Home Alarm Monitoring

Archive for June, 2011

Gun rights is a hot topic, and you’ll find plenty of bloggers that are willing to defend their side of the issue. Here are 10 bloggers for and 10 bloggers opposed to increased gun rights in the U.S.

Yay! Protect our gun rights!

1. Gun Free Zone – The title is tongue-in-cheek. This blog is more about gun freeDOM than being free from guns. The blogger states that one of his primary reasons for moving to the US was to live in a country where he would be free to protect his family.
2. Cocked and Loaded – A North Carolina sportsman that has taken on the defense of the 2^nd Amendment in his blog.
3. Arms and the Law – This is the blog of lawyer, David Hardy. If you’re looking for someone who knows, understands and supports the legal issues around the 2^nd Amendment, Hardy is the man for you.
4. War on Guns – This blog is from the ‘resistance’ side of the war and is written by Guns & Ammo magazine columnist, David Codrea.
5. DC Handgun Info – Legal issues regarding gun ownership are posted here along with plenty of info on gun safety, as well.
6. My Gun Culture – If you’re looking for a little humor among all the serious stuff, this would be a good blog to check out. Pro gun and pro fun.
7. Dustin’s Gun Blog – A very high ranking blogger on the pro-gun side. This Arizona man can link you to just about anything you’re looking for in the area of protecting gun rights.
8. Gun Watch – This blogger posts links to gun related news stories to keep you informed of real events.
9. Armed and Safe – A blog promoting gun ownership as the means to maintaining a safe and protected home.
10. Snowflakes in Hell – One of the few gun activist bloggers who is female in gender, this blogger focuses on the gun politics of her home state of Pennsylvania.

Nay! Prevent gun violence!

1. New Trajectory – Eugene, Oregon blogger associated with Ceasefire Oregon, an organization committed to preventing and decreasing gun violence in Oregon.
2. Brady Campaign – This is the official blog of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which was begun by Jim and Sharon Brady.
3. Abusing the Privilege - This blob covers a wide array of issues from crimes of passion to just what it takes to set some people off.
4. Gun Guys – A bit of a subversive title for this blog. The title could easily make a person assume that it is a pro-gun blog. I imagine that was the intent. However, the content will quickly show you that the opposite is true.
5. Bullet Counter Points – Commentary on gun violence stories in America provided by the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.
6. Monday’s with Mike – The blog of the President of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, you can keep up with what’s going on in regards to all gun legislation here.
7. MikeB302000 – This blogger collects various gun related information from across the net to inform his readers on what’s going on where.
8. Common Gun Sense – ‘A thoughtful discussion..’ on gun related issues is how this blog bills itself, but it is definitely a discussion approached from the gun violence prevention perspective.
9. Guns Are Soooo Great! Like some humor? This Alaskan lady uses her blog to make sport of gun owners and gun rights advocates.
10. A Law Abiding Citizen? – The tagline for this blog explains the title: “Every criminal was once…a law abiding citizen.” Very definitely on the ‘nay’ side of the gun rights debate.

If you’re sitting on the fence of this issue, a perusal through this list of twenty should at least educate you fairly with the claims from both sides.

If you haven’t installed an electronic home security system, you may want to employ this old fashioned home security system. It’s called neighbors.

You know, those people who live in the houses around yours. If you have never met those neighbors, then, this might not be a wise choice. But if you have at least one neighbor, that you can trust. You may ask them to help provide some security to your home while you are going to gone for an extended period. As an exchange, you might offer to do the same for them in the future.

