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Josephine was a teenage mother. She had a 1 year old son named Scott. Josephine lived with her mother Marian. Due to her pregnacy,she was not been able to complete high school. Her mother worries that the responsibilities of childhood maybe too much for her. She is really concerned about Scotts safety.

Marian knows that her daughter is not the most responsible person in the world, so she helps out as much as possible. She also knows that a teenagers tolerance level is low. With a child to look after, it drops even lower. Sometimes Josephine would blame Scott for all her problems. Other times she acted as if she could not live without him.

She was very unstable, so her mother kept a close eye on her. Marian knew she could not be there all the time. She feared that Josephine might do something crazy if she became too stressed. Lately, Scott has begun crying a lot. He has also been withdrawing when Josephine comes near him. Her mother wondered what was going on. Scott has never been exactly overjoyed to see Josephine, but now he tries to completely get away from her.

Marian thought, maybe Scott is sick, so they took him to the hospital. The doctor examined Scott all over. He asked Marian to remain at the office while he took a walk down the hall to get some lab results. When the doctor returned, the police and a lady in a suit accompanied him. Marian was surprised.

She wondered what it was all about. The police told her that she was under arrest for child endangerment. The lady in the suit scooped Scott up and started toward the door. As Marian was being handcuffed and having her rights read to her by the police, she asked where they were taking Scott. The lady in the suit said that he would be placed in foster care until the situation could be resolved. Marian said, but I am not the childs mother.

The police said they would hear her arguments and explain in detail when they got to the station. Marian knew Josephine was the cause of all this. Whatever the doctors found resulted from her treatment of the child. When they got to the station. A detective went over the evidence that the doctor found. Scott had several bruises on his back, which indicated he had been beaten. Marian explained that she was not the childs mother.

She explained, that the childs mother was a teenager. The detective listen and afterwards he told Marian that he was convinced that she was not the guilty party. He also explained that someone had to be responsible. He sent the police to pickup Josephine. After questioning, Josephine admitted the she had caused the bruises on Scott when she was under stress. She was in tears.

Her mother hated to see her that way, but she knew that Scotts safety was the number one concern. She was given a hearing. She was sentenced to 1 year probation and nine months service at a child abuse clinic. She experienced first hand the trauma an abusers actions cause in a childs life.

Marian was awarded legal custody of Scott. Josephine was allowed only supervised contact with Scott, until the court is convinced that she had matured enough to take full responsibility.

It is in your best interest to keep a close eye on children in the custody of relatives with questionable judgment. Use all methods at your disposal to keep a child safe.

Johnny A. Jenkins, Distribution Director of href="http://www.cameraindisguise.com"> Repeller Technology,
has a huge selection of hidden surveillance equipment, tips and advice to fit most situations. Make your surroundings safer for you and loved ones today
at: Repeller
Technology.

Regan, Beth, and Patricia are friends. They do many things together. They range from 21 to 24 years of age. They all have nice cars of different models. They also have completely different personalities. While they do things in different manners, they still respect each other.

They have different views on just about everything. On rare instances 2 of them might agree. For example Regan and Beth both agree that you should lock your car every time you get out of it. Patricia on the other hand does not. She believes leaving your car unlocked for a few minutes is perfectly all right.

She did not believe any one could commit a crime in such a short period of time. Regan and Beth were always getting on her case about leaving her car unlocked. Still she insisted that everything would be all right. They loved their friend and did not want to see anything happen to her.

One day they decided to go to the beach. They wanted to remain independent, so they all took their own cars. They met in the beach parking lot. Regan and Beth got out and locked their car doors. Patricia got out and headed for the water. Regan and Beth thought, here she goes again. They yelled for Patricia to come and lock her car but she just kept going.

They decided to lock the car for her. They were not fully familiar with the car locking mechanisms. They locked the car and joined Patricia on the beach. It was summer time and crime on the beach was on the increase.

While they were enjoying themselves, a career criminal named Carlos was working the beach. He was going through the parking lot checking car doors to see which ones were left unlocked. He stumbled across Patricias car. One of the doors was unlocked. He quickly started going through her things.

Usually Carlos just took what he could and moved on. It was such a nice car, that he wondered what was in the owners house. He decided to hide out in the roomy back seat area and ride to their house. He figured if he was discovered he would have no problem escaping. He lay down on the back floor and waited.

