriate times. If you’re running code, for any reason, I hope your cell phone is in your pocket or your bag. When you’re getting messages over your MDC, take a second to read just a portion of the message. Check traffic and when it’s safe to do so, take another second or two to read another portion of the message. That message on the computer screen will remain there, but you might not if you’ve been looking at the screen too long.<br />
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<b>No. 4—Seatbelts</b><br />
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Most states have seatbelt laws. Most agencies—but not all—also have seatbelt policies when driving a law enforcement vehicle. Whether your agency does or does not, you should always wear your seatbelt. Many severe injuries, or worse, could have been prevented by just clicking your belt on.
There are those out there of the mindset that it’s a tactical decision to not wear a seatbelt. With all the training that we do, why not train to tactically remove your seatbelt? You’ll know when circumstances warrant removing your belt. There are simply no reasons not to wear it. If you can work a retention holster, you can work a seatbelt.<br />
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<b>No. 5—On-Duty Mindset </b><br />
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This goes for just about anything we do in law enforcement. “When/then”- and “what if”-type thinking and mental rehearsals will better prepare you for the real thing. Everyone must remain in an “on-duty mindset” while working. Be aware of your surroundings and environment. Be alert to the actions and reactions of vehicles ahead of you and around you. Be vigilant when making a roadside contact or face-to-face encounter. Always keep your head on a swivel to be aware of passing traffic while on a traffic stop. Be prepared! The Boy Scouts said it first, but it applies to police work just as well.<br />
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<b><u>Bottom line:</u></b> The ultimate achievement in our profession is winning and surviving. Do your loved ones a favor and make it home at the end of your shift.<br />
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Mike Allen started the YOUTH (Younger Officer Unified Training Habits) Program in 2008 to reduce vehicle-related deaths in law enforcement. <br />
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<i>Special Thanks to www.lawofficer.com
</i>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-50036679378159349582015-12-19T10:30:00.004-07:002015-12-19T10:30:58.864-07:00Don't fall for this coupon scam on Facebook<br /><h2>
Don't fall for this coupon scam on Facebook</h2>
By Kevin Downey<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK/KROGER</div>
</span><br /><br />It's easy to brush off Facebook scams as nothing but a minor annoyance. After all, you hear about Facebook scams every day.<br /><br />Some are silly, like a recent "Christmas bonus" scam that probably didn't fool too many people. Facebook is giving away money for Christmas? Unlikely.<br /><br />Still, you can't just dismiss Facebook scams. Some of them are costly, like a woman who lost $44,550 to help her would-be fiance return to America.<br /><br />Now, there's word of a Facebook scam involving a tempting coupon, to save money at a major grocery store. It sounds like a harmless scam, but it isn't. In fact, it's scary because you could end up sharing your personal information with cyber criminals.<br /><br />You may see a 40% off Kroger coupon on Facebook. It's easy to get fooled.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.komando.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/kroger-couponjpg-24342c5ef240c8e1.jpg" /><br /><br />This Facebook scam gets points for being convincing. It looks like a Kroger coupon, saying you can save 40% on your shopping until the end of the year, and all you have to do is say "thanks" under comments.<br /><br />The problem begins when you click on the coupon, so you can print it out. If you do, you're taken to a bogus site.<br /><br />There, you're asked to fill out personal information. There may also be links that would infect your device with malware.<br /><br />Kroger posted a warning about the coupon scam on Facebook (see photo above): "This is currently an unauthorized 40% off all purchase in store offer circulating.<br /><br />"This giveaway is not affiliated with, or supported by the Kroger Co. in any way. We recommend not engaging with sites that offer links to the coupon, or providing them with any personal information. Our team is actively working with Facebook and domain service providers to address the concern."<br /><br />Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-49305843941003362502015-12-10T01:00:00.000-07:002015-12-10T01:00:01.626-07:00Stop stores and airports from tracking your movements<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Stop stores and airports from tracking your movements</span><br />By Kim Komando<br /><br /><br />Did you know that for several months Wal-Mart tested a facial recognition system that can pick an individual out of a crowd and track them automatically through a store? It's true. Wal-Mart was mainly using the system to spot known shoplifters, but I'm sure you can think of more worrying purposes.<br /><br />Facial recognition is one of many technologies that brick-and-mortar retailers are testing to get real-time data on their customers. Online stores can see exactly what products and ads a user looks at, but offline retailers traditionally only know what people buy. They want to change that so they can maximize their marketing and profits.