It seems a previous spill on a motorcycle last September 22nd while preparing for a charity ride dubbed “Fall Ride for Fallen Officers” for the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, still haunts Mark Shurtleff, Utah’s Attorney General. He has undergone seven surgeries in the past nine months according to Melinda Rogers writer for the Salt Lake Tribune.

He was admitted to a local Salt Lake City hospital around 10:30 a.m. on Friday due to a serious leg infection.

Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, is scheduled to be a guest on the CyberHood Watch radio show (CHWradio.com), on Tuesday, July 1st, at 1:00 p.m., MST (3:00 p.m. Eastern). We certainly hope Attorney General Shurtleff recovers quickly and the CyberHood Watch community understand he may not feels well enough to keep his engagement. We understand if the Attorney General can’t make it and we look forward to rescheduling another time if necessary.

Get well soon…

The CyberHood Watch community.

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This is a post from Bill Wardell's: Online Security Authority Blog

Utah’s Attorney General Hospitalized - May Have To Cancel CyberHood Watch Radio Show

Many people say that this game is played for the high, but, it’s also played for the shock factor and for children who have never “played” it, it can be even more risky. These children are not sure how far they can take it before it takes over them. Also, when in large groups, children as we all know, do stupid things. Being in a group of your peers and playing this game, is very scary. You never know when one child might be brutal or a big enough bully to actually push this too far, and cause irreprehensible damage, and even death.

Once addicted to this form of “play” or this “game”, you risk many health problems, not just death. You are also in danger of passing this on to others. Some counselors and psychologists have outlined ways to help adults (children too, but they should seek counseling one on one) overcome these over-powering thoughts and desires. Reading more on ways to help yourself and/or your children may just save a life.

What behavior traits need to be developed in order to accept personal responsibility?

In order to accept personal responsibility you need to develop the ability to:

1. Seek out and to accept help for yourself.
2. Be open to new ideas or concepts about life and the human condition.
3. Refute irrational beliefs and overcome fears.
4. Affirm yourself positively.
5. Recognize that you are the sole determinant of the choices you make.
6. Recognize that you choose your responses to the people, actions, and events in your life.
7. Let go of anger, fear, blame, mistrust, and insecurity.
8. Take risks and to become vulnerable to change and growth in your life.
9. Take off the masks of behavior characteristics behind which you hide low self-esteem.
10. Reorganize your priorities and goals.
11. Realize that you are the party in charge of the direction your life takes.

Although these steps seem rough or too much, there are ways to soften how they are stated, and ways to share these with a child, while letting them know that you are always there, and will stand behind them and help them. For more information regarding these subjects, please visit: GASP - http://gamesadolescentsshouldntplay.com/en/home.asp, and the GASP forum - http://www.deadlygameschildrenplay.com/forum/index.php, and Coping.org - http://www.coping.org/growth/accept.htm.

You might also want to check out TheCHW.com and also go and listen to past radio broadcasts at: CHWradio.com for further information on protecting our children, our internet safety, and Identity Theft

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GASP - Games Adolescents Shouldn’t Play

1) Back Your Stories With Facts

When you talk to your kids about the dangers of being online, you need to back up your claims with actual facts or statistics. For instance, you could tell your child that twenty percent of kids, mostly teens, have received sexual solicitations from other people online.

2) Be Genuinely Concerned

Kids these days are smarter than two generations ago. They can easily detect if their parents are bluffing or just being over protective. When you talk about online safety, show your child that you are really concerned for them about the crimes committed in cyberspace. Your kid will more than appreciate it if you treat him or her more maturely.

3) Tell Your Kid About The Good Ol’ Days

Children today are more open to strangers. The mere fact that they have swapped pictures and email addresses with another person online can be easily interpreted as true friendship. Tell your kids that looking at profiles posted on online communities is not enough to be trustful about someone. In the good old days, friendship starts with meeting face-to-face and a handshake; that still applies today.

4) Be Calm When Argument Escalates

Remember, your rules may not always go with your child’s interests. And in this day and age, obedience and discipline do not always rank high among children. Hence, your talk with your child about online safety can easily escalate into a full blown conflict. When this happens remember to stay calm.

Unplugging the internet connection or returning the computer to the dealer after an altercation may only result to bitterness on the part of your child. To get back at you, your child can easily access the Internet in countless other places. Would you prefer your child being online at home or some other place without your supervision?