1. Neighborhood Watch Program. If there is an organized Neighborhood Watch Program in your area. Let the other members know when you will be away from your home. They have already been trained to be on alert and may have regular patrols setup that can now add your house as a special point of interest during the time you are away.
2. Stranger Alert. Simply being on the watch for any unusual presences in the neighborhood can be a good first step. A car that continues to circle the block or unknown persons walking the sidewalks, could be signs of mischief.
3. Newspaper buildup. Have a neighbor collect your newspaper each day so you don’t have this tell-tale sign advertising the fact that you are away.
4. Keep the lawn mowed. This is another way a neighbor can help keep your absence from being detected. An unkept lawn is another clue that burglars look for when they scout neighborhoods for empty homes. Perhaps they’ll do an exchange, and you can take care of their lawn for them during a similar situation.
5. Pet care. Ask a neighbor to stop by and feed your pets while you are gone. It will provide daily activity in the home. If there is anything seriously amiss, they would be likely to notice it during their visits.
6. House checks. Asking a neighbor to simply do a daily walk through of your house each evening is a great security measure. Not only will lights be seen turned on and off throughout your home, they can also check for other issues, like a freezer that’s defrosted or water leaks.
7. House sitting. You might invite a neighbor who lives in an apartment, or one who shares a home with a roommate, to house sit for you while you’re gone. As long they are a trust friend, you will have your own onsite security guard.
8. Nosy Nancy. If you have one of those neighbors who is always looking out her windows to see what everyone else is doing, this is the perfect opportunity to put this busybody to good use. Ask her to keep an eye on your house for you. She’s bound to be thrilled and will likely report back to you every soul that even glances in the direction of your house.
9. Daily activity. Just asking your trusted neighbors to take walks through your yard, or shoot some hoops in your driveway, can be enough to give the appearance that a home is occupied.
10. Security reports. Just knowing that you have someone whom you can call and ask about your home, or who will call you if there is anything out of the ordinary, can give you a great sense of security while you are away.

Good neighbors can be a great security system for your home. Unfortunately, not everyone has neighbors whom they know well, and can trust with the care of their home. That is the very reason, that many people choose to install a home security system, instead.

Making sure that your home is secure and safe while your family is home is important, but what about when you are away? It is when you are not at home that your residence is the most vulnerable to break-ins. What are some ways that you can remotely secure your home when you are away? We have listed ten of them here.

1. Neighborhood watch. This is the simple, inexpensive, non-technical way to make sure your home is secure while you are away. Ask your neighbors to keep an eye on it for you. You might even provide a trusted neighbor with a key to go in and check on things while you are gone and report in to you while your away.
2. Hire a security service. Don’t feel that the neighborhood watch system would be quite adequate? You could always hire a professional security service to guard your home while you’re away. Definitely NOT inexpensive, but armed guards patrolling your front and back yards 24 hours a day should keep you feeling secure, no matter where you are.
3. Phone controlled system. Security systems that are connected to a land line in your home, allow you to control your security system remotely by simply calling the land line phone number associated with your security system.
4. X-10 wireless system. With a wireless system you can receive much more extensive coverage for a lower price. You can have window and door sensors, heat sensors, and lighting controls for a much lower price than a hard wired system The X-10 system allows you to select an inner circle of personal control managers, so that you can share the security of your home with trusted onsite friends and family as well. This system comes with a key fob remote controller, similar to what you use with your car. A push of the button as you drive away and your home is secure.
5. Alarm.com This is another wireless security system that can be controlled via your cellphone or over the web. Because it is wireless it can monitor much more than a traditional security system. It can send you updates via a text message or email while you are away. You can even pull up live streaming video from your home surveillance cameras to see for yourself.
6. ADT Z-Wave technology. ADT’s Z-Wave wireless system allows you to add as many or few of your electronic items to your system as you desire. It’s simplicity comes from its modular setup. All you need to make an electrical appliance part of the system is to plug it into a Z-Wave power module. You can control your whole system from your smart phone or the internet, as well as your own touch screen controller.
7. Lifeshield. So simple you can install it yourself, but that doesn’t mean that it can be easily disarmed. This wireless system boasts a 3-way backup to protect you from power outages, loss of internet access and loss of phone service. It also comes with multiple controllers so that shutting down or destroying one of those controllers will not disable the system.
8. Mini surveillance system. These small, do-it-yourself, security systems consist of a small surveillance camera which has connecting ports for additional door and window sensors. The camera can send an alarm and video direct to your cell phone. You can also use your cell phone to change settings on the system from any location.
9. Schlage Link door locks. Keypad door locks have been around for awhile, but these are a bit different. Schlage Link keypad locks can be locked or unlocked remotely via web access. Codes can also be assigned and reassigned from a remote location via the internet. In addition, household members can be assigned separate codes so that you can monitor who is entering and leaving your home at all times.
10. Surveillance cameras with DVR recording. These systems are easy to install and use. Cameras can be setup inside and/or outside your home. Their feed is recorded by the DVR and can be accessed via your smart phone. The system can also be setup to send an email to your smart phone for specific events.

From most non-technical to the most high-tech, there are plenty of ways to maintain the security of your home while you are not at home. You just need to pick the option that best suits your needs and your budget.