A hidden camera can be a very efficient device to use for security purposes. It has been very effective for households and businesses that require evidence of a certain act, violation or even crime. Hidden cameras are getting smaller and can be mounted on just about anywhere or anything. However, not all hidden cameras are built alike. If you want to be able to tell a quality device from an average one, here are some features you need to look for:

Resolution
Resolution refers to the capability of the camera to produce a clear, sharp image. This is expressed in figures. The higher the number pertaining to the resolution, the sharper and better-looking the image will turn out.

When buying a hidden camera, look for models that have a resolution of AT LEAST 400 lines. This should give you sufficient image clarity even from a distance. If you want the sharpest image, go for 470 resolution lines or higher. Just remember, though, that the higher you go, the more expensive the unit will be.

Lighting
A camera works by processing and capturing ambient light. This is why in less than ideal conditions, a digital camera will automatically fire off a flash to illuminate the subject.

When buying a hidden camera, check its ability to manage light, expressed as the LUX rating. In this case, the higher the rating, the less the camera is capable of producing a good image in the absence of light. So if you will be using the hidden camera in low light conditions, look for a .05 LUX rating. Lower ratings mean it can operate efficiently in semi-darkness. For total darkness, you might need a camera with a night vision.

Range of transmission
A hidden camera will work with a receiver, which will process the video images being captured by the lens. Determine how far away the receiver will need to be from the hidden camera. Depending on the camera’s transmission range, the receiver could be from as near as the next room or as far away as the next building a few thousand feet away.

Wireless or wired?
That really depends on where you intend to mount the camera. A wired camera will be physically connected to a recorder such as a computer or a VCR using a cable. A wireless hidden camera, on the other hand, is independent but will run on batteries. If you intend to record for longer periods of time, a wired camera may be better. For shorter periods of time (or at least for as long as the batteries will hold up), a wireless hidden camera will be ideal.

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If you think a knife is a knife is a knife, then explain how you could use a butcher’s knife to perform the job of a fillet knife, or vice versa. If you frequently go camping, go on trips or like the outdoors, you might want to invest in a good survival knife. Here are tips on choosing one:

Know what it looks like
It can range in length from 4 to 6 in or can even be longer. It is frequently manufactured as a fixed blade, which means it cannot be folded. It is sturdy, made of strong materials, has a sharp edge (some survival knives are designed to have two sharp edges) and a sharp tip.

Choose a good size
Most people have this idea that since a knife will be used for survival, it has to be big. It doesn’t have to be. Survival knives come in different sizes, so choose one that will offer you the most function at the size that will be convenient for you to carry, conceal or use. If it’s too small, it might not do a good job for cutting or chopping. If it’s too big, it might be too heavy and cumbersome, so choose one that will fit your purpose and capability to handle.

Check the tang
The tang refers to that part of the knife that secures the blade to its handle. Look for a full tang. If it’s full, you can rely on it for heavy duty use. Should you hit a hard object, you won’t worry about your knife snapping off.

Look for a solid handle
A good tang should be wide enough. If you choose a survival knife with a narrower tang, just make sure that the handle is well designed and built solidly. It should be fitted and must either be welded or bolted securely in place. The handle should feel secure and comfortable in your hand. If it doesn’t, you might find it difficult to use the knife.

The blade must be solid
No matter the length of the blade of the survival knife you choose, just make sure that it is sturdy. It should move as one metal and should not bend. Look for a sturdy tip as well because this is usually the part where the blade is weakest. Remember that a survival knife isn’t flexible so check for strength.

One edge or two edges?
If you’re a beginner, best stick with a survival knife that has a single-edged blade. It’s safer for you to use and will be sufficient. If you’re not experienced in using a survival knife, a double-edged knife might prove too difficult to handle.

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Wireless home alarm systems are one of the most effective ways of securing your home or workplace. It owes its effectiveness to its easy installation setup and flexibility. If you are shopping for wireless home alarm systems, here are a few things you should remember to look for.

