Rules for Rulers Who Do Not Know the Rules

By Glen R. Cook

The volume is over one thousand line item paragraphs of lessons learned the hard way and a collection of knowledge lessons in hard choices that will hopefully help the reader in avoiding making the same or similar mistakes or learn how somebody else resolved a problem

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: May 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781489747693

Glen R. Cook

The Author graced this planet in 1952, graduated High School in 1971, and GOT drafted in 1972. When it came time to join the Service, after asking ALL my Veteran World War II Uncles; The recommendation was to go where the food was best, so hellooo United States Navy. For 16 of 22 years I sailed in the United States’ defense. I visited 35 countries, made history, spent 16 years on five tin cans(destroyers), earned 6 Battle ”E” awards, studied fire fighting and flooding( better know as battle damage), earned 2 Associates(Electronics and Network Operations) with enough credits for a third in programming and retired. After a break, I worked for the brand new kid on the block called the TSA for 18 years. In the intervening time, I became a Silver Level One Ballroom Dancer with specialties in the Military Dances (Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Quickstep and Peabody.) Then I gravitated to Martial Arts studying Kendo (great stress relief) and Iaido (Great Art for focus and self-control) with two International Tameshigiri Cutting Tournaments. I was in the upper half, so I was overjoyed. Currently, I am trying to convince Broward County School Board of Florida to add a Martial Arts Self-Defense Course for women in High School with three divisions, women, trans, and if wanted, men as preparation for graduation into the real world ala Japan The other issue I am working on is a longer School Year and Day. The US averages 180 days and an eight or nine to three school day. The Intellectual Powerhouses are longer than 200 days and an eight to four.

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Copyright © 2023 Glen R. Cook.

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and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-4766-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4765-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4769-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023909000

LifeRich Publishing rev. date:  06/08/2023

CONTENTS

Anti-Index

Introduction

Dedication

Author’s Note

Begin

A Start, A Few Scattered Thoughts

The First Four Laws of Command and a Command’s Structure

You

Character

Honor&Lies

Authority, Accountability, Responsibility

Signatures

Privacy

Finance

Survival

Your Interest

Best Interest

Emergencies and Safety

Weather

Insurance

Work

Dress Codes & Uniforms

Your Deputy

Flattery

Staffs and Committees

Speakers

Computer Records

Communications

Leading vs. Managing

Listening & Discussions

Problems

Decisions

Incompetence

Promotions

Health and Work Environment

Workers

Temps and Interns

Scheduling

Education

Programs

History

Mentoring and Training

Inspections and Audits

Evaluations

Awards and Discipline

Travel and Vacations

Budgets

Exits

Life

Nature, Science

Sentience

Reading

Quality of Life

Weddings and Death

Tyrants and Guns

Government

Elections

Government

The Nation

Courtrooms and Investigations

Police and Judges

Representation and Delegates

Relations (Black, White, Female, Male, Etc.)

War and Religion

The Press, The Media

End

A Few More Scattered Thoughts

A Finish

Appendix

Not the Bibliography

Appendix Guide

The National Anthem

Subject: History Lesson on Your Social Security Card

Letters and Essays

Bedtime Genius

Election

Case Study

Davy Crockett, the Constitution, and Charity versus the Congress

ANTI-INDEX

There is no index. This page is left open for you to make your own index as most leaders do anyway with notes on margins and for you to highlight numbers that are important to you. If you are giving this book away, highlight the important sections. If you find a section you disagree with, this maybe a section that directly applies to you. Make a note of the section on this page and take a hard look in the mirror. For those of you who like a paper version, this is where the author can sign.

