Importance of Life Insurance for You

There is no doubt at all that you love your children very much so that you do the best for them. Even though it seems to be the basic things you can do naturally, you should know that you can do more to provide the best for your children. Even for the future, you can start doing something important now as the plan or life arrangement. In this case, you can afford the protection for your children financially when you have to leave them forever by buying life insurance.

You know that buying life insurance is important for you and your children. Therefore, you should be smart enough in choosing the best life insurance since different types are offered now by different companies. You should make sure that you consider anything related to the life insurance before you really buy one. A common thing you can consider is the quote. It means that you should find the best one based on the quote. To find the best, you just need to do something simple and fast like what you can do on the linked website on this article. Now, you do not need to wait and think any longer. Just visit the site to get the best life insurance quote for you and your family.

Applying for Payday Loan as the Action to Get Financial Help

Some friends of mine usually share their problems by updating their status on their facebook accounts. When I read the status updates, I just can’t understand why they keep talking about the bad things they get. Even for the financial problems they get, they share them with the others. For me, it is ridiculous to share the problems because it is not necessary. Besides, sharing such problem on the facebook could be useless because they cannot find the solution for the problem. It must be more useful to open a new tab and visit the site that can help them solving the financial problem such as online payday loan.

Well, solving problem needs action. You cannot only share the problem because you may find no answer to solve it. For instant cash need, you just need to find the lender that can help you with the cash you need. My recommended site is easyonlinepaydayloan.com. On the site, you can find the best lender just by filling a simple form. You just need to mention the amount of money you need and the time you need the money. You may even find the homepage of this recommended payday loan site to find out how trusted the site is. Well, do the necessary action by visiting the site now!

Self-Defense: Nonlethal Weapons - Which One Is Best For You?

Until nonlethal weapons such as stun guns and pepper sprays came into being, the main alternative in a confrontation was deadly force. The effectiveness of nonlethal products has helped propel them into the forefront of the mainstream of society. Stun guns and pepper sprays have really come into their own only since the 1980's so they're pretty new on the scene of self-defense.

It's a big decision to make when choosing a product that may have the potential to save your life. So we'll take a critical look at these nonlethal weapons-these self-defense products- to help you decide which one might be best for you.

As a foundation for this discussion, you should know that all police officers have a nonlethal alternative with them when they go after the bad guys. That is part of their continuum of force which allows for the least forceful all the way up to the deadly force as a final alternative.

They must make those decisions in a split second: you don't.

Here we will take a look at the major categories of nonlethal weapons and discuss some of the pros and cons of each to help you decide which one might be the best for you.

Pepper spray is the most widely used nonlethal weapon in the world. It was originally developed for crowd control and the use in apprehension of criminals and is still used that way today by law enforcement authorities. But it has morphed into a prime self-defense product for civilians. One of the reasons they are more popular than stun guns is that it creates an area of separation between you and the assailant. Stun guns require a physical application of the device to the assailant which many people find objectionable. Pepper sprays disable an assailant for up to 45 minutes by causing severe pain, difficulty breathing and excessive tearing of the eyes. They are small and very inexpensive. Many of them have key chain attachments which enables you to carry them with you literally wherever you go.

Stun guns are the second most popular nonlethal weapon. They are hand-held devices that discharge an electrical shock that can disable an assailant for 5 to 10 minutes. The shock comes from stored energy inside the gun from two or more probes on one end. The electricity cripples the body by depleting all the blood sugars so there's no energy left. They are more expensive than defensive sprays but, like them, are close to 90% effective.

Personal alarms are the third category of nonlethal weapons and are really not a weapon but a device that sounds a loud alarm scaring away an attacker and drawing attention to your situation. They are very effective and are generally inexpensive as well.

Our recommendation always has been to carry a pepper spray and a stun device. Use the pepper spray first then if you happen to miss, you have a stun device as a backup.

Self Defense - What Makes Pepper Spray The Number One Product For Personal Protection?

There is no doubt that pepper spray is the number one selling self-defense product for personal protection. Pepper spray or OC spray as it is sometimes called, is preferred by millions around the world as their product of choice when it comes to self-defense especially for female self-defense.

Every law enforcement officer in the country has a canister of pepper spray or defensive spray on his utility belt. The United States Postal Service has issued all their letter carriers with pepper sprays to defend against dog attacks.

So what makes pepper spray so effective? What makes it the number one product for personal protection? In our opinion it is close to obvious. In summary, it is relatively cheap, very effective and can be used from a distance. Let us elaborate a little more on these characteristics.

OC sprays are without a doubt the least expensive of all self-defense products. Many of them are available for less than five dollars each.

Defensive sprays are on average close to 90% effective in disabling an assailant in an assault. They come in a wide variety of styles, colors and disbursement methods from dozens of different manufacturers in the United States. So there are plenty of choices to choose from.

