When it comes to Halloween, most kids think of the fun, the candy and the dressing up. What they don’t think about is the dark and the danger that can be a part of Halloween night. Here are some common sense safety tips to keep you and your children safe this coming Halloween:

Always carry a flashlight! – This is especially important if you are going trick-or-treating in an area without streetlights. Uneven pavement along the side of the road, holes in the turf along the edge of the street, and any kind of debris in your walking path can cause a serious fall. Not only will a flashlight help you find your way, but it will alert drivers of your location like a beacon.

Wear reflective tape! – It may not be the most stylish, but reflective tape is one of the best and easiest ways to make you noticeable to drivers. You can get it in several different colors, so you can blend it in with your clothing or costume as best you can. You can place it around the entire outline of your trick-or-treat bag, as well, for that extra added visibility.

Make sure to stay in a group! – Certainly don’t send your children out by themselves, but also plan on going in a group with other parents and their kids. The larger the group, the more unlikely it will be that you find yourself and your kids in trouble.

Visit homes of people you know! – Although this may mean a trip in the car instead of walking this Halloween, it is safer to stick with those people you know and trust when accepting candy. Most people are friendly and trustworthy, but if you don’t know them you don’t know that for sure. It is best to know, especially if your kids will be eating what is given to them.

Look for organized gatherings – When you want to keep your kids safe and within a confined area, look for organized gatherings celebrating Halloween instead of going out. You won’t have to worry about cars, you won’t have to worry about bullies, and you really won’t have to worry about the candy and goodies your child is getting.

These are just a few of the ways you can keep your children safe this Halloween. Contact your local police department or on safety websites for a more complete list that you and your children can follow.

Nicola always enjoys Halloween parties with her family. Visit her Halloween site for tips and information about kids halloween costume ideas at http://Childrens-Halloween-Costumes.Best-Halloween.com

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Best-Halloween.com

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Dating Fraud Overview (september 2006)

About dating scam

This article is a warning for typical fraudulent scenarios devised and successfully employed by dating scammers. In general they want “money by deceit”. So you should be warned !
In this article we will review;
- scam scenarios
- recognize warning signs
- how to avoid being scammed

1. Scam scenarios

1.1 The fake online dating services
You will be paying for a membership of a non existing dating community and maybe you also could be charged extra for non existing contact addresses. On the pages of such agencies there are profiles of false look alike models, which were taken from the Internet. Most likely the agency will exist a few months and the websites are frequently on free hosts

1.2 The false full service dating services
Full service could mean you pay for the ‘non existing additional service’ as you will only receive meaningless replies with no actual information and an absolute disregarding of your questions — just blah. False dating bureaus and dates let you pay for organized fake and mass production on internet like matching, mediation, translations, visa’s, tickets, hotels ect.

1.3 The begging for money
After a while the scammer begins urgently to ask money for covering expenses for using Internet, translator payment, foreign languages courses, driving courses and so on.
Be sure: a sincere dater would never beg for money

1.4 The faking trouble and sick
After a while your date turns out to be paying enormous money for fake urgent needs and only a miracle — you — could help your date! Most common are the stories of children, parents, relatives, that got ill and need expensive operation or/and medicines or land-house problems, buffalo and tractor

1.5 The visiting opportunity
A very expensive kind of scam and in this kind of scenario you will not be suspicious with the scammer and the shallow requests as other scenarios ! Your date has to be perfect in all way. But suddenly there is the opportunity of some weeks of holidays for visiting you.
Now your date all has planned and has help from friends and relatives but you have – to decide quick — to pay for a cheap trip, a passports, visa, insurance, etc.

1.6 The visiting problems
It can be worse if the scammer succeed and will go on with the next stage of the scam. Proved by look alike ‘official registration document’, travelling and visa problems occur and there will be a need for more money; visa can be received in another city, expensive travelling costs, additional cost for living and food, ect.

1.7 The travel preparation
Your date will insist on visiting and meeting worried and inpatient family and parents. Cash will be need for organise your staying, a special program and gifts.

