Internet Guardian

Archive for July, 2010

Social Networking sites provide a fantastic resource for people to meet new people and make new friends. From the comfort of their homes people can meet others from around the world, spending time chatting about an infinite variety of subjects and sharing photos, music, videos and more. In this virtual world it doesn’t matter what people look like as many people use cartoon characters or artistic pictures in their profile. This gives many people the confidence to spend time with a huge variety of people from various backgrounds and diverse values and beliefs. It is clear that, by breaking down social barriers in this way, social networking sites are achieving a valuable result in redefining the way that people interact. But, amidst all the positives, it is clear that there remains the possibility for some people to abuse the system, using the freedom of information that the internet aims to provide for their own selfish – and often both illegal and abusive – reasons. For this reason it is essential that users of social networking sites are aware of some basic safety tips before logging in and starting the exciting process to meet new people and make new friends.

1. Never assume that people are who they say they are. We have already mentioned that some people use cartoon images or artistic photos as their profile pictures. Whilst there is essentially nothing wrong with this, it provides the opportunity for people to pretend they are somebody completely different. Just because a person’s profile says they are a 16 year old female this is not necessarily true. It is possible that this person is actually much older, perhaps a male, and using these fake details to prey on younger people. Yes such cases are uncommon but they are far from unheard of and never assume that anybody is who they say they are.

2. Never disclose personally identifiable information on your page. Social Networking sites are viewable by a vast variety of people. As we have already suggested, this very fact is one of the reasons why they are so successful. But personally identifiable information such as your full name, address, phone number, date of birth, email address etc should not be displayed on your profile page. This may seem strict but identity fraud is a big issue and it doesn’t take much information for fraudsters to be able to assume your identity and start carrying out a string of illegal actions in your name. Use only your first name or a nickname and leave the rest off of your page.

3. Do not lie about your age. It is important that you are honest about who you are in the same way as you would expect to be honest about who they are.

4. Remember that meeting somebody you have met online is extremely dangerous. If you are under 18 then we would propose the blanket guideline of never meeting anybody under any circumstances. As we have already discussed it is impossible to be certain that a person really is who they say they are and tragic consequences have been recorded of people meeting somebody they have met online. Guidelines offered elsewhere that people under the age of 18 should always go with a friend when meeting somebody have simply led to both young people being put at risk. So the advice is simple: do not arrange to meet somebody you have met online if you are under 18.

If you are over 18 and are determined to meet somebody then we would suggest some guidelines to follow.

- Try and speak to the person on the phone beforehand to reassure you that the person sounds genuine. Never give your own number out at this stage – use a public call box if necessary.

- Arrange to meet in a well lit, public place. A café or well lit bar would be ideal. Do not meet at a person’s home or in a dark nightclub or similar.

- Ask somebody to come with you, at least for the first part of the meeting just to provide some support if required.

- Do not consume too much alcohol at your first meeting. Ensure that you retain control at all times. Ensure that you drink plenty of water or soft drinks as well.

- Never assume that a person is trustworthy and reliable simply due to the first hour or so of meeting them. Take any relationship slowly and do not put yourself in a vulnerable position until you are confident that you know that person.

5. Be very careful when uploading photos or videos containing pictures of yourself or friends. You should always get permission from others before uploading pictures containing themselves. Risqué and naughty pictures that might seem funny between close friends could easily be downloaded and possibly digitally altered by others before being redistributed. Do not upload pictures of nudity or similar (it is against the rules of most sites anyway) as this provides a clear temptation for other people to abuse.

6. Report any instances of concern as soon as possible to the site’s moderators. Most Social Networking sites have a contact form that would be suitable to use. Don’t be concerned that you are making a fuss or exaggerating a problem – the site authorities will look into it in detail and make their own judgement. But, for your own safety and the safety of others, please make sure you report any concerns you have.

Social networking sites, such as getsharing.com, are a fun, relaxing and innovative way to meet new people and make new friends. Following the simple guidelines above will help social networking become a safe and fun experience for all.

Anyone who has tried to locate a part for a low voltage life safety knows it’s true: It’s nearly impossible to try to find parts to repair life safety systems that are no longer being manufactured. (Life safety systems include fire alarm, nurse call, patient tracking and infant security systems.) The essence of the problem is a combination of the facts that: 1) such systems typically last for 10 – 15 years and 2) the manufacturers of such systems tend to change product lines and/or configurations every 3 – 5 years. As such, for example, a fire alarm system installed in a building in 2006 will function properly until at least 2016, but the company that manufactured the system may stop producing parts for it in 2010. (As an aside, even the 10 year old systems would likely function longer, but improvements in technology may mean that the existing system no longer operates efficiently, or may not have certain features or functionality that have become commonplace in the interim and, therefore, its owners may deem replacement a necessity.)

