Discretion calls us to pray

before we speak and act.

When we are called to speak, discretion requires us first to pray, so that we might learn when to share and not to share, and when to sacrifice the love of story for the protection and healing that comes only in silence.

On the 24th November 1989, the Queensland Police Special Branch files were shredded and on the 7th December the Special Branch was disbanded.

I can’t say too much at this point, but we are hoping to feature a guest contributor to share their insight on this significant event.

Update. Mark Finnane writes:

In 1989 I was party to a writ sought by a number of historians to prevent the destruction of Special Branch records. The writ was provoked by the decision of the Queensland police, with the agreed and required authority of the State Archivist, to destroy the files that had been maintained by the state’s Police Special Branch. The writ faded away in circumstances that are lost to me. But the incident holds a retrospective fascination. It points to the strangely ambivalent status of the Special Branch in the history of the 1950s to the 1980s, during which the threats of a political police in Australia were more imagined than realised.

As historians, we thought it important that this controversial part of the state’s history should be preserved. Over the years, some of us had found the records of earlier intelligence agencies and political policing invaluable – to illuminate the conflicted histories of Australia in wartime, for example. At least one of us was party to another legal action, joining with other activists in seeking access to their files. The Special Branch was the target of our contempt – but, in a perverted way, an object of desire, the visible demonstration on the streets of Brisbane of an oppressive and secretive state that had finally tumbled into a vortex of its own making.

The rest of the article can be read here.

Update. Have received guest contribution and it will be posted soon.

The post is now up so read it here.

Donc le principal intéressé est parti vers un lieu propice à l’expérimentation sa canette à la main.

Autant vous dire que son test fût très concluant. Sous la forme modérée d’un cylindre se camoufle un véritable écrin pour votre verge messieurs. Comment donc ce sextoy fait il pour être aussi efficace?

Le tenga serait à la foi fantastique et chimérique. Là ça devient technique, mais ce masturbateur fonctionne grâce à un système fait de gaines en silicone et de réservoirs de lubrifiants. Alors imaginez votre sexe!

Il est sorti totalement scotché par la sensation à la foi délicate et chaude du masturbateur tenga. Cet intérieur peu à loisir simuler la fellation ou un vagin. Quand on introduit son doigt, on ressent une sensation très agréable faites de douceur et de lubrifiants.

Que votre chérie vous offrira sans nul gêne. L’intérieur de ce sextoy est entièrement recouvert d’élastomère. Pour lui cela calque sans pouvoir.

Late Saturday night when I opened my e-mail, I discovered one that made me think about writing notes on Facebook.

A friend sent me a cautionary message advising me not to make public some of the things going on with my work.

I agree with her totally.

This wide world web can catch you entangled in its sticky fibre and leave you out in the cold.

One should exercise extreme caution what to divulge in the public domain or such revelation can come back and bite you in the ass.

This made me think about what I write on my notes, although I must admit I’m already censoring myself.

Should I censor myself more heavily?

Perhaps censor is too strong a word. Often that word sounds dirty in the mind of free-speech loving people. And I being a journalist fall in that category.

Although I stand for free speech I also know there has to be some discretion and I’ve learned some lessons on that a number of times at these very pages.

Out of excitement one time, I wrote on my Facebook status that I was heading to Banff, not for pleasure but for work.

I immediately received a cautionary note from my newsroom about it.

I removed the status immediately.

But I think it was too late. Some folks on my list working for our competition already saw my status and probably told an editor. The assignment was too difficult to figure out.

I was still unfazed when I got to Banff the next day because I didn’t see anyone from our rival newsroom. Ah, but there’s such a thing as freelancers, that the competing media outlet used to get the important interview.

“Renato got slaughtered with that story,” the comment I heard the day after.

It was humiliating, but that also involved cunning moves from people involved in the story. 

The supposedly contact person made me go in circles while making me believe he was helping me. Meanwhile he made sure that the freelancer working for our competition got the interview.

I have no means to prove that everything worked against me because of a wrong move to make public what I was doing the next day.

At the same time, I have no evidence to the contrary.

The world of Facebook is fascinating with the way it connects people. 

But it can also be dangerous with its power to disconnect people.

One of my colleagues have repeatedly asked whether our bosses should be on our friends’ list.

It’s a personal decision that one makes, which also depends on what kind of relationship one has with the said bosses.

