Summertime Pet Safety Tips
Summer is just around the corner. Before you know it, we’ll be wearing our favorite shorts and tank top combinations, spending long days at the beach, and making ice cream cones a part of our daily life. Summertime is the time when we strive to make great memories. Most of us want to include our pets in our summertime experiences, so now is the perfect time to review summertime pet safety tips.
Don’t Let Your Pet Overheat in Your Car
Pet owners’ biggest challenge during the summer is the desire to bring their pets everywhere. However, the fact that your dog loves to go for car rides can make it difficult to tell them they must stay home. The problem is that the temperature inside a parked car quickly climbs to deadly levels for a dog that can’t free themselves from the hot car. This is why if you’re out of the car and unable to bring your dog, you should leave them home.
Some people want to skirt the issue of having a dog in the car by leaving their car running so the air conditioning keeps the dog cool. The problem with this plan is that a running car is very tempting to car thieves who will quickly let your dog out (or take the dog if it’s friendly) and steal it.
If you know that you’ll have to leave your dog alone in your car during the summertime, the safest and kindest thing you can do is leave your pet at home.
Hot Concrete Leads to Severely Burned Paws
Every summer, veterinarians care for pets, especially dogs with badly burned paws. In many cases, the cause of the burns was walking on a hot sidewalk. Unfortunately, since dogs are stoic, the owners didn’t realize how hot the sidewalk was and how badly their dogs were hurt until the damage to their paws was extensive.
Before each walk, find a patch of sunlit sidewalk and hold the back of your hand to it. If you can’t keep your hand on the concrete for thirty seconds and remain comfortable, it’s too hot to walk your dog. Wait until the sun starts to set.
Encourage your dog to walk on the grass whenever possible.
Learn the Early Warning Signs of Heat Stroke in Your Pets
As a pet owner, it’s in your best interest to learn the early warning signs that your dog is potentially starting to suffer from heat stroke so that you can take preventative steps before the condition worsens.
Early warning signs include:
- Extremely heavy panting
- Heavy drooling
- They are restless
- Actively looking for shade and water
- They’re starting to vomit
- Their tongue and gums are turning bright red
- Their heart rate and respiration rate have climbed
As soon as you notice the early warning signs of heatstroke in your pet, you must get them out of the sun and into a cool or shaded area. Offer them small sips of water. Use cool, but not ice-cold water, to lower their temperature. Then, as soon as possible, take them to the vet for an exam.
Can I Be Arrested and Lose My Driver’s License for Speeding
The sight of blue lights flashing in the rearview mirror and the realization that you are going way above the posted speed limit causes everyone to break out in a cold sweat. The faster you’re going, the more likely it is that you’ll find yourself spontaneously worrying about things like, can I be arrested and lose my driver’s license for speeding in California?
Technically, the answer is no. Speeding by itself isn’t a criminal offense, but that doesn’t mean that a traffic stop that starts out as a speeding offense won’t end in an arrest.
The first thing the office is going to want to know is whether you’ve been drinking. They will make a quick assessment of this as soon as they approach your car and start speaking to you. If they smell alcohol or feel that you’re behaving like you’re under the influence, they will conduct a field sobriety test. If you fail, you’ll be arrested. If you’re convicted of a DUI in California, you will lose your driver’s license for a period of time. How long you’re driving privileges are revoked depends on the judge’s sentence and whether it’s your first DUI.
If the officer happens to see something illegal, such as a weapon or drug paraphernalia on your passenger seat, they can use this visual evidence as an excuse to search your entire car. If they find additional illegal items, you’ll be arrested.
One of the most common reasons for a person to be arrested after they’ve been pulled over for speeding is a bench warrant. After they pull you over, the police run a quick criminal background check. If this background check reveals that you have an outstanding bench warrant, you’ll be arrested and required to deal with whatever matter the bench warrant involves.
