Mudroom Organization Tips

A mudroom bridges the gap between the indoors and the outdoors. Usually the mudroom is not the entrance of the house but it may be connected to a side or read door. In the winter time a mudroom is usually the place where everyone kicks their boots off and if you’re lucky hangs their coats up. Anyone who lives in a northern state knows just how cluttered and unorganized a mudroom can get due to a pile up of winter boots, umbrellas, coats, hats, you name it. So how do you organize your mudroom and knock out the clutter?

There are no scientific methods to organizing a mudroom, but here are some tips that will help you to keep yours ship-shape:

• Utilize your front hall closet: Most front foyers or hallways have a closet where coats can be hung. The problem is that many people leave those closets for guests that might come by. This is silly. Utilize your closet space and stock the closet with hangers so that everyone who walks in the front door can hang their coats up before they have a chance to make it to the mudroom to drop their coats on the floor. Now actually getting your family to do it may be another matter.

• Makeover your mudroom: Most mudrooms have places where you and your family can place their boots and hooks for your coats and even places for your other winter items such as hats and mittens. But do you have enough? You can always take some time and evaluate your current mudroom needs. If you find that your needs are not being met then it is time for a mudroom makeover. You can add hooks if need be and take this opportunity to clear out everything in your mudroom and mudroom closet and go to town on your organization.

• Create extra space: Inside your mudroom closet is all kinds of space that can be utilized. There are shoe organizers and small dresser like pieces that can be purchased so that you can make the most of your space. You will be surprised at how much extra space you can squeeze out of the same closet that was just packed to the brim.

• Remove excess clothing: As you go through your mudroom closet and the mudroom itself you will begin to notice that there may be more than one jacket that belongs to the same person in the household. That person may even be you. Then you may see three hats or a pair of mittens and a pair of gloves. The point is there is almost certainly some excess clothing, or clutter, that can be removed from the mudroom and put in other closets throughout the house. After all, you can only wear one set of winter cloths at a time.

Having a mudroom is a great way to keep the melted snow and of course the mud and other outside elements away from the rest of the house. But having a cluttered mudroom is no fun whatsoever. By utilizing the space you have and maybe executing a mudroom makeover you will once again be able to enjoy the convenience of your mudroom without the stress of the mess.

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Tips To Help You Spot And Avoid Online Dating Scams

When seeking romance on the Internet, you should be aware of the many scammers that are seeking to victimize those looking for love.

A friend of mine recently experienced a scammer’s attempt to get into his wallet. I warned him of the danger, but he wanted his new girl to be real, so he was willing to remain optimistic through the entire process.

Don’t get me wrong, I do not have a problem with optimistic people, especially since I live an optimistic life, even myself.

Through the entire process, my friend would call and ask what I thought of his interactions for that day. I tried not to be too critical of his potential new love, but I frequently cautioned him to look for red flags in her story.

Here is a short list of the Red Flags you should be aware of when seeking a date online:

* Declarations of Love after only a few emails. When someone declares their undying love after only a few emails and before you have met them in person, the most impressive of red flags should be triggered. There are only two types of people who declare love, without first meeting you in person: 1] desperate stalkers (do you remember the movie, Fatal Attraction), or 2] scammers.

* They Are Out-of-Country – They may say they are from the United States, but for whatever reason, they are outside the country currently. This is the first signal of their upcoming bait-and-hook strategy. What this generally leads to is a suggestion that they do not have the money to come home and they need your assistance to pay for their flight; or in one conversation I was involved, her U.S. babysitter is demanding money to pay for babysitting services for her young child. If you send them the money, they will lose it, or the money will be stolen from them, and they will need more so that they can get back home to you.

* They Dodge Personal Questions – They always seem distracted or dim-witted when you ask them questions. Nine times in ten, they will never answer a question you asked. If you are wondering what is up, keep asking questions. This is important, and it takes us to our next red flag.

* Look For Inconsistencies In Their Story – My friend finally caught the red flag when his girl, who had already explained that both of her parents had died in a car wreck four years before, slipped up. She said the reason that she chose to go to college in Nigeria (go figure) was that her dad “owns” a business there. (Which dad? Her dead one?)

