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It’s kinda scary, the thought of a home invasion, but you can protect yourself with some basic home self defense. Did you know that According to a United States Department of Justice report 38% of assaults & 60% of rapes occur during home invasion? The same report also states that 1 of every 5 homes will experience a break-in or home invasion at some point in time. This gives you a 20% chance of being a victim of a home crime.

So, what can you do? There are many ways to protect yourself from people entering your home. Using common sense and some basic home self defense techniques will give you a much better chance of being skipped over by that potential rapist or possible home assault.

One of the best ways to prevent a home invasion or break-in is to make your home always look occupied. In most cases people don’t want others to be home when they attempt a break in and the presence of anyone can be a great deterrent. Keeping curtains open and lights on indoors is a great first step to making the home look occupied. Keeping a car in the driveway also gives the impression that there is someone home.

Another great form of home self defense is to secure the outside of your home. When I say secure, I don’t mean locks and cameras. One of the simplest things you can do is cut back bushes, overgrowth and trees from around your home. Don’t leave places for assailants to hide and wait for you to arrive home. This also prevents them from spending time hidden around your home. You also should lock any ladders that you have setting around your home to a fixed object using a quality padlock and chain. This will prevent possible assailants from using the ladder to gain access to unsecured upper windows, porches or even the roof. Installing some motion activated security lights around all outdoor doors in your home or even all around your home will do a lot to increase your home self defense and security.

I personally like to keep a super size pepper spray in my home at all times. Keeping one or two of these large self defense sprays around the home will provide safe and effective protection in the event of a home invasion. There are sprays available as large as 1 Pound that will give you the ability to ward off a handful of attackers and give you a chance to flee. If possible a mist type spray with a pistol grip would serve you best to defend against multiple attackers in an indoor situation. The mist type spray will hang in the air for a long period of time placing a wall of pepper spray between you and your attackers.

Using some basic home self defense will give you the edge if a criminal is looking at your home as a target. Keeping alert and paying attention to your surroundings is always your best bet to preventing crime especially around your own home. The steps you take to achieve security may be the deciding factor to your future.

Andrew Youtz is a leading security expert and owner of Harrisburg Safe & Vault, LLC. We provide security and self defense products and information to secure your world. Find out more about a Home Self Defense and educate yourself to stay safe.

Modern day self defense has evolved from lethal baseball bats and 9MM handguns to non-lethal Pepper Spray and Taser Guns. Some people say that a Taser is not non-lethal, but more than 99.99% of the time they do not cause death or any serious medical injury. It is a fact that Taser (the company) has been sued many times for causing death yet they have not lost in court, but think of all the lives they saved by replacing the use of police handguns time and time again. If Taser Guns would not have been available an officer may have needed to resort to using a much more lethal firearm to stop an aggressor.

I am a dealer of Taser’s products and recently attended a conference that included some very hands on Taser training. An officer from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department informed the crowd of about 175 of the details between different available Tasers. In case you are not aware of how this device works, let me fill you in. A Taser deploys two probes when fired that shoot out up to 15 feet and either attach to clothing or embed themselves in the skin. If operated correctly and the probes are more than 6 inches apart, the assailant will loose control of muscles and fall to the ground helpless. The unit sends out 50,000 volts that can last anywhere from 5 to 30 seconds depending on the model Taser Gun used. The model we were speaking about was the Taser C2. When the C2 is fired it continuously sends the 50,000 volts into the assailant until either the 30 seconds is up or the unit is turned off.

The demonstrating officer asked if there were any volunteers to be shocked by the Taser and surprisingly there were quite a few volunteers. I declined to be a participant in this, but had no problem watching nearly 15 others get the crap shocked out of them. One after another, people went up and told the officer know how long they wanted to be Tased. The first was fairly disappointing at only 3 seconds. It wasn’t even enough time to take him to the ground, but he made it very clear in his facial expressions that it was rather unpleasant. The next decided to be brave and went for 5 seconds. After about 3 seconds I heard a loud scream and “stop, stop, stop” then the officer stopped. I watched many give it a try and many fall to the ground helpless. About half the shocked guinea pigs screamed stop before the time they specified ahead of time was up. The times ranged from 5 to 10 seconds. Only one person impressed me when he said 8 seconds and made it through. I was thinking “no way”. This individual named Steve made it through all 8 seconds and took it like a man. It would be hard to imagine taking a full 30 second C2 Taser Gun shot and perhaps next year I will give it a try myself.