While you can’t be arrested for speeding in California, the police do have one trick up their sleeves. If they feel that your speeding or the manner you were driving was reckless. While not all reckless driving ticket result in an arrest, the officer does have the right to arrest you if they feel that you’re driving in a manner that’s a danger to society. In California, reckless driving is a misdemeanor. The first time you’re convicted of reckless driving, you could be sentenced to spend up to ninety days in a county jail and fined up to $1,000.
What Most People Are Arrested for in California
There are many different crimes a person can be charged with. Interestingly, there are some charges that no one ever seems to be charged with and other charges that the California courts handle every single day.
Here are the crimes that most people are arrested for.
Drug Related Charges
You could face many different types of charges if you’re caught with drugs, but all of them are lumped together as drug crimes.
Some people are arrested and charged with a drug-related offense because they were a person of interest in a police investigation, which ultimately turned up enough evidence to justify an arrest.
In other cases, the person makes a mistake, such as having drugs in plain sight during a traffic stop and getting charged with a crime.
Larceny
Larceny, or as it’s also called, petty theft, is a common charge. While people commit larceny throughout the state, the largest concentration of larceny charges tends to be in areas that are struggling economically. The reason for this is that the average person steals because they’re desperate for money to help them cover their living expenses.
To be charged with larceny rather than a more serious burglary charge, the incident could not have involved the use of force, and you could not have used coercion during the crime. You’ll face significantly more serious charges if there is even a hint of violence.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
Despite all the warnings and public service announcements, DUIs are still a huge problem in California. If you’re caught driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you will be charged and arrested. It’s extremely difficult to fight a DUI charge. Once you’ve been convicted, you’ll have a criminal record, be unable to drive for a period of time, and face some heavy fines. It’s even possible that you’ll be sentenced to some jail time.
Homicide and Other Gun Related Charges
One of the interesting things you discover when you look at California’s current crime-related statistics is that when you compare the crime rate of 2021 to 2019, some crimes dropped. The number of robbery-related crimes showed significant change, dropping a full 15.8% in 2021. While the decrease in robberies was good, the increase in gun-related crimes, including homicides, was significantly more alarming. During that same time frame, homicides and aggravated assaults that involved the use of a firearm increased by 52% (homicides) and 64% (aggravated assaults.)
How to Protect Yourself from a Break-In in California
The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re in the habit of really locking up your home, both while you’re away and while in residence. This doesn’t just mean bolting the front door. Go through your house and make sure all the doors that lead to the exterior are locked. Next, do the same with your windows. This is also an excellent opportunity to check the quality of your locks. Make sure that they are in good repair and that they actually keep the door and window locked.
Don’t Be Ostentatious
Don’t make your home look like an appealing risk to robbers. This means you shouldn’t leave your expensive toys lying in the driveway. You also shouldn’t brag about all the valuables you have in your home. Living a quiet life and keeping all of your treasures tucked away might not seem like fun, but it will keep you and your personal property safe.
Be Smart with Your Spare Key
The best thing you can do to keep your home safe is to fit your door with a keypad and routinely change the code, but if you still use a key to open your doors, don’t leave a spare key tucked in a flowerpot or under your welcome mat. In fact, don’t leave the key anywhere outside where it could be found by a would-be thief. Keep your key on your person or tucked in a safe place in your car.
Burglar Proof Your Front Yard
Burglars are attracted to homes that provide a great deal of natural coverage or places where they can hide whenever someone drives past. Removing hedges, shrubs, sheds, and trees that are near your home will deter them. You should also set up a few motion-activated spotlights, yes, any passing wildlife will activate the lights, but they will also cause a burglar to look for a different place to rob.
The best way to make sure your home remains safe, especially while you are away, is to be discreet about what you share on social media. Don’t talk about your vacations and other trips until after you’re home. The last thing you want is to broadcast the fact that your home is unprotected.
4 Estafas de Facebook que Debe Conocer
La mayoría de nosotros pasamos una sorprendente cantidad de tiempo en Facebook. Nos encanta publicar sobre las cosas emocionantes que suceden en nuestras vidas, disfrutamos viendo las fotos que comparten nuestros seres queridos y, a menudo, lo tratamos como una línea interesante que brinda una forma legal de espiar la vida de los demás. Rara vez nos detenemos a pensar en lo peligroso que puede ser Facebook, aunque habitualmente escuchamos sobre amigos cuyas cuentas que han sido pirateadas o que se han encontrado con una estafa en Facebook.