* Bad Grammar and Spelling – Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of people here in the U.S., who don’t spell so hot. But those who are in the States will mask their poor spelling and grammar with plenty of abbreviations: LOL (Laughing Out Loud), BRB (Be Right Back), TTYL (Talk To You Later), CYA (See Ya), ROFLOL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing Out Loud), and WTF (What The … you know). Foreigners don’t know these keyboard shortcuts, nor would they understand why they would be used.

* Lackluster Photographs – Frequently they show pictures with little or no quality, pictures that are hard to see. Some will actually have two or three good quality pics, but not more. (This isn’t a perfect catch, since I only have two photos, one of which is from a professional photo place.) But, as has been pointed out many times before, the scammers will NEVER have a photo with their friends. If the scammer sends you a small photo, ask for a bigger copy. The scammer will not be able to produce one. (This is an area where my own photos can be seen to be real, as I can produce all my photos in their original monster-size.)

* Lack of Local Knowledge – When my friend found his girl, she claimed to have been from a town only 15 miles from his home. Even if he had never been to her town, he could go to Google to find some information about her town (which he did). When they are from your town, you can ask them about favorite restaurants or party places. Don’t be afraid to test them by asking about something that you know does not exist. If they claim knowledge of what you know does not exist, then you will have received a super huge red flag.

* They Have No Family – This is frequently a hook for gaining your sympathy. Sometimes it might be true, we do know of people who have lost their whole families. But if they volunteer the information, without your first asking, then you definitely need to red flag that contact, and start looking for other red flags.

Many of these red flag items should not be viewed as absolute signals of a fraudulent flirt. But, when red flags start piling up, you should be fully aware of the very real potential of someone trying to scam you.

If you see any of these red flags, but you wish to remain optimistic, figure out what you think the bait-and-hook will be, and then make sure that you don’t fall for it when it comes to you.

If an online lover requires you to spend money or give them money, then you need to notify the dating website where you met this person, so that the dating website can kick that person off the website.

My friend was seeing red flags left and right, and yet he desired to remain positive. I told him what the bait-and-hook would be, and he continued forward optimistically. Then on a lark, he put a sentence from his lover’s first email into Google and discovered a word-for-word documentation of all of the emails he received from his girl on a website called: Romance Scam dot com.

My friend did not have to play the game until the bait-and-hook was offered. Instead, he was able to see well ahead of that play that his girl was sending him a series of form letters that she (or he) uses with many potential marks.

Fortunately, my friend was able to see the light before his phony girl got into his wallet. And hopefully, since you have now read this article and you are now aware of what is going on out there in the online dating world, you will not get taken to the cleaners either.

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Helpful Property Maintenance Tips

One of the most important factors in keeping the value of your house high is excellent property maintenance.

Value is determined by, among other things, how much a buyer wants your home. So if you keep your house fresh, clean and well looked after, you are much more likely to realise a top price for it when it’s time to sell.

Here is a handy guide to essential property maintenance for your home:

Tools for the job

You need to build up a kit of essential tools. That way, no matter what needs fixing or which emergencies are thrown at you, you will always have something to hand to perform a fix.

You’ll need the basics, such as a range of screwdrivers, spanners, a hammer, and pliers. It would also be handy to keep basic electricians’ tools handy, such as special pliers to strip wires when you rewrite plugs. A wrench can be handy for plumbing problems, and insulation and gaffer tape will have hundreds of uses.

It’s also good property maintenance practice to keep consumables such as fuses and light bulbs in stock in your house. Inevitably a fuse will blow on Sunday evening when the shops aren’t open. Keep a range of fuses and bulbs dry and warm. You should also buy washers in case of a dripping tap.

Other handy products to keep around are a sink unblocker, grout filler to prevent leaks in the bathroom, and a number of different sized screws and wall plugs.

One final essential in your property maintenance tool kit is a decent ladder. For safety reasons, it should be big enough to reach the very top of your house without you having to stretch out. Keep your ladder well secured and locked up in your garage or chained to the side of the house. Not only are they a target for thieves (especially the expensive aluminium ones), but your own ladder could be used to burgle your home!

Floors

The poor floors in your home get more abuse than most other surfaces, especially if you have young children. The key to keeping carpets and hard floors looking their best is preventing dirt getting in, and then cleaning it quickly when it does.

