Tips for Finding a Safe Rental Property
While there are many perks connected to living in California, the ability to easily find rental properties isn’t one of them. While it’s possible that there are some areas in California where safe and affordable rental properties are available, those locations are very rare. Difficulty finding rental properties is an issue that plaques nearly all of California’s large cities.
No matter how desperate you are to find a rental property where you can live, you must remember that your safety is very important. You do not want to put yourself in a position where you are always worried that something is about to happen. Here are a few tips that will help you find a safe rental property in California.
Check Out the Neighborhood Crime Stats
These days, it’s easy to learn not only what the crime rate in a particular neighborhood is, but to also find out what the most common types of crime are in the area. There are several sites that will provide a great deal of information about the crime rates in an area, allowing you to gain the information you need in just a few minutes.
Learn What Safety Precautions the Property Owner Has Taken
One of the first things you should do when you’re looking at a property is learning what type of safety precautions the owner has taken. Find out what types of locks are installed on the doors. Are there security cameras at the entrances? If the property is a multi-family dwelling are the other residents long term tenants, or are the other units used for short term rentals, such as Airbnb’s? Can the windows be locked? Are there bars over the windows? Are you allowed to make changes that would improve your sense of security.
Carefully Examine the Property for Potential Hazards and Safety Concerns
Most people only think about crime rates when considering the safety of a potential rental. While crime rate is important, it’s also important to really consider what type of hazards are found on the property. Are there maintenance or clutter issues that could lead to trip and fall accidents? Is there something noisy nearby that could cause you to lose precious sleep? Do the stairs have banisters? Is the home in decent enough repair that you don’t have to worry about thing falling apart? Are the appliances in good working order.
Don’t let the scarcity of rental properties in California distract you from considering the pros and cons of every rental property you look at. Considering the potential safety hazards only takes a few minutes and could spare you a great deal of stress and worry once you’re locked into a contract.
How Does A California Bail Reduction Work?
A high bail amount is often the difference between getting released from jail and resuming your life while your case goes through the slow judicial process or spending all of that time stuck in a jail cell.
When bail is set so high that it seems impossible, one of the options you will likely want to explore is a bail reduction. Before you start the process, you should know that it is complicated, time-consuming, and often doesn’t work out. Another and considerably easier and quicker choice is contacting Absolute Bail Bonds about the possibility of getting bonded out of jail.
If you decide to pursue the possibility of getting the bail reduced, you first need to consider why such a large bail was set in the first place. There are several factors California judges consider when setting bail for a defendant, including the following:
- The severity of the characters you’re dealing with
- If you have a prior criminal history and the types of convictions that history includes
- If the prosecutor plans to file additional charges against you
- If you have an account of failing to appear for court dates
- If there is anything that indicates you are a public safety risk or could potentially threaten the safety of your alleged victims whiles you’re out on bail
If you feel that the judge set bail unreasonably high, you can arrange for your lawyer to file a bail reduction motion. If you can show that the high Bail violated statutory or constitutional factors, the amount will likely be reduced.
Another option that is usually more successful is motioning for a bail reduction due to a change in circumstances. The most common reason for this motion to be granted is that some charges were dropped.
If you find yourself in need of bail and are unable to raise funds yourself, you should contact Absolute Bail Bonds. We are a 24-hour bail bond service with decades’ worth of experience helping people like yourself.
Every single one of our clients enjoys the following:
- 20% Discount
- Phone/online approvals
- 0% Interest payment plans
- No hidden fees
- No collateral is required for working signers
To learn more about how you’ll benefit from an alliance with Absolute Bail Bonds, contact us for a free consultation at (800)793-2245.
Affordable Bail Bonds in Lynwood
If you’re concerned you can’t gather enough money to pay for your loved ones bail in time, do not worry. There are other options, and the best one is to use a bail bond from Absolute Bail Bonds.
Will take the name, location, and bail amount of the person in jail. You will strategize with your specialist the best payment plan that fits your financial needs so you don’t need to stress too heavily. By utilizing Absolute’s services, you will only be paying 10% of the full bail amount. There will be no interest, no down, and no hidden fees. There may be collateral needs. Once everything is finalized, will get the bail bond over to the jail and your loved one will get out after it has been processed.
You will need to just make sure your loved one attends his or her appointed court date so the bail bond is secure. If he or she fails to do this, they will be rearrested with no bail option, and you will lose any collateral offered up for the bail bond.
