Fifty Plus (50+) - OT, acceptable "language"

One of the things I enjoy about the 50+ forum is that we have enough class not to result to being vulgar. There is a post (in Bicycle Mechanics) that starts out with WTF! Now, we all know what it stands for, and I doubt any of us want our children or grandchildren using it. Yet, BF seems to think it's OK, as they continue to allow it to be there. Am I too out old and out of touch with what is acceptable these days? Yea, WTF could stand for lots of things, but don't try to tell me it doesn't stand for what I think it does!

Totally agree. Cross Chain is the epitome of how to express yourself on-line and I don't ever recall seeing anything anywhere close to WTF in any of his posts. There are many different ways to express yourself and get points across without being overly dramatic and crossing the line. I wonder if it is just another sign of maturity?!?!?!? It takes some of us alot longer to get there and some probably never quite make it!!!

I know that I cringe when I see those particular initials, and a couple of others as well... Even some I am not sure of, if there is an F, it is suspect in my mind.

Of course, there are all of the other ways to get through the filters as well, so it may be difficult to address.

Even when te filter is in place, the replaced word is often very predictable, so the internal censoring does little good. Who could mistake something like "piece of ****"" as anything but what was cleaned up?

EDIT: Another thought just came to mind... Why is it acceptable to use such language or insinuation in a public forum when the same people would probably hesitate to say the words out loud in a public setting? I do hear profanities in public, but not at nearly the proportion that I read them on bike forums... Specifically, I have never heard a profanity at the bike shop or on an organized ride, so it isn't generally part of cycling culture to the extent it is here.

WTF is wrong with "what the fudge"? :)

Or it could be, "want the fudge?". As in, "I think I'll have a sundae." "Yes, sir. WTF?" "Sure, make it hot fudge".

It's all in how you look a things.

And that's no BS. ("Blueberry Scones").

WTF is wrong with "what the fudge"? :)

Or it could be, "want the fudge?". As in, "I think I'll have a sundae." "Yes, sir. WTF?" "Sure, make it hot fudge".

It's all in how you look a things.

And that's no BS. (blueberry scones).

Perfect example of how you can have a great sense of humor and also be mature.

Gotta go........after seeing this one I'm headed to the store to find a chocolate brownie and drench it with some fudge.........

Where's the Fudge?

So, if they are SOL with the POS, then they're Short On Luck with the Pile Of Scrap?

Perfect example of how you can have a great sense of humor and also be mature.

Gotta go........after seeing this one I'm headed to the store to find a chocolate brownie and drench it with some fudge.........

You're very close to my favorite dessert - brownie, ice cream, hot fudge sauce and chocolate covered raisins just to ensure I'm not shorting myself on chocolate:)

Perfect example of how you can have a great sense of humor and also be mature.

Hey, did you just call me the "M-word"!?! :eek:

One of the things I enjoy about the 50+ forum is that we have enough class not to result to being vulgar. There is a post (in Bicycle Mechanics) that starts out with WTF! Now, we all know what it stands for, and I doubt any of us want our children or grandchildren using it. Yet, BF seems to think it's OK, as they continue to allow it to be there. Am I too out old and out of touch with what is acceptable these days? Yea, WTF could stand for lots of things, but don't try to tell me it doesn't stand for what I think it does!

I think the younger generation uses words we never thought of using when we were younger. I hate going to the malls and other places where young people gather because of the foul language many of them use. It just seems to be part of their everyday conversations:(

I use myspace.com to keep in touch with my older grandkids. They know grandma and their parents will be viewing their websites so they keep the language clean. I've seen some of the websites of other kids and I can't imagine their parents do any monitoring of the website as the language is terrible.

can't put the toothpaste back in the tube...

can't put the toothpaste back in the tube...

That's true and I feel bad that it is that way and there is nothing that one can really do about it except refuse to use certain words and acronyms oneself. I also cringe when I see how far spelling has degenerated (loose/lose) or in the case of probably, morphed into the non-existent word prolly.

Oh well, I guess at 50+, I should have more important things to worry about, like my senior citizen discount at Denny's. :)

I guess life in the military in the 60's has faded from the memory.
Right, wrong or otherwise, it was simply there.

Maybe it's because I've worked -and still do- with a lot of young folk. Or maybe I never grew up (very possible) or I just don't care but "language" does not bother me at all.

OTOH, "Should have went", "Should have did", and all this current grammatical butchery drives me nuts.
I hear newscasters on TV talk that way now... we are becoming a nation of idiots

Maybe it's because I've worked -and still do- with a lot of young folk. Or maybe I never grew up (very possible) or I just don't care but "language" does not bother me at all.

