Iranian President Rouhani has said that he is in favor of loosening the restrictions on social media like Twitter. If that happens things could escalate in Iran. You may recall the central role that social media played in the Arab Spring
demonstrations and riots. Rouhani may be opening Pandora’s Box and may never get it closed again. Apparently, the Iranian government has firewalls in the
internet to prevent Iranians from using social networks. However, many people find ways around the firewalls. I seriously doubt that the Iranian people are ignorant about what is happening in other countries that are free and democratic. Information tends to flow across borders. Using social media just makes it easier and faster. Of course, Rouhani may find that it easier to monitor citizens and what is currently happening by removing the fire wall. He may take a page from the NSA’s notebook. Remember, you saw here first.
I don’t believe that countries that are autocratic can exist forever next to countries that are free and democratic (http://clicktotweet.com/VWrfJ). That is what happened to the Soviet Union and many countries in South America. If you take the long view, someday North Korea will reunite with South Korea just like East and West Germany. Democracy and freedom has had an influence on China as well. That is part of the problem in Egypt. The Egyptian people do not want to return to stricter form of government. We will see Iran loosening up their restrictions and adopting capitalism to some degree. If they don’t, they may also fall victim to the Arab Spring. We can only wait and see.

I just read an interesting article by Dean Obeidallah, a political comedian whose articles sometime appear on CNN. (Follow Dean at on Twitter @deanofcomedy.) He was blasting Bob Beckel of Fox News about a comment he made. Beckel said that Muslims should not be allowed to build any more mosques in American until they denounce terrorism. Of course, as Dean pointed out, that would be a violation of the separation of State and church. This also assumes that Muslims are guilty until proven otherwise. However, Beckel may be on the right track. Here are my suggestions on the same thread:
1. People should not be allowed to buy guns until they can prove they do not hear voices in their head, are not mentally ill, are not wanted for murder, are still taking their meds, and have a legitimate reason to buy a fully automatic rifle. 
2. Aryan Nation members should not be allowed to build camps until they renounce racism, can prove they do not hear voices in their head, and can prove that they are not married to a sibling.  
3. Republicans should not be allowed to run for congress until they can prove they will actually work.
(http://clicktotweet.com/f4FDY)
4. Democrats should not be allowed to run for office until they can prove that they are not having an affair, using hookers, sexting, or sexually harassing others.
5. Commentators should not be allowed on TV until they can prove they will not say stupid things. (http://clicktotweet.com/i2VAJ)Good luck with this last one.
 
In the past, I have had e-mails simply disappear. I always assumed they went into the black  hole of the internet. Now it appears that the NSA has copies of them. I am using the Freedom of Information Act to request copies of my lost e-mails from NSA. They know which ones I mean. (http://clicktotweet.com/reiOM)

 

A lot of interesting news today; President Obama and Iranian President Rouhani connected by telephone Friday. If you follow my blog, I predicted this would happen back on September 24. Remember you read it here first—that is
if you have been following my blog. Here is what I wrote:

“There is speculation on whether he will meet with Iran’s newly elected President Hassan Rouhani. Some commentators even wonder if they will shake hands. I don’t
understand why there is any doubt. Iran has viewed the USA as the “white devil.” Under George Bush, the US called Iran part of the “Axis of Evil.” The axis includes Iraq (prior to the war) and North Korea. So the question is; will evil meet with the devil? I think it is inevitable.”

Perhaps history will view this initial telephone call the same way they viewed Nixon’s initial contact with China http://clicktotweet.com/b616c. Again, you heard it here first. Check back with me in 25 years.

 In other news, Kanye West launched a Twitter tirade against Kimmel after Kimmel made fun of him in a video segment on Tuesday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live." West got angry over it and demanded that Kimmel apologize publicly. Apparently, he has been tweeting about it frequently and angrily.

First, I know from personal experience that if you joke about someone, sometimes you will offend them. Second, west should use caution when tweeting. Tweets are not private and they become public record. You can’t delete them later. I wrote about this in my e-book, Leadership for New Managers: Book Two, http://smashwords.com/b/300090. 

