From New York City to California, delinquents are grasping pharmacists at gunpoint and getting away with not only tens of thousands of dollars of daily sales but also strong addictive medications which retail for as much as $90.00 on the streets. In one of the most appalling felonies an armed robber sauntered into a neighborhood pharmacy in New York’s Long Island and shot dead the attendant, a clerk at the store in addition to two clients prior to getting away with a backpack filled with pills comprising hydrocodone.

A pharmacist in New York who was hit twice in the past year by armed robbers has termed the recent rise of armed robbery cases as “an epidemic”. He goes on to say that the robbers are dissolute and will shot you without thinking.

According to statistics released by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, it is believed that armed robbery cases at pharmaceutical stores rose by a margin of 81% between 2006 and 2010. The amount of drugs stolen between the same period rose from 707,000 to 1.4 million. The most preferred drugs by armed robbers are oxycodone pain killers, for example, OxyContin and Hydrocodone based medication, such as Vicodin. These are powerfully addictive medications.

In the State of New York, the number of pharmaceutical robberies cases rose from two to twenty eight between 2006 and 2010. In Florida, armed robbery cases rose by nearly six-fold in the same period from 11 to 65. In California, there were 61 reported cases of pharmaceutical robberies. Other affected states include Indiana which experienced 45 robbery cases and Tennessee that had 38 pharmaceutical robbery cases.

Fortunately, most thieves do not injure anyone. Their main interests are in the drugs. Only a few delinquents shoot down store attendants in a moment of rage. Nonetheless, the concerned authorities are increasingly being worried about the likelihood of bloodshed as the number of assaults continues to rise. For example, in September of 2010, a store clerk was shot dead by a bullet that went through the chest and a pregnant lady wounded when a shootout ensued between the robber and an armed staff at the drug store in Sacramento’s suburb. In August 2010, an armed robber shot and killed a pharmacist in Trenton, New Jersey before getting away with $10,000 worth of pills.

The robberies are just but a reflection of an increase in the misuse of narcotic drugs countrywide. This is according DEA spokesperson, Barbra Carreno. She continued to say that drug addicts are devising new methods of satisfying their addiction.

Prescription medications such as Vicodin, OxyContin and Norco are presently the second most misused drugs following marijuana. There are approximately 7 million Americans who abuse different types of painkillers on a monthly basis. This is according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

© Ralph for Security World News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: addictive medications, armed robbery, Hydrocodone, narcotic drugs, pain killers, Pharmaceutical Robberies, Violence

For this reason, measures for personal safety are a must if you want to remain protected from any kind of invisible threat. Women are very delicate creatures but when it comes to their personal safety, they need to get stronger. For the purpose of self defence, every woman should learn Judo and Karate. This makes the women more confident and builds up their strength and they can protect themselves from getting molested.

Vigilance is another key to protection. While travelling alone, women should be vigilant and make sure that nobody is eying them or following them. If they suspect anybody doing so, they should immediately get ready with their pepper spray. Pepper sprays are handy and are must for every woman. The use of these sprays has increased a lot in the recent times which clearly shows the vigilance of the women for personal safety. A pepper spray disorients the attacker and gives you enough time to run away to a safe place and call for a help. Personal alarms are also very helpful in confusing the assailant.

Another important thing to be kept in mind is that women should not roam alone in the secluded areas like subways or car parking. Also for jogging or morning walk, they should prefer the path where group of people can be seen around. If possible, they can carry pencils, scissors or even rolled newspapers which acts as good weapons against the attackers. Set the number of police at speed dial on your cell phone. If you are caught in any danger when you don’t have anything, scream at the top of your voice. This is the best and most effective measure of defence.

© Shipali Sharma for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: personal safety, secure, Violence

Religious terrorism – an act of shame for the globe

Most of the people nowadays are well aware of the various religious acts and preaching of different religions. It is a well known fact that almost every religion will preach path that would lead to peace and harmony. With so many terrorist acts in many countries it is becoming a concern to be thought of seriously. Among the various reasons for the terrorism one of the biggest reasons that have been sorted out to the growing violence is religion. Nobody can ever imagine that any religion can be a source of violence among people and countries.