The Taser Gun is a very effective, affordable and safe method of self defense. In today’s violent world you should arm yourself to stay safe. Whether your choice of self defense devices are a Taser, pepper spray or stun gun you will have an unexpected advantage if attacked and be given the chance to escape with your life and unharmed.

Andrew Youtz is President of Harrisburg Safe & Vault, LLC. We provide security and self defense products and information to secure your world. Find out more about a Taser Gun and educate yourself in modern self defense.

One of the most useful accessories that you can use for your child’s car seat is a removable car seat cover. With such a cover, cleaning up after even the messiest child becomes simply a matter of removing, washing, and replacing the cover (and perhaps washing harnesses or straps by hand), instead of having to spend time trying to remove dirt and food from all of the surfaces and crevices of the car seat, itself.

Many child car seat manufacturers make removable car seat covers available for purchase. These covers are easy to remove and replace, and can be machine washed and dried as part of your normal household laundry. This will help to keep the cover sanitary and free of dirt and food stains. Not only will a cover be a convenience for you, but it will also help to extend the life of the car seat by keeping cleaning chemicals away from the surfaces of the car seat, itself.

If your child car seat manufacturer does not sell a cover for it, it may be possible to buy a separate cover that will fit well. Some retailers sell covers that will fit a variety of different car seat sizes. They are quite affordable, easy to install, and are very comfortable for your child to sit on. These covers are simple to remove for easy clean up, and are waterproof, which will help to contain spills, and the wetness from diapers. The covers come in a variety of sizes, colors, and designs, so that you should be able to find one that both fits and matches your child’s car seat.

As an alternative to a commercial car seat cover, you can improvise one by using a small blanket or towel to line the seat (for many booster seats, a full sized bath towel will work well). You can keep the cover in place with clips or tacks; just make sure they aren’t where your child can reach them, or where they can poke your child. Then, whenever the cover gets dirty, it can simply be removed, washed, and replaced, as with a commercial cover.

If you do not wish to use a car seat cover, the entire car seat can be washed by hand, using a mild soap and warm water. Strong or abrasive cleaners should be avoided, as they can have a cumulative damaging effect on the car seat’s materials, which may lead to a shortening of the useful life of the car seat.

You can use an outdoor water hose to help reach into the crevices of the car seat, but be sure to keep the water pressure low enough so as not to damage the surfaces of the car seat. The car seat should be allowed to dry completely before it is reinstalled in the vehicle. It may seem tempting to leave the car seat out in direct sunlight to dry, but this can have a cumulative effect that can lead to ruining the padding inside the car seat, which will make the car seat uncomfortable for your child to use.

All in all, the cost of a car seat cover is a small price to pay for the ease and convenience it will provide in helping you keep your child’s car seat clean and sanitary, and in prolonging the life of the car seat.

GalaxyOfStores is an Online Shopping Center for THOUSANDS of different products for the whole family. Please visit CHILD CAR SEATS for more information about car seats, as well as a great selection of car seats, strollers, and travel systems, and visit the GalaxyOfStores.com HOME PAGE for all of its great products.

If a child is using either a toddler only car seat, or a ‘convertible’ infant/toddler car seat, its time to transition the child into a booster car seat when he or she has outgrown the existing car seat restraints (usually at about 40 pounds), but is not yet ready for just seat belts (the minimum height recommended for a child to start using just seat belts is 4′9″). Booster car seats can typically accommodate a child from 30 to 100 pounds (usually 4 to 8 years of age). Child car seat manufacturers are bound by very strict guidelines, and you may be surprised to find that some of the more expensive car seats don’t provide any better level of protection than those which are more moderately priced.

