On Guard Against Identity Theft: Basic Facts

Identity theft is generally considered to be the fastest-growing crime in the United States. The term itself refers to obtaining and using the personal identifying information of another person in order to fraudulently obtain goods and services. Personal identifying information includes things such as your name, date of birth, and Social Security number.

Roughly 700,000 people a year become victims of this crime. However, it is continually on the rise, with thieves employing a wide gamut of tactics from sophisticated online "phishing" scams to low-tech strategies like dumpster-diving. Thus, It is becoming more common - especially since the advent of the information age, when so much vital info about the world - and each other - is practically at our fingertips. That being the case, it goes without saying that practically anyone can become a victim.

The most common form of identity theft is credit card fraud; it is estimated to cost consumers hundreds of millions - some say billions - of dollars per year. Next is utilities fraud, followed by bank fraud. Credit card fraud can be particularly insidious, as you may not discover for quite some time that someone has, for instance, opened a new line of credit in your name and charged thousands of dollars to the account before leaving you stuck with the bill.

There are ways to protect yourself from identity theft. Credit monitoring, for instance, is absolutely critical to identity theft defense. Fortunately, you can obtain a free credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) annually. Thus, you can get a free copy of your credit report - one from a different credit-reporting agency - every four months. Likewise, regularly checking and balancing your bank account statements will also help you stay abreast of any irregularities that could be indicative of identity theft.

If you are already the victim of identity theft, it can be a long and arduous road getting back to some semblance of normalcy. On average, it is believed that it takes victims of identity theft six months to a year (and sometimes longer) to get matters rectified to some reasonable extent. This includes trying to recover money taken from bank accounts, as well as avoiding liability for goods and services that were never purchased or received (at least by the victim). Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire method to avoid becoming a victim. All you can do is take what precautions you can in order to mount a adequate identity theft defense. Just remember: it's easier to avoid becoming a victim than to recover from being one. In other words, this is truly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

4 Techniques Thieves Utilize To Acquire Your Personal Identity Via The Telephone

Identity thieves have gotten quite sophisticated over the years. As reported by IBM's X-Force Trend and Risk Report fraudulent emails rerouting consumers to a bogus site also known as phishing is rising. It does not stop there however. There has been a surge in online server break ins. Not surprisingly the same is true for mobile phones given that many people have gotten rid of the traditional land line and are now using their cell exclusively.

Whichever sort of phone someone uses identity thieves have a scam for it. And it's not like they have to break into it either. Speaking with you directly often produces the best results simply because it works on a number of emotions not to mention the immediacy of the issue. Some of these are

1. You Owe The Internal Revenue Service

Very few things can scare you like getting a call from the Internal Revenue Service. The scammer states that something was wrong with your tax information from this year or previous ones. In order to stop an audit, a severe fiscal fine or even going to prison it is critical that you cooperate with this fake representative.

They take the gamble that after giving you this spiel that you will be to shook up to do anything else. So you begin to provide the maximum amount of private information as is possible.

2. Jury Duty

A bench warrant has been issued for your arrest. You had jury duty on whatever day and failed to appear. Saying you never got a summons of any sort doesn't work. The sheriff's office is on the way. they ask to verify some information. After doing that they state that they will verify everything is correct and get back to you.

3. The Process Servers

This could be by means of a subpoena or an alleged debt. Like the IRS and jury duty scam, the thief can be quite demanding. This notice has to be delivered to you immediately so they need to check the home address and ensure you will be there. To your temporary relief the home address doesn't match what's on their records and so they decide to verify the social security number.

4. Congratulations You Won

It's an ancient con however it can still get the job done. Especially on senior citizens considered to be one of the segments most targeted by identity thieves. You have won a sweepstakes of some kind. The award will be sent to you right away but first the "agent" will need you to provide answers to the following questions.

Protect Yourself From Becoming a Victim of Crimes You Don't Commit

As the fastest growing and one of the most insidious consumer crimes in the United States, identity theft affects nearly ten million people every year. That's about 30,000 identities stolen every day. These are alarming statistics, but even worse is that some of these identity theft victims are arrested for crimes committed in their good name.

Take, for example, a case in which an Indiana man named Jeff Goldsmith was arrested for allegedly abusing his girlfriend's six-year-old son so badly that the child had to go to the hospital. Trouble is, Goldsmith didn't have a girlfriend, let alone a six-year-old son. In fact, he had been married for twenty years and hadn't visited the city where the alleged abuse occurred in over two years. The identity thief used Goldsmith's identity to rack up charges and then subsequently commit a brutal crime-all in Goldsmith's name. After seeing Goldsmith the mother of the actual victim confirmed that he indeed was not the man who abused her son. In like so many other ID theft cases, the real criminal remains unidentified.

