Buy a Taser or a Stun Gun?

This article is to inform you, as a future self defense product purchaser, the differences between 2 products, both of which use electricity as a means of protection.

Main Differences
Many people would love to have a Taser, but some cannot afford one. What they don't realize is that a stun gun is a good alternative, and at a much lower price. They both utilize a means of electricity to temporarily impair an attacker. The main difference between a Taser and a stun gun is that the Taser will let you take down an attacker from 15 feet away while a stun gun requires close contact. The stun gun requires you to be at least within an arms length so that you can make contact between the stun gun and the person. On the other hand, the Taser shoots out 2 probes that are wired to the product which will travel up to 15 feet. One good feature that the stun gun has over the Taser is that you can always activate the stun gun and scare the attacker with merely the noise the stun gun makes. This makes a dramatic lightning effect and is very loud which can deter an attacker from getting near you. It's handy to scare away dogs too.

Stun Gun Pros
Stun guns are not only cheaper than Tasers, they are less expensive to use. Every time you deploy a Taser cartridge, which shoots the 2 probes, it is costing you $25. Each cartridge is a one shot deal. The cheapest citizen Taser will run you around $300, while the average cost of a stun gun is $45. Another expense which should be considered is the battery cost. Now grant it, the Taser's battery life or power magazine's life is 50 plus firings for the Taser C2 or a shelf life of 10 years compared to the batteries you buy for a stun gun which can be purchased at a department store for much less. Most stun guns use a 9-volt battery. If you use your Taser C2 more than 50 times, your cost to replace the power magazine is approximately $32.

Some stun guns come with a light just like Tasers do. Stun guns also come in different sizes. You can get a stun gun that is as small as a cigarette box and packs 1,000,000 volts of power! Furthermore, stun guns don't just come in different sizes, they also come in different shapes. Some stun guns can also trick the attacker by looking like a flashlight, a cell phone, or a pen. There are also stun batons that come in handy for home protection instead of the old baseball bat under the bed...

Taser Pros
Pros on Tasers you ask? Tasers are the weapon of choice now a days for police officers around the world. This is a big plus on behalf of Tasers. Tasers are very reliable or the police would not use them. Perhaps the biggest advantage, besides the 15 feet reach capability, is the Taser's laser beam. The laser is a sharp red beam that points at the target you are shooting at. This facilitates aiming and avoids missing a target, which in most cases is someone that is trying to attack you! It also has an LED light that facilitates night vision. Tasers also come in different citizen models.

The Taser C2, which was launched in August of 2007 and available in different colors and the Taser X26c which also comes with a choice of colors. Both models have outstanding features. The C2 has a unique trigger that can keep stunning for 30 seconds after you let go of the trigger. This gives a potential victim, a window of opportunity to lay the unit down and to run out of harms way. If the Taser was taken or damaged while the unit was being used in self defense and you get a police report, Taser International will replace the unit free of charge.

The Taser X26c features go beyond the regular Taser capabilities but it's also the priciest of the two. For example, you can attach a Taser X26 Cam Audio/Video to it and be able to record 1.5 hours of audio and MPEG video. This attachment also has the capability to record subjects in complete darkness by using an infrared illuminator. The Taser X26c also has a central information display to track battery life, etc. Also, just as stun guns, both the Taser X26c and the Taser C2 can be used as a stunning device by touching a person with the front end of the unit. This is possible only when a cartridge is not loaded into the Taser.

Both the Taser and the stun gun are excellent non-lethal, self defense weapons. These products can be purchased in most states. However, a few states have restrictions on stunning devises and Tasers. Please make sure you review your state's restrictions before you decide to purchase.

Milwaukee Serial Killer Update

The Milwaukee serial killer has now been linked to 7 cases! Another prostitute's body that was found behind a vacant house is the 7th victim of the serial killer. DNA results came in yesterday linking Florence McCormick, 28 to the killer. She was killed in 1995. As mentioned in the previous post, authorities are investigating DNA of 20 more unsolved homicide prostitute victims. The serial killer apparently targeted prostitutes for his victims and afterwards would dispose of their bodies behind vacant houses. Read full story here.