Many State laws require children to be in a safety car seat only up to age 4 or so, and many parents assume that children who are older than this will be safely restrained by just an adult safety belt. This, however, is not the case. An automobile’s seat belt system is designed for use by adults, not small children, and it usually will not fit a child properly. A booster car seat is designed to improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system across the child’s body, for greater comfort and safety. (A booster car seat should never be positioned in front of an air bag, as deployment of the bag can cause serious (even fatal) injuries to a child.)

Booster car car seats are available with either a “high back” or a “low back”. High back car seats should always be used in cars without headrests, or with low seats, both to provide the child with a comfortable place to rest his or her head, and to provide protection against “whiplash” in an accident. Low back car seats are generally cheaper than high back car seats, and are easier to move from car to car, but should only be used in cars with headrests and high seat backs.

High back car seats are often available with a 5 point harness (when car seats are not being used with a harness, they are considered being used in the “belt positioning” mode). Using a harness is generally the safest way to restrain a child, and it is recommended that, if a harness is used, it be used until the child outgrows it (usually at about 40 pounds). There are also ‘convertible’ toddler/booster child car seats available. These car seats can be used for children from the time they are ready to start using a toddler car seat until they are ready to start using just the car seats belts.

Booster car seats are designed to raise the child up so that the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. Belt positioning car seats must always be used with a car’s lap and shoulder belt (never with a lap only belt). The car seat will raise a child so the lap belt goes over the child’s pelvis and hips (instead of his or her abdomen), and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of the child’s chest and shoulder (the car seat may have a clip that can be adjusted to ensure that the shoulder belt does not cross the child’s face or neck).

GalaxyOfStores is an Online Shopping Center for THOUSANDS of different products for the whole family. Please visit CHILD CAR SEATS for more information about car seats, as well as a great selection of car seats, strollers, and travel systems, and visit the GalaxyOfStores.com HOME PAGE for all of its great products.

Florida and Texas have the most nursing home abuse lawsuits in the country, which is why you’ll see advertisements for many Florida nursing home abuse lawyer all over billboards, park benches and buses. Lawyers specializing in nursing home abuse are on the rise, but so are lawsuits.

And while this may seem like a case of overly aggressive or egregious litigation, it’s also made a tremendous difference in the quality of care in states like Florida. This is a state that once saw thousands of abuse cases reported to its Elder Abuse network and has recently seen a massive improvement in overall nursing home care across the state.

So, why are the number of lawsuits still going up?

Until changes are made to the laws in Florida, the number of abuse, negligence and accident lawsuits filed on nursing homes will continue to rise. As a result, nursing home operators and workers must be extra diligent to avoid any form of potential lawsuit. To do so, they’re making significant improvements.

However, if homes are improving then why are lawsuits being filed? They are still increasing annually because state law allows a Florida nursing home abuse lawyer to file for legal fees to be awarded should a nursing home or facility be found negligent or in violation of senior’s rights. As a result, the state has created a community of aggressive litigators.

And though these laws were passed with the best intentions as a way to protect seniors and ensure they receive proper representation, they have been distorted by several lawyers who profit from what is now an industry. As you walk down the streets of Tampa Bay, which are flooded for ads for attorneys to represent you in nursing home cases, you can see that there is clearly a dollar to be made.

What is the financial impact on nursing homes?

As the number of lawsuits increase, so does the cost of insurance and legal fees for nursing homes. This can put a nursing home in financial jeopardy or in a position where they are unable to obtain the insurance coverage they need to operate.

What does all this mean for nursing home residents?

As insurance and litigation costs rise for Florida nursing homes, those costs are then passed on to residents and their families. Whether it’s in the form of higher per diems or initiation fees, the added expenses fall on the shoulders of residents and their loved ones.

What is the importance of Chapter 400?

Chapter 400 is a Florida statute designed and written to protect the residents of retirement and nursing homes. It’s essentially a clear list that safeguards a resident’s rights such as financial rights, civil rights, religious rights and privacy rights along with freedom from abuse and other personal infringements.

Chapter 400 is a necessary statute that’s critical to the state’s protection of elderly residents. It ought to be read routinely by nursing home operators, workers and yes, even every Florida nursing home abuse lawyer.

