Many people think that burglar alarms are expensive to install and maintain, or that they don't deter burglars; this articles explodes these, and other, myths.

Burglar alarms are expensive
Not true. There are many types of burglar alarm and many are very inexpensive, and surprisingly they are all generally built around the same basic components. These range from the easy to fit and effective alarms which cost less than 100 and can be installed D.I.Y to the complex and sophisticated systems which can cost many thousands and require specialist engineers to install. However, most domestic systems do not have to be expensive and can be fitted quite easily.

Burglar alarms must be professionally installed
Not true. D.I.Y. alarms can be installed by anyone with "do it yourself" skills, and the wireless systems are simple and easy to install.

Burglar alarms require monthly payments for a service contract
Not true. Although it is common for many alarm companies to require that burglar alarm owners pay monthly maintenance charges this is not necessary for many domestic alarm systems. Maintenance contracts should not be a condition for the installation of a burglar alarm.

Burglar alarms are nuisance to the neighbours
Not true. Most neighbours will appreciate the benefits of an alarm system and will often take a look around your property if they hear the alarm siren.

alarm Monitoring is always expensive
Not true. alarm monitoring can be an expensive optional extra for the home owner but if you choose an auto dial system the alarm will call your mobile or a set number of landline numbers so you can monitor the system personally without any additional expense.

Burglars wouldn't be interested in my house
Not true. Most burglars are not career professionals; rather they are opportunist thieves who choose their targets at random. These thieves will burgle any property, in any area, if they think they can steal something of value, they will even your garden ornaments.

alarms won't stop determined burglars
Not true. Most determined burglars would rather avoid any property where there appears to be an alarm fitted. They are well aware of the risks associated with alarms and they know there are plenty of homes they can steal from where they do not have to deal with the additional problems of alarm systems. If, however, you have extremely valuable personal property to safeguard you would be well advised to seek out a very sophisticated alarm system because you could be the target of professionals rather than opportunist thieves.

A burglar alarm indicates valuable property
Not true. Very many homes have burglar alarms installed to protect everyday items such as TV, Hi Fi, computer equipment etc. Research has shown that a home with a burglar alarm installed is four times less likely to be burgled than a home without an alarm. Burglar alarms are generally accepted as being a major deterrent to intruders.

Intruders can easily cut the burglar alarm cables
Not true. The answer is to install a wireless system where there are no visible wires to cut. These systems are readily available and are very easy to fit.

http://www.easyalarms.co.uk
info@easyalarms.co.uk

Mike Stephens
Easy Alarms
The Firs
Hillbrow
Liss
GU33 7QE

If I asked students who take my golf lessons how critical good rhythm is to a good swing, most would agree that it's important, but not the most important factor. Many weekend golfers would probably agree with this assessment. But a new device developed by a professor at Yale reveals that good rhythm is more important to chopping strokes off your golf handicap than many think.

Bob Grober, a professor of applied physics at Yale University-and a one-handicapper- recently invented a device for translating the rhythm of a swing into sound. Here's how it works: A small wireless transmitter inserted into the butt end of a club detects the club's movement. The signal produced is transmitted to an iPod-sized unit attached to the player's waist. The auditory signal is relayed to a set of lightweight headphones and the sound manifests itself as a pleasing organ-like tone when the player swings.

If your clubhead is decelerating through impact, your transition from backswing to downswing is too abrupt, or your mechanics are way out of sync, Grober's device tells you through sound. The faster the club travels, the louder the volume and the pitch. The idea is to make the loudest sound at impact, not before. Grober's device also registers how fast the club is moving on the downswing, and gives you a start-to-finish speed profile. It's a handy tool for serious golfers.

swing Profiles

Using this device, Grober was able to isolate three distinct speed profiles among golfers. Golfers with high golf handicaps (20+) are cursed with lousy rhythm. They're like dancers who have two left feet, always tripping over themselves. Golfers with golf handicaps from 20 to 5-intermediate golfers- tend to complete their swings too quickly. The loudest sound comes just before impact.

Then there are golfers with golf handicaps below 5. Let's call them tour players. They also tend to rush their swings but to a much lesser degree than intermediate golfers. Like the intermediate golfers, these players create the loudest sounds just before impact, but they do it much less often than with the intermediate golfers. More often than not, their loudest sound comes right at impact, which explains why they hit the ball so well.

Improving Rhythm

The best swing according to Grober contains a brief period when the club is hardly moving at all while the lower body begins to clear out. Unfortunately, weekend golfers tend to hurry the transition from backswing to downswing. That disrupts the player's rhythm and throws off his or her swing at impact. So the loudest sound comes just before, not at, impact.

The professor's device doesn't tell us anything new about swinging a golf club. It just reaffirms what we've suspected all along regarding the rhythm of the swing: That it's one of the keys to hitting a ball well, if not the key. So how can you take advantage of this information?

First, relax your hands at address. If they're tense or tight, the rest of your body will be tense. Whenever Johnny Bench, the great baseball player, wanted to hit the ball for distance, the first thing he did was lighten up on his grip. That relaxed his hands and his arms and body.

Second, work on swinging to a beat. Pace yourself when you practice. Think of your swing as a one-two motion. One is your backswing. two is your downswing. You can even say something like "one-two" during the swing. "Back and through," "low and slow," or "turn and turn" also work.

Third, practice swinging with your eyes closed. By swinging with your eyes closed, you can feel the weight of the club and sense its speed gradually accelerating from the top of your swing all the way through to a controlled finish. Once you've mastered that, re-create the swing on the course. If successful, you'll see your consistency improve and your bad shots diminish.

Most golf instruction sessions focus on the mechanics of the swing, not the "intangibles," like rhythm and tempo. But as professor Grober's device reveals through analysis of sound, the intangibles are just important as good mechanics, if not more important. If you want to become more consistent and cut your golf handicap down to size, focus on improving both the mechanics and the intangibles.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.