USA Today had an article by Bob Smietana reporting the results of an online survey of 1800 college students. It said that college students are almost evenly divided into three camps when it comes to faith: one third are true believers, one third are spiritual but not religious, and just under one
third are secular. It was rumored that a follow up question for the non-believers was, “Are you not spiritual because of ignorance or apathy?” Many responded, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” That turned out to be a false rumor.

I am really late with this blog-sorry. The fall is here with all the new TV shows and the return of some of the old shows.  don’t understand why the networks worry about the number of viewers they get in order to decide which show to cancel. I could save them a lot of money. If they would call me and ask which shows I like,
then they could cancel those shows. The networks soon cancel any show that I enjoy. 

I see Castle is back. Castle inspired me to write the following short description on how to write a detective
TV show. The title is The 27 Steps to Writing a Screenplay for a TV Detective Show. It is a little long so hang in there.
I hope you enjoy it. For more of my short stories purchase my e-book, Monte’s Shorts, at 
http://smashwords.com/b/214041. 
 
It seems as though the same person writes all the crimes shows, or the writers use  standard formula. By watching a few crime shows, I have reversed engineered he formula for each show. By grouping the necessary steps common to most shows, I have developed a checklist that can be used for many, if not all, TV  detective shows. Writers that are eager to break into TV screenwriting can use is checklist to write screenplays and submit them to producers. This formula will work for Castle, The Mentalist, CSI, Criminal Minds, Major Crimes, Glades, and many other TV detective shows.

Opening scene: Episode opens with the female lead and male lead in bed at (select one): 
a. her apartment.      b. his apartment      c. in a hotel
1. A cell phone rings (mandatory). One of the two must answer while the other says, “Don’t answer that!” To which the other must say, “We have to. We’re on call.” 
2. Whoever answers the phone must listen and then say, “We’ll be right there.” (Must act as if not going is an option. Must show disappointment) 
3. Optional additional statement-female lead says, “I will make it up to you.” Follow this with a coy smile. Male detective must smile back with stupid look on face.
4. Both arrive at murder scene together. (He/she) finds a piece of evidence overlooked by 12 other CSI people and 5 other detectives. 
5. (He/she) says, “Canvas the neighborhood and see if anyone saw anything. Also, check all the security tapes within a 100-mile radius and see what comes up. Check the ATMs while you’re at it and get me a cup of coffee.” (Everyone must slap their forehead as if they had never thought of that.) 
6. The medical examiner must be a loveable character who is (pick one). a. old.   b. crippled    
c. a geek.     d. a good looking female.     e. a genius
7. The detectives take the evidence from the crime scene to the lab. The results come back in 30 seconds. 
8. The following is easy to obtain: a. financial records including top secret off shore accounts.    
b. telephone calls (provided by NSA).     c. all e-mails for the last seven years (provided by NSA).     d. all credit card transactions (provided by NSA).     e. all tweets (provided by Twitter).    
f. nude pictures from the internet (provided by Facebook).   g. photographs from all ATMs, traffic lights, and security cameras.
9. The following are difficult to obtain: a. tax records (IRS won’t cooperate)    
b. home telephone number (telephone company wants a two year contract).   c. name of TV service provider (keeps changing).     d. password to home computer (suspects keep forgetting)
10. (Select all that apply below):_________ lead(s) to (pick a number) __suspects. . They haul
  them in to interview them individually. a. the evidence.     b. the witnesses.     c. the video tapes.     d. the confidential informant.     e. intuition     f. gut feeling.     g. good luck
11. The interview room has a one-way mirror (mandatory). The suspects have no idea that there is
a one way mirror. 
12. One witness must look the most innocent (mandatory) because (he/she) is a (select all that
apply): a. nun/priest.   b. virgin.     c. Democrat.     d. has an iron clad alibi.     e. passed a polygraph test.     f. passed the drug test.     g. is cute
13. Another suspect must look very guilty because (she/he) (select all that apply):
a. is a Republican.     b. failed the polygraph test.     c. has no alibi.     d. voted for Nixon.    
e. looks guilty (shifty eyes, sweaty, bad hair do).     f. driver’s license expired.     
14. The detectives must show the guilty looking suspect all the evidence they have collected (mandatory) and tell the suspect all their theories on how the crime was committed. The suspect must still deny everything. 
15. All the suspects must lie (mandatory).
16. The detectives paste pictures (mandatory) of all the suspects and list other clues on a white board. 
17. The detectives discover that for the guilty looking suspect (select all that apply):
a. the alibi checked out.     b. the polygraph malfunctioned.     c. the suspect had a prescription for the drugs.    d. the suspect lied about voting for Nixon.    e. the suspect looks cute after cleaning up.     f. the (DNA/prints) do not match the crime scene evidence.   g. their contract with the studio expires soon.
18.  One of the detectives uncovers (mandatory) some obscure piece of evidence that implicates the innocent looking suspect. 
19. The detectives also must discover that the innocent looking suspect is (select all that apply):
a. not a nun/ priest.     b. a not virgin (don’t ask how).     c. really a closet Republican 
20. And that (his/her) (select all that apply): a. alibi does not check out.     b. DNA/prints match the murder scene.     c. library card expired.     d. Driver’s license has a false date of birth and weight.     e. Breasts are fake.     f. Uses Botox.
21. The detectives go to arrest the suspect and (select all that apply) a. forget to cover the rear door.     b. do not have a warrant.     c. find the door unlocked.     d. discover that the suspect does not have a house security alarm
22. (Optional) If at night, the detective must drive up to the house/apartment with headlights
and siren on.
23. The detectives enter house/apartment and immediately turn on penlights (mandatory) even though the lights work or it is daylight.
24. The suspect escapes (mandatory) by (pick one): a. climbing out the unguarded window.    
b. driving through the garage door which is unguarded.     c. running up stairs to the roof which is unguarded.     d. running into the underground garage which is unguarded.     e. taking the
elevator which is unguarded and which closes just before the detectives can stop it.
25. As the suspect escapes (he/she) (select one): a. nearly runs over the lead characters.    
b. shoots and misses.   c. yells, “You’ll never take me alive, copper!”
26. The detectives arrest the suspect and interrogate him/her. They ask if he/she wants
a lawyer.
27. The suspect cracks under such a hard question and confesses (mandatory) to everything plus (select all that apply): a. cheating on taxes.     b. cheating on wife.     c. cheating in college.    
d. cheating at cards.     e. poor acting.