User-Friendly Control Panel
All wireless home alarm systems come with a control panel. This is the ultimate source of power and control. User-friendly control panels offer one-touch access, allowing you to press just one button to activate or deactivate specific parts of your security system. The best wireless home alarm systems not only offer a main switchboard but also a portable unit to let you maintain control even when you’re in another location.

Entry Alarms
The system must come with the necessary alarms for all access points of the area. This includes but isn’t limited to doors, windows, gates, and fences. Alarms used must be capable of releasing highly powerful sounds. They must also be connected to round-the-clock monitoring systems to immediately activate the proper emergency response.

Audio and Video Monitoring
A wireless home alarm system doesn’t just make sure doors and windows are locked. It also offers audio and video monitoring in the event that wrongdoers are able to penetrate the area. Video cameras used must be able to record night-vision images and all data must be saved directly in an acceptable storage device.

Expandability
The best wireless home alarm systems offer surveillance options for the entire area. It must capable of working with an indefinite number of cameras, allowing you to expand the scope of your security system to new additions to your home or workplace.

Battery Backups
These are necessary in case of power blackouts. Battery blackouts ensure that your wireless home alarm system is still capable of keeping your area secure even if your home or workplace is temporarily shrouded in darkness.

Effective Response Team
When shopping for a wireless home alarm system, you shouldn’t just pay attention to its components but take note of the efficiency of its service as well. Loud sirens can only do so much. The help you’ll ultimately need will come from the response of your security company. Choose a system that’s backed up by a highly reputable company, one that’s known for responding effectively and efficiently in emergencies.

Decals
Get a wireless home alarm system that comes with free decals to help further deter potential burglars and other types of criminals from breaking into your home or workplace.

Affordability
Lastly, choose a wireless home alarm system that you can afford. Remember to invest more in quality rather than quantity.

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Counterfeiting is a huge industry. People are actually making money by producing fake money. Although the technology used to ensure that legal tender remains legal, criminals still find ways to produce counterfeit money that fool even the most conscious consumers. With a money tester pen, you can prevent yourself from being victimized. Learn what it is and how it is used to protect yourself from fake money:

Real money vs. fake money
Real money is loaded with many security features that are specifically designed to ensure that they, indeed, came from the United States Treasury. These security features are a means to protect consumers by ensuring that it will be easy for them to distinguish real money from counterfeit ones. Security measures are also meant to make it more difficult for criminals to duplicate look-alikes.

These features include: design, illustrations, watermarks, micro-writing and even a security strip. If you have the time, you can check bills and use these features as a guide to identify fake bills from real ones.

How a money tester pen works
A money tester pen looks and functions like an average pen. However, it can be used to identify counterfeit money. The ink in the pen is a special solution mixed with an iodine preparation.

To check whether money is counterfeit or not, you simply have to use the pen to mark the money in a small area. The mark can be a few small dots or a very short line, sufficient enough to allow you to check its color.

Once the ink touches the paper, the magic of the iodine happens. Iodine reacts with certain materials in a distinct way. If your money is real, then it is made of a special combination of fibers. There should be no discolorations if you mark it with a money tester pen.

If the money is fake, then it is made of wood pulp, the same ingredient that makes up ordinary paper. Wood pulp contains starch. When the iodine in the money tester pen touches the material, a dark or black mark will result.

Who uses the money tester pen?
Everyone who handles cash should use a money tester pen. Counterfeit money can easily enter the circulation and since not all of us have the time to inspect bills carefully prior to a purchase, it can be a very wise decision to purchase a money tester pen. Most of these pens work with many of the world’s currencies so you should have ample protection wherever you may be or whichever type of money you might handle.

