How to protect your Yard signs

[MattBaggins]

1. A simple USB 2.0 web cam.
Look for USB 2.0 since it is a high speed there for full power USB device. This will allow you to use a full 5m USB cable to place the device; all though I would try to keep the cable to 4m to ensure proper operation. You can take advantage of the USB "daisy chain" feature and put up to five hubs in line to get 30 meters if needed. I would purchase powered hubs to ensure full power if you attempt to do this. If you own a web cam that is USB 1.1 you can in theory still get out to 27m with hubs.

If you have the money get a good cam that uses firewire and a firewire PCI card; or a real security cam that uses RJ45. If you need to stick an RJ45 cam outside and don't have power out there, fret not for you can by a POE (Power over Ethernet) adapter that is brain dead plug and play ready. It uses the unused wires on the RJ45 for the power and has boondongles at each end. You only have to make sure that you get a POE that matches the voltage requirements of the cam. If you know how to use a soldering iron ; save money on a POE and do it yourself. (actually you really only need to know how to cut and tape wires.)

2. Download Webcam zone trigger from http://www.zonetrigger.com/.
This program is nice in that you don't have to fill up a hard drive with a constant running cam. This program will allow you to set up a field of veiw than create zones (ie the sign itself) and if anything moves in that zone it will trigger any event you program. Snap a picture, call your phone, email you, or if you really want them to crap their pants; stick a speaker outside and play a wave file at full blast for your friendly neighborhood freeper.

So Zone trigger programs can really be used for security and aren't just for cheating at World of Warcraft;)

[Warpy]

1. While it's nice to mess with their heads

while getting a nice head shot for the local cops or to print on posters to place around town, it's still revenge, at best.

These are good ideas, but while you're at it, get some habanero peppers at your local market and buzz them up with a little dish soap. Don gloves and smear the mixture over the parts of the sign somebody is likeliest to grab to steal it, the top and side edges.

Oh, that won't save the sign, either, but you'll have your revenge when the punk rubs his eyes or takes a leak.

Just think of it as insult added to injury, and do print those posters up, too.

[MattBaggins]

6. Why not rub it down with some poison ivy

[Warpy]

7. Because that can be dangerous

to some people.

Capsaicin isn't dangerous, it'll just set his willie on fire for a while.

[WVRICK13]

23. So What

if poison ivy is dangerous to some people? If they are in the act of theft on private property they take whatever risks goes with their illegal acts. I frankly don't care how injured someone is if they are committing illegal acts on my property.

[Warpy]

28. Kids and dogs, that's so what

You don't want kids getting poison ivy from it and you don't want dogs brushing up against it and transferring it to their owners.

Capsaicin will be painful but not long lasting and not dangerous. Best of all, you can't be sued if they find out it was your sign.

[timtom]

20. Ooooh. I like that.

[illuminaughty]

21. Will someone help me out?

I was trying to explain this to a friend...the security cam/sign scenario and he didn't understand the necessity. Is this happening on a massive scale and what part of the country? Sorry, I live in an area populated with mostly Democrats. In fact, I have yet to see a McCain yard sign or bumper sticker.

My friend needs the security cam as they're stealing everything else.

[MattBaggins]

27. If he is having that kind of problem he should look into a real

security system. There should be local groups that can help him out.

[illuminaughty]

35. Sorry, I didn't phrase my post very well

When I asked if somebody would help me out, I meant I wanted more info on what areas of the country they are stealing these signs. My friend couldn't believe that someone would be so intent on stealing them that you have to take such drastic measures. In other words, I live in a crazy neighborhood where theft is common, but not crazy as in Right Wing Uber Nazi McCain Youth who have nothing better to do than go for Obama signs. So we were interested in where this was common and how big a problem it is.

But thanks for the response. My friend is working on the security system as we speak.

[ForrestGump]

32. Better yet, smear the habanero extract

on the landmines.

Stops gophers, too.

[midnight]

2. You are so smart. Don't understand a word of what you just

typed, but the part about, if you want them to crap their pants, is basically what I could understand. You are going to have fun. Let us less techically savy know how it goes. I would love to hear your story.

[HopeFor2006]

3. Wow

Wish I'd known about that when I was trying to get evidence for a restraining order against my ex. Awesome.

[napi21]

4. That'ss great for anyone who wants to get technical. I'm all for smearing the back of the sign &

the stakes with axle grease, or STP! Maybe with some nice black ink included!

[Warpy]

8. If you're a chemistry geek with access to reagents

mix a little butyric acid into the grease.

