The LuxMob Info Tags

A prospective client asked me to view his web site and give him some advice on how to make the site better. Unfortunately, his site was such a mess it became the inspiration for this article.

One of the primary reasons to have a web site is to attract and educate visitors. However, this obvious concept seems to be lost on many web designers. The way your site is designed, what’s there and what’s not there, including what’s in the unseen HTML code, can have a great impact on how much traffic your site will generate.

Here’s my list of the most common web site design sins and traffic killers. Use this list as you design your own site or show it to your web designer. If your web designer doesn’t understand these points or dismisses them as unimportant. . .move on!

One word of warning, we are going to look under that hood of that shiny web page and see some of what makes it run from the search engine view. – This is not always for the squeamish.

No title tag or meaningless title tags. – Title tags are part of the HTML structure of every web page. Think of them as the informal name of the page. See for yourself. Go to http://www.ducttapemarketing.com. Look up there at the top of browser window and you will see the words - Small Business Marketing Ideas and Strategies – that’s the title of that page. Now right click your mouse in the page and hit “view source or view page source.” When you do this, you are looking at the HTML code for this page. Now, see that [title]Small Business Marketing Ideas and Strategies[/title] Every page has got them and they are one of the most important aspects of your web site. . .yet most people don’t even use them. NOTE: While you are looking at this source code realize that this is what the search engines see. No matter what your page looks like it won’t be found if this code doesn’t help you get found. More on that.

Your title tags can be a great tool for getting you search engine traffic if they are combined with good page content. Notice that my title tag is not Duct Tape Marketing or the often used Welcome to My Site. My tag is Small Business Marketing Ideas and Strategies. Now, think about this for a minute. Not too many people search for Duct Tape Marketing and nobody searches for Welcome to My Site, but small business marketing, now that’s another story. Most small business owners waste the effectiveness of their title tags with something like: The name of their business or our products. Use title tags and make them part of your site content. Think about what people search for in your industry and name your pages based on that.

Flash Intro pages – Don’t get me started on this one. You know those pages that do all this really cool animated motion graphics and then present you with an entry or splash screen. I’ll admit, these are works of art and I couldn’t design one if I had to, but visit http://www.superclubs.com/home.asp and do that “View Source” trick again and tell me if you think a search engine could tell what that page was about. Remember, search engine spiders can’t see pictures or hear sounds!

Cleverness – There are lots of little things that designers like to do because they can. The question is what’s it costing your site. One of my favorites is that date thing. You’ve likely been to a site that publishes today’s date. Perhaps there is a good reason for that but go on back to view source on one these pages and you will see the price of that little trick. This date trick adds 300-400 lines of JavaScript code at the beginning of your page. All of this makes it hard for those search engines to find your real content. Think long and hard about adding stuff that gets in the way.

No Anchor Text Hyperlinks – Web site designs like to make little buttons and badges for navigation links. Now, this can be okay but this is also a place where less is more. Text with a hyperlink is easily understood by search engines. Remember, they can’t see images. Help them understand what your page is all about. Even if you have images navigation, put text links at the bottom of your page with all of your navigation.

Referral Marketing - This is a text link

Contact info hidden – There are some web site owners out there that don’t want to be easy to contact but I’m guessing that’s not you. Put your address and contact information on every page and make them text. More and more people are turning to their web browser like a phone book. Lots of local address and content links can make it easier to find you in your own town.

Most important content out of order – Search engines read your source code in the order they come on it. Some engines only read a small portion so you should make sure that your most important content is early on your page. Left side navigation columns, commonly found on web sites, appear at the top of the source code and could be hindering your site from receiving proper credit for the content it contains.

No use of Heading tags – HTML uses a series of H or heading tags to help structure a page like an outline. H1 for the most important headings h2 for subheads and so on. Each of your pages will do well to contain a keyword rich headline, much like an ad for the page, and h1,/h1 mark-up in the code to let the search engines know that this is a really important part of the page. Then, do the same with sub sections with h2,/h2 tags. I know that most designers understand these tags when it comes to styling a page but few get the important role they play in the search engine game.

Look, there is plenty more to learn about this subject and certain aspects will change from week to week but now that you have a better understanding of how search engines view your site you can go out there and make pages that get found.

