As the warmer weather approaches more women will find themselves able to enjoy the outdoors and all of the activities associated with warm weather fun. But with this additional outdoor activity we will also see an increase in attacks on women.
By following a few simple tips and using your common sense, you can drastically lower your odds of falling victim to attack.
• Never wear your earphones in both ears. It makes it far too easy for some criminal to sneak up and attack you before you know it. Criminals love people who make easy victims and not being able to hear them coming up from behind would make you a much easier target.
• Carry some type of self defense weapon. It could give you the edge you need to get away from or outright repel an attacker. You could use a device like the Mace Hot Walkers. They are 1 pound walking weights that contain a hidden pepper spray. Not only will they help you get a better workout, they provide you that extra edge should the need arise.
• There really is safety in numbers. It is not a guarantee but it sure does not hurt. So if at all possible, try to find a workout partner that enjoys the same type of outside activities that you do.
• Stay aware of your surroundings. Your goal should always be to look like a bad victim. You want the criminal to simply move on to an easier target. You can do this by being aware of anyone near you and what is going on around you at all times.
• Avoid being out during dusk or dawn hours. Many criminals prefer the cover of darkness to hunt for victims and this includes the dusk and dawn hours where light is fading quickly.
• Make sure someone knows exactly where you are going and when you plan on returning just in case something happens to you while you are out enjoying your day.
As you can plainly see, there is nothing on this list that is expensive or overly complicated to accomplish. With that said you have to decide what your safety is worth to you and then act accordingly.
In the past, most of the options for a pepper spray delivery system were limited to just canisters. As time progressed you could find it hidden in benign appearing items like lipsticks, batons and pens as well.
Thanks to the fine folks over at Mace, we have yet another option in the form of the Mace Pepper Gun. This handy little device has quite a few features that are not available with the other delivery methods.
The Mace Pepper Gun uses their patented Bag-in-a-Can Technology. This allows the device to maintain a constant stream even when turned on the side or upside down! Not only that, it shoots up to twenty five feet away which is about twice what the other delivery methods will do.
As for ease of use, it does not get much easier to operate than the Mace Pepper Gun. Once loaded with a pepper canister, you simply aim and shoot. To simplify the process they even included a LED light for the weapon.
This LED light affords three main benefits:
1. Wherever you shine the light is where the pepper spray will land. This makes aiming for the face very simple. Shine the light directly in their eyes and blast away and continue to do so until he is screaming out in agony from the burn!
2. The other added benefit of the LED light is that when you do shine the light it his eyes it will help to disorient him for the second or so it will take the pepper spray from the Mace Pepper Gun to make him wish he was elsewhere. After it starts to kick in the fight is over and he will not be able to see you so you can escape to safety.
3. The fear factor. At night when you pull this out it will be tough to tell exactly what you have in your hand and could potentially scare off the attacker or at least distract him long enough for you to take a deep breath and use the device.
So I am sure you can see that there is not much to absorb when it comes to learning how to use the Mace Pepper Gun. You load it, point the light and squeeze the trigger. That really is all there is to it!
One more benefit that Mace provided with their Pepper Gun is that they sell practice canisters. They are filled with water and allow you the chance to test out the device without wasting your precious pepper spray.
With the release of the alleged Mel Gibson rant tapes it has left many people wondering just how someone could record a phone conversation without the other person knowing about it. To be honest, that is very easy with all of the new technology out there. You can buy Digital Phone Recorders that can plug right into your phone or some that can act as your home phone while being ready to record should the need arise.
The more popular of the two main types of Phone Recorders would be the small Digital Recorders. They simply plug right into the headphone jack of your home or even cell phones and then you hit the record button and it will record until you stop it or it runs out of space.
They also can be used to record sound from within a room either using the built-in or an external microphone and some of the better models even have a voice activated feature so it will only record when it “hears” voices.
The less popular type of Phone Recorder can only record phone conversation that come through itself which means that you could not use it to record your cell phone or even a phone from another room. They also do not generally have the ability to record sounds from within a room either which would account for the lack of popularity.
So as you can see recording a phone conversation is quite easy these days and the person on the other line would never know unless you tell them but that is another issue you must consider.
