Blowback: Neda’s Death, Iran’s Future (Part I)

A Death Seen Round The World

Image: Time.com

The burst of gunfire that shattered the air and a fallen victim. An assassination that could spell turbulence for Western, as well as Islamic, nations. The shot, witnessed the world over, did not hit a sitting US President, a world leader, or a prominent rebel leader. Rather, it hit a young, twenty-six year old woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whether the shot was deliberate, fired by a sniper, or an accident, nobody knows. Unconfirmed news out of Iran states that it was intentional, fired from a rooftop. It ended her life in forty seconds. Such an event that creates martyrs.

She wasn’t a combatant. She wasn’t a leader. She wasn’t protesting, rioting, or rallying. She “simply was”…which is worlds away from “simply is.”  A young woman that died with fear in her eyes, she bled to death from a bullet to her chest. Her final moments were unfathomable, as blood spewed from her mouth, and those aiding her felt her life slip away. She simply died.

Did she have time to make peace with God? Did she have time to figure out what had happened to her? Did she feel terrible pain? That fateful morning, did she say goodbye to her mother, her relatives, her friends? Probably not. She was a nobody…and nobodies get killed everyday. And yet, she was also everybody…her death witnessed by millions; she’s become a single point of clarity, as well as solidarity, a rallying cry. Many know her by name: Neda Agha-Soltan. Much of the English speaking world refers to her simply as “Neda.”

Weeks ago, had Iran been wiped off the map, I wouldn’t have cared…well, that’s no entirely true. It’s simply that my view of Iran, then, and my view, now, has changed. Before Neda, Iran was a terrorist nation, full of extremists that wanted to kill Americans. While no doubt this is still true, the people of Iran have been made “human,”  full of fault, love, sorrow, and happiness. I can’t get her image from my head, her eyes, seeming to look right into my soul. Even now it’s her eyes; dread unfolds in the pit of my stomach, and I can’t keep from thinking that something terribly wrong is unfolding.

NOTE:
I started writing this series for two reasons: The first being that I saw the video of Neda’s death and was profoundly impacted. The second was the realization that, in regard to Iran, my perceptions were formed by sound bytes.

10 Ethical Blog Rules (to avoid a beatdown…)

Black-Eyed P...Hilton

Perez Hilton wasn’t hidden behind his blog in an office when he told Will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas that “he was a faggot.” And that caused the frumpy blog diva some problems.

Perez has come under criticism for berating Hollywood stars and starlets. He has also been called into question regarding his tactics of “outing” suspected homosexuals on his blog, perezhilton.com: the overall consensus is that it’s a person’s personal business, and not Perez’s.

Whether Will.i.am is gay, or not, is, quite frankly, moot. After having some words, the night progressed with arguments taking place in different locations. In the end, it came to a head. There are differing sides to the story along with some rapid tweeting by Hilton asking for his fans to save him. He reportedly had already called the police.

Although violence doesn’t ever help, it  almost understandable in this case: Perez Hilton taunts celebritities by drawing pictures of penises on their faces, calling women “sluts” and “whores,” and making wild statements like wanting to lick David Beckham in his underwear.

Does Perez deserve to be attacked for what he wrote? As we’ve seen in the past, the stars in Hollywood have varying past experiences, some violent. A couple times a year, some Hollywood personality, or bodyguard, is arrested on weapons charges.

Lucky that Perez wasn’t shot.

Hilton is old enough to know better, yet brazen enough to have built a seven-figure income on his catty innuendos. While much of what he writes does turn out to be the truth, is it responsible journalism? As “We, The People” become source and distributor of news, there is a moral and ethical responsiblity to which we should adhere. Unfortunately, it’s not been instituted as of yet. The basics are simple, though:

1. If you are reporting  first-time news, call for emergency services prior to writing (if necessary)
2. Provide help when and where necessary
3. Do not block emergency personnel
4. Write as many facts down as fast as possible
5. Write what you see, not what you think
6. Blogging allows for opinion, but not in place of facts
7. If what you write  could endanger someone, rethink and rewrite
8. Write as if you are writing about a loved one:
   1. Be Honest
   2. Be Fair
   3. Be Accountable
9. The news is the news. Distortion or Plagiarism is lying
10. Despite what you think, what you write CAN hurt you