1.8 The bubble fairytale
You have met and your date is perfect and a wonderful host. You will overload your date and family with gifts, luxury and overspend as you can not resist. The fairy could end as she suddenly disappear. Needless to say, you are staying at a hotel and have no idea where your date actually lives.

2 Recognize warning signs

Here you will find the main “alarm bell”- warning signs to watch out for. If you recognize your situation here, it does not necessarily mean that the lady is a scammer. An “alarm bell” is just a sign that you have to be more cautious than ever. But don’t go throwing stones at your date. Keep your eyes open and ask your date subtle questions - if your date is not sincere, you will unmask.

2.1 The photo seems too good to be true
Well, your date might have had it taken at a photographic studio. Professionals make people look at their best on photos, so it could be a fake.

2.2 The agency is blacklisted
Here you need a thorough investigation. Your date may not know anything about it or is just an agency’s hooks.

2.3 Addresses with wrong name, misspells of your name
Your date might have problems with spelling or bad memory for names but it can also be a sign that she is corresponding with an army of singles. Possible your date never use your name, as you are ‘honey’ or any synonym. Be aware; your date could be not caring or is a group of net-swindlers or a fraudulent agency.

2.4 Vague letters with no or few questions about you
You date does not seems to care. How can a date that seriously considering in having a long-term relationship have no questions?

2.5 Your questions are never or rarely answered
A serious date will understand that you have questions and try to answer them. A scammer might not even read your email.

2.6 Loves comes too fast
Well, your date might be that inflammable but it is very unlikely. Most probably, your date is not sincere.

2.7 Letters contain repeated paragraphs
Most likely, your date is writing same things to again an army of singles and use copy-paste letters. Bad sign because a date that is sincere is interested and will write personal letters.

2.8 Letters may seems like “form” letters
Scammers usually sent letters out in order - reply 1, reply 2, etc. with still some marks left. Or you can receive letters that are addressed to someone else. Seems just bad quality control of the scammer

2.9 Seductive photo’s and letters
Progressively sexual language and pictures are common themes throughout the varying scams.

2.10 Your date openly asking for gifts or money
Obvious! No comment.

3 How to avoid being scammed

If you want to be absolute certain do not start at all. But if the temptation is attracting; here some tips for a strategy you can use in your correspondence. For more firmness; check and double check.

3.1 Do not sent money and valuable gifts
The best way to avoid being scammed is not to send your date any money or valuable gifts. At least not until after you are 100% sure that your date is real.

3.2 Do not accentuate the fact that you have money
Talk about your hobbies, movies, plans for the future, anything. The subject of money will only attract scammers and gold-diggers.

3.3 Find mutual interests and talk deeply about those
Your date has to do an effort that scammers most likely will not do

3.4 Mention to visit your date
Make clear from the beginning of your correspondence that you will visit your date. This will scare off any potential scammers or they will get reckless. You find out soon and will not waist effort and time.

3.5 Talk with your date on phone
Mention that you would like to talk your date over the phone. This could be ineffective, as your date might decline due to poor English skills or lack of a phone. Anyway it will make a scammer feel uncomfortable. And if you speak to your date a reaction or the surrounding sounds could make a lot clear.

3.6 Check the internet
Perhaps you find that you are in touch with a professional dater or scammer that uses same profile, same description and name on other websites. Check also the reputation of the dating site. You even can find and make use of specialized databases and detective services!

3.7 Get her home address
Could be false so she will never receive your post letter, flowers or small gift.

3.8 The blank letter trick
Send your date a blank letter or two pages of nonsense (like ‘aldj afleifej; feijfai eniaf’) and wait your dates reaction.

3.9 Take a second profile
Not nice but highly effective. Just take a second profile and other email address and try to contact your date.
(note; Common is that for dating the computer of friend or the office is been used. If not there are Internet cafes in almost every city where e-mail can be sent and received very inexpensively)

Read more dating articles and/or join our free dating service at http://www.dating-connectdirector.com
The original article can be found at the http://www.connectdirector.com portal - global expose with national focus (>70 countries in 18 languages) on both rich high quality online content and dynamic database generated listings for matching business and social needs and interests.