Copyright 2005 John Jantsch

John Jantsch is a marketing consultant based in Kansas City, Mo. He writes frequently on real world small business marketing tactics and is the creator of “Duct Tape Marketing” a turn-key small business marketing system. Check out his blog at http://www.DuctTapeMarketing.com/weblog.php

With Christmas just around the corner, many people begin the mad rush to send out all the Christmas cards they resolved to send out on time last year. No matter what the retail stores choose to call the season, many people purchase stacks of holiday cards with the intention of sending them all out. Unfortunately, many of them end up in a box and collect dust until they’re pondered next year. This often happens because in the chaos of the season it’s difficult for many to master such a task because they don’t have a system that applies basic time management skills to getting their cards out on time.

Here are some tips for breaking this process down and to let friends and family know you’re thinking of them before this Christmas is over, courtesy of www.the-time-mamagement-guy.com.

1. Decide your priorities. Is it really a priority for you to send out Christmas and holiday cards this year? If it is, then make that affirmation. This is one of the most important steps for setting any goal. Now that you know this is a priority for you, take action.
2. Make a list. It may sound cliché but without a list, how do you know who you’ve left off of it? Make your list on a large sheet of paper. Write down the names of all the people to whom you wish to send cards. Using small sticky notes or index cards are not effective because you simply don’t have enough room to be creative and to get your ideas down on paper.
3. Use color to break down the list. Somewhere on your list, use a few colored markers, pencils or crayons and make a little key to help you break it down. If there are people on the list that are top priority, use red as the priority color and make a check mark beside those names. If you have cards for Hanukkah to send out, you could use blue and make a check beside those names. There may be some who should get an extra special card. Assign them a unique color as well. Don’t make any more categories than absolutely necessary but make enough to help you break down the task.
4. Make one shopping trip. Now that you have your list, go out and buy the cards. Don’t forget to buy stamps while you’re out. If you purchased some oversized cards be sure to get extra postage. If you’re not sure if the card is going to need extra postage, take it into the post office with you and have it weighed. If you’re planning on adding anything extra into the envelope make sure you know what the combined weight is so you don’t end up with cards returned by the Post Office.
5. Make the card the backdrop for your greeting. It’s not necessary to buy the fanciest cards for everyone. Purchase cards that reflect your personal style and your message for the season, but make what you write in the card your personal greeting. You’ll save time by purchasing boxes of cards instead of an individual card for each person.
6. Get help. Solicit or conscript the help of family. Younger children can take completed cards and apply a return address label and the stamp. Older children can help address the envelopes and even look up the addresses in your contact manager. Play some music. Have a plate of cookies. Help turn the task into a fun event.

Mailing out cards should be something fun every year. By breaking the task down into small chunks it’s easy to do and easy to get done on time. This is the essence of effective time management and can help you have a very Merry Christmas.

You can find out more about how good time management can help the entire family get more done, reduce holiday stress, and give you more time by reading the “Super Tactics of Time Management Experts” at http://www.the-time-management-guy.com

Most people who set out to buy a home, be it house, townhouse,
condo, apartment, or mansion on a hill, know they need to have a
lender letter in hand saying they are qualified for a loan. What
most “civilians” (people not in the real estate business) don’t
realize is how much the value of a lender letter varies.

Let’s look at some of the general ways a lender letter varies,
which sort you want, and how to present it to a seller to put
you in the best possible position to buy that seller’s property.
If you’re working with a broker, he or she will coach you in
these matters. If you’re shopping on your own, and especially if
you’re looking at FSBOs (for sale by owner properties), you need
to know this stuff.

Lender letters come in two general types, pre-qualification
letters and pre-approval letters. The bold print on the page may
call it one thing, and when the letter is read, it actually
proves to be the other, so pay attention. A pre-qualification
letter is weaker than a pre-approval letter.

Pre-Qualification Letter

The weakest pre-qualification letter basically says that “if
everything the borrower has told me is correct, he/she is
eligible to borrow $XXXXXX.” All you really have here is the
buyer’s word paraphrased by a lender. Unfortunately, there is an
old adage in real estate that “buyers are liars”. This is well
known, so presenting this type of a letter tells a seller you
are not in a very strong position with the lender.

