When you go on vacation, you are excited, and anxious to begin your trip. You have everything packed that you could possibly need. Items like your laptop, camera, GPS, extra money, and any jewelry that you might need for that special night out. What better way to ruin a vacation than for you to be robbed. It happens, every day, to millions of people. There are ways that you can prevent being robbed or at least lessen that chance for you and your family.
When you book your hotel, ask about the security there. Do they have security cameras? Do they have security boxes for individual rooms? Most hotels, good hotels, will have some sort of safety or security box for the rooms in their hotels. Make use of them. If it can be avoided do not leave any valuables inside your hotel room.
Use luggage that locks. It is a lot harder to get into your luggage if it locks and most thieves want to be in and out of your hotel room. I know you are saying, “They can take the luggage out of the room”. Yes, this is true, so do not leave anything of value inside your luggage. If they take your luggage, you are only out your clothes, and you can buy enough of those to get you home.
We love our laptops. These laptops contain our whole lives inside them. And what would we do without our GPS units? How can you capture memories without your digital camera? Password protect everything you can. Backup files on your laptop before you leave. Write down serial numbers and model numbers on everything you take with you. Take pictures of all of your valuables before you leave home and have them printed at your local photo store. Thieves love tourists. We are easy targets because we do not know the area and will only be there for a short time.
Workplace violence is defined as “violence or the threat of violence against workers” involving physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse related to the workplace, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). These behaviors range from verbal aggressiveness or harassment to murder. There were 521 workplace killings in the United States in 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 420 of them committed by gunfire.
While mass shootings receive a great deal of coverage in the media, such as the shootings at the manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico in July 2010 and the gunman who opened fire at the Bay City School Board meeting in December 2010, there are many more violent acts committed by employees. In addition to the harm they cause, violent acts can leave employers liable for damages if they knew an employee was a potential threat to co-workers.
What can an employer do to identify and prevent a potential problem? One way is to search a potential employee’s history of past violence by using a pre-employment background check. By screening applicants, an employer can expose any recorded history of violence or harassment. In addition when employers inform job applicants of their screening process, many prospective employees with background issues with remove themselves from the hiring process.
By using this method to reduce workplace violence, employers also show that they are diligent in finding out if an applicant poses a potential threat to the company or to the public. But employers do need to be careful about crossing the line and being too invasive into a prospective employee’s privacy. According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), laws in several states limit the use of arrest and conviction records by prospective employers. These include restricting the use of conviction history in making an employment decision.
With media attention given to reports of suicide and cyber bullying, much of the United States views public schools as dangerous, if not deadly, places. However, this is a misperception based on high-profile cases reported in the media. Few serious violent crimes take place in school relative to home. In fact, very few juvenile homicides take place at school. In contrast, there is evidence of a growing problem with less serious crimes such as bullying and harassment that require a school’s attention.
Juvenile Violence is Decreasing
According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) national arrest statistics, law enforcement made approximately 581,765 juvenile arrests for violent crimes in 2009, a decline of 15 percent from the year 2000 and a drop of 2.3 percent from 2008. Those under age 18 also are less violent than adults. Juveniles accounted for 14 percent of all arrests for violent crimes in 2009.
Among students aged 12-18, there were about 743,100 non-fatal violent crimes in schools, according Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) figures for the 2008-2009 school year. During that same period, there were 38 school-associated violent deaths in the United States including 15 homicides. This is less than half the reported number of school homicides in 1998. Because of highly publicized homicides in the 1990′s, local school systems across the country implemented tougher policies, and expanded their use of school resource officers and security officers.
Bullying on School Grounds
During the 2007-2008 school year, 32 percent of students reported being bullied on school grounds and four percent reported being cyber bullied (which can occur anywhere) versus just two percent of these same student reporting violent crimes, according to BJS. This same population in 1999 reported bulling at a rate of just 5.1 percent of students.
For schools to remain a relatively safe place for children, administrators need to know what kinds of crimes are most likely to happen and make decisions based in fact.
The Internet is a vast place where many people go to for information, resources and to find friends. Finding and meeting new people online has fast become a popular way to meet new people and to stay in the know on what’s going on in their friends lives. The newest craze of social networking and “friending” has caused its own set of challenges within the Internet world. With it comes cyber-bullying, which is a way that people online use to intimidate and harass others. Cyber-bullying, which is really bullying done over the Internet, has created a new challenge for school administrations and law enforcement personnel to have to deal with and find ways to resolve a growing problem.