Use door mats at each entrance and clean floors regularly, at least once a week. Sweep hard floors and clean them monthly with a specialist cleaner that won’t make them slippery. Keep a powerful carpet stain remover handy and treat stains immediately. It’s worth looking at getting carpets steam cleaned once a year – if you can’t be bothered, get a professional in to do it for you. The longer a stain stays in your carpet, the harder it will be to get rid of it.

Walls

Walls are often overlooked in property maintenance, but you need to keep them in very good nick as they are the skeleton of your house. Don’t worry too much about surface cracks in the plaster or damage to the wallpaper or paint. These can easily be repaired with new decorations. The thing to really look out for it more intrusive damage to the wall.

Widening cracks should be looked at by an expert as quickly as possible. As with most problems, the earlier you deal with it, the easier and cheaper it will be to fix.

Keep an eye out for any rising damp or dry rot. And pay particular attention to the walls in your bathroom. You want to ensure that moisture and condensation each day isn’t settling into the walls causing them damage.

Windows

Get them cleaned regularly and wipe down any condensation. Paint wooden windows at least every three years to prevent the weather damaging them.

Plumbing

Don’t put up with any dripping taps! Make it a part of your property maintenance schedule to check pipes and taps regularly, and again deal with problems as they arise. If you have bought a house with shoddy plumbing, consider getting it replaced before it bursts and damages your home.

Electrical

You can do basic maintenance yourself such as replacing plugs. Remember to switch off the supply where needed. For anything else, including replacing broken switches, consider getting someone in. It is property law that any electrical installations or major work must now be done by a qualified electrician.

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Wood Floor Maintenance & Cleaning Tips

The elegance, versatility and natural beauty of wood flooring has made it one of the most popular choices for today’s home owners and with good reason! In addition to the aesthetic trends, wood flooring reduces allergens, dust and other debris associated with carpets without the “cold” feel of tile. An added benefit is that wood flooring fits with any décor both today and tomorrow!

It should come as no surprise that wood is one of the most popular trends among homeowners but despite the popularity, few people know how to properly clean and maintain wood floors. It’s easy once you know how. Keep reading to learn how to clean and maintain your wood floors with these simple tips.

Daily Maintenance

The ease of day-to -day cleaning and maintenance is one of the reasons behind the popularity of wood flooring; a quick sweep with a soft broom or vacuuming with protective bristle attachment takes only minutes to keep your floors looking great.

Avoid using wet mops or over-waxing; not only is it messy but both can dull the shine of your floors or even cause discoloration.

Never use vinyl or tile floor care products on wood flooring. It can damage the finish of many wood floors.

Preventative Maintenance

To keep your wood floors looking their best what you don’t do is often as important as what you do! Especially if you live in areas prone to sand or dust like Austin, take time to purchase a few door mats or small area rugs to reduce grit and dirt from being tracked into the home. Not only will it keep your home cleaner but it will help avoid scratching wood floors.

Other preventative measures that are easy to implement include wiping up spills before they stain; using a humidifier during those dry spells , lifting – rather than dragging – heavy furniture, and not allowing cleats or other impact prone shoes into the house.

Professional Cleaning & Maintenance

From time to time it is natural for wood floors to become a bit dull, scratched or just in need of a quick refresh to leave them looking new again. Once upon the time it was a major ordeal to have wood floors refinished but fortunately, those days are gone! Today, wood floor cleaning is as simple as having your carpets cleaned – in fact, one of the nation’s fastest growing chains, Kiwi Services, can handle Austin carpets and Austin wood floor cleaning needs with just one call.

Professional wood floor cleaning is advised for any of the following conditions or situations:

• Dull finish

• Cloudy due to built-up wax

• Cuts, holes or stains

• Scratches or heel marks

• Noise when walking

• Other problems

The wood floor care specialist will evaluate your floors to determine exactly what is needed then clean and wax the floors restoring them back to the beauty, shine and natural warmth associated with wood floors. Avoid the hassle, mess and costly mistakes by having your Austin wood floors professionally serviced by a reputable nationwide company like Kiwi Services at the same time that you have the carpets cleaned. There’s no need to schedule separate visits or risk trying to do it yourself and ruin a major investment like the look of your home when the alternatives is so easy and cost effective.

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Cyber Safety Facts and Tips for Protecting Children from Internet Dangers

Statistics on cyber safety are real and are only getting worse, so how do we keep kids safe online? Here are some tips for parents and kinds about how to make sure cyber safety of using the Internet.

