Florida Statutory Rape Laws - Ignorance Of Age Is Not A Legal Defense

Sexual intercourse in which one partner is an adult and the other a minor is legally referred to as statutory rape. In the case of one Florida sexual offense law, an adult is defined as someone aged 24 or older. A minor is defined as anyone under the age of 18.

Florida Statute Title XLVI Crimes Chapter 794 Sexual battery 794.05 - Unlawful sexual activity with certain minors. This law makes it a felony for anyone 24 years of age or older to have sex with a 16 or 17 year old. Ignorance of age cannot be raised as a defense for this crime.


QUESTION: Does this mean that anyone between the age of 18 and 24 can have sex with minors under the age of 18?

ANSWER: No, it does not.

Florida Statute Title XLVI Crimes Chapter 800 Lewdness; Indecent Exposure - 800.04 Lewd or Lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of persons less than 16 years of age: This law makes it a felony of the second degree for "A person" 18 or older, to engage in sexual activity with a person 12 years of age or older, but less than 16 years of age.

Florida Statute Title XLVI Crimes Chapter 827 Abuse of Children 827.04 Contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child; states that a person 21 years of age or older who impregnates a child under 16 years of age commits an act of child abuse which constitutes a felony of the third degree.

Statutory rape laws are meant to protect young people.

Knowing that jail time is a possible consequence deters many (but unfortunately not all) adults from becoming sexually involved with minors. When the act on a minor has already been committed, protection comes in the form of punishing the offender, usually with a felony offense.

Problem is, most minors that have sexual relations with adults rarely feel victimized and therefore don't feel the need for protection. As a result, parents who suspect their underage children of being sexually active with older adults face a dilemma. If they report their suspicions to authorities, the report sets in motion a long and complex legal process which usually alienates them from their children.

If they don't report their suspicions, they may feel they've failed in one of their primary responsibilities as a parent: Protecting their child from potential danger.

Do you suspect statutory rape?

If you're a parent and suspect your minor child is sexually involved with an adult you have every right to decide how to handle the situation. Depending on your child's maturity level, you might decide to speak frankly about the possible consequences and then allow some time for them to seek a resolution themselves.

Or you may feel it necessary to take legal action. If so, start gathering evidence of the relationship now. Read your child's journals, dairies, text message logs and email and make copies of any relevant information, especially anything that is dated, before your child has a chance to destroy evidence. If you think there's evidence on a computer, be sure to make a backup copy of the hard drive, too. If you don't know how to do that, find someone who does.

Reporting statutory rape in Florida

The general procedure for reporting suspected cases of statutory rape in the state of Florida is as follows:

Start by reporting the suspected statutory rape violation to the Sheriff's office or local police department. Based on the evidence provided, the law enforcement agency usually will either dismiss the case if insufficient evidence is provided; place the case on hold until resources can be devoted; or initiate an investigation right away.

An investigation entails gathering the names of and interviewing everyone involved including witnesses and following up on leads and any new information learned as a result of the interviewing process. A review of all evidence is also undertaken.

If this investigation is inconclusive, the case likely will be dropped at this stage. However, if the investigation determines that a violation of Florida statutory rape laws has taken place, the case is forwarded to the appropriate district office of the State Attorney for prosecution.

Once under the jurisdiction of the State Attorney's Office, district attorneys take sworn testimony from all witnesses. From there they will make a determination as to whether charges should be filed. If warranted, the specific charges are determined next. The district attorney's office then files a case with the Clerk of Courts, an action that signifies the start of the prosecution phase.

No one really wins in court

If all this sounds overwhelming, remember there is a better way. Keeping the lines of communication open may help prevent statutory rape from developing in the first place. So do the right thing and talk openly, honestly and regularly with your child.

Speed Up Laptop - 3 Quick Steps to Speed Up My Laptop Computer

Are you wondering "why is my computer so slow"? Looking to speed up laptop computers overall performance? Well you have come to the right place. All computers and especially laptops slow down when they get a little wear and tear on them. Unfortunately instead of adjusting a few things, people believe they need to buy a new computer in order to increase laptop speed. This just isn't true. You can actually speed up your laptop with these three quick steps. I will also recommend a program that can perform all three automatically for you. Speeding up your laptop was never this easy!

The first step is to run a disk defrag on your system. What a disk defragmenter does is increase the speed in which you can access information. Whenever your computer processes information it needs to jump from place to place and this takes time. Defragging your system allows your computer to stream information through one path. This will speed up laptop computers ability to access and run different programs.

The second step is to eliminate as many unnecessary startup programs as possible. Anytime you install a new program it will try to automatically start itself every time you power your computer on. This will dramatically slow down the speed your computer can start up or shutdown. These programs also eat up valuable RAM which causes the computer to be very sluggish. Eliminate all but the necessary programs and feel the incredible difference in your laptop processor speed.