A stronger version says “I have looked at an ‘in file’ credit
report, and based on that and what the borrower has told me,
he/she is eligible to borrow $XXXXXX.” This is still not great,
but it is a step in the right direction.

Pre-Approval Letter

The pre-approval letter says “I have checked this person’s
credit reports, seen all necessary substantiating materials
relative to income…assets…etc., and my firm is committed to
making a loan subject only to receiving a copy of a contract to
purchase and the property’s appraisal for the contract price or
higher.” The letter may not say it, but it is also subject to
the underwriting process that includes looking at updated credit
information. Regardless, this letter carries a lot of power and
sellers will be very happy to see you.

A Word to the Wise

The above discussion of lender letters brings up something you
should be keenly aware of as a buyer. Your credit must not
change in any substantial way between the time you first apply
for a loan and the time you go to settlement on your new home.

If you’re buying waterfront property, do not go out and buy a
boat until after you’ve closed on the property. I once saw
someone make this mistake and almost lose the property purchase
because of it. He had to quickly find a new lender and accept a
higher interest rate to keep the deal from going south.

If you’re moving from a small condo to a larger place, there’s
the temptation to run right out and buy more furniture for your
new quarters. Fine. Just wait until after you’re the proud new
owner.

If you are serious about buying a home, a lender letter is a key
part of your negotiating ammunition. To save yourself a lot of
aggravation during escrow, get a pre-approval letter before you
go house hunting.

Adults are not the only ones who suffer from back pain. In fact 60% of children experience back pain before they reach age 18. Many of these back pain episodes are due to backpacks that are overloaded or poorly designed and from poor posture while working at a computer.

More than 6,000 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for injuries related to lugging heavy backpacks — and most are under 14 years of age. In addition, backpack-related injuries are up 256 percent since 1996.

Chronic pain can have long term affects on children, on their relationships, developmental abilities and school attendance. Therefore, parents and kids alike are taking action on how to relieve back pain and prevent it in the future.

For example, many parents are investing in ergonomically designed backpacks for their children, such as the Obus Form or the AirPacks backpacks available at Relax The Back. These ergonomically designed backpacks take a proactive approach to back health by redistributing the load which reduces back and shoulder tension caused by heavy loads by as much as 80%

Another major cause of kids’ back pain is due to the extended period of time they sit at a computer screen. Millions of children are using computers every day, at school and at home, for education and recreation, and often for 2-3 hours at a time daily. Poor posture, on top of a poorly designed workstation, are causing kid’s to experience back pain similar to that which makes their parents file workers’ comp claims.

“One means with which parents can help prevent back pain in their kids before it starts is by insuring that their home office is ergonomically efficient for themselves and their children,” said Marcy Swerdlow, Owner of Relax The Back in Chicago, IL. “Ergonomic task chairs with height and arm adjustment features, allow parents and kids to customize their seating according to their needs and reduce shoulder, neck and back pressure.”

Others are turning to fun and innovative back care seating products, such as the Swopper. This ergonomic bouncy stool-like chair eliminates static seating and gives you a fluid, energized movement for a healthy back. The patented mechanism was engineered and crafted in Germany to improve your posture, strengthen the muscles in your lower back and improve circulation to your lower extremities.

In addition, affordable lumbar supports and seat cushions that conform to the curves and angles of your body, can be an easy fix for poorly designed workstation furniture to reduce pressure and relieve back pain.

A few tips for proper posture and sitting:

-Sit back in your chair and use a good back support, do not lean forward; it increases pressure on the spine. Keep your feet flat on the floor or use a footrest.

-Keep your wrists as flat as possible with your elbows at a 90 degree or greater angle. Make sure that the upper arm and elbow are as close to the body and as relaxed as possible for mouse use - avoid overreaching

- Make sure the head is over the shoulders and the neck is as straight as possible

-Change positions frequently to avoid fatigue. Simply walking around the room every 30 to 60 minutes rests both eyes and body.

-As a general rule, children should not carry more than 15 to 20 percent of their body weight in their backpacks, according to Backpack Safety America (BSA).

Please visit www.spineuniverse.com for more tips on maintaining a healthy back and www.relaxtheback.com for more information on ergonomic furniture and back care.