Looking back, Goldsmith realized that he could have avoided becoming an identity theft victim if he would have paid more attention to the warning signs. He had received a phone bill and an insurance bill for a vehicle he didn't own. After calling the companies to clear-up the charges, Goldsmith signed-up for ID theft insurance and began monitoring his credit reports more closely. Unfortunately for Goldsmith, the identity thief was able to continue to use his identity to commit fraud and elude police following the abuse allegations.

But what about the ID theft insurance? And the credit monitoring? Goldsmith found out the hard way that identity theft insurance only covers some of the expenses to deal with the aftermath of ID theft. It does nothing to prevent it. Credit monitoring, although important, only shows unauthorized charges and damages after they have occurred. So, what could Goldsmith have done to avoid becoming another ID theft victim?

He could have been more proactive. Most ID theft protection companies only monitor credit and send alerts when someone's credit is checked. Of course, this often occurs for completely legitimate reasons as well, such as when someone (using his or her real identity) applies for a loan. Credit monitoring services and ID theft insurance companies simply do not address the root of the problem-before it becomes a real problem and claims another identity theft victim.

After all, one of the problems with ID theft is that once you're a victim you're guilty until proven innocent. Police officers are simply doing their jobs when they arrest ID theft victims. But the fallout for the victims can be devastating. Studies show that it can take three to five years and more than $1,300 to restore a stolen identity.

The only real solution is to use an identity theft prevention and recovery service that proactively prevents identity theft from occurring in the first place. Entrust America, a company that was created by law enforcement professionals for law enforcement, is the only service that both prevents ID theft and guarantees to restore identity theft victims to pre-theft status.

Too many ID theft victims unknowingly put their trust in services that masquerade as ID theft prevention or, worse, do not invest in a service to protect their identity at all. As in the tragic case of Jeff Goldsmith, it's obvious how the right ID theft prevention service could have prevented his nightmare.

Don't become another identity theft victim. Learn more about protecting your identity by visiting http://www.TheIdentityAdvocate.com or calling 310.831.4400.

Keeping Alert for Identity Theft

When your identity is stolen, it can be disastrous. A thief can use your identity to steal money, make purchases, and engage in a number of other illicit activities. Most Americans live constantly in fear of identity theft, yet it is becoming increasingly common for taxpayers to fall victim to tax scams designed to steal their identity.

There is certain information that all taxpayers should keep in mind. With these key facts, taxpayers can ensure that they correctly identify, and avoid, identity theft tax scams.

1. The IRS never communicates by email. First and foremost, remember that the Internal Revenue Service will never communicate with a taxpayer through email. If you ever receive tax-related correspondence in your email inbox - even if it claims urgency or a need for direct payment of supposed tax debt - it is advisable to consider it a scam.

For any suspicious paper correspondence, first contact the IRS first to determine if it is a legitimate correspondence. If it is legitimate, you may reply as needed. However, if it is not legitimate, contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

2. Keep alert for Social Security Number theft. Taxpayers should always carefully monitor, and keep a comprehensive record, of any correspondence with the IRS. Sometimes it may become clear due to the nature of an IRS letter that an identity thief has stolen your Social Security Number.

In particular, these suspicious letters could include alerts pertaining to unpaid taxes related to a job you do not hold. Often an identity thief may appropriate another individuals Social Security Number in order to get a job. This can then make it appear as though the real individual did not declare all of their income on their tax return.

3. Lost or Stolen Possessions. Sometimes standard theft, such as a mugging or home break-in, can make you susceptible to identity theft. This is particularly true if the thief stole a wallet that contained a driver's license or credit cards.

If you think you might be a victim of identity theft, contact the IRS as soon as possible with proof of your identity. Do not wait to receive an inaccurate letter from the IRS. Instead, ensure that the IRS knows the risk and is aware, to avoid you receiving any undue charges. Submit a copy of a valid Federal or State issued identification, or a completed Form 14039, IRS Identity Theft Affidavit.

Proposed Law Offers Protection of Social Security Numbers and Medicaid

In this day and age, when you think of identity theft you automatically think about computers and losing your personal information over the web digitally, but there are many other ways you could have your identity stolen. Aside from computers, the easiest way to have your identity stolen is through the use of physical media like your drivers license, Social Security card, or your Medicare card, and this is why one Senator is fighting to have personal identification numbers removed from important documents.