For great information on senior retirement preparation, please visit seniorretiretips.com, a popular site providing insights to help prepare for the next steps in your life journey, including Roth IRA rules, retirement savings calculators, and many more!

Decorating for Christmas is one of the best parts of the holiday season. Here are some simple tips that will help anyone from a novice designer working on their first yard to old pros who have been decorating for years.

A common question is when you should start decorating. This varies greatly by culture and region, even in the United States. The basic rule, though, is that you can decorate anytime after Thanksgiving. We always do it the second week of December, and I used to have neighbors who would do all of their decorating on Christmas Eve.

Putting up outside Christmas decorations can take hours, or even an entire weekend. The best way to cut down on that time is to start with a good plan. Here are some tips:

1. Stand in your yard and decide how you want it to look. Visualize the display and how it will look at night.

2. Pick a theme. This can be something specific like having all Santa decorations, or something more abstract, such as several displays centered around a tree.

3. Think of colors. All white lights make the display look more elegant, but can get boring for large displays. Large, solid blue, green and red lights give a retro feel and make people think of their own childhoods. Current trends are leaning more towards neon colored led lights, which give a fresh and exciting look.

4. Pick a focal point. This can be an inflatable Santa, a nativity scene, or several lighted reindeer standing around a lit tree. This will give the display more purpose, and will make it much more visually appealing.

5. Choose a wreath. You will want to hang something on your door. This makes the home look inviting, and gives a little decoration during the day when the lights are off.

6. Once you decide on the basics, measure the areas where you will put lights so that you know how much to buy. You do not want to have to go back to the store to pick up another set of lights, only to find that the color you need has sold out!

7. Decide how you will hang your lights. If hanging from the roof, climb up and look at the edge of the roof before going to the store. Stores will have several types of hooks, and you want to be sure they will fit your roof before going to buy them.

8. Check your power. Where are your outlets, and do you have enough power cords to reach the strings of lights and displays? You should also make sure you have a timer that will automatically turn the lights on and off. A good rule of thumb is to keep them on from dusk until midnight.

Once you have your plan together, then it’s just a matter of heading to the store, picking up your decorations, and setting them up.

And do not forget, Christmas decorations are for Christmas, and should be taken down no later than one week after the New Year.

By following the above tips, you should be able to create a great looking outside display that you will get to enjoy through the entire season.

Merry Christmas!

Ryan Harris has celebrated 30 Christmases and has loved every one! He currently has a blog of tips and how-to advice for Christmas decorations at Outside Christmas Decorations.

Moving can be difficult for your children, no matter what their age, so it’s important to keep their feelings and needs in mind during the move. Preschool children between the ages of two and four have their own set of special needs that differ from the needs of older children. In order to make the move go smoothly for everyone, make sure you consider their special needs during the move.

Mommy, don’t leave me behind. For children in this age group their main concern is being left behind. It can be scary for them to see Mommy and Daddy pack up the house. They may be afraid that you will forget to bring them with you. To alleviate the fears, there are a few simple things you can do.

Involve your kids in the moving process. When you go out house-hunting bring your children with you. Allow them to be part of the process. Let them walk around the house with you and have them pick out the bedroom they would have if you bought that house. This will help them to feel comfortable with the process and to feel like they’re a part of the move.

Talk to them. If you can’t take your children with you, let them know exactly where you’re going and when you will be back. If you’re moving to a different city, state or country bring some unique back for children from that place. Kids love getting toys with the name of the city on it, or a T-shirt. They can show it to their friends and start to get comfortable with the idea of moving away.

Ask them about their feelings. Allow your kids to express their feelings about the move. Talk with them about all the exciting things that will happen. Tell them about the interesting places around town that they’ll be able to see and all the new and exciting things they’ll be able to do. When you arrive in the new city, take them to the places you talked about. Focus on the positive aspects of the move, but make sure you also spend time talking about their worries and fears. Just being able to express themselves will help ease the transition.

Give your kids a job to do. Have them pack their own toys and clothes into a box. If they can write, let them write their name on each of their boxes. If they’re too young to write, they can color code each of their boxes with their favorite colors and stickers. This way they’ll feel like they’re helping and that they’re a part of everything that’s going on.

