THE 13 RULES OF GUNFIGHTING THAT EVERYONE IN CALIFORNIA SHOULD KNOW!

First and foremost - Have a gun.


I would add, don’t just go buy a gun;

a. Buy a gun

b. Secure the gun when unattended

c. Take a gun safety course

d. Get shooting advice from various fire arms and concealed carry (CCW) instructors.

e. Practice often because in the time of an armed crisis your training and knowledge is invaluable. You will react how you were trained.

f. Apply for a Conceal Carry Weapon permit.


If you own a gun, you will appreciate these rules. If you don’t own a gun, you should get one and learn how to use it.

1. Guns have only three enemies: criminals, rust and politicians.

2. It’s always better to be judged by 12 (jury) than carried by 6 (pallbearers).

3. Law Enforcement carry guns to protect themselves, not you.

4. Never let someone or something that threatens you get within arms-length of you.

5. Never say “I’ve got a gun.” If the need arises to use deadly force, the first sound they hear should be the safety clicking off.

6. The average response time of a 911 call is 23 minutes, the response time of a .357 is 1400 feet per second.

7. The most important rule in a gunfight is: Always win – cheat if necessary.

8. Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets…You may get killed with your own gun, but he’ll have to beat you to death with it, cause it will be empty.

9. If you’re in a gunfight:

a. If you’re not shooting, you should be loading.

b. If you’re not loading, you should be moving.

c. If you’re not shooting, moving or loading, you will most likely end up dead.

10. In a life and death situation, do something…It may be wrong, but do something!

11. If you carry a gun, people call you paranoid. Nonsense! If you have a gun, what do you have to be paranoid about?

12. You could say ‘stop’ in many languages, but a large bore muzzle pointed at someone’s head is pretty much a universal language.

13. You cannot save the planet, but you may be able to save yourself and your family.

Remember;

“Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading,” — Thomas Jefferson

Knowing About A Social Media Policy

 

Over the past few years I’ve read about and personally researched the social media policy of a many organizations, the regulatory laws and existing conditions in industries and professions, and in each when considering the business risks involved no one gave much attention to this area. I’ve heard about and witnessed a huge tidal wave of sites like Facebook force itself into both personal and professional lives, giants like Myspace swell up and fade away, and services like Google flip a switch and declare a new way of doing things and even to say, "You have to do it our way!".

One of the biggest problems facing business leaders large or small today is that society at large has taken a mindset of open dialogue and personal opinion on every issue. I personally believe that this has led to some great changes in some cases, but the downside is that no one has the time keep up with the changes in technology, legal regulation, social trends, and the business and corporate impacts.

In most cases someone in the company's management group is given the voice of common sense for all… and the messenger sometimes gets to be the bearer of unpopular messages.

While the message of a social media policy is generally not the most popular topic, the combination of open dialogue and personal opinion weighed against the need to be held accountable and being in the driver's seat of the company in profit driven America. This is often puts folks on contradictory ends of the spectrum. There are very important and long-term benefits that need to be considered by everyone in your audience and all of them must be addressed.

To say that a social media policy is complex would be an understatement.

To say that a social media policy is simple would be idiotic.

However, business owners, employees, investors, and consumers all have to find a way to have common ground when dealing with each other. Instead of jumping into a legal abyss of what your social media policy should or should not contain, try to wrap your head around these 5 tips that will help to put you in the right mindset for the situation at hand, Writing A Good Policy.

The essential beginning of any corporate or small business management document for that matter today is to research the impact groups of the policy. If not properly assessed and this relationship is lost during the process with the rank and file and leadership, any worthwhile benefits to each will dwindle away. As a leader and writer of the policy to you should remained focused on gratitude, humility, and collaboration. If the new police sets uneasy with you in its writing you should rethink your viewpoint and being in other collaborators.

The social media scene has driven all of us to venture into a vast uncharted territory of personal expression and social interaction. The fact that technology is often involved only means that both elements have an economy of scale and the rapid ability to multiply in months, days and sometimes by the hour. Today it is rare that someone commits a violation of trust on purpose for an intended negative reason, and when assessing these issues the management of any given situation should be guided by your professional ethic, respect for others, personal accountability, and leadership of your development team.

