A Boy and His Octopus In the heart of Oklahoma‚ 9-year-old Cal Clifford shares a unique bond with his pet octopus‚ capturing the imagination of over 400‚000 TikTok followers. Cal’s fascination with octopuses began when he was just two years old. “I’ve just loved them since I was 2 because they’re the closest things to... The post Parents buy son a pet octopus then learn he’s not what he seems appeared first on Animal Channel.

On Tuesday’s edition of The View‚ ABC’s staunchly racist and anti-Semitic co-host‚ Sunny Hostin (the descendant of slave owners) proved once again why she’s a former federal prosecutor. Speaking about the upcoming hush-money trial against former President Trump‚ Hostin proclaimed that she feared the impartial jury would be infiltrated by a Trump supporter who would “lie” by telling the court the contradictory statement: “I hate Trump. But I can be impartial.” Hostin admitted she was “excited” for the trial‚ calling it “a legal nerd's Super Bowl.” When faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin noted “They haven’t even picked a juror‚” Hostin boasted about the jurors who said they couldn’t be impartial: “But that's exciting to someone like me because 50 people said ‘I can't even be impartial‚’ which I admire them for their forthrightness and their honesty because you have to be honest when you're a juror.” But while claiming she “still believe[d] they will be able to find an impartial jury‚” Hostin contradicted herself by adding: “They’re never going to find that.” She then went on to hype how the legal teams were going to comb through the social media accounts of prospective jurors for signs they support Trump: They are never going to find someone that doesn't know about the former twice-impeached loser president. Right&;#63; They're never going to find that. But what I did find also interesting about my Super Bowl that the legal teams will be checking the jurors’ social media profiles to see if they can access the truthfulness and intention of what they said during voir dire‚ which is their questioning.     “And I think that’s really‚ really important because‚ if you start liking Trump‚ you follow Trump stuff on social media‚ are you going to -- can you be impartial&;#63; I don't think so‚” she declared without a consideration to keeping Trump haters off of the jury. In fact‚ her fear was that a Trump supporter would “sneak onto that jury” by lying about hating Trump: HOSTIN: You get one person that sneaks onto that jury with untoward feelings‚ that person can hang that jury. BEHAR: How do you sneak onto a jury&;#63; You have to be called to a jury. HOSTIN: Well‚ you lie. You lie. You say‚ “I hate Trump. But I can be impartial. And I this and that.” BEHAR: I see. HOSTIN: And then‚ all of a sudden‚ that’s the person who won’t vote to convict. While she’s worried someone biased in Trump’s favor would be allowed on the jury‚ she was blinded by her unhinged hatred for him to think a prospective juror announcing “I hate Trump” was the impartial position. “Where are they going to find a jury of his peers‚ how many bloated orange psychos are out there&;#63;” so-called comedian Joy Behar quipped. “Yeah. It’s going to be tough‚” Hostin agreed. The transcript is below. Click &;quot;expand&;quot; to read: ABC’s The View April 16‚ 2024 11:04:40 a.m. Eastern (…) JOY BEHAR: Oh‚ it’s just beginning. SUNNY HOSTIN: I'm not trumped out at all. SARA HAINES: I’m so Trumped out. HOSTIN: This is a legal nerd's Super Bowl. Right&;#63; Like‚ I'm kind of excited about this. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: They haven’t even picked a juror. HOSTIN: But that's exciting to someone like me because 50 people said “I can't even be impartial‚” which I admire them for their forthrightness and their honesty because you have to be honest when you're a juror. But I still believe they will be able to find an impartial jury. They are never going to find someone that doesn't know about the former twice impeached loser president. Right&;#63; BEHAR: Yeah. HOSTIN: They're never going to find that. But what I did find also interesting about my Super Bowl that the legal teams will be checking the jurors’ social