They can disable an assailant for up to 45 minutes from a short burst in the face, which will cause near debilitating pain, excessive tearing of the eyes and it makes breathing very difficult. It is truly nasty stuff.

Defensive sprays have a range anywhere from six up to 25 feet which for many is a distinct advantage over a stun gun, for example, which must be physically applied to an assailant for it to work. A lot of people, women especially, do not like that physical contact if it can be avoided. That is why they prefer pepper sprays.

Some come disguised which may be an advantage in certain situations. Probably the most popular disguised spray is the lipstick pepper spray, but there is also a pen that has spray in it.

There is a lot of confusion about how they are rated for effectiveness. Here are some terms to become familiar with. Scoville heat units is a common measurement of hotness. The minimum for any pepper spray is 2 million Scoville heat units while some claim to have as many as 5.3 million. The percentage of OC in the product is another common measurement of hotness. Most units are 10% concentration of oleoresin capsicum but some go as high as 18%.

Another measurement is the CRC (capsaicin and related capsaicinoids) strength. Most defensive sprays have a minimum of 1.3% while bear sprays have a minimum of 2% CRC's. One more measurement is a certified heat rating as verified by an independent laboratory.

So now you know what makes it so effective and thus the number one selling self-defense product in the world. Remember, it is your life that you're protecting. So choose wisely when picking a one.

Self Defense for Women: A Matter of Life or Death

Both women and men face the threat of violent attacks at some point in their lives. But the statistics for women being violently attacked are staggering: 3 in 4 women aged 21 and over have a chance of being attacked in their lifetime. It is frightening, but law enforcement officials recommend self defense for women class, as a means for avoiding this terrible crime.

When you think of self defense, you might think pepper spray, a quick jab in the eyes with your keys, or a swift kick in the groin. But in reality, self defence for women means doing anything and everything it takes to avoid an attack or stop an attacker, it involves using your head, as well as using your fists.

Here are some valuable self defense for women tips from the experts:

Use Your Head

One of best ways to protect yourself is to avoid getting in to situations that would compromise your safety. Use your head, and most of all, trust your instincts. If you are out in a less-than-crowded place, like a park or a mall parking lot, and you get that uncomfortable feeling in your stomach or you can't help but look over your shoulder that could be your instincts telling you that trouble is near. Remember, fear is your friend. It is not a sign of weakness; it is a means of survival.

Here are some other easy ways to protect yourself:

Be aware of your surroundings and the people in them at all times.
Walk briskly and confidently, so you won't become an easy target.
Keep a cell phone handy and call someone if you feel uncomfortable.
Make sure that someone knows where you are at all times.
Travel in groups, especially at night; there is safety in numbers.

As a woman, you must be more observant of your surroundings, situational awareness is critical in keeping yourself safe. Crimes and other types of violence are very prevalent these days and your chances of becoming a victim continue to increase. By learning the basic strategies in self defense it will help you avoid becoming a victim of a violent crime.

For additional techniques, you may also enroll in a self defense for women class at your local police department, martial arts school or check out some of the online self defense training programs. These classes are designed especially for women to help them learn to be smart and safe!

Women's Self Defense: The WHY

Anyone can sit down and watch the news on a given day or turn the radio on and see yet another instance of an assault or even worse. Normally these situations become so prevalent and wide-spread, that the viewer eventually becomes oblivious to the news.

Until... ?

It hits home. When a story or situation hits home, (personal, family, friend, co-worker, or when it just simply moves into your neighborhood or surrounding area) this is usually a "wake-up" call to anyone that is now consciously aware to take the next step.

What... ?

The next step is always some type of action, since inaction in one's mind is no longer an option. Otherwise one would still be "asleep" in our example. Action is now taken in searching out a hands-on class for some type of personal defense or self-protection. And then the entry level or degree of activity also kicks in, meaning armed or unarmed. Now comes the research.

Where... ?

The quickest way to get immediate action is of course the internet and Google. Most would then sit down and type in any myriad of search terms from self-defense, women's self-defense, martial arts, defensive tactics, firearms training, personal protection or even just karate or karate classes. Now the fun begins.

How... ?

How to go about and actually, "sticking the toe into the water" now that one has all of this information on where, but the search can be overwhelming and thus the adventure begins!

Goals... ?

We recommend that you sit down and plan, maybe not on paper, but certainly at least have the proper goals in regards to what you are actually looking for:

What type of class are you looking? (private, group, hands-on, defense, traditional martial arts, firearms?)

How long do you want to train? (Are you looking for the quick stop plan - a few sessions to get a brush-stroke view of basics, or possibly something longer or maybe even on-going or routine maintenance training?)

How much money or what is your budget? (This is very important, especially today.) Most trainers one can haggle with or put together package plans based on it you are willing to continue some type of ongoing training. It certainly never hurts to ask. Since it is a win-win.

What distance are you willing to commute? (You'd be surprised how few really look into this factor and are shocked once calling and finding out about a great program but is simply not good enough to drive that extra 10-20 minutes one way. And now you've wasted what in some cases can be a very long detailed phone call with lots of Q & A.)

