Is there really an axis of evil ?

Personally I don't know, but I do know there is evil in the world and it has it's tendrils everywhere--reaching into our lives and trying to gain from our naivety.

Don't be naive.

Prepare yourself for the bad things that can happen to good people and you will live a safer life. It won't be stress-free. In fact what I am about to suggest may actually increase your stress-levels by more than 100% of what it already is.

But wouldn't you rather live with stress than live as a victim?

Whenever you return to your house or flat (apartment) you should always knock on your door first.

Yes, that's right, knock on your OWN door!

Why?

Because if there is, say a burglar in there, he will be alerted and run out the back door. Now, if you don't have a back door, as I do not in my flat, then the burglar has another choice. He can answer the door and pretend to live there.

This is exactly what happened to me a few months ago, so I know of which I speak. I was returning home one evening and when I knocked on my own door it was opened by a scruffy looking young man who was sweating and obviously nervous. I snapped into my prepared routine. I simply said I was a Jehovah's Witness and that I would like to tell him about the Bible. Then, before he could say no, I pushed my way into the room and sat down on the couch and started my spiel. He relaxed somewhat allowing me the chance to say I wanted to use the bathroom, which I did and in the process I used my cell phone to call the police.

It worked like a charm and the miscreant was arrested! I highly recommend you knock before entering your house from now on. You won't be sorry.

I don't think you should worry too much when you are on a well-travelled street full of pedestrians, but I do.

I worry everywhere I go for my personal safety and I have never had a cause to be sorry that I do.

For example I often pirouette at random intervals when I am proceeding down a street to ensure that there are no thugs, pickpockets or persons of low moral calibre following me. If I spot one, and I must say I do at least once everytime I leave my flat, then I simply a) walk faster b) change to the other side of the street or c) stand still and eye-ball the person until they pass me by.

I have been told I have a relatively unusual physcial appearnence so maybe that helps me to stare-down such low-life types...I don't know. But if you are wise you will take my advice and keep an eye open for anyone who might be up to no good where you are concerned in public places.

Seniors are, of course, naturally vulnerable citizens to the onslaughts of nefarious criminals who too often find these elderly persons 'easy-pickings'.

The best advice for seniors is to get a large, rather ill-tempered dog that has no qualms about barking and biting when called on to do so. Dogs are trainable and to spend a small amount of money on getting a rottweiler with an attitude problem is well worth the investment.

You can use the dog to guard your house when you are home and you can take the dog with you when you go to the park or shopping or to the book club or sewing-bee. Just tell the other members of the club your dog is for you own safety and if they are not of evil intent he will not molest them as he has been carefully trained to only after persons with bad thoughts. This should put them at ease.

Finally there are, perhaps the most innocent and most at risk individuals in our society--the children.

Children need to learn to scream louder and run faster if they are to survive in this rapidly changing world where predators and perverts are beginning out-number the average, well-intentioned persons.

Screaming is something every child can do already, but most do not do it loud enough.

Have your children practise hollering and scream bloody murder at the smallest sign that they notice something is not right. It will put off the predator faster than a police siren. Then the child is free to run and not stop until he has reached safety.

We can all live in a safer world if we just heighten our awareness of danger. Raise the bar. Watch for it everywhere. Be proactive! Think like a criminal and out-smart him in the process. It's about time we take back our world from evil.

2 Protect Yourself, Inc. - Preventing Identity Theft
 Protect Yourself, LLC. Identity theft is a crime where someone wrongfully takes ... Knowledge is the first step to protecting yourself from becoming a victim. ...2protectyourself.com/index.html -

STIs: Learn How to Protect Yourself -- familydoctor.org
Information for teens about sexually transmitted diseases from the American Academy of Family Physicians.familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/.../275.html - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/teens/sexuality/275.html