Party time!!! As the holidays approach, holiday parties are on tap. Make sure you have a safe time!! If you drink, be sure to have somebody who does not drink assigned to drive. It is not a matter of pride, it is a matter of safety and protecting others as well as yourself. Keep a sharp eye out for those who are dumb enough to drink and drive.

Old Man Winter's Coming! It's time to make sure your furnace and fireplace are ready! If you have flues, make sure they are clean. A squirrel's nest can add too much excitement to a fireplace fire! Speaking of fireplaces, burn only hardwoods as soft woods will leave creosote on the flue lining which can lead to a flue fire. A fire in the flue creates a massive wind tunnel effect!! It is very likely to destroy the lining, and can spread outside the flue.

Treated lumber contains serious poisons!! Never burn treated lumber!!!!!!!

Make sure your furnace lining (oil, gas, etc.) and flue are in good shape. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills many each year and makes many more very sick. Many areas require CO monitors to be in places with furnaces that burn oil or gas. Even if your locality does not require them, they are a very good idea!! Don't become a death statistic that leads your locale to require them.

Old Man Winter Continued:

Air conditioning A-frame coils that have leaky condensate pans can rust out furnace liners and lead to CO poisoning. It's best to have a professional to service your furnace and fireplace chimney(s) simply for safety sake.

Don't over do it shoveling snow! Way too many people die from heart attacks while shoveling snow. It is much harder on the heart than it seems. Also dress in layers, so, as you warm up shoveling, you can remove unwanted layers. Strange as it sounds, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. You can still work up a sweat while working. Speaking of fluids, no alcohol!! While alcohol may make you feel warmer, it does so by bringing more blood closer to the skin. This blood heats the skin, and it in turn loses that heat to the outdoors. In other words, alcohol increases your heat loss.

Watch out!! Beware!! eBay, PayPal, Microsoft and others do not email any patches or ask to verify personal information! Banks and credit card companies also do not send emails asking to verify personal information. According to a recent survey, a full 5 out of 100 people who were asked to provide information did!

Do not follow any links to any such sites in emails. Do not open any files included in such emails. If you are concerned, link directly from known links (NOT the emailed links). These known links can be found in the program's help files, owner's manuals, or boxes. Most likely, the emailed URL is not the true link. Also, note that nobody legitimate will email and ask for your account information (If you get something like this in normal postal mail, use the customer service phone number on your credit card, not the phone number in the letter. Same thing goes with phone calls, call back with a number you know is legitimate.), credit card/bank account numbers. It may not hurt to forward the email to the company in question by using the email address on their site. Many such companies have a page on how to report suspected fraud to them. Protect yourself by protecting others by reporting such things!

Bought a new toy? Think twice before tossing the box to the curb. Crooks go "curb shopping" to look for evidence of new goodies. Tear/cut up the box and make sure nothing is easily seen that gives hints of possible value of your new purchase. Even purchases made a while ago may appear enticing to crooks!

Viruses, Worms, and Trojans, Oh My! The first couple of months of this year alone, virus protection professionals have had more than the last two years of evilware to deal with. I cannot say enough about having virus protection, and keeping the definition files up to date!!! Operating a computer online without virus detection is like crossing a road with your eyes closed. I cannot say enough about up to date virus protection!!!

Outdoor fun is about to happen! Don't forget the sunscreen. Even on overcast days, enough ultraviolet rays can come through and give you a nasty burn. You also need to remember that sunscreen with a high SPF rating will help protect yourself from skin cancer. Picnics are coming, too! Do not tempt food poisoning by carelessness. Keep your picnic foods cool just as you would at home in the refrigerator. Don't eat foods that have sat out for lengths of time. I have read conflicting reports about the ability of mayonaise in slowing the growth of bacteria. There is no substitute to taking proper precautions to keep your picnic foods safe.

Cans, Bottles, and Bees Watch out for bees that climb into your drink cans, etc.!!! Personal experience says that it is not fun having an upset bee in your mouth. They love the sweetness of your favorite drinks and do not hesitate checking it out. While on the subject, avoid soaps and other strong fragrances. Bees are attracted to some of the ingredients used to make the perfume, cologne, or even soap smell so good.

Summer heat and sweating Just a reminder to drink plenty of good old water!! Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink some water, that puts you behind the curve. While flavored drinks may taste more exciting, they are not as good as plain water. Avoid drinks with caffeine, and of course, alcohol when you need to keep your fluids up. these will make you loose water faster, and the alcohol also impares your judgement when doing work that may be dangerous. Alcohol may make a normally safe task dangerous, too. Save your alcohol for the completion celebration!!

Hurricane season opened in June It's time now to be ready for the hurricane season. Check your battery radios, flashlights, and other survival needs. Make sure you have emergency food and water. Fighting the crowd at the store for the last item on the empty shelves is not the time!

Weather radios with alerting features are cheap nowadays, and well worth the investment. Not only can they keep you up to date on hurricanes, but also severe storms that may impact your picnic, etc.