Qui Custodes

cold weather safety kit

With this post and any comments you, my faithful readers add, I hope to help people create a list of things to carry in their car during winter travel.  Let's start:

1.  Space blanket
2.  high energy foods
3.  Cell phone with car charger
4.  keep your gas tank at least 1/2 full
5.  kitty litter or sand
6.  50 lbs. of sand or other weights in back for extra stability
7.  shovel
8.  extra windshield cleaner fluid (keeps ice of windshield)
9.  hat and gloves
10.  chemical hand warmers
11.  large plastic garbage bags (to use as rain wear or for extra warmth)
12.  if you habitually wear light shoes and socks put heavy boots and wool socks in the trunk
13.  water bottle
14.  flashlight
15.  Jumper cables
16.  Towing rope or cable
17. 
What else should you carry in the car? 

Cold weather

With winter upon us (and especially the snow & ice storms) I thought it might be a good idea to post a few tips or material about cold weather survival.  First of all, the Centers for Disease Control has a very good site for how to cope with Extreme Cold.  You should read it to get a basic idea of what goes on and what you should do to protect yourself and your family. 

Good Security is good business

Down in Florida there is another parking lot story:  a waiter was shot in one and finally received a measure of justice.   But they never found the shooter.  What happened is that the waiter sued the mall where he was shot because there had been 26 violent crimes, including a murder, in the previous 7 years.  You would think that when there are about 4 violent crimes/year, somebody would do something wouldn't you?  The mall didn't and now the mall must pay for that neglect.

So good security is good business as well as good for yourself and your employees.  Something to think about.

Parking Lots

I was reading about the Missosuri serial killer on CNN today.  He was pretty smart apparently.  One thing which caught my eye:  he stalked his victims in parking lots and then followed them until they went home.  What's the moral of the story?  Pay attention to your surroundings!  If you think someone is following you, check!  Ask for help, use your cell phone, do something. 

Rings

I'm not quite sure what brought it to mind a while ago I saw a man with several big rings on both hands.  He was wearing a thumb ring, a pinky ring and a ring on his middle finger on his left hand.  His right hand had rings on the index finger and ring finger.  These were very large rings.  I noticed he was also wearing silver bracelets.  Why am I talking about this?  Because these rings were the equivalent of brass knuckles on his hands.  So if you see someone wearing several big rings, watch their hands--their hands are now weapons.

On a similar note, ladies, you can use your rings as weapons too you know.  If nothing else, they will scratch an attacker's face.  It used to be that the scratches would heal.  But now what you are really doing is taking a DNA sample for future match. 

Just a couple of interesting thoughts for the day.

security in Church

The Colorado shootings have highlighted a growing trend:  Churches need security too.  This has been well known to the Jewish community for years.  In fact, the Anti-Defamation League has published a Security Manual designed for synagogues but applicable to almost any house of worship.  If you are concerned about the security of your church, temple, or mosque, you should download this manual.  It is filled with lots of useful information for you to consider and apply as you see fit. 

It must be the season, unless there's something in the Water

This is getting ridiculous.  First there is the shooting at a Colorado Church and now there is the shooting at a Nevada School Bus stop.  Before that there was the shooting at the Nebraska shopping mall.  Clearly, people need to be on guard at all times, even in church. 

So pay attention people!  If you read the article highlighted above, the only reason the death toll in Colorado was so low is because of an alert security guard.  You and you alone are responsible for your own security. 

Use your common sense, please!

I got the following post (redacted) last week & it's worth talking about for a minute.  "As I recently entered [a restaurant]  an angry uniform-wearing employee was exiting. He almost slammed the door in my face, then kept walking. I [complained to the manager].  As I was eating, the employee returned [and was told about my complaint so he] turned to look at me and began yelling for me to meet him outside. I refused. The other employees told him to go home and escorted him outside, but twice he returned and lunged at me, with the other workers holding him back. When I left I told the manager he wanted to fight me, but she refused to call the police. I walked outside to leave, and the guy was waiting for me. He got in my face, started yelling, then began throwing punches and karate kicks. Other employees pulled him off me, but he attacked again. At one point he was punching me in the ribs and holding one arm, while another employee was holding my other arm."

First off, the  police should have been called immediately!  No excuses for not calling them.  If you have a problem at your firm, don't hesitate for a second to call for help.  That's what the police are for.

Second, what happened to the  cell  phone of the person who wrote me?  He should have used it asap.  If you are in this type of situation (and these days it happens all the time), USE YOUR CELL PHONE.  Don't have one?  Get one!

Third, what silly person  goes outside when you  *know* that  there is someone out there waiting to  fight you?  Use your common sense!

Fourth,  the employees  should  NEVER, EVER, grab the person being hit.  As I  have posted before, you get between the combatants, you don't grab one of them.  I know it's dangerous but the alternatives are worse as this story shows. 

Call them back

I was just reading about another of the various credit card or bank scams that are going around like a flu virus.  But they all have 1 thing in common:  they try to get you to give them information over the phone.  Don't do it!  But it can be hard to resist.  So try this:  tell them that you will call them back.  But DO NOT ask for a telephone number.  Please do not ask for a telephone number.  No, no no!!

Be responsible and careful instead.  You call the customer service number on your credit card or for your bank. That way you know who you are talking to and have some confidence that your information will not be misused.

Funny thing, too:  you never, ever get the person you were just talking to.  It's always a scam.  So, don't talk to them-call them back!

If shooting starts

Well, after yesterday's shooting I went back and found a pretty good article Slate reissued yest6rday.  It sets out some things you can do if you happen to get caught in a shooting.  I don't agree with a couple of it's comments--mainly that heavy furniture will offer protection.  Having seen the penetrating power of 357 magnums and other handguns, as well as the power of deer rifles and other firearms, I don't believe that heavy furniture offers much (if any) help.  Still, I suppose it's better than nothing. 

The article's comments about how hard it is to hit a running person at 40 feet is correct, with one caveat:  don't run straight away from the shooter.  Because then you look like you are standing still.  Run at an angle or zig zag. 

Anyway, I hope you never need to know this stuff but, if you do need it, I sure hope you remember it.