Are the person's references or credentials important to you? (Anyone can train or instruct, few can actually teach and meet your goals in a one-on-one or even group setting.)

Is there anyone that you'd like to talk to in your sphere of influence? (It's more relaxing and less stressful to take any type of class along with a friend or family member. You at least know someone and it's proven that adults especially learn better and retain more in a less stressful situation.)

These are all great places to start, provided that there is a why or reason to get up and do something.

More to come...

The Author has close to three decades of training and study in various martial arts or styles, travels and networks with some of the largest Academies, of all Arts, styles and business models around the world. To learn more about some local training in Pittsburgh or other areas check out

Self-Defense: Batons Come In Three Varieties - Which One Is Best For You?

The history of batons goes back to the Victorian age in the mid-1800s when London police officers carried truncheons that were foot long pieces of wood called Billy clubs. Then, as now, they were used by law enforcement officers as a less lethal weapon to gain compliance to a lawful order.

They may be made of wood, plastic or metal. They are still used today by law enforcement officers, prison staff and security guards. The baton is not designed to be a fatal lethal weapon. However, they are illegal in several jurisdictions throughout the world and even in the United States because they can be lethal. They are among the most effective self-defense products.

They can be "used to strike, block, bludgeon or aid in the application of arm locks."

In the modern era almost all batons are made of metal. A wooden nightstick is a very specialized piece of equipment that you will see from time to time. Police officers, especially, used to carry wooden batons.

There are basically three types of batons - stun, telescoping or expanding and fixed length baton.

1.A Stun Baton can be either telescoping or expandable or fixed length with a variety of voltages for the stun device. The stun baton is not meant to be used as most batons for striking or jabbing. It is used exclusively as a stun device. A telescoping stun baton is one of the most popular stun devices sold because it basically extends your reach by close to 2 feet. It has been used for self-defense against dog bites and dog attacks. Most stun batons have other features as well, such as a flashlight or an alarm.

2. Fixed Length Batons are a popular variety of baton too. They come in lengths of as little as 12 inches to as much as 31 inches. There is one variety of a fixed length baton called the kubaton that is generally about 5 1/2 inches long and can be carried on a keychain.

3. Expandable or Telescoping Batons come in different sizes. Most are about 11 inches long when closed and can go up to as high as 31 inches when opened.

If you have ever hit your shin on a solid object by bumping into a piece of furniture for example, you know the pain that is inflicted. That is the idea behind the baton. A self-defense baton is a very effective weapon. It can be deadly as noted - that's why some jurisdictions in the U.S. have made it illegal.

In the hands of a trained professional, even a small kubaton can save your life. All these varieties are effective self-defense products, so you can decide which is best for you.

Self Defense - The Four Most Dangerous Places For Assaults

We frequently get asked by our female customers where they should be carrying their self-defense products. You don't have to be a distributor of self-defense products and write articles and blogs about stun guns, pepper sprays, and other products for self-defense to know where attacks on women occur. Of course they can occur just about anywhere, but the four most dangerous places for assaults on women are parking lots, in and around college campuses, the workplace and the home-not necessarily in that order.

Women need products for personal safety and personal security much more than men because they are the targets of assaults and other violence in close to 90% of all cases. Female self-defense is a major concern, especially to younger women who may be just entering the workplace or who are off to college and on their own for the first time.

Self-defense items can improve the personal safety and personal security of women by providing them with a nonlethal self-defense option.

Let us elaborate on this a little bit more.

1. Believe it or not a commercial parking lot is a prime place for perverts to assault women. There actually is a reason for this. The bad guys know that women who have been shopping in a store of any kind are usually very distracted on their way to the car either by talking to friends, taking care of a young child or talking on a cell phone and so on. "Men" who specialize in assaults count on that distraction factor to sneak up on women and assault them. Throw in the fact that many parking lots are not well lit and it makes a dangerous combination.

2. Young women who are off to college for the first time are subjected to many new experiences. They want to blend in and be social. So their guard may be lowered when they are invited to their first fraternity party or post-football game celebration. For this reason and others, many colleges have made sexual assault awareness classes mandatory for all incoming freshmen. College campuses are not necessarily the serene places administration officials want you to believe they are.

3. When we talk about the workplace as a potentially dangerous place for assaults on women, we are primarily talking about women who may get assaulted in a darkened stairwell or darkened parking lot in the case of shift workers. There is hardly a week that goes by when you don't read about an assault on a woman who is coming home from work at two o'clock in the morning.

4. And finally the last place, believe it or not, that's so dangerous for women is the home and we're talking about domestic violence. Unfortunately, most domestic violence incidents do not get reported.

So for women the best places to use products for female self-defense to help improve their personal safety and personal security are the home, workplace, college campuses and parking lots. That's where the vast majority of assaults occur. But to be on the safe side, women should carry a self-defense product with them basically all the time.