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymod6YejdVNJdsElF3OrJ3tY2kU2wbOT2JKUK83F2fNEn_y3bn_SaqEQkbTXUA9qV18aIsAB_Zvtx7bdfsO_LGcxwbn-M2cg-4wokZgQEL0sWZRtAyY7LnTW7H7OV3J93m-6bXaikZH8/s1600/track.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymod6YejdVNJdsElF3OrJ3tY2kU2wbOT2JKUK83F2fNEn_y3bn_SaqEQkbTXUA9qV18aIsAB_Zvtx7bdfsO_LGcxwbn-M2cg-4wokZgQEL0sWZRtAyY7LnTW7H7OV3J93m-6bXaikZH8/s1600/track.jpe" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: lime;">HOW RETAILERS TRACK YOU</span></b><br /><br /> While facial recognition is still in limited use, many retailers, and other locations with a lot of traffic like airports, are using Mobile Location Analytics to track your exact location. For example, an airport knows how much time you spent in a shop, moving through security or at the baggage claim. A store knows when you move from one department to another, or even linger in a certain aisle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How do they do this?<br /><br />MLA uses the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in your smartphone or tablet. Every mobile gadget has a unique 12-digit hardware identifier called a MAC address that it broadcasts via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. As your gadget comes in range of the various Wi-Fi routers and Bluetooth hubs scattered around a store or airport, the MLA system picks up your MAC address.<br /><br />Companies collect this information over time and use it to track traffic flow, line wait times, popular products or aisles, tweak employee work schedule and more. But could they use the information to do something more?<br /><br />The good news is that on its own, your gadget's MAC address tells the store nothing about you. Your name, email and phone number aren't transmitted. At most, it might be able to figure out what manufacturer made your phone.<br /><br />Most of the companies that handle this tracking have also signed agreements that they won't try to tie your MAC address to any other information they might have about you. Of course, those agreements are voluntary and there are ways a company could identify you if it wanted.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: lime;">HOW A COMPANY COULD LEARN YOUR IDENTITY</span></b><br /><br />One way is by using in-store beacons. These beacons use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Near-Field Communication to connect with your phone and send you deals on products you're walking past. To receive these deals, however, you have to be running the store's app, or have signed up to receive them. So, there's no real privacy concern.<br /><br />However, imagine if a store were to combine your MAC address location with a beacon pushing a deal to your phone. You likely signed up to receive the deals with your name and email address. It's a simple matter to link that information up with the company's records of your purchase history from your credit card or loyalty card. The store could have a full profile on you in seconds.<br /><br />Then there's facial recognition, as we talked about earlier. If a company knows your gadget's location, it's a simple matter to point a camera at you. Granted, most facial recognition systems require a photo on file to make a match.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, if a company has your name and email address, it's a short leap to get your profile picture from Facebook and spot you as you walk into the store. Of course, that's unlikely for the foreseeable future because of the backlash it would cause.<br /><br />However, it doesn't have to be the store that's tracking you. If law enforcement was doing an investigation and got your gadget, they could technically subpoena records from MLA companies for the gadget's MAC address and learn your movements. Or if the MAC address records were lost in a data breach, I'm sure hackers could find some use for them.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="color: lime;">HOW TO STOP THE TRACKING</span></b><br /><br />The Future of Privacy Forum has set up a site called Smart Store Privacy. If you go there, you can put in your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth MAC addresses and it will tell participating tracking companies (there are 12 signed on at the moment) not to track those addresses. You don't have to give any other information.<br /><br />Finding your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth MAC addresses is a little tricky depending on your gadget. Here are some general instructions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: yellow;">APPLE</span></b><br /><br />For Apple gadgets, go to Settings>>General>>About and look under Wi-Fi Address and Bluetooth. You're looking for a 12-digit number like 91:17:7B:82:C2:A5 or 91-17-7B-82-C2-A5. It should be clearly labeled. If you don't see an address, you should turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and then check again.<br /><br />Note: If you're using an Apple gadget running iOS 8 or higher, it changes its MAC address every time it connects to a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth hotspot. So, a store won't be able to track you because it will look like a new gadget every time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">ANDROID</span></b><br /><br />For Android gadgets, every phone manufacturer has things set up a little differently. First, make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned on. Then go to Settings>>About Phone, or Settings>>About Tablet. It might be under Hardware Information or Status. If you can't find it, check your gadget's manual for the precise location.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">WINDOWS PHONE</span></b><br /><br />For Wi-Fi, go to Start>>Settings>>Connections>>Wireless LAN>>Advanced. Look in the MAC field. Wi-Fi needs to be on for this to work.<br /><br />For Bluetooth, go to Start>>Settings>>Connections>>Bluetooth>>Accessibility and look under Address. Bluetooth needs to be on for the address to show up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">BLACKBERRY</span></b><br /><br />For Wi-Fi, go to Setup>>Options>>Device>>Device and Status Information, and look under the WLAN MAC heading.<br /><br />On Blackberry gadgets running OS 5 or earlier, go to Options>>Status and look under WLAN MAC.<br /><br />For getting the Bluetooth address, go to Connections>>Bluetooth>>Properties to find the MAC address.<br /><br />Of course, there are tracking companies out there not signed up with Smart Store Privacy. To totally avoid tracking, you'll have to turn off your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth before entering a store. That keeps your MAC address from broadcasting.</span></div>