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Sunny summer days seem to incite all sorts of fun activities with your Toy Breed Dog: As temperatures soar, the hot weather also brings with it very specific hazards such as sunburn, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The good news is these threats to your pooch are preventable. In this article I will give you a few tips of how to keep your toy breed dog cool and safe during hot summer days.

Protecting Your Toy Breed Dog from Sunburn

Toy Breed Dogs can receive sunburn much like humans. The nose, tips of the ears and around the lip area are especially susceptible to the burning rays of the sun. Use common sense when outdoors in the summertime with your Toy Breed Dog. Keep your Toy Breed Dog in the shade during the hours of the day when the sun’s rays are most intense. This is usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. However, if you need to be outside during these times, it’s okay to apply sun-block to your dog’s nose and the exposed skin on the ears. It’s a little risky to apply sun-block around the lips. Your Toy Breed Dog would probably lick off the sun-block product which could present another health hazard. So avoid the lip area when using sun block on your Toy Breed Dog. If you notice the area around your Toy Breed Dog’s lips becoming pink or red, contact your vet to find out an appropriate treatment for this area.

Protecting Your Toy Breed Dog from Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke

Leaving a Toy Breed Dog in a parked car during summer weather is the leading cause of heat stroke. Toy Breed Dogs can also suffer heat exhaustion or heat stroke if they exercise too heavily on a hot, humid day or, if they live outdoors and don’t have shelter from the sun. Toy Breed Dogs are also more susceptible to heat stroke if they are overweight or suffer from lung or heart ailments. Older Toy Breed Dogs are less tolerant of heat and may succumb to heat strokes more readily than younger Toy Breed Dogs.

Here are a few tips to help keep your Toy Breed Dog safe from heat stroke:

• Do not take your Toy Breed Dog with you on errands if you need to leave the dog in the car.
• If you are traveling with your Toy Breed Dog and must make a stop, even for the shortest period of time, leave the air conditioner on.
• If you take your Toy Breed Dog with you for walking, jogging or cycling exercise, do not push the Toy Breed Dog on exceptionally hot days. Always take plenty of fresh, cool water. Watch your Toy Breed Dog for signs that the dog needs a break.
• Most Toy Breed Dog owners do allow their dogs to live indoors. If for some reason, your Toy Breed Dog needs to live outside, be sure you provide an “all-day shade” area such as a ventilated doghouse, large beach umbrella or overhang to block the heat of the sun during summertime months.
• Keep older Toy Breed Dogs and those with lung or heart conditions inside your home on hot days. If you do not have air conditioning, keep a fan running.
• Avoid situations that force your Toy Breed Dog to stand on sun-baked surfaces such as cement sidewalks, a truck bed or beach sand. The extreme heat can cause blisters on the Toy Breed Dog’s pads.
• If you must walk your Toy Breed Dog in the heat of the day, walk on grassy areas as much as possible.
• Of much importance is to provide your Toy Breed Dog with an unlimited access to cool, clean refreshing drinking water.

If you will follow the above tips during hot summertime weather your Toy Breed Dog should be safe from experiencing heat stroke.

Author: Connie Limon. Visit us online at: http://www.abouttoydogs.com We are an article and resource directory all about Toy Dogs. Our mission is helping you decide which Toy Dog is right for you and/or your family. We provide you with helpful, educational articles and dog training resources.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

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Aggressive dog behavior can not only take the fun out of having a dog, it can be dangerous too. The last thing you want to see in your beloved canine is aggressive dog behavior.

As soon as most dog owners see aggressive dog behavior, they try and do something about it, of course. Unfortunately, what these owners do is yell at their dogs or hit their dogs to try and get control of the canine aggression.