You see many states have what they call a “two party consent” law which requires both parties be aware that they are being recorded. You need to know what the law is for your state should you decide to start recording phone conversations so you do not wind up getting yourself into hot water with the law enforcement community of your area.
To see whether your state has a “two party consent” law or not you can look here at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_recording_laws.
If you live in a “two party” consent state then you may want to reconsider the use of a phone recorder or at the very least consult an attorney to know exactly what you can do without breaking the laws of your state.
The need to worry about hidden cameras has increased over the years because the technology is now so readily available and widely used. You can buy a camera hidden in just about anything these days, from books to watches and everything in between. They are getting more difficult to recognize even up close and this is where a good Hidden Camera Detector can make all the difference.
Hidden Camera Detector technology has improved over time just like cameras so you can easily protect yourself from having your privacy invaded. This should be something you think about whenever you use a public restroom, changing or locker room since a video of that event could wind up on the internet being viewed by thousands of perverts for years to come.
Hidden cameras can be wired, wireless or even self recording. This means that whichever Hidden Camera Detector you choose needs to be able to detect all three if you want maximum protection.
Wireless cameras are the easiest to detect because of their RF or Radio Frequency. This is a signal that the wireless camera gives off the entire time it is powered on. Your Hidden Camera Detector should easily alert you to the presence of the RF signals and then you just need to either leave or if you want proof, narrow down the location. This can be done by the use of the signal strength meter on your Hidden Camera Detector. The closer you get to the source, the stronger the signal.
Wired and self recording hidden cameras do not give off RF signals like the wireless cameras so they are a bit tougher to locate. This is where the eyepiece of your Hidden Camera Detector comes into play.
You simply look through the specially made eyepiece and any video camera lenses within a few feet will flash red so you will know exactly where they are located. At that point you can contact the authorities and put a stop to their bad behavior.
Out of the 3 types of hidden cameras, the wired and self recording models are most likely the types of camera you will run into in public settings. Wireless cameras are best suited for situations where you are not able to run a wire and are usually used in private homes.
This is the reason you would be best served by purchasing a Hidden Camera Detector that can handle all 3 types of cameras so you are ensured the maximum protection when out in public.
Training yourself to become a better fighter doesn’t necessarily mean that every weekend you are encouraged to frequent sports pubs and engage in physical altercations. In fact, becoming involved with close combat training can effectively enhance your ability to defend yourself in those unexpected situations.
I think we all understand which situations I’m speaking; the one where you’re simply minding your own business on a street corner when somebody approaches you with demeaning words and unwarranted anger – this is where learning how to defend yourself physically can come in quite handy, because it’s almost certain that this person advanced with the intention to fight.
In short, MMA or mixed martial arts is defined as a full contact combat sport, and it permits a large variety of fighting methods, including those of tradition and non-tradition. This means that grappling, as well as striking, is allowed. Most fights actually end in a grapple, followed by a submission move (i.e. arm bar). Congruently, this is why learning mixed martial arts for self defense is so beneficial. It’s true that most physical altercations, whether they are during after hours at a town bar or in the parking lot outside of a gym, almost always end up on the ground in a furious jostle for position.
But if you truly want to subdue your attacker, you must learn the various styles and techniques of handling your opponent while you’re both on the ground. A take-down is typically followed by the most common hybrid of “ground and pound,” where you have your foe on his back while sitting on top of him throwing devastating punches. But MMA ground fighting isn’t always defined by clinching mixed with knees, elbows and punches to the face. In fact, it’s what’s known as “submission grappling” that gives note to a well rounded MMA fighter.
When I say submission grappling, I mean putting your adversary in a choke-hold and/or any of the following:
• Joint locks
• Arm-locks
• Leg-locks
• Clinch holds
• Compression locks
• Pain compliance
• Pinning
There are a few intricate others, including the “Grapevine”, but these are the top categories that define submission holds. These are a part of many different disciplines including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Catch Wrestling, Judo, Sambo, Shootwrestling, Pankration and more.