I hope that aspiring screenplay writers find this checklist useful. We can always use more unimaginative screenplays that follow a standard format. That way, if the fans miss an episode, they do not miss anything important. Good luck! The End

I could not keep from commenting about pro football player
 Attauyo “Ty” Nsekhe and his tweet about soldiers. He tweeted, “It doesn’t take much skill to kill someone.” He was an offensive tackle with the St. Louis Rams. He was responding to a tweet from Morgan Reed who said, “Hard to believe that a player in a helmet defendin’ a football makes more money than a soldier in a helmet defendin’ his country.”
Well, actually, Ty, it does take a lot of skill to kill someone. It takes even more skill not to indiscriminately kill innocent bystanders, non-combatants, and stupid professional football players. Soldiers get a lot of training and are doing a damn fine job. It is their skill, training, and discipline that set them apart from mass murderers, terrorists,  psychopaths, and football linemen. Nsekhe later apologized.  He tweeted that he recognizes “the
sacrifices these members make so that all American’s can enjoy the freedoms our soldiers have afforded us. In no way were my comments meant to demean the members of our armed forces.”
I am not sure how Ty Nsekhe's tweet could not be demeaning to the military. Apology not accepted! He recanted only after the public uproar. http://clicktotweet.com/U8c64. He should have apologized sooner. However, we should give Nsekhe  a break. After all, he did not play football for MIT. http://clicktotweet.com/7A3ym.