Finally, the girls returned to their cars. They stood in the parking lot for a while making plans for the rest of the evening. They decided to go home, change and meet at their favorite club at 8:00 PM. They were ready to head for home. They walked to their cars. Patricia had a fit because hers was locked. She was use to just jumping in and driving off. She soon calmed down and they left.

She had no idea she was carrying a passenger. She pulled into the garage. Got out and went inside. The criminal jumped out of the car and looked around. At that moment, he heard another car pull up to the driveway so he hid. It was her dad, who was the Chief of police for their town. He came into the garage. He got out of his car. He looked inside Patricias car as he always does.

He noticed that things seem to be out of place on the back seat. He knew she never locked her car. He also felt something was wrong. He drew his weapon and started to look around. He found Carlos hiding in a corner behind a huge toolbox. He promptly arrested the criminal. He told Patricia how she had brought a criminal home by not locking her car. She was shocked. She is still in disbelief, but from that day forward she locked her car.

Johnny A. Jenkins, Distribution Director of href="http://www.repellertechnology.com"> Repeller Technology,
provides self-defense and safety products, tips and advice to fit most
situations. Make your surroundings safer for you and loved ones today
at: Repeller
Technology.

Ariane is a college student in a large Midwestern university. She is enjoying her junior year in college. She lives in a small apartment just outside of campus. Since in college, she has had a number of different roommates. All have since moved on to different places. She is currently searching for a new roommate.

There have been plenty of potentials, but she has not found the right one. One day she met a young lady who was a freshman in her college. They began to talk. Araine asked her where she was from. Low and behold she was from Arianes hometown. She said she was looking for a place to live, while she attended school. Ariane invited her to see her apartment. The freshman liked where Ariane lived.

The two saw no problem in becoming roommates. They became close friends. They shared the expenses and responsibilities. They also respected each others privacy. Everything was going well. One day Ariane was looking for a watch that her parents had given to her as a gift. She could not find the watch.

She finally gave up the search. She figured she had just forgot and left it somewhere. As time went on, a few more things seem to vanish from the apartment. Ariane reported all the missing items to apartment security. She began to suspect her roommate. She thought to herself, this did not start happening until her roommate moved in.

She confronted the roommate about the missing items. The roommate denied taking the items. She was furious that Ariane had accused her of such a thing. The relationship was starting to deteriorate. The two began to believe that living together was no longer a good idea. The roommate was about to move out.

One day while in class, Ariane was summoned to the apartment security office. When she got there the person in charge asked her if she reported some items missing. She said yes. He pulled out some items in a box and asked her if she could identify them. They were all her missing items. She made positive identification on all of them.

She asked the security officer how they were found? The guard said there was a janitor who had somehow gotten access to a master key. He was taking small things from different apartments for possible resell. He said the janitor was fired, arrested and charged with burglary. He also told her a project was already underway to have all locks on the apartments changed.

At that moment, all she could think about was the roommate that she accused of stealing. It was a terrible feeling. She took her things and hurried to apologize to her roommate. This was the day she was supposed to move out. She hoped they could be friends again. When she got to the apartment the roommate was gone.

She left a note. It said, that she really did not take the missing items. She also said, that she was moving back home. She wished Ariane good luck with her college studies. Ariane felt as small as an ant.

There was a perfectly great person whom she accused of being a thief without any proof. Getting proof is the only sure method of solving a crime. False accusations can be very damaging.

Accusations should only be made after you have solid proof of who committed the crime. Even then the proper authorities should examine the evidence. Getting evidence is not always easy, but it is the only way to prove guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Johnny A. Jenkins, Distribution Director of href="http://www.cameraindisguise.com"> Repeller Technology,
has a huge selection of hidden surveillance equipment, tips and advice to fit most situations. Make your surroundings safer for you and loved ones today
at: Repeller
Technology.

Leslie had a jealous husband. He was always accusing her of having affairs that she knew nothing about. He would yell and scream at her. He always embarrassed her in front of her friends.

Many of her friends had warned her to make a hasty retreat from the marriage. She remained in an effort to salvage the relationship. One day she was at home when her husband showed up early from work.

She figured he wanted to spend some quality time with her. She thought, we sure could use some time together. Things had been going good lately and she was hoping they would stay that way.