Absolute Bail Bonds in Lynwood makes paying for bail easier, less stressful, and most importantly, affordable. That being said, do not hesitate to call 1-800-793-2245 as soon as you know you need to pay for bail. With our help, you can relax a little bit!
Are Yard Sales Legal in California?
Yard and garage sales are an excellent way to clear your home of clutter and to generate some extra money.
The good news is that California doesn’t have any laws that restrict you from having a yard or garage sale. As far as the state is concerned, they’re perfectly legal. However, that doesn’t mean you’re free to move your stuff into your front yard and start selling it.
While the state doesn’t have any rules governing yard and garage sales in California, many local branches of government do. In addition, several California cities don’t forbid yard and garage sales but have rules you’ll have to follow when you decide to sell your unwanted items.
Some cities and townships require a permit for yard and garage sales. The good news is that these permits aren’t challenging to acquire and don’t cost much. The best way to obtain a permit for a yard or garage sale in California is to visit your city clerk’s office. You can do this in person or online.
The biggest restriction most cities/townships place on garage and yard sales is the number you can have during a given period. Pasadena is a city that has such a restriction. You’re allowed to sell your items via a yard or garage sale, but if you live in Pasadena, you can only have a maximum of four garage sales annually. One of the ways you can get around this is by connecting with a few neighbors or friends and having joint yard sales.
While the state of California doesn’t restrict your ability to have a yard or garage sale, they do have some rules about what you can sell during the event… or rather, what you’re not allowed to sell. Three specific things that are prohibited are:
- Alcohol
- Ammunition
- Firearms
Food sales are also heavily regulated.
Many cities have rules about selling certain chemicals, such as pool supplies, at yard sales. It’s also common for some items like hot tubs and large appliances aree banned by the city.
Why Some People Are Sentenced to a Maximum-Security Prison
When you watch news stories covering criminal cases, you’ll often hear the word maximum security prisons and minimum security prisons mentioned. Many people find it difficult to understand why some people are sentenced to maximum security prisons.
What are Maximum Security Prisons
Maximum-security prisons doesn’t necessarily mean that the prison is considerably worse than a low-security prison. When a person is sent to a maximum security prison, it means they will be incarcerated at a facility where they will experience the maximum amount of supervision.
In the United States, maximum security prisons are designed so that the perimeter is heavily reinforced, making an escape difficult. The exact housing situation inmates experience depends on what type of treatment they require, solitary confinement or communal living. Most maximum security prisons have both single cell housing and multiple cell housing. The biggest difference between maximum-security prisons and low-security prisons is the staff. Maximum security prisons have a significantly higher staff-to-inmate ratio than other types of prisons.
Inmates who are sentenced to a maximum-security prison will sometimes have access to educational, religious, and health services, but they won’t be offered the work-related programs lower security prisons offer. They will also find that visitors face stricter rules. The ability for inmates to socialize is extremely limited in a maximum-security prison. In most cases, inmates at maximum security prisons are confined to their cells for 23 hours a day.
Why Some Inmates are Sent to Maximum Security Prisons
Several different things are considered when it comes to deciding where a person will be sent after they’ve been convicted of a crime. The severity of the crimes they’ve been convicted of. They’re criminal history. Whether they seem like an escape risk.
No one is sent to a maximum-security prison without serious consideration. The main thing that’s taken into consideration is whether the inmate is someone who is considered a great risk to the general public. If the answer is yes, they will be sent to a maximum-security prison where their ability to interact with the public and other inmates is severely limited. If an inmate has tried to escape from prison, they will be sent to a maximum-security prison. Inmates that have a history of aggressive behavior toward other inmates and/or prison staff will likely be transferred to a maximum-security prison.
Individuals who commit non-violent crimes and who stay out of altercations while they serve their sentence are usually allowed to stay at lower-security prisons.
Stay Safe While Taking Advantage of Online Dating
The days of going to bars hoping to find that special someone are long over. Bar hopping and awkward getting-to-meet-someone scenarios have pretty much been completely replaced by online dating sites. There are several reasons online dating sites are so popular, including the following.
- They’re considerably less expensive than going to bars and ordering drinks night after night.
- Everyone you connect to via an online dating site is genuinely looking for someone.