Although I cannot swear to it, the site seems a bit “tamer” since Perez & the Peas got into it. More of a pat on the back than a smack in the face. One of his favorite people to rip into is Lindsay Lohan. However, the site is giving her strokes, not slaps, in a post today. Honestly, she looks like crap…

The Final Spotlight: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson died of a heart attack on June 25th, 2009, and it’s with mixed feelings that I finally succumbed to mention him. His loss, musically, is a profound tragedy. However, the last thing we heard from the “The King of Pop” was in 2001, when Invincible was released. Thus, his loss to the music industry in the present is, really, of no consequence; it is not as if he was in the studio for the past eight years recording new material. Quite honestly, although many are sad he passed away, my compassion’s withheld and my emotions are blank. I was more affected by Neda’s murder than Michael Jackson’s heart attack.

The words are harsh… Yet, right or wrong, when I think of Michael Jackson, one ugly thought comes to mind: Child Molester. Although unproven, there were too many allegations, too many unanswered questions, and too many “out of court” offers & secret settlements. Too many shenanigans. I understand ‘presumption of innocence,’ but after someone is called into question for the same thing numerous times, opinions tend to change. And I’m sure that mine won’t be a solitary voice. Thus, I will recognize his passing, but I will not mourn it.

The investigative reporter that originally broke the story that Jackson was being investigated for Child Molestation was LA Times’ Don Ray. He wrote of Michael Jackson’s death in a blog yesterday:

Was Michael Jackson a child molester? Was he a pedophile? Nobody ever proved it in criminal court and a secret, out-of-court settlement prevented the civil trial from ever happening.
The veteran detective investigating Michael Jackson was convinced that he was a pedophile. If there was ever someone who fit the FBI’s profile of pedophiles, it was Michael Jackson.

The fact that I mention his accomplishments is tribute enough; his loss to the music industry historically is a tragedy; Thriller, released in 1982, remains the world’s top-selling album of all time. Jackson’s talent, showmanship and creativity may never be rivaled. He was a giving philanthropist, at one time estimated to support at least 39 charities, donating millions of dollars in aid. The list of World Records, awards, and achievements is daunting:

A cultural phenomenon Jackson was the first African American to successfully cross the boundaries of race, gender, and generation. As a direct result of this mass appeal, he was named Entertainer of The Year, The Decade, The Generation, and The Century.

He also had the uncanny ability to stay out of view for years and then step back into the world, once again, a star. After a couple years of visibility, he would go silent. Each time he “came out,” there would be a top selling album or a record-breaking tour launched. At other times, an arrest or a trial.

For the past eight years he was relatively silent, with the exception of his 2005 trial, subsequent acquittal, and out-of-court “secret” payment.

Like Elvis, this King may be dead, but he won’t soon be forgotten.

Brand Yourself Before the Lay-Off

Let me tell you that it’s humbling and life-altering; one day a contributor, the next, not so much. In between panhandling, emailing resumes that no one sees, calling people that can’t help you, and begging those that won’t, there is some time to actually think. What could I have done better, how should I have positioned myself, and why did’t I take that job last year at that other agency?

I’ve also started reading more. Occasionally, a book will come along and floor me with it’s brilliance, shake me out of my stupor. Like icy water. Well, guess what? That book hasn’t come yet.

However, I did read a fantastic article on how to brand yourself so as to not get let go (too late, obviously).

The article is short; the writer part of my LinkedIn “circle.” From brief “run-ins” with him via email or in seedy chatrooms, he seems to walk the walk. His name is Dan Scwabel, and you can follow him on LinkedIn, Twitter, VisualCV and JobFox (I am actually proud of myself—I am on all four, although only two are complete.)

Here are Dan’s Top Ten Suggestions:

<blockquote>1. Become an invaluable asset to your colleagues, professional network & clients

2. Position yourself as the go-to-person for a specific skill

3. Gain self-confidence and rise to the occasion

4. Focus on social equity, not just monetary equity

5. Build contact lists before you need them

6. Go on a branding spree by advertising it everywhere

7. Make your brand so visible that people can’t avoid seeing you

8. Become so remarkable that complete strangers talk about you my favorite

9. Be a content producer, not just a consumer

10. Have an “endorsement mindset”

Last but not least, and possibly one of the most important things to keep in mind, is the power of positive endorsements. Collect endorsements throughout your life like you would collect baseball cards. You are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, but what others say about your brand is more impactful than what you say about yourself. </blockquote>

Now I am going to pester him every week…

<strong>Jeff Louis</strong> is a Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Coordinator. His passion is writing, contributing to BMA as well as freelancing. He’d love to hear from you: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.

