Safety Tips for a Realtor

Everyday there is a real estate agent who has become a crime statistic. Many of you Realtors feel that crime is not going to happen to you. You may be right because chances are it will not. According to law enforcement officials and security professionals, real estate is considered a "high-risk" profession. Sales agents are on the road, usually work alone, frequently interact with strangers, and visit unoccupied properties.

The following is some tips for a Realtor to ensure his/her safety:

Be suspicious of everyone. This is no benefit in being paranoid. Being a bit cautious can keep you from getting into a vulnerable situation. Be cautious of a man showing up alone. Assume that he will show up in a nice car, well dressed, perhaps with his wife and kids along for the ride. He might have a business card saying he is an engineer or a pharmacist. Do NOT let your guard down. He might decide to make you a target after two or three meetings. He wants to earn your trust first. You feel comfortable carrying jewelry and cash before he chooses that it is safe to move in.

Identify and pre-qualify during your first meeting. Whether you are at your office or meeting at the house, get a picture ID. Also, it may be to your benefit that the potential client purchasing a house is pre-qualified. Somebody who is pre-qualified by a lender and meets you at your place of work is less likely to be a predator. Make a file with the client's identification and include his personal information, such as license plate number, make and model of the car he is driving, and employer phone numbers.

Maintain contact with the office. Before showing a house, tell your co-workers, spouse, or friend where you are going and when you will return. Have this person call you at a designated time to check on you. It might be helpful to have this person set an alarm on their cell phone as a reminder. A "buddy" system where you call in has advantages. Have a designated in-out file. Use a clip board, cork board, e-mail, or voicemail system that everybody can access.

Have a plan for safe open houses. Bring a friend and carry a cell phone. Take a few minutes noting all the vulnerable points located within the property and how you would escape if necessary. When somebody walks in say to the client, "I'd be happy to show you the benefits of this home and in a few minutes, my partner, Rex, will be along to help me." When a couple comes to preview the house, ask that they remain together. Often, they split up. One has your attention while the other rifles through the jewelry boxes and drawers for anything of value. In high crime areas, especially blue-collar areas, consider hiring an off duty police officer to watch over the property during a showing.

Use predetermined code words to alert your office of distress. Use the colors of a traffic light: red, yellow, and green to alert your office of your levels of distress. For example, say to your caller, "It's in the green folder" letting the office know that you are okay. Or, "it's in the yellow folder" telling your office that you are in a shaky situation and you might need help. Consider using an acronym for help such as Have Emily Leave the Papers at 401 Main Street.

Conduct safe personal marketing. To a stalker, your picture on a sign or in print is a personal advertisement. He makes the determination if you have the "look" of a prey that he is seeking. Keep your pictures "professional" rather than "attractive." Use your cell phone number as opposed to your home phone number on the advertisement. If possible, use a personal 800 number which you can subscribe to anywhere in place of a home or cell phone number. Use P.O. boxes in place of your home address.

Use the buddy system. If possible, bring a co-worker. There is safety in numbers. Predators prefer isolation. By pairing up with a buddy, you reduce the chances of a potential attack.

Dress for safety and success. Do not wear expensive necklaces or rings. A $2500 diamond ring buys a lot of drugs. Dress professionally and not provocatively. Scarves and loose fitting items can give attackers something to grab onto. Wear shoes you can run and kick with so that you can defend yourself in case of an attack.

Do NOT take predators for a ride. Do not allow the client to ride in your car if you do not know who he is. Properly identify him. Make sure he is a client and not a potential attacker. Ensure you have taken the necessary precautions ahead of time before you are put in an isolated situation. If you feel uneasy about a client, let him follow you to the location and bring along a buddy. If he gets into your car and makes attempts to control you, put on your seatbelt and ram into a stationary object such as a parked car or a telephone pole.

Heed your intuition. Trust your gut instinct if you feel troubled by your new client. If something feels wrong, then it is wrong. Cancel your appointment with him if necessary.