INTRODUCTION

This book, started in December of two thousand four, came about as a result of personal conversations and observations with my daughters while working for a government agency. The agency was more or less thrown together in short order. A number of people were hired whom had no real leadership training, management courses in their college degree, fudged their resumes or experience, similar to FEMA rumors in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. The oldest one was talking about how few of her fellow college students seem to have a clue or a plan of action for their lives, another way of saying they were not marriage material. The youngest joined in as time passed talking about the poor quality of husband and more importantly, father material being developed. The blessing of being a military child is an always open eye to the future from seeing deployments being planned six months ahead. The oldest asked for some guidelines. I started writing a few thoughts. At the about the same time, I started keeping track of missteps by the agency management that I was working for. These provided fodder for conversations between her, and eventually, her sister and I. Overtime, I combined the two. During this time, I started reading the Quran which led me to review other religious texts. I showed it to some people at work when I had about fifty. Everybody at work that saw my list started asking for copies. The list kept on getting longer as different points came to mind or the agency continued to make mistakes, missteps, waste money and abuse power. The agency continually hemorrhages money and personnel because of poor leadership, some good managers, but nary a leader among them. A security force cannot afford to squander the most important resource of security. The resource is people. People have to be lead in dangerous work. Sometimes leadership is applied to a small group like a squad or team. Other times, leadership is large like for a government agency. Leadership needs to learn from mistakes. Failure to learn can only provide more material for our conversations and a possible second volume of this work.

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to my father Glen P. Cook, who gave me my first lessons on command, excellence and integrity, who received his from Glen S. Cook, his father. I want to thank Thomas Rhodes, Colonel Walter Center (USAF), Walter Hay, Roger Cady and Edward Preston for other childhood lessons.

This volume would not have come into existence without the support of the Center Clan Beatrice Center Cook who goes by Mom, Betty Center Preston who was my mother’s twin or Mom Two, and Ethel Center, and the Cook crowd of Helen Cook Rhodes, Lillian Cook Cady and Marian Cook Hay. Thank you for keeping me in one piece throughout my growing up.

I want to thank Patrick Foley, William Solen, Constance Zetterlund, James Wettengel, John J. White, Theodore Bartsch, Glenn T. Miller, Douglas English, Geoffrey Sherwood, Andrew Klints, and Stephen Megdanis for being the extremely rare federal leaders who leads by example of providing and being exceptional in getting the job done. Included in the group of getting it right are Master Gino Profera, Master Cesar Tejera, Sensei Tom Mulhall, Master Andrew Parrella, Sensei Robert Moorman, Master Dan Tipton, Grandmaster/ Soke John Kantzler, Soke Eric King, Master Aaron Reynolds, and Shi-Han/ Dr. Ernie Reynolds. They have demonstrated outstanding leadership techniques in martial arts training. Exceptional naval leaders that I had the pleasure of learning under were Vice Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely, Captain Clarence Thomas Vaught, Commander Big John Hollis, Master Chief Petty Officers Charles Bosco Leggans, William Slingerland and Kirby Driggers of the USS Bowen (FF-1079), Captain Richard P. Genet, Commander Arleigh H. Rice Jr., Lieutenant Michael Cheatwood, Senior Chief Petty Officer John Harris and Chief Petty Officer Doc Orum of the USS Sellers(DDG-11), and Commander James B. Campbell of the USS Thorn (DD-980).

To Maritza and Roy Falo who supplied and put up with endless discussions on the government, leadership, the quality of life and other assorted topics, I salute, and say thank you.

To Vanessa Jason and all the friends at the Moonlight Diner, thank you, you did make a difference.

To Reesa Gaeta, do not stop making the brownies. Those brownies are a slice of heaven at work.