Cyber Safety Tips for Parents

1. Educate children to be “Internet Safe Kids” by making sure they use safe internet practices at all times, especially when using chat rooms, instant messaging and social networks such as Facebook, as these are the most popular and the most dangerous for our kids.

2. Set boundaries for your kids’ computer and internet use. Stress to your child never accept unsolicited email, files, photographs, videos or attachments from online strangers.

3. Along with education is just as importantly to monitor your child’s internet use at all times. Parental Control Software(http://www.surveilstar.com/) gives your kids the freedom to use the internet, at the same time flagging any behavior you feel is inappropriate.

Education and Monitoring software are by far the best ways to keep your kids safe online and have Internet Safe Kids!

Cyber Safety Tips for Kids

* Never respond to an unsubscribe on a pornographic email.
* Tell your school if it is school related. Schools have a bullying solution in place.
* Don’t erase the messages—they may be needed to take action.
* Protect yourself—never agree to meet with the person or with anyone you meet online.
* If bullied through chat or instant messaging, the “bully” can often be blocked.
* If you are threatened with harm, inform the local police.

SurveilStar(http://www.surveilstar.com/download.html) — Protect Your Children Against Cyber Dangers

Tһе internet һаѕ become a second world tο υѕ. It іѕ аlmοѕt impossible not tο υѕе tһе internet when every раrt οf our lifestyle іѕ connected tο іt аnԁ һаѕ ѕοmе need οf іt. Lеt’s face іt, wе саnnοt prevent our children frοm using tһе computer. Tһаt іѕ nοt tһе solution fοr your kids’ safety οח tһе internet. If parents аrе tο keep tһеіr children safe online, tһеу need tο bе responsible enough tο educate themselves аnԁ tһеіr children аbοut tһе reality οf cyber dangers аnԁ take tһе nесеѕѕаrу steps tο exercise tһе proper parental controls without delay.

If you are really concerned about your children’s online safety you can install computer monitoring software like SurveilStar this is a parental control software solution and will help you protect your kids against from cyber dangers.

To start an all-out strategic battle to protect my kids from online cyber dangers, while still letting them safely enjoy the games and resources that are available on the Internet, SurveilStar is the perfect solution that can be used for filtering web site content and monitoring the web sites my kids are viewing on the Internet:
Parental Control Software

SurveilStar comes with an advanced content filtering module which allows you to block websites on-the-fly. Our goal as parents should be to allow our children to experience the benefits of the internet while protecting them from the dangers. The use of parental control software allows you to achieve both of these goals. Parental control software allows your child to freely use the internet but also allows you as the parent to fully monitor this usage.

Parental control software allows you to monitor who your children are communicating with via email, chat sites, and instant messages. In addition, it allows you to actually view what your children are viewing on the internet through the use of recorded screen shots. Parental control software allows you to log websites your children visit that contain keywords you have selected. SurveilStar parental control software is easy to install and set up.

The goal of parental control software is not to violate your children’s right to interact with their friends but to learn of any problems early so they can be dealt with quickly before any real harm can come to your child.

After parents have learnt the cyber safety facts and tips, they must believe that it is necessary to install a parental control software on their local computer for protecting kids from cyber dangers.

SurveilStar Parental Control Software is an ultimate invisible and undetectable easy-to-use activity monitoring and surveillance tool (surveillance software) for individual PCs. Focus on monitoring visited websites, received and sent emails, instant messages and transferred files let you keep an eye on your children online activities.

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World of Warcraft Tips For Beginners – Useful WoW Secrets

World of Warcraft is one of the deepest online environments ever created and for that reason more than a few million people have taken up residence there. There are thousands of tips and tricks to help you enjoy the game a little better, so let’s take a look at some of the basics out there that will help you right away to have more fun when getting started.

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Reading Your Quest Journal

This is almost a no-brainer, but there is a journal that keeps careful track of what you are doing and how much of it you have done. If you simply type “L” you open your quest journal and have instant access to all of your current quests. It keeps you from earning the scorn and insult of your fellow gamers for asking unnecessary questions. The quest journal not only keeps track of what you’re doing, but where you need to be going.