The peak terror attacks in various countries like the USA, India, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan is a crucial factor that needs to sort out the basic reason to the growing violence. The various facts reveal that most of the times people involved in the terrorist activities are being provoked on the name of their God, religion or their community.

Grounds to the various religious terrorism acts begins within a nation and then spreads

It is not necessary that the terror activity needs to have a reason because of some indifference between various countries but there are so many other underlying reasons. Some of the grounds that encourage religious terror acts are political parties, poverty, need to be famous and so many.

The political parties of any country are the bridging gap between the people and various other nations. However it has been found that various political parties are responsible for promoting the violence acts in nations. They are found to take the advantage of the fact that provoking and igniting the people of their own religion against other religions would help them rule better. This will help them handle people and nation easy. People trust them and continuously elect and choose them as their leaders because they believe them to fight for their rights, safeguard their religion and promote them to other people.

The other dominating factor for religious terror acts is that people who are rich or are well established will always exploit the weaker sections of their society to their benefit would take an advantage by giving them what they need and asking them to fight the other weak sections and this will give them power to rule.

The religious terrorism is not only affecting the nations but it is also causing increased violence among people inside the country as well. The peace within the country is also getting disrupted and people are ready to even kill each other just for the sake to promote their religion.

The awareness towards religious terrorism is necessary as there are so many other factors that are leading to the increased violence and there is no religion that preaches terror acts and so let the people be aware of how their acts are hurting others.

© Ralph for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Religious terrorism, terrorism, Violence

The earthquakes that thump this place had completely transformed it to a ruined nation. The place is now consider not worth for human survival not for the reason natural calamity that has hit but for the fact that  regardless of the fact that so many rescue operations are getting failed to give relive to the people in Haiti. After the earthquake this place Haiti was not in a position to support its own people as it destroyed the entire part and making tough for anyone to survive. The entire nation is homeless; there is an endless count to the deaths caused, the survivors are traumatized by the condition in Haiti and are finding it hard to keep them sustained in such conditions.

Why is the violence so much intensifying day by day in spite of relief workers?

Many rescue operations from various nations have come up to give relief to people. These operations are trying to provide people with all sorts of commodities like food, water, clothing, medications and so on. A large number of rescue workers and even medical professionals have migrated to help people in every possible way but still the conditions are getting out of hands. The reason behind all the violence is that the relief funds, operations are trying to give maximum but people are so much troubled that they are now losing their patience to mange things in a reduced amount. They are getting tired of living like parasites and borrowing.

 There is so much of violence that people are killing other people for their survival. There is lack of basic commodities like food, water and clothes and this is aggravating people to borrow, steal or snatch things from others. People are getting limited supply for these necessities and they are not able to get food especially. The hunger for food and water is leading to so many murders and killing cases there. In fact people are looting the various rescue workers so as to get the maximum food for them and their families.

The number of dead bodies is so much that it’s making the survival unhygienic for the people as there is foul smell and stink. The death poll is such that there is not enough space to even bury or dispose off. Medical rescue operations are in a real big testing situation as they are trying to put in many efforts but still it is insufficient.

It seem like it will take a long time to give space and shelter to the people there. The plight of this country is big concern for mankind as so many people are living without the basics of life specially a word called home is now only dream.

© Ron McBride for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: dead bodies, Medical rescue operations, Violence

To meet the urgent security needs and other requirements, various western nations, United States and including Canada as well are making efforts to bring a stand still in Haiti, but one thing is still bothering the mind of all nations, that is, whether Haiti will be saved from crime ridden conditions after receiving a massive response from all these nations. Although motive of the nations is to save the lives, but still as the country will be facing various challenges, the nations need to plan much for the larger security for months and weeks that have to come.

