Tweeties, Meet the Online Swear Jar

Unless creatively justified, profanity can be brand damning instead of brand enhancing. For example, “Damn Near Obsessed with Steaks,” the ad tag boldly attached to the III Forks brand, effectively punctuates its fine dining product. Via the WSJ electronic news board’s scroll in the office lobby, the ad immediately corralled my attention. If dinnertime, I bet the anticipated succulence of a juicy NY Strip grilled to perfection is making your mouth water, right? The magnetism is adtastic though I’ve yet to indulge in the III Forks flavor.     

However, wherever adults are, both young and old with stunted vocabularies, profanity will also reside. The Internet, of course, is flooded with such along with the likes of authentic brands and brand imposters. Unless they mind their manners, Twitter users who toss profanity with salad frequency will risk subjection to the Online Swear Jar’s wrath.   

According to Urban Daddy, the Online Swear Jar website “scours” your Twitter feed like a pad does grease from a frying pan. If in swearing violation, you’ll be politely prompted for a donation.
Even if this site fails to deter a footballer fat cat like Jabar Gaffney who recently spewed a mouthful of venom following a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps it’s a start in encouraging public forum decorum.   

Now, if only someone would develop an online curse can for combing the N-word’s clutter, the foul language deal would be sealed. Seemingly, LeBron James, portrayed as “The Whore from Akron” in Scott Raab’s book, or someone in his entourage camp missed the politically correct memo about the hurtful term:

LeBron James (@KingJames)
11/16/11 1:35 AM
@HitBoy_SC U got a MONSTER record with that N*gg** in Paris homie!! 5X tonight straight in Miami tonight #Epic

To stay clear of the Profanity Police, keep it Clorox clean, Tweeps! Check out http://charityswearbox.com/.

To Keep Your Twitter Groove, Think and Tweet

Entangled in the unenviable web of sexual abuse charges, Joe Paterno, Jerry Sandusky and Graham Spanier weren’t the only ones who landed in hot water this week. Instead of responding to the scandal's facts, actor Ashton Kutcher fired off an errant tweet that fueled a firestorm of Net rage.

Oblivious to the legal stickiness, Kutcher posted “How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste" at a rattling rate. Ok, so it’s normal for sports-obsessed boys and men to pout about anything and everything athletic but wasn’t Demi’s hubby taught as a child to think before he speaks?! Without fail, the Nikon Camera pitchman should’ve familiarized himself with the subject prior to exposing his ignorance in the ultra public forum of Twitterdom.  

If keeping your Twitter groove in today's new school world of instant communication still invokes a question, take heed from an old school mama: Slow your finger roll and think before you tweet.  

Read more about the man once coined “Mr. Twitter” here:   
http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/story/2011-11-10/ashton-kutcher-joe-paterno-tweet/51159424/1

  

Tech & Pop Culture Are Killing Communication Skills

Last month, I read an editorial focusing on education and employability that has never left my craw. Regarding the frequent cry that students aren’t learning what they need to compete for the jobs that do exist, Washington Post Columnist Kathleen Parker also observed “the common experience of employers who can’t find applicants who can express themselves grammatically.”

While Parker’s statement trumpets truth, employers, in turn, have been quick to shift the unemployment blame to the educational system for its lack of technical skill preparedness. But what purpose does technical competence serve when basic communication skills are absent? I mean, how far can one go if unable to articulate his or her thoughts effectively?

Instead of books, parents today are supplying the latest gadgets to their techno-obsessed youth with Twitterspeed. Textersations lined with mistakes have replaced old-fashioned conversations, and what passes youthful muster as music contains lyrics egregious enough grammatically to render an English professor punch drunk.

Technology deserves ample applause, but there’s the potential to be both friend and foe.  After all, the “Keeping up with the Joneses” electronic premium erodes in value when a simple sentence cannot be crafted.  Spoken in the Rodney King vein, can we please get back to the communication basics!?