ExecutiveMom's Safety and Self Defense Blog

Eyes Wide Shut...

Okay - I do admit that I am one of those who can be labeled an aggressive driver. Actually, I am courteous - I pass in the passing lane and move back over to the slow lane and drive until I need to pass again - THAT IS THE LAW…. Those of you who drive in the passing lane doing below the speed limit need to be ticketed…my opinion but you cause more accidents by your behavior not by ours. We are just trying to get around you. Example…today, I was on my way to my son's football game - the championship (which we won!). On a two lane highway, man in pick up truck moving two mattresses, going 55 in a 70mph zone. I tried to pass and he sped up and then slowed down to 50. The car next to him kept up, blocking my daughter and I in. We were finally able to pass. I didn't even want to speed - just wanted to do the speed limit! PASS AND GET OVER…. if we were all courteous to each other, we wouldn't have so much frustration on our roads. And my biggest problem with this whole scenario? The driver was talking on his cell phone like he was the only one of the road… Why the rant when this is the time of year to be Thankful? Well, a recent National Safety Council report estimates 564 people will be killed and 29,300 will be injured in motor vehicle crashes during the 4.25 - day holiday period, which begins at 6 pm on November 21 and ends at 11:50 pm on November 25th. They also project that seat belts will be responsible for saving nearly 500 lives during the same period ( so don't forget to BUCKLE UP). Just FYI, in 2005, the council’s Thanksgiving holiday estimate was 610 fatalities; the actual count was 605. So how can we protect ourselves this holiday from becoming a statistic? Sometimes driving can seem automatic, but remember nothing about driving should become routine. Staying focused and free of distractions is a great way to avoid problems on the road such as crashes and traffic stops. Have you ever done the following while driving? • Changed the radio station • Put in a CD • Ate, drank, or smoked • Combed your hair or put on makeup • Picked up something on the floor or between the seats • Talked or text messaged on your cell phone • Joked, argued, or turned around to talk with other passengers • Read a map or newspaper or checked your calendar If you answered yes to any of these, then you were not paying attention to your driving. • Driver distraction is a contributing cause in 10% of fatal accidents and 24% of all accidents. • Did you know? If you are driving at 55 mph and take your eyes off the road for 3-4 seconds, you have traveled the length of a football field. • Cell phone use while driving can cause major distractions for drivers, even those phones which are “hands free”. The mental distraction of talking impairs a driver’s ability to make decisions about driving. And for those other aggressive drivers out there like me, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, at least 1,500 people a year are seriously injured or killed in senseless traffic disputes. (I do have to ask you slower drivers to be just as courteous as well - MOVE THE HECK OVER! It's the Law…) How to avoid aggressive driving • Do not drive when angry, upset, tired or ill • Be patient and courteous while driving • Leave a little early and allow extra time to get to your destination • Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you • Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt — we all make mistakes • Avoid conflict, even if you are right • Do not block the passing lane - yield to the right for any vehicle that wants to pass you • Avoid eye contact with other drivers who appear irritated – it can be interpreted as a personal challenge • If a motorist pursues you, drive to a police station, convenience store, or public place where you can get help And finally, if you must drink this holiday (yes, I agree a nice glass of wine does go with all that turkey and a beer with football is a perfect combo as well…)just don't drink and drive - enjoy yourself and designate a driver - it will keep us all safe!

Holiday Shopping or Hand-to-Hand Combat

As a safety educator with a PhD in criminal justice, I spend all day quoting statistics….yet I wonder, are there are any statistics available on how many woman (and men) are hurt during the pre-holiday shopping "rush" and craziness the Friday after Thanksgiving?  My good friend and my cousin are both notorious for getting up at 3 am to stand in line with a thousand other people that morning.  They are ready to  elbow their way towards that one special TV that is sold at an unbelievably low price. 