A Serial killer is loose in Milwaukee

This killer is unknown and has no police record but his DNA has been found on the bodies of 5 prostitutes in Milwaukee. Over the last 21 years, this serial killer has taken advantage of these consensual prostitute victims. The first victim was on October 10th, 1986. The serial killer's last prostitute victim was in April 2007.

There are 20 other DNA samples of murdered prostitutes which are unsolved homicide cases that will be sent to the state crime laboratory. These will be compared to the serial killer's DNA, to find out if there are more victims linked to him.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney, John Chisholm mentioned that his office is determined "to find the killer that's in our community". He went on to say, "We are committed to bringing justice to the victims and their families." Since the serial killer has no criminal record, authorities will have to depend on DNA and profiles with close matches to his, in order to get any future leads.

Pepper Spray Pen for Self Defense in the Workplace

A pen is something we all carry at one time or another. But a pepper spray pen can also be your unnoticed weapon of self defense. Whether you take it to your workplace or college campus, this uniquely disguised weapon can actually be used to prevent crime because of it's element of surprise.

No one would expect you to be armed with pepper spray by looking at the pen. A pepper spray pen can be carried like any other pen. It looks like a normal pen with a convenient clip. It can be placed in your pocket, in your backpack, in a purse or in a desk organizer. Even if someone is looking to see if you have pepper spray hidden somewhere in your workplace, they won't suspect a pen to be your weapon!

Self defense pepper spray pens come in different colors and the spray can reach an attacker 5 to 7 feet away. These pens usually have enough pepper spray to be sprayed 5 or 6 times and are available in a 17% pepper concentration. Most pepper pens contain a UV dye that facilitates police identification of an attacker by leaving an invisible dye on the attacker's face.

Pepper spray pens are great for self defense in the workplace. There's only one thing you have to remember though, they don't write!

FDA Cracks Down on Cheerios

The Food and Drug Administration wants Cheerios' advertising to not mention that it lowers cholesterol. Presently Cheerios is claiming, "lower your cholesterol 4 percent in six weeks". This statement, according to the FDA, is in violation of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The FDA is threatening to pull all Cheerios boxes from grocery store shelves.

Even though General Mills has provided the FDA with legit clinical studies supporting that Cheerios lowers cholesterol, the FDA says that only FDA-approved DRUGS are allowed to make such claims. The only way they can advertise on TV and on their website with that claim, is to actually get an approved new DRUG application.

Actually all this is a technicality and it seems like the FDA doesn't have anything better to do. My opinion is that the FDA, which is funded by tax payers, should perhaps go after the vitamin, herb and food supplement industries which also advertise. Americans are constantly taking these pills and they aren't regulated by the FDA. I would think this is more of a threat to public health than a cereal company with legit studies supporting claims that their cereal lowers cholesterol!

Buy Pepper Spray for Personal Defense

Buy pepper spray for personal defense. Pepper spray is the easiest self defense product to use that is available today. It just might also be the most popular weapon used by women and men around the world. Since it is so easy to use, there really are just a few simple things you might want to keep in mind if you are planning to buy pepper spray for crime prevention.

• Avoid using it in windy conditions
• Use it upright, like you would hair spray
• Shake it once in a while to keep it pressurized
• Never leave it in a hot car
• It is not permitted on airplanes
• Most recommend that you replace it annually

It also helps to know that self defense pepper spray comes in different forms. It can be purchased in a stream, spray or fog form. You can also buy pepper spray in a heavier substance, such as foam or gel. The heavier ones are less likely to spray back if utilized in windy conditions. Most pepper spray contains a UV dye that facilitates police identification of an attacker by leaving an invisible dye on the attacker's face. Yet another feature that pepper sprays have for crime prevention.

Not only can the substance within a pepper spray container be different, but also the container itself can be different as well. Some self defense pepper spray containers are disguised to look like a lipstick container, a pen, a pager, walking weights, etc. Many pepper sprays come with a convenient key ring to attach to a keychain. Some pepper spray containers even come decorated with fancy crystals! Many people buy pepper spray products that present an element of surprise against an attacker.

