Hidden cameras, nanny cams, spy cameras, surveillance cameras or covert cameras — they all serve a need. Videos or still photos can be saved on a memory card to be viewed on a PC. There are even cameras that allow you to watch what is going on in real time and you can view on a computer from anywhere in the world. These hidden cameras can take the form of any common item that can be found in any home or office such as a radio, tissue box or clock. Parents can view how a baby sitter or nanny treats their children when they are away. Nanny cams have identified violent and dangerous care givers preventing young children from being further by these individuals.
Webcams can also do double duty as a hidden spy camera. Just recently a 12 year old young lady, being concerned that her sisters were coming into her room, decided to catch them in the act with the help of the webcam on her laptop. This enterprising miss set up her laptop on her bed positioned in such a way that it was partially hidden under the blanket while the lens could cover the door and most of the room. It just so happened that the family home was for sale and there was an open house on this particular day. Later that evening when the girl checked her computer she had quite a surprise. On her computer monitor she saw a strange man coming into the room and rummaging through her drawers and putting things into his pockets. She, of course, called to her father that “we were ripped off”. They did not recognize the intruder but the local police did. The thief was well known to them and had a record of looting homes during open houses. Thanks to this clever youngster and her hidden webcam the valuables will be returned to the rightful owners and the thief returned to jail. You can watch it all on the following video.
According to MADD there is a drunk driving crash death every 50 minutes. And the statistics go higher on New Year’s eve. Here are a few tips to safe safe:
1.) Have a designated driver. If there is no one in your group who does not drink make sure that the local cab company can have a driver for you.
2.) Watch how much you drink. Drink water to stay hydrated and eat enough food.
3.) If you have a friend with you who has drunk too much take his key so he cannot drive. Send him home in a cab or with a designated driver.
4.) If you are the host or hostess have plenty of non-alcoholic drink available. Also have the number of a local cab company that can provide drivers.
5.) If you are driving please drive defensively. There are lots of drivers out there who should not be on the road.
If you are the designated driver here are a few tips to help keep from taking a drink:
A 19 year old man was accused of molesting two little boys that he was babysitting. Babysitter was hired through Sittercity.com a babysitter service website. In spite of Sittercity’s screening applicants a potential sex offender was given the job. Screening includes checks against state sex offender registries and background checks through LexusNexus. Babysitter also advertised on Care.com which also requires background checks, reference and reviews. How can we be absolutely sure that any and all sex offenders will show up on any of the registries and and lists? We can’t. The only absolute way to know how are children are being treated when we are not present is to check up on them while they are on the job. Parents should make it a point of returning suddenly when not expected. How are the children acting? Do they seem happy or disturbed? Is the babysitter acting suspiciously? We are seeing more and more about this crime that in the past was seldom mentioned and too many times ignored.
Nanny cams are becoming necessary items and have through them parents have been able to identify babysitters and nannies who have mistreated their children. These nanny cams are cameras that are be hidden in teddy bears, clocks, radios or any item that would look natural and not suspicious. Most cameras save the videos on a small SD card so you will later be able to watch it on your PC. Some cameras will let you watch on real time from a computer at a different location. Having a nanny cam is the surest way to protect your child from abuse.
Our nations prison system is overcrowded. The Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for California prisons to be overcrowded perhaps forcing inmates to be released. Our local jails are overflowing. Minor offenders almost get out of jail free. They check in. Check out. Soon there will be “No Vacancies” posted over the entrance ways – especially over weekends. California state law has a practice known as realignment is sending thousands of prisoners to local jails. This means that thousands of inmates waiting trial may be released–some may be more dangerous than others. More cops will be needed to to patrol the streets but this will not happen. Budget cuts, you know.
So do we build more prisons? From where is the $$$ going to come? Best thing to do, in blogger’s humble opinion is to have less criminals. As a start lets’s decriminalize some stuff –for instance how about marijuana? I don’t have the numbers right now but I bet that would be a big one. Decriminalize marijuana users, growers and suppliers. We would have a lot less criminals and it would give local and federal cops more time to go after more important game. Prostitution–that’s another one> Why should this be a crime. Legalize prostitution and the state can collect taxes on the fees and can introduce health checks. Gambling–that’s another one. Our native Americans and the state of Nevada have gotten that one right. How about the rest of the states.
I’d like to hear from my readers. How can we solve this issue? More prisons or less criminals. And how to do it?
Halloween is fun. You know that but does your pet? I think not. Strange creature in weird clothing coming to your door can really frighten your dog. There is no way for Fido to know that Halloween costume and pranks are just a game for humans. You may dress up your pet in a cute outfit and he/she may look adorable but be sure that the costume fits well and is comfortable. Fido will enjoy the praise and attention as long as he is not uncomfortable and doesn’t have to wear the costume for long.
When evening arrives and ghosts, goblins and other spooks come to the house to beg candy it is best to keep Fido in another room away from the door so he/she doesn’t get frightened and run away or try to bite a goblin or steal some candy. Halloween is not part of canine activities. When the excitement is over and all the children have gone home including yours make sure that Fido is not given any candy, especially chocolates as chocolate can be poison for dogs.
Also remember to check all the candies that your own kids bring home. Any unwrapped candy is best disposed of. Any fruit should be cut open to make sure that there is nothing dangerous inside. In past years weirdoes’ have been known to give out apples with needles or razor blades inside.