The existing United Nations peace keeping force already includes 7000 soldiers and 2000 police officers and the US troops under the American command will work closely with these existing forces. The security threats in Haiti are not only frequent in number, but are also complicated. The support provided by the forces and other groups’ should be such that people of Haiti feel sustained for rebuilding again and this is going to be a long term facilitation program, as mentioned by the nations. So, although the nations are making all the efforts, but the chief aspect is that whether this overwhelming prospect will be under control or not.

© Ralph for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: American marines, US government, Violence

It is being seen that if the security in Afghanistan is not strengthened, then even those smaller areas that are being ruled by Taliban would once again become a home of the violence setting the stage for the military troops of Pakistan could also become offensive. The Obama administration needs to prioritize between the long term and the short term goals. This needs immediate attention.  The government of U.S has to work in the direction that when the U.S troops leave Afghanistan finally, the Afghanistan government would function properly.

With President Obama announcement that now three thousand or more troops would be sent to Afghanistan, it can be seen that Taliban is right under the target.  All the additional forces that have been here from a long time have worked in the direction of breaking down the momentum of the Taliban and assuring that the population leads a safe and secure life. One more thing that the U.S troops have been doing while their stay in Afghanistan is to train the Afghan security personnel so that they can take the control of their security.

Some goals that are to be reached

Although most of the goals that have been set by the U.S government seem to be outwitted as for now, one can just hope that the result of these comes out to be a positive one. One goal behind which U.S is carrying all these efforts is to dismantle the structure that Taliban and Pakistan both are trying to come up with here.  Apart from this, U.S has also defined as the southern regions of Asia are epicenter of terrorism and extremism.  Some of the objectives with which the U.S government is chalking out the plans are:

• Denying access of Taliban to the populated and key areas of Afghanistan.
• Mortifying Taliban to that levels at which the Afghan forces could handle it effectually.
• Making efforts that lead to a comprehensive increase in the capacity and the number of the Afghan forces.
• Annulling the momentum of Taliban with the help of the military action performed by the U.S troops.
• Preventing Al Qaeda from establishing its territories in Afghanistan.
• Building the capacity of the Afghan in certain selected areas so that it becomes completely functional.

If U.S considers its efforts in the nation building format, then the results are surely expected to come.

© Ralph for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Afghanistan, Afghanistan government, Obama administration, U.S troops, Violence

The world leaders during this meeting pledged to provide to provide the country with the support of $140 m so that it could effectually register a win over Taliban.  One more news that came from the UN sources stated that the UN representative to Afghanistan has already met the Taliban members. This meeting took place on January 8^th, 2010 in Dubai and all this was after the request that the militants had made.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai also seems to be positive about the security transition as he has also announced many of the plans in which the Taliban members have been encouraged to relinquish violence and join hands in the peace talks and endeavors.  At this point of time, one can say that both the Taliban members and the Afghan government  has to settle on one common term that violence is not a way t put forward the grievances as with these only the innocent people are subjected to insecurity. 

There is a need of a complete reintegration plan that contains the course of action in which the Afghan government is going to slowly and steadily going to gain the control. The aim for which the Afghanistan government and the foreign powers helping it should be to align the military resources and coming out with a well thought strategy that could help President to work towards his agenda. There needs to be a mutual understanding between the Afghan government and the nations that are providing it aid.

These operations of Afghanistan trying back to gain the control have to first of all consider the most insecure areas and once the control is established over them, the less secure ones are to be considered.  For carrying out this security transition process, Afghanistan government is surely going to require a whole lot of physical security as without this results cannot be expected to come.  The Afghanistan’s forces are to be provided with all sorts of trainings so that their capabilities are boosted and they become capable of dealing with the critical situations.  One more thing that the Afghan government has to take its attention towards is the ever mounting corruption as this is not a very difficult think to trap.  If the corruption is tackled properly, forces are equipped and trained; this transition is surely going to lead to some positive results.