Know how to defend yourself. Your life is worth fighting for. It is necessary to defend yourself if you are ever placed in a situation that would put you in harm's way. Aim for the eyes, throat, groin, and the top of his foot. Ground fighting is an advantage that few people realize they have. Kicking the knees and the groin is very effective when you are lying on the ground. Scream, yell, gouge, bite, and fight with whatever you have. Carry some pepper spray, stun gun, or a kubaton keychain in your coat pocket. Have a ball point pen ready to jab. It has been estimated that 80% of women who fought back against an attacker escaped. You have the power within you.

Fabiola Castillo is an online marketer for the website NinjaCOPS SuperStore. This virtual store specializes in personal defense products where you can buy pepper spray, kubatons keychains, wireless hidden cameras, nunchaku technique videos, Taser stun guns, expandable steel batons, and many other home security products.

Effective Tips For Purchasing a Cheap Gun Case

Of course, there is no doubt about spending your income on cases that would protect your weapons that you may own as part of your interests or for a matter of security. But the real question that immediately comes up is how much you should spend on these gun covers? It is not a question for those who collect these weapons out of pure passion. They don't think twice on investing their hard earned income on gun cases that are strong enough to tolerate any kind of hazard. But there are many rifle or pistol owners who clearly look for a case that is not too expensive but just sufficient to protect their weapon against normal hazards.

While choosing a gun case, it is obvious to choose one that can fulfill the main purpose - i.e. protecting the weapon. But how far you should go on investing is something we can educate ourselves here. It would be a sheer wastage of money to spend more on a case than on the gun itself! And it is definitely not advisable to purchase a cheap gun case that can hardly serve its main motive. Thus, one must consider all the factors while purchasing a gun case - the budget, the type of gun owned and the usage etc.

If the gun is not too costly, it is recommended to purchase a gun case that is not too expensive either. In market, we will find a large variety of gun cases. However, most of them are not at affordable prices, rather very expensive and not easy to maintain. Metal gun cases ranges above $25. That sometimes may not be of any worth.

On the other hand, there are various forms of homemade cases that are cheap and also easily available. They are also very easy to make and handle. Unfortunately, most of us don't really know that these are efficient enough, if properly selected. A cheap case may not always mean a wrong decision. Sometimes, properly made gun socks or cases can work well in keeping the guns like rifles and pistols safe. Some of the ways of obtaining a cheap gun case are:

1. DIY (Do It Yourself) Method: You can even make one of these at your home. Just by taking your old denim jackets or jeans that have stimulated sheepskin lining can easily be stitched into a gun sock. It is feasible and presentable at the same time.

2. Conversion Method: Some people also use cases of Violin and other abandoned wooden and plastic boxes to secure their weapons in it. This is a great way to use the household items effectively yet it doesn't require much spending.

3. Local Auctions: Usually the local auctions also have such items that can be yours at a considerably low amount.

4. Tailored Method: You can also get many of such cases made at workshops like Condor where professionals can make them at very low rate. Silicon and plastic gun cases are usually made at such workshops for as cheap as for $6. You can also purchase a custom made bag too.

5. Retail Shops: Who says cheap gun cases are not available in market? Retail Stores like Wal-Mart, Outdoor World, Optic Planet has various types of ready made cases that cost as low as $10.

Hence, it is safe to say that one does not need to spend too much out of his pocket in order to safeguard his firearms. Even though, branded expensive cases may have a great quality, there is no doubt that cheap gun cases can also be a great investment altogether. If done wisely, it may not just be cost effective but also a good guard for your collected weapons.

Author enjoys writing on wide range of topics such as Gun Case and Rifle Case. You may visit for more details.

Tips For Getting 20+ Kills Consistently on Halo 3

Anyone can get good at this game with a little effort and knowledge. Knowledge is truly power. I was a total dud when I first became drawn to this game. I am now at the skill level where I can get MVP most games. I still have off games as I'm sure we all will have from time to time.

Here are my tips for you to go from dud to MVP:

1. Watch that radar
I can't stress this enough. You can't earn the kills if you are constantly being killed. I scan the radar approximately every 2 seconds. You will learn to do this without thinking about it and it will become easy with practice. If you see a blip in front of you and no one is there, be very suspicious. It may be telling you that your enemy is above or below you, but it could also mean your death is coming very soon! Fire a spartan rifle in the direction of the irratic blip as soon as possible. Many times you will be dealing with an invisible opponent and it is a fatal mistake to not react immediately. Firing your weapon will make them visible if you hit them. You could also throw green smoke if you have it. I never have it when I need it, so my policy is to fire away to be safe.