If the relationship is purely professional, why would you be friends with them in the first place. That alone qualifies whether your boss should merit a spot on your precious list.

And when you make the leap by allowing your boss to be part of that list, that means you’re putting yourself in a vulnerable place where they could find materials to use against you in the future.

However, they can also find materials that will help them better understand you and help you in the future.

So, if you can’t find even a hint that you’re friends with your boss, why include them on your list? 

“Renato, it’s Facebook, one shouldn’t take what people write in here seriously,” you may say.

Ah, but people do. People do take seriously what they see and read here.

While others commented that reading people’s status on Facebook is boring because they just say what they’re currently doing, such as spending time with their pets, baking cakes in their kitchen, celebrating a new car purchase or lamenting the loss of a loved one, this Internet tool has changed the way we socialize.

There’s no turning back. Millions of people have been caught in its web.

I see people with hundreds even thousands on their lists. That does mean they’re really friends with all these people?

I don’t think so.

Thus, I’ve always been leery accepting a friend request from anyone I just met.

As for divulging too much stuff, I don’t think I have dangerously exposed myself. 

However, a friendly reminder doesn’t hurt and for that I’m grateful.

Nov. 7, 2009

Law Enforcement Code of Ethics All Sworn and Civilian personnel will abide by the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics published by the IACP

LAW ENFORCEMENT CODE OF ETHICS*
All law enforcement officers must be fully aware of the ethical responsibilities of their position and must strive constantly to live up to the highest possible standards of professional policing.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police believes it is important that police officers have clear advice and counsel available to assist them in performing their duties consistent with these standards, and has adopted the following ethical mandates as guidelines to meet these ends.

Primary Responsibilities of a Police Officer
A police officer acts as an official representative of government who is required and trusted to work within the law. The officer’s powers and duties are conferred by statute. The fundamental duties of a police officer include serving the community; safeguarding lives and property; protecting the innocent; keeping the peace; and ensuring the rights of all to liberty, equality and justice.

Performance of the Duties of a Police Officer
A police officer shall perform all duties impartially, without favor or affection or ill will and without regard to status, sex, race, religion, political belief or aspiration. All citizens will be treated equally with courtesy, consideration and dignity.

Officers will never allow personal feelings, animosities or friendships to influence official conduct, Laws will be enforced appropriately and courteously and, in carrying out their responsibilities, officers will strive to obtain maximum cooperation from the public. They will conduct themselves in appearance and deportment in such a manner as to inspire confidence and respect for the position of public trust they hold.

Discretion
A police officer will use responsibly the discretion vested in the position and exercise it within the law. The principle of reasonableness will guide the officer’s determinations and the officer will consider surrounding circumstances in determining whether any legal action shall be taken.

Consistent and wise use of discretion, based on professional policing competence, will do much to preserve relationships and retain the confidence of the public. There can be difficulty in choosing between conflicting courses of action. It is important to remember that a timely word of advice rather than arrest which, may be correct in appropriate circumstances-can be a more effective means of achieving a desired end.

Use of Force
A police officer will never employ unnecessary force or violence and will use only such force in the discharge of duty as is reasonable in all circumstances.

Force should be used only with the greatest restraint and only after discussion, negotiation and persuasion have been found to be inappropriate or ineffective. While the use of force is occasionally unavoidable, every police officer will refrain from applying the unnecessary infliction of pain or suffering and will never engage in cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment of any person.

Confidentiality
Whatever a police officer sees, hears or learns of, which is of a confidential nature, will be kept secret unless the performance of duty or legal provision requires otherwise.

Members of the public have a right to security and privacy, and information obtained about them must not be improperly divulged.

Integrity
A police officer will not engage in acts of corruption or bribery, nor will an officer condone such acts by other police officers.

The public demands that the integrity of police officers be above reproach. Police officers must, therefore, avoid any conduct that might compromise integrity and thus undercut the public confidence in a law enforcement agency. Officers will refuse to accept any gifts, presents, subscriptions, favors, gratuities, and promises that could be interpreted as seeking to cause the officer to refrain from performing official responsibilities honestly and within the law. Police officers must not receive private or special advantage from their official status, Respect from the public cannot be bought; it can only be earned and cultivated.

Cooperation with Other Officers and Agencies
Police officers will cooperate with all legally authorized agencies and their representatives in the pursuit of justice.