Now I absolutely LOVE shopping  but I am always done BY Thanksgiving.  Why so early? Because people get mean and nasty during the time of year that is all about giving.  Yes, it has become about that quest for the "perfect gift",  but I buy and save those all year so I can focus on the "meaning of the season".  Giving, doing for others, being a caring part of my community.  This year, instead of cutting each other off for that perfect parking place at the mall or grocery store, why not help an older citizen - even if it's just opening a door for someone with there hand's full of bags.  Or going to a shelter the day after Thanksgiving and donating new or gently used coats and blankets. Don't have a lot of "extra" to give away? What about a smile, a Happy Holiday, a "may I help you?" … none cost a thing and mean more than we realize sometimes! Giving from the heart is always the best present possible and will be returned one day…

So what about those shopping safety tips, if you insist on fighting for that "perfect" sale item the Friday after Thanksgiving (or any other time before December 24th)?

• Keep      all car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your car.
• If      you must shop at night, park in a well-lighted area.
• Avoid      parking next to vans, trucks with camper shells, or cars with tinted      windows.
• Park      as close as you can to your destination and take notice of where you      parked.
• Never      leave your car unoccupied with the motor running or with children inside.
• Do      not leave packages or valuables on the seat of your car. This creates a      temptation for thieves.
• Be      sure to locate your keys prior to going to your car.
• Keep      a secure hold on your purse, handbag and parcels. Do not put them down or      on top of the car in order to open the door.
• When      approaching and leaving your vehicle be aware of your surroundings - don't      get distracted by talking on the cell phone or digging through your purse      while walking
• Do      not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area. Go      back inside the store / mall and ask for help or an escort. Better to be      SAFE than SORRY.

Like me and not up to "fighting" the crowds during November and December?  Why not shop online?  Get ready for the holiday gift-giving season with unique surprises for friends, family and your other favorite people.  Visit http://www.execdeftech.com/onlinestore.html to order a present to keep your loved one safe and healthy all year round! Be SAFE shopping (and good luck with those sales!)

 

 

Pepper Spray - 1 vs. Husband with Taser - KOd

As the owner of a self-defense company, I rise every morning around 5am to look at my Google search results on Self-Defense. There are so many scary and disturbing stories.  How do I help make the world a better place and keep innocent victims safe in all of this "nonsense"?  Well, we spend a lot of time teaching prevention, awareness and the use of personal weapons as well as the use of pepper spray - a weapon that can't be used against you - I do sell a lot of it from my company site at ExecDefTech. The one product I really haven't been sold on was the use of a taser. I have always felt it is something that can be used against you as a weapon if taken away (like a gun or knife).  I just feel, unless you are going to take the time to learn your weapon of choice (which most people just don't do, sadly)you can be hurt by it more than helped my it.

So my point, this isn't always a fun part of my job - not too many laughs in learning about the crime in our country.  Today, the morning of my grandmother's funeral, I needed a wonderful laugh and there it was on my computer…something that I could definitely see my husband doing and I thought I'd share the humor of the day with you - enjoy, stay SAFE and please don't try at home!  

A guy who purchased his lovely wife a "pocket Taser" for their anniversary submitted this..

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 22nd anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Toni. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety.... WAY TOO COOL!

Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two triple-a batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against flesh or a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arch of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs.

Awesome!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Toni what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave. Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-a batteries, right?!!!

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5"
long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really (and loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-a batteries) thinking to myself, "no possible way!"

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best...

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, "don't do it master," reasoning that a one-second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.. I decided to give myself a one-second burst just for the heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and HOLY MOTHER, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION )*(&(*)&)(%)jld*(&****!!!

I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs. The cat was standing over me making meowing sounds I had never heard before, licking my face, undoubtedly thinking to herself, "do it again, do it again!"

Note: If you ever feel compelled to "mug" yourself with a taser, one word of caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself. You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be considered conservative.

SON-OF-A-BITCH... That hurt like hell!!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. How did they up get there???

My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I'm still looking for my testicles. I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return.

 

 

 

- Anonymous

Too Busy to Sleep?