With aggressive dogs, it’s easy to make mistakes that can lead to big problems. To make sure you don’t make these mistakes, avoid these aggressive dog behavior training no-nos:

1. The first mistake people make with aggressive dogs is keeping the dogs penned up. Not exercising an aggressive dog is a big no-no!

A bored dog is far more likely to be an aggressive dog. Most dogs have a lot of pent-up energy. They’re simply designed to be active. When you don’t allow your dog to be as active as he or she wants to be, this can lead to problems.

The best way to avoid dog aggression is to work off that pent-up energy. Take your dog on daily, long walks. Play fetch with your dog. The more you interact with an aggressive dog in a playful, fun way, the less aggression you’ll see.

2. Another big aggressive dog behavior mistake is hitting the dog. Training aggressive dog techniques require touch, but not hitting! You never want to hit any dog, but certainly not an aggressive dog. Violence will simply encourage aggressive behavior.

To correct an aggressive canine, pull at the scruff of the neck or gently nudge the dog. A firm voice and a specific gesture that telegraphs your displeasure will work too.

Your goal in correcting an aggressive dog is to surprise and get across your message. You’re not trying to hurt or punish the dog.

3. Being a wimp is a big aggressive dog training no-no. Dog training aggressive behavior out of your dog requires you to be the boss! A wimp isn’t going to be affective at dog training aggressive behavior out of a dog.

Dogs need guidance. They need a leader. Dog parenting doesn’t simply mean care. It means leadership too.

To establish leadership with an aggressive dog, be sure you’re the one in control. Enter a room first unless you give your dog the okay to go ahead of you. Establish that you’re head honcho.

4. Dealing with repeated dog biting yourself is a big mistake. Aggressive dog training for dog biting requires the pros. If your dog bites, you need aggressive dog training from a professional dog trainer. Don’t try and deal with a biting dog yourself. The consequences are too dire. If the above tips don’t help control aggressive dog behavior, get some help.

Your dog deserves to be well-socialized so he or she can have a happy life. Take steps now to deal with aggressive dog behavior.

Andrea Rains Waggener, author of Dog Parenting—How to Have an Outrageously Happy, Well-adjusted Canine, offers free basic dog training tips at http://www.basicdogtrainingtips.com.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

Criminal background checks are very easy to obtain on anyone. All you have to do is to contact the appropriate entity. You can look in the phonebook or check online. There are many places that offer this service. Most of the time you don’t need more than the individual’s name and state of residence to begin to obtain information on the individual. Obviously, the more information you have about an individual, the faster and easier it is to obtain information about that individual. A social security number, birth date, previous addresses narrow down the search and bring up more relevant information.

Online criminal background checks begin at a cost of approximately twenty dollars. The amount of information that can be gleaned from publicly available information sources and databases is almost unbelievable. This is information that is available to anyone. These agencies just know where to obtain it easier and faster than the rest of us do. They are not doing anything illegal in gathering and handing out this information. Since it is publicly available information anybody has a right to request it for whatever reason.

What kind of information does a criminal background check reveal? The results of the criminal background check will include information on the individual’s criminal record and sex offenses. There will be information on where the individual has lived for the past twenty or thirty years, who are his relatives, friends, neighbors and associates. The individual’s marital history and status will be reported. What property the individual owns and what is the value of that property is also included in the report as well as his involvement in any lawsuits, liens, judgments or bankruptcies. You can also obtain information on the individual’s employment status and history as well as his credit history. This, and more information, is available to anyone who requests it.

Many employers and rental agents do criminal background checks on applicants as a routine part of their business. They have a right to know who they are bringing onto their premises. Since so many people lie so easily, these kinds of background checks are necessary. Many people think that if they don’t mention fact, like they are a sex offender or have served time in the past that it won’t be known. This is why people have to spend money on background checks – to find out the things that they aren’t being told.

Joseph is the proud owner of Background Investigation, a website that will explain everything you need to know about Background Checks. We invite you to visit our site today and see what we have to offer.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

In the culture and society we live in today, it isn’t money that is the most valuable commodity. It’s time.