An officer or agency may be one among many organizations that may provide law enforcement services to a jurisdiction. It is imperative that a police officer assist colleagues fully and completely with respect and consideration at all times.

Personal/Professional Capabilities
Police officers will be responsible for their own standard of professional performance and will take every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve their level of knowledge and competence.

Through study and experience, a police officer can acquire the high level of knowledge and competence that is essential for the efficient and effective performance of duty, The acquisition of knowledge is a never-ending process of personal and professional development that should be pursued constantly.

Private Life
Police officers will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to their agencies or themselves.
A police officer’s character and conduct while off duty must always be exemplary, thus maintaining a position of respect in the community in which he or she lives and serves. The officer’s personal behavior must be beyond reproach.

About poets and poetry

 In general, it looks like it is not easy to understand poets, even the realized ones, and they do not appear to be the favourites of the public.  Poets always write about love and heart, which seems to scare some people, especially those who prefer to serve human ego, instead of the Spirit.  Ego is not fond of poetry, no doubt.  Spiritual poetry, however, is meant for the heart, for the Spirit.  Ironically if the Spirit is not awakened it is not easy to read poetry, neither to understand poets.  Poets even look dangerous to some folks, who are highly attached to their spouses, because poetry stresses on love, on pure divine love for everyone.  Some even prefer to kick out their fellow-poets out of their communities for jealousy reasons, and furthermore to brainwash the others (who blindly trust them) not to keep in touch with poets.  Such a vicious circle gets created only by misapprehension.  This illusionary circle generates tension and falsehood in some communities with poets.  People with lack of discretion and maturity trust any mental fabrications without using their vibrations to judge the situations.  Instead of accepting each situation as a condition for spiritual growth,

some people produce tragedies out of them, literally competing with Shakespeare’s ones,

and it becomes too puzzly even for Shri Krishna to solve the imaginary issues.

Sahaja Yoga is yoga of pure divine love, and whoever desires to be a Sahaja Yogi,

has to accept the Absolute Truth as it is. ‘Absolute Truth is what it is’, and it would not change to please anybody’s ego.  Vice versa, human ego has to be overcome, and its stupidity has to be wiped out.  Ego thinks it knows everything, and it pumps itself like an air-balloon.  When it pops up one starts clearly seeing its foolish tricks, and moreover one’s Spirit starts shining emitting love to everyone.  At that point those who have been strongly serving their ego in the past, start laughing at its silliness, and switch towards giving a priority to their Spirit to love, to love everyone, the whole world without any boundaries and without any biases.  They let their Spirit love freely, and purify the surroundings, giving to everything a lovingly transforming fragrance.

Veni Grig

Faith is not a magic wand, a quick-fix, or instant formula, but FAITH IS A LIFESTYLE.

“The just shall LIVE by faith” – Romans 1:17

Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please God …” – Faith is a lifestyle that PLEASES God.

FAITH, FOOLISHNESS OR PRESUMPTION

Many people do things in the guise of faith, when in fact it is no more than foolishness or presumption.

FAITH: “Acts on what you believe, if what you believe is the Word of God”

FOOLISHNESS: “Deficient in understanding, without judgment or discretion, silly, unwise, stupid, idiotic, senseless, ill-advised, witless, irrational.”

PRESUMPTION: “To take or suppose to be true, or believe without examination or proof, to take for granted, to infer, to suppose, to assume.”

The key to avoiding foolishness and presumption: Apply the Acts 17:11 principle.

Hearing and acting on the Word of God will build your life on a solid, sure and unshakeable foundation:

• Matthew 7:24-29
• Isaiah 40:8, Isaiah 55:10,11, Psalm 119:105, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1, Jeremiah 1:12

The Queensland Police Force says it will look into a directive from Taser International that the weapon should not be fired into the chest region. The directive comes as a result of tests carried out on pigs. George Hateley, the Australian distributor says that while some Canadian Police are following the directive:

“That’s going way beyond what you need to, and certainly pigs are different to humans.

There have been about 2 million people who have been exposed to Taser – probably a million in training – and no-one’s been affected.”

No-one has been affected? I don’t think so.

it’s easier to suggest beauty, than to perceive discretions as hints of being beautiful.

Credit goes to adoseofliberty for bringing this to my attention.