Cyber-bullying works primarily through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, but can certainly occur through email too. The person who is doing the bullying usually starts out as an innocent friend, or as someone who is genuinely interested in being friendly with someone. Although this may seem harmless, what starts out innocently looking can quickly escalate into a problem that becomes out of control.
Cyber-bullies get to hide behind their computer screens. This gives them the mystery and anonymity that they want to have to be able to bully people. Because it’s all done virtually, it’s also a way for them to “hide” themselves and not take responsibility for the things that say and spread over the web. They often mistakenly believe that their identities will not be discovered.
To combat the growing problem of cyber-bullying, people need to be aware of the people that they talk to and friend on online forums. If they do know the person that they’re talking to and there is a bullying situation occurring, they should quickly bring it to the attention of the school’s administration and authorities if possible.
Everybody’s heard about social drinking. There is a population out there that advocates having an alcoholic drink or two in social gatherings to maintain that perfect balance. If trends are anything to go by, social smoking could soon be a common phenomenon. As the term implies, social smokers light up only occasionally in a gathering or an event.
The reasoning is that a few cigarettes a week are definitely less harmful than a whole pack or packs every day. While this may seem consistent, there are many compelling reasons why social smoking cannot be dismissed as another harmless practice. The first reason is that the definition of social smoking is subject to a whole range of interpretations; it could mean one cigarette or several packs at one go.
The possibility of social smoking developing into a full-blown habit cannot be ruled out either. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s estimated that 46 million Americans smoke and 70% of them want to stop. Moreover, the human body is not built for smoking tobacco, period. Even one cigarette leaves an imprint on body chemistry and arterial walls. Occasional smoking may not put your chances of getting cancer on par with a serious smoker, but it will definitely be higher than a non-smoker’s.
A worrying fact is that most social smokers are young, and are the targets of marketing campaigns by tobacco companies who don’t want to lose out on this segment. The Anti-Tobacco Bill aims to protect this vulnerable chunk of the population from such campaigns that can increase tobacco usage.
Electronic cigarettes are a good choice if you’re not ready to kick the habit just yet. Apart from being available in a variety of flavors, it also offers the benefits of being tar free. The nicotine is still there though but if you want to retain your social smoker status, an electronic cigarette is a step in the safer direction.
While you’re out having fun and drinking alcohol remember to be smart about it. If you consume too much alcohol, you can lose control and end up wrecking not only your night, but most likely all the people’s nights around you as well! Additionally, you could also find yourself in a bad situation you wouldn’t normally be in if you weren’t intoxicated. There are ways to drink safely and tips you can use to protect both your body and your mind and be smart!
To calculate the amount of alcohol a person consumes, the quantity is measured in units. Some examples of drinks and how many units they are as follows: a small 125 ml glass of wine, a half pint of beer or a single measure of rum, whisky, gin or vodka is equal to 1.5 units of alcohol.
So, now you might be asking yourself how many units of alcohol is considered to be the recommended amount then in order to practice safe drinking while having a fun night out? Actually, it’s interesting to find out that there are different recommendations depending on your gender for what is considered acceptable amounts. A male’s body makeup has 66 percent fluid while in comparison with a female’s body that only has 55 percent which means that the alcohol will be more diluted in a male than in a female. Therefore, if a man and woman consume the same amount of alcohol, the woman will typically get drunk a lot faster than the man would. And that’s something all women should have knowledge of and be careful about.
As a general rule, health experts have determined that men should drink no more than 3 – 4 units during a 24 hr period. For an example of what that equals, a guy shouldn’t consume more than three glasses of wine or two pints of beer per day. For women, it has been determined that they shouldn’t have more than 2 – 3 units for a day which means not more than one pint of beer or 2 glasses of wine per day.
When travelling to a new destination, you’re looking to have a good time, not extra worry or problems to come your way. You want to take in the sights, food and entertainment the area has to offer. There are certain things you should know and think about before going on your trip in order to make yourself more street smart and as result your visit safer, especially if you are traveling alone.
First of all, avoid looking like a tourist a much as possible. Don’t walk around with a map looking lost. Study the map before going out and when on the street, use a small guidebook for direction instead. Ask the concierge at your hotel to recommend any areas to steer clear of or avoid. Additionally, dress yourself down when going out and don’t wear flashy jewelry or watches that attract attention. Thieves are looking for an easy target and you don’t want to be that target. If you need help with directions, look for a family or mother with children to ask.