We are all so rushed, so busy running about, that when it comes to Christian service and ministry, it’s easier to write a check then to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

How much do you care about the church?

About God’s people? How much of your time is spent helping… giving…praying for your church? A lot of people give money to the church but much less give themselves.

There are a lot of reasons that move people to give to the church. I know that some people give as a write-off so that they will get a break on the taxes they pay to the government. If that is your only motive for giving, it is not a proper one.

A tax write-off is just not enough. That is not going to help you any with God.

Some people give to the church to gain a reputation for giving.

The Bible truth of the matter is that God really isn’t interested in our money. Oh, don’t get me wrong. The Bible says we are supposed to give. But it’s our heart condition that God is most interested in.

In fact, even more than money, he wants us to give our time, our prayers and our service to the institution he’s created to be his hands and feet on this earth: The church.

There are Bible stories galore about the consequences of not supporting the church.

It is striking that the very first death recorded in the church occurred when a couple, Ananias and Sapphira, decided they would gain a reputation for giving that they did not really deserve.

In the fifth chapter of Acts we read that other people were giving property. This couple thought they would get in on the honor and prestige that was being heaped on those who generously gave, so they gave some of the proceeds from tome land they sold. But they pretended that they gave all of it when they really did not.

When the Holy Spirit dealt with that hypocritical kind of giving he dealt very severely with it.

Some people give because they were afraid of dying and they want to make Brownie points with God.

There have been people who give hundreds of thousands of dollars because they felt it would help them in their standing before God at the judgment seat. But they were not giving to help the cause of God or the church. They gave because they thought they could buy God’s favor.

All these are wrong motives.

When it comes to giving, motive is more important than the amount.

God is not so interested in how much you give the church, but why you give. Do you love the church? That’s the example we have from Christ.

More than 24 million seniors collectively volunteer 6 billion hours each year in the United States. Researchers at the University of Michigan recently discovered that the survival rate of seniors who volunteered 40 or more hours a year for a single cause was 40 percent greater than that of non-volunteers.

“Seniors who volunteer say it improves their health, life satisfaction, and social well-being,” says Donna Thurmond, director of Senior Services for Volunteers of America.

Service. Giving. Praying. Sharing.

Put them all together and you have what the Bible calls ministry. And all believers are to be ministers, on mission in a world that we were created to serve.

Why? Because in serving, we bring glory to God. That is out entire purpose.

Like the old Blues Brother movie, all of us who follow Christ are literally on a mission from God.

About the author:

You can read more at the http://www.faithfulchristian.com evangelism portal. The author publishes http://www.onlinechristianshopper.com, a church resource site specializing in Christian T-Shirts and Christian clothing.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

Another summer has quickly passed us by. The kids have reluctantly gone back to school. It stands to reason that life should be a little less hectic, right? Unfortunately, that’s usually not the case. Between all of your daily ‘Mom obligations’, helping with homework and providing transportation to every extra-curricular activity under the sun, you probably have little time to devote to dinner planning.

Many times busy parents resort to hot dogs and macaroni and cheese, frozen pizza or frequent trips to a fast-food restaurant. That’s not healthy for you or the kids – not to mention its pretty rough on the family grocery budget.

Kitchen time savers
There are things you can do to cut down on time spent in the kitchen. Pick one day a week and prepare several freezer friendly meals. You can even go the extra mile and package them in individual serving size containers. Doing so will provide your family with a larger variety of entrée choices, on any given day.

Do you have friends that are intrigued with the idea of a one-day a week cooking spree or a meal planning service? Get together with 2 or 3 of them. Each of you decides on 2 main dishes you want to prepare. Buy enough ingredients to make the entrees for each family.

You need to plan ahead
One simple thing that you can do is keep an ample supply of fresh fruits, salad ingredients, soups and fresh sandwich fixings, on hand. Quick meals such as this are nutritious and don’t require a great deal of preparation time.