RICHARD PALFREYMAN

Richard Palfreyman has served as president, chief executive officer, and director of Relax The Back Corporation in Cerritos, CA since November of 2001. Relax The Back is the franchisor of approximately 90 Relax The Back retail stores in the United States and Canada. The stores combined generate approximately 80 million dollars in revenue.

Over the past 37 years, Palfreyman has held a number of leadership positions during his career. He was C.O.O. of SpaFinder in New York City; C.O.O./C.F.O. of the Spectra Entertainment Corporation in Simi Valley, CA; C.O.O. of Accountants 4 Contract in San Francisco, CA; President/C.E.O. of Photo and Sound Company in San Francisco, CA; C.F.O. and Sr. Vice President of ComputerLand Corporation in Hayward, CA; and C.F.O. of Simmons Oil Corporation in Phoenix, AZ.

Palfreyman is also an active participant in community affairs. He was the president of the San Francisco Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the president of the Cerebral Palsy Center for the Bay Area, and the president of the Mary Valle Foundation

You’re driving on road one night, then you notice there’s a police cruiser following close behind you. You figure the cop just wants to pass you, so you move over one lane, except he moves over too and stays on your tail, then you see the flashing red & blue lights then “Woooop!!! wooooop!!!” You must be wondering why you were pulled over. You weren’t speeding nor breaking any traffic laws and your tag is not expired. Maybe it’s just a burned out taillight. “Sir may I see your driver’s license and registration please.” Then comes the shocker! “SIR… step out of the vehicle.” You get patted down for weapons, drugs, etc.. “You’re under arrest for outstanding warrants.” On go the handcuffs “Zzzzkkkkkk! Zzzzkkkkkk!” “You have the right to remain silent…” By now, you must be thinking “OH S—!!!”. “I’ve never been arrested in my life!” After you’ve been booked at the county jail, strip searched, fingerprinted, and maybe spent the weekend in the slammer, you go before the judge only to find out you’re free to go, all charges dropped because it turns out you’re not the person they were looking for.

Is this a case of mistaken identity, or more likely, a case of STOLEN IDENTITY, or criminal identity theft. The most common scenario is during a traffic citation or misdemeanor arrest, the imposter fraudulently provides to law enforcement somebody else’s identification, usually always that of a friend or relative, then skip town and simply not pay the traffic fine or fail to appear in court as required. Unlike financial identity theft, the victim is usually always known to the imposter. The judge will of course issue a warrant for his arrest. In many cases, the imposter either stole or fraudulently acquired a phony driver’s license or ID card in the victim’s name. The impostor is most often wanted on outstanding warrants for failure to appear. The victim is usually arrested during a routine traffic stop. This type of identity theft is easiest where the age and appearance of the imposter and victim happen to be very similar. Police are tending to be much more cautious today in order to avoid false arrest lawsuits. Fortunately, unlike financial, criminal identity fraud is rare.

Sometimes, the imposter was arrested for a serious charge such as a felony or drunk driving, and the victim’s identity ends up in the criminal database system. The victim might in for a real shock when he is told he cannot buy a gun because he failed the instant background check, or is one day called into his boss’s office, to be informed he is being fired because a criminal record showed up in a routine employee background check. In the end you probably wished this imposter were caught in Saudi Arabia where he would be sentenced to 100 lashes in the public square.

Unfortunately, the criminal justice system does not yet have a decent contingency plan in place to clear an innocent person’s name. The burdon of clearing one’s name lies mostly with the accused, sometimes with steep attorney’s fees.

Procedures to clear your name from criminal databases varies according to state, or even individual counties. Some states already have special procedures in place for victims of criminal identity theft. Ask your state Attorney General’s office.

If wrongful criminal offenses are linked to your name, first contact the original arresting police/sheriff’s department who originally arrested the impostor, or else the court who issued the arrest warrant and file an impersonation report with them, and confirm your identity. Ask the police department to take your fingerprints, photograph you, and make official copies of your photo IDs, I.e.: driver’s license, passport, etc.. To claim your innocence, ask the police to compare your fingerprints and photos with the imposter’s.

Maintain a detailed log of all your phone conversions, paperwork, email messages, contacts, etc.. Keep a detailed record of all your expenses incurred. When writing the authorities you should always use certified mail with return receipt. Email is generally not considered secure for sending confidential private information, so it’s not recommended if you can avoid it. The rule is never send out something via email that would not want to share with the public. Changing your social security number is rarely recommended as that usually causes more problems than it solves.

