The Silver Screen Oasis

A news article is going around the web today about US areas with the heaviest concentration of smokers, or something to that effect. Not surprisingly, almost all of the places at the top of the list are in tobacco-producing areas.

Interesting to me because only last weekend I was commenting to a friend that I've noticed in the past year many fewer smokers, especially younger people, in the streets in NYC that I've seen in years past. I suppose anti-smoking campaigns have had some effect, coupled with the fact that ciggies now cost $10 or more a pack here. Whatever works, works.

OK it's my turn to gripe. I was at work today, I'm a cashier in a bank and standing in the queue was a young adult with a T-shirt on that said 'F*** Google, ask me instead' . It used to be an offence to use that word in public, why is it suddenly acceptable to wear it as a slogan. I'm no fuddy duddy, not quite yet anyway.

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CCFan:

The sad part about your post is that word, at one time, was able to draw serious anger from men when hearing it in a mixed company social circumstance. Mr L and I used to frequent a lovely lounge which was far from a men's 'joint', and one time several guys took offense at another using that word in front of me, even with my hubby sitting there. I guess I was a rep of their wives/girlfriends. It was definitely not a word to be used in social situations, which may explain to younger people why it still upsets so many people of my generation.
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You're dead on right, Gals!
There is no excuse to use that word out loud, except in exclusion with one's same-gender peers, and/or to a partner in intimacy. And displaying it in public as a pop-cultural expression on clothing may be a new or rare loophole, or "end-run", but I feel it shouldn't be tolerated, even a little. Were I to spot such taunting obscenity being worn in a restaurant or in a store, whether on an employee or a fellow customer, I'd be finding that manager toute suite and filing a very passionate complaint. If I don't get satisfaction, I'll inform that manager that I will be spending my hard-earned dollars elsewhere, and telling everyone else I know to do the same, and why.
In cases like this, I honestly cannot decide which is worse: the sulky, bitter, narrow-minded preoccupation with juvenile shock words, or the societal insecurity & apathy that declines the simple resolve to shut them down.

I worked in an all-male environment for 15 years, and that word was used continuously by all of them. At first, they would apologize, then within 30 minutes let loose again. They were quite creative in their usage, and never ceased to amaze me with their inventiveness. HOWEVER....I never got used to it, protested regularly, and got in some faces while doing it.

One of the worst offenders actually shut up a CUSTOMER who was swearing up and down, just in a conversation. No anger, no smarmy jokes-just shooting the breeze with the employee.

Kids in this neighborhood not only use the word, they shout it to each other. Not sure, but I think they learn it at home. Many but not all, of my generation, of the "free love" and "express yourself" thinking, never bothered to teach their kids any manners whatsoever, and now are up in arms because their grandchildren have no idea of respect or etiquette.

ok, getting off soapbox now....

Actually, although my kids complained about how strict I was when they were adolescents & teens (and the wife & I privately worried that we weren't being strict enough), they have all turned out to be extremely polite adults, and stricter parents then we ever were, and yet regularly warn their kids: "You think I'm tough? Be grateful Poppy & Nah aren't raising you!"

My parents think we're too strict but we don't hit, which is how I was brought up, I took many a smack, that left marks for my misdemeanours, which weren't many, partly because I was so scared of the reprecussions. I'm not saying hitting is right, it's wrong but kids need to know that there will be some penalty for naughtiness. I don't think parents always have time today, they are busy working because everything is so expensive.

I had to hold my tongue over that T-shirt and that word. My employers might have took it as a rudeness to the customer to say something. The girl when I served her was very pleasant and did not have an offensive attitude, which just shows that for some of her generation it isn't a word that shocks anymore.

Well I've a new line of reasoning to ask about. I have twin granddaughters, with the younger(but only a bit) surpassing the other in development. The elder has a bit of hinderence in that she has a vision impairment in one eye. The younger is just more agressive, and is the Alpha twin by nature of her personality. Does anyone have any suggestions I can offer the parents? Much is expected of Annabelle, the younger twin, but bless her, she doesn't know it yet.She runs rough shoud over Emma, who adores her. I saw that when I was there at six months, and it has only increased apparently at eight months, with Anna pulling up in a standing position on the verge of walking, and Emma trailing after trying to catch up.