An obituary printed in the London Times:

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain
- Why the early bird gets the worm
- Life isn’t always fair
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I’m A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

(CFD.net.au – Contract for Difference, Share, Forex, ETFs, Commodities Traders) – The Bushfires Royal Commission has canvassed the possibility that a missing map belonging to the CFA fire chief Russell Rees was destroyed or improperly taken away after Black Saturday.
The map has become a key piece of evidence at the inquiry because it was the one used by the fire chief on Black Saturday and would show where the fires were, and where Mr Rees thought they would go.

The commission was told today that another missing map belonging to the state co-ordinator, Geoff Conway has been found, locked in a cupboard in a meeting room at CFA headquarters.

But Mr Rees’ map is still missing.

Counsel assisting the commission, Rachel Doyle told the inquiry the map might have been retained but later mislaid.

She said another possibility was that Mr Rees’ map was destroyed or otherwise removed.

Commissioner Ron McLeod interrupted to say the culture of the CFA should be such that no documents were destroyed.

Earlier, the commission heard legal argument about whether confidential Powercor documents relating to the Coleraine fire should be made public.

Until now, Powercor has claimed documents relating to the Coleraine fire were should be kept confidential.

But in evidence given in Horsham last month, one of the power company’s own managers referred to material in those documents.

Jack Rush QC, the counsel assisting the commission, argued that amounts to a waiver of any confidentiality.

He urged the commissioners to use their discretion to examine the documents in open hearings, saying the people of Coleraine were entitled to know the causes of the fire.

He also said the maintenance issues involved were potentially systemic and should be properly ventilated for the sake of all Victorians.

But Powercor lawyer, David Curtain QC, argued the company had never waived confidentiality.

He implored the commissioners to consider that the power company had already suffered a lot of negative publicity based on the allegations aired at the commission.

Justice Bernard Teague has reserved his decision on the issue.

Source: Missing bushfire map 'may have been destroyed'

A new generation of lie detectors is being developed (see Prospect, Oct 09, Lie Detection by Ian Leslie, p66). Remember the scene in Meet the Parents when Robert De Niro wires up his future son-in-law in the basement and interrogates him. This was the old-fashioned polygraph, which works by monitoring stress levels – blood pressure, heart-rate, etc.

The new models work by scanning the brain. When we tell a lie, even if we keep the stress levels down, an extra burst of mental energy is required. This energy is released in the areas of the brain responsible for reasoning and self-control. So if the scanner suddenly spots us thinking hard and carefully as we answer a progression of simple yes or no questions, then we are probably lying.

It could be bunkum. Many neuroscientists question its effectiveness. And a woman in India who was convicted of murder on the basis of evidence from such a lie detection test had her case overturned because there was no material evidence connecting her to the crime.

Why is the thought of an infallible lie detector so unsettling? It’s not because we are all inveterate liars terrified of being exposed. It’s because it makes us appreciate that the truth of another person is not just something that can be ripped out of them and put on display for all to see. Knowledge, when it has to do with another human being, can’t be separated from a relationship.

In ordinary friendships, it is the journey of coming to know someone that is more important than the actual knowledge we come to possess. As I heard in a recent film, the words ‘I’ve never told anyone that before’ are even more important than what was actually told. 

We let someone in gradually. We choose how much to share, and when to share it; and this depends on how much we trust someone, and how much they trust us, and how far along the road we have come together. It’s not that anyone has a right to lie. But we do all have a right to disclose ourselves gradually, on our own terms. Discretion and reticence are the background virtues that allow intimacy and friendship to have any meaning.

Good morning! Smile! This is a new day and a new chance to get wiser!!

Today’s PGem is: 2:11- (in two translation)s:

“11 Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.” NLT

“11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.” NIV

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that this is one of my favorite chapters in Proverbs – especially verses 2-9. “God grants wisdom and common sense” that helps us know which way to go — to make the right choices. Today’s PGem speaks about the results of making wise choices:

As you can see from the two translations, wise choices are also defined as discretion. Discretion means the ability or power to decide responsibly; freedom to act or judge on own’s own (dictionary.com). In other words, to make your own decisions!!! Don’t we get in alot of trouble when we don’t decide responsibly or use wisdom and common sense? Our PGem shows us that when we make wise choices and use discretion, that it protects and guards us — they keep us SAFE!! When we make a bad choice as believers, we have no one to blame but ourselves! God grants us the wisdom we need, we just decided not to listen…

So, today’s PGem principle is very simple: use the wisdom granted to us that we read about in Proverbs. Make WISE CHOICES using that wisdom, and it will keep us (you) safe!!!