The third step is to clean up registry congestion. This is without question the most important step you can take to speed up your laptop. As we download new or remove old programs our registries get congested with useless and redundant files. This clogs everything up and leaves you asking why is my computer slow? Getting rid of those unnecessary files will not only speed up your computer but prevent it from crashing in the future.

These are three steps you can do right now to get your computer running like it did out of the box. If you are a computer novice and want a program to do the work for you I highly recommend visiting the link below. Instead of spending hundreds on new upgrades or thousands on a new laptop, why not just optimize your computer to reach it's peak performance for a fraction of the cost? Give it a try.

Pick of the Week: Artic Cat 400 4x4

Generally speaking, Artic Cat ATVs have a huge market share as far as mid-range ATVs are concerned. Combine their affordability with high quality parts - they have gained good ground on the ATVs that they produce and thus far, have a lot of ATV fans hooked. The 2007 model comes in three versions to meet the different needs of different ATV riders. The good thing is that there's an option for you to purchase the Arctic Cat ATV which is a single-seater or you can pick the Artic Cat that is a double-seater - the choice is yours to make. Accordingly, the price difference is roughly $1,000. The other Arctic Cat 400 versions are ones with and without automatic transmission.

Other features of Arctic Cat 400 4x4 ATV

o Suzuki-built engine

o Engine is air-cooled, four-stroke, four valves and one overhead cam

o Manual is five speed with high and low range; comes with reverse

o Option: two or four wheel drive

o Locking front differential

o Ten inches of travel at both ends; twelve inches ground clearance underneath

What others have to say about Arctic Cat 400 4x4 ATV

This ATV is more comfortable than we first expected it to be - the seat is extremely soft and comfortable to ride on making every ride you have on the ATV a smash! Most Arctic Cat fans say that the thing that they were most impressed with were the fact that it had a front lock differential - it's almost impossible to get stuck in this ATV. "One time, I was ready to bring on the winch but then I suddenly remembered that my Arctic Cat had front differential feature and within a heart beat, I was out. It was amazing", says Kenneth Mahon (35), a satisfied Arctic Cat ATV fan.

Cody Zimmerman (22), is absolutely in love with his Arctic Cat 400 and says that it's an AWESOME machine to have simply because of it's ground clearance. It's fast enough, safe enough, fun enough and can go just about anywhere a two-wheeler and four-wheeler can go. And Cody reckons that Arctic Cat gives good pricing for an ATV like this too!

Other reviews of Arctic Cat 400 4x4 ATV

However, it's not all beds and roses with the Arctic Cat because one problem we found was that the gears were set too high. For instance, the reverse gear was set so high that if you tried to reverse yourself out of the mud, you won't be able to because it won't have enough power to get the ATV out. Perhaps a change of tires would do the trick, so, it's all trial and error here.

Arctic Cat 400 is probably not the best machine to race on but it is definitely one of the best ATVs to own if you love get a little muddy! It's got the power to get the machine out of anything if you get the right tires and it's decently fast. But we reckon it's nothing a little modification can't fix. And for that price? Come on!

Tablet PC Comparison - What Is the Best Tablet PC to Buy?

Tablet PC Comparison: Apple iOS vs Google Android

Although there are a number of different companies, utilising different operating systems (OS for short), now creating brilliant options for tablet computers, the chief tablet PC comparison for almost all consumers still boils down to the Apple iPad's iOS and different Google Android tablets. So which choice of these two systems (or any other) is the correct one for your needs?

Look and feel: Most industry experts largely agree that Apple's iOS works extremely well both as a smartphone and a tablet PC operating system. The system works very intuitively on the iPad - particularly if you've used an iPhone or iPod Touch before. The interface can be said to be iOS's best benefit, which no other tablet currently on the market can match.

Apps: In addition to the look and feel seniority, Apple also have a major marketing point with their App Store. There are currently over 350,000 apps available to download for free or buy for a small price from the Apple Store. It's a certainty that when a new app is created by a company or developer, the first version is for the App Store and after that it is ported to other platforms. However, Apple's store is not the sole player in the arena - the Android Market is rapidly growing, passing the 100,000 apps mark in early 2011.

Android has one major advantage on the competition when it comes to apps: it's far more open and has more of a laissez-faire policy to the Market, whereas the App Store exercises very tight controls on every application, particularly in regard to adult content. The Android market allows developers much more creativity and flexibility.

There have also been complaints from some developers about Apple's rigid marketeering, with Apple requiring developers to remove any links from inside apps to the developers own websites. (The benefit to Apple is that they keep 30% commission from every app sale, whereas previously customers may have upgraded from free to paid version from within the developer's own site.)