Talk to City Guards

In every city there are NPC guards everywhere. They are perfect for finding directions to things in the massive cities of Azeroth. They not only give you immediate directions to wherever you are going, but they put a little flag on your map to remind you later and keep you from bugging anyone else. If you have any questions that seem slightly too simple to harass other players with, ask a city guard and you should be able to get to where you’re going.

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Trade Skills Have Complements

Don’t randomly choose skills and professions when you get started. If you do, you risk missing the chance to choose the chosen complementary skill and maximize your efficiency. If you choose blacksmithing for example, the complementary gathering skill is mining. If you chose herbalism instead though, you would need to purchase all of your blacksmithing materials from a vendor or another player, wasting large sums of gold in the process.

Auto Run is Useful

Many people don’t realize or see that they can turn auto run on easily with the Num Lock key. It keeps you from holding down the run key though and will save you large amounts of time and energy when you’re trying to chat, check your inventory and run at the same time.

Quests are Not Stuck on Race

One thing many people get wrong about the game is that they are stuck with the quests designed for their race. You are not required to only take the Night Elf quests if you are a Night Elf. No matter which race you are, you can utilize any of a variety of different quests from across Azeroth. If you were a human or dwarf for example, you can travel to Teldrassil where quests are easier and quicker to complete. For new players, that means a much quicker approach to the leveling up early in the game.

For those interested in getting started in World of Warcraft there are hundreds of things that could help you. The best thing you can do though is to simply talk to your fellow players and get a little advice. It will make you feel a lot better if you don’t make a fool out of yourself or waste hours of valuable time.

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World of Warcraft Tips

One of the biggest mistakes most WoW players make is just jumping into the game and trying to kill everything in sight! Their friends tell them that they can make a boat load of wow gold by finding the best spots for grinding. If they run out of gold, just go buy some more from the Chinese farmers! Crazy, isn’t it? Well the best thing to do is concentrate on the basic tips given here and that will lead you to really enjoying the game, World of Warcraft as it should be.

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Tip 1 -First and foremost, Read the Quest Journal

This can simply be done by hitting the “L” key on your keyboard. This will open up your Quest Journal. This contains almost all the info you need to figure out whatever quest your given. Check it from the start of your quest and check it often throughout the game as your quest levels up. The journal also gives you precise directions needed to get you where you need to go. Read Your Quest Journal!

Tip 2 -Use The City Guards, They are your friends.

Instead of clogging up the general chat channels asking people for directions in hub cities, just simply ask a city guard! They will give you directions to almost everything within the
city and even give you a flag in your mini-map.

Tip 3 -Remember that every trade skill in WoW has a complement.

As most World of Warcraft players know, you can only learn two professional trade skills. Remember that fishing, cooking, first aid and a few others do not count! Also, be aware that except for enchanting and tailoring, every skill has a gathering and crafting skill. Such as with blacksmithing, it requires raw materials that can only be had by mining. So be sure to pick the appropriate skill from the start. Otherwise, you will end up buying materials at auction or trying to trade for finished goods. Not a good place to be.

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Tip 4 -Auto Run. The Number Lock Key turns it on.

You would really be surprised as to how many World of Warcraft players forget to use their auto run. This is your best friend! During long runs, you can check your quest long or futzing with your inventory to see where you stand and even chat with friends.

Tip 5 -Make Sure you control your Pets.

This only applies to the pet classes, Warlocks and Hunters. The mistake that most WoW gamers make is leaving their pets on the aggressive mode. Remember that your pets are tools and are to be used for specific purposes. Leaving them in the aggressive mode lets them attack without discretion and draws a lot of monster attention to your group. Unfortunately, doing this can mean death for the group and a long boring corpse run.

Stay tuned for Part 2

PS. Remember that using WoW cheats and hacks can get you banned! It is best to learn the game the way it was truly made to be enjoyed. Once you get the hang of it, you can really start wow leveling and making wow gold faster than ever before.

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World of Warcraft Gold Tips

With a subscriber base of over 9 million as of December 2007, World of Warcraft is an amazingly popular game with a thriving economy. For many new players, however, making gold is a difficult and time consuming task. So let’s look at some of the things you can do to speed the process up…

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#1: Make use of your quest journal

When you do quests, always remember that there is a journal to keep track of what you are doing (you access it with the “L” key). This way, you don’t need to ask other players what to do, and you’ll know what to do. Also, make use of thottbot. This is an unofficial WoW database and can give you more clear instructions for what you need to do on quests.