Let’s not forget one of the most important elements and differentiators to boxing; kickboxing/Muay Thai. Certain MMA fighters specialize in areas like kickboxing provided they’re strongest in that area. The same goes for clinching and ground and pound – fighters will determine their strong areas during practice and routine, effectively mastering their most powerful kick and/or submission move. This is evident while viewing any MMA fight. You’ll notice that some MMA fighters almost always strike at the hips, venturing into a takedown and eventually ending the fight in submission while others enjoy staying on their feet and throwing lots of punches.
Nevertheless, all of these traditional styles and disciplines mixed with a combination of modern or non-tradition styles envelope what we commonly refer to as Mixed Martial Arts today. The sport is growing in popularity. Congruently, more people are taking an interest into learning some of these self defense techniques. Not only does engaging in such activity come with the ability to defend, but it naturally enhances fitness.
___________________________________________________________ By: Brent Jacobs of MMA Industries, distributor of extreme MMA Gear and MMA T-shirts.
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During the holiday season people seem to completely loose their minds and as a result the crime rate shoots through the roof.
Unless you want your holiday season to include becoming a victim, you should take a few simple steps to stay safer.
1. Regardless of the time of year people tend to keep too much out in plain sight inside their vehicles. People keep loads of spare change, mp3 players, expensive sneakers and even purses right out in plain sight. All this serves to do is entice criminals to break out your windows and reach in and grab your stuff since it only takes a few seconds.
2. Utilize the buddy system it is a good idea for more than one reason. If you must unload packages into your car be sure you have someone to either stay in the car or drive the packages back to your home. If done right you can safely knock out the holiday shopping for you and your 1 or 2 of your friends or family members
3. Never place packages inside the car if you can avoid it. Just covering things up with a blanket will not do enough to disguise your items and keep crooks away. The best place to place packages in your car while you finish shopping would be inside of the trunk. Just be very careful while unloading.
4. Carry some sort of key chain pepper spray or even a stun gun to ensure should something bad happen you have some sort of defensive weapon.
5. As you go to either get into or out of your vehicle, you need to be paying attention to who is in the parking lot with you. I personally know a man who just got jumped by 4 men a week ago. They severely beat and robbed him after he left a store and went to get into his car. If you feel weird or see anyone who makes you nervous, park somewhere else or leave altogether since it is better to be safe than sorry.
The biggest thing you can do to remain safe during this or any holiday season is to use your head for something more than just a hair holder!
A little common sense can go a long way to helping to keep you safe while you enjoy the holiday season.
In order to learn how to properly use a stun gun you need at least some idea of how it works. In the most simplistic of terms, they use high voltage and low amperage to temporarily disable your assailant and provide you with what hopefully will be enough time to escape.
When you press the trigger the electricity stored in the stun gun will instantly dump into the assailant’s muscles causing them to do a great deal of work very rapidly. This instantly depletes the energy supply for his muscles and his body is unable to function properly. The stun gun also interrupts the tiny neurological impulses that control muscle movement and it overwhelms the assailant’s nervous system with electricity.
Although the word gun is in the name, stun guns do not fire out anything at all and can only be used up close by pressing and holding it against your assailant. In order for the stun gun to achieve its effectiveness, you need to hold it against your assailant’s body for more than 1 full second.
Less than 1 second will simply cause some minor muscle contractions and will have a repelling effect, the effect goes away almost immediately after removal from contact. Touch your assailant for 1 to 4 seconds and it should cause them to fall to the ground and it may also cause some mental confusion. The effect also goes away almost immediately after removal from contact. A full 5 seconds or more should cause the assailant to become disoriented and off balance causing him to fall to the ground. It should then leave him weakened and dazed for a few minutes afterward although the actual time will vary by person.
The stun gun is effective on all parts of the body but it is most effective when used on certain areas of your assailant. The lower abdomen area is a prime target area you want to aim for and this includes right under the ribcage and the upper hip areas as well.
Another prime target area should be the upper shoulder and neck region and using it in these areas will help to maximize the effectiveness of the stun gun you are using at the time. There is also no need to worry if your assailant happens to be touching you when you stun him, the electrical current will not pass through to your body. This is especially helpful if he grabs you to try and drag you off to a secondary location.
As I mentioned earlier, stun guns are designed to help buy you a chance to get away from your assailant. You should try and give him a full 5 second jolt if at all possible . If you have a self defense spray with you, spray him before you run off to try to stop him from being able to chase you. Also be sure you scream as you run away for help. You want to do your best to attract as much attention to your plight as possible.