Dear Lord, we thank you for the wisdom and common sense that you grant us. These things help us make good decisions. I make a choice today to stop blaming other people for MY bad choices and CHOOSE to study and use your wisdom! It is a daily process and I choose to stick to it, everyday, starting now!! Amen!!

This past weekend I got a sudden urge to go somewhere. Somewhere cold and green and far away. Preferably another country. Toronto sounded interesting. So, somewhat facetiously, I posted on my facebook, “Wants to go to Toronto! Who’s in?”

Surprisingly, a guy who I’d met before while he was a trip to Phoenix for work (same company as me – he’s an agent in another state, I’m in the corporate office), responded with “Let’s go!”. Since we’d hung out before, and he’d flirted with me then (he was drunk at the time, so I forgave him), I figured, “Why not?” And booked a flight.

We met up in Chicago and flew together to Toronto. It was kind of awkward since we hadn’t really hung out with ‘just us’ before, and since it’d been several months and since the last time we’d seen each other, he was drunk and flirting with me. I figured I’d be sick of him by the next day.

However, the awkwardness soon passed, and we had a hellaciously fun time in Toronto. We went dancing til 3 in the morning, lost in downtown Toronto, walked 10-12 miles across town, visited the touristy places and an awesome medieval show with dinner, and Yes, Things Happened. I didn’t get sick of him, and he, apparently didn’t get sick of me, since as soon as we both got back to our respective homes, he emailed me and basically put himself on the line, saying that he’d had a great time and that I possessed a lot of the qualities he’d been looking for and admired in people. He said he wanted to see some more of me and see where it led.

Well, he lives three time zones away from me, but I really liked him as well, which was surprising since he’s into a lot of things that, on paper, I wouldn’t care for.

I told him that I’d like to do that. So, yesterday he asked if he could come see me this weekend (keep in mind that we just saw each other last weekend, and that he lives three time zones away).  And in two weekends, for some concerts here. And possibly also for me to come visit him over Halloween. He can easily afford the flights – he’s one of the top sales managers we have at work.  I said, “Sure, you can come visit this weekend.” Next thing I know, he’s got the flights booked, and he’ll be here on Friday afternoon.

… and I had just deleted my online profiles in frustration… waddya know?

Now we just have to make sure that none of our coworkers find out, at least til/if it becomes serious, because that would just be awkward – especially if it doesn’t w0rk out. Since they already give me a hard time about him flirting with me during his original visit and I have always gone “‘pfft, whatever”, imagine their surprise when/if  they find out!

This is when discretion is paramount… and also when I’m glad that I’ve never been very talkative with my coworkers!

Development activities ought to reflect the situation and circumstances of a company, its business objectives and its key priorities. For example, there is little point in a company building hypothetical team skills without addressing the following:

• The purpose of the team. For example, a bid team might require specific bidding skills such as defining value in customer terms.
• Where team members are located. People in virtual teams may be widely scattered and they may need special training.
• The role of groups and teams in the management of change, the management culture and management style must be supportive.
• The clarity of the goals given to teams, and the relevance of their priorities to business objectives. People need to understand the broad boundaries within which they operate in terms of goals and priorities.
• The discretion given to teams, and the extent to which people are given the required freedom to act.
• The commitment of senior management to team work, and especially cross-functional and inter-organizational team work. They must be dedicated to ensuring that decisions are taken as close to the customer as possible, and people are enabled to do what is necessary to add value for customers.
• Prevailing attitudes, such as the extent to which people feel part of teams. Empowered team work should be pervasive, rather than the isolated experiment.
• The management cadre. Managers should counsel and coach, value diversity, and foster and encourage teamwork, collaborative activities, self-development and group learning.
• How open people are, and the degree of trust and confidence they have. People need to feel they are able to take initiatives without being paralyzed by fear of the consequences.
• Existing performance within teams, the tools shared within teams, and the approaches and support in terms of technology and process available to them. For example, there should be relatively open access to relevant information.
• Rewards and performance management. This should be supportive of, and should recognize, team work, the acquisition of team skills and the exhibiting of role-model behavior.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Lectures, Line of Sight