media profiles to see if they can access the truthfulness and intention of what they said during voir dire‚ which is their questioning. And I think that’s really‚ really important because‚ if you start liking Trump‚ you follow Trump stuff on social media‚ are you going to -- can you be impartial&;#63; I don't think so. And I think what could happen in a case like this‚ if you have someone – and we were talking about it this morning‚ someone named Clay Travis sort of telling people to get onto that jury. You get one person that sneaks onto that jury with untoward feelings‚ that person can hang that jury. BEHAR: How do you sneak onto a jury&;#63; You have to be called to a jury. HOSTIN: Well‚ you lie. You lie. You say‚ “I hate Trump. But I can be impartial. And I this and that” BEHAR: I see. HOSTIN: And then‚ all of a sudden‚ that’s the person who won’t vote to convict. BEHAR: Where are they going to find a jury of his peers‚ how many bloated orange psychos are out there&;#63; HOSTIN: Yeah. It’s going to be tough. (…)

Welcome to Woke of the Weak where I’ll update you about the most woke‚ progressive‚ insane‚ and crazy clips and stories that the left thinks is tolerable and point out why they’re nuts. This week we took a look at what the left considers a great representation of our nation. We started out by seeing our very own White House Press Secretary‚ Karine Jean-Pierre dance around the briefing room. It really screamed &;quot;professionalism.&;quot; We heard from a transgender individual (we think male to female) talk about how he liked getting complimented on his posture but in the same breath decided he didn’t like being complimented on his posture.  A different trans individual complained that penises and vaginas look like penises and vaginas‚ even after genital mutilation surgeries. He advocated that we design trans genitalia to look like flowers or an “abstract sculpture.” The next queer‚ who is apparently a teacher for toddlers‚ insisted that she wanted to “punch that b**ch” when talking about her co-worker that kept “misgendering” her. The tolerant left ladies and gents. The next freak talked about how her womb was like the deep end of a pool: “no children allowed‚ but if they end up there‚ they die‚” she said confidently. It really seems like she loves kids … NOT&;#33; Similarly‚ the next person claimed that puberty blockers aren’t harmful and they should be highly encouraged for six-year-olds. Surely if a six-year-old is convinced that he’s a she‚ the child is bound to grow up confused … confused like the user who wanted to join the military and be a cat‚ like the man who screamed at the camera with bright orange eyeshadow and blue nail polish and like the furry who insisted his dragon persona made him feel “euphoric.” While the left wants you to believe that those clips are what represents America‚ we need to stand firm in normalcy and fight back against this madness.

On Monday‚ MRCTV’s Tierin-Rose Mandelburg appeared on One America News Network’s &;quot;In Focus&;quot; with Alison Steinberg.  The two talked about former TV anchor Katie Couric‚ who argued that former President Donald Trump’s MAGA fan base is full of “anti-intellectualism.” Mandelburg summarized that the left is great about generalizations and will say and do whatever is necessary to remain relavent. Couric’s take‚ in and of itself was “anti-intellectual‚” but it did get her to go viral. So for her‚ it’s not a total loss. Same goes for White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre who was video taped dancing around the briefing room. It was very clear how serious she is about getting down to business in the White House&;#33; NOT&;#33; Steinberg also brought up the fact that NPR just hired new CEO Katherine Maher‚ who has a long history of being super woke. Needless to say‚ it looks like NPR‚ the taxpayer-funded network‚ will continue straying away from actual news and journalism and lean into being an agenda pushing machine.  Towards the end of the segment the ladies chatted about a huge scandal&;#33; Kansas City Chiefs football player liked an Instagram post with Donald Trump in it. O M G&;#33; No seriously‚ who the heck cares&;#63; Also‚ who even has the time to go through social media pages to see who is liking what posts&;#63;&;#33; Seriously people‚ get a life&;#33; Check out the segment below&;#33;

MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell closed out her Tuesday show by deciding to pick a fight with math. Reacting to Monday’s WNBA draft‚ Mitchell called “sexism” on the fact that number one overall pick Caitlin Clark will have a roughly $76‚000 rookie salary while her male counterpart makes slightly north of $12 million. Mitchell reported that “Caitlin Clark's record-breaking streak continues with what could be the most watched WNBA Draft ever. Clark was the number one pick‚ of course‚ last night‚ scoring her place with the Indiana Fever. Clark stands to make millions from endorsements‚ but fans are outraged over the massive gender pay gap in her salary. Clark will reportedly earn‚ get this‚ $76‚000 for her rookie season. Compare that to the $12 million‚ million dollars‚ last year's number one NBA draft pick made in his rookie year.”     Missing from this monologue was any discussion of revenue. The NBA projected that during its 2021–22 season it would bring in over $10 billion in revenue. Meanwhile‚ last season‚ the WNBA’s projected revenue was around $200 million. As of 2018‚ the league was losing around $10 million a season. Still‚ Mitchell smeared Americans as sexist for not eliminating the gap overnight‚ “That gender inequality and the sexism facing women's sports is a big focus on Saturday Night Live.” That SNL skit featured Clark appearing as a guest with anchor Michael Che: MICHAEL CHE: The University of Iowa announced that basketball star Caitlin Clark will have her jersey retired and replaced with an apron. Oh… Here to comment is Caitlin Clark…I am a fan‚ Caitlin‚ by the way.  CAITLIN CLARK: Really‚ Michael&;#63; Because I heard that little apron joke you did… Thanks to all the great players like Sheryl Swoopes‚ Lisa Leslie‚ Cynthia Cooper‚ the great Dawn Staley‚ and my basketball hero: Maya Moore‚ these are the women that kicked in the door so I could walk inside. So‚ I want to thank them tonight for laying the foundation‚ and Michael‚ since you're such a big fan‚ I brought you a souvenir‚ it’s an apron signed by me.  For years‚ critics of the pay gap theory Mitchell cites have said that sports is entertainment‚ so if you want to see the discrepancy between male and female sports diminish‚ then you need a more entertaining product. They were smeared as sexists by people like Mitchell‚ but Clark proved them correct as this year saw the NCAA women’s championship game get higher viewership than the men’s for the first time. Here is a transcript for the April 16 show: MSNBC Andrea Mitchell Reports 4/16/2024 12:54 PM ET ANDREA MITCHELL: Caitlin Clark's record-breaking streak continues with what could be the most watched WNBA Draft ever. Clark was the number one pick‚ of course‚ last night‚ scoring her place with the Indiana Fever. Clark stands to make millions from endorsements‚ but fans are outraged over the massive gender pay gap in her salary. Clark will reportedly earn‚ get this‚ $76‚000 for her rookie season. Compare that to the $12 million‚ million dollars‚ last year's number one NBA draft pick made in his rookie year. That gender inequality and the sexism facing women's sports is a big focus on Saturday Night Live. MICHAEL CHE: The University of Iowa announced that basketball star Caitlin Clark will have her jersey retired and replaced with an apron. Oh… Here to comment is Caitlin Clark…I am a fan‚ Caitlin‚ by the way.  CAITLIN CLARK: Really‚ Michael&;#63; Because I heard that little apron joke you did… Thanks to all the great players like Sheryl Swoopes‚ Lisa Leslie‚ Cynthia Cooper‚ the great Dawn Staley‚ and my basketball hero: Maya Moore‚ these are the women that kicked in the door so I could walk inside. So‚ I want to thank them tonight for laying the foundation‚ and Michael‚ since you're such a big fan‚ I brought you a souvenir‚ it’s an apron signed by me.  MITCHELL: Caitlin Clark making her Indiana Fever debut in just a few weeks when the WNBA season tips off. That was one of the great SNLs ever‚ the whole show. 