Change is needed

Do you carry your Social Security card around with you? What happens if and you lose, or have your wallet or purse stolen? A identity thief would easily be able to steal your identity if you had your social security card in it. Most people now leave their personal identification cards at home, but what about the millions of people who are currently on Medicare?

The many millions who currently participate in the Medicare program have to carry around their Medicare card with them. The Medicare card has both the patients SSN and date of birth printed on the card, and that is a major cause for concern. Luckily one Senator has seen the light, and is now working towards changing this.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, (Democrat from New York) is seeking to stop the use of Social Security numbers on Medicare cards. Senator Gillibrand is shocked that the Medicare cards still have patients Social Security numbers, and dates of birth on them. Gillibrand said that use of personal identification numbers on the Medicare cards puts millions of people at a major risk when it comes to having their identity stolen/ Gillibrand is now hoping that the new bill will put an end to the use of Social Security numbers on the cards.

A new plan for protection

Many believe that Social Security numbers are over used, and that they are being used beyond their intended purpose. There are 33 states right now that prohibit the the use of personal identification numbers on insurance cards, simply because are not needed for patients to receive treatment.

The new legislation which is called the Social Security Number Protection Act, would make it so that Social Security numbers could not be used on a federal level. This means that new Medicare cards would not have these numbers on them, which would also mean that the millions of citizens on the Medicare program could carry their cards without having to worry about getting their number or their identity stolen.

Social Security numbers are invaluable to both you, and to identity thieves because they act as personal identification. When your SSN is used with your date of birth, identity thieves could easily open credit cards, or get other lines of credit with your personal information. If this were to happen your good name will quickly turn sour. This is why Senator Gillibrand is fighting for the new protection act.

How to protect yourself

If you are currently on Medicare, and you are worried about carrying the Medicare card around with you, there is something you can do to protect your information.

If you have access to a scanner, or photocopier, simply make a copy of both sides of your Medicare card. Once you have copied the card, cut the copies out of the paper. Carefully cut the last four digits of your personal identification number out of the card. Then simply glue the front of the card to the copy of the back.

Now you have a copy of your Medicare card that does not have your entire Social Security number on it. You can carry this card around with you knowing that if you lose, or have your purse, or wallet stolen, nobody will have access to your full Social Security number. You will still be able to receive treatment when presenting this card at hospitals and current doctors.

Keep your real Medicare card (or any important document) in a safe place, like a fire proof safe in your home. The only time you will have to take the Medicare card out with you is when you visit a new doctor for the first time. Follow these simple steps and be one step ahead of the identity thieves.

TrustedID Reviews: Credit Card Monitoring Services

Why TrustedID? No one can really know what a service can do to help you in times of bad timing. You would only find it out when you yourself are in the bad situation. But would you take the risk? If you could only know which identity theft service is willing to help you all the way before finding out they aren't what you expected it would have saved you a lot of money and would have saved your job. So here are the TrustedID reviews in terms of services and advantages collected based on a long-time operation of TrustedID identity theft protection service.

Credit card monitoring. Identity thefts according to police reports target holders as the easiest prey. Admit it or not a lot of people do not spend a lot of time checking their recent credits and purchases. They only take a second glance once there have been calls from merchandisers for debt follow-up. Unconsciously to most of us, once we use it there is a high probability that we are being "skimmed" by identity thefts, a process by which hackers can obtain our information and use it in a number of malicious ways.

What do identity thefts do with our personal information and credit card numbers? Most of the time they use it to open a new account and purchase expensive and easy to dispose things like television so they can sell it afterwards. If you file for loans or credit and being denied or have been receiving calls from people you do not know, then probably you may have been a victim of identity theft.

Credit card monitoring therefore is a kind of pre-emptive step in order to know whether there are any suspicious changes or alteration in your credit card history. According to TrustedID reviews, TrustedID has direct access to the three credit reporting agencies, namely Equifax, Experian and Transunion. Other protection services offer only reports from one or two agencies. These three agencies offer a comprehensive report of past and recent history of any card holder. TrustedID gathers report from these agencies daily and in turn update their customers with recent changes and warnings in their credit card.

Once for example that a malicious activity has been found in your credit card report, TrustedID can immediately "freeze" your credit card in all the three bureaus. This of course will be under your discretion, since "locking" all your credit files mean no companies or any other third parties can gain access to it. You also have to contact TrustedID if you want to "unlock" your files to open a new credit card account. If you choose to do this manually, going to the three bureaus and filing for each process will be taking a lot of your time. Although this would require a service charge (amount varies depending on the state), you will know that this pre-emptive step will be fast and simple to initiate. A lot of reports from TrustedID reviews found this very effectual.

