The Basics of Home Security

Every homeowner needs to be active and aware of their home security concerns. With home invasions and break-ins on the rise, it is time to take some steps towards protecting your family and your valuable belongings. It would surprise most people to realize how simple it is for a burglar to break into their home. By following these simple steps, you can reduce the odds of coming home to discover your home has been broken into and your cherished valuables have been taken.

For a burglar, the three greatest enemies are noise, time, and light. If a burglar must make a lot of noise, take a lot of time, and work in a well-lit area to get into your home, chances are that he will not bother. In most cases, he will move onto an easier “mark”. These are things that work in the favor of homeowners. I always tell my clients that, in order to defeat the burglar, one must think like the burglar.

Take some time and “case” the exterior of your home for points of entry. Imagine yourself as a burglar. Where would you try to get in? Where are the security weaknesses? You could even conduct a little experiment, by locking your home and trying to break in. If you, honest citizen, can break into your home with relative ease you can be sure it will be no problem for an experienced thief to gain entry.

Doors and windows are the first places to check when assessing the security of a home or business. Make sure that your home is equipped with a hard wood or metal exterior door, that is at minimum 1 ¾” thick. The doorframe should be equally as strong. A peephole is much better than a simple door chain, as it will allow you to identify the person at your door without having to open it. And if there is one thing you spend a bit of money on, be sure it is a good quality deadbolt!

Windows are also extremely vulnerable, from a security standpoint. If you have an older home with double-hung windows, you can secure them by nailing the upper and lower panes together from the inside. As well, simple key locks can be added to windows for a reasonable price. If you have windows that are located at street level, consider adding an iron grate or grille for added protection. Balconies and fire escapes can also be security weaknesses, so consider purchasing one of those metal “accordion” gates.

There are a few other simple precautions you can take to secure your home. Try to establish a routine to ensure that your doors and windows are locked when you leave the house and when you go to bed each night. If you can afford it, you should also invest in a home security system. There are some incredibly advanced systems available on the market today, and these systems are very difficult to bypass. These simple steps could make the difference between being a victim of crime and being safe from harm. Think about it!

Jack Nelson is a security consultant, and a member of the editorial team at homesecurityandalarms.com – an informative guide to home security with information about motion sensors, security cameras, emergency monitoring and more.

Regular Object? Or Hidden Camera?

One of the great things about today’s technology is all the
great things that you can do with it. The hidden camera is a
prime example of what technological advancements can achieve.
With a hidden camera or two (or three) secreted about your home,
you can keep a close watch on everything that goes on inside
your domain. And that is especially important in a world where
there are unwholesome influences on your children, and in a
world where people are increasingly dishonest. A hidden camera
usually is more than just tucked in some corner somewhere. It is
actually hidden in plain sight. These cameras often masquerade
as ordinary, everyday objects. Not only do these objects hide
cameras, but they also perform whatever normal function they
look like they should perform. For instance, the electric can
opener sitting on your kitchen counter (conveniently at an angle
where the front room is also visible) will actually open cans,
even as it records everything through a camera hidden inside.
Other objects that might have a hidden camera silently watching
all that passes include pictures, clocks, figurines, books, and
sometimes even teddy bears. The best thing you can do is tell
the sitter that you have hidden cameras about the house, but not
tell her or him where. She or he will be on best behavior, and
will follow your instructions with the kids. Not only that, but
you can keep tabs on your teenagers while you are away. Don’t
let them know where the cameras are, either, and you can bet
that there will not be a party in your house over the weekend. A
hidden camera acts as your eyes while you are away. If something
turns up missing while guests are over, you can look over the
footage and determine who might have taken it. Additionally, it
is a good way to watch your housekeeper to find out whether he
or she is cleaning everything as agreed. There are many
practical uses for such cameras, and because a hidden camera
looks so ordinary, others will not even know where you are
watching from. (c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com. This
article is about: Hidden Camera.

What’s All This I Hear About Firewalls?

At this point, if you’ve got the whole “turning the computer on” thing down; you are ready to learn about firewalls. Whether you use your computer for business or pleasure, it is important to have a firewall. If you use a high speed Internet connection like Cable modem or DSL, you are at a MUCH greater risk for someone to hack into your computer, ultimately giving them free rein to meddle in your files and your life.

A firewall basically limits access to your computer from the Internet; it does not protect your website (that is the responsibility of your webhost.) When you first install a firewall, it will alert you many times about possible threats to your computer. This means that an automated robot or someone who needs a life; is attempting to gain entry onto your computer. Chances are good that big time hackers will not bother with files belonging to someone with a small business, but the 8th grader down the street just might.