Your children’s costumes should light reflective and they need to carry flashlights to assure that they can both see and be seen in the dark. Needless to say, children have to be in groups and not travel alone. Young children have to have an adult along. It does not pay to take chances with the safety of our children. Make sure that masks do not hinder sight. If the eye holes are too narrow then cut them out to enable the child to have maximum line of sight.
With proper preparation and attention Halloween should be safe and fun for all—pets and kids included.
Streets, college campuses, residential areas–none of them are safe any longer. Many people are now considering carrying pepper spray for their personal self defense. Pepper sprays come in may sizes and styles. You can get a small container of pepper spray that looks like a bottle of perfume or a cylinder of lipstick. There are also larger containers that you can keep by your front door. There is a right way and a wrong way to use pepper spray and the following video presents an excellent demonstration.
Burglaries, home invasions, store and home robberies have become more and more prevalent these days as a result of difficult times. There are some 14 million persons unemployed in the US — 9.1 percent. As homes are being reposed by greedy banks more and more people are homeless and living on the streets. Crime is increasing. We all need to take precautions to prevent ourselves from being victims of burglary and other crimes that are happening everyday in our cities, suburbs and country towns. The following illustration demonstrates the shocking burglary statistics.
At the present time there is a bill to bar Californians from openly carrying weapons. This is contrary to the rights to bear and keep arms given us by the 2nd Amendment. Do you think the bad guys out there will give up their guns? No way. Why should citizens give up their right to protect themselves especially now when crime is so very prevalent?
Sadly, we do need protection. Guns permits need to be given only to responsible people who know how to use a weapon and can handle firearms wisely.
The bottom line is who should get a firearms permit and what are the qualifications and who will oversee this? We would to hear your comments about gun control. Please
The following video addresses the continuing question of gun control
After the horrors of 7/11 the Department of Homeland Security implemented procedures designed to strengthen the nation’s internal security.
In the following video Secretary of Homeland Security reflects upon the terrible days after 7/11 and comments on homeland security starting with hometown security.
Here is the latest information from FEMA regarding their emergency text messages and mobile apps:
FEMA App and Text Message Updates
Text for shelter locations: 43362. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345)
Hurricane Irene, the first big storm of the season threatens the East Coast of the United States. FEMA is now offering information advice about preparing and recovering from hurricanes via your mobile device.
Here is the latest information from FEMA
As Hurricane Irene threatens the East Coast, I’m excited to announce FEMA’s gone mobile (again). I wanted to share two new ways you can get information about how to prepare for and recover from hurricanes and other disasters on your mobile devices:
FEMA App
In the new FEMA App, you’ll be able to:
• Check off the items you have in your family’s emergency kit,
• Enter your family emergency meeting locations,
• Review safety tips on what to do before, during and after a disaster,
• View a map of shelters and disaster recovery centers across the U.S., and
When we built the app, we kept the disaster survivor in mind, making sure much of the information would be available even if cell phone service isn’t, so you’ll be able to access the important information on how to safe after a disaster, as well as your family emergency meeting locations.
So as Administrator Fugate said, you can download our app today in the Android market, and look for FEMA App for Blackberry version 6 devices and iPhones in the coming weeks.
FEMA Text Messages
A new and separate service from the new app, our text message updates will allow cell phone users to receive text message updates from FEMA.
• Text PREPARE to 43362 (4FEMA) to sign up to receive monthly disaster safety tips
• Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345)
(For availability of shelters and services, contact your local emergency management agency.)
• Text DRC + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest disaster recovery center in your area (for example, if you lived in Annandale, Virginia with a Zip Code of 22003, you’d text DRC 22003).
We’re excited to provide these two new ways you can access information on your mobile device, in addition to our already existing mobile site – m.fema.gov. Stay tuned to our blog, Facebook and Twitter channels as we roll out our app to the remaining smartphone operating systems and make enhancements to our text messages program.
So download the app or text PREPARE to 43362, and then leave us a comment and let us know what you think. We encourage you to tell a family member, friend, or neighbor as well, so they can have disaster safety information always at their fingertips.
FEMA app frequently asked questions
Q: Will I get emergency alerts and warnings through the FEMA App?
A: No. The FEMA App provides preparedness and disaster recovery information only. If you are in an emergency situation and need to reach a first responder, you should always dial 911. And remember to listen to your state and local officials for instructions and updates about emergencies where you live.
Q: Can I discontinue using the App at anytime?
A: Yes. To discontinue using the FEMA App, simply delete the icon on your smartphone or remove it just like you remove any other App on your smartphone.
Q: What are the future enhancements?
A: If you have suggestions/ideas for future enhancements, please send them to: FEMA-new-media@dhs.gov. FEMA will continue to develop enhancements and add them to updated versions of the App, and we welcome your input.
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FEMA text messages frequently asked questions
Q: Can I discontinue using this service at anytime?
A: Yes. To stop receiving Text Messages from FEMA, simply text: STOP to 43362 (4FEMA).
Q: How often will I receive these messages?
A: If you sign up for the monthly preparedness message, then obviously once a month. When we create additional keywords to sign up for more information, we will let you know how often we think we will send updates. At any time, you can unsubscribe from updates by texting: Stop to 43362 (4FEMA).
Q: What are the future enhancements?
A: If you have suggestions/ideas for other information you would like to receive via text message, please send them to: FEMA-new-media@dhs.gov
Q: Will I get emergency alerts and warnings through the FEMA Text Messaging?
A: No. FEMA Text Messages are not for emergency alerts or notifications. If you are in an emergency situation and need to reach a first responder, you should always dial 911. And remember to listen to your state and local officials for instructions and updates about emergencies where you live.
