Posted on: 06/6/09 7:52 AM | by Jonathan McKee
This is hilarious…
GOD TEXTS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
1. no1 b4 me. srsly.
2. dnt wrshp pix/idols
3. no omg’s
4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)
5. pos ok – ur m&d r cool
6. dnt kill ppl
7. :-X only w/ m8
8. dnt steal
9. dnt lie re: bf
10. dnt ogle ur bf’s m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.
M, pls rite on tabs & giv 2 ppl.
ttyl, JHWH.
ps. wwjd?
(ht to McSweeney’s via Fast Company, list by Jaimie Quatro)
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Posted on: 06/4/09 9:27 AM | by Jonathan McKee
Just when you thought Facebook couldn’t get any bigger…
Social Networking (MySpace, Facebook, etc.) continues to grow and expand, reaching new age groups and slowly replacing good ol’ email.
You know… those little quizes like “What are you doing right now?” Or “25 Random Things About Me.” According to a recent Nielsen Online study, the latter quiz took 13.9 billion minutes of our time this year, compared to only 1.7 billion last year. “That’s a 700 percent increase,” as this Yahoo Tech News article puts it.
Great article. I encourage you to read it. Other interesting tidbits from it:
Hmmmmmm.
Personally… I’m not sure that these trends are healthy. Even though technology can be a positive thing, I don’t like how much it’s replacing face to face conversation. Don’t hear me wrong. I think these technologies can be great, when used in moderation. But there’s a point where we need to just say, “enough.”
I touch on this subject quite a bit in my upcoming book, Connect. (I’ve posted about this social isolation trend before)
I’ve been resisting the pressure to twitter, Facebook, etc. for a while now, with some criticism. But for me, personally, I have enough technology in my life. Any more, and it’s gonna start hindering my face to face relationships (with my wife and kids especially). So I will continue to use some technology (I text my son and my daughter, I use email and a social network site to keep tabs on friends), but I’m resisting others.
Marko (Youth Specialties CEO) made a recent decision to cut off his blog, Twittering, etc. He talks about it in his last blog post. I respect that decision. It’s an individual decision- one we have to moderate ourselves.
Food for thought!
(ht to David)
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Posted on: 06/3/09 9:37 AM | by Jonathan McKee
Those of you who are EZINE subscribers saw the article yesterday-it’s all over the front page of our web site. It was time for my annual recap of the MTV MOVIE AWARDS, aired last Sunday night. I recap this vulgar show every year to give us a glimpse of the easy-access programming that teenagers are watching. And every year I ask church teenagers the following week, “Did you see the MTV MOVIE AWARDS?” Over 50% say yes.
And this year?
Wow! Just when I thought it couldn’t get much worse.
I think I was the most shocked when there was a commercial for “Balls Out Comedy” coming to MTV, and they showed a skateboarder skating with “something” hanging out of his pants. It’s hard to even describe this. This is MTV… so they can’t show nudity, right? But they literally showed the words “Balls Out Comedy” across the screen, and then a video of a guy with his “junk” hanging out of his pants- pixelated, so we couldn’t see the details.
And this was just a commerical that ran during the show. The show… sigh. Plenty of “junk” in that show as well.
Catch my entire recap here.
Posted in Entertainment Media, Movies, Sexuality, TV, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment
Posted on: 06/1/09 9:20 AM | by Jonathan McKee
It’s official. He’s on the streets!
I took Alec to his driving test Friday. He turned 16 a couple weeks ago and had been looking forward to this day for a while now. But as any good American knows… a trip to DMV is always a unique experience.
That morning Alec was a nervous wreck. I tried to console him, assuring him that I wasn’t worried and he’d do great. He’s been driving with us (with his permit) for the last 6 months and he’s shown really good improvement. He cautious, comfortable and aware. Aside from a few “slam on the brake moments” over the months… I was pretty confident that he’d do well.
When we arrived at the good ol’ DMV we checked in and he pulled his car up to the spot where the “tester” meets you in the car and takes you on the drive. I stood outside, chatting it up with a security guard.
There were several cars in front of my sons and two “testers” were on duty. One was a middle aged lady, the other was a blonde girl that couldn’t be more than 20 years old. At first glance, I couldn’t believe she was one of the “testers.” I thought she was some 16-year-old girl getting her license.
I went to the car to check in on my son. I asked him, “did you see the two ladies testing?” His eyes got really big and he replied, “Oh yeah. I hope I get the hot one!”
Nice.
I went back to the front of the DMV and stood with the guard and watched people getting back from driving tests- some happy… some not. I asked the guard if he saw a bunch of these people coming and going. He was telling me all kinds of stories- it was quickly evident that this guy had seen a lil bit of everything when it came to people passing and failing their tests. So I asked him, “What is the biggest reason people fail their tests?”
