I Swear It's True: Swearing Is a Bad Idea

Swearing has been much in the news lately. Consider these incidents just in the past few weeks:

In politics: Bob McDonnell, the GOP candidate for governor in Virginia, said in a Sept. 11 live radio interview: "I'm going to find other ways to be able to fund transportation. I've outlined twelve f—ing funding mechanisms that are creative, that are entrepreneurial."

In the media: On the Sept. 16 WNYW Fox newscast, Ernie Anastos, a New York anchorman, told the weatherman to “keep f—ing that chicken.” Evidently unaware of the slip, he kept talking, while his co-anchor looked stunned. The bleeped YouTube clip has been shown on virtually every talk show.

In sports: Serena Williams exploded after a lineswoman called her for a foot fault in semifinal tennis match. "If I could, I would take this [expletive deleted] ball and shove it down your [expletive deleted] throat," Williams told the lineswoman after the call. She lost the match and was fined $10,500.

After incidents like these, the perpetrator usually apologizes for a “slip of the tongue.” But I have always felt that if profanity were not a normal part of the speakers’ everyday vocabulary, it probably wouldn’t “slip out” during a public appearance.

Year ago when I left Hallmark Cards and started working at Barkley & Evergreen (now Barkley), I was amazed at the amount of swearing I heard every day in the office. Personally, I made the decision that it was never a plus – and often a minus – to use swear words.

I did witness an occasion when profanity cost an ad agency the opportunity to gain a new client. In a presentation meeting the two agency vice presidents both used the f-word several times. The prospective client happened to be a very conservative man who had been known to walk out of marketing meetings when he deemed a presentation to be risqué. I knew immediately that there was no way he would award a half-million dollar account to that agency. He didn’t.

Swearing can damage your personal life as well by hurting your chances of finding someone to spend your life with. When I used to teach my “How to Meet Your Mate in 90 Days or Less” class, I urged participants to “put your best self forward” by avoiding expletives. Men especially are not attracted to dates with a foul mouth.

I think swearing insults the audience in two ways. First, it shows the speaker doesn’t value the listeners’ opinions enough to watch his words. Second, the speaker often looks upon the listeners as hopelessly un-cool and out-of-date if they are offended or annoyed.

Whether you meet someone in a business or personal situation, spouting profanity never makes a good impression.

What do you think? Do you have any examples to share?

Korean War Veterans to Speak at Sept. 17 Marine Corps League Meeting

Korean War veterans will present “Remembering the Korean War” at a meeting of the Simpson-Hoggatt Detachment of the Marine Corps League, 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Disabled Veterans of America location, 8787 Old Santa Fe Rd. in Kansas City, Mo.

The presentation will include discussion of the buildup to the war, Marine action in the Battle of Pusan Perimeter, the Inchon landing and liberation of Seoul, 1st Division attack to the north, and Marine air support of Marines on the ground.

The event is free and the public is invited. For more information call Commandant Ken Spencer at 913-362-8383.
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About the Marine Corps League: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the federal charter in 1937. Membership numbers more than 60,000 nationally, and is open to current and honorably discharged Marines and to Navy medical corpsmen. http://www.mcleague.org. The Simpson-Hoggatt Detachment was formed in 1925 in Kansas City, Mo.

Walter Cronkite: Further Proof 1916 Was a Good Year

Walter Cronkite was an icon in my field, journalism. When he died recently, I learned that he had been born on Nov. 4, 1916.

Birthdates in 1916 have always caught my attention because my mother was born on June 18, 1916. Some years ago I discovered that my Aunt Thelma and my adopted Aunt Lee, both now 93, and my adopted Aunt Helen, were all born that year. (Aunt Lee was my Uncle Martin's sister and Aunt Helen was my husband's mother's best friend.)

This got me to wondering what other famous people besides Cronkite were born in 1916. One notable on the list at http://www.nndb.com/lists/915/000105600/ is Gregory Peck. About 10 years ago I attended his engaging benefit performance for the Kansas City Repertory Theatre at the Folly Theatre in Kansas City.

Other performers on the list are Kirk Douglas, Olivia de Havilland, Glenn Ford, Jackie Gleason, Betty Grable, Van Johnson, Dinah Shore and Keenan Wynn. Writers included James Herriott, Shelby Foote and Irving Wallace.

Here's to 1916. It truly was a very good year.

Who's on first...but where are the 5 W's?

Two full-page ads in The Kansas City Star caught my eye recently because they left out an all-important piece of information. WHERE.

First, there was the ad announcing Paul McCartney's concert at the BOK Center. Where is it? You would think that American Express, which bought the ad, would want us to know. But no such luck. I had to use Google to find out that it's in Tulsa. (OK, that explains the OK in the name...)

Second, I saw another full-page ad announcing Macy's new store at Summit Fair. Where is it? I guessed Lee's Summit, Mo., because of the name, but the ad gives no clue. Fortunately, several pages later is a JC Penney ad that includes directions and a map.

In J-school (journalism) at the University of Missouri, we learned that the lead of every news story should include the 5 W's: Who, What, Where, When, Why...and sometimes How. Whether you're writing a news release, an ad or Web copy, it's still a good way to double check your copy.

Otherwise, you're wasting your client's money.

Reflections on the Moon Landing

It was one of those "I remember exactly where I was" moments when the Eagle landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. As Neil Armstrong said, it truly was, "One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Staying up late to watch the landing was a thrill shared by millions. At the time, I was just finishing up my journalism degree at the University of Missouri in Columbia. My “sequence” was news/editorial, so it was perfect timing to witness one of the biggest news events of the 20th Century. The Columbia Missourian, our training-ground newspaper, published a commemorative edition. I went to a McDonald's to hawk copies, and sold my whole stack in no time.

Too bad Walter Cronkite missed living to see the anniversary by a few days. His reporting captured the awe and the pride we all shared.

If you haven't already, be sure to see In the Shadow of the Moon, a fascinating documentary released in 2007. It is available on DVD.

Ceremony to Honor Hospitalman at Marine Corps League Meeting

Working with the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and now the Marine Corps League gives me the opportunity to thank both veterans and active military for their service. Marines, Navy corpsmen and anyone else who is interested are invited to the following event, publicized in a news release I wrote and distributed:

The monthly meeting of the Simpson-Hoggatt Detachment of the Marine Corps League will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 16, at the Disabled Veterans of America location, 8787 Old Santa Fe Rd. in Kansas City, Mo.

The meeting will feature a ceremony and presentation of a framed poem to Lance and Katherine Simson, Overland Park, Kan., parents of Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Simson, a hospitalman who received a Silver Star for “conspicuous gallantry” in combat operations in Afghanistan. Simpson-Hoggatt Detachment member Ed Becker, who served as a Navy corpsman, wrote the poem as a tribute to Simson and other corpsmen’s service to the Marine Corps. Simson recently returned to Afghanistan for a second tour of duty.

The event is free and the public is invited. For more information call Commandant Ken Spencer at 913-362-8383.

Merger of YouTube, Twitter and Facebook?

On Conan O'Brien's first week on The Tonight Show, he predicted that YouTube, Twitter and Facebook would merge...creating another time-wasting Web site called YouTwitFace.

That may be a little too close to the truth.