You Are Under Arrest, Until You Can Figure Things Out

I have come to the realization that I don't know very much about the law and what my particular rights are as a citizen. I thought I did before September 23rd, 2011; after all I had taken all the classes in high school and college to prove that I did know. I even stayed awake for those classes and passed all the necessary tests.

So why was I sitting in a jail cell feeling confused, alone and forgotten?

On September 23rd, 2011, I was pulled over because I was at a bus stop in my vehicle. I knew better than to do that, the particular area where I live is notorious for giving people tickets in excess of $250 for being anywhere near a bus stop zone with your vehicle. So I pulled off almost as soon as I had pulled up to it and told my partner, I would drive around the block and come back to pick her up.

I hadn't even gotten my truck back into the lane when I saw the red, white and blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror indicating I needed to pull over. My son was in the backseat and I knew I had nothing to worry about save for an expensive ticket lesson to remind me to stay away from bus stops.

The Sheriff exited his car and came up on my driver's side to speak with me through my window. I immediately started in explaining that my vehicle wasn't actually turned off, that I had merely pulled up alongside the bus stop to drop someone off and was going to circle the block to pick them back up. He smiled, probably having heard all types of excuses when people are trying to get out of a ticket. In this case I had told the truth, that is what happened. No problem I was told, he still wanted to see my license and registration. I acquiesced, giving him my license and explaining that since it was a new vehicle I hadn't received the official registration as yet, but I had the temp one in the window that car dealers place until you get the actual registration in the mail.

He took all of my information in hand back to his squad car. By now a second car had pulled up, something about protocol and backing up the first squad car which has made the original stop. I was peering in my side mirror to see what was going on, I knew I had nothing to worry about, I was clean, there was nothing on my license. I watched him as he exited his car, give a look to the other officer who was now standing adjacent to my vehicle, a look which indicated everything was indeed not all right.

When he returned to my driver's side door, he asked if I could step outside. Sure I had responded, not a problem, no drugs or illegal stuff in my car. I think I was even smiling trying to prove to my son there was nothing to fear from our law enforcement, especially if you are an upstanding citizen. I stepped out and away from my vehicle to give him total access to search if he needed, but what he then instructed me to do was to place my hands behind my back.

I wasn't under arrest he explained, but I did have a warrant in another city which he had to investigate further. By now I was in shock and racking my brain as to what I could have done. I pulled over when I was told, I provided all the requested information and I was compliant throughout the stop. Oh but wait, he said a warrant, nothing to do with the stop itself. My confusion instantaneously turned into fear. There was also a look of fear on my partners face who by now had walked down the block when she hadn't seen me circle back around. I couldn't see my sons face, it was obscured by the tinted glass at the rear passenger seat.

I was placed in handcuffs and into the back of the Sheriff's squad car to wait, wonder and worry. He returned a short while later, indeed it was a valid warrant for Grand Theft and he had to take me, in order to get processed. This is a mistake, I have done nothing wrong. You have to check again I kept repeating.

Then it hit me, in 2009 our home was robbed. Our vital information was taken when our bags were stolen along with other items from the home. We had done all the traditional cancellation of credit cards, but there was nothing we could do as far as we knew about the drivers licenses and social security cards that were taken except order new ones. I didn't know anything about the concept of criminal identity theft at that time.

I was taken in, held overnight and allowed to bail out once we posted the $2,000 bond. The law doesn't care anything about your nonexistent past record, the fact that you are a business owner, church goer, volunteer or all around upstanding citizen who is the victim of criminal identity theft. They care about what information comes back on that screen when they run you. I am still dealing with the remnants of the arrest. I have to go to court to clear my name and present my original report and subsequent information from the 2009 robbery. It's a headache to go through, but necessary.

I don't hold any grudge towards law enforcement. They did what they had to do, I know better than to blame someone for doing their job, even though that night I felt as though they were the enemy. However, I am leery and nervous when I see a squad car in the lane next to me as I am driving. Now I get it, what people say about not even wanting to have any needless interaction with law enforcement no matter the reason. That fear won't go away any time soon for me either.

For me, this was a lesson in what my rights are, and I am determined to gain enough knowledge about what my specific rights are, because I have no intention of living in fear of people committing the crime or those who are in place to protect me.