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There are many different weapons that may be used for self-defense. However, in most cases, they tend to be bulky (canes, sais and katanas), risky to the user (pepper sprays) and even illegal in some areas (stun guns or tasers). A kubotan, on the other hand, is an incredibly useful self-defense weapon. It’s handy, easy to carry and, if you know how to wield it, very efficient. Here are tips on how to use a kubotan safely and effectively:

Know what it is.
A kubotan is also called a yawara or yawara-bo. It’s actually a short stick, made of a strong material such as wood, metal, PVC (a very sturdy plastic, same material used for pipes) or even bone.

At only 5.5 inches long, the kubotan can fit in the palm of the hand, slipped into a pocket, tucked inside a handbag or even used as a keychain. It may not seem like a lot but if you know how to use it, it can be so much more than a decorative stick. Therein lies its function – it will help protect you, prevent bodily harm on your person and stop your attacker if you know how to use it.

Grip it firmly.
A kubotan is designed to fit the hand, with an inch or an inch and a half of material protruding from both ends. The key is to be familiar with your grip – not too light that the kubotan would fly off your hand during an attack and not too tight that you’d hurt yourself. Grip it in the most comfortable way for you so you are more comfortable using it.

You could choose a kubotan with a flat end, a rounded one or a sharp one, depending on your needs.

Know where to hit.
The kubotan is designed to hit certain points of the body. These are the points that will hurt most, allowing you to stop your assailant. These are:

- the eyes and the area between the eyes
- nose
- throat and either side of the neck
- chest area, particularly the diaphragm, the upper area near the center of the ribcage
- underneath the armpit
- pectoral muscles
- lower back at the bladder
- groin

Types of thrusts
A thrust can be downward, upward or sidewards. Just make sure that the tip of the kubotan makes the maximum impact. Learn to direct your strength from the arms to the hands so you could use the weapon more efficiently.

Practice.
Don’t wait until you’ll really need to use a kubotan to wield it. Practice for 30 minutes with it several times a week. This will help make you more confident in using it and build your strength. Try to focus on the main targets (use a dummy or a punching bag). The better you are at hitting your target, the more you can protect yourself.

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Most criminals like to target elderlies because they are viewed as weaker and more vulnerable. Well, it’s probably time to break the stereotype. Most seniors are taking charge, no longer content on relying on external help to offer protection. Learn some of the most commonly used self-defense weapons for elderlies:

Cane
Elderlies who use canes don’t realize that they have a very effective self-defense weapon right in the palm of their hand. A cane, usually made with wood or some other lightweight material, can be used to parry an attack or to go on the offensive.

Although a cane can be used to make multiple blows or thrusts, certain situations may allow a person only one strike. When using a cane, it’s important to hit your attacker where it will hurt them most. Hitting someone and failing to overcome them will only anger them and expose you to more danger.

Pepper spray
A can of pepper spray can be a convenient self-defense weapon for elderlies. It’s lightweight, easy to carry and use and can be very effective. It only works within a short range, however, so it’s important to aim well.

When using pepper spray, it pays to be well acquainted with this weapon. If you aren’t careful, pepper sprays can sting not just your attacker but you as well. Spray in the direction of the wind or if that’s not possible, directly in the eyes or mouth of your attacker.

Taser
A taser can be a very powerful self-defense weapon for seniors. It’s a handheld device, quite lightweight and is battery-operated. Most units are rechargeable so they are more efficient and trustworthy. What they do is emit short bursts of electricity to shock and disable an attacker.

Like the pepper spray, the taser will also work well if you know how to use it. Try to practice aiming with it. If you don’t hit your attacker, the taser won’t work.

A taser is also known as a stun gun.

Kubotan or yawara-bo
This self-defense weapon is very useful for elderlies. It’s small, lightweight and easy to conceal and carry. It’s usually made of wood, metal, PVC or some other strong material. It is about 5 to 5 ½ inches long, fits in the hand and is shaped like a pen. It may be used to hit an attacker in certain pressure points where he is vulnerable.

The kubotan is often best when wielded using certain martial arts techniques. Try to familiarize yourself with the body’s pressure points so you’ll know where.

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