2. Know your weapons
Each weapon is capable of performing better or worse depending on the manner in which you are attempting to use them. For close range combat, a standard spartan rifle will work. sticky bombs are a good choice as well. Avoid using a Battle rifle or sniper rifle at close range as they are best suited for medium to long range combat. Use the energy sword lunge maneuver! When I began playing, it took me a while to realize how people were able to lunge at me from a distance and kill me with the energy sword. I did not realize that you do this by getting your opponent directly in your scope for a couple seconds. The indicator will turn red. Pull your trigger at this time and you will perform the lunge motion and easily kill with the sword. Always re-load guns by pressing RB after each combat engagement. If you do not do this, you will inevitably run out of ammo mid-fight and lose the battle. Just do it.

3. Sneak attack
Any time you can sneak up on an opponent without them noticing you, you will have the advantage. When you do manage to get close, don't blow it by using the wrong gun. A good 'ole fashioned beat-down is my preferred weapon in this situation (AKA press B quickly 2 times!). You will draw attention to yourself by firing a weapon unnecessarily. Also, it takes multiple shots to kill with the standard issue spartan gun. That could give your opponent time to react and kill you. If you do use a weapon please make it a shot-gun, as they will take out an opponent with one shot at close range. There are some instances where the shot-gun is your best friend.

4. Locate some sniper locations
The next best thing to sneaking up on someone is to find a few good sniper locations and move from one to the other while taking out as many opponents before they catch on to your hide-outs! I made the mistake of thinking I had found a spot where I could perch and nobody would find me. WRONG! It only takes a kill or two before your opponents know your general location and will be closing in to take you out. I recommend moving to a new location after 2 kills from any given location. If you are up against a sniper, you must take him out ASAP, because the damage to your team could be catastrophic. If you get taken out by a sniper, observe the bullet trail trajectory and when you respawn try to get to the source unnoticed and take them out! You may not have a sniper rifle to return fire from a safe point. If you can get a battle rifle, you can take out the sniper without venturing out into the open.

5. Develop your Battle rifle skills

A battle rifle is your friend. When I first started, I hated battle rifles. I couldn't kill anything with them. It turns out I was using them wrong. Battle rifles work the best at medium distance. I was trying to use them close up or far away. When you are aiming the battle rifle a small red dot will appear in the center of your scope if your opponent is in the "Kill zone". It takes practice, but you need to get that dot in your scope ASAP while maneuvering through chaotic environments. Stay calm. It's a mind thing and when you focus and don't get rattled by your opponent, you will find that your battle rifle killzone will be on autopilot. With all gun / rifle type weapons, I have found that aiming at the head is best. If the enemy is moving try to keep their head in your scope.

6. Toss some grenades

Use those grenades! I have found that most of my kills are from medium range. By throwing grenades first, I can make a big noise and kinda throw off the enemy. Grenades also damage multiple enemies if they are clustered together. I follow grenades with the battle rifle and typically do OK in medium range confrontations. I always select sticky bombs when I have them. When you sticky an opponent, evade them immediately, as they will try to take you out with them by running up to you! On the same note, If you are stickied......sadly, it will be over for you in 2 seconds, so run up to the nearest opponent before imploding, if you can! LOL.

7. Find a turret gun
Love that turret gun! I usually take out at least 3 opponents one after the other when using a turret. Be sure to rip it off the stand by pressing B after grabbing it to go mobile. The turret offers you more shielding from incoming bullets too. It will slow your walking speed down considerably due to its "weight", so don't be too far away from shelter.