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-41879919603619404862015-12-04T01:00:00.000-07:002015-12-04T01:00:05.519-07:00Facebook Friend Request SCAM<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Beware: Facebook friend request scam</span><br />By Kevin Downey<br /><br /><br />It's so easy to get lured into online friendships. Especially this time of year, when people are friendlier than usual and reaching out to old acquaintances like you, you often accept friend requests without giving it much thought.<br /><br />That's nice, when it's a person you know and trust. But, too often, your so-called online friends are really just scammers trying to steal your identity.<br /><br />If you think back to when you first signed up for social media sites like Facebook, you probably put in information about yourself that seemed safe. Your birthday and home town seem innocent enough. Plus, a little information about your job or, if you're in the military, where you're stationed.<br /><br />But all that information is useful to scammers trying to steal your ID. The Better Business Bureau asks social media users to report Facebook scams and other social media scams to them. But there's more you can do to protect yourself from having your ID stolen.<br /><br />Besides reporting scams to the BBB after they've occurred, you also need to be proactive. You need to check your social media profiles, and get rid of information that scammers can use to steal your ID, according to a professor at the University of South Florida.<br /><br /><b>Here's what he recommends you do:</b></span><br />
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<li>Don't accept friend requests from people you don't know, even if they know people you know</li>
<li>Don't include your birthday, address, or phone number on your profile</li>
<li>Frequently update your privacy settings; make sure you put restrictions on who can request that you be their friend</li>
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<br />As you share Thanksgiving photos with your family and friends on Facebook this weekend, be on the lookout for scammers. Plus, when you have a moment, review your profile and privacy settings. It can save you headaches down the road.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: The Epoch Times</span></span></div>
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-59462926894518251522015-11-29T19:23:00.000-07:002015-11-29T19:23:05.307-07:00Facebook Quiz Warning<br /><span style="font-size: large;">Don't take that viral Facebook quiz</span><br />By Kelli Uhrich<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Updated 11/25 with new clarifications from Vonvon and instructions to disable the quiz app.<br /><br />We know it's tempting. You've seen that quiz going around that all your friends seem to be taking. It's a personality quiz, and that's right up your alley. But, wait a second. Before you take it, you might want to think twice. And if you've already taken it, keep reading to learn what you should do.<br /><br />The quiz "Your Most Used Words on Facebook" is a viral sensation. It scans your Facebook posts and creates a "word cloud" from the words you use most in your account. But, this quiz could go beyond just collecting your name and a few details about your life.<br /><br />It has access to your birth date, hometown, education and work details. It picks up everything you've liked and browsed, and even has access to your photos. Plus, it archives your IP address.<br /><br />That's quite a bit of information for a simple quiz on Facebook. And the thing is most people take the quiz after agreeing to the terms first. The app prompts a page that asks you to authorize its connection with your Facebook account.<br /><br />We see those pop-ups all the time, though. So it's easy to assume that it's just another request, and it's probably fine. But this should make you take another look, and be more cautious.<br /><br />What's particularly frightening about this Facebook quiz is the Privacy Policy associated with the app. You know, those lengthy contracts that nobody reads? The company behind the quiz, Vonvon.me, has snuck a little nugget in there that everyone should know.<br /><br />The policy states that anyone who logs in using Facebook is authorizing the app to continue using their information even after they've terminated their account. Even more, users who agree to the terms are authorizing the app to store their information on servers around the globe. Some of which are located in countries where privacy laws don't exist.<br /><br />Of course, the Vonvon.me agreement states it would never share your personal information with a third party without telling you first. However, it also says in the agreement that by clicking "OK" you're stating you've been told.<br /><br />The CEO of Vonvon has spoken out and clarified that it doesn't actually pull any of your personal information out of Facebook or sell any of it. It only uses the bare minimum it needs to create the word cloud. However, it's a good reminder that the company could have if it wanted, and some other company in the future might.<br /><br />If you already took the quiz and granted permissions for the app to access your Facebook account, you can't take back whatever information it already collected. However, you can keep it from scooping up more of your information in the future.<br /><br /><b>You'll need to unlink the app from your Facebook account. To unlink an app or game from Facebook, follow these steps:</b></span><div>