A Review of Krolls Identity Theft Shield Program

A Review of Kroll's

Since the 1990's, identity theft has grown to be a major criminal problem throughout the United States and Canada. It has resulted in thousands of dollars being lost by both business and individuals and ending up in the hands of criminals. Not only has it resulted in immediate financial losses, but it has also resulted in damaging the solid reputations of innocent victims and left them with destroyed credit histories that has prevented career advancements and home purchases. Identity theft has become one of the major problems facing society in the 21st Century.

Realizing that this problem is a growing concern for people in both the US and Canada, Kroll Fraud Solutions has developed their Identity Theft Shield program. This program is marketed by PrePaid Legal Services, Inc. and is designed to help protect your driver's license number, social security and social insurance number as well as your medical records. By looking at your credit bureau reports and other important data, the program offers top-quality protection to your identity.

This program differs from its competition in that it is backed by one of the largest risk management and fraud prevention companies in the world. Kroll Fraud Solutions stands side by side with you to help restore your identity in the event that anyone happens to steal it. They offer up to $1,000,000 in protection to help restore your identity if it is stolen for any reason. By using proactive searches of national databases and setting fraud alerts on your credit report, this program seeks to stop identity theft before it happens to you. Another fact that sets Identity Theft Shield apart from its competition is that it offers protection for the entire family unit. Many other programs simply offer individual protection and then charge a fee for each additional person needing identity theft protection. The Identity Theft Shield program wraps this all together in one low monthly cost. This saves your family money because you will not face having to pay for multiple identity protection policies.

In addition to the differences that are mentioned above, the Identity Theft Shield program from Kroll Fraud Solutions offers numerous advantages not found in other programs. One major advantage is that this program is compliant with all aspects of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and other national regulations regarding credit reporting. It also is backed by a company with more than 30 years of expertise in preventing and investigating criminal fraud. It also is formulated by one of the few companies that is compliant with the Safe Harbor Act. The Shield program also is run by investigators and customer support personnel that understand the importance of recognizing a credit fraud violation as a leading indicator of a larger identity theft problem. Overall, this program is designed to provide better identity protection than any other program on the market.

The Finest Protection Money can Buy and The only restoration Company.

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Types Of Kitchen Plans You're Able To Choose

When you are planning on constructing a house or even just redecorating, you will find various kinds of plans you will get on your kitchen. Likely the most proficient style is the U-shaped kitchen which has three separate walls. It's very good if you want to have just as much storage or counter space yet it's not so good if you are intending to get multiple people cooking during a period or wish to utilize space to entertain guests. You'll turn out using a lots of traffic jams inside kitchen area. Make sure you offer an area which is eight feet by eight feet at minimum so that you can have about four feet of center space within the kitchen. It is possible to include a freestanding island workstation should your kitchen provides enough space.   Another selection of kitchen plan is the L-shape where two workstations may be on one wall, as the third is while on an adjacent one. It can be a many more efficient that the U-shaped plan if your workstations are close to the bend from the L. If there's not much room to the kitchen, the L-shape won't be very suitable. There should be four or five feet of kitchen counter space between the set of workstations that share the wall. The arrangement of the workstations are often important to think about, because the flow should be from your refrigerator to the sink for the stove cook the top to the serving area. The alternative end in the corner within the L is the ideal area to get your eating nook.   This tropical isle kitchen set down is one more popular design in which the workstation that features a stove or sink is freestanding. To find the best efficiency the project triangle needs to be well over 26 feet, so for large kitchens, this is the great plan. In case workstations are stored on opposing walls, island plans tend not to work that well. It's possible to have speciality counter surfaces around the island being a butcher block so that you can chop vegetables. Oftentimes a tropical that might be rolled outside the house, when entertaining guests on your deck and patio. The same configuration could be the peninsula plan the location where the island is associated with a wall or cabinet. They have as much versatility with the island plan, but doesn't take up as much room. Because of this particular design, you may be cooking food without staring an empty wall.   With more compact homes, you'll quite often get the one wall insurance policy for the kitchen. This plan is very ineffective for the cook, but occupies the smallest amount of volume of space. Usually there is lots of traffic, while there is ordinarily a doorway each and every end from the kitchen. A common design for this layout would be to contain the sink inside center while using refrigerator on one hand along with the stove on the other half. Ideally, there'd certainly be at least four feet of counter space on both sides with the sink.   When you're wanting to identify what kitchen schemes are best, consider one of these simple layout options. Outside of your private preference to the layout, the quantity of space you've inside your kitchen area will determine what you will decide.