5) Empower Your Child

In this modern age of computers and Internet, you will be better off talking to your child on a more equal footing when it comes to online safety. Equip your child with the necessary knowledge about what can happen in cyberspace. Keeping your child blinded from the nasty and abusive side of the Internet will only work against him or her.

6) Learn The Ropes

Talking to your child about online safety is futile if you do not have any clue about it and the technology and accessories that run cyberspace. True, you do not need to be a computer scientist or a geek to know even the most basic, yet important, aspects of using the Internet. But the truth is, your child can use your guidance in cyberspace. An important aspect of Internet usage that a parent must have some ideas about is abbreviations used in chatting; this will enable you to know what your child is chatting about if you get a chance to glance on the computer screen.

7) Fish For Clues

One of the reasons why there are countless children being bullied or sexually groomed online is the fact that only twenty percent of parents and guardians have a clue about their child’s email addresses or choice of passwords. These details are important should you decide to investigate your suspicions that something wrong is going on with your kid online. When you talk with your child about the Internet, you can always ask about his or her email addresses or favorite websites and chat rooms.

Emphasize Privacy

When talking about online safety, emphasize the importance of privacy. Explain the importance of not divulging certain things about your family and your child’s personality online. Point out the dangers of revealing your credit card information or home address to a stranger online.

9) Teach Kids To Follow Instincts

The World Wide Web is full of strangers. Most often, your child does not know the person clicking the mouse on the other side of the screen; this is why you must talk to your child about trusting his or her instincts whenever she feels threatened or abused while chatting or meeting other people online. It is the best and only way to stop abusive and suspicious online behavior from actually happening in real world.

10) Never Put The Blame

When your child comes across something uncomfortable or unsettling online, never put the blame on him or her. This can only make matters worse. More often than not, unwanted materials just pop-up on the screen; so talking about this type of occurrences should be handled without putting the blame on your kid, otherwise, you risk breeding distrust and bitterness. Learn more here…

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10 Reliable Tips On How To Talk To Your Kids About Online Safety

If you like playing tricks, being anonymous or pretending to be someone else, the internet can be your own, private playground.  This is why people have screen names that have nothing to do with their given names and even use avatars, their virtual equivalent in a virtual world.  Although these are usually fun and harmless activities, they also present a twisted opportunity for individuals with less-than-noble intentions.  Perverts and online child sex predators, for example, frequently use these methods to find their victims.  So if you’re having some second thoughts about your new chatmate, consider these 10 signs that your online friend just might be a pervert:

1.  He knows he’s dealing with a child but he continues to communicate with you anyway.

You already told him your age and he is aware that you are young enough to be his child or even grandchild.  And yet, he insists on communicating with you, under the pretext that he finds you interesting or that he wants to help you.

2.  He focuses too much on your emotions.
Online perverts know that giving attention to sad, lonely or attention-craving kids can be an irresistible lure.  In fact, they will often prey on emotionally needy children and young adolescents. 

Although they might try to win your confidence by discussing the latest trends, music and fashion, they will gradually shift to other topics, especially those that have something to do with your feelings.

3.  He asks you about your clothing.
Another sign that your online friend might be a pervert is that he likes to ask you about what you’re wearing.  He will then proceed by insisting that you describe your clothes in detail, particularly your underwear. 

4.  He sends suggestive pictures.
An online pervert wants to open your mind to the possibility of sex, so sending you sexually suggestive or even graphic images or videos is just part of his game.  He is hoping that if you see the pictures, you will find them interesting and be titillated by them.  If and when this happens, you will become more and more receptive to sexual advances from him.

5.  He references body parts.
If your online friend is a pervert, he will start referring to his or your body parts.  The questions or statements will seem harmless enough, such as, ‘I have a hairy chest and stomach.  Do you like hair?  Do you have hair?  Where?’  However, for individuals who have never met, these questions are downright inappropriate and if he is an adult asking a child, it is wrong and unacceptable.

6.  He tells you about dirty movies or books.
As part of his plan to seduce you and spark your interest in sex, he will be telling you about pornographic movies he has seen or erotic books he has read.  He will be focusing on the sexual parts, of course and ask you what you think or if you’ve ever seen or read pornographic or erotic material.

7.  He talks to you about sex and asks what you feel about it.
Some online perverts cut to the chase, so to speak, preferring to approach their intended victims sexually the first time around.  These are the types who prefer to work faster and will engage in sexually suggestive or even explicit conversations right away.