Researchers have discovered that pregnancy delivers a special gift to mothers — and it's not only their newborns.Last month‚ a new study published in Cell Metabolism‚ a peer-reviewed scientific journal‚ showed that scientists have confirmed what previous studies have shown: Pregnancy takes a toll on a woman's body in terms of her biological age. In other words‚ pregnancy accelerates aging. But researchers also found that any acceleration can be greatly reversed postpartum.Researchers tracked more than 100 women through their pregnancies‚ taking blood samples to measure their biological age and other epigenetic markers. They found the physiological stress from pregnancy accelerated biological age by several years. But when those same women were studied three months postpartum‚ researchers found a &;quot;pronounced reversal of biological aging‚&;quot; according to the study.&;quot;The magnitude of the decrease in maternal biological age from the pregnant to non-pregnant state was about 2 to 3 times more than the increase in biological age from early to late pregnancy‚&;quot; the study said.Dr. Kieran O'Donnell‚ an assistant professor at Yale who helped conduct the study‚ explained:At three months postpartum‚ we saw a remarkably large decrease in biological age‚ by as much as eight years for some individuals‚ so while pregnancy increases biological age there is a clear (and pronounced) recovery in the postpartum.Importantly‚ researchers found that women who breastfed after delivery experienced a greater reversal in biological age.By contrast‚ a higher body-mass index negatively impacted the reversal. That means women already experiencing poor metabolic health cannot tap into the fountain of youth that pregnancy apparently provides.Still‚ O'Donnell said researchers do not know if pregnancy provides a net-benefit in terms of biological age or if the positive results reflect a body returning to its prepregnancy state.&;quot;We don’t know if the postpartum recovery effect is relevant for short- or long-term maternal health outcomes and if these effects accumulate over successive pregnancies‚&;quot; he explained. &;quot;Likewise‚ we don’t know if the postpartum decrease in biological age is simply the system recovering to pre-pregnancy biological age or‚ more provocatively‚ if pregnancy may have a rejuvenating effect.&;quot;Still‚ in a culture and time when women are delaying motherhood‚ it's good to remember that becoming a mother is natural‚ good‚ and healthy for women.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

Davis Clarke‚ an online influencer known for giving a motivational speech ahead of anything he is set to accomplish‚ participated in the Boston Marathon and finished with an impressive time‚ despite having an unfortunate incident.Clarke has risen in popularity by offering words typically saved for an athletic feat and applying them to common endeavors. He has referred to a finance test as bigger than the Super Bowl and has dedicated a morning run to his entire family. As part of his pursuit of greatness‚ Clarke participated in 128th Boston Marathon. The influencer noted that he &;quot;barely trained&;quot; but was &;quot;locked in‚&;quot; which may or may not have contributed to an awful incident. During the 26-mile race‚ Clarke defecated on himself but managed to finish the race in a reasonably fast time.Clarke proudly posted the evidence on his social media‚ panning down to his legs after crossing the finish line. It was unclear at which point during the race the accident happened.&;quot;2:56 Boston Marathon… I gave it everything for the people…even s**t my pants to go as hard as possible…barely trained but locked in‚&;quot; Clarke wrote on Instagram.With an official time of 2:56:53‚ Clarke finished 2‚063 out of approximately 30‚000 participants. The fastest time of the day belonged to winner Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia at 2:06:17. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Davis Clarke (@davis.clarke) &;quot;I left it all out there‚ I'm shaking now‚&;quot; Clarke said from inside a New Balance store after the race. The runner and his friends chronicled his day through the race but did not address his bowel incident in subsequent videos.Fans on the other hand were flabbergasted by Clarke's dedication and the fact that he managed to finish the marathon in such a condition.&;quot;I was out on this guy but now I’m pushing all my chips to center of table on this guy‚&;quot; a Nebraska fan noted on X.I was out on this guy but now I’m pushing all my chips to center of table on this guy— nebraska nation (@eggman81339114) April 15‚ 2024 Another fan said that he would henceforth be &;quot;choosing to believe&;quot; that Clarke is &;quot;committing to the bit at a level previously not thought possible.&;quot;&;quot;I just love how he’s super positive‚&;quot; a viewer also wrote.Choosing to believe this guy is committing to the bit at a level previously not thought possible— Gabaghoul (@cultclassist) April 15‚ 2024 While it ultimately isn't clear how serious Clarke is about his motivational speaking‚ he is certainly living up to his promises in the eyes of his viewers.&;quot;No matter who you are. No matter what you do. You can INSPIRE. Who are you INSPIRING&;#63;&;quot; Clarke's YouTube channel reads. &;quot;Inspire is a movement to help people realize they can inspire those around them.&;quot;Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