If the arrest warrant is from another state or county, ask your local police dept. to forward your impersonation report to the agency of the jurisdiction where the arrest warrant, traffic citation, or criminal conviction originated.

The police/sheriff’s dept should recall any arrest warrants and issue you a clearance letter or certificate of release in the event you were arrested and booked. It’s essential to keep this document with you at all times in case you might be falsely arrested again. Have official copies made at the courthouse, in case it gets lost. Ask the agency to file the record of the follow-up investigation establishing your innocence at the D.A’s office and/or the court in the jurisdiction where the crime occurred. This will result in an amended complaint. Unfortunately once your name ends up in a criminal database, it’s difficult to get it completely removed. Ask that the key name or primary name be changed from yours to the imposter’s name, or else to “John Doe” if the imposter’s true identity is unknown, with your name noted as an alias.

You will also want to clear your name within the court records. Determine which state law(s) will help you with this and how. If your state has no formal procedure for clearing your record, contact the D.A.’s office in the county where the case was originally prosecuted. Ask the D.A.’s office for the appropriate court records needed to clear your name. Unfortunately in some situations, you may have no choice but to hire an attorney to help you clear your good name. You may want to ask your state DMV if your driver’s license was used by the imposter. Ask them to flag your files for possible fraud.

Overall, your best defense is prevention. Pick your friends carefully, and safeguard your drivers license, passports or other forms of ID.

Visit beyourowndetective.com and learn more about criminal identity theft and private investigation. Download the latest tools to aid you in your investigations.

It is a consumer’s right to return a defective product that he has purchased. The US legislative and justice system through the California Lemon Law recognizes this right in auto buyers, who may risk life and limb for one defect in their car.

The California Lemon Law allows new and used car buyers to demand for refund or replacement when the cars that they have purchased have been proven to be defective. Here are some tips that will help you get the most “juice” from your “lemon.”

1.Never let the manufacturer or dealer discourage you
The California Lemon Law provides guidelines by which you can determine if your car qualifies. A car is considered a “lemon” under the California Lemon Law if it has been repaired four times and the defect has not been fixed within the period of 18 months or 18,000 miles whichever comes first. Two repair attempts are given to defects that may cause injury or death.

2.Know your rights
Research the guidelines provided by the California Lemon Law and decide for yourself if what you have is a “lemon. Don’t let some scrupulous salespersons fool you into not filing a complaint or selling your car to them at a loss. There are a lot of websites in the Internet that could provide you with relevant information on California Lemon Law.

3.Read your manual
Don’t let that manual gather dust in one of your drawers. Know everything about your car especially the things that you cannot do with or to it. Take care of your car and follow the manual to the letter. Otherwise the manufacturer could blame the problem on your poor use. Remember that though the California Lemon Law protects your right, you have to prove that the defect has not been caused by you.

4.Don’t waste time
Remember that the California Lemon Law provides a deadline for complaints. Don’t wait for the last minute to file yours.

5.Take it to authorized service center
In having your car repaired, make sure that you go only to authorized service centers to ensure that the car is repaired properly. Under the California Lemon Law, buyers should have the defect repaired by the manufacturer through its service centers and at least inform the manufacturer of the need for repair.

6.Keep records
Never fail to ask for proper documentations, even if the center has not seen anything wrong with your car. Those are needed when you file a complaint under the California Lemon Law. So, it is important that your complaints be documented from the onset. Make sure also that when they do give you a receipt or record, the information is complete and accurate.

7.Put it in black and white
Send a letter of complaint. This is one way to legally give notice to your problem under the California Lemon Law. Inform them of the problem and outline the number of repairs that you have done. If possible, send it over through certified mail to make sure that they did receive it.

8.Know your options and seek advice
Most car companies have arbitration program that take care of Lemon Law complaints in California. If arbitration does not work, you can always seek legal counsel. Remember that arbitration decisions are not final and some companies even give a quick refund when a lawyer gets involve.

About the Author

Terry Dunn is webmaster of http://www.Lemon-Law-Explained.com - an informational resource that explains what Lemon Laws are and how they can help you.