To those who have been along for the ride and never thought their name would be in book, Roy Lara, Bruce Rhodes, Nathaniel Robinson, Gary Sims, James Wilburth, Rudolph Sladyk, Donald Teeter, Wayne Thorton, Kenneth Wagner, Michael Howe, Lewis Matthews, Henri Lokay, Timothy Carey, Lawrence Bissenberger, Benjamin Olliff, Neil Larson, Karen Shelly, Lee Moss, David Rucks, Joy Rucks, Robert Ringler, Leah Marcovitz, Jason Zannis, Christopher Williamson, Lee Cloninger, David Faber, Jim Williamson, Damon Smith, Sautia L and Melite k. Masunu, Lucy Collins Fotu, Celeste Shank Ellich, Craig LaFrenz, Michael Stultz, Jeannie Stultz, Roger Skildum, Debbie Skildum, John Collins, Evan Scott Lowe, Donna Mahar, J.T. Ryker, Bradley Bills, Karem Ryker, Jamie Bills, Jacinta (Smiley) and Leonard Jones, James Chapman, Timothy and Erica Hoopes, Kevin Tinny, Jimmy Ray McDowell, James Birk, Kevin Stein, Ron Hintenberger, Kristen Metzger, Diana Hearst, Diane Pittman, Scott Carter, Adrianna Carter, Jason Franco, Shante King Westfield, Beowolf Carter, Sandra King, Brad Martin, Kim Edwards, Wesley Neal, Mark M. Lott, Haloti Anitoni Netane, Hala Junior Natane, Reginaldo Venancio, Arlenso Galvis, Brian King, Brian Wolfe, Timothy Rathburn, Glen Wayne Branham, Glen Harding, Harriet Gonzales, Glen Diebert, Glenn Brewer, Jennifer Anne Toolen, Jeff Piccaretta(US Army), Joe Profera, Tamara Shaw, Shann-a Barry, Dionne Coley, Lenore Milyanovich, King Eric, John Spinks, Renee Hoobyar, Susie Cheshire, Jessica Camacho, Jessenia De La Torre, Juan Class, Karina Zabala, David Alberto, Karen Arquisola, Ashley Marzon, Denise Jefferies, Dana Vasilaropoulous, Brian Mullen, Lara Laurence, Alexandre Mona Silphane, Tee Droze Beck, Robert W. Sutton, Teresa Sutton, Pat Johnson-Moore, Richard Lawrence, Rachel Lawrence, Lucy Collins, Robin Cray Scott, Bernadine Rouse, Al Memole, Janet Marsh, Paul Vooris, Dan Moran, Houston and Ingrid Hesse, David Bolivar, and others; Thank you for your companionship, intellect, forgiveness and an interesting trip.

The things told to me and demonstrated for me over the years provide the basis for this compendium. While I had plenty of good examples, and as General Swartzkopf stated about bad examples, even the most morally corrupt … provided lessons in what not to do.

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.

The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence:

from bondage to spiritual faith;

from spiritual faith to great courage;

from courage to liberty;

from liberty to abundance;

from abundance to selfishness;

from selfishness to complacency;

from complacency to apathy;

from apathy to dependency;

from dependency back again to bondage."

Sir Alex Fraser Tytler (1742-1813)

Bondage, here we come

Glen R. Cook, November 2008

AUTHOR’S NOTE

My editors sent me a question after reviewing this manual, Why listen to me? A valid question requires a complete answer. A second question posed was how did I come by my views and stand on issues? A third was, what made me write the book? I hope the following answers are satisfactory.

I have no PHD, but PhD’s can be awarded as an honorary. I am not called Doctor, while I am called Sensei. If the truth be known, I would prefer Sensei to Doctor as Doctor is overused. If you were to take my post high school education, I have some where in the neighborhood of twelve to fourteen years plus of education. You’ve heard of a trophy wife, I was a Trophy son in the fifties and sixties. A trophy wife" is a young woman who marries a fairly well-off older man. A trophy son is one that is taken out of his case by his father to be shown off then put back in his case. I was a readacholic who understood a lot about new inventions like Lasers and Computers in the sixties. My father took me to many civic meetings like Kiwanis where I got to play with the future and enjoy films like the Bell Labs science films. The films were perhaps the greatest pushes of science for school students in the fifties and sixties. In the 1963 World’s Fair in New York, I got to use the first video phones and left with an appreciation of how space travel was pushing miniaturization.