Living Out Loud! Healing Ourselves and the World

Healing Ourselves and the World

Younger generations are inheriting the possibilities as well as all the great dangers that we face in this new century.

We live in a world that is changing rapidly, teetering on the brink of either radical transformation for good or potentially deepening and devastating challenges. Many of us in the western world grew up with a strong sense that our world is in danger of nuclear war, ecological destruction and the challenges of poverty, racism, classism, sexism, violence, a growing gap between the rich and the poor, homophobia and hatred (to name just a few!) But thankfully, many of us also grew up with an often softly stated but important message that we must learn to love, respect and honor each other more deeply, regardless of our differences. We learned about basic psychological health. We learned about diverse cultures, different races and ways of living. We also grew up with a media, and now a 'world wide web' and social media that keeps us more connected to the activities of the world than at any other time in the evolution of this planet, regardless of how skewed the information we receive so often is.

With historically unprecedented technological and scientific advances, younger generations have lived through a massive and rapid shift in the way humans live on Earth-in some ways for the better, in some ways for the worse. All the while, we still deeply struggle with the seemingly more simple intricacies of living; learning how to cultivate lives that are rich and fulfilling at the deepest psychological and spiritual levels. We also struggle with how to live more sustainably and peacefully in our relationships, in our families, in our communities and as a world.

Many of us express feelings that something 'big' is in the air at this time on the planet, and are hopeful that we are on the brink of an exciting and meaningful future both individually and collectively. Most of us know it is up to us whether or not we live the kind of lives that will dismantle negative or destructive patterns from past generations, as well as from our own. This is both a collective and personal endeavor. The possibilities are limitless if we can move through the many challenges we face.

The transformation of the world must start from within our own hearts and minds. I've learned that the only way to discover the greatest possibility of what my life can be and how I can be of service to the world, is to open up my heart and mind to explore the deeper questions that confront my own soul. Deal with the things that I most need to work on inside myself: What are my highest dreams for myself? What do I feel called to do more than anything else on the planet? Where am I stuck? Why am I stuck? When am I lonely? Why am I lonely? How can I find more meaningful connections and relationships with others? What is holding me back from living the good life, from doing all the things I feel I could be doing? Asking questions such as these, exploring their unique meaning to my life, discovering the answers that they bring-the whole process of doing all this has and continues to change my life and makes me a more powerful instrument for healing on the planet.

We cannot separate what happens to us as individuals and that which happens in our culture and to our planet. To have health in one requires a level of health in both.

We can all learn now-as adults emerging into this new millennium-to embrace and co-create a more bold and exciting future. We can change the course of history, away from all thought systems that breed war, poverty, disconnection and hatred; instead cultivating in our lives and in the world, the ways of living and being that can create true peace on earth and especially in our own lives. We can learn to challenge all that would keep us from the magic of what life can be. We can raise our voices for better lives for ourselves and for a better world, being brave as we co-create our future together.

How did we get on this path in our culture and as young adults, what impact does it have on our day-to-day life?

Emerging into adulthood is a complicated and often difficult transition for many of us. We live in a society that seemingly promotes everything but what brings real happiness and fulfillment. The culture at large is still selling us on its version of what a truly meaningful life could be, which is far too heavily influenced by materialistic values, not wholistic, soul enriching ones. Therefore, many of us still lack the psychological and spiritual tools necessary to get through this time of emerging into adulthood with any kind of grace. Some of us are lonely and scared and have no idea how to get ourselves out of the pain and negative life cycles we are in. Some of us are content with our lives, have friends and supportive families, but are still confused about our place in the world, what it is we are supposed to be doing with our lives. Some of us have found important keys to living a highly fulfilling and richly meaning-filled life. And still, some of us are all over the map on any given day!

No matter where each of us stands in life, we were or still are barraged with what our lovely 'pop' culture thinks it means to become an adult and to be a full participant in society; go to school, learn the skills to get a 'good' job that will pay a lot of money so you can spend the rest of your life working way too many hours in a career you will most likely hate. In far too many cases, this has nothing to do with the betterment of life on the planet or the enrichment of our souls. But hey, at least you'll have all the stuff that comes with it: that five bedroom house with a pool, 3 cars, 2.5 kids, and lot's of fun toys... (if you're one of the 'lucky' few that actually end up with all this luxury that is!)