1. Outsmart a Burglar by Thinking like a Burglar

One thing every homeowner should do at least twice a year is take a walk around and inside your home with a close friend or neighbor who is not that familiar with your house. Start outside and ask yourself “how could I break in the easiest way? The purpose of not going around the house alone is that your friend may spot things you’ll overlook. Return the favor and complete a survey for your friend.

Besides the obvious “lived-in” look, do not get into a habit of only doing certain things only when you are not home. Chances are good you can tell when your neighbor isn’t home. Remember it’s a burglar’s job to know the same things. Most professional criminals can tell nobody is home at least four or five houses away.

Several obvious things a burglar will notice are always closing the drapes ONLY when you’re not home. Having no garbage cans out collection day, or an empty can sitting at the curb are obvious tip-offs you are not home. So are closing up the house as tight as a drum in the hot summer months without the air-conditioner running. Turning on a certain light or two and every other room is in total darkness. The same goes for picking up all the children’s toys, taking in the dog, shutting the garage door if you frequently leave it open, and turning off the lawn sprinkler.

Many people before leaving turn on a so called burglar light which is the light over the kitchen sink. You might as well hang a sign on the front door you are not home! If you use an answering machine never leave a message that you are not home. Instead say you can not come to the phone right now or leave a message. If you do not have a machine, turn down the volume on your telephones before leaving so it can not be heard from outside which another dead giveaway indicating nobody is home.

2. Use Burglar Repellents

Crime officials will tell you its true! A dog is one of the best burglar deterrents. Not because it’s vicious, but it is heard. A dog with a menacing bark will scare away a lot of burglars, not only because they don’t know what kind of dog you have and what risk it would be to them if try tried to break in, but more likely because a noisy dog will create a disturbance and get attention - the last thing a burglar wants!

If you don’t have a dog there’s nothing stopping you from pretending. A Beware of Dog sign on your fence, a dog house in the back yard, even a loose dog chain or bowl can drive away a potential burglar. Companies that provide electronic dogs who bark none stop if an intruder trips a relay or otherwise signals his presence are effective also as long they are of good quality.

Other electronic devices that are effective besides the typical whole house alarm systems for windows and doors are infrared or motion detectors that sense movement or the heat given off by one’s body. Anyone approaching too close will trigger any number of attached devices. The most effective are powerful lights or burglar horns that either flood the area with light or fill the air with a deafening sound without notice. Just like a barking dog, the would-be burglar will usually run away for fear of being discovered.

To be effective, the sensitivity of such devices much not be set too high or stray animals will set them off too frequently which will get you on the wrong side of your neighbors. Also be sure such devices are high enough that they can’t be easily turned off or broken
given off by one’s body. Anyone approaching too close will trigger any number of attached devices. The most effective are powerful lights or burglar horns that either flood the area with light or fill the air with a deafening sound without notice. Just like a barking dog, the would-be burglar will usually run away for fear of being discovered.

To be effective, the sensitivity of such devices much not be set too high or stray animals will set them off too frequently which will get you on the wrong side of your neighbors. Also be sure such devices are high enough that they can’t be easily turned off or broken.

3. Make Doors Safer

Illegal entry through the front door occurs more often than any other points of entry in your house. All exterior doors should be of solid hard wood or steel reinforced. A good door does no good if the door frame is in bad shape or of inferior construction. Pay special attention to the door jams. Most inexpensive and expensive homes combined are made out of cheap pine. It does not take much force to “kick in” the door even if protected with dead bolts, if the strike plate is attached with only a couple of 1/2 or 3/4 inch screws. Secure doors by installing 2-1/2 to 3 inch stainless steel or nickel plated screws in all your exterior door jams.

4. Make Windows Safer

Burglars break windows as a last resort if they can’t enter through a door or from other outside means. The preferred method is cutting an access hole or slipping in a thin stiff wire and undoing the locking device. Most double hung windows have cheap locks which should be replaced by heavy duty sash locks or even keyed locks, if you can put up with the inconvenience. An old trick is installing a small eyebolt in either corner. If done correctly the window can’t be opened, with the eyebolt in place from the outside. You could screw the window shut by drilling a hole through the frame but it defeats the purpose of having a window, and presents a fire hazard. I recommended not doing this.