If you take on the task of meal planning and want to get in the habit of consistently putting together weekly menus yourself, you may be surprised at how much time it involves. Did you know that the typical family meal planner spends roughly 3 hours per week combing through cookbooks, choosing recipes and compiling a grocery list? That translates into 156 hours, per year. Yikes!

A menu service can help
You can say goodbye to last minute thrown together meals and eliminate the stress of dinner planning for your family by subscribing to a meal planning service. This type of service is very affordable, usually costing only a few cents per day. Menus are often designed to be family friendly and easily adaptable.

When you purchase a subscription to a service such as this, your membership will typically feature a weekly menu emailed right to your inbox. This includes seven main dish recipes, side dish suggestions and dessert ideas. As an added benefit, you receive a detailed shopping list, categorized by aisle, which makes your trip to the grocery store that much easier. Simply cross off items already in your pantry, add any other products you may be in need of and you’re off!

If you enjoy planning your own menu, you may want to consider a dinner planning service, in addition to your own choices. Why? It will still save you time, in the long run. Use the membership menu as a base. Then, search for recipes that will deliciously compliment that weekly plan.

Remember, nothing is more important than family time. Don’t let dinner planning get you down. Consider the suggestions we’ve made and you’ll spend less time slaving over hot stove and more time with the people you love.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

As fall approaches, the leaves begin their annual change, the air grows crisp, and children’s thoughts turn to Halloween. Most scholars date “All Hallow’s Eve” back to ancient Celtic traditions, when the people of Scotland and Ireland would darken their houses and dress up in ghoulish costumes, to scare away evil spirits. Thankfully, the annual fright-fest we celebrate today is all in fun.

One of the most enduring symbols of Halloween is the Jack O’ Lantern, a remnant of another ancient legend, in which a man named Jack was doomed by the devil to wander the earth alone. In the Irish tradition, Jack used a hollowed-out turnip with a burning ember inside to light his way.

When this tradition was brought to America in the 1840’s, the pumpkin became “Jack’s Lantern”. These days, a variety of plastic, pre-lit models are available for Halloween decorating. But some of us remember “the good old days” and even now, October finds parents and children in backyards or at kitchen tables, everywhere, carving scary faces into these orange giants.

By observing a few important safety tips, this can be a wonderful family project.

The most important thing of all is to make sure you’re with your children at all times, during the process. Kids take great joy in designing the “faces” of jack o’ lanterns, but the actual carving work should only be handled by adults.

Once the top of the pumpkin has been carved and removed, make sure to scoop out all of the “meat” inside, including the stringy membranes-this is all material which will rot in short order, if left inside an open pumpkin, attracting insects.

Carving is a much simpler process if you and your kids trace the outline of the final design right onto the skin of the pumpkin, using a marker. If your child is unsure what kind of face to use, templates for all sorts of designs can be found at websites like www.spookmaster.com .

The most commonly used tool for carving is a simple paring knife, because it’s sharp and easy to handle. For detailed instructions about proper carving techniques, check out www.pumpkincarving101.com .

Once your pumpkin is carved and ready for display, the next step is lighting it for Halloween. If you must use a candle, the safest is a votive candle, which can sit on the bottom, inside your jack o’ lantern. These candles burn longer than traditional upright candles, and there’s less danger of them tipping over. But no candle-lit pumpkin should ever be left unattended-a stray pet or a misstep can result in your masterpiece falling and the candle coming out, creating a fire hazard.

A string of white indoor/outdoor Christmas lights, a battery-powered light, or even glowsticks can provide safer lighting, with just as much spooky effect.

On the other hand, the safest jack o’lantern of all is the “daylight” model. By applying paints and markers right on the skin, pumpkins can be turned into frightening globes of terror, without any carving or lighting, at all.

Any way you choose to do it, you and your children can use this time to create family traditions-and some scary memories you’ll never forget.

About the author:

Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. For additional tips on how to truly light up your child’s eyes this holiday season like never before with personalized letters from Santa Claus.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com