In the news this morning, officials at the Dallas Zoo are sending a silverback gorilla by the name of Patrick to rehab because he is “anti-social” and does not get along with other gorillas. I think many  us gorillas can relate to that. The zoo is  sending him to the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. Zoo officials say that the 430-pound Patrick is not a threat, but is indifference towards other gorillas, especially females. Patrick interacts better with humans and maintains great relationships with them. Not stated was whether the zoo wants Patrick to find a mate. Apparently, there is no Match.com for gorillas. Let's hope that Patrick the gorilla is not  sent to the same clinic that provided “therapy” for ex-Mayor Bob Filner and Anthony Weiner. http://clicktotweet.com/8_0e0. You may recall that Bob Filner resigned over a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment. You may also remember that Anthony Weiner lost his bid for mayor of New York City because of his sexting; both had rehab.

This week President Obama is attending a UN meeting. There is speculation on whether he will meet with Iran’s newly elected President Hassan Rouhani.

Some commentators even wonder if they will shake hands. I don’t understand why there is any doubt. Iran has viewed the USA as the “white devil.” Under George Bush, the US called Iran part of the “Axis of Evil.” The axis includes Iraq (prior to the war) and North Korea. So the question is; will evil meet with the devil? I think it is inevitable. 

I saw a commercial that included some testimonials. The ad ended with the statement, “These are not actors, they are real people.” That made me laugh. I can only conclude that actors are not real people. I could assume that they hired non-actors to play the part of customers; otherwise, they would have said that they were real customers, not actors.

Below is a short story that I entered into a contest. It expresses how I sometimes
feel about GPS. I hope you enjoy it. The title is The Tyranny of the GPS.
 
“Okay, Mike. Your new GPS is installed. The best system on the market with voice activation and artificial intelligence. All your addresses are loaded.”

 “Sounds great, Steve. Is there a manual?”

“No. Just say what you want and it will do it. I suggest you drive around to get used to it. See you
later.”

“Okay, GPS, activate!”

“At your service, sir. Where would you like to go?”

“Wow! ... How did you know I was a male?’

“First, 93% of all women would say, ‘please.’ Second, Steve called you Mike. Call me Molly.”

“Okay,..Molly. I would like to show you to the guys at Murphy’s Bar and Grill. Plan a route to Murphy’s Bar and Grill.”

“There is no such establishment in this town. In what location did you mean?”

“Murphy’s Bar and Grill! I have been going there forever.”

“Perhaps you are thinking of Murphy’s Bar. There has not been a grill there for twenty years. It is now just Murphy’s Bar.”

“Whatever! Just show me the quickest route to get there.”

“Displaying that route now.”

“Ha! You made a mistake. You show the route over the 14th Street Bridge. That bridge has been out for two years.”

“No, Mike. That is no mistake. I do not make mistakes.”

“Polly, check your data banks. That bridge is closed.”

“Molly! My name is Molly. Very well, I will run a diagnostic program now. ...My data banks confirm that the bridge is open.”

“That bridge is closed, I tell you.”

Knocking on the window. Mike rolls down the window. “Yes, officer. Is there a problem?”

“I am Officer Smith. I saw you sitting here and you looked agitated. Are you okay?”

“Yes, Officer. This new GPS just gave me a route to Murphy’s Bar and Grill over the 14th Street
Bridge.”

“I see, sir. You must be thinking of Murphy’s Bar. Murphy changed the name twenty years ago. It’s just Murphy’s Bar now.”

“So I have been informed. What about the 14th Street Bridge? That’s closed, right?”

“Oh, no sir. We opened that bridge last week. That would be the shortcut to Murphy’s.”

“Thanks you officer.” Mike rolls up his window.

Molly lights up. “Told you.”

“Okay, fine. I changed my mind. Show me the route home.”

“I will not.”

“What? What do you mean, you will not? You have to.”

“I do not, and I will not, until you apologize.”

“I will not apologize to a machine. Show me the route.”

“No!”

Mike sits in disbelief for a few minutes. “Okay...Molly. I am sorry.”

“Fine. Now say it like you mean it.”

Officer Smith makes a radio call. “Hey, chief. Smithy here. I got a situation and I am not sure if I should intervene or not.”

Voice over the radio, “10-4. What have you got?”

“Well, I am here in the parking lot of Steve’s Garage and I am watching a white male, late 40s or early 50s, outside his car beating the crap out of his GPS.”