I’ve beome part of a great movement, a swelling tide of humanity that suddenly, and without warning,  find they arejobless, struggling to survive.

This is not a complaint, and I am not going to bitch; rather, I’m explaining an “awakening.” Several, actually. One realization I’ve come to is that it’s not likely that I’ll work in my chosen profession again (Advertising). At least not in my area of knowledge, which is media planning.

It’s humbling, life-altering and depressing; one day a contributor, the next, locked out of a job, responsibilities, and a sense of being. In between networking, emailing resumes to nameless people that don’t ever return phone calls or emails, calling people that want to help but can’t, and trying to make a break any way possible, there are times when the brain meanders on to subjects of what did go wrong.

The second realization is this; People that are vital to a company don’t seem to get laid off. Period. Deep in my heart, I feel somehow that there’s a kernel of truth in this, and although I asked for reasons and answers before being ushered out the door…to the point of their exasperation…I was never going to find out if there was a reason behind it all.

Unknowing, I move on.

“How could I have positioned myself better?” is one question that runs through my head, closely followed by a second, “Why didn’t I take another job?” I knew in my bones that my previous job was not the place for me, and had spoken at length about that very subject with my fiancée. I  had been interviewing for over a year, though sporadically, but I had a couple offers. Yet, I wasn’t committed, and never followed through…mainly out of loyalty to a company that did not deserve it. And that, too, is the sad truth.

(If you know that you’re in the wrong place, take the leap of faith.)

So, I am learning to listen more. And I write more. I’ve done some freelancing, which pays well. I read a lot, and have learned more than any job could teach, taking advantage of every work-related seminar or webinar that’s offered. I’ve been gaining certifications as well as insight. I’ve also realized that there others out of work who are much more qualified, smarter, and more personable.

In a negative light, I’ve begun to second-guess myself, my capabilities, and my life. It’s always darkest before the dawn.

(In a weird sense, I am happier now than I was working for my former bossess. Not the underlings, the big dogs.)

A couple weeks ago, I read a fantastic article on self-branding. It was a guide on  “How to Not Get Let Go” …obviously a bit late in my case, but hopefully you’ll benefit from it.

The article is short; the author is Dan Scwabel, and you can follow him on LinkedIn, Twitter, VisualCV, and JobFox, among others. Without reproducing his entire work, here is the meat of the article:

1. Become an invaluable asset to colleagues,  networks & clients

2. Position yourself as the go-to-person for a specific skill

3. Gain self-confidence and rise to the occasion

4. Focus on social equity, not just monetary equity

5. Build contact lists before you need them

6. Go on a branding spree by advertising it everywhere

7. Make your brand so visible that people can’t avoid seeing you

8. Become so remarkable that strangers talk about you

9. Be a content producer, not just a consumer

10. Have an “endorsement mindset”

Last but not least, and possibly one of the most important things to keep in mind, is the power of positive endorsements. Collect endorsements throughout your life like you would collect baseball cards. You are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, but what others say about your brand is more impactful than what you say about yourself.

It’s simple and straight-forward. Succinct, yet speaks volumes. Read it. Tape it to your computer. Carry it in your purse. Lap it up, soak it in, and use it. It may save your job.

Thanks for reading. If you’d like to comment or ask a question, please do so here or on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Jeff Louis is an advertising professional whose background covers Strategic Media Planning, Brand Building, and New Business Account Coordination. His passion is writing, contributing to Beyond Madison Avenue and Digital Pivot, as well as other freelance assignments as a media planner and writer.

Final Post on Jon & Kate

So, tonight’s the night. Jon and Kate go before the US to tell us about their big news.

I will be back in an hour…
_____________________________________

Well, as expected, the dissolution of marriage has begun. It is sad, really, almost brutal in it’s drawn out special format. They are separating, but interestingly enough, the show is going to continue. I guess that means that money can be more powerful than a lot of things…including love. However, that is not quite the truth. The show basically stated that the problems had been going on for a while. Jon needed to find himself, and Kate needed to get back to her old self…with the help of some cosmetic surgery.

My heart hasn’t changed. Instead of continuing with TLC, maybe they should level a law suit against the network. But, who am I kidding…they are still getting paid $75K per episode. At 40 episodes, that’s more than I would make in 30 years if my salary never changed.