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<li>Click the arrow in the upper-right corner of your Facebook page and select Settings</li>
<li>Click Apps in the left menu</li>
<li>Hover over the app or game you'd like to remove and click X. This app could be identified as "Vonvon" or "Your Most Used Words on Facebook." You should also review what other apps you've given access to in the past and what permissions they have.</li>
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<br />Note: An app or game may have stored info from when you were using it, but you can contact the developer to ask that they delete any info they may still have.</span></div>
Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-48623999886763376792015-11-13T22:24:00.000-07:002015-11-13T22:24:28.570-07:00Walmart Check Fraud<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WARNING: If You Get a Check From Walmart in the Mail it Means…</b></span><div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />Scams are rampant these days, with most of them taking place on the internet. One group of scammers, however, have found a new way to drain funds from your bank account.<br /><br />A group of scammers is sending out fake checks, like the one pictured above. It also comes with a letter like this:</span><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.42px; line-height: 24.0814px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-top: 1.6em; orphans: 4; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://thefederalistpapers.integratedmarket.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/letter.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225e9b; font-size: 14.42px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="letter" class="aligncenter wp-image-57657" height="1043" src="http://thefederalistpapers.integratedmarket.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/letter.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 14.42px; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="738" /></a></div>
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<br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">The <a href="http://massacsheriffsdept.com/scams.html">Massac County Sheriff’s Office</a> issued the following warning:</span></b><br /><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.42px; line-height: 24.0814px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-top: 1.6em; orphans: 4; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>A new scam to hit this area is the Walmart scam. A person receives a letter, like the one below, in the mail along with a check, like the one pictured above.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The letter informs the person that they have been accepted into the Quality Control program from Walmart. The letter informs the person of their responsibilities.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>A check activation is required using a supplied user ID and password. Once the check is activated, the person is to deposit the check into their bank account to begin shopping and participating in the program. THIS IS A SCAM. Once you deposit the check into your account, the scammers drain your account.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>DO NOT DEPOSIT THIS CHECK.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>If you receive this letter in the mail, throw it away.</i></span></blockquote>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;">This scam certainly hits on your desperation and/or greed, and takes advantage of your need for money. It can be quite easy to see a check and immediately take it to the bank, but if you see this or anything like it, please check into it first. Odds are, people and corporations aren’t just going to send you money out of the blue.<br /><br />Take the time to protect yourself and your assets.</span></div>
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-88386413271836275472015-10-29T17:30:00.000-06:002015-10-29T17:30:10.599-06:0010 Safety Essentials That Most Homes Are Missing<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Although it's tempting to brush off the possibility that a fire, break-in, or other emergency could strike your home, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Make sure that you're prepared for anything by outfitting your home with these 10 safety essentials that you may not have–or even realize that you need. <br /><br />1. Smart Door Locks. <br /><br />Shared or lost keys can unlock the door to trouble. When the "key" to your house is on your phone, though, or entered into a keypad, you don't need to worry as much that others might have unlimited access to your home. Upgrading the deadbolt on your door with technology like the August Smart Lock can give you greater control over who enters your home and when. Create temporary virtual keys for guests to arrive at prearranged times, or simply buzz them in at a moment's notice from your phone. For peace of mind, you can check back on the app for a full log of recent visitors. Available on Amazon; $199. <br /><br />2. First Aid Kit. <br /><br />While this