The Vatican has recently released a declaration titled “Dignitas Infinitia‚” which condemns gender theory‚ surrogacy‚ and &;quot;gender-affirming&;quot; surgeries. While the pope is not quite as biblical or conservative as popes in the past‚ Allie Beth Stuckey is “excited to see this.” “The church recalls that human life in all its dimensions‚ both physical and spiritual‚ is a gift from God. Desiring a personal self-determination as gender theory prescribes‚ apart from this fundamental truth that human life is a gift‚ amounts to a concession to the age-old temptation to make oneself God‚” the declaration reads. “That is so true‚” Stuckey says‚ adding‚ “Autonomy when in submission to God can be good‚ and authenticity when in submission to God can be good. But when the God is self and these things are held supreme‚ then autonomy justifies whatever you want to do in the name of controlling your life.” The declaration goes on to explain that gender theory denies “the greatest possible difference that exists between living beings‚” which is “sexual difference.” “In the male-female couple‚ this difference achieves the most marvelous of reciprocities. It thus becomes the source of that miracle that never ceases to surprise us: the arrival of new human beings in the world‚” Pope Francis writes. Francis also called on the people to “protect our humanity” by “accepting it and respecting it as it was created‚” which was followed by his denouncement of &;quot;sex-change&;quot; surgeries. The pope then goes on to call surrogacy “deplorable‚” as it “represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child.” “A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract‚” he wrote‚ adding that he hopes the world will “prohibit this practice universally.” Stuckey is again in complete agreement. “You don’t have a right to conceive a child‚ you don’t have a right to a child. A child is not an object that you have a right to obtain. It is a gift‚” she says. Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey&;#63;To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture‚ news‚ and theology from a Christian‚ conservative perspective‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

A cross-dressing sex offender who identifies as a female vampire has been convicted of raping a 16-year-old mentally handicapped girl. Adam Hetke‚ who calls himself Sabrina and previously assumed the transgender persona &;quot;Morrigan‚&;quot; is also suspected of murdering a disabled man‚ 28-year-old Vydale Thompson-Moody. 'Transgender' sex-offender Hetke was convicted in 2007 of a second-degree sexual assault involving the use of force. Hetke's victim was a woman who worked at a housing facility where he had taken residence. Hetke‚ whose pronoun choices the New York Post made a point of using‚ grabbed the victim and attempted to strip her‚ but she managed to get away and alert the authorities. The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department indicated ahead of Hetke's release in 2016 that he was still &;quot;considered a serious offender with a high probability to reoffend.&;quot; Just as the WCSD suspected‚ Hetke once again preyed on the innocent. In 2019‚ Adam was convicted of second- and fourth-degree sexual assault. Despite being an obvious danger to the community‚ he was cut loose once again. Around the time of his release from prison in 2020‚ the Waukesha Police Department issued an alert indicating Hetke had begun &;quot;identifying as transgender&;quot; and would be homeless. Months later‚ Hetke began attacking especially vulnerable persons. Reduxx reported that in July 2021‚ Hetke was charged with first-degree sexual assault by threatening the use of a dangerous weapon and second-degree sexual assault of a mentally ill victim. His rape victim was a 16-year-old mentally handicapped girl he met at a gas station in Waukesha‚ Wisconsin‚ on July 6. Brandishing a knife and claiming to be a vampire‚ Hetke told the girl he would bite her if she failed to comply with his instructions. He followed her home‚ maintained the threat of violence with his knife‚ and brutally raped the minor. Police arrested Hetke after the rape‚ noting that he was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under his clothes at the time and still holding the knife. Another rape conviction and a murder trial Hetke was deemed fit to stand trial and ineligible for the insanity plea. He was convicted on both counts on April 11. His sentencing has been scheduled for June 7. It appears‚ however‚ that he may end up doing a far longer stint in prison this time around. Hetke has been charged in connection with the slaying of Vydale Thompson-Moody‚ who he allegedly murdered just months earlier. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Thompson-Moody‚ a 28-year-old man with a cognitive disability who lived in the Concordia neighborhood on Milwaukee's west side‚ was fatally strangled on April 25‚ 2021. According to his mother‚ Serena Thompson‚ the victim was originally expected not to live past the age of 3. However‚ he defied all expectations and enriched his community‚ participating in the Special Olympics‚ serving as peacemaker like his pastor grandfather‚ and even securing a spot at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater before his death. Thompson-Moody's body was found by police in a residence where Hetke was living with two other individuals. The victim had a 15-foot electrical cord underneath him along with marks both on his neck and forehead. One of the two witnesses who was reportedly with Hetke at the time of the alleged murder told police that Hetke had invited Thompson-Moody to come over to the house. When the victim arrived‚ the criminal complaint indicated Hetke ordered him around and bullied him. There are competing claims about what happened next‚ although Hetke is accused of tightening the cord around the victim's neck while making claims about removing demons from his body. Hetke had apparently impressed upon one witness that he could inject demons into people's bodies. A female witness claimed that Hetke wanted to kill the victim for being disrespectful and had attempted multiple times to strangle Thompson-Moody before the other residents went to sleep. Despite his formal denials‚ Hetke apparently bragged to witnesses about killing Thompson-Moody after getting out of jail‚ reported the Post. A criminal complaint alleges that Hetke said‚ &;quot;I killed him. God can't bring him back but I can because I'm the devil.&;quot; Hetke was not formally connected to the murder until after he raped the 16-year-old girl in Waukesha. The Daily Mail indicated it ultimately took Serena Thompson actively tracking down and interviewing witnesses to get police to re-arrest Hetke. &;quot;Being that they let this person go and commit another crime‚ it hurt‚&;quot; Serena Thompson told the Journal Sentinel. &;quot;It could've been prevented.&;quot; Wisconsin is not a death penalty state.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

Readers of Blaze News are well aware of the steep rise in violent crime on the streets — particularly physical attacks against vulnerable individuals that appear disturbingly random or that erupt into over-the-top beatdowns.The disheartening list seems endless. On Sunday‚ a hooded‚ masked male was caught on video shoving a 68-year-old woman backward down the outdoor steps of a church as she was heading to Mass in Queens‚ New York — then he stole her purse and car after she landed on her head on the sidewalk. Woman punched‚ shoved down NYC church stairs in brazen robbery youtu.be Here are just a few other recent incidents: Numerous horrified women reported that males have punched them on Manhattan streets in unprovoked‚ mostly broad-daylight attacks during March.Three females repeatedly punched and stomped on a female crossing guard after an argument in November‚ after which the 29-year-old victim was hospitalized‚ Philadelphia police said.Authorities accused a 25-year-old male of sucker punching a 68-year-old market worker in the face in Winchester‚ California‚ in October‚ knocking out the victim and hospitalizing him with a fractured skull and brain bleeding.Self-defense expert weighs inBlaze News spoke to John Duza — a San Diego-based self-defense tactics and weapons instructor — about the growing dangers all around us‚ and Duza shared a number of countermeasures that anybody can do right now in order to lessen the chance that you'll fall victim to a physical attack.&;quot;Criminals have reshaped our world‚&;quot; Duza told Blaze News‚ adding that they now &;quot;dictate when and how&;quot; crimes are committed and are fast gaining the upper hand. &;quot;You have to be the predator‚ not the prey.&;quot;But Duza said that requires the vast majority of us to rethink and reorient ourselves away from living like &;quot;sitting ducks&;quot; and begin taking reasonable precautions and gaining valuable‚ basic self-defense know-how: &;quot;If you go into the ocean and don't know how to swim‚ you're going to drown.&;quot;Duza added that &;quot;the first 30 seconds&;quot; of a street attack determines if a victim will live‚ suffer injuries — or much‚ much worse. It's up to each of us to know how to handle such situations‚ particularly when &;quot;criminals don't give a s**t and do whatever they want&;quot; in these soft-on-crime times.Be a 'hard target' not a 'soft target'&;quot;You have to think like a criminal‚&;quot; Duza stated. &;quot;They're looking for easy targets.&;quot; He noted that they're &;quot;not going to mess&;quot; with someone who's &;quot;walking tall and surveilling the surroundings like a bad a**.