After high school, I received a draft number of sixty-eight (Vietnam was still an issue in 1971). Instead of joining the Army, I opted for the Navy and a dry bed with three hot meals a day. Twenty-two years later, I retired. The navy had provided a perfect feeding ground for my curiosity. I was able to travel, visit foreign cultures and religions, go to foreign schools, observe leaders in action, and meet the real natives without being a tourist. I learned how to blend in order to not be the ugly American so as to meet the local people, be it in Iran, Pakistan, Kenya, Italy, or Norway. I was a member of one of the great unrecognized think tanks of the nation. The think tank was the fantail of any naval ship at sea after working hours. It was then various world issues were discussed as we were always getting ready to go or return from some hot spot. World news takes a whole new and different priority when it may be where your next sailing orders take you. The deployments allow you to meet people, sometimes with reporters along. The reporters allow you to learn how to see through the bias of the news.

After a naval career, I studied network operations and ballroom dancing. Finally, I learned Iaido, Kendo and a dose of Eastern philosophy tempered by my military travels. I had received two college degrees and ten ranks of Black Belt. I started working for a government agency in September of 2002. While working for the agency, I continually noted leadership errors where I was.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This book is designed to be used by someone with no real leadership model to follow, no real mentor available, no real training or experience to guide them. Hopefully, the book will help prevent people from creating or repeating problems if they are forewarned. Each numbered item is a separate idea or concept with no ties to its predecessor except in rare circumstances. The items are divided in chapters, but the chapter boundaries are blurry as some items could be in more than one chapter. Some ideas are definitely against the grain or go outside the box. They, all, provide food for thought.

Memoriam

To Michael Dore, Andrew Brent Mehne and

Jamie Morgan, you are missed.

NOTES FROM MY WATCH

FOR MY RELIEF

BEGIN

*If you haven’t done it, go back and read the introduction. *

*Know what you are getting into! *

*Do not try to read this as regular book, read the book in bites. *

A Start, A Few Scattered Thoughts

1. Do NOT shoot the author, or the messenger.

2. If you are buying used cookbooks, look for pages with stains and spills in used cookbooks. The stains and spills will show the best pages.

3. If I can do it, you can do it.

4. Trust, but verify.

5. You are there to serve the people, not the other way around.

The First Four Laws of Command and a Command’s Structure

6. Do not ever give an order you would not follow or obey in the same situation.

7. Always get permission and inform superiors and inform juniors of actions taken and decisions reached.

8. Forgiveness is easier to obtain than permission.

9. Document everything as commanded or needed.

10. Commands always answer or define the questions who, where, when, what and may include the answer to how and why. Both halves of the who involve who is giving the order and who is receiving the order. Where and when may be implied or specific depending on needs. What should be clearly stated to avoid confusion. How can be stated, but in doing so, the originator may severely limit or hamper the receiver choice of actions in accomplishing the what. Why is nice to know, but it is not mandatory nor is required, especially in an emergency. The worst why is because I said so.

YOU

Character

11. Of all the assets one brings to a job, the only asset that is guaranteed to go with you when you leave a position is wisdom. Wisdom has many facets; the most common facet is called experience. Wisdom will always be the rarest jewel in the intellect of man. Wisdom takes the longest to develop and polish.

12. Do not be afraid. It is okay to be frightened, but not to show fear. If you can control anger or love or any other emotion, you can control fear.

13. If you continually ask for proof of court appearances, doctor appointments, and other meetings before granting people time off, you will build resentment over time among your workers. This can be critical if good workers, who have never done anything wrong, find their character being questioned.

14. If you are in charge of people and they tell you of a need or a want, it is never permissible to tell them I don’t care!

15. Your worth to your employer is determined by the cost of training somebody to replace you.

16. If you decide to use the phrase when I had to do what you are doing (when I stood pier sentry, I got cold, too) or a similar line of logic, remember that things may have changed considerably from when you were in the position that you are describing.

17. Being called an American is not a birthright. You are granted citizenship by birth. Many people who call themselves American do not act like an American and are not worthy of the title. To be an American is to be a special breed and exceptional person in this world. You have to believe in the Constitution and the Founding Documents as the documents were written. You have to know Evil has never changed, only the people who have the power can and will commit evil. You know that lying is dishonest and is never tolerated by an upright and morally correct people. You know there is no excuse for moral failure in a person’s character. If your religion allows for such a lapse, you are obviously not an American. Remember, being an American is a title that people have died for, and died earning the right to be called American, and died so that their children could be called an American. Try to be worthy of that honor.