seems obvious, you should always keep a first aid kit on hand so you're prepared for accidents or emergencies. Pick up a prepackaged product like this 36-piece set that goes way beyond the basics, complete with alcohol swabs, a whistle, and a compass. The lightweight case is attached to a carabiner, so it's easy to take on the go too. Available on Amazon; $21. <br /><br />3. Emergency Ladder. <br /><br />Although we all hope we never have to endure the damage and loss of life that can be caused by a house fire, it’s still important to be prepared for one. If the unthinkable happens, an emergency ladder could save your life. Consider purchasing a multistory model and stashing it in an accessible location, preferably near a window, so you or your family members will be able to quickly and safely escape the house in the event of fire. Available on Amazon; $35. <br /><br />4. Wi-Fi Connected HVAC. <br /><br />You may think of your heating system primarily as a source of physical comfort, but in the winter it can protect your home against devastating damage. To ensure that your heating system stays on task, consider a Wi-Fi-connected thermostat like the Nest. The technology offers you the convenience of being able to control your thermostat from anywhere, via any Internet-enabled device. But more important, Wi-Fi thermostats provide real-time system alerts, so if your heating system were to fail, you could take action immediately—before frozen pipes and related hazards endanger your home. Available on Amazon; $249. <br /><br /> 5. Motion Sensor Lights.<br /><br />There's a reason why many police departments and security experts recommend installing motion-sensor lights as a defense against nighttime intruders. These energy-conscious fixtures shine a light on would-be burglars, deterring those who would rather do their bad deeds in the dark. Installed near entryways, motion-sensor lights also provide safe passage to anyone arriving home after dark. Available on Amazon; $19.47. <br /><br /> 6. Hand Crank Radio. <br /><br />Losing power doesn't have to mean losing touch with the rest of the world. This emergency radio needs only one of these three sources to operate: three AAA batteries, a little sunlight, or a small workout via a hand crank. Once the radio's running, you can set it to broadcast local weather alerts and still have enough juice to recharge your phone. And should you forget your candles and matches as you run to the basement for shelter, this phone-charging radio unit also serves triple-duty as an LED flashlight. Available on Amazon; $80.<br /><br />7. Battery and Propane Powered Lights and Heaters.<br /><br />At most times of the year, power outages are merely a nuisance. In the winter, however, they are downright dangerous. Why? Because the whole-home heating systems we use today rely on electricity. Without electricity, well, you're on your own. If your home doesn't have a fireplace and you're reluctant to get a generator, look into options like the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater. Rated for indoor use, the propane-powered unit can keep a 200-square-foot space comfortable for as long as the fuel supply lasts. Available on Amazon; $136.59. <br /><br />8. House Safe. <br /><br />A small safe can really come in handy for safeguarding valuables like passports, family heirlooms, checkbooks, and other important papers. A safe that’s cleverly hidden away can keep these possessions from being stolen in the event of a break-in, and a fireproof and waterproof model can protect your valuables from the devastating effects of a fire. Available on Amazon; $65. <br /><br />9. Fire Extinguishers. <br /><br />A fire extinguisher may not be the most exciting or attractive addition to your home, but this must-have safety essential could save your life. Place it in an easily accessible area so you can quickly and effectively put out a fire, or at least tame the flames while your family escapes to safety. Available on Amazon; $20.<br /><br />10. Butane Lighters and Candles. <br /><br />When the lights suddenly flicker and you find yourself shrouded in darkness, a lighter can be a wonderful thing. Always have a few of these close at hand in case the power goes out or another emergency situation arises—you'll be grateful that they're there. A lighter can help you start a fire, illuminate a few candles, or navigate the dark. Purchase a pack of three or more so you'll have extras available whenever you need them. Available on Amazon; $8 for 6.<br /><br /><br />Urban Man! </span>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-5922816814621634772015-10-08T08:18:00.000-06:002015-10-09T05:53:21.799-06:00She Thought She Had A $50 Bill<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
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mso-para-margin-left:0in;
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">She Thought She Had A $50 Bill…Until She Realized
She’d Been Scammed</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by <b>Jason DeWitt</b>
| Top Right News</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaChW9vIZGPMqrSmVB0j8JG6til2eqOeo-V5RCCb9CYFA4vpWDRgBU2PQKaMszOix696X8nKFnBWIWpxOJJCrTP3RQpfaa5KT9rPnbarYFSev4QFe0w63KiqOrwai9D4usFOBOwa4xXBg/s1600/10bill50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaChW9vIZGPMqrSmVB0j8JG6til2eqOeo-V5RCCb9CYFA4vpWDRgBU2PQKaMszOix696X8nKFnBWIWpxOJJCrTP3RQpfaa5KT9rPnbarYFSev4QFe0w63KiqOrwai9D4usFOBOwa4xXBg/s320/10bill50.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">P<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">eople are extremely protective of
their money, and with good reason. Getting a job in today’s market is hard
enough, and everything is so expensive, so holding on to money is of the utmost