No, it won't even eat through his clothes, much less his skin, but he'll know it's there for the next month or so.

It's what makes rotten chicken smell like that.

[Mojorabbit]

5. Well

someone put a McCain sign on my deeded right of way today. I took it down and with pleasure.

[frickaline]

9. might be easier to just get a motion-triggered camera (not a web cam)

They sell them at hunting equipment/wildlife stores. Cheap and easy. No techie skills required.

[MattBaggins]

13. Webcams can work as motion detection with software

and lots of people have one. Just need to over come the cable length limitation but a 16 foot will probably get most people to a window. Cheap hubs from walmart and 5 cables will get you out to 80 feet. If you need to get more than 16 feet the security cams from hunting stores would probably be a better price vs ease of use choice.

[frickaline]

16. But

with a hunting camera, you only need 2 AA batteries, and 1 nail to hang it on a tree. They even take night shots. There is no length limitation, no cables, no electricity, no network, etc.

[MattBaggins]

18. Night shots is probably the best point in favor of hunting cams

That is a big problem with using a webcam as the picture will only be as good as the light.

For the cheaper hunting cams can you set up a zone so that passing cars will not trigger it and will it send a text message to your phone or email you?

[frickaline]

19. You aren't going to get any fancy emails or

newfangled text messaging from a hunting camera. Heck, it won't even be digital in most cases (cheaper ones aren't). As for the zoning, I think that would probably vary from camera to camera, but the easiest thing to do would be to try and face it away from traffic. I know you can set the sensitivity on most of them so you don't take 40 pictures of your neighborhood squirrel. Its just another option for those not as technical or who live in more rural areas. For my house, for example, I'd need 500 feet of cat5 to get a camera to the end of my driveway. I doubt that would even be within ethernet specs. And I would have no where to plug in the camera if it couldn't draw its power from the cat5.

[TahitiNut]

10. It might be easier to hire some homeless guy with a shotgun.

.... and better for the economy.

:dunce:

[Jackpine Radical]

12. ...and the environment, if he takes out a couple of FReepermobiles.

And, if he were hiding down in the bushes where I usually put my signs, he could probly get a pheasant and a couple rabbits for lunch.

[mod mom]

11. Globs of vasolien around the edges-trust me it works!

[MattBaggins]

14. I have a 5 and 2 year old though and lots of kids walking to school.

[Incitatus]

22. then they will learn not to touch the signs too

[mod mom]

31. Vasoline won't hurt them. I used to use it on my kid's

butt for diaper rash. ;)

[elfin]

15. I bring mine in at sundown and put out each early AM.

My first one disappeared during the night - so far my second one has not been Obamanapped during the day.

[frogcycle]

17. wire it up with 120 v

then play "You light up my life" when they grab it

[slackmaster]

25. And you'll go to jail for maintaining a public nuisance

Fun to think about, and I am sure frogcycle is just kidding.

[frogcycle]

29. no, I was dead series

:rofl:

[Paladin]

24. For Every Obama Sign You Lose, Go Out And Destroy 3 McCain Signs

There's a time for revenge-spurred vandalism, and this is one of them.

(Looking forward to the standard We're Democrats, We Gotta Be Nice responses.....)

[slackmaster]

26. I am sorry to read about people having problems with their yard signs

Nothing like that has ever happened in my mixed neighborhood. I currently have three yard signs out, one for Obama/Biden, one for my pick for San Diego City Council, and one for City Attorney. The older couple next door are supporting McCain. The immigrant family across the street is supporting the other City Council candidate (two BIG signs for him), I suspect they don't agree with me on City Attorney, but everyone gets along just fine.

Messing with peoples' political signs is juvenile and petty, as well as illegal.

[kenny blankenship]

30. cool thing for usb 1.1 webcams: USB over cat5e extenders

These adapters plus up to 150ft run of cat5e will allow you to place an unpowered USB 1 webcam almost anywhere. One adapter, the sender, goes in your usb port, and connects to the other adapter by an ethernet type cable (do not plug these usb adapters into an actual ethernet network! They will burn it out!) The other adapter connects to your USB device.

USB->Cat5e->USB adapters like these can be had for around 40 dollars. Speed is USB 1.1

USB2.0 adapters do exist but they require power at the remote end and cost over 200 dollars.

[Occulus]

33. There's a particular slow-drying black paint

I think it's oil based. just put it around the edges. In the dark, nobody will be able to see it... until they get home, with black paint all over themselves and their clothes and anything else they touch.

[Bravo Zulu]

34. claymore