The webbed-winged creatures that have long been a mystery to most people are now offering researchers a chance to find out more about them thanks to GPS tracking technology.

In the United States, bats are being linked to a deadly fungal condition called the white-nose syndrome, which is estimated to have killed up to 6.7 million bats throughout the US and in Canada, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This estimate represents an alarming and significant increase of bat fatalities from previous estimates.

At its current rate of spread, the disease could spread to California in less than five years. Evidence of the disease was first found in a bat cave in New York in 2006, but has been rapidly spreading. States as far south as Alabama and as far west as Missouri are seeing evidence of the fungal syndrome, which has spread to 21 states in America and 4 provinces in Canada. Read the rest of this entry »

A recent study, conducted by Liberty Mutual and SADD, reveals that more than half of teens have admitted to almost getting into a car accident. The study revealed a shocking 68% of teens who narrowly missed a crash, along with more than 50% of teens who had a close call in the last year.  The study surveyed over 2,000 teenagers in 28 high schools throughout the country.

55% of the teens who had a close call in the last year say bad weather and unsafe drivers were to blame. 30% of them admit that they were speeding at the time, while 21% were texting and 20% were talking to passengers. 17% of the teens said they were changing songs on their MP3 player or car stereo at the time of the near-miss.

The idea to research teen drivers and “close calls” came out of focus groups. We were hearing a lot of kids saying ‘I almost did this, I almost did that,'” said Stephen Wallace, chairman of SADD. Read the rest of this entry »

Creating “quiet zones” through the use of GPS jamming is more than improving the ambiance and relaxing atmosphere of your establishment – it’s also illegal. There is an ever increasing number of schools, restaurants, movie theaters, and public transportation vehicles using devices that jam GPS and other mobile devices. This practice is illegal and being enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Enforcement Bureau.

GPS jammers, also known as text stoppers and signal blockers, block the ability to communicate with mobile devices including GPS units. Using, selling, and distributing GPS jammers is a direct violation of federal law as it interferes with authorized communications. Read the rest of this entry »

Parole officers have dangerous jobs, with the occurrence of unexpected, dangerous situations at any moment. Checking in on ex-inmates and other criminals poses a risk to their life each and every day. And often, a parole officer handles this delicate, unnerving  job alone.

A parole officer’s main responsibility is watching over criminals that have been released from prison. Whether through phone calls, in-person follow-up visits, or family communication, it’s the parole officer’s job to keep an eye on released ex-inmates or criminals.

Typically, a parole or probation officer meets with each parole at least once a week. One parole officer can have 40 to 100 cases at one time, which leaves them open to a plethora of potentially dangerous situations. While the majority of these meetings with parolees are under safe circumstances, situations arise where the parole officer is put into danger from various criminal activities by the parolee. Read the rest of this entry »

A Boston resident and the teen found with his stolen laptop got more than they bargained for with the help of GPS tracking software.

Fran Harrington, a multiple theft victim, recently got quite a surprise when his third laptop was stolen from his apartment. The Boston-based  web designer has had not one, but three laptops stolen from his very own apartment. After the second theft, he got wise and had GPS tracking software installed on his Macbook Pro — in case it happened again.

Turns out, it did happen again.

When Harrington’s Macbook was stolen, he used the GPS tracking software installed on the computer to track it down. He monitored the activity for several days, which was tracked by the GPS software. He told CBS News affiliate WBZ-TV that he watched the computer activity for four days. It was then that he found out the computer was being accessed from a home in the South End, in the public cathedral housing complex. Read the rest of this entry »