The following are tips to reduce unwanted mail.

1. Be selective in the charity you are giving to. Even some of the more “well known” charities sell their list of subscribers. It dosen’t make any difference the amount you give. Even the smallest donation gets you on their list of donors.

2. Always include a statement with your donation making it clear that all future donations will be predicated in not giving out your name to other organizations.

3. If you are getting a large amount of mail from certain charities, write to them. Tell them they are wasting their money sending you multiple mailings. Ask to have your name removed from their list. This might not happen because the mailing you received might have come from a “bought list”. Often they do not keep these lists after a mailing.

4. Contact the Direct Mailing Association and request your name be removed from all of their direct mailing companies they are associated with. You can also write to:

Mail Preference Services
Direct Marketing Association
P. O. Box 642
Carmel, NY 10512

How many times have to got an email from some charitable organization that seemed so legitimate? It seems some charities are not what they appear to be.

Recently, Daniel Borochoff, of the American Instiute of Philanthropy, made a testimony to the House Committe on Oversight and Government Reform Hearing on Veteran Charities. It will amaze you when you read about the poor performance of some of these charities. The institute grades charities in several different catagories. The worst two performing charity catagories are Veterans & military, and Crime & fire.

No matter what your stand on the current involvement of our military, our troops are getting wounded. Moms and dads are getting killed. They deserve more than they are getting. It seems a lot of supposed “veteran charities” are becoming wealthy playing on peoples sympathies. You would be suprised at how little of your donations actually get to help our veterans. So check out the charity you donate to before giving.

You can go to AIP’s (American Institute of Philanthropy) website and find a rating for the charity you may be giving to. Charitywatch.org

Your Mail Box is one of the most neglected places of the home. There are several things you should check to see if it is in compliance with your local Post Office. You want to be sure you mail gets delivered and insure the safety of your mail as well as your carrier. Many carriers have been injured by improper mail boxes. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts.

* Keep it free from hornet and wasp nests. Be sure the lid closes properly.
* Be sure the lock is in good working order if it’s required.
* Don’t have anything delivered to it that is not actual mail ( news papers, anything that dosen’t have postal stamps, common carrier deliveries ie: fedex-ups etc.)
* The box must be kept clear so the Postal Carrier can get to it.
* Be sure it’s installed in the proper area and side of street.
* Be sure it’s secured firmly and weather resistant.
* Have the box size coincide with the amount and type of mail you receive.
The carrier can refuse to deliver mail if he/she feels they could be injured by doing so. Sometimes mean dogs or unsafe sidewalks can be an example of this. Remember, that when the mail is placed into your mail box it the becomes your property. The liability of the postal service ends when it is delivered. Always have your mail held if you are going to be away from your home for an extended period of time.

If you have any questions or problems, contact your local Postmaster. They will be happy to assist you in any way.

THINK ABOUT IT

Back again tauting another Biometric product. They really have done some great research and development. It’s called “Access Q”.

It’s a fingerprint access to several different applications. It’s so versatile because it can be programmed into so many points of access to your business. It can limit anyone to just one area of a building or program. It can let a person access at certian times or devices. In other words, it let you completely control ALL access to any area or part of your intelligence of your business by fingerprint information.

You can gain more information to their website: usbiometrics.com.

THINK ABOUT IT!

Are you sometimes confused with all the passwords you have? Well, US Biometrics has developed a unique way to log on to your your different programs secured by your finger print!

It’s called “The Q”. It’s a small devise that reads your finger print to log on to your different programs no matter how many passwords you have. All you do is touch the devise to read your finder print after you have installed “The Q”.

This eliminates the need to enter passwords, pins or user names for the many programs you may be using. Most people have all these passwords written down somewhere which could compromise your security by allowing someone access to them.

The devise works with most web sites and software applications and is easy to use. The cost is not expensive at only $39.99. You can order the devise over the net at: usbiometrics.com or by phone at: 1-877-theq.

I have not used this devise as yet so this blog IS NOT an endorsement but simply a note to check it out for yourself.

THINK ABOUT IT!

The third level of protection is interior sensors. If some how a burglar were to enter your premises without setting your alarm off you should have interior devices. These may be PIR’s (passive infra-red detectors), video surveilance cameras, infra-red beams, or pressure mat sensors.