The safest windows are glass block. Almost impossible to break through, they of course can’t be opened and are not as pleasing to look at. However this is a good choice for basements or areas at or near ground level.

Another good protection is installed roll-a-way electric security shutters, or decorative security grates. The main down side is they can prove to be a serious fire hazard and prevent your escape. Newer models install on tracks or can easily be pushed open from inside to lessen their danger in the event of fire and the thick smoke sure to accompany it.

5. Take Household Inventory

The steps talked about above can go a long way to protecting your home but no matter how secure your residence is, if a professional burglar has targeted your home and is determined to break in, he will still probably succeed in breaking into your home. To aid law enforcement officials and greatly assist in insurance claims you should maintain a detailed inventory of all your household valuables.

It makes sense to “mark” important items with some permanent identifying mark. There are a variety of simple tools you can rent that will engrave serial numbers, a driver’s license number or some other unique marking into your valuables.

Remember most burglars sell stolen items in order to get cash, usually for illegal drugs. You’ll greatly reduce the chances of someone walking off with your TV, DVD or other valuables if it has a conspicuous ID number that can’t be removed, simply because it will greatly reduce its street value and make it too much work to get rid of and sell, and of course it is a lot easier to trace and return the property to the rightful owner.

Today, many people have a video camera. Sweep each room and record the contents from several different angles. Next, take close-ups of really important items. To tie-in, have a family member pose with the valuables. In a clear voice identify each item, the date of purchase, price paid and model and serial numbers. Remember to update the tape or disk every time you purchase something new.

If you don’t have a video camera, a regular inexpensive digital camera also works well. Make a companion audio tape to go along with it. It very important that the tapes or pictures be kept off the property or they may be stolen or damaged. Keep them in a safety deposit box at your bank. Now set aside an hour or so and complete the security check list on the following page. Correct weak points as soon as possible and your home and property will be more secure.

Glenn Freiboth is a writer for Self Defense news and lives in Illinois.
Self Defense and Surveillance products can be found at http://www.selfdefensegearco.com

With an ever increasing attack on everyone’s PC being the
fashionable thing to do these days for hackers, and the largest
software company in the world desperately trying to nail down
each piece of software that it makes to prevent hackers from
getting inside your PC - it needs to become apparent that software users need to take a more active part in the war on hacking/spamming.

Most software couch potatoes just want to use their software and
be left alone to go merrily on their way. That use to work in the days
of old when hackers didn’t want to steal your identity to empty your
bank account. Also you used to only get emails from people you knew
or had sent email to way back when, now you get email telling you about
a wonderful diet plan that will work in 10 days or less - -and you weigh
140lbs. (I get this all the time, don’t ask how much I weigh…noneyabusiness.)

Now things are different and we need to take action - yesterday.
With that in mind I humbly define some reasons to get busy fighting
spam.

1. Your hard drive looks like a zoo of spam from people
you will never know, with viruses plus various malware and is
being used to spam other computers around the world.

2. Everyone is spending more time deleting spam-filled email, instead
of reading email.

3. Your 14-year old opened an email about a bank account in
her name or a free credit card offer in her name and she entered
everything she knew about your address and bank. Then asked you
for your credit card to pay for postage to recieve the offer in the
mail. (True story)

4. The 14-year old’s sister opened an email for free access to a
cartoon/gaming site and the browser installed a porn-laced bookmark
with popups that froze your computers for several hours - even after
rebooting 4 times. (Another true story)

5. It feels good to have legitmate emails identified separately from spam
so you won’t delete the email about a new job offer and don’t respond to
it until you call and find out the position was filled yesterday…didn’t you
get our email Mrs. Smith? (ditto)

6. Everyone in your house can open their email without fear of release some
form of malware that spreads faster then gossip.

7. The only popup you see is from the software saying spam eliminated/identified,
no viruses found, port scan blocked and malware destroyed. (That’s a good thing..)

Daviyd Peterson: 10-year consultant, instructor, trainer of digital divide solutions for home and business.

Helps African American and minority homeschools alongside small business enterprises bridge the digital
divide by becoming computer homeschools. Free article
on “Computer Homeschooling” and other related articles
http://feeds.feedburner.com/HomeschoolWirelessNewscloud-Rss