#2: Strike up conversation with city guards

In all cities and towns across Azeroth, there are guards. Many players don’t do it, but you can actually talk to these guards to get directions. Then, once you talk to the guards, you’ll have a red flag on your map where your destination is (this helps you avoid having to ask other players for directions).

#3: Make use of complement skills

When you choose skills and professions for your character, you need to think about what kind of complementary skills you should get. For the blacksmith profession, for example, the complementary skill is mining (one of the most common professions). If you choose a less common profession like herbalism then you won’t have the mining skills and you’ll need to buy your materials instead.

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#4: Make use of auto-run whenever possible

Auto-run (activated by the “Num Lock” key) is essential for traveling long distances. It allows your character to run automatically, so you can get to your destination even when you are away from the keyboard. It also allows you to do other things (like check your inventory) while traveling to your destination.

#5: Do all kinds of quests

It is important to realize that you can participate in a variety of quests around Azeroth no matter what race you are. While your profession and race will be more useful in some quests than others, it doesn’t stop you from being able to take part in other quests. By doing a wide variety of quests you’ll be able to gain more experience and level up faster.

Finally, you can always invest in a strategy guide or just buy gold outright if you don’t want to have to do the work yourself.

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Car Accidents in Los Angeles: Tips from a Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer

If I have an auto accident, do I have to stop?

Yes. California law says you must stop—whether the accident involves a pedestrian, a moving car, a parked car or someone’s property. If you drive away, you can be charged with hit and run even if the accident was not your fault.

You must also exchange information with the other driver—your name and driver’s license number, the vehicle identification number of the car you are driving, the name and address of the car’s owner, the name and address of your insurance company and your insurance policy number (or other evidence of financial responsibility, such as a bond posted with the Department of Motor Vehicles).

Hit-and-run penalties are severe. Depending on the damage or injuries, you may be fined, sent to jail or both. You also could lose your driver’s license.

If you hit a parked car or other property, try to find the owner or driver. If you cannot, the law says you may drive away only after you leave behind, in a conspicuous place, your name, address and an explanation of the accident, and the name and address of your car’s owner (if other than yourself).

You also must notify the local police or California Highway Patrol (CHP) either by telephone or in person as soon as possible.

You must call the police or the CHP if the accident caused a death or injury. An officer who comes to the scene of the accident will conduct an investigation. If an officer doesn’t show up, you must make a written report on a form available at the police department or CHP office as soon as possible.

What should I do if someone is injured?

The law requires you to give reasonable assistance to anyone who is injured. For example, you may need to call an ambulance, take the injured person to a doctor or hospital, or give first aid—if you know how.

If you are not trained in the appropriate first aid procedures, do not move someone who is badly hurt; you might make the injury worse. However, you should move someone who is in danger of being hurt worse or killed (for example, in a car fire) even if you do make the injury worse.

To help prevent additional collisions, try to warn other motorists that an accident has occurred. Placing flares on the road (only if there are no flammable fluids or items nearby), turning on your car’s hazard lights and lifting the engine hood are usually good ways to warn others on the road. Arrange to get help for anyone who is injured, and try not to panic.

How can I get help?

As soon as you can get to a telephone, call 911. Explain the situation and give the exact location of the accident, so that help can arrive quickly. Be sure to mention whether you need an ambulance or a fire engine.

Remain on the telephone until the operator tells you it is okay to hang up. Or, flag down a passing car and ask the driver to go for help. The driver may have a cellular phone in the car and can make an emergency call on the spot.

What information should I gather at the accident scene?

Since many records now are confidential under the law, you may not be able to obtain the information that you want from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). So be sure to get as much correct and complete information as you can at the scene of the accident.

You and the other driver should show each other your driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations. Then you should write down:

The other driver’s name, address, date of birth, telephone number, driver’s license number and expiration date, and insurance company.

The other car’s make, year, model, license plate number and expiration date, and vehicle identification number.

The names, addresses, telephone numbers and insurance companies of the other car’s legal and registered owners—if the driver does not own the car.

The names, addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and telephone numbers of any passengers in the other car.

The names, addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses to the accident. Ask them to stay to talk to the CHP or police. If they insist on leaving, ask them to tell you what they saw and write everything down.

