Alaska Airport Terminal Had to be Evacuated

Alaska made headlines last Saturday, but this time it was not relevant to Sara Palin. The Juneau International Airport in the capital city of Alaska was evacuated because someone had accidentally discharged bear pepper spray. It got into the ventilation system and spread throughout the airport. As some of you know, bear pepper spray is used for protection against bear attacks and it comes in a cannister similar to the ones used by personal protection pepper sprays, but much larger. The airport building had to be cleared and aired out for about an hour and a half before it re-opened.

This demonstrates how powerful a pepper defensive spray could be. Something as simple and inexpensive as the substance in very hot peppers, found in nature, can be a reliable weapon in preventing crime. Just one cannister that probably contained approximately 260 grams of substance, was enough to evacuate an entire building!

What would you do if you saw your car being towed?

Most of us would beg for the car to be released and if that doesn't work, just pay the fee requested. That's not what a women from Portland, Oregon did. She already had parked the car illegally, hence the towing, she also threatened the tow truck driver!

The driver told her, he would release the car if she paid $150. She refused and threatened to set his tow truck on fire. A crowd started gathering around him, so he stepped into his truck, locked himself in and called 911. Right after that, he was told that his truck was ablaze! He managed to get a fire extinguisher and stop the fire. The woman of course was arrested with a bond set at $225,000. She faces arson and criminal mischief charges.

This was a senseless, dangerous act committed by this woman. What if the fire reached the gas tank of this truck? The truck would have exploded, killing the truck driver and all the people around it, including the woman. Some people just have no common sense. Makes you wonder why they are allowed to drive in the first place!

Up-skirt Photo Victim Gets Revenge

I love it when victims take action! A woman in New York city that takes the subway was going up some steps, when she noticed that a man using his cell phone, had shot a picture under her skirt. Well, this gal was not going to put up with that kind of behavior. The victim followed the man onto a train and told him 'Smile, because I am going to the police'. She then emailed the picture to the police and filed a report! The man was arrested by a police officer who recognized him. He was charged with misdemeanor, attempted unlawful surveillance, attempted sexual abuse and harassment.

I've heard that this practice is also common in malls. There have been mall surveillance cameras that have captured men doing the exact same thing. What this particular lady did, should be an example of what us women should do if this occurs to us. Cell phones have made this crime easy to commit, but it also has facilitated victims by taking photos of the harassers. Victims will not have to depend on police sketch artist's renderings of the criminals.

If you don't carry a phone that can take pictures, consider purchasing a Keychain Camera. You never know when you might need to capture a crime being commited!

PRESS RELEASE: WomenOnGuard.com Escalates Crime Prevention

The self defense products website called WomenOnGuard.com made it’s latest monthly product donation to The Sexual Assault Response and Awareness Program, which is located in Alexandria, VA.

Indian Beach, NC September 22, 2008. WomenOnGuard.com donates self defense products to a different sexual assault women’s crisis center around the country on a monthly basis. WomenOnGuard.com is a website that sells non-lethal, self defense products such as Mace products, pepper spray, stun guns, Taser products, personal alarms and home protection products. This website includes hotlines, safety tips, helpful links and a Blog.

In August of 1975, the Commission on the Status of Women, in Alexandria, Virginia, established the Sexual Assault Response and Awareness (SARA) Program. The SARA Program offers support to victims of sexual assault, and their families and friends. The program provides crisis intervention and emotional support, advocacy with medical, police, and court systems. SARA also offers short-term individual and group counseling, pertinent information and referrals.

WomenOnGuard.com was started in October of 2006 by two determined ladies who set out to provide women with much needed tools to defend themselves against crime. Susan Eaton and Martha Z. Martinez, the owners of WomenOnGuard.com, wanted to spread the word and let women know that it is easy to purchase self defense products such as Mace, pepper spray, stun guns, Taser products and personal alarms on their website. “Most women are unsure of where to purchase self defense products”, Martha mentioned, “Department stores don’t carry items such as these and gun shops are very intimidating to women.” WomenOnGuard.com only sells non-lethal, self defense products. Susan states, “We don’t carry guns or knives on our website. We realize that sometimes, while being attacked, a person might try to defend themselves using a gun and that same gun could actually be turned against them. In this case, it is better to be sprayed back or Tasered, than to be shot with a bullet from your own gun.”

It is the belief of the owners of WomenOnGuard.com that due to the present financial and energy crisis in the country, crime will probably increase. Unfortunately, women are the likely target. “Many women find themselves in marriages where she or her husband could get laid off from their jobs or there is monetary tension to make ends meet. There are fights about money and some fights can become physically abusive. We actually were contacted by a purchaser who was in a situation where she felt unsafe around her husband and wanted to purchase a self defense product”, stated Martha. Susan went on to say, “There will probably be an increase of muggings from attackers that want some cash to get through the month. There was a recent case in Alexandria, VA, where Barbara J. Bosworth was abducted from a shopping mall by two men. She was forced to sit in the back seat of her own car while the abductors drove 18 miles in an attempt to take out money of an ATM machine using her card. The car eventually crashed and killed her along with one of the men.” Cases such as these are common around the country and WomenOnGuard.com wants to make a difference.