Hardware: One major difference between iOS and Android is that iOS is exclusive to the iPad, while Android is open source and is being used by a number of different companies. This effectively means that the iPad and iOS are joined at the hip - you can't run the iPad without iOS. The iPad therefore has much more restriction of choice than other tablets, and much tighter pricing. However, those choices that are on the market are all good quality, and the hardware and software do work together harmoniously - crashes are very rare on the iPad.

Android, by contrast, is used in many different tablets from a large number of makers. From Blackberry to Samsung, you have a much wider choice of tablet PC to suit your budget and particular needs. However, you do need to do your homework. Some companies have customised Android and improved it, but some may not work as well and might still be based on older Android releases.

Conclusion

Right now, the iPad is still the most well-known and iconic tablet PC on the market. However, popularity is growing with a number of other tablet PCs. The choice is certainly good news for customers, who now have much more availability to get their exact requirements from a tablet computer. A lot of people still favour the Apple iOS, particularly if they have used other Apple products, but in the end it comes down to doing a tablet PC comparison yourself, by researching, checking them out, testing some in store, and selecting the one that feels like a good match for you.

The DIY Way To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

Is your lawn mower tearing of the lawn grass blades instead of cutting it? Does your lawn look like it has been eaten by a goat, in spite of being cut by the lawn mower? Wait; do not pull your hair by the root. Help is at hand. We will teach you how to sharpen the lawn mower blades at minimum price and effort.

Your Manual Lawn Mower - The Faithful Walk Behinds

Tools: The tools that your will require for doing this job are

You and your time of about 2 hours or less

A bastard file of about 12" long

A small crow bar to prevent movement of rotor of lawn mower.

A worktable will be useful for dong the job comfortably.

Procedure: You can use the following procedure as a general guide and make changes to it to suit you. Remember the procedure is not sacrosanct. The results are important, not the procedure.

If possible, remove the handle of lawn mower and place lawn mower on the table.

Secure it if possible in the clamps. If you do not have clamps, do not bother, secure it against any block, so that the movement away from you is restricted.

Fix the crowbar in the blades so that it will not rotate

With the help of the bastard file, file the edges of blades so that they look sharp. Work at an angle of 45 degrees

When one blade is sharpened, remove the crowbar and turn the rotor to work on another blade. Repeat the procedure until all blades are sharpened.

If you have a flexible shaft grinder in your DIY workshop, you will be able to complete the work within 5 to 10 minutes per blade. Make a template of blade profile before you start your work and compare frequently. This is necessary to ensure that you do not over cut at a place.

Safety Tip For You

While sharpening the blades ensure that the stroke is not too long otherwise, you may injure yourself.

Sharpening Blades Of Power Mower

Depending upon the lawn mower the procedure may vary. We have included general statements in this procedure; you would have to change the procedure slightly. Keep the maintenance manual of lawn mower handy if you have one.

Tools required.

Siphon hose and clean container

Heavy work gloves and goggles

Double-cut (medium-rough) flat file

Lumber scrap

Socket wrench set

Rubber mallet*

Bench vise or C clamps

Rotary blade sharpener accessory

Electric drill*

Screwdriver, or 1/4-in. rod or bolt*

Blade balancer

Replacement blade*

* Only if required

The list may look formidable, but tools are generally available with every DIY enthusiast.

Procedure:

The procedure is given for the simple single blade lawn mower, but the same will apply to all types of blades, whether single or double

Wear hand gloves and clean the engine and the gasoline tank from outside

Remove spark plug from the engine

Remove all the fuel from the tank of the gasoline engine. Use the siphon hose so you do not spill gasoline on floor.

Completely empty out the oil from gearbox if you have one

Invert the engine and have access to the blade.

Clamp the engine so it does not move and clean the blade area thoroughly

With help of a box spanner, remove the nut holding the blade. Usually the nut will be unlocked in the reverse to direction of rotation of engine. You may engage the screwdriver in the cooling fan of engine to stop rotation of engine.

If you find that you are using too much force to unlock the nut, put one or two drops of rust removing chemical, and try after 30 minutes

After you remove the blade, clamp it in the bench vise and sharpen it with a file or a grinder. Sharpen only the outer 2 to 3 inches. The area to be sharpened will be known if you see the blade.

Sharpen only to the required extent. Too much sharpening is not necessary. This is not the knife. It works at the speed of the engine

After sharpening, check with your thumb. Be careful not to cut thumb. If you have done sharpening before, or seen some one doing it, you will know what we mean by this.

Balance the blade with help of a small balancing tool on VEE blocks, or even on two foot rulers placed side by side

Refit the blades, refill engine oil and gasoline and test the sharpness of blades on uncut portion of your lawn

Safety tips:

Always use safety goggles and hand gloves when working with power tools.