18. Do not ask for the truth about a problem unless you are prepared to act on it.

19. Do not wear rose colored glasses unless there are roses.

20. Never give you enemies your deadlines. These will become weapons for your enemies. If you have to change the deadlines, the enemy will point to the change as sign of incompetence or in war as a recruiting tool showing how weak you are.

21. If a subordinate challenges your supervisor for not following a regulation, if all the ducks are in a row, support him. Otherwise, it creates a double standard. If a badge is supposed to be worn above the waist and the manager is wearing it lower and the subordinate points it out, support the subordinate; otherwise, fix the rules. Failure, too, raises the issue of ethics.

22. Eagles soar alone, vultures, sparrows, chickens, and pigeons flock together. Leaders are like eagles.

23. If somebody replies to a question you have asked about a third party’s comments, do not say nobody could or would have said that. You could be mistaken. Your credibility could be shot. You could be displaying an attitude of hostility that you did not intend to display. Political careers often end because of a mental lapse like this.

24. Choose your confrontations with micromanagers carefully. The ones you win lead to vindictiveness. The ones you lose will increase the manager’s confidence that he or she knows everything. Leaders will weigh each confrontation carefully to find the full value and cause for the confrontation.

25. If you say you have an open-door policy, it means that anyone can approach you with a problem. If they have to make an appointment to see you or you say use your chain of command to set up an appointment, so you can be briefed by any and everyone who might object to their problem or issue, then you do not have an open-door policy or an open mind. They might be trying to raise an issue that is being covered up. If they try to use an open-door policy, it is an act of faith in your ethics. If you betray that trust in handling what they bring to you, what you say afterwards will never again be trusted.

26. If you have integrity, honor, or character, it may require you to make extreme sacrifices when confronting choices. You may have to give up promotions, assignments, and other things if you are going to stay true to your principles.

27. It takes only one workforce member to make a true observation (the emperor has no clothes situation) or evaluation to find the true value or strength of a supervisor or a manager in a unique situation. The danger is that the work force members talk to each other about observations good and bad.

28. Avoid negativity. Even in negative situation like inspections, audits, and evaluations, try to avoid being negative. Being negative in daily briefings will take a toll on morale and your political capital.

29. If you do not ask questions, the answers cannot change. This is true in social issues where the answers may be deliberately hidden from the powers that be.

30. Being uncomfortable will not kill you.

31. Until a mistake is admitted, you have no right or grounds to ask for forgiveness.

32. A day’s wage for a day’s labor means exactly that, not a day’s labor with all the harassment that you can pile.

33. Only those in whom you place confidence and trust can betray you.

34. Broaching a new project or idea is a lot like eating foreign food. The whole concept revolves around presentation as to whether the meal is palatable or not.

35. Tell employees what to do, but not how, if you want real production.

36. Manage your career downward so that as time goes on you have more downward below you to manage. This works better than trying to manage your career upward by ticket punching or running the ticket over co-workers and subordinates.

37. Do not worry or become preoccupied about what if situations. There are so many variables, they cannot all happen. Fix and handle what really happens and dismiss the rest.

38. If a younger senior employee refuses help from an older junior subordinate on an issue, then the employee may have a problem. If the employee refuses to accept because he wants to figure out the issue him or herself, that is fine depending on time. If he or she refuses because he or she has no respect for or the willingness to learn from subordinates, to put it bluntly, he or she has a problem that requires an immediate attitude adjustment.

39. Courtesy can be the cheapest and best investment in a business or a relationship.

40. Forced apologies do not work for either party. The mechanics are the same for adults as for children. A forced apology can create a desire for revenge.

41. Presidents, prime ministers, and managers who deny or close their eyes to little evil, will deny, commit, and abet a great evil if presented the opportunity. Managers committing a little evil, like what Adolf Hitler did on Crystal Nacht, only showed what will be the future on a greater scale, at places like Ravensbruck and Treblinka. Leaders will not tolerate challenges to their view of evil.