Remember, your company's social media policy won’t protect you from a line or management team member doing something stupid. Even the best people occasionally have bad days and do something questionable which can place the company in a difficult situation. Keep this important factor in mind when setting the tone and text of your policy. Over the years it has been proven that if you treat talented and trusted professionals like adolescent children you can expect a few memos of retort in the backlash.

A consideration one should make when writing your policy is, if you have a client, vendor, or employee list that is a valuable asset to your company it should be protected at all costs by a proper and enforceable non-disclosure, intellectual property, and non-compete contracts. Make sure that you research your state laws as in some states these documents are not enforceable by law. These types of documents are not exclusive to just of social media document they are often attached at all corporate and small business agreements these days. The world of social media today often opens the door access to some very portable and proprietary lists.

As you can see her I have only touched on the tip of the iceberg here so your research for your company, your state and your document should be approached with a strict ethical pledge. There are many areas to be considered employment perimeters, acts committed before, during, and after employment, was the employee on-the-clock, was the employee required to do the act as part of his or her job function and even encompassing weather or not an account was created on behalf of the company, with or without permission.

To day in most companies big or small that company could easily have multiple social media accounts on Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, and many other now available and rising each and everyday. Industry blogs are now becoming very popular and also can serve as the face of your organization in the media world.

I closing, one can gauge the importance and need for a policy by asking a few simple questions:

What if our company suddenly had our access to one of these media service providers revoked or permanently disabled, what types of business impacts would it have on us?

What liability and loss will we as a company incur in a social media scandal, misrepresentation, libel or slander?

I am sure that my thoughts have been food for your thoughts as you prepare for this important and arduous task.

VETTING A NAVY SEAL - EXPOSING A "POSER"

NAVY SEAL INVESTIGATIVE VOIR DIRE & QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS
In all cases you can write a “Freedom of Information Act” request directly to the SEAL FOIA coordinator. They love to disclose “POSERS”.

Commander,
Naval Special Warfare Command
FOIA Coordinator
2000 Trident Way
San Diego, CA 92155

IF a person is or ever was a Navy Seal, he or she should be able to tell you the following, which you can verify:

1. Where did they go to Navy Recruit Training, commonly called Boot Camp?
2. They should know their class number.
3. Ask what their “rating” was (this is a navy term for rank and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) prior to becoming a Navy SEAL. You currently can’t enlist directly into the SEALs. You have to enlist as a regular sailor first then you test.
4. They should know what the physical fitness test was for a SEAL, which is different than the regular navy fitness test and given before his enters training (Sein 500 yard, Push Ups, Sit Ups, Pull Ups, and 1.5 mile run).
5. They should know what “BUDS” is (Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Training.
6. They should know their “BUDS” class number.
7. They should know when “Hell Week” was in their initial training (Week 4 of Phase 1) and what training occurs during that time (5.5 days or 132 hours – you sleep very little and eat a lot to keep up your energy level).
8. They should know where their training occurred (Naval Amph. Base, Special Warfare Center, Coronado, CA). A really nice base, but you don’t get much time to play in the surf, but you do spend a lot of time in the surf when you screw up.
9. They should know how many Phases are in the training (1st Phase –Conditioning; 2nd Phase – Diving; 3d Phase – Land Warfare).
10. They should know what “SQT” is (SEAL Qualification Training),
11. They should know what a “Team” is, how many men are in the Team.
12. They should know how the Teams are organized (Platoons).
13. How many men are in a Team and how many are in a Platoon.
14. They should know where they went to “jump” school and how long (US Army Parachutist School, Fort Benning, GA – 3 weeks).
15. They should know what a “PLF” is (Parachute Landing Fall).
16. They should know what a “Black Hat” is (Jump Instructor).
17. They should know what a “Cigarette Roll” is (when your shoot is twisted like a cigarette and you fall like a bag of rocks).
18. They should know what “tower week” is at jump school (jump from a 34 foot tower and a 250 foot tower – this 250 tower is a kick).
19. If they went to an “old school” jump school before the current boots, he should know what a “boot black” is (the civilians that shine your boots).
20. They should know how many jumps are required to pass jump school (5).
21. They should know what “HALO” is. (High Attitude Low Opening parachute jumps).
22. They should know where the training for “HALO” occurs (several locations, but the one that is preferred to the climate and location is El Centro, CA – hot in the day, cold at time and not much out there but open space to fall from the sky and shoot up the desert).
23. They should know what a “Snake Eater” is (someone in special ops) and comes from the “SERE”). Also SEALs like to call each other by their first name, but that is a tendency in Special).
24. They should know what “NAVSPECWARGRU” means (Naval Special Warfare Group).
25. They should know what “SWCC” means, pronounced “swick”, (Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman or Special Boat Teams).