Si bien no tiene que dejar de usar Facebook por completo, sacará más provecho del gigante de las redes sociales si está al tanto de las estafas más populares de Facebook y sabe cómo identificarlas y evitarlas.
Suplantación de identidad
El phishing en Facebook es como otras formas de phishing en Internet , simplemente se lleva a cabo en Facebook. La forma en que funciona es que alguien crea una cuenta de Facebook ficticia que sugiere que ofrece un servicio o posee un negocio. Cuando expresa interés en el negocio/servicio, el genio detrás de la cuenta roba una gran parte de su información, incluyendo su contraseña de Facebook, y la usa para beneficio personal.
La mejor manera de detectar un esquema de phishing de Facebook es mirar el sitio web al que se dirige. Si la URL tiene algo que no sea facebook.com, es una estafa y debe salir y borrar su historial de navegación de inmediato.
Productos Falsificados Promocionados en Facebook Marketplace
El mercado de Facebook se ha convertido en un lugar popular para que las personas que tienen productos baratos ganen dinero rápido al promocionarlos como si el producto fuera de marca o de alta calidad. La mejor manera de evitar caer en esta trampa es estudiar con atención las imágenes y leer las reseñas del vendedor. Si el producto parece sospechoso o hay muchas malas críticas, aléjese de ese vendedor y busque algo más para comprar.
Estafas de Trabajos Falsos
Aunque Facebook no es el primer lugar que la mayoría de la gente busca cuando busca un nuevo trabajo, hay algunas oportunidades de trabajo legítimas publicadas en el sitio de redes sociales. El problema es que también hay algunas estafas de trabajo falsas sorprendentemente convincentes disponibles en Facebook.
El propósito de las estafas de trabajos falsos es el mismo que otras estafas, la persona detrás de la estafa quiere extraer información específica de usted que puede usar para su propio beneficio. La mejor manera de protegerse de una estafa de trabajo falsa que se encuentra en Facebook es nunca dar ninguna información personal, cambiar su contraseña cada vez que envíe un mensaje a la persona responsable de la oferta de trabajo e investigue cuidadosamente la compañía que supuestamente publicó el trabajo.
La Estafa Que Involucra Tarjetas de Regalo
La regla general es que si algo suena demasiado bueno para ser verdad, probablemente lo sea. Ese es ciertamente el caso con muchas de las ofertas de tarjetas de regalo que flotan en Facebook. Una de las razones por las que tantas personas son engañadas por las estafas de tarjetas de regalo falsas es que la persona detrás de la estafa piratea una cuenta y hace que parezca que la oferta proviene de un ser querido. Y la redacción es persuasiva y auténtica.
La estafa es doble. Dado que se le pide que haga clic en un enlace y brinde información sobre usted, la persona detrás de la estafa recopila información de usted que puede usar para ayudar a robar su identidad. También le piden que comparta la publicación, lo que les permite conectarse con sus amigos de Facebook para que puedan ejecutar la estafa de la tarjeta de regalo en otras personas.
La mejor manera de evitar verse atraído por una estafa de Facebook es limitar sus acciones en las redes sociales a sólo tratar con personas que conoce bien y siempre confirmar su identidad antes de hacer clic en cualquier enlace o cuenta secundaria.
Teen Marijuana Use in California
Recreational marijuana is legal in California. However, that doesn’t mean that teens are allowed to partake in marijuana.
At this point, it’s legal for anyone who is over the age of 21, to grow, use, and carry marijuana. That age limit is important. If a person is 21 and enjoying some marijuana, they’re fine. The same isn’t true if their 19-year-old friend is doing the same thing.
The one exception to marijuana use in teenagers is if that medical marijuana can be prescribed to anyone who is at least 18 years old. That means that if an 18-, 19-, or 20-year-old has a prescription from a legit doctor, they can legally use marijuana. If a teen is prescribed medical marijuana, they must adhere to the rules laid out in the prescription. The slightest deviation could result in them facing serious legal repercussions.