Companies that have these life safety systems installed and find themselves with a system that has a faulty part for which replacement parts are no longer manufactured are faced with a troubling and potentially costly dilemma: they either have to find an alternate source for the parts OR they have to find a way to make the system function in an acceptable manner without the faulty part in place OR they have to purchase and install an entirely new system. Depending on the size and complexity of the system, such companies can find themselves in a situation in which they need to find a $100 part or be faced with a system replacement with costs upwards of $200,000. Further exacerbating the problem is the fact that the very nature of these systems require a quick resolution or else, literally, lives could be at stake.

A temporary solution that some companies employ is to purchase a stockpile of spare parts when they initially install the system. The problems with this strategy are: 1) it is only a temporary fix, because the company will eventually run through its stock of spares, 2) due to the relatively high cost of the initial system and due to the fact that these systems do not provide any income to their owners, the cost justification of spare parts purchases at the time of installation is often not there, 3) the manufacturer’s warranty will expire while the spare parts are in stock and 4) the company would be guessing at which parts may fail at some point in the future, so it would not be guaranteed that its spares on hand would be the correct ones in the event of a parts failure down the road. Due to these problems, this strategy is generally ineffective.

Some of the companies that install life safety systems have recognized that this problem exists and have attempted to fill the void by maintaining a pool of spare parts. This solution works well for customers who are fortunate enough to be acquainted with these installation companies. For the vast majority of the companies who have life safety systems installed, but do not know these installers with the spare parts pools, this solution might as well be nonexistent.

Fortunately, the growing acceptance of business-to-business ecommerce has created a mechanism to address this problem. This mechanism would enable a company to become a clearinghouse for hard to find parts for low voltage systems. It facilitates both an efficient supply chain workflow and an effective product delivery system. PrimaryParts.com has taken the steps necessary to cultivate relationships with suppliers and end users to create a network of companies that maintain these hard to find parts and are willing to supply them to those who need them. PrimaryParts.com has also created a website that enables companies who are seeking such parts to easily search for the parts by a wide variety of features and to verify that they have found their part by viewing a photo of the part.

The Internet to the rescue! Fortunately the growing acceptance of business-to-business ecommerce has created an excellent mechanism to address the original problem and the shortcomings of the other solutions. Companies have risen to become clearinghouses to both buy and sell hard to find parts. These companies have cultivated relationships with both the end users and the suppliers to facilitate the exchange.

So search out websites such as primaryparts.com, to fill your legacy parts needs. You needn’t scrap an otherwise effective system for lack of a part!

If you need help with a hard to find part, email me at mwong@primaryparts.com or visit us at PrimaryParts.com and I’ll put our team to work on it. We handle new and legacy parts for fire alarm, nurse call, access control, and CCTV systems.

Herbal products have been used for generations to help treat various ailments, however, the industry of these products is relatively new to the retail market. Many individuals who wish to purchase them sometimes hesitate due to not knowing the safety or the federal regulations that these items have imposed upon them.

The only thing that a consumer usually has to go on is the product label, and this can be misleading because a company’s main goal is to ultimately get a person to buy their product.

However, with a little research and time, a person can overcome the misconceptions that are associated with both safety and regulation guidelines with these products that are on the market.

One of the first things to consider when thinking of using them is the safety. When individuals buy them, they usually will read the label and then decide the safety based on that information. However, this can sometimes be misleading because the main thing that a corporation wants is for the consumer to purchase their product.

Herbal products are based on herbs, and that is the first safety issue that should be completely understood. Various herbs are used for culinary enhancement, but they can also be used for therapeutic usage and this is relatively safe.

Examples of this include the use of marshmallow root tea and peppermint leaf to help a person feel very soothed and comforted when they are feeling under the weather.

Some allergies have been reported with the use of herbs, but with a little investigation, a person can determine if the properties that they might encounter when using certain herbs.

Another misconception about them is the federal regulations imposed on these items. All supplements including them must follow the federal regulations that control manufacture, labeling, and advertising of these products.

Herbal supplements, even those herbal products weight loss enthusiasts seek, are considered food, and therefore have to meet federal guidelines that are required of all foods that are consumed.

Another regulations that the industry of such products must meet is that the items that are produced must meet certain sanitary conditions, and this ensures that those produced are not contaminated.

No matter whether a person chooses to use weight loss herbal products or herbal hair products, the outcome will be the same. The safety of the industry of these products is assured by the federal government.

Everyone that purchases such products for consumption or other recreational use can rest assured that the item is safe for them and their family.

If questions do still exist, a person can research the herb or supplement on the internet, or ask their local pharmacist.