These questions will give you a great start in verifying their status. Then you can get really inquisitive….

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED INVESTIGATORS - NLITE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



After developing the NLITE - Newly Licensed Investigator Training & Enrichment program now in its 10th successful event it became necessary to set a criteria of eligibility because of its popularity.  The criteria was designed to keeps the content basic and applicable for the new investigator in the industry and prevents unlicensed "posers" from gaining access to the event.  NLITE is now one of the most sought after new private investigator training programs in the State of California and is currently being cloned all over the nation by other private investigation associations. I have agreed to blog the criteria for those other associations.

 

NLITE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 2013-14

Eligibility Criteria:

 

The NLITE Program is specifically tailored for the newly licensed private investigator. Training is designed to provide a basic yet general overview of the vocation, its benefits, programs and opportunities.  The program has been designed to give a new Private Investigator the basic skills of starting a business, networking, a legal overview of the laws governing the industry and guidance toward being prepared both professionally and ethically. Because the program is tailored towards new investigators, the association has established the following admission criteria for attendees:

To Attend:

1.      You must be licensed with the State of California

2.      You must have a copy of your BSIS “wall” license to enter the event.

3.      You must have a valid form of picture ID (CA CDL) to enter the event.

All attendees shall be,

   1.   A newly licensed BSIS/QM investigator (licensed within 18 months of the event).

   2.   Or, become a new member of CALI (Membership date within 18 months of the event).

Investigators that do not qualify under the two above criteria must do the following: Submit a Letter of Exception Send a letter on their company letterhead to the NLITE Chair with an explanation as to why the investigator believes that an exception should be granted on their behalf to attend the event if they do not fit the standard criteria of the event.

Exceptions may be granted yet not limited to the following circumstances:

1.      The requesting Private Investigator had a personal injury, hardship or had not used their Private Investigators license within the past 5 years. (Documented proof may be required) 

 

2.      The requesting Private Investigator was unable to attend a prior NLITE event within their newly licensed window of opportunity and would like to be granted the opportunity to attend now. (State the reason why the investigator was unable to attend)
 
3.         The requesting Private Investigator had not established his or her Private Investigations business due to a professional conflict (such as, still active law enforcement and not allowed to do so by department policy). Documented proof of a new business license may be  required.

 
Spouses and Employees:

If a licensed BSIS QM wishes for a spouse or a W-2 employee of their agency to attend NLITE with them, the spouse and or the W-2 employee would be able to attend after applying for a CALI Associate Membership.  The Licensed BSIS QM would then submit a written request (on agency letterhead) for the wife or employees attendance, to the NLITE Chair.  The written request should contain a copy of, (1) the membership application, (2) submitted check or receipt of the payment of dues or other proof of CALI membership and (3) Completed W-2 form.

Appeal Process:

If an exception is not granted, the PI may send a letter to the President of CALI and ask for a review of the matter. The President, at his/her discretion, will review the relevant information and provide a written explanation of the President’s final decision on the appeal.
Revised (7/30/13) cws/CALI

What’s Worse Than a Colleague Who Undermines You?

Bad colleagues can and will wreak havoc on you personally, your business and your family. One of the Red flags of a bad colleague is a pattern of persistent undermining—intentionally hindering your success, reputation, or personal and business relationships. If you have ever had a colleague actively start a campaign to interfere with your business success, productivity, try to make you look bad in front of clients and other colleagues, steal your ideas and try to make them their own, or give or allude to false, tainted or even criminal and unethical information, you are a victim of “Colleague Undermining”. Kind of sounds like this, “Hey, don’t say anything and you didn’t hear it from but you may want to know…”

The opposite of an “underminer” is a supporter. When colleagues are supportive, they go out of their way to be givers rather than takers, working to enhance your success and business productivity, make you look like a shining star, share your ideas as your ideas, refuse undue credit and are always willing to provide an inexhaustible amount of assistance. They just want to see you succeed.