WomenOnGuard.com
Martha Z. Martinez, Co-Owner
252-727-2125
info@womenonguard.com

Killer, Rapist Of 93-Year-Old Executed

William Murray Raped And Killed Elderly Woman During $10 Robbery

(AP) A man who raped and murdered a 93-year-old woman in her Dallas-area home was executed Wednesday after he apologized to his victim's relatives.

"I'm sorry for what I did," William Murray told two nephews of Rena Ratcliff who watched him through a window in the death chamber. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. The Lord has forgiven me."

Murray then looked through an adjacent window where his mother and two brothers were among the witnesses and said: "I'll be there waiting for y'all, all right? God bless."

Eight minutes later at 6:20 p.m., he was pronounced dead.

Murray, a former auto mechanic and laborer from Kaufman, was the ninth prisoner put to death this year in the most active death-penalty state in the U.S.

Murray's lawyer said appeals were exhausted. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the case earlier this year. In addition, a clemency bid to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles was turned down this week.

"Yes, I did do this," Murray told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "I'm not trying to blame this on somebody else. I want people to know I'm sorry for the crime. I pray to the Lord to forgive me and I'm asking them to forgive me. That's all I can do."

To continue reading this article, click here.

Would You Help A Stranger If They Were Being Attacked?

Philadelphia recently had a passenger in their fast transit system attacked by a man carrying a hammer. The incident was caught on video. The victim was asleep when the man brutally starting hitting him with the hammer. The media in Philly jumped in and criticized the other passengers for not helping the victim while being attacked. The fast transit officials defended the other passengers, claiming that the passengers did what the transit authority recommends in situations such as this. The passengers did assist the victim when he got back on the train and a person pulled the emergency lever that notified the operator, who contacted the police. One woman even escorted the victim to the hospital.

This made me think, if I would have helped in a situation like this. I'm only 5 feet, 2 inches tall. I would not be able to stop a strong man with a hammer who was taller than me. BUT, now that I think about it... I normally carry pepper spray. So yes, I would have probably used my pepper spray against this attacker. Especially since I would not have to have been too close to him to spray him. This would definitely be an incident where having some sort of self defense product would have really helped. In this case, I would be helping someone else, instead of using it for my own self defense. I bet that if one of the passengers had pepper spray in their possession when this occurred, they probably would have used it too.

Plastic Containers for Food or Drinks is a Bad Idea

This morning I heard in the news that there is a chemical in plastic bottles or containers that may lead to diabetes or heart disease, according to a scientific study. This particular study was done using humans instead of animals. Bisphenol A or BPA is a form of synthetic estrogen that some plastic containers have. Of course there are some scientists that disagree about the dangers... The FDA is not giving this study much importance, but researchers say that most Americans are exceeding exposures to BPA, than what the Environmental Protection Agency recommends.

There is particularly a concern for babies, since they are most likely to get exposed to this chemical the most. The bottles for their formula, pacifiers, sippy cups and chew toys are just a few of the plastic materials used by babies. There is also a concern regarding bottled water. Some packaging includes plastic that you normally would not notice, such as soup and vegetable cans. They have plastic lining inside them. The containers used to preserve your leftovers is another example of containers that could have BPA in them.

What are we to do? BPA is not found in all plastic products. Consumers can't really tell which are safe and which are not... Well, I always preferred bottled milk over the plastic containers they use now. I also think that mayonnaise, peanut butter and other foods taste much better when they are packaged in glass containers. When it comes to packaging food, I think we were on the right path 50 years ago. Let's just use the plastic containers for things like shampoo, lotion, windex and other products that we actually don't eat!

Critics Question Palin's Record on "Epidemic" Rape, Domestic Violence in Alaska

Effort to Tackle Sex Violence Stalled by Palin's Office, Sources Say
By JUSTIN ROOD
September 15, 2008

Evangelicals and social conservatives have embraced McCain's vice presidential pick for what they call her "pro-family," "pro-woman" values. But in Alaska, critics say Gov. Sarah Palin has not addressed the rampant sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence and murder that make her state one of the most dangerous places in the country for women and children.

Alaska leads the nation in reported forcible rapes per capita, according to the FBI, with a rate two and a half times the national average – a ranking it has held for many years. Children are no safer: Public safety experts believe that the prevalence of rape and sexual assault of minors in Alaska makes the state's record one of the worst in the U.S. And while solid statistics on domestic violence are hard to come by, most – including Gov. Palin – agree it is an "epidemic."

Despite the governor's pro-family image, public safety experts and advocates for women and children struggled when asked to explain how Palin's leadership has helped address the crisis. And current and former officials from Palin's administration confirmed that an ambitious plan to tackle the crisis has apparently sunk into doldrums after arriving at the governor's office.

To continue reading click here.

Scared of Driving on Bridges Over Water?