Parking garages are common hunting grounds for many lowlife criminals who just lay in wait for some unsuspecting woman to come along. They seem to like these types of structures due to the fact that there are many ways to exit the structure and usually not much in the way of surveillance cameras or security.
Another benefit to criminals is that there are many places to hide and wait for a victim. This is a problem people, especially women, need to keep in mind as they walk through the parking garage to their vehicle.
There are a few simple tips you can follow that will help to lower your odds of falling victim to attack within a parking garage.
• If you have a car alarm, which you should, be sure that if it has the feature that allows you to turn on your inside lights with your remote be sure it is enabled and that you use it. It will help to expose anyone that may be hidden inside of the car should they find a way past the alarm.
• Be sure to carry at least one type of self defense weapon such as a pepper spray or a personal alarm or even a stun gun. Not only do you want to have it but have it out and ready to be used.
• As you walk look around and listen. Don’t be on the phone and not paying attention as it makes you too appealing a target.
• If the building you are coming from or the parking garage has security, ask to be walked out to your vehicle or walk with a friend and then drive them to their vehicle.
• Take a self defense class. Not only is it a great way to boost your self esteem it is a great way to get healthier while preparing yourself should you ever need to save your own life.
One of the main ways to help lower your odds of attack whether it is in a parking garage or anywhere else is to make yourself look like a bad target. Criminals don’t want people who look like they are prepared to defend themselves, it is much easier to wait for a weak person to come by.
One of the key places that women can find themselves most vulnerable to attack is while getting into or out of their vehicle. With just a little prudent behavior on your part, you can lower your odds of ever being attacked this way even more.
Here are simple tips to follow:
• Be sure as you get in and out of your car you are looking around. Most of the women who get attacked at their cars are not paying attention to their surroundings.
• If your car alarm has the ability to turn the inside light on for you be sure it is active and that you take a second to check your backseat before you get into your car.
• Try and always park in a well light and public area. You don’t want dumpsters or bushes near where you will park as they are perfect hiding spots for criminals to wait for their next victim.
• It may sound silly but you really need to take a second to look underneath your car before you get too close.
• Be careful not to park next to any types of van. It is far too easy for someone to grab you and drag you into the van as you pass by the doors.
• You may have heard this a million times before but here is one million and one for you. There really is safety in numbers, it doesn’t guarantee your safety but it surely does help to lower your odds even further. So try and travel with a friend when at all possible and this goes for both day and evening hours. Plenty of bad things occur in the light of day so don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security.
• Carry and prepare yourself mentally to use, self defense weapons of some type. Preferably a Mace Pepper Spray and/or a Stun Gun as well as a personal alarm. It is better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them with you.
The objective here is not to be scared but instead be informed and prepared. With just a little effort on your part, which could easily become routine, you can significantly lower your odds even more of ever being attacked while getting into or out of your car.
It is sad but many people do not see the benefits to carrying a personal alarm, especially for a woman, child or senior citizen. I can personally think of quite a few instances where an inexpensive personal alarm could easily be used to save your life.
Say for example you are walking to your car in the back of a parking lot at night and some man jumps out and grabs you from behind covering your mouth. Even if there are people in the parking lot that could come to your aid, how would you get their attention if your mouth is covered?
If you had a personal alarm on your key chain you could set it off and then you can bet that anyone with your immediate area would be alerted to your plight. Mouth covered or not a 100+ decibel personal alarm will get you the attention you need if not scare off the attacker altogether.
The last thing that most of the violent criminals out there want during an attack on a victim is attention being drawn to the activity.
This goes for children as well. It is hard to find a responsible self defense weapon that we can give to our children, even the younger ones. But this is where the personal alarm is just the right tool for the job.
Since it isn’t an offensive weapon it can be given to much younger children to use in case some creep tries to grab them. Once again the hope being someone will hear and help or the scumbag will just run away.
Another perfect example would be when a woman finds herself being followed by someone. She can run off screaming fire while initiating her personal alarm to help ensure maximum attention being drawn to her.
As I am sure you can see the goal in each example is to take what could be a stealth crime which is what the criminal wants and make it as loud as possible and hopefully change the outcome as a result.