Self-Defense: Ways to Measure Effectiveness Of Pepper Sprays - Are You Confused Yet?

Recently we did an article on some of the considerations you should take into account when choosing a pepper spray. In that article we touched on the amount of product in the canister, the range of the spray, the shelf life, cost and the safety devices of the pepper spray.

In that article we also touched on the percentage of major capsaicinoids, the percentage of oleoresin capsicum and Scoville heat units. In this article we will talk about those three in particular in much more detail. The reason these are more important is because they determine the ouch factor-how much pain is inflicted. That is a key reason people but defensive sprays for personal safety and personal self-defense.

And this discussion in no way diminishes the importance of checking the contents of the spray to see how many shots it has, what the range of the spray is, what the shelf life of the product is, to see what, if any, safety devices there are. Those are all very important considerations for a self-defense product,

But I have to admit for years we only judged the effectiveness of a pepper spray by the amount of oleoresin capsicum in the product, assuming that the hotter it was, using that as a criteria, the more effective it was. That assumption as it turns out is incorrect or better said, it doesn't present the whole picture.

First, let's define some terms. Scoville heat units or SHU is a common term of measurement of the relative hotness of any particular product. Almost all pepper sprays are at least 2 million Scoville heat units. Oleoresin capsicum or OC for short is the main ingredient in all pepper sprays. Usually the minimum amount in a pepper spray is 10%. And CRC-Capsaicin and Related Capsaicinoids-is the actual heat-producing elements in the spray. Are you confused yet?

It gets worse because as it turns out the oleoresin capsicum gets mixed with emollients to make it a spray, foam or whatever the disbursement method is-it could even be a gel. What that does is dilute the oleoresin capsicum percentage so that the OC percentage right from the get-go is a misleading measurement.

There is one independent laboratory that has been used by the US government for over 40 years called Chromtec LLC. They perform independent tests on a variety of products. For pepper sprays they came up with something called the CHR or certified heat rating. This measures the effectiveness, in terms of hotness, at the point of impact when it hits an attacker. It is the pain producing component of OC.

One problem associated with this is that, as far as we know, there is the only one major manufacturer of pepper sprays that uses this methodology for documenting the hotness of their products so there is nothing to compare it with.

Self-Defense - What Are The Most Effective Personal Defense Products?

Self-defense products have been around for literally thousands of years since the Chinese first came up with pepper products to disable their opponents. Kubatons are an old oriental weapon that have existed for centuries. Stun devices have been around since the 1930's and development of tasers began in the late 1960's. So these self-defense products have stood the test of time - one measure of their level of effectiveness.

We will limit our discussion to pepper sprays and stun devices to include tasers. These are by far the most popular items for personal defense and are both nonlethal products for self-defense. Let's look at their effectiveness a little bit differently. How popular are they? How cost-effective are they? And what are their results?

Pepper sprays use the resin of one of the hottest products in the world. The basis for all pepper sprays is oleoresin capsicum or OC for short. The capsaicin and related capsaicinoids (CRC) strength is one way to measure how hot it is. Scoville heat units is another measurement. The old way of measuring hotness was the percentage of OC but is not really accurate because the OC gets diluted with other products to make the spray viable.

How It Works-once the spray makes contact with the skin, usually the eyes and face, it causes debilitating pain and makes the eyes water so uncontrollably that the eyes may actually swell shut. It also causes shortness of breath and makes breathing difficult. The effects last for about 45 minutes with no long-lasting injury.

Pepper sprays are by far the most popular self-defense product in the world. One reason is that they are the least expensive. You can get a good pepper spray for as little as five dollars. The most expensive pepper sprays are pepper guns which sell for $60-$70. They are on average about 90% effective but their effectiveness can be diminished by weather conditions such as wind and rain.

Regular stun devices use an electrical charge produced by batteries or stored up energy. Two prongs on one end of the device conduct the electrical charge which must be applied to an assailant.

How It Works-once the electrical charge makes contact with an assailant it causes the muscles to over work in a very rapid fashion. This rapid work cycle depletes the body's blood sugars that are needed for energy so the assailant is left too weak to do any harm.

Stun guns are the second most popular self-defense product and are also 90% effective on average. They sell for as little as $15 up to $70. They are not legal in all states.

Tasers are a form of stun device that are nearly 100% effective. They are used by literally thousands of law enforcement agencies in the performance of their duties. Civilian tasers are expensive with prices starting at nearly $400. You must be able to pass a background check in order to have a taser activated by Taser International. Like other stun devices they are not legal in all states either.

The most effective personal defense product is the taser. The Taser C2 is the civilian version and is nearly 100% effective.

Self-Defense: Cheap Stun Devices - Three Under Twenty Dollars

Of all the major self-defense product groups that people use for personal safety and self-defense the second most favorite personal defense items are stun guns. Stun devices have been around for decades as a favorite personal defense and personal safety product. They have zoomed in popularity in the last decade or so as prices have dropped mostly due to increased price competition and improving technology.