Are you a person that gets frightened while driving on a bridge? I have a sister-in-law that is terrified of driving on bridges that go over water. She is terrified of getting trapped in her car with her seatbelt on and water pouring in. As a matter of fact, she was afraid of wearing her seatbelt too. Until recently, she made her kids wear their seat belts, but she never would. This is a person that made sure she rolled down her car windows whenever she drove on a bridge over water."Just in case", she would say, "Don't wanna get trapped".

The solution to all this has arrived at WomenOnGuard.com! A new automobile emergency tool called the Auto Life Hammer. It is the perfect automobile emergency tool for anyone, including my sister-in-law, that have phobias of being trapped. Of course, you don't have to have phobias to include this versatile tool in your vehicle. The Life Hammer is a 4-in-1 tool that has a pointed stainless steel hammer to shatter automobile windows. It also includes a handy, sharp recessed blade for cutting free from seat belts, a light that helps for reading maps, finding a door lock in the dark or it can even be used as an emergency signal. Lastly, the Auto Life Hammer includes a punch needle that enables you to pop automobile air bags. You can keep it in your glove compartment or mount it almost anywhere in your car.

My sister-in-law is also afraid of driving through tunnels, but I'm not going to go there, you get the picture...

A Stun Gun Could Be An Alternative To A Taser

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.

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. One 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 guns are not only cheaper than a Taser, 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 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 more than 50 times, your cost to replace the power magazine is approximately $32.

Some stun guns come with a light just like the Taser does. Stun guns also come in different sizes. You can get a stun gun that is as small as a cigarette box and packs 5,000,000 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...

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.

Hurricane Childhood Experience

Hurricane Fay set the stage for this season, jumping all over Florida and crossing over it 2 or 3 times. Gustav still is influencing Louisiana after landing there over a week ago. Now Hanna is coming up the east coast and headed our way towards North Carolina. Ike is targeting Florida and will be a force to reckon with if it makes landfall there as it is being compared to Andrew... Somehow mother nature makes sure that there never is a dull moment. Be it fires, snow storms, volcanoes, earthquakes, the list goes on and on.

While growing up in Florida, snow storms or earthquakes weren't an issue, hurricanes were a different story though. As a kid, I found the whole experience of a hurricane coming, to be a fun one. Grant it that while during one, and listening to the strong winds outside, did get me scared, the time before and after the hurricane got me excited and made them very memorable to me. The preparations prior to them, such as boarding up or taping all the windows was a time when the family got together and shared a common goal. Going to the grocery store with my mom and getting all the goodies for the event was my chance to eat junk food! During the hurricanes, our house was always dark because of the boarded up windows. Most of the hurricanes that I lived through hit during the evenings and we all would gather together on the floor with our candles and flashlights and talk and eat our candy, sodas, pastries, chips, etc., while the wind was blowing all around our house. Most of the time there were cousins, aunts and uncles that would join us for the event. The next morning, after the storm was over, all of us kids would go out and see how many trees were blown down. This was one of the most exciting things I loved about hurricanes. All the trees that had fallen down gave us kids a lot more things in our back yard to play on. The fallen trees were like a whole new playground for us! We loved to climb on the now reachable branches. The new playground lasted several weeks, until the trees were hauled away by cleanup crews.

I guess, I was one of the lucky kids, who never experienced any REAL harm done to my family or our home by a hurricane. I realize now, as an adult, that many families aren't as fortunate. Hurricanes are not all fun and games. Families can become emotionally, physically and economically devastated. My hope now is that we all help each other as much as possible, so that more children experience hurricanes in awe, as I did when I was a child.

Man Who Raped a 79 Year Old Woman, is Caught

Back in April, 50 year old Oscar Rowell, raped a 79 year old woman in Delray Beach, Florida. He was caught yesterday at a motel in Boynton Beach Florida.

The victim, who requested her name not be mentioned, was asleep in her bedroom when the man broke in. He tied her to the headboard with her bras and raped her, at knife point, for approximately 15 minutes. After he raped her, he proceeded to scrub her down with soap, to get rid of evidence. Before he left he took some credit cards, yanked out her telephone cords and took off in her Toyota Camry. The victim was found that afternoon by her neighbors, still tied to her bed.

Rowell has been in prison 6 times before since 1975 for armed robbery, aggravated assault and burglary convictions. Police had his DNA since last August, when Rowell consented to giving it to them. The same DNA was found in the 79 year old woman's home. The victim's car, was also found a block away from where Rowell lived.

To read the original news article, click here.

Man with Weapons and Amo Arrested Near UCLA

Last Friday, a man near the University of California, was arrested after shooting a traffic light. Apparently, Gene Bush was living out of his van and carried enough weapons for a small army. Police found 5 loaded semiautomatic pistols and thousands of rounds of ammunition in his van. Mr. Bush was only a block away from UCLA and police said the pistols were equipped with laser sight and 400 bullets. There was also another 7,800 rounds of ammunition in his van and 3,000 more in a storage locker. Police also mentioned that the man made anti-government statements about 911 and told them to look inside his suitcase. Gene Bush's suitcase contained timers, paint thinner and other suspicious items, as well as his anti-government manifesto. Police also said that they believed, Bush was acting alone.

Gene Bush is expected to appear in court today.