OTOH, "Should have went", "Should have did", and all this current grammatical butchery drives me nuts.
I hear newscasters on TV talk that way now... we are becoming a nation of idiots

TV newscasters...don't get me started!

Why does it take two of them to introduce a story? And why, for heavens sake, when it sprinkles in San Diego do we need "team coverage" of this earth shattering event?

are the sprinkles diet or regular?

TV newscasters...don't get me started!

Why does it take two of them to introduce a story? And why, for heavens sake, when it sprinkles in San Diego do we need "team coverage" of this earth shattering event?

Sprinkles don't cause excitement here but a foot of snow gets everything cancelled except the news coverage:( The only time I get excited about the weather is when the Weather Channel comes to town. You know you're in for some extreme conditions when those fellows camp out in your neighborhood:eek:

I might get worried about guys in trucks with "packages that they want to place in front of a tornado.

I spent time as a car mechanic so there isn't much someone can say that I probably haven't said - or worse. But, I grew up eventually (there is doubt to this, but give me a pass this time, eh?) and decided that I don't have to use phrases that can be pretty offensive to others.

There are two ways to look at this - one is that I can say whatever I want and you just have to deal with it after all it is my life and I didn't ask your opinion. The other point of view is that if I am in public, I should take reasonable car not to infringe on the rights of others. After all, it isn't exactly a necessity to use vulgarity. For some however, it appears that if you remove those words, there is hardly anything left.

Perhaps the real reason is the lack of ability to express yourself - my most effective comments are without swearing.

OTOH, "Should have went", "Should have did", and all this current grammatical butchery drives me nuts.

Some take it even further... "Should of went" and "Should of did" ;)

Of course, a certain amount of what I see, I dismiss as typing slower than thinking (or vice-versa). And, I am guilty too.

I reread my posts before sending and still miss errors. In my initial drafts, I see mistakes like rode vs road and there vs their sneak into my writing, I just hope I catch most of them before clicking submit. If anyone here sees anything from me, please understand that I do know the difference. :D

And on the profanity issue, a few earlier comments in this thread concerning putting the tooth paste back in the tube, and remembering back to military days do ring true... However, there has always been the sense that there are places where speech should be controlled, a sense of decorum maintained, a certain level of class to strive for when in public.

I have been in many environments in my life (working class household, Marines for 7 years etc) where vulgarities were relatively common by the standards of the day, but in every case, it was a limited environment, and everyone understood, almost intuitively, that the language is only "acceptable" within a limited framework... never for public ears.

Things do change, and I am pretty sure that some of what I consider appropriate my grandparents would have found vulgar. However, it does seem that what has been seen as appropriate for daily usage is degrading rapidly, especially online.

I am attending University, and I hear some language that makes my hair stand on end, but it is rare compared to what I see online. And bikeforums.net is a relatively safe place as far as this is concerned.

I find the language and general level of civility to be much better in this particular forum than in most others, and far better than in most real world situations. I'm not that sensitive to a little foul language here and there, but I do get put off by outright hostility. I'm glad to say that rarely happens here.

Like my 12th grade English teacher used to say, "Language is a living thing. It changes and evolves. Don't ever think you have it all the rules down, because they change all the time." I don't especially like the use of some words, but always try to find what the speaker means when using them.

It is mostly a matter of respect for your peers. (I am refering the the civility of this forum)

Dave, you must never watch TV this days. Which is good. Great, even.

I was in front of the computer yesterday and my wife was watching ice skating, I think. During a commercial, some young voice says, "Buy our product, it really kicks @ss".

You can hear anything on TV (and we're not talking about Showtime or HBO), except the N-word, the F-bomb, the C-slur, the D-phrase (with exceptions to that), the T-word, the K-word, the B&D, the S&M, the M&M's, pretty much all of it.

I'm with SaiKaiTai on this one. I work with a lot of colleg kids. If I got offended over every WTF, I'd be in a lather all the time. Besides, what's wrong with the World Taekwando Federaton?

I find the language and general level of civility to be much better in this particular forum than in most others, and far better than in most real world situations. I'm not that sensitive to a little foul language here and there, but I do get put off by outright hostility. I'm glad to say that rarely happens here.

Amen.

TV newscasters...don't get me started!

Why does it take two of them to introduce a story? And why, for heavens sake, when it sprinkles in San Diego do we need "team coverage" of this earth shattering event?

What the Fudge,
They still sprinkle pixie dust in San Diego?:D

I spent time as a car mechanic so there isn't much someone can say that I probably haven't said - or worse.

hey, whatz said under the car hood (or bonnet) STAYS under the car hood!
:)
Saturday I changed the rear plugs on my tranverse mounted V6, and iff'n that verdammt infurr-nal combustion monstero is gonna draw blood, I'm gonna cuss it up and down !!!!

err, I hate to admit, not so much online, but I have found myself using said gutter speak much more than I need to these days. A real shortcoming which embarrasses me when it happens.
I guess I've also been hit by the pandemic 'Cheeseball' virus which seems to have struck and infected a large part of the world in which English is spoken.
Makes me shake my head when its actually used and labeled 'entertainment'. But don;t let me get started...