I can remember a time when the most powerful stun gun was close to 1,000,000 volts and required three batteries to power it up. And by today's standards it wasn't cheap. Batteries and high prices have pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur-they are a thing of the past.

Today cheap stun devices can be powerful and reliable which is why they have increased in popularity. One of the main reasons that pepper sprays are more popular is because they are cheaper. Both pepper sprays and stun guns are on average close to 90% effective at disabling an assailant. Pepper sprays disable an assailant for close to 45 minutes while stun guns will only disable the bad guy for five or 10 minutes-still long enough for you to get away and seek help.

Most stun guns now are rechargeable and require no batteries. Here are three cheap stun devices that are all under $20 each. They are a good example of what we've been talking about.

The first is a mini high voltage stun gun. It comes in pink or black and is 7.5 million volts. It has a slide out plug for recharging into a standard wall outlet. It includes a bright LED flashlight and a safety pin and safety switch for double protection against accidental discharge. It sells for $14.95, an unbelievably low price for such a powerful personal defense product.

The second one is a stun gun flashlight that's also rechargeable. It is 300,000 volts and includes a super bright LED flashlight. It also has a safety switch and includes a recharging cord and nylon holster. The rigid handle provides a sturdy grip. A stun gun flashlight is a great product to carry in your car for those emergency situations. It sells for $17.95.

And the third cheap stun device for under $20 is a 1.2 million volt rechargeable cell phone stun device that uses a wall plug cord to recharge. It is only 4 1/2 inches tall and is powerful enough to stop any assailant. It also has a safety switch and built-in flashlight. It includes a suede carrying pouch.

Those are three powerful cheap stun devices for under $20 each that many people prefer for their personal safety and self-defense.

Self-Defense: Flashlight Stun Guns - Three Popular Models

As you may already know, most people love multi-purpose, multi-use products. Flashlight stun devices fall into those categories. Stun devices are one of the most effective and second most popular self- defense products in the world. They use high wattage and low amperage to disable an assailant for 5 to 10 minutes allowing you time to escape a dangerous situation. They cause no long-lasting damage.

When applied to an assailant for as little as 3 to 5 seconds the electrical sparks on one end of the device cause the muscles to over work in such a rapid fashion that the assailant has no energy left.

In this article we will take a look at three of the most popular flashlight stun guns. Each one is very powerful and comes with a lifetime warranty. They are favorites for personal safety and self-defense, especially female self-defense.

First is the "Security Guard" 6,000,000 volt flashlight stun gun by Streetwise. Like many of its competitors, not only is it a stun device but it has flashlight and a loud personal alarm. This model has two levels of safety built-in so you can't accidentally hurt yourself. It has a protective rubber coating for the entire stun flashlight which ensures a great grip in any kind of weather.

The second is one of the most popular in the marketplace. It is made by Stun Master and is 2.5 million volts. It is a telescoping stun baton that extends to 21 1/2 inches from 13 inches when collapsed. It is fully rechargeable so no batteries will ever be needed. It has a built-in safety device that will prevent accidental discharge and comes with a free nylon holster. The alarm is a very loud 120 dB, which works at scaring human assailants away. We have been recommending this telescoping stun baton for years now as an effective way to defend yourself against dog attacks and dog bites which is a huge problem in this country.

The third model is also by Streetwise. It's a mini nightstick. It is 4,000,000 volts and is also rechargeable and has two levels of safety built-in. It comes with a free durable belt holster. It is relatively lightweight at 13 ounces.

All three of these flashlight stun guns are rechargeable and have lifetime warranties. There are subtle differences between them, but they can all disable an assailant with the stun device or scare away an attacker with the alarm. They are favorites for personal safety and self-defense, especially female self-defense.

Self Defense - What Makes A Great Pepper Spray

When civilians think about a self-defense product, the most common one that comes to mind is a pepper spray. And for good reason. They are on average close to 90% effective. They are generally very cheap and readily available through independent distributors on the Internet.

That's the easy part. When it comes to making a decision about which one to get it can get a little confusing. And we don't want to add to that confusion we are simply discussing elements of pepper spray that are important for you to know so you can make a good, informed decision and come up with the best value for your product.

The Canister Content- this is the approximate number of shots that are available from the canister you buy. Obviously the more shots you have the better the value. Not all canisters of equal size have the same number of shots. Some manufacturers provide better value than others

Shelf Life- the longer that the product is effective the better the value for you. Most pepper sprays have a shelf life of three years. But some have a shelf life of four years-obviously a better value.

Percentage of OC- oleoresin capsicum or OC is a major ingredient of all sprays. Much has been made of this as a measure of hotness of the pepper spray which is very misleading.

Percentage of Major Capsaicinoids- this is a true level of hotness of a defensive spray. Capsaicin is the strongest of all capsaincinoids. Civilian and law enforcement pepper sprays range from.18% to 1.33% major capsaicinoids. Bear sprays range from 1% to 2% major capsaicinoids.