Without hesitation he listed three things. “Oh, that’s easy. The railroad tracks up the road actually have a sign telling you to stop, and people often fly right through those. Then there is a “yield” where it is written on the road- but no sign. People sometimes don’t even slow down for that either. Lastly, people pull into the bike lanes too soon for a right hand turn. People need to wait for the dotted lines.”
I thanked him for his insight and quickly passed it onto my son, still in the car waiting for his “tester” to arrive.
God must have answered his prayers… he got the “hot one.” 🙂
I don’t know if he was more nervous or me.
As he was out driving with Paris Hilton, I asked the guard, “So can you tell if the person passed or failed as soon as they pull up?”
“Usually.”
As my son pulled up in the car, I couldn’t read his face. I snapped a quick picture with my phone. He was soooooo nervous. I looked to the guard.
The guard said, “He passed.”
Sure enough… he had zero corrections. He aced it.
Props to the “hot one.”
🙂
So watch out. My son is now on the road… and my insurance is now through the roof. Aye aye aye.
Posted in Family, Humor, Personal | | Leave A Comment
Posted on: 05/29/09 1:54 PM | by Jonathan McKee
I don’t tell you to set your DVR’s (and VCR’s) very often. But this Sunday night is one of those times I think it’s worth it.
Three times a year a show comes on TV that gives you a glimpse of the role models (or lack thereof) that your kids are watching and emulating. One of those shows is this Sunday’s MTV Movie Awards. (the other two shows are the MTV VMAs, and the Teen Choice Awards)
David wrote this week’s Youth Culture Window to give us a glimpse of what to expect this year from this “typically- racy” show. Here’s a glimpse at David’s… er… glimpse:
The Golden Popcorn Crowd
A Glimpse of Our Kid’s Role Models from the 2009 MTV MOVIE AWARDS
If only we could choose our kids’ role models…
This Sunday night, we’ll get a pretty accurate glimpse of our teens’ role models. Andy Samberg. Lil Wayne. Eminem. Put the kids to bed…it’s time for the annual MTV Movie Awards.
The 2009 MTV Movie Awards
Broadcasting live from Los Angeles on May 31st at 9:00pm (EST), the MTV Movie Awards will bring in millions of young viewers from all across the country (and world). Teenagers will not only tune in to see the on-stage antics of A-List celebrities and the live performances of today’s biggest stars, but also to see who wins the Golden Popcorn…the “award” given to winners for categories such as “Best Kiss,” “Best Villain,” and “Best Movie,” to name a few.
With all the movie stars and music icons that will hit the stage this year, along with the fact that viewers actually get to select the winners, teenagers will have tons of reasons to watch this year. And that means you probably have a good reason to watch, as well.
Big Names…As Usual
MTV is bringing out the big guns this year. Andy Samberg, one of Gen Y’s favorite personas from Saturday Night Live, will be hosting the event. Samberg is the guy who brought us those wonderful toe-tappin’ tunes like “D–k in a Box” and “J–z in My Pants,” (which was one of the top music videos on iTunes when it was released), and the most recent digital short featuring Justin Timberlake which has the chorus, “We should f*** each other’s mother.”
But Samberg won’t be the only star on stage. He’ll be surrounded by other big names who’ll function as presenters throughout the evening. Lil Wayne (winner of Best Hip Hop video from 2008 VMA’s), Will Ferrell (Talladega Nights), Denzel Washington, Cameron Diaz, Ryan Reynolds, Vanessa Hudgens, Jonah Hill, Sandra Bullock, Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. The Rock), and Channing Tatum (Star Trek) are just a few of the celebs that will grab the mic to pass out the popcorn…
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Posted on: 05/28/09 12:13 PM | by Jonathan McKee
Today I had an experience that was rare… good ol’ fashioned customer service.
It started with a burnt out brake light. My son just turned 16 (aye aye aye!!!), and he takes his drivers’ license test tomorrow. (did I mention… aye aye aye!!!) The first thing the DMV guy is gonna do is check the car to make sure it’s in proper working condition, including all signals, brake lights, etc. Our right brake is out… so I needed to fix it before my son’s test tomorrow.
Lori (my sweet bride) has been kindly reminding me all week to fix that. Today (24 hours before the test) I decided to try to be a man, open the trunk and figure out how to replace this simple tail light.
Aye aye aye!!!