- You can pursue potential love matches while sitting at home, in your pajamas, while gorging on ice cream.
- You can quickly reject anyone who doesn’t appeal to you simply by scrolling past. There’s no need to worry that you’re going to hurt their feelings or damage their self-confidence.
While there are many perks connected to online dating, there are also a few drawbacks. While most of the people who use the various dating sites are good people, a few predators do occasionally create accounts. The good news is that there are some things you can do to protect yourself while engaged in online dating.
Create a New Email
Do not use any email that you regularly correspond with. Create a brand new email account that isn’t linked to your personal data. Do not attach social media accounts, your address, or your phone number to this email address.
Get a Good VPN
VPNs are designed to protect your location while you’re using the internet. A good VPN makes it look like you’re in one country while you’re really in a different one that’s on the other side of the globe. A good VPN makes it very difficult for anyone you’re corresponding with to track you down. Make sure you have the VPN on whenever you’re using the online dating site or using the email connected to the dating site.
Make Your Photos Generic
Before uploading photos to your profile, carefully look over them and make sure that there’s nothing in them that could give clues to where you live or the places you routinely hang out.
Meet in Public and Drive Yourself
If you’ve connected with someone and think they are a potential match, make sure your first several meetings are in a public place and arrange for your own transportation.
Tell People Where You’re Going and Check-In with Them
The first few times you go out with an internet date, let one or two people you trust know where you’re going, who you’ll be with, and what you’ll be doing. You should also set a time when you’ll check back in with them and let them know how it’s going. If the date is going well and you decide to keep the experience going, let your check-in people know about the change. If the date changes venue at any point, share this information.
The best way to stay safe while engaged in online data is to trust your gut. If you get a funny feeling that the person you matched up with isn’t quite what they seem, you should immediately cut ties and look for a new potential match.
Are You Being Stalked? Warning Signs To Look Out For
Stalking is a serious problem. An estimated 6.6 million people are involved in a stalking situation, and that’s just in the United States! While the idea of being watched might not seem like a big deal, the reality is that it’s very concerning. Not only does catching the attention of a stalker erode your mental health, but it’s also a crime that can escalate until it culminates in violence. It’s reported that 68% of female stalking victims and 70% of male stalking victims receive threats of physical harm from their stalker.
Don’t assume that only women have to worry about stalkers. While it’s true that one in six women will be the victim of a stalker, men aren’t completely safe. It’s estimated that 1 in 17 men will have trouble dealing with a stalker.
Stalking is something you want to nip in the bud, which is why it’s so important to recognize the early signs that you’ve attracted a stalker.
Pay Attention to Your Surroundings and Be Alert to Familiar Faces
Stalkers often depend on people not being very aware of their surroundings. Being distracted by a cell phone or simply being focused on one thing allows stalkers to get quite close to the person they’re following without ever being noticed. Whenever you’re running errands or even when you’re just hanging out in your yard, be alert and constantly look around you. If you keep seeing the same person over and over again in different locations or near your home, it’s likely that you have a stalker.
Don’t assume that a stalker is always a stranger. If you keep running into the same relative, friend, acquaintance, or romantic interest in random places, it’s possible that they’re stalking you.
You Keep Getting Strange Calls
If you keep getting weirdly random calls, they can either be hang-ups, or they can be from someone who repeatedly claims to be dialing the wrong number, or they could be from someone who simply calls to chat too often, it could be a sign that you’ve attracted a stalker.
Unexpected Gifts
Sure, the random bouquet of flowers or an occasional box of chocolate from a secret admirer is fun. But when the gifts keep coming, and the person continues to conceal their identity, the gifts are usually an indicator of a stalker. Even if you know the person who is sending you gifts, if they are excessive or if they are inappropriate, it’s time to take steps to ensure your safety.
Pay Attention to Your Internet Interactions
Internet stalking is a growing problem. The internet provides people with a way to fixate on a person and keep tabs on them at all times of the day or night. It’s not uncommon for internet stalking to be paired with real-time stalking. It’s important to understand that internet stalking is every bit as dangerous as traditional forms of stalking.
Signs of internet stalking include large numbers of texts/emails/DMs from a person. They can also frequently comment on your posts. In most cases, internet communications become increasingly forceful and demanding.
Recognizing that you’re being stalked is the first stage in safely extracting yourself from the situation. The next step is knowing what to do about your stalker.
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.