Scoville Heat Units- is a common measure of hotness and is used by a lot of manufacturers to indicate the relative effectiveness of their product. This is not necessarily the case. A more accurate measure of hotness is the strength of the spray after it has been diluted to make it usable.

Price- is always a major consideration. But look for value in terms of what you get and the effectiveness of the product. That provides a more accurate measure of what it really costs you.

The Supplier- often overlooked as a major consideration. If you have questions about a product, is someone able to answer them? Or as most distributors do this on a part-time basis, will you get an answering machine?

Safety Device- most defensive sprays have one level of safety built-in; some have two.

Those are some important considerations in making a decision about which pepper spray to purchase. Hopefully they have clarified the situation for you to help make your decision easier.

Sabre Pepper Sprays consistently have more shots per ounce than any other spray making it a great value.

Streetwise Pepper Sprays are independently tested and have a shelf life of 48 Months.

The Home Security Superstore is one of the oldest and largest independent distributors of high quality home security, surveillance, spy, self-defense, survival and safety products. We carry a wide range of self-defense products including tasers, stun guns, pepper sprays and other nonlethal weapons that can save your life in the event of an attack.

Self-Defense - Three Tips To Make Your Life Safer

Here are three tips that mostly pertain to protecting you or your loved ones from an assault. That assault can take place almost anywhere but as it turns out, there are a few places that are the most dangerous: parking lots, home and the workplace.

Nearly everyone has heard of accidents happening because of impaired or distracted drivers. We used to think that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was dangerous and it still is. But what is even more so are people who drive and talk on the phone or worse text on their cell phones. All it takes is a split second for you to become involved in an accident-far longer than it takes to text one word.

What is even more amazing to me is people who have accidents while walking and texting on their cell phones. Maybe you've seen the video of a lady who was carrying her child and talking on her cell phone in a subway station then actually stumbling onto the train tracks-duh. Or how about the video of the man texting on his cell phone while walking down the street and walking straight into a busy intersection?

1. That would be the number one tip-pay attention to what you're doing no matter where you are. If you're distracted, criminals actually prey on those who are distracted. Women who are pushing a grocery cart or a cart filled with anything out of the mall or store are easily distracted by a small child that may be with them or a call on a cell phone. Your life is too valuable to be a target for a criminal who looks for those kinds of distractions.

2. Avoid, if you can, darkened or poorly lit areas such as stairwells at work or in an apartment complex. Parking lots that aren't well-lit also make for dangerous areas especially for women.

3. Always carry some kind of self-defense product with you. Several are available that can attach to your keychain such as pepper spray or even a new 5,000,000 volt stun device. A self-defense product can provide valuable time for you to get away and seek help should you be assaulted anywhere, even at home in a domestic violence situation.

If you follow these three tips you will be way ahead of the game. And here's one more as a bonus: use your common sense. Women, especially, have this built-in radar that senses dangerous situations. Pay attention to it.

This Powerful Stun Gun is 5,000,000 volts and is so small it can be attached to your keyring so it can go wherever your keys go.

Home Security And Self-Defense - Five Tips You Can Follow To Make Your Life Safer

Life is full of perils. Accidents happen all the time. Criminal activity happens more often. People get hit by cars as they step off of a curb. People get electrocuted on a daily basis. People also get struck by lightning. Many of these things are way beyond your control. Home burglary and assaults happen much more frequently and to some extent can be avoided even prevented.

The other day at Costco I saw a woman pushing her grocery cart talking on a cell phone which was a major distraction in and of itself. In her grocery cart was her purse and presumably in her purse was her wallet with her driver's license, credit cards and who knows what else. She got distracted by an employee who was handing out free samples. But this lady left her cart and her purse unattended for close to a minute. We watched her and she was so distracted she wasn't paying any attention to her purse. Maybe she felt that Costco customers were more trustworthy than others. But why?

It would have been simple for a dishonest person to steal her purse and she would never have been any the wiser. She just wasn't paying attention.

Here are five tips that will help make your life safer and prevent you from getting into trouble. They aren't anything brilliant but just make common sense. They will help you prevent home burglary and assaults.

1. Pay attention to your surroundings no matter where you are-even in a big-box store but especially in parking lots and stairwells. Believe it or not, a very high number of assaults occur in parking lots and stairwells. A purse can get stolen anywhere. So pay attention to who is around you and where you are.

2. Don't ever leave packages in the back seat of your car. They make for easy targets for robbers.

3. Carry a key chain pepper spray with you to prevent an assault or robbery. A pepper spray is a very good self-defense product against assault or robbery. One attached to your keys will ensure that it's with you all the time.

4. Install an inexpensive burglar alarm to improve home security. Burglars are mostly amateurs and are easily scared away by a loud alarm.

5. Lock your doors and windows even when you're at home. Amazingly 60% of all home burglaries happen through unlocked doors and windows.

