It’s that time of year

Yes it is that time of year again, time to set those clocks ahead an hour.

But that is not all it is time for. It is also time to check those smoke alarms.

As a general safety rule, you should check your smoke alarms and change the batteries every time when you set the clocks ahead or back.

Doing it at this time would make it so that you will always remember and always have a fresh battery incase of an emergency. Most people recommend the changing of the battery once a year. But for as little as the cost of an extra battery by doing it twice a year, you could help to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Should you ever need those smoke alarms to go off, you will be grateful you spent that extra few minutes and used that extra battery.

Written by A. Wallace

Visit The Weekly News at http://localnews.yourdesign2.com
or join our mailing list to get weekly updates at http://yourdesign2.com/mailinglist.htm

At this point the situation of the complaint needs to be put to rest and we need to continue with the topic that this blog was created for.

I would like to thank my readers for their comments and support. I recieved a few e-mails and a postin on this topic.

I will be allowing the postings reguarding the complaint to remain on the board as a note for other bloggers.

A lesson I hope we all learned from the overall situation is that as bloggers we allow ourselves to have a certin level of comfort with those who we interact with. Yet we never trully know them or their situation. Minor things can easily get taken out of content and cause situations that could easily have been avoided. For this reason I am just as guilty as anyone else in this situation, reason being I allowed a comfort level that I should not have allowed.

We should (and I am including myself) all use some caution and restrictions when dealing with people over the internet. But when an issue does arise, it is also inportant that we stand up for ourselves. Cause just as I stired up support on my end within hours of the situation starting, others can just as easily stir up support against us in other situations.

So in closing, use some caution and when needed protet your name, reputation and your blog.

As a note. Posting of comments will remain available to readers and responces will only be made via. public posting, PM will only be accepted or sent form/to those that I know. All other PM's will be deleted.

Thank you all,
A.Wallace

Reguarding the complaint mentioned in the last post.

I just recieved an e-mail from the husband containing 1 word "Resolved". I assume that this means that he feels the situation is resolved.

I also recieved a reply from a staff member at BlogStream requesting that I forward the complaint to him. The responce time from BlogStream was in my eyes fast. I would like to acknowledge them for not letting this matter lay to rest. It shows that they are concerned as to what takes place through their blog service.

In responce to BlogStream, I notified them that I would take precautions to prevent being in a situation like this again.

As a result of timely responces and quick soultion to the situation, I will reopen all blogs to comments. Comments as well as responces at this point will remain as public only. There will be no acepting or sending of any comments through privet message.

Final note, the situation and precautions taken on my part are in no way a reflection on BlogStream. I still find their service the best for bloggers and highly recomend them to anyone who would like to create a blog.

Thank you,
A. Wallace

IMPORTANT Please Read Infull

A reader of my blog (What to do in New York) made a post to which I responded both through the blog comments area and privet message.

The readers husband assumed that there was more behind the reply then there infact was and filed a complaint against me with BlogStream.com

I understand the need to be alert for any/all contact via the internet, but this was a regular reader, as well as someone that posted many times. Comments reguarding my blog have been exchanged between with this reader both privetly and through public posting on a few ocassions.

However, as a result of the complaint I have decided to remove any ablity to post comments to this blog as well as my other blogs untill this matter is resolved.

I am not in the habit of defending innocent actions and should I feel this issue is not resolved 100% with acknowledgment of so in writing. Readers will no longer be able to post comments here after.

Should you disagree with my choice in dealing with this matter, please send your comments about the complaint to cs1@blogstream.com where the complaint was reported. Hopefully they will contact me requesting that I allow comments once again.

I will be posting information reguarding this situation as it becomes available.

Note that the choice was made by me once I became aware of the complaint. This is not a result of BlogStream.com, They more then likely have not had time to respond to the complaint as of yet.

I am posting a copy of the complaint and my responce below as well as a copy of an e-mail I sent to Abuse at BlogStream. Please read this posting in full and send any comments reguarding it to the proper person. That is the only way I may consider allowing posting of comments again at a later date.

I am sorry for any inconvienance this may cause readers and hope this matter will be resolved quickly so that I can allow comments again in the near future.

I will be continuing to update the blog weekly as normal, so please stop in and read each week.

Note: Names and contact information is being removed from the comment as well as the reply. This is information that I think should remain privet.
__________________________

Complaint;

>From: "Blogstream.com"
>To: "Artie Wallace" (address removed)
>Subject: Private Message Received!
>Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2006 02:58:20 -0500
>
> Hi Artie,
>
>You have received a Private Message!
>
>
> From: (name removed). (Reply)
> Message: Hey Artie,
>What the fuck are you talking to my wife about that you are thanking
>her for her concern.
>
>Send me an e-mail. My address is (address Removed)
>
>CH
>
>If you need, you can login at:
>
>http://www.blogstream.com/acct/login.mod
>
>
>If you do not wish to receive comment updates via email, you can turn
>them off in the Settings page for your blog available through "My
>Account".
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>You have received this message as a registered member of Blogstream.com.
> If you have received this message in error, please contact us at
>abuse1@blogstream.com.

___________________________

Reply (which was also sent to abuse at blogstream

CH,

I am sorry if you took something the wrong way.

Your wife has been following a blog that I write. She posted a comment reguarding a post on "Mc Sorley's Ale House". I reply to everyone that post a comment on my blog. Her comment was of how she got thrown out of the place. She also posted a second comment on why she got thrown out.