Road trips can be boring. If you’re moving across the country or anywhere that you’ll have to spend a significant amount of time in the car, it’s important to realize that children of this age get very antsy. They don’t like to sit still for long periods of time and will get bored very quickly. In order to alleviate some of their boredom and make the trip more enjoyable for everyone, bring some games along. Children love coloring or doing puzzles in the car. Play a game of “I Spy,” or “Grandma’s going on a picnic.” Make sure you have plenty of things for them to do since any one activity isn’t likely to hold their attention for very long.

Take frequent breaks. Again, if you’re driving a long ways, make sure you stop frequently, at least every hour. Give your children a couple of minutes to get out of the car, stretch their legs and walk around. This is also a good time to let them go to the bathroom or get a snack.

Moving can be a stressful time for everyone, but that is especially true for young children who don’t quite understand what is going on. Doing a few simple things will turn something potentially difficult into a fun and easy time of transition and change.

Lorne MacInnes is a managing partner of Ferguson Moving & Storage, one of the oldest Vancouver moving companies, and an industry expert in the moving and relocation sector in North America.

Any cat owner knows that cats are very independent and have a mind of their own. But at the same time, they’re stuck in their ways and like have routines, which makes it very difficult when it’s time to move. Moving is stressful on anyone, but it will be particularly stressful on your cat since he won’t understand what’s going on. That is why it’s important to be considerate of your cat when you move and to take certain steps to help your cat have a stress-free move.

Here six proven tips to make the transition as smooth as possible:

• Start packing early and try not to rush. This way your cat will have time to adjust to all the changes in your house. It’s best not to shock your cat too much; it could be very upsetting for him. By starting early, you’ll give your cat time to adjust to all the new boxes around the house. He’ll be able to sniff them, and will probably want to sit on them. However he likes to interact with the new packing material, a gradual change will give your cat some time to get used to having so many boxes around.

• Keep your cat’s routine the same. Cats don’t like change. It can confuse them if they don’t know when and where they’re going to be fed. In order to keep your cat as relaxed as possible continue feeding him at the same time you usually do; leave his bed out so he has a comfortable place to sleep; and leave his toys around the house for him to play with. This way, despite the mess of boxes, your cat will still have a sense of security.

• Get some ID tags with your new address on it. No one plans on losing their cat when they move. But with all the confusion that happens when you move, it’s better to be safe than sorry. In the event that your cat does run away or somehow gets lost it’ll be easier for him to make his way back home.

• On the day of the move, put your cat in a room and shut the door. Moving is hectic and stressful and if you’ve hired a moving company, the movers may not know you have a cat hanging around. Put a sign on the door that says “Do not open- Cat inside.” Having your cat away from the movers and the commotion will be much easier on everyone and will prevent your cat from escaping.

• Travel with your cat in the car. Cats generally don’t like long trips, so it’s best that you bring your cat with you in the car. Put him in a medium-sized cat carrier. This is safer for the cat as well as for the driver and passengers. If your cat isn’t used to travelling long distances, take him on a few short rides before the move to get him used to it. When it’s time for the day of the big move, it won’t be such a big deal or such a sock for your cat to travel in his cat carrier. If traveling is familiar to him, you won’t have as many problems when the time comes for the big move.

• When you arrive at your new home allow your cat to sniff around and explore his new territory. This way he’ll be able to establish himself in his new surroundsings, smell the familiar smells of the old furniture and find his place in your new home. Ideally, you’ll have your furniture all set up before bringing your cat in, but if you don’t, put him in a room where you can close the door until everything is moved in. Make sure your cat has access to his food, water, litter box and toys. These familiar items will make the transition much easier for your cat.

Lorne MacInnes is a managing partner of Ferguson Moving & Storage, one of the oldest Vancouver moving companies, and an industry expert in the moving and relocation sector in North America.

Moving can be a difficult transition for many children. Among the many challenges children face when moving, changing schools mid-way through the year can be stressful. The curriculum has already begun, they’ve already gotten into a routine for the year, made friends, gotten to know their teachers and have settled down.