Follow these home security and personal safety tips and they will keep you out of a lot of ugly situations that can cause you trouble.

Self-Defense: Sexual Assault On Campus - Is It Really A Problem?

With colleges and universities starting up all over the country an article about facts on preventing sexual assault on campus caught my attention. If nothing else it is timely even though the statistics are nothing new.

What is new is a new way of looking at it. College freshmen are 17, 18 maybe even 19 years old but are unfamiliar with the ways of the world, especially when it comes to alcohol and alcohol abuse. Unfortunately alcohol is a key part of the college life. Many older college men use alcohol as a way to uninhibited young college female freshmen. If alcohol isn't enough then date rape drugs are readily available.

The statistics that are nothing new show that "one in four college-age women has experienced rape or attempted rape" and even more scary is that "95% of the attacks go unreported which makes sexual assault the most drastically under reported crime in the nation." Is it really a problem? You can decide!

Colleges and universities go to great lengths to downplay or even hide these statistics. They certainly don't want mom and dad worrying about their little girl going off to college. In a recent famous case it was discovered that a major university athletic official committed several sexual acts that were required to be reported. But for one reason or another, the University did not report them.

The article I'm referring to came up with several safety tips on preventing sexual assaults or rapes.

Be aware of your surroundings. Nearly 3/4 of all rapes are planned in advance. So beware of who you're with and where you are.

Trust your instincts. Women are blessed with that unexplainable feeling. When the hair in the back your neck stands up, react and react quickly.

Avoid secluded or unlit areas. That includes parking lots and garages. Even dorm stairwells at night can be dangerous places.

Use the buddy system. When you're attending a party or going anywhere, always have a friend with you. Assailants will pick on one person but are unlikely to attack two or more people together.

Vary your routine. Since so many rapes are planned in advance, change your routine so you don't go the same way all the time.

Don't leave drinks unattended. Date rape drugs are as common as aspirin.

Don't be pressured to drink or to get drunk. 75% of the time the victim or offender or both have consumed alcohol.

Keep your dorm room or apartment locked at all times-even when you're there.

And for crying out loud don't leave a spare key underneath the doormat. Everyone in the world knows that trick.

Self Defense: Comparing Pepper Sprays-3 More Popular Brands

Pepper sprays have long been regarded as the favored self-defense product for women and their personal protection. Part of the reason for that is because they're relatively inexpensive and yet very effective-close to 90% on average. But there are many dozens of manufacturers with hundreds of products to choose from so it can be a daunting task choosing the best one for your self-defense.

Here we're going to compare and contrast features and capabilities of three popular brands: Wildfire, Streetwise and Fox Labs.

Just for some background, all pepper sprays use oleoresin capsicum or OC as a basis for their spray and a common measure of hotness is called Scoville Heat Units or SHU.

Wildfire sprays-are distinguishable from other products in a few ways. They use an 18% concentration of oleoresin capsicum instead of the usual 10 % that most others use and they use 3 million SHU's while most others are 2 million. So they are hotter in that regard. They have a good selection of products with a 36 month shelf life and are all made in the USA.

Fox brands- are used by police, law enforcement, security and military units worldwide. Their sprays have 5.3 million SHU's and have a longer range than most pepper sprays. They are a little bit more expensive but in our opinion are worth it. They have a three-year shelf life with a manufacture date stamped on each container. It is the only pepper spray that claims to be taser compatible and nonflammable.

Streetwise brands-are made in the USA and all have a 48 month shelf life. They have a wide variety of products in two different strengths. One is called Streetwise 18 and the other is Streetwise 23. They use an independent laboratory to test their products and all have a certified heat rating or CHR. The Streetwise 18 Products have a CHR of 180,000 or 46% hotter than competing brands which have an average CHR of 123,000 SHU's. It is derived from 4 million SHU's. Streetwise 23 is 230,000 CHR or 87% hotter than competing brands. This is derived from 5 million SHU's. Streetwise brand has the largest selection of products next to Mace brand which is the biggest.

Whatever brand or specific product of pepper spray you choose you can know that it is going to provide close to 90% effective personal protection and cause no long-lasting damage to the assailant.

Self-Defense: Guard Dog - Why They Are The Best Value In Stun Devices

Value, power, features; those are some of the items you need to consider when you're looking for any stun device. You want the best value. Who doesn't? Most people don't do much shopping and to be perfectly honest it can get a little bit confusing when you're looking for self-defense products because there are so many manufacturers and so many different models to choose from.

In our humble opinion the brand "Guard Dog"produces the best value of all stun guns on the market today. And we don't think that by ourselves. That opinion is supported by literally hundreds if not thousands of customers who feel the same way.