importance. Whether that means continuously counting the cash in our wallets,
or obsessively checking our online bank statements, we do so much to protect
what we’ve earned.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But what if you didn’t have as much
money as you thought, even after all that counting? You could be carrying
counterfeit bills without even knowing it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A <b>new scam</b> is so pervasive
throughout much of America that the <b>FBI</b> and large banks have issued
alerts to customers to be on the lookout, and carefully review all $50 bills,
after<b> “tens of thousands” of $10 bills have been altered to resemble the
$50, and many people have been scammed by it.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But there’s one way to ensure that
your bills are exactly what they appear to be. Here’s how.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All you need is a little bit of
rubbing alcohol. Check out the entire process in the video below:</span></span></div>
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Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1082789184864973182.post-57616759562677316482015-09-08T19:01:00.000-06:002015-09-08T19:01:00.541-06:00How to Create an Emergency Evacuation Kit<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<strong>How to Create an Emergency Evacuation Kit...Just in Case</strong></div>
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By Mary Boone, posted on Zillow </div>
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<a href="http://undefined/makers/how-to-create-an-emergency-evacuation-kit-125368086550.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.yahoo.com/makers/<wbr></wbr>how-to-create-an-emergency-<wbr></wbr>evacuation-kit-125368086550.<wbr></wbr>html</a></div>
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From hurricanes to earthquakes and wildfires, natural disasters can be frightening. While these emergencies come in many forms and may require anything from a brief absence to permanent evacuation, there’s one thing you can do to ensure your safety — prepare.<br />
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If you’re forced to leave your home, you may have less than a minute to get out. Having an emergency evacuation kit packed and ready to go could mean the difference between your well being and hardship.</div>
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“You can’t control disasters, but you can control how prepared you are for them,” said Rafael Lemaitre, director of public affairs for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “The outlook for the coming Atlantic hurricane season, for example, looks to be quieter than normal, but all it takes is one to affect you and your community. It only takes one disaster to change your entire life, so it makes sense to prepare.”</div>
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What you’ll need:</div>
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Beyond stocking up on nonperishable food, water, flashlights and clothing, you need to collect important documents to include in your evacuation kit. Your kit should include:</div>
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•Cash: In small bills. If the power is out, you won’t be able to make withdrawals from an ATM.<br />
•Identification: Copies of your driver’s licenses, Social Security card, birth certificate and marriage records.<br />
•Insurance: Copies of home, auto and health policy information.<br />
•Banking: Savings and checking account numbers.<br />
•First-aid kit: The American Red Cross recommends bandages in various sizes, gauze pads, adhesive cloth tape, antiseptic wipe packets, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone ointment, an oral thermometer, non-latex gloves, scissors, tweezers and aspirin.<br />
•Medication: Keep at least a seven-day supply of essential medications in your evacuation kit and determine how often you should replace stored medication. Have extra copies of prescriptions or leave a copy of your prescriptions on hold with a national pharmacy chain or with a relative who lives some distance away.<br />
•Legal: Copies of wills or power-of-attorney documents.<br />
•Contact information: Doctors, family members, friends and work contacts, among others.<br />
•Connectivity: An extra cellphone charger or portable charging unit for your phone. Solar and wind-up chargers are available, while others use small batteries.<br />
•Navigation: A map of your city or region that includes street names and public transportation information. Disasters often force detours and changing traffic patterns; a map will help keep you from getting lost.</div>
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Pulling it all together</div>
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Use a large water-resistant backpack or duffel bag to hold your emergency kit. Look for bags with padded shoulder straps and waist straps to help distribute weight and make it easier to carry long distances. Experts suggest keeping documents inside a waterproof container in your evacuation backpack or duffel.</div>
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Store your emergency supplies in a safe place where you can grab them easily.<br />
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“Studies have proven that the more prepared people are, the less anxious they are and the more quickly they recover from disaster,” said FEMA’s Lemaitre. “It only takes a few minutes a couple times a year to make sure your family’s evacuation kit is up to date, but it’s an important investment to make for you, your family and your children.”</div>
Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00177364539498093342noreply@blogger.com0