&;quot;Here are Duza's tips:Be a surveillance champ. Scan 360 degrees around you when you're heading out. Then scan 10 feet ahead‚ then 50 feet ahead‚ then 100 feet ahead. He said it's no different from what motorists do instinctively — keeping a close eye on traffic from every direction. He added to &;quot;keep looking over your shoulder every few steps to ensure no one is sneaking up behind you.&;quot; Duza said this is &;quot;not living in fear; it's just being prepared and aware.&;quot; After all‚ if you spot someone walking fast behind you — and quickly catching up — it's better to know that in advance rather than when it's too late. &;quot;Awareness buys you time‚ time buys you options‚ and those options buy you survivability and escape‚&;quot; he also advised‚ adding that the &;quot;worst strikes are the ones you never see coming&;quot; — if you're able to react‚ you at least have a chance to protect yourself.Here's one of Duza's practical self-defense videos from his Instagram page: See on Instagram Exercise situational awareness. Be on the lookout for suspicious activities. Train your eyes and ears to see and hear everything around you. And if you are listening to something on your phone‚ do so with only one earbud so you can hear potential hazards with your other ear.Pay attention to the details. Were there multiple attackers&;#63; Was it a solo attacker&;#63; When you call 911‚ Duza said you want to convey as much detail about what happened as possible. He added that an effective &;quot;drill&;quot; you can do is when you're standing in a line‚ look at the person behind you for three seconds — then turn around and name three things about the person. Duza said the best options are gender‚ ethnicity‚ and facial features. As far as providing details about clothing‚ he said crooks can easily shed or switch out clothes — and &;quot;at nighttime all colors look dark.&;quot;Observe others' body language. Duza said “the eyes are the windows to the soul — but hands are the windows to their intent.&;quot; He warned to check out what a person is doing with his or her hands: &;quot;Are they acting strange or hiding something in their hands coming toward you&;#63; Be on guard to take action.&;quot;Become extra vigilant and aware in danger zones — especially at night. Duza told Blaze News that banks‚ ATMs‚ gas stations‚ convenience stores‚ parking lots‚ and alleys — to name just a few — are &;quot;criminal hotspots&;quot; just waiting &;quot;to find unsuspecting victims.&;quot; He added that if you're pumping gas late at night &;quot;you're a sitting duck&;quot; and crooks &;quot;lie in wait for that&;quot; and can &;quot;easily rob you.&;quot; Duza said &;quot;bolder criminals&;quot; may try to rob you during the day as well‚ so vigilance is still paramount. See on Instagram Be certain no one is following you — especially when driving home. &;quot;Take different routes so criminals can’t study your routine‚&;quot; Duza said‚ adding that a good practice is to &;quot;make three right or left turns&;quot; in a row if you believe you're being followed. If the driver behind you makes those same turns‚ then &;quot;go to the police station instead of your home.&;quot; He added that the other point is to &;quot;protect your home address&;quot; — because if you arrive at your home with the suspicious individual still behind you‚ &;quot;Now they know where you live.&;quot;Carry and know how to use self-defense tools. Duza shared that you don't want your self-defense tool — whether it's pepper spray or a knife or a gun — used against you because you lack the skills to use and retain the tool.Fortify home security. Install cameras and place reinforced locks on doors and windows so you have layers of home defense‚ which are obstacles that slow down criminals. Duza noted that crooks are &;quot;looking for a house that's an easier target&;quot; — and if you've installed heavy-duty locks‚ they're more likely to say‚ &;quot;No‚ let's go next door.&;quot; He added that parents should figure out home invasion &;quot;escape routes&;quot; for everyone in the family‚ along with agreeing on a &;quot;code word&;quot; to yell in the event of a break-in.Your car is a target&;#33; Duza said it's best to scan 360 degrees for potential threats before entering your car: &;quot;How do you know someone isn't right behind you&;#63;&;quot; What's more‚ he said all of us should lock our car doors the second we get inside our vehicles — and then drive away immediately instead of sitting in our cars looking &;quot;vulnerable.&;quot; Duza added that it's also important to disable the auto-unlock on all doors when we put our cars in park or when using the key fob. Otherwise he said crooks can &;quot;come in from a back door.&;quot; He added that it's best to avoid using your car's GPS‚ because a car thief can just look up &;quot;home&;quot; on your car's GPS and find out where you live. Same thing with documents displaying your home address typically stored in your glove compartment; Duza said you can easily keep them in your wallet or purse instead.Our number-one distraction — our phones. Duza advised against being distracted while on our phones in public. Instead‚ he said to &;quot;move with purpose until you arrive at your destination. Keep your phone in your pocket or purse so you can focus on your environment in order to spot any dangers.