She saw him get out of the car in front of the house. He slammed the car door. He looked very angry as he approached the house.

She knew any hopes of having a good time were over. She wondered what it would be this time. He stormed into the house. He said where is he. She said who? He said you know who. When I find him I am going to kill him. Leslie knew he was having one his jealous rages about her imaginary lover.

She was surprised when he grabbed a samurai sword off the mantle and went storming through the house. He went to every room looking for her imaginary lover. When he did not find anything he came back more angry than ever. He looked at the patio door.

He asked, did he go out that way? Leslie tried to make her way to the front door, but he jumped in her way. He pointed the sword at her chest and demanded to know who was her boyfriend. She pleaded that she did not know who he was talking about.

He ignored her and exclaimed that she must think he is stupid. With the sword still pointing at her chest, he was yelling profanity at the top of his lungs. It was like he was another person. She had seen this behavior before but not to this level.

She knew he was out of control. All of a sudden there was a loud crash in the front of the house. He lowered the sword and turned to see what was going on. Someone had hit his parked car. As he looked out front, Leslie saw her chance to escape. She ran out the open patio door over to a neighbors house and called the police.

They met Leslie at the neighbors house and escorted her home. When they police arrived at the house, her husband was completely different. It was like nothing had happen. He said hello honey I was wondering where you went. He seemed to have no memory of the incident with Leslie. The sword was back over the mantle and he swore he never touched it.

Leslie knew without evidence she would never be able to prove any of the accusations. She also knew that her husband needed the kind of help she could not provide. Then she remembered the hidden camera she used to watch repair personnel.

It was in the form of a clock. She knew then that she had evidence. She told the police about the camera. They took Leslie and her husband to the station where they reviewed the footage. It revealed that everything she said was true. Her husband was placed under arrest pending psychological examination.

He was determined to have a split personality and to be a danger to anyone near him. He was place under care at a mental hospital. Leslie divorced him and moved to an undisclosed location.

Sometimes the people we know may have disorders. Many may pose a threat to themselves and the people around them. If someone close to you start acting strange it may be a signal that they need professional help. Do not wait and always have a plan to defend yourself if necessary.

Johnny A. Jenkins, Distribution Director
of Repeller Technology,
provides self-defense and safety products, tips and advice to fit most
situations. Make your surroundings safer for you and loved ones today
at: Repeller
Technology.

Fortune 500 Companies know the importance of market research. That’s why they conduct something called a concept test before launching any new product or service.

Don’t you wish you could do the same thing? Well, here’s the good news: you can.

First of all, you’ll need to sit down and clearly delineate exactly what your product or service is, including what features and benefits it will offer and how much it will cost. Typically, you’ll write 2-3 paragraphs describing your idea, making sure to clearly explain the benefits to the consumer. This is your concept statement.

Next, develop a survey to gauge the reaction of your target market, covering the basics:

- Purchase interest (i.e., How likely are you to buy this product, if it were available to you? A) Definitely will buy, B) Probably will, C) I might, D) Probably will not, E) Definitely will not buy.)
- Overall Likes and Dislikes
- Value
- Uniqueness

Make sure you include a range of possible responses for each question.

From here, you’ll need to determine exactly what the target market is for your new product or service - if your product is a new all-natural diet soda, for example, your target market might be health-conscious women, ages 20-45.

Talk with friends, family, and friends-of-friends, as well as those of your employees. Anywhere from 50-200 people will work. Giving respondents an anonymous way to return your survey will help to ensure unbiased feedback.

Now, here’s the most important part: how to use your results.

Before you even take a peek at your data, decide what your minimum requirements will be in order to take the next step. Large corporations call this decision an “action standard.”

For example, many packaged goods companies (soft drinks, chips, cereal, etc.) will hold to an action standard that requires at least 80% of survey respondents to say they “definitely” or “probably” will buy. If the results do not meet the required action standard, large corporations will either “kill” the idea or “if it’s close” go back to the drawing board in order to strengthen it.

But there are other ways to create an action standard that might be more relevant to a small business-owner. Foremost among these would be using your “purchase interest” data to estimate the true likelihood that people will buy.

Let’s face it, people often say they will do something that, in the end, they don’t. Market research professionals understand this, that’s why they’ve created a rule of thumb to better gauge true demand, based on years of experience.