PIR’s are sometimes called motion detectors. They send out an infrar-red beam and when that beam is interupted it sets off the alarm. They are really better than ultra-sound motion sensors beacause they are passive which means they will not interfear with other devices. Ultra-sound devices can “talk to each other” thereby setting off a possible alarm or interfearing with each other.

You can have several different PIR’s depending on the location and what it is to detect. Some are 90, 180, or 360 degree coverage. Some can be set so that it will not pick up certain pets. They act on heat so it will not detect anything over a certain size or weight.

Infra-red beam detectors send out a beam and when the beam is broken it sounds the alarm. They have their limitations as to where they can be placed or used.

Video cameras can be used both inside and outside of the building. They also can have a motion sensor in them and can record a video record on a video recorder when the motion detector sensors something. They can also be set to run at certain times only or continously. There are two types of video recorders, VCR or DVR. The VCR records the information on a video tape while the DVR records the information digitally. DVR’s are usually more expensive, but they can record longer periods of time.

Before installing a security system have your sales associate explain all of these options with you.
THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!

When thinking about having a security system installed there are 6 aspects to consider. I will be listing each and discussing the values of each in the next few weeks.

Basically they are: (1) yard signs & window/door decals, (2) perimeter window & door contacts, (3) interior protection devices, (4) fire protection,(5) carbon monoxide detectors, (6) special partitions.

The yard signs & window decals are very important. It lets a would be thief know you are protected by an alarm system. A burglar does not want to encounter an alarm system because first it limits the time he has to steal from you and there is a good possibility he will get caught.

Would you break into a house with an alarm system when your neighbor does not have one??? Which one would you burglarize??? Place your signs & decals on all sides of the house so your home cannot be approached by someone and not know you have an alarm system.

My last post was about documenting your valuables. Here is my recommendation as to the best way to do it.

There are several companies that do video taping in your home or business confirming the ownership of your valuables. Needless to say, be careful as to which one you pick. Be sure they are bonded and have a security background check. It wouldn’t even hurt to contact your local police about them.

They may store the results on a Video Tape or C D. Either way, be sure they make two copies of your video recording.

Before you have them to video your valuables get “certified” appraisals of any unique items. Have full descriptions of each to help further identify or confirm the value of the item. Have each item numbered on the video tape or CD to make identifying easier. This will also help to make a more accurate report to your insurance company if you have a loss. Items will not be accidentally omitted if you have consecutive numbers.

Keep two copies. Keep one in your safety deposit box and submit the other to your attorney.

The initial loss after a burglary, fire or natural disaster is usually not the only loss you have. Very few people have their valuables documented and have this verification in a safe place.

Yes, you have insurance. They will only pay you for what you can document that you owned that particular item. If you have a loss you have to fill out a list of all the items you lost. Usually they want this within the 30 days or less after your loss.

Believe me, I’ve been a statistic of a home burglary. We discovered many items months later that were stolen. I racked my brain trying to give a complete list to the insurance company and I still missed all these items.

If you don’t have any records of your valuables it is quite likely you will miss entering several items on your loss list. Weeks or months later after you have “settled” with the insurance company you will look for an item and it’s not to be found. You have settled with the insurance company and this loss can not be recovered. So it is really important to keep accurate records of your valuables.

Document all your possessions. Pictures are a good way of documenting items. Collections, antiques, artwork, securities, bank records, insurance certificates, the list goes on. Keep these records in a safety deposit box so if you do have a fire or natural disaster it will be safe.

Some criminals watch the newspaper for certain events; weddings, funerals, births, retirements etc.

Here’s an example: John Doe and Mary Smith will be Wed at St. Mary’s church January 15 at 6:00 pm and will be honeymooning on a cruise in the Caribbean for two weeks following the reception. This means that all the nice wedding presents, still in their boxes, will be waiting for a burglar.

Unfortunately, many burglaries have taken place while you are attending a loved ones funeral. Leave someone at home during this time.

If you are planning an extended vacation or such, share your story in the newspapers after you come home. It will make a better story anyway. Don’t put information in the newspapers that will invite a burglar to your home.