42. A foul mouth will not impress anyone.

43. Bad grammar does not make a good impression.

44. Bureaucracies breed moral cowardice and promote mediocrity.

45. Honor and courtesy will demand sacrifices and other payments. These investments are returned with great interest.

46. If a manager says to you that something is not your job, the person is probably a coward at worst, worried his appearance at best or worried about possible union or legal rules in between. The person will not stand up for anything because of fear unless they are backed into a corner or one hundred percent certain of backup. Helping people out is everyone’s job. On the other hand, it does not mean I’ve got free time, so assign me more work. I am helping out. I am not interested in permanently taking over the task.

47. If a coworker says something is not my job, the coworker may be lazy or know something you do not. Your job becomes finding out why.

48. You have a finite amount of time. If people require time from you, be sure that you are spending it wisely; otherwise, you are wasting the one quantity you can never recover or replace.

49. When you embrace political correctness, you surrender your moral compass to tell what the difference is between right and wrong.

50. Arrogance and pride are separated by a fine line. Proud leaders know how to walk the line without losing sight of the difference. Arrogant leaders are nearly as intelligent as their followers think they are, but they still end up on the wrong side of the line.

51. In Miami, Florida, some cars have extremely loud sound systems that play terrible junk. The problem car owners have is that they have mistaken quantity for quality.

52. Take pride in your opponent’s triumphs because your opponents will magnify your own success.

53. Loyalty as a virtue in western society is rapidly becoming a crisis state. Management personnel are no longer loyal to the organization, be it government, private industry, or even charity. Management is definitely not loyal to the workers nor is workers to the management. This is true when managers are changed at the drop of a bid or a stock price. When management is not loyal to the workforce, tyranny can and does run amuck and the only indicators will be workforce turnover, low morale, a never-ending stream of absences, and lots of little headaches. This is true even for union leadership. Without loyalty, any organization will have a problem just existing. Make being loyal a hallmark of your being.

54. Money and respect have much in common. Both are hard to earn. Both can be invested. Both, if lost carelessly, can require a great deal of work to be restored. Leaders know what a loss of respect can mean.

Honor&Lies

55. Keep your boss away from your people, and your people will keep your boss away from you.

56. Honor and integrity are more than just words.

57. Choose your role models carefully. You can choose role models based on single a trait or set of activities. Always remember, are they someone you would want to emulate or bring home as a guest to meet someone special. Choose role models that advance society, not tear it down. Choose role models that elevate you. Do not be afraid to dump role models who are no longer worthy of the title. Any fool can be destructive not matter how high the office, education, motive or moral purpose.

58. Keep pen and paper or Blackberry type device handy to write down a sudden illumination of the mind you may have.

59. What does the House of Atreus and The Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en, Rama of India, and Inshallah of the Muslim world has to do with the coming conflict of cultures? The House of Atreus is where Man finally accepts responsibility for his actions in Grecian literature and myths because of the actions Orestes and the Harpies. The Journey to West demonstrates a similar mind set for China by the Monkey King and Prince Rama in India. As a result of accepting responsibility for one’s choices and action, the line between right and wrong is clearly and cleanly set. A culture based Inshallah has no such line. If as a teacher is administering a test to a student who believes in Inshallah, the student has no responsibility for the test result. Inshallah means Allah wills it. If the student fails, it is not his fault for Allah willed. If the student passes, it is not his studying and research because Allah willed it. If the student passes by cheating, Allah willed it. If the students gets caught cheating and fails, it does not matter because Allah willed. No matter what the result, the student has no responsibility for his actions. A society based on what Allah wills, is a society where no one should be trusted because whatever line of thought and action that perpetrator uses, has no honor because Allah cannot be trusted. No treaty will be honored, or agreement sanctioned. The President, Prime Minister, Chief, or King who believes it will be is a fool. History is replete with examples to prove this point. Everyone is there to be taken advantage of because inshallah wills it. The basis of the conflict is that in Muslim culture there is no clear delineated deference between right and wrong. Basic Western Christian values and Eastern Hindu and Buddhist values are in direct conflict with Muslim values. (Note: Do you know the difference between a Moslem and a Muslim? You might find the following will clarify the issue; The American Heritage Dictionary (1992) says, Moslem is the form predominantly preferred in journalism and popular usage. Muslim is preferred by scholars and by English-speaking adherents of Islam. A Muslim, as translated from Arabic, becomes one who gives himself to God or: a believer of the tenets of the Quran and follows Islam. On the other hand, the definition in Arabic for a Moslem indicates one who is evil and unjust; whichever word you choose, Moslem or Muslim, the word is a noun. I know many Moslems, but as of yet, have to meet a Muslim.)