Begin by downloading a free firewall; you can visit http://www.firewall.com/ for more information. I got my free firewall at http://www.zonelabs.com, and it provides a decent amount of protection for beginners. As your business grows you will need to upgrade your software. Many sites sell firewalls for a fee, but I think you’ll agree you’d rather pay the cash than lose your hard drive.

Tom Antion provides entertaining speeches and educational seminars. He is the ultimate entrepreneur, having owned many businesses BEFORE graduating college. Tom is the author of the best selling presentation skills book “Wake ‘Em Up Business Presentations” and “Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing.” It is important to Tom that his knowledge be not only absorbed, but enjoyed. This is why he delivers his speeches laced with great humor and hysterical jokes. Tom has addressed more than 87 different industries and is thoroughly committed to his client’s needs.

www.antion.com

Ex-Cop Reveals And Recommends Pepper Spray and Why

If you are thinking about carrying pepper spray or you just want to know more about pepper spray… like does it really work? Do I really need it?

Or you’re just needing more information about pepper spray from someone who knows about the law to reveal to you the good, the bad and the ugly, then this will be one of the most important sites you’ll visit!

Let me tell you a little of my story…

Several years back I’ll never forget the dispatch call as it went out that weekend morning…

It was about 6:00 in the morning and I was patrolling my area. I got off work in less than one hour and I was looking forward to going home and sleeping. I live in Athens, GA…. Home of the UGA Bulldogs. I received a call to go to the rear of the football stadium because a girl had been assaulted… raped…

When I got there, several other cops were already combing the area for the suspect. I stood to the side and listened in as the victim was telling what happened.

I had heard the similar story many times over. But to this girl, it was the first… Listen in…

She was jogging… listening to the headphones… enjoying the morning run.

Out of nowhere a man ran out and grabbed her and took her to the end of the woods. Well… you know the rest of the story…

This happens over 250,000 every year. Just in the year of 2000 there were over 60,000 purse snatches in the USA…

DON’T Fall Victim! Carry pepper spray and learn how to use it.

I started this site off by saying hindsight is 20/20.

I am sure there are many days…and nights that this girl and other victims go through a lot of ‘what if’s….

Trey Patrick is a ex-cop who knows the inside scoop on pepper spray. He has six years experience being around self-defense products and knowing how to use them.
For more information go to http://www.allaboutpepperspray.com

Home Security System Considerations for Your New Home

Your New Home and Your Family’s Safety

When you’re building a home, you’re undoubtedly overwhelmed with excitement and ever-changing plans and decisions, making it easy to overlook some of the smaller details. But this is not a time to compromise your family’s safety. By determining your family’s safety needs early on, you can better equip your new home and ensure you and your family are safe for many years to come.

On the most basic level, a home electronic security system can provide you with protection from break-ins with four important levels of deterrence: yard signs, warning decals, loud sirens and 24-hour monitoring. The right home electronic security system can also save your family from fire, a necessary benefit considering that a home fire occurs every 86 seconds and 8 people die in house fires every 24 hours. Add to this the fact that many electronic home security systems can also detect carbon monoxide and it becomes clear that security systems are something you should strongly consider when planning your new home.

Thanks to advances in technology, homebuilders have a wide variety of systems to choose from. There’s the more standard electronic system that includes an alarm and 24-hour monitoring which requires homebuilders to purchase the inexpensive equipment, pay an installation fee, and pay monthly (usually less than $40) for the monitoring. This traditional system is tried and true and remains the backbone of home security systems today because of its ease of use and affordability. (www.ADT.com or www.Ademco.com).

Also on the market is automated home security, which resembles something seen previously only in James Bond movies. Using automated systems, homeowners have the luxury of using voice recognition and even seeing inside their home while away via their laptops. Despite their futuristic qualities, adding home automation to an existing home is surprisingly affordable and simple, with many of the products costing less than $40 and requiring no new wires! (www.Smarthome.com).

Regardless of which system you prefer, you must consider your own needs before deciding which system is best for you and your family, including:

You can save money on security monitoring services or even monitor for non-traditional security events like water in the laundry room or basement. Additionally, Smarthome products include devices that will allow you to unlock the front door to let friends in or close the garage door from your office via the Web. Remote control thermostats allow you to adjust the temperature from bed at night or even from a cell phone while on your way home (or to your 2nd home!). They can even trigger a notice to you if the temperature gets too low (freezing pipes) or too high (pets, plants, etc.).