Teens who are caught illegally in the possession of marijuana will face the same legal consequences they’d face if they were caught with alcohol. As long as the teen is merely in the possession of the marijuana but not using it, they will be charged with an infraction. The consequences of this particular marijuana infraction include a fine, mandatory drug education, and community service.
Teens who are caught operating a car after they have been illegally using marijuana will face the same consequences that they would had they been illegally drinking. In addition to fines and drug counseling, they will face license suspension. The more times they are caught driving while under the influence of marijuana, the more severe the legal consequences become.
At the end of the day, it’s important to make sure teenagers understand that it’s really in their best interest to wait until they are 21 before they experiment with marijuana. While they still have to be careful and make sure they don’t take so much that their ability to drive is impaired, by waiting until they’re legally able to do so, they don’t have to worry about getting into trouble for simply having marijuana in their pockets or tucked into a purse.
Tips for a Peaceful Holiday Family Gathering
This is the season when many of us are getting together with both our immediate and extended family to celebrate the holidays. While this is supposed to be a fun time that is full of joy and shared memories, all of us are painfully aware that whenever a family gathers, there’s always a chance that an argument will break out.
While you might not be able to completely prevent family discourse over the holidays, there are some things you can do that will help you maintain the peace during gatherings.
Know Your Limits
Before getting together with your family for the holidays, take a few moments to access your mental and emotional health. Are you in a good state of mind or do you feel like it wouldn’t take much to push you over the edge? Take another moment to determine how much time you can spend with your family before you find your emotions starting to unravel. Commit yourself to only spending that amount of time at the gathering before you make your excuses and leave. Don’t be afraid to leave early if your family becomes too much. It’s far easier to apologize for leaving early than it is to apologize for getting into a massive argument with your siblings.
Don’t Bring Up Old Problems
Treat this family gathering as a blank slate. Old arguments, complaints, and other issues should be pushed aside and allowed to rest. If you have a problem with how a relative has treated you in the past, try to avoid that particular relative at this particular gathering. Once the holidays are over, you can always call them and try to resolve the issue.
Evaluate Your Attitude
You may not be able to do much about your cranky uncle or bickering parents, but you can do something about your attitude. Instead of approaching the family gathering with a chip on your shoulder, convince yourself to be tolerant and cheerful. This is one of those fake it until you make it situations, when you’re cheerful, even when you’re forcing yourself to be, you’ll notice others respond positively to you. Before you know it, your good attitude will have shifted the gathering’s entire atmosphere and everyone will be having a good time.
4 Things Police Look for When Searching for Drunk Drivers
Most of us have been there at least once in our lives. Even though we were perfectly sober at the time, the police pulled us over for a seemingly silly reason. The reason the police do this is that they have been trained to recognize these relatively minor driving issues as signs that the driver is impaired.
Driving At a Certain Time
It might not be fair, but there are certain times when you’re more likely to be pulled over for a suspected DUI than others. The most common time is between 2 and 3 in the morning. This is when the bars close and people are driving home. Not only are there fewer cars on the road which increases the likelihood of you catching a patrol officer’s eye, but most people who are on the road at that time of the night are leaving a bar or club. This is why so many bartenders are pulled over after they’ve left work.
Driving too Slowly
Weirdly enough, driving too slowly is one of the best ways to be pulled over for a suspected DUI. While there are a few different reasons people will drive slowly, DUI is the most common one. While every person is different, most people who are inebriated drive slowly because their reflexes aren’t as sharp as normal and they’re overcompensating and being overly careful. Not only will the extremely slow driving catch the eye of a passing patrol officer, but your slow driving can also be a road hazard.
Erratic Acceleration and Deacceleration
If you’re rapidly accelerating and deaccelerating for no apparent reason, you shouldn’t be surprised when you spot red and blue lights in your rearview mirror. The inability to gauge how heavily you’re pressing down on the brake and gas pedal are early indicators of inebriation.