And here's why. Most Guard Dog stun devices are of the disguised variety. Of the 10 most popular models seven of them are disguised as mostly flashlights but some are disguised as cell phones with one disguised as a smart phone. This is an important consideration when you're under assault because it gives you a little bit of an edge. In an assault situation a few seconds of hesitation on the part of an assailant is all you need to pull a self-defense weapon out of a purse or pocket and apply it to the assailant. He will literally be shocked by your smart phone look-alike.

Another reason why these are the best value is because of the price. Literally half the 10 products are in the $25 or lower price range. The most expensive is less than $55.

Power is another reason why these are such great value. Not one of their stun guns is less than 1,000,000 volts with a couple models at 4.5 million volts.

All of their models are rechargeable which saves you a lot of money on batteries. That is another reason why they're such a great value.

All of their stun devices come with a free 18% concentration pepper spray and high quality holster.

The Hotline Stun Gun is a great example of the value we are talking about.

Let's face it, all stun devices do pretty much the same thing. They can disable an assailant for as long as 10 minutes by applying a strong electrical charge that short-circuits his electrical system literally causing his body to seize up so he can't do anything. The effects are not long-lasting-just long enough so you can escape a potentially dangerous situation and seek help.

When you're looking for a great value in a self-defense product, Guard Dog stun guns provide you with power, value, features and models that are not just competitive in the marketplace but we feel are the best.

Self Defense: Sexual Assault - How About Some Common Sense?

We have been writing about sexual assault, domestic violence and other crimes against women for quite some time now. Part of the passion for this comes from the fact that two of my daughters were assaulted when they were much younger. But as part of my passion for writing about this in the hopes of trying to prevent other women from being sexually assaulted, comes a lot of research and studying on trends and instances of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The trend seems to be that domestic violence and sexual assault are as common now as they ever have been. So they are not going to go away. If you are married or in a relationship chances are close to 1 in 5 that you will be the victim of domestic violence. If you are in college and female the chances of you being sexually assaulted actually increase because college campuses are not as safe as you may think they are. Those chances go up to 1 in four.

The other observation that I might make is proven by an incident that happened near here recently. A woman was returning home at 130 in the morning after working a night shift. She heard men arguing and saw two groups of them on the verge of fighting. She stood between them trying to calm them down.

After the dispute ended she was invited into the apartment of one of the men. The men as it turned out, were from another country and began to tell her how difficult it was living in a foreign country. She sympathized with them because she had lived in different countries too. They offered her some lemonade which was apparently spiked with a drug because she had no recollection after that.

If women know that they're going to be the subject of sexual assault at some point in their life, doesn't it make sense that they should be ultra wary of their personal surroundings? At what point does common sense come into play?

1:30 in the morning, six men arguing, complete strangers, invited into an apartment, drinking lemonade? Hello?

If she really wanted to be of some help she should have called the police. Boys will be boys and men will be men, but men from different cultures view women differently and not as kindly as American men view them.

I am not going to fall into that old argument that she was asking for trouble-that is a tired, lame excuse for criminal behavior. But she should have had some self-defense products such as a Powerful Stun Device with her anyhow being out late at night because of her work. Those are dangerous enough circumstances as it is.

C'mon ladies. Common sense has to play an important part in a woman's self-defense. And when it comes to female self-defense and your personal security and personal safety, self-defense products will help level the playing field.

Self-Defense-Parking Lot Safety Tips

Believe it or not, two of the most dangerous places for assaults on women are in the home and in parking lots. When we say the home is a dangerous place we are talking about domestic violence. Nearly 20% of all women on an annual basis are assaulted in their home courtesy of violence at home. In the 8 plus years that we have been writing about this it appears that authorities are finally starting to take notice and do something about it.

Shelters all over the country are filled to capacity with women who have no other place to go-a testament to the severity of the problem.

The second most dangerous place for assaults on women are parking lots. Sound crazy? Not when you look at the statistics. They show that parking lots are a favorite place for perverts to hang out, especially at night, to assault and sometimes rob women. And these are not just commercial parking lots at malls and shopping centers, we're talking about parking lots at hospitals and other places where women work.

A third place that is dangerous for women again in the believe it or not category is a college campus. Yes, you heard me right, college campuses are hotbeds of assaults on women.

Here are some tips that women can use to stay safe in parking lots. Some of them may sound a little paranoid but isn't it better to be safe than sorry?

The first step is when you go to your car from the grocery store or other store in a mall; ask for assistance getting to your car, especially at night. That is one of the reasons why stores hire security guards. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask.

Secondly, as you approach your car have your keys in your hand and preferably a Keychain Pepper Spray attached to your keys. It can disable an assailant for 45 minutes and provide female self-defense.

The third tip is for you to look around and under your car before you get in. If you see a van with darkened windows next to your car that you didn't notice before be wary.

And the fourth tip is as soon as you get in your car; make sure you lock your car doors.

Perverts prey on women who are distracted either by pushing a shopping cart, watching children, talking on a cell phone or otherwise not paying attention to what they're doing. A good suggestion is to use a cell phone stun gun as a way to defend yourself in the event of an assault.