Another tip is to be extra cautious when getting on/off of a subway, train, bus or escalator because pickpockets hit people here the most. Keep your purse (or other valuables) away from the street side when walking and when riding an escalator, keep it away from the opposite side so it isn’t easy for someone to grab and take off with. Don’t carry all your credit cards and IDs with you constantly. Take one credit card with you and photocopies of any important documents, not the originals. Be careful with your money. Don’t ever take out a bid wad of bills when you’re purchasing something. Have the bills divided up so you don’t expose it all at once. Also, have tips ready for doormen or porters beforehand so you don’t have to go digging around in your wallet. If you are ever attacked, make as much noise as possible run, fight and yell loudly!
With a little knowledge and extra precaution you can have more street smarts and be a safer during your travels.
Women today need to be very cautious and careful about the things they do and the places they go. Unfortunately, women make a lot of mistakes when coming face to face with an attacker that can put them more at risk of becoming kidnapped, assaulted, raped and/or even killed. By knowing what some of these mistakes are you can become more educated and in turn reduce your risk of being a victim.
First thing to remember is don’t ever get into an attacker’s car. Even if he pulls out a gun and orders you to, don’t comply. Most attackers don’t intend to shoot you and odds are that they won’t. They only want to take you to a second location that is secluded or deserted so they can attack you, most likely sexually. So don’t let them get you to that second location. Do whatever you – hit, kick, scream, run and cause as much noise and attention as you possibly can to yourself. Chances are that they will just take off and try for an easier target. Make sure to report your experience and give a description of the man to the police so that they can be on the lookout for the perpetrator because he most likely will try attacking some another woman.
Secondly, make sure to drive with your car doors locked. This may sound extreme, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Many times an attacker has been able to simply jump into a woman’s car while they’re stopped at a stop light with a weapon and shouting demands all because he could do so easily. Don’t give them that chance. Simply lock your doors when driving – it could save your life.
Lastly, never pull over if a man drives up beside your car and points like something is wrong. Instead, drive to the nearest gas station or car repair place and look over your car yourself or ask someone working there to look at it. Unfortunately many women have fallen for this trick and found themselves in trouble because of it.
Everyone wants to protect themselves from becoming a victim. It’s important to think about what to do in situations that may arise to see if you’re as cautious and aware as you should be in order to guard against those that may be out to hurt you.
One common mistake made is that people are far too trusting of strangers. This is especially true if the person is clean cut and nice looking. Unfortunately, there are mug shots taken of criminals all the time that look like every day ordinary people. Most often the criminals don’t look scary or questionable at all. Like the old saying goes, you can’t really judge a book by its cover. This is an especially true here.
Be more cautious and aware when you come in contact with someone you don’t know. If a stranger knocks on your front door and you open it up, it can provide them easy access inside your home which is a fairly soundproof and secluded place where they can rob or attack you. If you don’t already have a peep hole in your front door, get one put in. Don’t give an attacker the chance to get in. Keep your doors locked when not in use and positively identify anyone before you open your door to them. You may come across as being paranoid, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Also, be more alert when in a parking lot. At night many grocery stores offer escorts to take you to your car and you should use this service when available. Far too many women have been raped or taken from parking lot areas. Be aware of your surroundings and keep your head up and look around in all different directions. Don’t walk with you head down while you search through you purse. Also, always check the back seat of your car before you get in. There are many hiding places for attackers both inside and outside of your car.
Having more awareness and precaution when dealing with strangers will help you better protect you from becoming a victim.
It is so much fun to sit outside in the brisk, clean air and grill out while relaxing and enjoying your surroundings. Many people choose to grill out for those very reasons and often invite friends over to participate in it with them. Grilling out and entertaining is probably one of the most frequently occurring entertainment ideas that people enjoy doing, no matter what time of year it is.
Whether you’re grilling a small meal or you’re cooking to entertain a large crowd, it’s important to observe the rules of safety that come with cooking outside with fire. Being prepared is the key to avoid accidents, as well as not panicking and knowing what to do in case there is an emergency. Here are some things that you can do to ensure a safe environment:
- Always keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case there is a grease fire or the fire grows too rapidly and gets out of control. It’s also a good idea to keep wet towels and tongs by the grill in cases of burned or singed grilled meats that are too hot to handle, and to cool the grates down if they get too hot.
- Always position the grill far away enough from the house or any other buildings, material or garden brush in case there is an incident of fire that may splatter and spread rapidly among these things.
- Keep an eye on the grill at all times. Never leave it unattended or decide to go to sleep, run errands or do anything otherwise distracting while waiting for the food to cook. It only takes a few brief seconds for a fire to get out of control.
Grilling safety should always be considered first to ensure that your outdoors entertainment and family experience will continue to be enjoyable. Always observe safety practices first so as to keep things under control and manageable.