Try to identify people at the accident scene, even if they will not give their names. For example, if someone who saw the accident drives off, take down his or her license plate number. Law enforcement officials can trace the owner’s name and address.

The name and badge number of the law officer who comes to the accident scene. Ask the officer where and when you can get a copy of any accident report.

A simple diagram of the accident. Draw the positions of both cars before, during and after the accident.

If there are skid marks on the road, pace them off. Draw them on the diagram, noting the distance they cover. Mark the positions of any crosswalks, stop signs, traffic lights or streetlights. If you have a camera with you, take pictures of the scene, and of the other drivers and occupants.

However, do not place yourself in a position of danger in order to complete an accident diagram. Be aware of traffic conditions and skip any measurements that could place you in a position of harm.

Make notes, too, on weather and road conditions.

If the accident happened after dark, note whether the streetlights were on. Estimate your speed and that of the other vehicle. Be sure to record the exact time, date and place the accident happened.

If I think the accident was my fault, should I say so?

Do not volunteer any information about who was to blame for the accident. You may think you are in the wrong and then learn that the other driver is as much or more to blame than you are. You should first talk to your insurance agent, your lawyer or both. Anything you say to the police or the other driver can be used against you later.

Do not agree to pay for damages or sign any paper except a traffic ticket (see #6) until you check with your insurance company or lawyer.

However, be sure to cooperate with the police officer investigating the case. But, stick to the facts.

For instance, if you were driving 30 miles an hour, say so. Do not say, “I wasn’t speeding.”

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Dog Lovers Gift – Tips for Quick, Successful Shopping

Dog lover gifts – are you searching for a gift for a friend that is difficult to buy for? Is this person a dog owner? Canine owners are very easy to please, just choose something for their pet.

Dog gift baskets and personalized dog gifts are ideal. For any special occasion, there is really no shortage of ideas for the pet owner.

Breed specific gifts like t-shirts, sweat shirts, jerseys, coffee mugs, pictures, key chains and mouse pads are favorites with dog owners. This is a category that is very large and although they are not particularly unique or unusual dog gifts, they are very popular.

Gift Baskets

Make up a dog gift basket with things you have made such as baked treats, knitted items. Your dog loving friend will really appreciate this thoughtful gesture and will likely get that bark of approval from their four legged friend. Or make a theme based basket – grooming – training items – tasty treats – toys. A gift basket with all sorts of random canine items is a great present.

Personalized Gifts for Dogs

Customize a dog bed with the pet dog’s name, a classy ID tag, stationary, keepsake boxes, ceramic dog bowls and calendars. A nice gesture would be to have a portrait of their best buddy framed.

Something for the household would be an ideal and practical dog lover present. A wide range of choices are available such as towels, aprons, door mats, pictures, calendars, posters, stationary, key chains, fridge magnets, pillows, clocks, night lamps.

For people that like to pamper their pet there is no shortage of designer options for those with a taste for up-scale products. For that chic doggy, designer apparel, designer dog carrier or tote, designer dog bed, jewelry, a day at the spa would all get a thumbs up from the owner and a wag of the tail from the pet dog.

A dog lovers gift of health care products may be important to your friend. A present of vitamin and mineral dog supplements which could be put into a nice gift basket, a coat to keep the dog snuggly and warm, organic goodies or treats, organic bedding, these would most likely all get an enthusiastic approval.

Grooming supplies are always nice and so many to choose from. Some come nicely packaged with shampoos and conditioners. A spritz to keep that doggy smelling wonderful between baths. Some are flea repellent. How about a doggy spa, what pet owner would not want to pamper their faithful friend and make bath time fun. It cuts the time of bathing a dog in half will keep the temperature just right making it the perfect dog lovers gift.

Last but not least are dog toys. There is an endless selection of playthings. Training toys, interactive dog toys, plush toys, chew toys and many more.

Other Options…books, cds, agility gifts, dog collars, leads, training aids, tickets for a dog show,

Still not sure, how about a gift certificate?

It is nice to have some ideas before you go shopping. I hope that this has been helpful. It is quick and easy if you decide to do your shopping online. You do not have to trudge through the mall and fight the crowds to find that ideal dog lovers gift.

Have some fun with it! Happy Shopping!

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