This is also useful for senior citizens. It is not always easy to signal for assistance when you need it even in public. With a personal alarm a senior citizen can up their odds of getting assistance when they need it be it for medical or security reasons.
Personal alarms come in various forms and features such as having built in lights and safety straps. You should be sure to think about what you will want to carry and use as a personal alarm so you find the best one for you.
It would be nice if the world we lived in was one where a woman could go about her business without fear of some predator setting his sights on her, sadly we don’t.
There have been many studies done with various violent offenders over the years where information was gathered on how and why they committed their crimes. They were asked what their idea of a “good victim” was and overwhelmingly the response was someone who wouldn’t put up much of a fight.
Most criminals are cowards and this is why they prey on the weak. So your main goal for safety and this is for both men and women, is to not look like a good victim.
This means that you follow some simple life rules that can help to save you from falling prey to some scumbag when you are out and about.
1. Always be aware of your surroundings when walking, biking or jogging. This one thing alone can help to keep you safe but most people don’t heed this warning. You need to know who and what is going on around you. You do this by turning your head and looking around. Most criminals if they had to choose between a victim that was looking around and paying attention or someone who wasn’t, they will choose the latter.
2. Confidence is key. We all know that someone who is confident appears stronger. This needs to be you! Getting informed and being prepared is a good start to this.
3. Take up a martial art. It is great for your health, confidence, safety, and even family time. I know a family who started taking Kempo as a family and now they have all lost weight, the kids are doing better in school and I pity the fool that breaks into their house because the entire family can kick some serious butt! Its all pros and no cons in my eyes.
4. Get some self defense weapons. Be that pepper spray, stun gun or some type of key chain weapon, just make it something you will use. This also helps to boost confidence as well as help to give you the edge that may save your life one day should it be needed.
5. Lastly, follow your instincts. If you feel uneasy there may be a reason for it and better safe than sorry.
You can’t control everything that happens to you in life but you can take these simple steps to help to lower your odds of becoming a victim of crime.
Many home burglaries can go from just a property loss crime to something much more heinous if the criminal is interrupted by the homeowner and usually the results are devastating to the homeowner and anyone with them.
But at least you can lower your odds of coming home to find some lowlife there for very little money by getting an alarm system. Most people think right away about monitored alarm systems when you mention home alarms and these can be very expensive to purchase and get installed not including the monthly monitoring fees.
The monthly fees and expensive contracts that can come with monitored alarm systems can put these types of alarms out of the reach of most us, especially these days. The good news is that thankfully there are other options from which you may choose.
I am referring to auto dialer home alarm systems which generally range in price from $75.00 to about $200.00. The real beauty of these devices being that once you purchase them there is no additional fees to pay as you have with the monitored type of alarm systems.
Now you may be thinking “so what is an auto dialer type alarm anyway”?
Simple, auto dialer alarms are generally motion activated and are connected to an active phone line. When the alarm detects any motion it will sound a loud alarm as well as call the first number on the phone list you programmed into it during installation.
Many of these alarms will allow you to listen in to the room to see if maybe a pet or authorized visitor accidentally just set off your alarm before you incorrectly dispatch police to your home. Some even allow you to broadcast your voice.
Most of the better models of this type of alarm will continue to dial a predetermined amount of phone numbers until the alarm has been properly deactivated by using a code.
This is especially helpful if you have family, friends or neighbors that you trust to be backups for you in the event that you cannot be reached.
Since an auto dialer alarm will call you to warn you that someone is in your home, I am sure you can see how it can help to prevent ever coming home to walk in to a bad situation with a criminal.
Whether you need to protect your family while you are working nights or you are a woman living alone, these types of home alarm systems can help you lower your odds of becoming a victim!
No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, there are still blind spots that prevent you from seeing what you need to see in order to prevent a car crash. Many car crashes could have been prevented over the years if only today’s technology had been available. Now that it is available in the form of a rearview mirror hidden camera, you can feel more secure when driving. The use of a hidden camera attached to your rearview mirror will give you better vision for what is coming up around you and aid in preventing an accident.