Swerving
Swerving in and out of your lane isn’t just a sign of a potential DUI, it’s also dangerous. When you’re drunk, the swerving indicates that you’re having a difficult time staying focused, that you’re not in full control of your motor skills, and that there’s a serious risk of you getting into a serious accident.
Even if you haven’t been drinking, if a cop spots you swerving all over the road, there’s a good chance that in addition to issuing a sobriety test, they’ll also give you a ticket for erratic or reckless driving.
Patrol officers are extremely good at spotting individuals who are DUI and will not hesitate to pull you over and issue an immediate sobriety test. The best way to prevent this from happening is to make sure you always have an alternate way to get home, such as a designated driver or a ride-share pickup, when you’re going out for drinks.
When Does California Permanently Revoke a Driver’s License for DUI?
It’s no secret that if you’re caught driving while under the influence of an illegal amount of drugs or alcohol in California, you’ll not only be arrested and fined but you’ll also be convicted of a misdemeanor and have your driver’s license suspended. In most cases, the hassle of losing their driver’s license and finding alternative means of travel is the worst part of having a DUI conviction. Even for a few months, not being able to drive convinces most drivers to be mindful of how much they imbibe before sliding behind the wheel.
While most people learn their lesson after a single DUI, there are always exceptions. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, some drivers make the same mistake a second time. At this point, many panic about the long-term impact the second conviction will have on their driving privileges and start worrying about just how many DUIs they can have on their record before they permanently lose their California driving privileges.
Anyone who has passed their 21st birthday and is pulled over for suspicion of DUI and has a blood alcohol content (BAC) that is 008% or more will have their driving privileges revoked. The first time this happens, your driver’s license will be suspended for four months. Each time after that initial charge during a ten-year period, the suspension will last a full year.
The situation goes from bad to worse if you refuse to take a BAC or breath test when you’re pulled over by a patrol officer. In this situation, your driver’s license suspension will last for an entire year following your first DUI experience. If this is the second time you’ve been arrested for a DUI offense and refused the test, you’ll be suspended for two full years. The third and subsequent time this happens, your driver’s license will be suspended for a full three years.
Suppose you’re charged with a DUI while you’re currently on probation for a DUI offense. In that case, your driver’s license will be suspended for an additional year in addition to the traditional suspension period. You will also face the serious legal consequences of driving on a suspended license and probably some other traffic violations as well.
The best way to ensure you don’t lose your driving privileges is to be smart and always have a designated driver or ride-share plan when you go out for a night of fun and drinking.
How to Report a Missing Person in California
There is nothing funny about having a friend or family member fail to be where you expect them to be. The problem becomes even worse when you are unable to contact them via a cell phone call.
Many people who are in this situation mistakenly believe that their loved one must be missing for a full 24 hours before they should contact the police. The truth is that you can contact the authorities and set about filing a missing person report as soon as you suspect that something has gone wrong. If the police tell you that you must wait, they’re wrong. You’re legally allowed to file the missing report right away.
Not only are you legally allowed to file the missing person report right away, but doing so is a good idea. The sooner you report your loved one as missing, the sooner the police can be on the outlook for them. It can even be the thing that prompts the police to do a wellness check which could reveal that your loved one isn’t missing, but simply sitting at home ignoring your calls.
If you’re reporting a minor as missing, the police will start looking for them right away. If you’re reporting someone who isn’t a minor or considered an at-risk person as missing and remains at large for more than 72 hours, the police contact the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and have your loved one officially listed as an endangered adult. This is a crucial step as it gets your loved one’s information into a national database, making it easier for different law enforcement groups to report a sighting or to take an interest in the case.
Don’t assume that just because you’ve reported a loved one as missing that the police will bring your loved one directly to you once they’ve been found. If your loved one is over 21 years old and doesn’t have a history of mental health problems and hasn’t committed a crime, there is little the police can legally do once they’ve been located.
While the police can’t force your loved one to return and they can’t provide you details about where your loved one is currently located, it’s highly likely that they will let you know that you’re loved one is safe and appears to be of sound mind and spirit.