A powerful underlying theme that exists in western culture is that materialism and unbridled personal gain are close to being 'godly,' and if we want to find our path to salvation, we'd better get with the program! Who has time for deep and authentic communication and connection with one another when we could be shopping or watching TV?!?

If you were able to sit down with most people to have a deep conversation, asking them what is important in the world and in life, they would probably say that it is very important to live in harmony with one another, to take care of one another, to love one another. But sadly, our culture as a whole seems to have little concept of how to make that work, and many of the things we do individually and collectively only divide us further. Most people, while they want peace and brotherhood, think it is just a pipe dream that could never actually be a reality because they haven't experienced it in a consistent way throughout their lives. The voices of cultural insanity that are so pervasive in our world seem to be so deeply rooted that it's hard to let what seems spiritually logical grab hold and fully work in our lives.

In one way or another, all of us are affected by this dynamic. Even for those of us experiencing work that has value and meaning, we still have to find the ways to balance the intimate and deeply meaningful in our personal lives. It can be easy to get into the trap of avoiding the personal work by immersing ourselves too fully in our worldly work.

Many of us moving into adulthood are so used to others being in charge of our life, it is sometimes hard to remember that we ultimately hold the power in our life now. The question we could all explore more deeply together is, "What are we going to do with it?" We have a chance to live lives that make us deeply happy and fulfilled. We have a chance to help make this planet one in which all people live in sustainable spiritual, emotional and material abundance. We have a chance to be bold and radical in what we want to co-create together. We can't do it alone, we have to imagine and work together, in community.

Practical Tips for a Successful Online Christmas

While Royal Mail begins the process of recruiting an additional 18,000 temporary staff to cover shifts throughout December we look at how online retailing is shaping up for its busiest shopping period of the year, and offer online retailers with some practical tips aimed at maximising their online sales, and benefitting from the surge in seasonal traffic.

Despite the UK moving towards its second 'austerity' Christmas where consumers will be balancing the wish to celebrate and splash out with the constraints of squeezed incomes, Christmas 2012 is still expected to be another record breaking year for the online shopping industry.

Driven by recent improvements in the provision of super fast broadband throughout the UK, as well as mobile firmly cementing itself as a tangible shopping channel for retailers, we're set to see ecommerce yet again increase its influence upon the fortunes of Britain's retailers.

Demonstrating the need for retailers to provide their customers with the opportunity to shop when, where and how they want to, we offer existing online retailers, and potential newcomers a handful of practical tips on how they can ensure their websites work hard to convert Christmas visitors into Christmas shoppers.

Communicate your shipping deadlines

Let customers know when the last day they can order is, to guarantee delivery for Christmas, and whether you offer an express delivery service. If relevant, this information ought to be shown for local, national and international customers. Ensure these details are clearly displayed on your website, newsletters and any other ways that you communicate with your customers. This will not just help to increase your sales, but also limit any potential fallout following the Christmas period due to any late deliveries. Begin telling customers right away!

Offer Seasonal discounts and offers

Run seasonal offers, discounts and promotions, perhaps attract new customers by way of voucher codes. Target your customer database with specific offers 'only available to existing customers', perhaps even pre-sale offers. Ensure that you promote your offers and sales before they happen so that customers know when to look forward to them.

Ensure that stock levels are kept up to date

Make sure that if you're driving traffic to your website that you have plenty of stock, particularly of your best sellers. Avoid displaying any 'out of stock' tickets on products throughout the run up to Christmas, so that you benefit fully from the increase in seasonal traffic.

Maximise your basket values

Ensure that your key products are complimented by associated and related products, perhaps accessories if relevant. This will help to maximise your basket values and increase your overall revenue.

Don't hide your best sellers

Make good use of your best sellers by making sure they take pride of place within featured areas of your website including 'best sellers', 'featured products' and 'recommended items', not to mention displaying them on your home page. Compliment these products with related and alternative items in a bid to use their pull to increase the sales of similar products, perhaps own branded versions.

Free delivery

Free delivery still remains as persuasive as ever with online shoppers. Where you can, try and offer this as an option on your ecommerce websites, perhaps 'free delivery over £50' or similar. If you can offer free delivery, don't hide the fact, ensure that's a clear call to action and used within your seasonal marketing activities.

Continuity through marketing

Ensure that all of your marketing, both online and offline reflects your Christmas offers and promotions. Update your website banners to reflect the festive period and utilise your existing customers through targeted email marketing. Make use of paid search engine marketing to help supercharge your online visibility, and spread the festive message within your social media profiles.

Can a Security Guard Make An Arrest?