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Silentscreen:

The only advice to offer is not to offer any at all. If asked, simply say that no two babies are alike and some just do things earlier than others. As one may walk quicker, the other may talk quicker. As infants, the only thing to worry about is if they are healthy and happy.
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I agree with Anne, although I can understand why their parents are concerned. The younger one may be itching to get moving but the older one may be the more contented because she doesn't have the urge to do as many things. As long as they hand out praise evenly the children will be encouraged. The children will find their own niches despite what anyone else does for them.

I think the concern is because Anna will get into more trouble and Emma has a tendency to follow her. It's just dealing with two babies at the same time at different stages of development. My daughter-in-law is already telling Emma, "Don't follow your sister." They are both healthy and crawling, but Anna only crawls to get to a piece of furniture to stand up by. She has already worked her way up a couple of steps in the kitchen and now they're going to have to make the portable gate they have there permanent by bolting it into the wall. There is also a steep staircase that goes down into the basement that's been finished out into an additional bedroom/bath/common area for the ten year old daughter. They are in and out of there all the time, but now greater care will have to be taken to keep the door closed. Their house is basically three stories or tri level. All houses in Utah have basements. My son says that if Emma gets in the way she's basically a speed bump for Anna.

I just wanted to post about the use of the F word in public. Sorry I'm late, and I don't mean to interrupt the new conversation.

I don't know when swearing became de rigeur for young people. However, I did have an experience that made me feel slightly better about the whole thing.

My daughter loves going out to eat. We were out one noontime, and there were only a couple of people in the restaurant. There were some teenage boys sitting two or three booths away from us and the f-bomb was being dropped liberally and loudly as was the S word. I finally was so ticked off at these boys that I got up, walked over and tapped one of them on the shoulder. I quietly said to them that I had a six year old daughter sitting in the booth behind them, and could they please refrain from using bad language.

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather, because these boys looked STRICKEN that they had caused offense, much less that a little kid had heard them. They apologized over and over again to me. I told them it was OK but to make sure that if they were going to have these conversations to have them in private. They apologized again and I went back to my table. I swear they turned red when I confronted them. They continued their meal talking amongst themselves politely, without a thought about using bad language.

This was the last thing i was expecting. I thought they might be belligerent with me, but no, quite the contrary. I don't think they had any idea of what they were doing until I came up. It makes me wonder what is going on that these surprisingly nice boys were talking in such a terrible manner.

I think it disgusting when people use swear words profusely. I have to listen to the Vice President of my company frequently take the Lord's name in vain and no one has ever done anything about it. Nor will they because it's gone on for too long and the time to nip it in the bud was in the beginning.

JackFavell wrote:I just wanted to post about the use of the F word in public. Sorry I'm late, and I don't mean to interrupt the new conversation.

I don't know when swearing became de rigeur for young people. However, I did have an experience that made me feel slightly better about the whole thing.

My daughter loves going out to eat. We were out one noontime, and there were only a couple of people in the restaurant. There were some teenage boys sitting two or three booths away from us and the f-bomb was being dropped liberally and loudly as was the S word. I finally was so ticked off at these boys that I got up, walked over and tapped one of them on the shoulder. I quietly said to them that I had a six year old daughter sitting in the booth behind them, and could they please refrain from using bad language.

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather, because these boys looked STRICKEN that they had caused offense, much less that a little kid had heard them. They apologized over and over again to me. I told them it was OK but to make sure that if they were going to have these conversations to have them in private. They apologized again and I went back to my table. I swear they turned red when I confronted them. They continued their meal talking amongst themselves politely, without a thought about using bad language.

This was the last thing i was expecting. I thought they might be belligerent with me, but no, quite the contrary. I don't think they had any idea of what they were doing until I came up. It makes me wonder what is going on that these surprisingly nice boys were talking in such a terrible manner.

IMHO many young people use the " S " word without realizing that its offensive, to them it is just a normal way of conversion. I am not putting down young(er) people, who in my opinion are easily dumped on,as I fear for their future.

I know, with all the bad language on TV cable, and in music, I think no one has told these kids that it is not acceptable to use those words in public.

I see so many parents now who never reprimand their children. They never set rules, or explain to the kids that some behavior isn't acceptable. My daughter just had a birthday party last week so this is very much on my mind. One of the girls spent ten minutes arguing with me about whether we would open presents at the party or not. Her father came to pick her up, and she was so rude to him. He told her to get her shoes on (we were at a gymnastics place). She let out a huffy sigh and said, "I'll be ready in ten minutes, Dad." Then she proceeded to take the entire ten minutes to put on her shoes as slowly as she could while he stood there watching her and saying nothing.

The kids are running the household these days. It is sad.