As I sit working at my computer, the sky is grumbling, the temps have dropped from yesterday's beautiful 70 degrees and the rain in pouring down…how hard it is to work on a Monday morning like this when all I really want to do is crawl back into bed, pull the covers over my head and not come back out.  As a business owner, author and mother, I never seem to have a day off to just "waste".  I realize that I am just one of millions of Americans who have problems with sleep.  After selling a sleep aid as a pharma rep in my previous life, I also realize the affects too little sleep can have on my performance on the job and on the road. I also know, if untreated, long-term sleep disorders can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure (don't need help there - kids do their fair share of contributing to that problem), depression, and increased risk of heart disease and diabetes (which I'm genetically predisposed to). 

I have followed all of my doctor's advice on getting a good night sleep like:

• Keeping      a regular sleep and wake schedule.
• Avoiding      caffeine and cigarettes in the late afternoon and don't drink alcohol to      help you sleep (without these I'd kill a child due to stress … how else      do you keep your nerves calm during a crazy hectic evening schedule?)
• Avoid      going to bed on either a full or an empty stomach. (so much for that      bag of Doritos I keep by my bed to enjoy while I read)
• Use      your bedroom primarily for sleeping. Sleep in a dark, quiet,      well-ventilated space with a comfortable temperature.
• Relax      before going to bed. Take a warm bath, listen to soothing music, meditate,      or try relaxation or breathing exercises. (my physician doesn't have      kids with last minute homework requests, pets who need to be fed or      laundry to do at night - he's very unrealistic at times…)
• Face      your clock away from the bed to avoid focusing on time if you awake before      morning. (what a great excuse for me to sleep through my alarm -      "didn't know what time it was" - really!)
• If      you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed or wake early and      can't get back to sleep, get out of bed and try a relaxing activity such      as reading until you become drowsy. (Okay this is where the Doritos come      in and if the book is too good I'm up until 4am reading - back to being      tired the next day…)
• Regular      exercise can help improve sleep, as long as you don't exercise within 2      hours of bedtime (when else am I supposed to exercise? at 6am? heck I      didn't go to bed until 4!)
• Avoid      household chores, paperwork, or other stimulating activities for at least      2 hours before bedtime (again, when else do these things get done)

So now that I've tried all of my physicians suggestions on proper sleep habits, does anyone have any other ideas on how to stay awake and healthy when it's a rainy Monday?  Fall always seems to do this to me …. who do we petition to for a 32 hour day so I can get 8 hours sleep??

Fantasy And It's Effect On Your Reality

Health Care Excuses - Krugman - New York Times

    Friday 09 November 2007

    The United States spends far more on health care per person than any other nation. Yet we have lower life expectancy than most other rich countries. Furthermore, every other advanced country provides all its citizens with health insurance; only in America is a large fraction of the population uninsured or underinsured.

    You might think that these facts would make the case for major reform of America's health care system - reform that would involve, among other things, learning from other countries' experience - irrefutable. Instead, however, apologists for the status quo offer a barrage of excuses for our system's miserable performance.

    So I thought it would be useful to offer a catalog of the most commonly heard apologies for American health care, and the reasons they won't wash.

    Excuse No. 1: No insurance, no problem.

    "I mean, people have access to health care in America," said President Bush a few months ago. "After all, you just go to an emergency room." He was widely mocked for his cluelessness, yet many apologists for the health care system in the United States seem almost equally clueless.

    We're told, for example, that there really aren't that many uninsured American citizens, because some of the uninsured are illegal immigrants, while some of the rest are actually entitled to Medicaid. This misses the point that the 47 million people in this country without insurance are an ever-changing group, so that the experience of being without insurance extends to a much broader group - in fact, more than one in every three people in America under the age of 65 was uninsured at some point in 2006 or 2007.

    Oh, and finding out that you're covered by Medicaid when you show up at an emergency room isn't at all the same thing as receiving regular medical care.

    Beyond that, a large fraction of the population - about one in four nonelderly Americans, according to a Consumer Reports survey - is underinsured, with "coverage so meager they often postponed medical care because of costs."

    So, yes, lack of insurance is a very big problem, a problem that reaches deep into the middle class.

For full article click HERE..

Interested in learning more about how the Pharmaceutical Industry and Health Care Corporations deceive you with Fiction?  Read my new book- Escape from the Pharma Drug Cartel.  To buy it TODAY, click HERE....