8. Know where the missile pods are located
If you are on a map with a banshee and/or warthog, immediately locate a missile pod. The enemy will inflict massive casualties on you if you do not destroy these vehicles ASAP. By using the missile pod, you will get a red "LOCK ON" indication. When you get this, fire! 2 or 3 direct hits and their vehicle is a smoldering pile of shrapnel and your team members will love you for it! If you are piloting one of these vehicles and you hear a loud siren, you need to ditch the vehicle or swerve immediately. This tone is telling you that someone has you on lock. Don't forget that you can disable a vehicle with an energy drain. I did not know this when I first started out. It will render any vehicle dead immediately, so keep one handy if you can find one for this situation. If you are driving a warthog, do not get too close to the enemy. Your turret gunner will not be able to shoot the enemy at close range. This also makes you vulnerable to power drains and don't forget sticky bombs. They will take you out. If you are piloting a banshee, remember that you can fire missiles by pressing B. It took me a while to realize that I could do this. It may be helpful to know. Also, Use that LT button to speed up and evade. Better yet, the LT is great for going fast and splatting opponents before they can move out of your way! That is always a lot of fun. LOL.

9. Stay alive by jumping
Remember to jump spastically. This will make it more difficult for snipers to kill you. Definitely jump after each kill. Many times your opponent will throw a grenade when they know they are going to be killed. I can't tell you how many times I get killed from the grave, because I forget to do a post-kill jump and the enemy threw a death grenade. It will save your life. If you are about to be killed, try a sticky bomb or frag grenade as a last ditch Kill-from-the-grave method. It does work often enough. Nothing makes me smile more than killing from the grave! LOL.

10. Stay with the team if possible

Most of the time, I know that I am doomed if I get caught out in the open somewhere alone. I try to avoid this situation at all cost. Occasionally when I really got my game on, I can take out multiple opponents by myself, but I really advise people not to put themselves in that situation if it can be avoided.

11. Those portals are death traps! Always scan your radar before entering a portal. If you see red blips near the portal, move to a different one or take a back way up if all portals are compromised. Remember to throw a grenade or two into the portal for fun and maybe a kill or two!

Happy gaming!

More tips here

Home Security Tips: What You Need To Do To Secure Your Home

Common Home Security Tips

There's nothing worse than someone breaking into your home. While a lot of people haven't experienced it, let us paint a picture. You come home and find all of your things have been rifled through and thrown about, wondering what has been stolen. You feel violated, and this is something that makes you feel very vulnerable. It's hard to get the image out of your head. Fortunately enough, these days, we have more than enough things that we can do to protect ourselves. This is definitely something that you should think about if you want to keep your valuables and your family safe, as burglaries can happen when you're home or not.

More than Just a Home Security System

Of course, it all starts with a proper home security system, preferably one that's been top rated. You'll have to do your due diligence and read some reviews before you decide on something. But it doesn't really stop there, as you'll have to put yourself in a potential burglar's shoes. Considering that most of these people are amateurs, it shouldn't be a problem for any reasonably intelligent person to think about what potential danger spots are. Use your knowledge of your home's layout to your advantage, and once you find any spots where your home security system may miss, you can consider what you should use to rectify the situation.

Use Practical Deterrents

This should go without saying, but a lot of people simply do not use what the house already has. For instance, there are quite a few people who leave their doors and windows unlocked. While there are areas where burglaries don't happen too much, it can really happen to anyone. In addition to that, you'll always want to make it seem like someone's at home. Leave some lights on, maybe a TV, or anything that could potentially make a burglar think otherwise. Also, if you happen to be a dog lover and don't have one, maybe it's time for one? Not only are they fantastic companions, they deter a lot of burglaries. It doesn't have to be scary, just make sure it has a deep enough bark. No burglar wants to tangle with a dog, especially when they may be facing a prison sentence.

These couple of things can really help you decrease the chance for a burglary. While there's nothing explicitly stating that you won't be a target, these tips are more than enough to scare off most.

If you're in the market for a new home security system give ADT a call at 877-467-7226 or visit best home security system. They have a special internet offer running right for a Free Home Security System - an $850 value with $99 installation. Call for all the details. Make sure to ask about any additional offers they have running.