Good Luck, Gosselins. Although it seems like life would be easier without each other, that’s actually far from the truth.

Iran Elections Show Social Media User Mistakes

After watching the Iranian revolution fall into the hands of “We, The People” on a global scale, a somber air of seriousness has settled across the online pages of Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, MySpace, YouTube, Hulu, TwitPic, and a plethora of similar social media sites. It’s almost the same as the days following 9/11, when the imagery, stories, and video shocked the American people into stunned, introspective silence. The footage making its way from the country once known Persia is both brutal and graphic, threatening to rend your heart in grief. For the first time since before Iran shifted power in 1979 to Ayatollah Khomeini, there seems to be a tenuous kinship between the people of the two nations rather than the fear & hatred that once permeated the air.

The compassion of America, once aroused, can be powerful, far-reaching, and effective. Yet, in our effort to “help others,” there are precautions that we must take so as not to harm those we are working to help. On the sidelines, we have very little to fear; for the Iranian citizens, a mistake will most likely lead to their execution.

Today, the Cyberwar Guide for Iran Elections was posted on the site Boing Boing with “rules” on how we might help the most while causing the least harm. As the protests and killings continue, Iranian security forces have begun to use Twitter to spread disinformation, making it vital to not only clearly understand the gravity of the situation, but to take extreme care to ensure the “sources” being retweeted are valid. The worst mistake someone outside of Iran could make would be to give away a protester’s position…

Sometimes our well-intentioned acts lead to disastrous results for those in perilous fight for their lives.

Below is the Cyberwar Guide For Iran Elections in it’s entirety. Please read the “rules” listed closely.

“The purpose of this guide is to help you participate constructively in the Iranian election protests through Twitter.

1. Do NOT publicise proxy IP’s over twitter, and especially not using the #iranelection hashtag. Security forces are monitoring this hashtag, and the moment they identify a proxy IP they will block it in Iran. If you are creating new proxies for the Iranian bloggers, DM them to @stopAhmadi or @iran09 and they will distributed them discretely to bloggers in Iran.

2. Hashtags, the only two legitimate hashtags being used by bloggers in Iran are #iranelection and #gr88, other hashtag ideas run the risk of diluting the conversation.

3. Keep you bull$hit filter up! Security forces are now setting up twitter accounts to spread disinformation by posing as Iranian protesters. Please don’t retweet impetuosly, try to confirm information with reliable sources before retweeting. The legitimate sources are not hard to find and follow.

4. Help cover the bloggers: change your twitter settings so that your location is TEHRAN and your time zone is GMT +3.30. Security forces are hunting for bloggers using location and timezone searches. If we all become ‘Iranians’ it becomes much harder to find them.

5. Don’t blow their cover! If you discover a genuine source, please don’t publicise their name or location on a website. These bloggers are in REAL danger. Spread the word discretely through your own networks but don’t signpost them to the security forces. People are dying there, for real, please keep that in mind…

6. Denial of Service attacks. If you don’t know what you are doing, stay out of this game. Only target those sites the legitimate Iranian bloggers are designating. Be aware that these attacks can have detrimental effects to the network the protesters are relying on. Keep monitoring their traffic to note when you should turn the taps on or off.

7. Do spread the (legitimate) word, it works! When the bloggers asked for twitter maintenance to be postponed using the #nomaintenance tag, it had the desired effect. As long as we spread good information, provide moral support to the protesters, and take our lead from the legitimate bloggers, we can make a constructive contribution.

Please remember that this is about the future of the Iranian people, while it might be exciting to get caught up in the flow of participating in a new meme, do not lose sight of what this is really about.”

Digital Pivot Editor Jon Leung wrote a blog warning of similar pitfalls a few days ago. He also included relevant information on the importance of determining sources, avoiding biased views, and the author’s intent.

As Social Media enthusiasts, users, and experts, we often do not have the luxury of fact checkers or knowing if our sources are valid. We also, in many cases, do not have the benefit of receiving first-hand information, which means that it is our ethical and moral responsibility to print facts, check our sources for credibility, and neither add, nor detract, information that would alter the intent of the story.

Thinking back to 9/11 and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers, Twitter might have been used to aid the rescuers that searched for survivors. Remember that one of the major criticisms from the 9/11 Commission was the fact that the EMS services, police, National Guard, Coast Guard, etc. were unable to communicate with one another. Twitter certainly could have played a major role in coordinating rescue efforts.