Go over your wants and needs for your home security system with your builder. And, it is wise to ask friends and neighbors about their security systems. Find out what kind of system they have, what company they chose and why, and find out if they are pleased with their system. You may also want to ask about their system’s ease-of-use, reliability and even costs. Once you have narrowed down the list of companies you want to work with, give them a call and discuss your specific needs. Then, go over your findings with your builder to ensure the system gets installed and is up and running long before you and your family spend your first night in your new home. And last but not least, don’t forget to make a quick call to your insurance agent. Your home’s new alarm system should save you money on your homeowner’s insurance premiums.

House N Home Building (http://www.house-n-home-building.com) is an indespensible resources for anyone building a new home. The site features, money saving, convenience, healthy house building and energy saving tips. It is packed with useful and practical tools such as a lot/land checklist, builder’s interview guide and checklist, comprehensive punchlist, a sample building contract, example specifications, home energy checklist, a free house plan and a free monthly house building newslettter.

Why Do People Hack?

As a computer technician and tutor, I get asked a lot of questions about technology and computers in general. The one question that out-ranks all the others in the number of times I’ve been asked is this: “Why do people hack?”

Myth: Hackers are bad. Actually, hackers are merely computer programmers who go in to someone else’s code and reorganize it somehow. The term is well charted and defined by Wikipedia and doesn’t directly refer to anything malicious. Quite the opposite; hackers are programmers to whom we owe a lot of thanks for working out troubles in software and the Internet.

Truth: Hackers actually lay claim to a Manifesto from 1986 that inspires curiosity and fairness and being accountable for one’s actions. The manifesto was written just after the author’s arrest for “Bank Tampering.” His best lament is, “my crime is that of outsmarting you, something that you will never forgive me for.” Indeed, the pressure of being constantly watched forced “The Mentor”’s resignation in 1990. To all hackers, he is considered a living legend.

The Answer: The damage that’s done on the Internet and perhaps to your computer or your neighbor’s computer isn’t done by true ‘hackers.’ Would you call a graffiti vandal an artist or a ‘painter’ in the classical sense? Little folks spray paint buildings because they can. Sometimes it may feel that it’s the only way to leave any mark with a life that feels too small for anyone to notice.

Peers notice though. The greater the achievement, the greater the coverage. It’s a dark fame from a malicious act with no definite target. YOU weren’t meant to suffer from an attack; the attack was meant to be seen, however. The first Internet Worm in history was actually a good experiment that grew systemically accidentally crashing every computer it came in touch with. Many malicious code writers and ‘crackers’ begin honestly enough just learning how to write code.

With any knowledge comes a tipping point where a decision has to be made. You eventually get better than the average person and able to do things that bend outside what was meant to happen. Most skills don’t leave one wondering if they can damage other people’s property (the cook doesn’t graduate culinary school wondering if they should poison people for example), but computer programing reveals that there’s an awful lot of stuff out there that’s ready to break or corrupt with a little push in the wrong direction.

When you learned to walk, did you step on ants? Why? “Because I could; because they were there; because I wanted to; because it looked like fun.” I’ll bet your answer isn’t because you like hurting or killing things. As you matured, you used those same feet to take you somewhere. In time, all the modern crackers will mature and most likely become brilliant members of programming society.

There is no one magic answer. It’s something that happens and you aren’t the target. You don’t understand it because you don’t do it. It is a crime, but it’s often just a juvenile act of poor choice and misdirected skills. Defend yourself with anti virus softwares, don’t fall for e-mail scams and know that someday those mischievous feet will be somewhere good.

Bryan Applegate has learned a lot about computers in the last two decades. In teaming up with Dinarius, Inc he uses his powers to do good by being a tutor. More free lessons and advice can be found at Dinarius.com

How to Judge and Report Spoof Websites to eBay?

When you click on a fake eBay website thinking it to be the actual one, it leads you to this fake websites pages where you are requested to sign in and give away your personal and contact information. Never click on such links since eBay only tells you to enter information when you access from the eBay site. eBay does not let you give away important information by providing links on the eBay pages. If at all you come across links do not click it but copy-paste it on your browser’s address bar. If you receive an email from eBay with links, access it from the ‘my messages’ box of ‘my eBay’. eBay never sends you email that includes attachments or it will never ask you sensitive information like password etc.

