Wishing all who observe it – a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

 A moment of silence for all of my fallen brothers from the U.S.M.C. and of course all of our fallen soldiers, in all branches, who have paid the ultimate price in combat!

Does Your Job Put You In Harms Way?

I have a female relative who is a real estate agent.  She has mentioned that there are times she feels apprehensive about being alone with some of the men she encounters in showing them a home they are listing.  I trust in the old adage of “woman’s intuition” enough to always listen to my wife, daughter or sisters and always weigh their thoughts and contrast them to my own opinions.

Oddly enough, I’ve heard and read many articles that confirm my relatives fears. What a perfect set-up for an assault or worse, than a lone woman showing off a house to some seedy character bent on abusing her or worse? True enough, it’s not a very comforting thought for her and her husband to ponder.

I would first recommend that a lady realtor be cautious of such meetings but they are inevitable in this line of work and others as well, where women are working the midnight to morning shifts in gas station / convenience stores, and all night markets. I’m always shocked to a degree, when I go out late at night to pick up some odd or end at a local filling station or Mini-Market, only to find a single woman holding down the fort. I would never allow my wife to do this, but some families have no choice and need the income.  I respect them and this post is for all of you gals!

For you ladies, who must be alone at a real estate “showing” with a strange man or working alone in some “po-dunk” Drive-up Market, or behind a Motel desk at night, I would recommend at the very least, a loud personal alarm and a Triple Action pepper spray. The loud howling of a personal alarm will help draw attention to your situation and a good blast of Triple Action pepper spray in an attacker’s face will blow him away with pain and paint him with UV Dye, allowing the police to identify the perpetrator and giving you the precious time needed to get away!

Victor Kohring Sentenced On Public Corruption Charges

Victor H. Kohring, former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was sentenced to 42 months in prison. Chief U.S. District Judge John W. Sedwick also ordered Kohring to serve two years of supervised release following his release from prison.

On Nov. 1, 2007, a federal jury convicted Kohring of bribery, attempted extortion and conspiracy for soliciting and receiving financial benefits from VECO Corporation, a major Alaska oil services company, in exchange for performing official acts in the Alaska State Legislature on the company’s behalf.

Evidence included more than 25 recordings of conversations involving Kohring and former VECO executives, showed that Kohring solicited bribes from and took actions to benefit the financial interests of VECO while serving as a member in the state legislature. Kohring agreed to lobby his colleagues and cast votes in VECO’s favor on a key petroleum production tax proposal pending before the Alaska legislature. In exchange, Kohring received multiple cash payments and solicited a $17,000 payment.

Kohring’s case is part of an ongoing investigation into public corruption in the State of Alaska. The VECO executives who testified at trial, former Chief Executive Officer Bill J. Allen and former Vice President of Community Affairs and Government Relations, Richard L. Smith, pleaded guilty in May 2007 to paying more than $400,000 in payments to corrupt public officials from the state of Alaska.

So far, there have been seven criminal convictions as a result of the investigation. Convictions include Allen, Smith and Kohring. In July 2007, Thomas T. Anderson, a former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for extortion, conspiracy, bribery and money laundering, for soliciting and receiving money from an FBI confidential source, in exchange for agreeing to perform official acts to further a business interest represented by the source. Peter Kott, a former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted in September 2007 and sentenced to six years in prison for extortion, bribery and conspiracy. In March 2008, James A. Clark, chief of staff to the former governor of Alaska, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Also, former Anchorage lobbyist William Bobrick pleaded guilty in May 2007 to felony public corruption charges.

This case was prosecuted by trial attorneys Nicholas A. Marsh and Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, headed by Chief William M. Welch II, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph W. Bottini and James A. Goeke from the District of Alaska. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division.

It reminds me of the lines used in the movie “On Deadly Ground” when it was said “Alaska is a Third World Country, it just happens to belong to us”.

What a den of thieves there are in the Alaska State Legislature and we can only wonder for now, how deep it goes!  Source: FBI, Anchorage Field Division

Serves Double Duty Protecting You:

We have found a new and feature-packed alarm. It’s a dual purpose 120db alarm. It acts as a personal alarm and a burglar alarm and all for a paltry $9.50! They are perfect for personal carrying while still being equally effective in rooms and apartments. Hang one on any door knob (non-metallic doors) and the alarm will sound off immediately if an intruder touches the door knob, making a great security device for travel, vacation and hotels!

This alarm is powered by a single, easy to obtain, 9 volt battery. It has a chain which when pulled, activates an eardrum-splitting personal alarm.  Once you get back to your room or apartment, simply hang the unit over the door handle.  If an intruder tries the door knob, it will activate the unit, which is motion sensitive and sound the alarm.

We highly recommend them after first purchasing one and trying it out. The little alarm lived up to it’s advertised promises and worked flawlessly and without a hitch.

We have also found that these small but very powerful alarms are being purchased for personnel working in the medical profession and in assisted care facilities. If an employee is alone or isolated, working a unit or walking a wing of the building, they can feel confident with a personal alarm. Just pull the pin to activate the unit and additional help is on the way in a hurry. This is extremely helpful in keeping a safe environment for caregiver and patient or client.

We have also found another use, other than as an assault deterrent, that our customers have passed along to us. They have been telling us that our combination personal alarms (this model can also be hung on a door knob – the alarm will sound if the knob or door are moved) are an almost bulletproof means of helping them with unruly children and preventing them from sneaking out at night when Mom and Dad are asleep. We give it a 5 out of 5 Star rating for effectiveness and price. Small, powerful and practical insurance!

Golden Boy Boxes His Way To Victory

Oscar De La Hoya posted another win in his illustrious career.  Boxing out of the Home Depot Center in East L.A. so that he would be making a hometown fight broadcasted on HBO, the “Golden Boy” chose a venue where his fans could afford a ticket to see him fight live and in person and barring that, tune in and see him in action on HBO.

Allegedly, a carefully scripted fight in a final retirement tour, Oscar looked sharp and boxed his way to an easy decision.  His opponent, Steven Forbes was picked by Oscar for this fight.  Now that might appear to be a made to order victory for Oscar, until one considers that Forbes has never been tasted the canvas in his career and of course that he has never been knocked out.

Forbes has been called a “light puncher” – having a 33 – 5 record going into this fight but only 9 ko’s.  That did not deter De La Hoya’s focus who admitted to wanting no surprises and was not taking Forbes lightly, rather he was training as if this was a big money Title Fight!

Viewers were treated to a fine boxing clinic with Oscar winning the fight handily behind a more upright stance, good distance and keeping his left jab moving.

Forbes has nothing to be ashamed of he put up a good fight against a more experienced and ring savvy opponent.  While De La Hoya will continue his farewell retirement tour – and hopefully meeting Floyd Mayweather again in the fall for another shot at redeeming that tough loss, to the tune of nearly $50 million dollars.