People all too often likely believe that a security guard has limited or no arrest power. While the primary responsibility of the officer does not often exceed the directive to "Observe and Report", he does posses the right to effect an arrest if necessary.

Oftentimes the officer's right to arrest does not exceed the arrest powers of the average citizen. Known as the citizens arrest this legal principle states that a citizen may make an arrest pursuant to certain circumstance. Though these circumstances may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction they generally allow the guard to place an individual under arrest in the event the guard witnesses the commission of a felony. The guard may also arrest an individual if another person informs the guard of the individual's commission of a felony.

What constitutes a felony offense? Here is an easy rule of thumb for distinguishing a felony from a misdemeanor. Felony offenses are punishable by a year or more in state prison. The crimes are more significant in nature than a misdemeanor although the differential may be nuanced. For instance, someone who steals $500 worth of merchandise may be guilty of a felony while the theft of $499 amounts to a misdemeanor.

The arrest powers of the guard are not limited to felony offenses. He can also make an arrest if he personally witnesses the commission of a misdemeanor.

Does the officer have any legal requirements when he places a person under citizens arrest?

Again this may vary from location to location. In California, subject to certain exemption, the guard must inform the arrestee of the intention to arrest him and upon request must inform the arrestee of the offense for which the arrest has been effected.

Most officers are likely trained to avoid these types of arrests whenever possible. An officer who mistakenly arrests a person risks bringing civil liability to his employer. Prior to instigating an arrest of this type the officer must be sure of the merits of the arrest. As the reader might imagine this serves to powerfully disincentivize the officer from making the arrest unless he has absolutely zero doubt about the merits.

Certain security guards are endowed with detention powers in addition to the arrest power described in this article. For example, some of the security guards licensed by the City of Kansas City Missouri hold the right to detain a person pending temporary investigation. In many jurisdictions only law enforcement officers maintain this important legal power. The right to temporarily detain provides the security guard with the ability to hold a suspect while he determines if there are suitable grounds for an arrest to occur. This mitigates some of the liability and allows the guard to be much more proactive. The power can only be used on the guard assigned property or off the property when pursuing a fleeing subject.

The right to arrest lies within the purview of the security guard. However its use is generally deferred unless the guard has little doubt about the circumstances surround the arrest.

Police Gear and Equipment in the United States

The police; also known as law enforcement, crime prevention (along with several other names) are a body of persons who are authorized by the state to enforce the law, protect property, and prevent civil disorder. They have been around to serve and protect in America since the 1600's. At this time the police that served were elected to do so.

During their initial start up sheriff's offices had been non-uniformed organizations and didn't practice a para-military hierarchy. This changed after the civil war and police were more characterized with the rapidly increased use of uniforms as well as military ranks. Police services then began to grow throughout the United States. Of these city Police services, The New York Police Department (established in 1845) became and is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States. These officers are also known as New York's Finest.

In the United States there are over 900,000 law enforcement officers that serve their country. The Technology advances that the US has acquired over the years have made it easier to provide Police with the appropriate safety gear and equipment needed to do their jobs, protecting the citizens of their country.

In most states jurisdictions, police officers carry handguns. Each police department chooses their own model and restrictions for their police officials. They also may carry a less lethal form of protection such as batons, rubber bullets and electroshock weapons such as tasers. These things are mostly used for riot control. Handcuffs are also often carried to restrain suspects.

Another thing that policemen have as a part of their job is a patrol vehicle. These vehicles are used for patrolling, detaining and transporting. There are several different types of police transportation; the most common used in the US for police is usually a 4 door sedan. Today these vehicles are equipped with computers, which makes it easier to dispatch calls, run criminal background checks that can be done on the spot, and updating the officer's activity log along with other required reports. Other pieces of police equipment include flashlights, whistles, police torches and police and ticket books for citations. Another form of transportation for law enforcement is a motorcycle. This type of transportation makes it easier for police to access areas that car's cannot. Bicycles are also used for smaller areas where officials can have easier access to interact with the public. It's very helpful in situations where a person has fled on foot.

All of the gear and types of transportation aid in a police officer's job. There is different gear that is appropriate for each, to ensure the officer can successfully do their job.

United Uniform is an online tactical gear store. They carry a wide variety of police tactical gear. From duty and concealment holsters, body armor, vehicle equipment, to uniforms, footwear and badges and ID's. They also carry training and safety supplies for protection. They offer gear from brands such as 5.11 Tactical, Blauer, Atlanco as well as Protech. United Uniform also carries Military, Security, Fire and EMS services.