Since even today’s newer cars have blind spots, the option to add camera surveillance in the form of a hidden camera aids in better vehicle security and safety. It is a safety precaution we all need in today’s world. Now that you know how a rearview mirror hidden camera can benefit you in preventing an accident, we will cover how it works and the product features.
This particular hidden camera attaches to your rearview mirror and has front and rear color cameras along with built in DVR functions as well as audio.
The following is an overview of the features available on the rearview mirror hidden camera.
• Built-in Color Camera – Featuring digital technology that is compatible with an SD card (8 MB card included but accepts up to 16 MB card) all contained in this small 1/4 inch color camera.
• Rotation and Recording – This tiny color camera rotates 330 degrees and allows for recording via built-in DVR. The rotation includes interior and exterior views so you can see inside and outside of your car with no blind spots.
• External Wireless Camera – Included with this is a wireless camera that can be mounted in the rear dash or to an area on the outside of your vehicle.
• Easy to Read LCD Monitor – The monitor is a 3.6 inch LCD Thin Film Transistor style that plays or replays activity on your rearview mirror. You can switch from external to front camera options with the touch of a button.
• Battery – This also includes a convenient built-in rechargeable battery that you can charge through your cigarette lighter or a USB option for your computer. This is completely portable and easy to use.
This rearview mirror hidden camera is truly the most revolutionary way to provide yourself with more effective vehicle safety and peace of mind. You can get more information on this amazing piece of vehicle safety equipment and even see videos of it in action online.
There are two easy ways to use your PC for recording video from hidden and professional cameras as well.
The first way is to use an IP camera. They are extremely versatile devices that can connect to either your DVR, PC or right into your existing network using an Ethernet/CAT5 cable.
Most IP cameras come with software that you install on your PC or DVR to allow you to view the recorded video as well as to adjust any available features the camera may have.
If you also have your home network connected to the internet. You can generally use the software for the IP camera to create a secure webpage that can been seen only by you across the internet.
This means that you can access either real-time or recorded video from the IP camera across the internet from any PC in the world. This is very useful if you are away from and want to keep an eye on, things at home.
The second way to use your PC to record video is by using an USB DVR. These devices are generally small and are connected to an open USB port on your PC.
Most USB DVR’s come with software that you install on your PC to allow it to record video and for you to view that video live and recorded video across the internet, not unlike the IP camera.
One limitation to the USB DVR is that most only allow 4 cameras maximum to be installed at any time and if your needs require more, this may not be the right option for you.
IP cameras generally allow up to 16 cameras to be installed and are generally a better fit for those with larger needs.
So depending on how many camera you would like installed, either of these two options will allow you to use your PC record the video coming from your hidden or not, camera.
Protecting your privacy from a potentially nosey or just plain perverted landlord, is more of a worry today than it has been in past years due to the volume of options and availability of hidden cameras. Hidden cameras disguised as every day items are the best known but hidden camera can also come in the form of pinhole cameras.
When you first move into your new apartment, rented room or home you need to do a thorough walk through and pay attention to all of the little things. This is especially true if the place comes fully or even partially furnished.
When you do your initial inspection you need to check the following very carefully:
• Air vets for the air conditioning and heat.
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors.
• Any mirrors, paintings or wall decorations you don’t install yourself.
• Corners of each room, check the ceiling for small holes this also goes for the walls to any adjoining apartments.
• Check the bathroom carefully paying close attention to the shower and toilet areas
What you are looking for are wires that appear out of place and seem to go no where, and small holes that make no sense. If you turn out the lights and get it pitch black in your place you can look for lights in odd places.
Most cameras come with some type of power on light that can much more easily be seen in the pitch dark through careful examination. As I mentioned before you need to pay close attention as you do your inspection.
The bad thing about apartments and rented houses are that the landlord can come in under false pretenses and install cameras at any time after you move in. So you may also want to consider buying a bug detector.
Bug detectors can let you find any wireless cameras or microphones. Best of all you can occasionally sweep your living area to be sure nothing gets slipped in after your initial inspection.
Another bonus to getting a bug detector is that it can be used to ensure your privacy in dressing rooms and public bathrooms as well. We have all seen the news stories of perverts placing cameras in these public places and you don’t want to fall victim.
A little prevention can save you a lot of heart ache down the road.
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