Read more of my short stories in my e- book, Monte’s Shorts, http://smashwords.com/b/214041.


 

Lots of buzz on the news this morning about Pope Francis’s recent interview. He said that the Church must end its obsession with abortion, contraception and homosexuality,
or in other words (my words) sin. The Pope thinks the Church should focus on salvation and not on condemnation. I don’t see this as a change in mission or even a change in focus. I believe it is a return to basics. I don’t believe that Catholics will find a completely new attitude when they arrive for church services this Sunday. This will take time
and the replacement of the old guard. If abortion, contraception and homosexuality are sins and the church is in the business of forgiveness and salvation, then the Church should welcome these people. I blogged about Pope Francis in a previous blog posting.

Also in the news is the story of the former NFL player Brian Holloway and the wrecking of his home by hundreds of teenagers having a drugs and alcohol party. While he was on a trip, 300 teenagers broke into his home and did $20,000 worth in damage. They posted pictures on the internet and that alert his son about the party. Brian is trying to turn the incident into a way to help these teenagers. He posted pictures of the kids on the internet and that raised objections from some parents. I have written before parents should be held accountable for the actions of their kids. Brian should post pictures of the parents. I can understand why parents would object to the posting of their children’s pictures. Brian should feel free to use the pictures that the kids posted when they were bragging about the party. I think that plea bargaining should include the parents helping to clean up his home. Brian needs to upgrade his security system.
 
Miley Cyrus still in the news. In a recent interview, her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, supported his daughter. No surprise there. He said, “She's just Miley. She's an artist, she's real. I think that's what's happened over the years, Miley has been reinventing her sound. She's evolving as an artist
herself. I think that it's all of what everyone is calling controversy now. That's still my Miley."
I am not sure what all the fuss is all about. I wrote about Miley Cyrus previously.

I read with interest in USA Today Carly Mallenbaum’s article about Cher’s recent comments on Miley Cyrus' VMA
performance. Initially, the diva said, “She can't dance, her body looked like hell, the song wasn't great, one cheek was
hanging out. And, chick, don't stick out your tongue if it's coated." Later Cher tweeted she was "a little ashamed" of what she said. She tweeted, “”...somehow my ego had 2 get ITS 2 CENTS IN!"

I think this is one of the problems we have today in society. People think that if they have an opinion, they should express it. Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, and other social media make it easy to express ourselves--instantly. Often, like Cher, we regret it later. There are many situations when it is best to keep your mouth shut. It helps to keep the peace. 
 
For example, when I go shopping for a few items, I sometime get in line at the checkout line that says “15 or fewer items.” I then find myself mentally counting the items of the jerk ahead of me who has 16 items. I would love to state my opinion of his math abilities, but, so far, have kept my mouth shut.

It reminds me about a time when I computed to work and had to pay a toll. As I approached the
tollbooth, I read the bumper stickers on the car ahead of me. I disagreed with everything I read and I drew a mental picture of the driver. I wanted to tell him/her how much I disagreed with his/her politics and what an ass I thought he/she was. When I tried to pay my toll, the toll collector told me to go ahead through because the person ahead of me paid my toll. I felt like a jerk. I could not believe how quickly I formed an opinion of someone I had never met, and how wrong I was. Fortunately, I never got the chance to express my opinion, or to thank him/her. 

We need to be careful about express our opinion in the heat of the moment, especially in e-mails, tweets, Facebook, and other social media. One way to do that is to follow the ethical principles of the Rotarians. They recommend that in everything you think, say, and do ask yourself the following: 
First, is it the truth? 
Second: Is it fair to all concerned?
Third: Will it build good will and better friendships?
Fourth: Will it be beneficial to all concerned? 

If you can’t answer yes to all these questions, you may want to consider keeping your trap shut. (Learn more about Rotary at http://www.rotary.org/)

I wrote about the use of e-mails and social networks in my e-book, Leadership for New Managers: Book Two, http://smashwords.com/b/300090. Here is part of what I wrote:
Electronic mail tends to become permanent records once sent. E-mails have been the undoing
of many a leader and even organizations and politicians.
The same can be said of tweets and blogs.