8.  He asks you if you would like to have sex with him.
Another sign that your online friend is a pervert is that he will venture the possibility of you having sexual relations with him.  He doesn’t care how old you are or where you live because he’s more than willing to work out a compromise or solution.  His objective is to get to you in the fastest and safest way possible, never mind that what he intends to do is against the law.

9.  He sends you presents and love letters.
As part of the ‘grooming’ technique that online perverts use, your friend might try to win your favor by sending you gifts and court you by writing you notes professing his love.  It’s his way to try to appeal to your need to have attention and care, even if he doesn’t really mean what he says.

10.  He tells you he loves you when he doesn’t even know you.
He will tell you that he cares about you, misses you, wishes you were with him, even lament the distance between your house and his.  He might even tell you that you’re the only one for him and that he wants to marry you, just so you will believe him and want to be with him, regardless of the consequences.

For more great content, information and stories like this, please finishing reading The Rest of The Best 30 of the Top 10’s…

also Join Us, Monday LIVE @ 11:00 MST for:Your Online Security Authority  
Bill Wardell

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10 Signs that your Online Friend is a Pervert

As soon as the use of the Internet boomed, chat rooms and chatting services have suddenly mushroomed all over the cyber world. There are chat rooms exclusively for kids, teenagers, sports fans, college students, for people who want to meet possible mates, and for almost anything under the sun.

Although chatting is fun and an effective way to meet people all across the globe, you still have to be careful. Just like in the real world, the cyber world is full of individuals or groups that are just waiting to prey on you and steal information from you or just basically use you to get what they need. There are also many sexual predators who are on the lookout for young boys and girls that they can easily tricked and influenced.

If you want to participate in chat rooms, you need to read these 10 tips on chat room safety first:

Choose Your Screen Name Carefully

You need to choose a screen name that does not reflect your gender or any important information about you. The people on the chat room will judge you based on your screen name. Unless you want sex starved perverts to haunt you, then do not use triplexbombshell as your screen name or anything that will suggest you are looking for some hanky panky.

Remember that if you want to be taken seriously, you need to choose a screen name that is not offensive, sexual in nature, nor too revealing. If you are the star basketball player in your school, you do not want to use wildcats_starplayer as a screen name.

Think Before You Type

Even if you are virtually anonymous on a chat room, you still need to pay attention to what you are saying. You may think that nobody can trace you because of your unidentifiable screen name. Actually, if you are not careful with what you are typing, you might accidentally reveal things that you do not want to.

Don’t Spill The Beans

After several visits to the same chat room, you might feel comfortable and at ease with the crowd. You might even consider them as your new virtual friends. Although there is nothing wrong with this, you still need to know that divulging your address, contact information, name, office address, Social Security number, and other financial information is a big mistake. No matter how long you have been dealing with these people, you still can never be sure if they can be trusted.

Do Not Accept Any Downloadable Files From People You Don’t Personally Know

Sharing songs, pictures and other downloadable files is a big no-no on the chat room. These files might be filled with Trojan horses, computer viruses and other malware that might harm your PC. It is just like accepting a candy from a stranger.

Keep A Record Of Your Conversations

It is better to err on the safe side. So whether your chat conversations are boring and safe, you need to somehow keep a record of it. You will never know when you might need them.

Don’t Be Afraid To Contact Moderators

If you feel uncomfortable with how some chat participants are behaving or if you are being bullied, it is always best to contact the moderator. These people are here to ensure that the chat services are safe.

Don’t Go To Private Rooms With Strangers

There are many chat sites that provide private chat rooms. These are places where you can chat with people whom you personally know, like your classmates or friends. However, if a stranger asks you to join him or her on a private room, you need to beware. If the intention is good, why does he or she have to ask you to go to a private room?

Meeting A Person You Met On The Chat Room Is Not A Good Idea

No matter how irresistible or charming your chat mate is, he or she is still a stranger. You will never know the true intention behind the invitation; so, to be on the safe side, just don’t agree to meet in person.

Protect Your Computer From Viruses and Others

Before joining any chat service, it is wise to keep your computer protected. Install a dependable firewall and anti-virus and anti-spy ware software.

Know The Code Of Conduct Observed In The Chat Room You Chose

Before you participate in any chat service, you should know the rules and regulations of the site. It is also advisable to be nice. Do not curse or say other offensive words.

For more great content, information and stories like this, please finishing reading The Rest of The Best 30 of the Top 10’s…

also Join Us, Monday LIVE @ 11:00 MST for:Your Online Security Authority  
Bill Wardell

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10 Tips to Safely Join Chatrooms