60. Honesty is the best policy. Complete and total honesty is exactly that. There is no such thing as partial honesty. People who are partially honest are called liars, politicians, and, possibly lawyers.

61. Enemies will always tell the truth if the truth is detrimental.

62. No lie is little.

63. If an employee will lie for the government, the employee will lie to his spouse, his church, his fellow employees and others. He will lie to the government as well. The first lie can be I do not know in answer to any question.

64. When you bury something for safekeeping, be wary of burying the item near a tree or bush. The plant’s roots may wrap themselves around the item making recovery impossible.

65. Integrity is word spoken a lot when you are young that means little. When you are old, it means a lot but is spoken of little. Without integrity, you have no honor.

66. When you will lie to yourself, you will lie to others.

67. A verbal warning written down is not a verbal warning; it is a written warning. To think otherwise is a lie. This is the start of corruption of government morality.

68. Do not take star performers to a nova or exploding sun or exploding star situation. If a star performer makes an error, give a verbal warning. (See the preceding thought)

69. Avoid the Patton syndrome with star performers. If the star is on a roll, do NOT interrupt his or her momentum.

70. If you ever hear one your supervisors, peers, or subordinates talking about plausible deniability or technical credibility, look out. Someone is looking to lie their way out of a situation and perhaps try to nail you in the process. Honest or honorable people have no use for either of the above and have a hard time seeing something like plausible deniability when it is pointed straight at them.

71. Beware of the Halo syndrome. Halos are things like Employee of the Month, Supervisor of the Quarter, and the like. People with halos will get more halos; it does not mean they are error proof.

72. The Emperor has no clothes! Stand by your troops with your eyes open! A crewmember goes to a restaurant and has a bad experience with the hostess. The hostess complains to the waiter. The waiter provides poor service. The waiter complains to the manager. The customer in uniform complains to the manager. The manager, worried about his job, complains to the crewmember’s supervisor to neutralize the complaint. The supervisor investigates and gets three stories complaining about the crewmember. The crewmember was not at fault, the service was bad. Sometimes all evidence points the wrong way. Sometimes the Emperor has no clothes no matter what the advisers say. The leader knows to weigh information carefully, in case it leads to the wrong conclusion.

73. Either trust a subordinate or do not. There is no halfway trust.

74. If your supervisor, manager, or the like, has no integrity or honor, you have to make a choice! You can mirror their lack of scruples, or you can take a stand and protect your people or resign, run and abandon your responsibilities or resign in protest. Your choice! Only you will know the answer!

75. Integrity is not, cannot, and never will be a Moslem value or trait. Remember how much pride Moslems take in the concept of Allah being the best liar, deceiver, or schemer; they are devising guile (ya keedoona kaydan), and I am devising guile (Wa akeedu kaydan), Sura 86 verses 15-16 of the Quran. If the Moslems take pride in Allah being a schemer, how can the concept of Integrity even be part of the Moslem belief system, let alone a part of the day-to-day basis of life? How can a Moslem ever clear a background check for the US government especially since deceiving the government is a high priority Islamic goal? One thing I have always wondered is, if Allah is the great schemer, just when does Allah plan to betray his followers as all great schemers do? God knows the Imams and Ayatollahs