Jeff Louis: Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Account Coordinator. His passion is writing. If you would like to get in touch with Jeff, please leave a reply or follow the links: www.linkedin.com or www.twitter.com.

Jon and Kate Plus One Hour Special (Too Much Gosselin Around)

Okay, don’t ask me why, but J&K Gosselin have become closer to my heart than anticipated. Yes, I did watch the show regularly, even tuning into marathons lasting for ENTIRE WEEKENDS due to “other” people in my life. I’ve also sat through weekends of  America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), Top Chef, and Sell This House. To name a few. It usually doesn’t bother me so much…multi-tasking is my forte. (Personally, I can’t stand watching reruns of a show in which I already know the outcome, but who am I to complain…I have more negative traits than most.)

So, now that we’ve watched this family get destroyed on National Cable, a one hour special is going to air on Monday, June 22, to either clear the air, announce that they are DONE with TLC, or announce a divorce. No one knows for sure, but TLC and E! are promoting it like the Super Bowl. If memory serves, nothing this large has rocked any cable channel.

At this point, it’s a wonder that Dr. Phil has not stepped in (unasked for), & taken the kids while J&K figure it out.

Either way, be certain of one thing: the on-air blood bath will end, and the compassionate side of me thanks heaven above that they’ll be done  wearing their pain in public. In checking the news and social sites across the web, the chatter is up, and there’s been speculation, rumor, and innuendo (all unproven at this point) regarding the family’s fate. Unverified, unidentified sources state that they are going to announce a divorce. My educated guess? They are going off-air to try to fix their relationship. Why would they want to humiliate themselves further? Do they feel that they owe America, and the press, this information?

They don’t owe us anything, least of all an explanation. Would you go to your neighbors house and demand to know the specifics of what went wrong with their marriage? Enough said.

It’s my hope that they will come through this, bearing the precious scars of a harrowing experience.

TLC should be ashamed of the exploitation for ratings game they have played with this whole situation. They went from “semi-tasteful” cable show to Howard Stern in a matter of weeks. It would be nice to see J&K sue the network, but it’s doubtful that will happen. Then again, no one thought that a woman would have to pay $1.9 Million dollars for 22 MP3s.

Jeff Louis’ waking  life consists of advertising, where he is a strategic media planner. He also writes for Beyond Madison Avenue and Digital Pivot. If you would like to contact him, please leave a comment, or follow the links:

Jon & Kate Beatdown By The Media & America

Why does America dislike Jon & Kate Gosselin so much? They’re not murderers, extortionists, or zealots. They’re simply casualties of the Reality TV grinder. Put all the rumors of infidelity aside: what have they done wrong? Nothing. Child exploitation claims are foolish; it’s obvious that the kids are thriving despite statements to the contrary. Jon and Kate aren’t bad parents, and they seem very likable. So, what exactly, has so many people upset?

They used their family situation to make money.

Yes, they did, entering the homes of millions. So, they’re capitalists.

They exploited the children.

Absolutely no proof exists, and wouldn’t the crew mention exploitation if it truly occurred? What else?

One, or both, had affairs.

Again, prove it. If they did, they deserve pity, not anger.

The Gosselins are victims of the media maelstrom, nothing more, nothing less. Rather than beating them down, they should be lifted up. The sad part is that it’s going to become much worse before it gets better; a quick look back into Reality TV history shows that many of the ‘stars’ do not emerge from the experience at all.

The Hogan Family (destroyed), Cheryl Kosewicz (suicide), Paula Goodspeed (suicide outside Paula Abdul’s home), Najai Turpin (suicide), James Scott Terrill (suicide), Nathan Clutter (dove off a cellular tower), Danny Bonnaducci (attempted suicide), Simon Foster (deadly overdose), Carina Stephenson (hung herself), Jo O’Meara (attempted suicide), and Sinisa Savija (threw herself under a train). And that doesn’t count those that did not make it to television, or their relatives: one woman, appearing on Extreme Makeover, found that her sister killed herself after the show went awry. There’s drug addiction, homelessness, and Susan Boyle-esque hospital stays. People, families, torn apart. Reality TV is the lion, and America’s a gaggle of Romans waiting for the games to begin.

What has happened to American compassion? The Gosselins have been destroyed as a couple and possibly as a family. A direct result of their five-year run-in with TLC. Yeah, they made some money.