At any point of time if you find yourself on a fake or spoof eBay website, the ‘toolbar’ of eBay can be used to report such a thing to eBay. eBay then reviews that website and if found fraudulent, the automated system on eBay distributes to all other eBay ‘toolbar’ members, warning them against this Web site. With the number of people downloading and using the eBay toolbar, its ability to find out the spoof sites increases and as more and more people report spoof sites to eBay, the whole eBay Community gets increased protection from fraudulent sites. When you find a spoof Web site click the ‘account guard’ icon on the site and from the drop down list click the ‘report this as a suspicious site’ link.

Donny Lowy runs http://www.closeoutexplosion.com an online wholesale and closeout business that supplies eBay sellers, retailers, and flea market vendors.

He also manages http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com an online wholesale and closeout forum.

Donny can be reached at 718-389-5502

How to Choose a Deadbolt Lock for Your Home

What is the real job that the locks on your doors are expected to perform? There is an old saying in the security industry that “locks only keep honest people honest”, let’s face reality, if someone really wants into your home, they will get in.

The real job of the locks on your doors is defeat the attacks of the opportunist, or amateur thief, to make it tough enough that they will bypass you and go to an easier target. Lock manufacturers produce locks that are designed to resist varying types of attempts to defeat them, these range from hitting them with a hammer to picking the lock. As soon as a new type of attack is introduced they will come up with a way to defend against it. The result is that there are a wide variety of deadbolt locks on the market, that offer varying degrees of protection, knowing which features to look for will make a huge difference in the ability of your lock to “keep honest people honest”.

Locks manufactured in the US are graded by their ability to withstand attack by the American National Standards Institute, or ANSI. They are generally graded from grade 3 to grade 1, with grade 3 being the least secure. Many locks are imported from other countries some are not graded at all, others are built to the specifications of the various grades, however not actually tested. If this is confusing to you ask your professional locksmith for a recommendation.

Minimum features to look for include;

* A 1 inch bolt throw

* A solid metal tapered outside housing

* A reinforced strike plate that is fastened with long enough screws to attach to the underlying support framing.

* A pin tumbler locking mechanism

* The bolt should be solid and contain a hardened roll pin to resist sawing.

There are deadbolt locks on the market that far exceed these minimum requirements. For information about high security deadbolts, key control deadbolts, and other high end or special use deadbolt locks, contact your professional locksmith.

Please visit http://www.secureyourstuff.com/ for links to lock manufacturers sites and crime prevention sites, many of which have additional security tips. This information could save your property or even your life!

Jim Newell a Security Professional and Consultant for over 35 years, operates a web site who’s mission is to bring you information about security systems , security devices and security hardware. To help you to make informed and educated decisions about securing your personal property, your home and your business property. Visit http://www.secureYourStuff.com for more info. Sign up for our newsletter!

Protect Yourself from Cell Phone Bugs

Do you have conversations over the phone that you do not want
others to hear? If so, then it may be necessary to protect
yourself from cell phone bugs. Cell phone bugs are just as high
tech as many other bugs, and can pose even more of a threat,
since they are harder to detect. Depending on the bug that is
used to listen to your conversation, you might not even realize
that someone nearby can hear every word crystal clear.

Even if most of your conversations are of little importance, it
is a good idea to make sure that you are well protected against
cell phone bugs when you make a vital phone call. It is possible
to decrease your chances of being listened to if you follow a
few simple steps to avoid eavesdroppers.

Go somewhere where you know you’ll be alone. Some cell phone
bugs intercept signals being sent. A person who looks like she
or he is speaking on a cell phone has a special device that
allows him or her to hear what you are saying on the phone.
Additionally, make sure you are in a place where you can watch
for newcomers.

Beware the charging or forgotten phone. Many cell phone bugs
look just like they are charging or like their owner forgot
them. If see a cell phone charging or lying nearby unattended,
go someplace else. Someone may be listening in via the innocent
looking phone.

Don’t accept new cell phones as gifts. The latest in cell phone
bugs is a phone that works like a regular phone, but has a
secret access number. If someone gives you a cell phone as a
gift, be aware that he or she may be able to dial the phone and
not only listen to what you saying while you are on the phone,
but activate the cell phone’s microphone in order to hear
anything that is going on inside the room.

With a little vigilance, you can avoid eavesdroppers through
cell phone bugs. Best of all, if you use ingenuity you can
“plant” false information for eager ears. You can outsmart
surveillance and the use of cell phone bugs.