&;quot; He added that &;quot;criminals look for distracted people for a surprise attack.&;quot; Duza also told Blaze News we should keep our phones locked while we're in public in case someone snatches our phones from us. Bottom line: If a crook snatches your unlocked phone‚ all of your sensitive information — such as banking and credit card numbers — is right there for the taking. There's safety in numbers. Whenever possible‚ stay in a group when you're out in public or using rideshares or public transportation‚ Duza said‚ adding that you should at all times try to limit how often you're alone‚ particularly at night.Don’t flash expensive items on your person. If you go out showing off jewelry‚ designer bags‚ watches‚ you're a target for crooks‚ Duza said. Instead‚ he told Blaze News you should &;quot;hide your valuables&;quot; on you so criminals aren't tempted to grab what they don't have.Hide your valuables in your home. Duza noted that metal safes are a good idea‚ but &;quot;diversion safes&;quot; — such as a coffee can in the kitchen or a paint can in the garage — are great for storing valuable as &;quot;criminals would never suspect valuables in them. They will uproot the bedroom and dresser drawers first where most people hide their valuables.&;quot;Have all your family members train in self-defense (especially women‚ children‚ and seniors). &;quot;The psychological trauma and injuries as a result of an attack will haunt a victim forever‚&;quot; Duza told Blaze News‚ adding that it's best to &;quot;train to be physically conditioned to defend yourself. The first 30 seconds determine if you’ll be a victim or a survivor — so you'll need some cardio and muscular endurance to defend and escape an attacker. If you get exhausted before the attacker does‚ then you will succumb to his attack and get injured.&;quot; (Check out Helen Roy's recent piece on this subject‚ &;quot;Self-defense for women: How not to be a target.&;quot;)Go for the attacker's vulnerable body parts. Duza said these sensitive spots are the eyes‚ ears‚ nose‚ throat‚ groin‚ and kneecaps. He told Blaze News you can use the heel of your palm to strike an attacker's nose‚ your thumb or other fingers to jam into an attacker's eyes‚ your elbows to strike an attacker's head‚ your knees to strike an attacker's groin or gut‚ and foot stomps to smash an attacker’s knee. Duza said the idea is NOT to win a street fight like we see all the time in the movies or become a UFC champion; rather the idea is to deliver enough pain that the bad guy will be incapacitated or distracted so you have enough time to &;quot;run away&;quot; and get a healthy head start if a chase ensues. And hurt your attacker fast‚ he said: &;quot;The longer you stay in a conflict scenario‚ the more likely the odds will stack against you — mostly because your body will get tired.&;quot; Duza noted that even a child can distract an attacking adult with a painful thumb in the eye and acquire getaway time. See on Instagram In addition‚ Duza told Blaze News that violent crooks are looking for you to submit to them — and if you do‚ they have complete control. Therefore‚ he said all of us need to develop the &;quot;mental fortitude to hone these skills to make it a lifestyle and not hesitate to survive and escape if ever attacked. Your will to survive has to be greater than the attacker’s will to hurt you.&;quot;A word about gunsBlaze News also spoke to John R. Lott Jr. — an expert on guns and crime who founded the Crime Prevention Research Center — to get his take on best practices with regard to firearms as a means of self-defense.Lott noted to Blaze News that &;quot;people are finding it necessary to protect themselves because law enforcement won't do it‚&;quot; particularly when less and less legal action is being taken against criminals.First off‚ if you don't own a gun due to various fears‚ Lott said there's no reason for your hesitancy. He told Blaze News that CDC numbers over the last decade show an incredibly low number‚ for example‚ of young children dying due to handling guns and that children are &;quot;at a greater risk of dying by lightning.&;quot; Lott also said more than half of American households have guns in them — and disproportionally those households with children.For those who are looking to acquire a gun‚ Lott told Blaze News it's wise to check out and handle various guns in stores to make sure it matches your hand size and strength.Of course‚ he added‚ once you have a gun‚ &;quot;make sure you practice with it&;quot; and that it certainly doesn't hurt to get training and &;quot;go to the range&;quot; to shoot so you feel comfortable with your gun. Lott also told Blaze News that gun owners need to familiarize themselves with state and local laws regarding guns.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;