Most people perceive relationships business or otherwise as either productive or unproductive. Our colleagues are either “TAKERS” who undermine us or “GIVERS” who become a support system around us. After looking into the matter I found that me research showed otherwise: productive and unproductive relationships are independent. Many of us have confusion, mixed ideas and even “Rose Colored Glasses” when it comes to relationships with a colleague who set about to undermine us in some situations and then show up to support us in others. What is problematic about these two frames of mind concerning colleague relationships?

Searching on the internet I read a very interesting study by Michelle Duffy, where police officers filled out a survey about how often their closest colleague undermined and supported their efforts at work. The study found that Officers who were concerned about colleagues undermining them were less motivated and committed at work, experienced more health and stress problems, and were more likely to be absent and take breaks which were longer or unauthorized. Being undermined was a major cause of on-the-job stress.

But when the officer’s undermining colleague was also supportive, things did not get better, they got worse. The officers experienced even lower levels motivation and commitment at work, had more and extended health issues, missed even more work and often became depressed. So, in looking at the broader picture on this issue, it is actually far worse to have a colleague who is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in their devotion towards you than for them to only be Dr. Jekyll all the time. When a colleague is a TAKER and a TAKER alone, you know what’s coming and what to expect. You can formulate a plan to minimize your exposure and initiate a timely DAMAGE CONTROL plan. But if that colleague is unpredictable and takes in some situations and gives in others, makes it almost impossible to avoid the undermining situations in a timely fashion and possibly over reacting in other situations where the colleagues position is yet known. This makes preparing to deal with these relationships impossible at best and successfully dealing with undermining situations quite unpredictable and often the reaction to protect yourself comes far too late. As Duffy’s research team concludes, “In these situations the victim colleague must use far more emotional energy and coping ability to deal with the colleagues are inconsistent and lack loyalty.”

“Frenemies” let me tell you are far worse than enemies, and it’s not just in the workplace, professions, families and neighborhoods they are everywhere. In a very well-known study, a Psychologist found the potential for “Frenemie” patterns are in every normal relationship. In one study this Psychologist and his team of researchers looked at older adults and the ten most important and trusted people in their lives reacted to the persons requests help. Some relationships were consistently supportive and always there to help, others made life miserable rather than better, and some were at time aloof, unreachable, non-respondent in some situations and eager to help in others, a real mix of the available and unavailable. The Psychologist and his team of researchers asked the adults to completed two anxiety-provoking tasks: delivering a speech with minimal to no preparation time and taking a rapid-fire math equation test. The team tracked the older adult’s heart rates and perspiration during the tasks.

The results of the experiment revealed that the participants with increased more mixed feelings and opposing points of view with others had more of an increase in their heart rates and perspiration while giving their speech and the during the rapid fire math test. Conclusion, folks with friends who are both undermining at times and supportive at others have greater stress. In an associated study of hundreds of adults, the more relationships folks had that were undermining at times and supportive at others were more likely to be highly stressed, depressed, and dissatisfied with their professions, families, friends and their life in general.

The conclusion which might be drawn with regards to UNDERMINING colleagues and “Frenemies” would be to avoid these types of relationships as they are far more destructive that purely negative relationships. But you might want to look at a completely different strategy concerning these types of relationships and in doing so become more effective in dealing with them.

Consider this, even though you might be receiving support from friends and colleagues who at times undermines you and causes stress, receiving solid support from others in your profession, family and friends will serve as a balance. Also in the police officers study conducted by Duffy’s research team they found when a person has a supportive supervisor this partially reduces the negative effects of the wishy-washy colleagues. Following the research of many and reviewing several decades of findings on GOOD and BAD supervisors yet another psychologist Robert Sutton found that the most critical roles of a supervisor is to serve as a shield to protect his or her subordinates against such destructive relationships and to weed those relationships out of the work place thus creating a safe work environment.

Remember this, when you are being undermined by one colleague, you will recognize and feel the importance of seeking out others who will support you and your goals professionally. But an even greater investment in time might be to invest in those supportive relationships when you are forced to deal with someone who’s guilty of both undermining and supporting you. Know the water, there are sharks out there. Know those who are with you, those who are against you and beware of those who roll with the tide and are neither for you or against you for any duration of time that would be considered friendship, they are self-serving. The problem today in this world of social media is that the word “FRIEND” is used far too loosely.

The Sellers Investigative Group