Be sure to remove the spark plug before starting. Serious accidents can happen if you do not do this.

2012 Survival Kit

If you trying to assemble a small 2012 survival kit, good luck. Your 2012 survival kit is going to be more like a 2012 survival list. Your 2012 survival list needs to be comprehensive and cover all areas of concern - food, water, shelter, clothing, transportation and any miscellaneous items you feel are necessary.

2012 Survival Concern #1 - Food

You need food to last you for about a year. Yes a year. And this is only food for yourself, if you are with family each person needs enough food to last them a year. Dried vegetables, meats, fruits, nuts, and seeds are a necessity. You also need food seeds to start a garden if the soil permits it. Carrots, celery, cabbage, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. Are all necessary. If you want to think longer term get seeds for fruit trees.

Hunting equipment will also be necessary here. I wouldn't recommend getting fishing gear, as most of the water will most likely be too polluted to eat from for a while. Gear for trapping small to large animals is essential.

Basic kitchen utensils, storage containers, pots and pans are also needed.

2012 Survival Concern #2 - Water

You must have a portable water purification system with many many filters. Clear water will be scare.

2012 Survival Concern #3 - Shelter

This is course depends on where you are. A high quality tent and a sleeping bag are excellent ideas as you will most likely be moving around a lot.

2012 Survival Concern #4 - Clothing

Depending on where you are, you may need a winter jacket, lots of sweaters, waterproof gear, high water boots, gloves, etc.

2012 Survival Concern #5 - Transportation

Again depending on where you are, your transportation needs will change. You may want a mountain bike, skis, a ATV, etc. Make sure you get plenty of fuel if you are planning to transport with anything that requires fuel.

Most people will want a unsinkable boat though regardless of where they are because of the high water levels.

2012 Survival Concern #6 - Miscellaneous Items

Miscellaneous items include a first aid kit, water-poof matches, candles, a lantern, flares, walkie talkies, batteries, etc.

Nokia C5-03 Review

It wasn't long ago when Nokia launched its new line-up of phones, the C-Series. Currently being the most dominant cell phone manufacturer, Nokia has already released quite a number of successful phones to this series, and has also just announced its latest addition to it, the C5-03. Now, it must be noted that the Nokia C5-03 is not to be confused with the previously released Nokia C5. In short, the device has quite some neat features which are simple to use but covers all of the essentials for modern-day phones and at the same time comes at an affordable price.

In terms of design, the C5-03 looks very stylish and comes in a number of vibrant & variant colours.

The C5-03 features a neat 3.2 inch TFT resistive touchscreen which features a resolution of 360 x 640 pixels. Although this display can't exactly match up to the ones on the latest smartphones today, but should be sufficient for the average user. There is also a Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate and Proximity sensor for auto turn-off.

The depressing part though, is that the operating system on the Nokia C5-03 is Symbian ^1 aka S60 5th edition touch edition. Nokia has already pushed some of their other smartphones to Symbian ^3, and is it hence disappointing that they did not do the same with the C5-03. Despite that, there's Nokia Messaging pre-installed, Mail for Exchange support, Ovi Mail, Ovi Store and Ovi Music Integration. Millions of other supported applications are also available from the Ovi Store.

The new C5-03 flaunts an impressive 5 Mega Pixel Camera, but it is of fixed focus and there is no flash to accompany it. The Image quality is what we can come to expect from an average 5 Mega Pixel Camera. A very nifty feature that's available though is Geo-tagging. Apart from images, video Recording is supported at an not so impressive resolution of 640x480 at 15 frames per second and save them in H.263 or MPEG-4 formats. Yet again, the lack of flash shows, as the video recording isn't exactly in top notch quality, even for the supported resolution.

Storage wise, the C5-03 is impressive for a phone with mid-range features. There's only 40MB of internal user memory, but there is a Micro SD card slot, hence it makes the memory expandable up to 16 GB with Micro SD Cards.

The Biggest Surprize is with the battery life. Nokia has outdone themselves in this department by offering a 1000 mAh battery to a phone that has controlled and limited battery consumption. The result is an extremely long standby time of up to 24-25 days. And a talk time of 11.5 hours on 2G networks and 5 hours on 3G networks.

Nokia has managed to offer quite some connectivity options on the C5-03 with support for quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, tri-band 3G with HSDPA (10.2Mbps) and HSUPA (2Mbps), A-GPS and Bluetooth 2.0.

Priced at a surprisingly affordable $237, the Nokia C5-03 is sure sell like hotcakes when it releases towards the end of this year. It might not be able to compete with the other smartphones in the market, but it definitely might be just the cheapest smartphone out there, with all the essential features.