Uprooting your children mid-way through the year will be difficult at best and traumatizing at worst. They’ll be faced with the challenge of meeting new friends and fitting into an already established routine. Not only can this cause adjustment problems at school, but it could also cause undue stress at home. Kids who are stressed out tend to do worse in school both academically and socially than kids who are under little or no stress.

Instead of having your kids switch schools midway through the year, if you know you’re going to be moving ahead of time, enroll them in a nearby private school at the beginning of the year. September is a time of transition for everyone, not just the new students. Everyone is faced with new classes, new teachers, new classmates and new routines. At the beginning of the school year, no matter how long they’ve been at the same school, everyone is adjusting to the new situation. By sending your child to private school, they’ll be there while everyone is adjusting and will be part of the adjustment process.

It’s difficult enough to be the new student in school, but by planning ahead a little and sending your child to a private school you can ease the transition period. Many new students start at the beginning of the year so it’s likely that there will be other new students in the same boat. The teachers are new as well so there will be a natural period of everyone getting to know each other. Your children will have a natural window for making friends not only with other new students but also with returning students before everyone re-establishes their social groups and routines for the year.

By enrolling your child into a private school, when you do move there will be one less change to have to worry about. Throughout the process of uprooting your child from his home, his neighborhood friends and his routine, at least he will have the stability of staying at the same school. Having the consistency of the same school, friends, teachers and school routine will ease the transition for your child. Not everything will be uprooted and changed; it’s important to keep as many aspects of your child’s life as consistent as possible.

So, if you know you’re going to be moving within the same area sometime during the school year, but not within the same school district, plan ahead. Something as simple as enrolling your child in a private school at the beginning of the year can make a huge difference in the adjustment period for your child when you move.

Lorne MacInnes is a managing partner of Ferguson Moving & Storage, one of the oldest Vancouver moving companies, and an industry expert in the moving and relocation sector in North America.

Parents, particularly mothers have relied much on the technology of ultrasound to have them peek at the baby they are carrying. It all started with the 2D ultrasound sending out a two way wave flow to detect the movement and image of a baby inside the mother’s womb. It wasn’t for long when a higher level of medical technology, still in the likes of ultrasound device, has become commercialized; the 3D and 4D ultrasound.

Mothers can now say bye-bye to flat images of their baby as both 3D and 4D ultrasound devices provide better angular and dimensional views of the child they are carrying. This is due to the much distributed wave flow emitted by these two types of ultrasound, stepping a notch higher to the used-to-be two way flow of a 2D ultrasound. Given that a 3D and 4D ultrasound are two different entities, what sets the apart from each other?

In a 3D ultrasound, a more dynamic view of the child can be seen by the mother but it is more of a still image. On the other hand, instead of settling all over again to the 2D ultrasound, the 4D ultrasound comes to the scene allowing a much more dynamic view of the baby inside the womb of the mother including the movement.

As a parent, you may just be excited to try out these new ways to take a peek on your baby given for example that you are already pregnant. Breaks are needed to be stepped on in this situation. First, you should be able to determine first whether to get a 3D or 4D ultrasound. How this can be possible is with the help of your personal doctor. They are the ones more eligible to decide which process you are free to undergo. Some require one than the other depending on the need and condition of a mother’s pregnancy. In cases of normal pregnancy, it is more often that doctors do not advice mothers to undergo any ultrasound at all.

This may now lead to questioning whether a 3D or 4D ultrasound is really safe and can guarantee a deficiency free baby. There really is no recorded hazard brought about by any exposure to a 3D or 4D ultrasound. Though some researches are still in process, health specialists do not really require a mother to undergo such if there really is nothing wrong with either the mother or the child’s condition. Besides, ultrasound technology has already been in existence for 35 years.

Seeking some advice first before voluntarily admitting yourself to an ultrasound procedure can help you in your financial concerns. Most ultrasound sessions can be really costly and can take too much of your time. If you are on a tight budget and there really is no need to undergo any 3D or 4d ultrasound, don’t push for it. You may want to save up perhaps on the possibility that your personal doctor will advice you to undergo such if complications are detected on your condition.

Visit my website now where you can get helpful parenting stories and 3D and 4D ultrasound on: LearningonLineLive.com