What the Fudge,
They still sprinkle pixie dust in San Diego?:D

I just sprinkled some in DeeGee's bibs.

I just sprinkled some in DeeGee's bibs.

Given I have no bibs...

Given I have no bibs...

I never let facts get in my way. I work in public relations.

I work in a garage with plenty of mechanics and a few choice words occasionally. I deal with customers in the motor trade and they get called a few choice words often. It is a male environment and it is normal. However- You get home and things change. My daughters never use foul language in front of me, because they can remember my reaction every time they even remotely got vulgar. I never swear in front of a female either.

I suppose it is my upbringing that still makes me cringe at the use of unnecessary foul language. Even though I know that it is in common usage .

I know that when I was in the service that we regularly held social retraining classes before we would allow our buddies to go home on leave. If they said a naughty word we would beat the !@#$ out of them. (!@#$ is navy for...............well I guess we can't say that here either.)

Maybe it's because I've worked -and still do- with a lot of young folk. Or maybe I never grew up (very possible) or I just don't care but "language" does not bother me at all.

OTOH, "Should have went", "Should have did", and all this current grammatical butchery drives me nuts.
I hear newscasters on TV talk that way now... we are becoming a nation of idiots

I'm with you on this one; the slaughter of the language bothers me more than the cursing. WTH (what the hill) are they thinking?

Edit: As I think about it, though, I realize that years of online chat and forums have deteriorated my own typing. A search of my previous posts would probably reveal my own indiscretions. Brain damage to go with senility.......

I just sprinkled some in DeeGee's bibs.

Easy with that pixie dust fella.As you saw on tv, just a small amount is used to fix Fortune 500 corp.problems.
You say you sprinkled some in DG,s shorts?Have you considered the liability of a 50+ single guy riding around town with that potent product down there?

are the sprinkles diet or regular?

The old silver ones, with the mercury coating. ;)

One of the things I enjoy about the 50+ forum is that we have enough class not to result to being vulgar.

I gave up swearing after leaving my first job in a sweatshop lamp factory. You talk that way and everyone knows you have no class. It will limit you.

When I got into Hughes Aircraft and everyone talked with a "yes sir" and "yes mam" I realized that it was a much better way. To me, using swear words means that you are too lazy to think about how to express what you are trying to say. It also indicates a focus on the negative that is very limiting. As far as shock value, that ended in third grade.

I gave up swearing after leaving my first job in a sweatshop lamp factory. You talk that way and everyone knows you have no class. It will limit you.

[QUOTE]



Yes it will. I drove a truck for twenty years (long haul), and you should hear some of the language that goes on over the airways on a CB radio. If that wont make you cringe nothing will. In retrospect, a lot of those loose mouthed CB ers are a lot like some of the forum users. The disrespect, and verbal attacks, and just general smart mouthyness is rampant on both forms of communication, and I never could "cotton" to that. This forum doesn't seem to have that problem, mainly because us old farts (speaking for myself here, so dont swat me) have heard every "bad" word imaginable, and can no longer justify its use. That, and we're older, wiser, and more mature (on the surface). :D

Edit: As I think about it, though, I realize that years of online chat and forums have deteriorated my own typing. A search of my previous posts would probably reveal my own indiscretions. Brain damage to go with senility.......

Same here. I try to be correct, but have re-read many posts of my own days later and wondered what was the matter with me. :)

As far as naughty language goes, I've been in the construction trades 38 years and virtually grew up in a pool hall before that. I know how to cuss like a pirate and have been accused of not knowing how to speak without cursing. However, I try to refrain from it on the net and have never used the initials w,t, and f to try to make a point.

WTF--wasted the fifties.

Going to try to do better now that I'm 60.

Where's the smilie f/big grin????????

TV newscasters...don't get me started!

Why does it take two of them to introduce a story? And why, for heavens sake, when it sprinkles in San Diego do we need "team coverage" of this earth shattering event?


Well, in Philly about 10 years ago, we had a weather guy who actually named snowstorms (like they do hurricanes). Talk about fatuous pomposity. And, when it snows more than 3-4", there are at least two stations that will will pre-empt all network programming to bring you....(drum roll please).... scenes from multiple intersections and front yards. What a crock. They actually interrupt my chance to use a snow day to catch up on General Hospital and All My Children for this tripe. Oh well....:(