Financial Self Defense

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With the Holiday Season Quickly approaching, people will be using their credit cards more online and off.  We will be giving out more personal information and more scam artists will be at work trying to rip us off.  If I only received a dollar a day for the "sad" emails I receive from people telling me of a dead family member and help "recovering lost / hidden funds"  I would be a millionaire! I came across this article this morning on the Spectrum.com and it's a great reminder about keeping ourselves FINANCIALLY SAFE.... Every year, scams are becoming increasingly complex as con artists discover new, sophisticated ways to fleece the public. Unfortunately, even the well-known deceptions still fool victims. Whether new or old, con artists prey upon the same vulnerabilities in our human nature. We can better protect ourselves by first knowing what kind of fraudulent operations exist and how they function...: Affinity fraud According to the Securities and Exchange Commission*, affinity fraud is an investment scam that preys upon members of groups, such as religious or ethnic communities, professional groups or the elderly, by exploiting the trust and friendships that exist within the group. Victims abandon their natural sense of caution and good judgment because the swindler pretends to be, or may be, one of the group. The most common affinity scams are pyramid schemes, which create the false illusion that an investment program is successful by taking money from a new investor and using it to make payments to previous investors. Prime bank schemes Victims are taken in by the lure of a very high-yield, tax-free return that, supposedly, is only available to extremely wealthy individuals through off-shore trades of bank notes. You are required to execute confidentiality agreements and not consult an attorney, accountant or financial planner. The secrecy is exciting and makes you feel exclusive and important. There are no such legitimate programs. Once your money is turned over, it is gone - the only person enjoying a high-yield, tax-free return is the con artist. Personal information scams We've all heard of identity theft: thieves steal your private financial information and use it to open credit cards in your name, buy a car, get a driver license, open bank accounts and write bad checks. They can steal your information directly by taking your wallet, checks, financial statements or credit card receipts from your mailbox or trash can. Thieves can get the same information indirectly by hacking into computers, stealing client data while on the job or diverting your mail with a change-of-address form. Frequently, victims will give an unscrupulous person their private financial information simply because they need help. The paperwork that senior citizens must deal with for medical insurance claims and prescription benefits is overwhelming. Con artists may use the phone or E-mail to pose as the agent of a legitimate health or life insurance company. They may offer to fill out forms, file claims, facilitate payments or straighten out a fake problem with your account, meanwhile asking to verify your social security number or your bank account number. Protect yourself Discuss with others. Many investors have been spared tragedy because they had the good sense to ask an accountant, an attorney or a financial planner to review and evaluate an investment before getting into it. A licensed financial advisor can help you determine if the investment is suitable for you and your personal financial goals, and an attorney may see warning signs that you have missed regarding its legitimacy. Insist on written information on an investment product - and read it carefully. Ask tough questions and check out everything. Be very skeptical of an investment that you must keep confidential and is not in writing. Never let someone pressure you to make an immediate decision. Don't feel like you're missing an opportunity if you don't rush into an investment. Wise financial decisions take time to investigate and evaluate. Beware of strangers who guarantee spectacular profits and quick returns. These are hollow lures to encourage you to relinquish your money. Successful con artists can sound very professional and make the riskiest and strangest deal sound safe and legitimate. Never give out your personal financial information unless you have initiated the contact. Invest in a shredder to destroy credit card offers and any other papers you discard that contain private information. Report fraud. Don't let fear or embarrassment keep you from telling the authorities about abuse. Frequently, victims keep quiet because they feel humiliated for falling for the scam and don't want their family or friends to find out. Reporting a scheme will help others to not fall prey. For More Information The Web sites for the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the North American Securities Administrators Association contain updated information about financial scams. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, "Affinity Fraud: How To Avoid Investment Scams That Target Groups," March 11, 2005, http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/affinity.htm Articles are published for general information purposes and are not an offer or a solicitation to sell or buy any securities or commodities. Any particular investment should be analyzed based on its terms and risks as they relate to your specific circumstances and objectives. Clients should always check with their tax and legal advisor before making tax/legal-related investment decisions. Investments and services are offered through Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, member SIPC.

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