One rule of thumb for true demand states that 80% of the people who answered that they would “definitely purchase” your product will actually follow through, while only 20% of those who answered they “probably will purchase” will do the same.

Take a look at your research results. Does the number you get after taking this rule into account demonstrate sufficient demand for your product or service? Don’t forget that you also have to create awareness in your target market - through advertising, publicity, search engine marketing, etc. - in order for them to buy.

For example, let’s say that, using this rule of thumb, your DIY Concept Test data shows a true demand of 20% for your new product or service. Sure, there are 10 million potential customers in your target market. But the reality is, you’re never going to get all of them to be aware of your product, even if you land a spot on Oprah!

So, with the advertising budget you’ve got, how many people can you make aware of your product? Five percent?

That means 50,000 people will become aware of your product. With a true demand of 20%, you might expect 10,000 buyers.

So, the question is - is 10,000 buyers enough to make your new product viable?

The thing about market research is, you can often manipulate the numbers to make them tell you what you want. The key is to make them tell you the truth. Although it may be difficult to discover that, after doing the math, “your baby is ugly,” it will save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run.

But what if your product of service is “close,” in terms of meeting your action standard? Then, by all means, take your concept back to the drawing board, adding new features and/or lowering the cost of purchase. Use the rest of your research to guide you in making improvements. And then run this test again.

When your research meets your action standard, that’s when you’ve got a clear signal move ahead with your latest, greatest idea - knowing the market is with you!

Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane Out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the woman’s entrepreneur community. Discover information, networking and marketing opportunities for women small business owners by joining Jane Out of the Box for free at http://www.JaneOutoftheBox.com

Over half of all Americans own cell phones and that number is steadily increasing. The cell phone is an asset in daily communication. It can bring help in an emergency, or provide vital links from places ordinary phones cannot reach. Cell phones also play an important role in placing criminals behind bars, after a crime has been committed. That is great news but what about crime deterrence or self defense? This is where the ordinary cell phone becomes a poor protector.

Most of the 130,000,000 Americans carrying cell phones are under the impression that it will somehow stop or prevent crime against them or their loved ones. They confuse rescue with self defense. Without a doubt cell phones provide a great service in many instances, but crime deterrence and self defense are generally beyond their intended purpose. Contrary to popular belief the cell phone is not suitable as a first line of defense. In fact using a cell phone may decrease your awareness and increase your likelihood of being a victim. They are the instruments of choice for reporting but not for defending.

If you have a sincere desire to keep from becoming a victim, you must realize that you could be a victim of crime one-day. Believing you will never be a victim makes you the most likely target, because you inadvertently advertise your low interest in precautions. You simply want believe it can happen to you. For example, if you feel comfortable in a neighborhood you find it hard to justify the need for all that safety, in your mind. It only takes is a minute and a small opportunity for a criminal to place the odds in their favor.

Some situations present obvious opportunity for crime. Carrying packages and struggling with keys before entering you home is something we all do without realizing how appealing it makes us to a criminals. Do you leave the patio door open when you come in from the grill just for a moment? It only takes a moment to make a costly mistake. No one can prevent all criminal activity, but if the unthinkable happens you can be prepared and seize opportunities to fight back.

You can defend yourself from crime but it requires preparation. You must accept the fact that 5 of 6 people will be a victim of crime during their life. While each situation will certainly be different, there is no substitute for preparation. This information is intended to get you thinking about when and where you might be a victim and possibly change the outcome. First, understand that no amount of money or property is worth the price of getting hurt. So, if they only want property or money give it to them and report it after the fact.

If the crime escalates beyond the taking of property its time to think of ways and look for opportunity to defend yourself. Use anything at your disposal that will allow time to escape. Remember that your goal is not to defeat but disrupt criminal activity long enough to allow escape. Your methods of defense will depend upon the situation and the opportunities presented. Ideally you should be aware of your surroundings at all times and remember the goal is to escape not to defeat. When you are safe then you can report it on your cell phone. Talk yourself out of the idea that your ordinary cell phone can be used for self defense.

Johnny A. Jenkins, Distribution Director of href="http://www.repellertechnology.com"> Repeller Technology,
provides self-defense and safety products, tips and advice to fit most
situations. Make your surroundings safer for you and loved ones today
at: Repeller
Technology.