Cleaning a Gun Safely

CLEANING A GUN SAFELY

To make sure a firearm is performing to its specifications the owner must make sure the gun is clean. Most problems pistols, shotguns, and rifles encounter are due to dirty bores and actions. Gun Powder is fairly corrosive and can cause damage to your firearm if not taken care of regularly. Below you find some good tips on cleaning your gun safely to help insure your firearm is working properly.

SAFETY FIRST

Make sure you are about to clean an empty pistol or rifle! Remove magazine clips and any ammunition in the chamber. Be absolutely sure the weapon is unloaded! It never hurts to check more than once. BE SURE YOUR GUN IS UNLOADED!

DON'T DISASSEMBLE TOO FAR

Read the owner's manual of your gun and go only as far as they recommend. If you don't have an owner's manual you most likely can download one from the manufacturer's web site usually at no cost. As a rule you should only need to disassemble as far as to reach the major components that need cleaning that powder and residue will build up due to normal use. Typically the bore, chamber and bolt or action.

EXAMINE THE FIREARM AS YOU BREAK IT DOWN

It's a good idea to inspect all the parts in the firearm as it's down for warn components due to normal wear and tare of the gun. You should also check for hair-line cracks, rust and signs of too much wear. If you find anything like this you should take the firearm to a professional gun smith for repairs.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLEANING YOUR GUN

REMEMBER: CHECK THE CHAMBER FOR ROUNDS BEFORE YOU START!

1.Clean your gun from the breach end if at all possible. If you can't clean from this end be sure you don't "push" any debris down into the action of the gun. Be sure to use a muzzle guard to protect the muzzle "tip" from scratches or nicks. If you damage this part of the gun you will loose a lot of accuracy in your shooting.

2. Be sure you use the proper patch holder for the caliber of your weapon. Soak the patch with a factory approved solvent or copper cutter.

3. Run the patch down the barrel to saturate the bore. Remove the dirty patch at the other end of the barrel. If you pull the patch back through the barrel it can fowl the barrel with debris you just pushed out. Let the solvent "stew" a couple of minutes to break up any stubborn lead or carbon that may have built up.

4. Pull the "empty" rod back out of the barrel, then attach the proper brush to the rod. Soak the brush with solvent and run it up and down the barrel 4 or 5 times to scrub the bore. Replace a patch on the rod and soaked in solvent and run it down the barrel with a new patch each time until the patch goes through free of any discoloration. Run a "dry" patch through to remove any remaining solvent. Check the bore for any debris and if necessary clean again.

5. Apply a few drops of quality gun oil to a new patch and run it through the barrel to leave a LIGHT film of oil inside the barrel. This will go a long way to prevent rust during storage.

6. With a nylon gun brush saturated in solvent brush away any powder that has not been burnt or debris away from the action. After the action is clean use a gun oil to LIGHTLY coat all surfaces and moving parts. Do not use too much lubricant because the action may become sticky and hinder the weapon from operating properly. A light coat is all that is needed to prevent rust and help in increasing the life of the weapon.

7.Reassemble the gun making sure you wipe any areas you have touch with your hands with a cloth lightly oiled or a silicone fabric. The acid on your hands from sweat can do a lot of damage to the steal as well as remove any marks you have deposited while handling. It will also have a "new" look to it when you are finished.

REMEMBER TO CHECK THE BORE FOR ANY OBSTRUSTIONS BEFORE YOU FIRE THE GUN!!!

Have fun and be safe.

Billy Willis
http://www.lonestarholsters.com

Responsible Gun Storage by Finding the Best Gun Safe Features

Owning a gun for personal and business use always entails responsible handling and safekeeping from its users. Owning a gun safe is one of the important factors to consider upon gun ownership. When purchasing a gun safe it is highly empirical to know the best features to look for in order to ensure that you get the quality storage safe where to keep your gun.

Buying a gun safe of good quality is much less expensive than spending for a replacement once your gun gets stolen. There are several stores who sell gun safes of different quality and the choice is left to the buyer to choose the one that fits their budget and meets their quality requirements. One should note that a gun safe that is made of thicker steel always offers the highest quality and better protection for your guns.

With countless gun stores selling gun safes of different brands and quality how will you get a gun safe that comes with better quality and assurance of storing your guns safely and more reliably? Knowing the following important factors that contribute to the quality of a gun safe feature will help you make better decisions when buying a gun safe.