The full blog posting can be viewed at http://newyorkthisweek.blogstream.com/
All public comments can be posted at http://newyorkthisweek.blogstream.com/v1/pid/65757.html?CP=&HP=1#TC

Her comment about being thrown out read "They are old school there and YEARS ago when I went they still only had just a men's room. You can must order 2-3 beers at once. Loved that rule!

So, I was sitting at the bar and I sneezed with beer in my mouth. And it went all over the unlucky bartender. He was pissed and said OUT !!! GET OUT !!!!"

My public responce read as follows:
"I have heard of many resaons for getting thrown out of a bar.
But you just hit me with a new one that made top of the list.

Better luck next time. "

I also sent a privet responce stating to the affect of (she should have a copy with excat wording):
"I had a ruff few days and your posting put a smile on my face. The timing could not have been better. Thanks."

I recieved a responce to this responce stating "What's goin on ? I thought something was up......"

I took the comment about thinking something was up as concern being that I have not been keeping my blog in the recently updated listings this week. I do have readers that do e-mail me if they do not notice the blog not updated on time and they ask if everything is OK.

Judging by your responce, I assume the reply was not one of concern. That could have been a misunderstanding on my part. But given the information above, you can see how I could have taken it that way.

I replied to her comment that "everything was of, I just had a ruff few days." and how we all get them, and I thanked her for what I thought was a word of concern.

I can understand your concern, not knowing the full meaning behind the message. I hope this has cleared it up. Your wife is one of many readers that follow my blog and one of many that post comments (or e-mail me) to my blog. Depending on the post/comment I respond by public posting or privet message (as in this case).

For the record, your wife and I never had any contact nor do either of us desire to have any contact other then through the blog and with direct rellation to the blog and/or comments on said blog.

I do not know if my thinking her post was one of concern (as I have recieved from other readers at times) or if I took it the wrong way. What I do know is that if you review the blog, it's postings and comments, you will see that there was nothing other then total innocents on both ends.

Please speak to your wife about this and work with her to clear this matter up.

My blog is an extendtion of my weekly news site. Your wife is a part of the mailing list for the news site. Untill I recieve an e-mail from you and/or your wife stating that this matter is resolved, I will remove her from the mailing list.

If the comment by her was one of concern, then it would be the right thing for me to thank her for her concern. That is having proper manners and keeping good public relations. If her comment was not one of concern, then I am sorry that I misunderstood. This matter is not anything that should be an issue between your wife, you or myself as far as I am concerned. You would have to make that choice for yourself.

Due to this matter being taken out of content (be it on my end or yours). I will be removing the option for people to post comments from all three of my blogs, untill such time that I feel that this matter is resolved and all involved are at ease with the fact that no harm was intended in any way.

Please e-mail me and let me know if this matter is resolved. That way I can decide if I will make a choice if I will allow people to post their comments once again.

If you would like to know a little more about my blogs so that you can rest asure that this is not an issue for concern, please review my blog's and sites at the links below.

Blogs;
What to do in New York http://newyorkthisweek.blogstream.com/
Weekly Public Safety Tips http://publicsafetytips.blogstream.com/
Articles http://articles.blogstream.com/
My Profile on http://www.blogstream.com/profile.mod?PRID=5801

My sites:
The weekly News http://LocalNews.YourDesign2.com
Cool Collectables http://Collectables.YourDesign2.com
YourDesign2.com http://YourDesign2.com

NOTE:
As a direct ruslt of this situation. Even should this matter be resolved and readers be allowed to post comments to my blogs again. There will never be a privet message sent in a reply to comments here after. Also once this e-mail is sent I will be making a post to all blogs noting that comments will no longer be permitted until further notice. The post will be available for you to view on any/all blogs (blog address listed above). The post will be available on all blogs within the next 1/2 hour along with with abliity to post comments being removed at same time.

I hope this has cleared things up and sorry for any misunderstanding that may have came about.

Thank you,
A. Wallace

________________________________

E-mail sent to Blogstream in reguards to this complaint.

I recieved a complaint form someone about a privet message I sent from my blog. Please read the reply I sent as part of you reviewing the situation.

Should you have any questions for me at any point, please e-mail me or call me at (cell) (phone number removed). I trust you will evaluate this situation in a fair manner and approve of my dealing with the situation.

Thank you,
Artie Wallace
(blog: This Week in New York)

Door Locks

Today anyone can go to Home Depot and buy a new lock for their front door. But how many know what the facts are behind the lock you are buying?

The door lock that you choose can make the difference between the safety of your home and family. There are a few facts that you should know before choosing a new lock.

The myth that a better lock will cost more is just that, a myth. Most homes today use standard keyed locks. These locks use a set number of pins called tumblers. The more of tumblers in the lock the safer it is. Also locks are not as hard to get into as many people may think. Lock picking kits are easy to buy and even easier to learn to use.

The safest locks would be dead bolts. Requiring extra effort to turn the tumblers adds resistant to being picked. Also the locks using flat keys with holes on the side are much harder to bet in.

Do not buy your door locks from a place like Home Depot. If you were to ask a sales person, you would find that you could buy a second lock using the same key just by matching up the numbers on the package. In order to sell locks with this ease of matching, they must stock many locks with the same key. This limits the variations of keys being sold in your area.

Only buy your door locks through a local locksmith, express your concerns about security and likelihood of similar keys being sold in your area. Ask a lot of questions, and don’t stop until you feel that you are buying a lock that will keep you safe. And reparable locksmith will understand your questions and be happy to assist you with the right answers.

Be safe, buy right.

Written by A. Wallace

Visit The Weekly News at http://localnews.yourdesign2.com
or join our mailing list to get weekly updates at http://yourdesign2.com/mailinglist.htm