© Ralph for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Afghanistan, Afghanistan government, Dubai, President Hamid Karzai, Taliban, Violence

So when you hear of domestic violence tearing a family apart, and are also authoritatively informed that the kids are fine because they are already teenagers, don’t be so sure. Data on teenage domestic violence contain spine-chilling tales of children who put an end to their young lives.

Teenage is a turbulent time in ones life under the most normal of circumstances. You go through emotional ups and downs as a matter of routine, not really understanding why it is that you are up or down. Even coming from normal, boring families where the most exciting event would be the lawn-mover getting stuck, teenagers go through phases, in an attempt to figure out who they are. If the family is there behind them like a rock with a light house, the turbulent teen soon finds his moorings and drops anchor. If not, he is wrecked on the treacherous rocks, after years of floundering and being blown about in tempests. A teenager really needs his or her family.

Reasons for domestic violence are many, but the effect of domestic violence on children is just one—disastrous. Smaller children, one may dare to hope, may eventually overcome the trauma, and find healing if shifted from the scene and placed in a more convivial situation. But older children are often unable to do so, and carry this monkey on their backs for a long time. Their fragile psyches are often burdened beyond endurance. The tragic fact is that they are haunted by the specter of domestic violence even long after the parents have ceased communications, and gone their separate ways.

Feelings of helplessness, fear, and guilt attain overwhelming proportions and tear the child apart. There is an established correlation between substance abuse and domestic violence. This as well as wild acts of rebellion and a lack of respect for authority are all cries for help, which are quite unintelligible to society, and taken at face-value.

These woes are often compounded if the mother decides to pursue another relationship. The child sees his or her priority in her life slipping to below zero. It is true the woman needs to live her life, but sometimes she makes a wrong choice twice. The step-father/boyfriend may be a divine creature who actually cares for the woman and her children, or he may be a devil-incarnate who abuses the children in every way he can.

If it is the second situation, there really is no hope left for them, but to either leave home and try to make it on their own. This is supported by domestic violence statistics in single parent homes. Or in the deepest of despair, and loneliness when no one seems to care whether they lived or died, they might think so too, and pursue the second option.

If you are a teenager, or younger, make sure you reach out to your parent and tell them how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Often, your parent(s) think you are actually doing fine and don’t even realize your situation. Tell them in a serious manner when they are alone, or make time to be alone with them, and tell them straight up, things have to change, because you literally cannot handle things anymore.

It’s okay. They are the adult. Not you. If they are not emotionally capable to handle it, then you will realize you are not alone after all, that you have each other. Ask your parent if you can help each other and change things together. Sometimes, you’d be very, very surprised that they would rather hold onto you than someone who isn’t their blood relative, namely, her new boyfriend or your new stepfather.

Remember this, above all, you are both in a situation that neither wants to be in. You both seriously need and truly love each other. It is very important you two find a place when you are absolutely alone and plan your next step, be together, help one another, and lean on each other for the love and affection that you both deserve.

Your place in this world will not be determined by a sick, abusive person. It will be determined by your strength to get through this situation in the most positive way you can find. You are bound for greatness. Most of us don’t know that, and we walk about in life aimlessly, wondering why they are here.

Trust me when I tell you this, and I have been at my darkest hour ready to end it all, you ARE here to make a difference. You are here to be VERY successful. There are many, many people you have yet to meet that will love you like you have never been loved before.

If I told you about my life and the adversity I’ve gotten through, you would probably never believe me. Sometimes, I wonder why I am still here. Then I remember…because you are still here hanging in there, too.

I, personally, pray to The Lord, Jesus Christ, for strength each and every day, and every night when I go to bed. That is my personal belief. So whoever your higher power may be, pray to Him (or her) and ask for the strength, courage, and wisdom to make a beautiful difference in this world through his grace and love.

Believe it. Because You are Worth So Much More Than You’ve Ever Imagined.

Big Hugs! You can do anything you set your mind to…don’t ever forget that! )

© Ron McBride for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Suicide, Teenage girls, Teenage Suicide, Violence