1. Gun Safe Size and Weight

Recommendations from the experts on the ideal size and weight of a gun safe will be an interior vertical clearance of 58" and a loaded weight of 750 lbs. A 30" barrel rifle for instance is about 52" long. An extra space will be required thus a 58" interior height is more ideal. This is the recommended minimum interior vertical clearance by experts. The common width sizes are between 36" to 40" which provides enough space for a 16-gun rotary rack on one side of the gun safe with an added shelving unit on the other. These measurements provide an efficient and handy storage of a gun safe.

A 2000 lbs gun safe provides better security but requires professional installation in your home that can be a bit expensive. An alternative option is to go for a 750 lbs gun safe which provides a sturdy foundation that is hard to move while giving enough size and can resist from being tipped over.

2. Shell Strength and Wall Thickness

This is an important feature of a gun safe as this help prevents your guns from being toasted during a fire. A gun safe should be one with good external strength to prevent the breaking down of its components such as when heated on a fire. Good quality gun safes shells are constructed with continuous wells instead in stitches.

It is notable that steel is very expensive and many gun owners find it more practical to compromise the external shielding of a gun safe to get manageable weight and to spend a reasonable cost. Since most home related gun thieves employ a snatch and grab tactics of stealing guns instead of using cutting tools and gadgets this may seem a practical choice for a gun safe buyer.

3. Locking Device

Experts prefer the feature of rotary combination dial locks as a more reliable locking device for gun safes. They remain to be durable and often times with less hassles to operate than its digital clock counterparts. Cheap electronic locks are known to have its key pad internal to easily wear out. When choosing to buy a dial lock you should look for a UL group II certification feature and a UL Type 1 certification for digital lock gun safes.

Being able to find these good quality features from a gun safe will give you a guaranteed reliable gun safe to buy where you can store your gun safely.

Peter Garant is writing home security and gun safety and gun awareness articles for both winchester gun safes [http://www.gun-safes.us/winchester-gun-safes.html] Info and magnum gun safes Info web sites.

How To Stay Safe When Taking Photographs In A Foreign Land

When traveling overseas, taking photographs of unusual sights and scenes can be a great way to give friends and family back home an idea of what your experience was like. But if you were to wander around a foreign country snapping pictures randomly of people and buildings, you might end up in a heap of trouble, and can even be arrested. It is important to be aware of cultural sensitivities as well as local rules regulating when photographs are allowed and when they are prohibited no matter where you go.

It is natural to want to reach for a camera when confronted with a scene that is new to you, for instance when you see local people dressed or behaving in a way that you think of as being unusual. Taking photographs of the people in foreign countries is an activity fraught with risk, you should ask yourself how you would feel if a tourist came to your home town and started taking pictures of your family. No matter which part of the world you travel to, you should always ask permission before taking a photograph of people.

Religious scenes can be amazing to behold, especially if the faith in question is one that you do not know so much about. It should be understood that religion and the rituals that accompany various ceremonies are often intensely private affairs. Taking photographs of people praying or performing any religious ceremony is not an activity that should be encouraged, even if you see other tourist happily snapping away, this does not mean that you should do the same.

If you were to take pictures of any kind of transport infrastructure in a foreign land, for example airports, train stations, and bus stations, you may suddenly find yourself surrounded by local law enforcement agents. Many developing countries are extremely sensitive about photographs being taken of their infrastructure, and strictly prohibit the activity.

Under no circumstance should you take photographs of any military vehicles or facilities, that is unless you enjoy having automatic rifles being pointed in your face by angry soldiers. Do not think that a western passport gives you the freedom to take pictures of anything, and it would also be a mistake to be under the impression that your country's consulate or embassy would be able to help you out of a tricky situation.

Traveling overseas should be enjoyed and remembered as a wholly positive experience. By thinking carefully about where you point your camera you can make certain that you have a trip which is exciting, though not dangerously so.

Check out our tips on how to stay safe while taking photographs in a foreign land now in our article on where to find the best Photoshop tutorials beginners online on http://photoshopforbeginners.org