(c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com. This article is about:
Cell Phone Bugs

Nannycams: Maintaining Your Child’s Welfare While You Are Away

Microcircuit, or microchip, video cameras are miniature cameras about the size of a US quarter or smaller and have been around for about ten years. These tiny video cameras have been the cutting-edge of surveillance technology. The cameras are everywhere and are especially useful for documenting instances of theft in the workplace or capturing video evidence for later use in court.

Pinhole video cameras are micro-video cameras that have been designed with a small pinhole in the front of them. They are optimized so that the image sensor can obtain images through a hole the size of a pin, making them very easy to hide and use in covert situations. Many professionals in the surveillance business offer ready-made setups of micro-video cameras built into just about anything including clocks, teddy bears, coffee pots, lamps, radios, etc.

Pinhole and Microcircuit Cameras hidden inside of everyday objects and then used for surveillance around the home are oftentimes referred to as nannycams or nanny cams. The name became popular when videos of babby sitters and in-home child care workers, who were abusing children while the parents were away, began surfacing regularly in the nightly news.

When choosing a nannycam, or building one for that matter, it’s important to watch the quality of the board cameras you are going to obtain simply because the US market has been flooded by low quality cameras that have a limited life and a high rate of failure. One company hawks them for as low as $29.95 but this is definitely not the type of camera you want to use for professional or long-term applications. It’s also important to note that these cameras require that you wire them in the proper manner for power supply and video output which can be confusing to albeit the most technology saavy users.

It’s also important to be aware of the available features of these cameras. Here is what to look for:

Automatic Electronic Shutter Adjustment

Video cameras need to have an electronic shutter that automatically compensates for lighting changes. You will find that cameras without AES will under or over expose the resulting image.

Resolution

Resolution is the number of lines that compose the image captured; more lines equals a better resolution equals a better picture. Many of the lesser expensive cameras have resolution of 360 lines or below. I suggest looking for cameras with 400 lines or better.

Light Rating

Light ratings for cameras are measured in “lux” ratings, which is a measurement of the minimum amount of light needed to capture an image. Many of the cheaper cameras on the market have lux ratings of 1 to over 2.5 and require a lot of light to reproduce an image; you are best staying below 0.5 lux in black and white cameras.

Small Size

Of course, all of these cameras are small. Very small. But size will vary. Size can be as tiny as 29mm (w) X 29mm (h) X 12mm (d) with the best cameras.

Wiring and Power

Many of these cameras aren’t wired; that means you will have to wire them and determine how to route power to them. Some of the better cameras come prewired and allow you to plug them into a standard electrical outlet or a battery pack. Typically these cameras are also prewired with a standard RCA jack to plug into a recorder’s input.

Camera Housing

The better cameras come with a protective housing; the less expensive cameras don’t have a housing are called bare-board cameras. If you are going to install the camera yourself into something like a clock or smoke detector, it’s best to obtain the bare-board camera. The purpose of the housing is, of course, so circuits remain protected during use and remain dust free.

Power Supply

Low quality cameras require a lot of power and will drain batteries very quickly; color cameras consume more power than black and white ones. A short battery life, measured by a few hours, will make using these cameras impractical for most hidden camera applications. Quality professional cameras will give you an extended battery life or offer an optional wall-outlet connection for a limitless power supply.

Aside from these features, there are other important factors to consider. Do you you’re your images in black and white or color? Do you want to use a wireless camera or a hardwired camera? If you use a wireless model, you will also need a video transmitter; these can be quite bulky. However, with the advent of new technology, there are now self-contained microcircuit cameras that have transmitters built right into them while maintaining their very small size.

Microchip cameras can be hidden almost anywhere. They can be set up in a stationary position or hidden on your body. Covert Microchip cameras are most often inserted into the following items for stationary applications:

VCR

Book
Desk Lamp
Table Clock
Smoke Detector
Wall Clock
Floor Lamp
Portable Radio
Coffee Maker
Thermostat
Teddy Bear

A Word About Audio… I am generally against it!

Although you will find a number of covert video cameras and microchip cameras with built-in sound, they are actually illegal; in fact, U.S. Customs has raided some places selling these units in the past. The laws dealing with covert audio recording are much different than those dealing with covert video recording; there is no such thing as a “no party consent” thus, a covert video camera with audio could be considered an illegal eavesdropping devise.

L. Scott Harrell is a noted author, speaker and private investigator with 14 years of experience as a private detective and principal of CompassPoint Investigations.

More information regarding CompassPoint Investigations can be found via his website: http://www.CompassPointPI.com