There you have it! Simple, yet efficient in crime prevention.

California woman claims her father was the Zodiac Killer

Her name is Deborah Perez and she said: My father was the Zodiac Killer. Her father was Guy Ward Hendrickson who died in 1983 of cancer. He was a carpenter and father of 6 children.

California police have never been able to capture the Zodiac Killer and believed that a child molester that died in 1992 by the name of Arthur Leigh Allen, was the killer. A case dating back to 1969 of a San Francisco, California, taxi driver that was killed by the Zodiac Killer is still an open police investigation. Perez has provided police with a pair of glasses that she claims belonged to that taxi driver and letters she wrote to the newspaper on her father's behalf about the crimes.

Deborah Perez mentioned that when she was a child, her father would tell her that he was very sick and that he had killed many, many people. She remembers that all she wanted to do was help her father.

More evidence against Craigslist murder suspect, Philip Markoff

The latest evidence this morning is that officials found underwear belonging to one of the alleged victims in Philip Markoff's apartment. The victim, Trisha Leffler said she was attacked by him and later tied up. She also informed the police that he afterwards took her money and also a pair of her underwear that was left on the floor.

On a recent family visit, Markoff told his brother "forget about [him]" and that "there's more coming out,".

Craigslist murder suspect Philip Markoff

Philip Markoff, 22, is being held without bail on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and murder. He is a 2nd year medical student at Boston University.

The murdered victim was Julissa Brisman who had placed an ad on Craigslist for massage services. Brisman and Markoff had exchanged emails and cell phone calls to set up an appointment to meet at a hotel. Brisman, the victim, was bashed in the head and shot with a bullet through her heart. The email exchange is what fortunately helped police officials track him down. Markoff is also charged with tying up and robbing another female victim on April 10th, who had placed an ad in Craigslist for massage services. Police found duct tape, restraints and a semiautomatic weapon in Markoff's home. They commented on the fact that this evidence was "critical and powerful". They also mentioned that there might be other victims.

Many of Markoff's friends and family members commented on the fact that he was very friendly, and smart. The media interviewed people who described Markoff as carrying himself well, he was clean cut and good looking.

Ted Bundy was good looking and smart as well... We all know that appearances can be deceiving and this is yet another case in which it holds true. Philip Markoff has not been declared guilty yet of murder, but if he is guilty or not, people should never make an assumption of a person's intentions solely on their appearance or intelligence. This should be an eye opener for everyone, especially for women, who become victims of violent crime in epidemic proportions.

Shopping for a Gun or Taser?

There has been an increase of firearm purchases recently in the U.S. Whether this increase is due to the government administration considering the return of restrictions on semi automatic weapons or the increase in crime, Americans are buying ammunition and firearms by the thousands.

If you are a person considering purchasing a self defense product such as a gun or a Taser, here are a few things you need to take into consideration.

First, your family as well as yourself are priority number one. The weapon you choose should be reliable and safe to use. A break-in, in your home can take place at any time and you may or may not be there. It's important to learn how to use and take care of a gun or self defense product. A question you might want to ask yourself is, how comfortable do you feel teaching your spouse or significant other how to use this self defense weapon?

Second, is the weapon you want to buy lethal or non lethal? This is an important question. Do you want to kill your perpetrator(s) with a gun or do you want to temporarily incapacitate them with a Taser? Ask yourself the following questions:

• If the perpetrator gets a hold of your weapon, will they be able to turn it against you or your family?
• If the perpetrator uses your weapon, can it incapacitate you or kill you or your family?
• What repercussions with your state laws will there be if you incapacitate or kill someone under these conditions?

Third and lastly, how easy or difficult will it be to buy a weapon? Will you need a special permit? If you are considering a firearm, you will need a permit to carry it. Depending on the state you live in, it could be as little as 24 hours or maybe 30 days. If you are considering a non lethal, self defense product such as a Taser, you will need to pass a felony background check, and that only takes a few minutes.

It's your choice on how you want to protect yourself and your family, it's not an easy decision to make. Please keep in mind that, whichever weapon you decide on, it could help save your life and also your family's life.