What happened to simple old tail lights that can be removed with a screwdriver? I needed a Phd to take this thing apart! So I opted to take it to a trusted mechanic around the corner from my house. The place is called “Scotty’s” and they have taken care of my cars for years. Lately they haven’t seen much of me because we have newer Nissans… and those cars just don’t break down! But I rolled in there and asked if they could replace the light for me.
20 minutes later they were done and they told me, “you’re all set!” and handed me my keys.
I asked, “How much do I owe you.”
“Nothing.”
“Come on,” I argued. “Let me at least pay for the bulb.”
“Just bring it back in when you need something done.”
I wish businesses would learn from this model. Of COURSE I’m going to bring my car back there. That’s actually why I brought it to them in the first place. They’re not only honest and reliable… they know how to “hook a brotha up” every once in a while.
When we started offering my books for sale on our web page, a friend with a keen business mind gave me a piece of advice. He said, “if you every have someone complain that their book didn’t arrive or was damaged… don’t argue. Don’t worry about specifics. Just ship a new one immediately no questions ask.” He said, “You’ll make a lifetime customer.”
I’ve followed his advice. It happens only a couple times a year- so it costs us very little. If someone orders a book and, a few weeks later, emails me with a problem, we immediately send them a new package Priority Mail. I always just tell them, “If the other book ever shows up, just give it to someone who needs it. Sorry for the trouble.” This always makes them happy… and hopefully I’ve made a friend.
Customer Service 101.
🙂
It was nice to be on the receiving end of it today.
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Posted on: 05/26/09 10:40 AM | by Jonathan McKee
How many of us really can spell without Microsoft WORD’s little red squiggly lines warning us to try again?
According to this Telegraph article from across the pond… not many of us!
For some of us, spelling and grammar might not seem like a big deal. But according to the above article, 94 percent of job hunters risked missing out on job opportunities through poor spelling, grammar or presentation on their resumes.
Just in case some of you are looking for a job (you may have caught our recent article about finding a job in youth ministry), you might want to pay attention. It’s amazing just how commonplace misspellings and other mistakes are in today’s resumes or “CVs.” (for those who aren’t familiar with the term CV, it’s basically a marketing tool that tells your life history, job history, achievements and skills- a resume!)
Here’s a few of my favorite CV blunders from the Telegraph article:
– My interests include cooking dogs and interesting people.
– As security guard my job is to pervert unauthorised people from coming onto the site
– I am a pubic relations officer
– I have excellent editing and poof-reading skills
– I am a prooficient typist
– I was responsible for fraudulent claims
– While working in this role, I had intercourse with a variety of people
Classic!
(ht to my mom at California State University Sacramento for passing this article on to me)
Posted in Humor | | Leave A Comment
Posted on: 05/21/09 8:25 AM | by Jonathan McKee
I always find it interesting to see where kids hang out, “virtually” as well as physically. I also find it interesting to see where companies and institutions perceive kids to be- as well as the methods they use to connect with or attract students.
My mom is a prof at California State University in Sacramento. She shot me over an email that she received in her department about recruiting students:
“Facebook & Twitter Recruitment Tools to Engage Prospective Students”
Facebook, Twitter & blogs are the latest, inexpensive necessities to recruit students to your campus. Discover how to best use these ‘tools’ to connect with potential students and guide them through the college application process.
Please join us for a 60-minute webinar to hear our subject expert reveal secrets
including:** How to use Facebook, Twitter & blogs to recruit potential students
** 5 vital Facebook communication tools to boost your school image
** Ways to remind students of vital acceptance dates: Free apps you need
** Critical tips to monitor buzz about your institution online
Not that the day of the “college fair” is gone, but Universities are obviously realizing that some of their recruiting efforts need to be virtual.
Hmmmmm.
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Posted on: 05/19/09 10:36 AM | by Jonathan McKee
Yesterday I took one of my daughters on a date… we saw the new Star Trek.
Wow! What a great film.
At first, I was a little hesitant to bring any of my kids to it because of the preview. The preview shows a girl undressing, some pretty passionate kissing… it hinted that the film had some pretty sensual moments. I asked others who had seen the film and the consensus was, “What you saw in the preview is about all there was in the entire film.”
They were right. In one scene Kirk is making out with a girl (who happens to be all green) who is wearing a bikini type outfit, apparently her alien underwear. While making out, her room-mate comes home. Kirk hides under the bed and the room-mate starts to strip down to underwear (the exact scene you see in the preview). That was the end of it.
I’ll be honest. I’ve seen much worse on TV.
I watched the film with my 11-year-old and had no regrets. We looked at each other during the underwear scene and sighed (we have had the talk before about how Hollywood somehow finds the need to want to include that stuff to sell tickets. No words were necessary. My daughter knew). The film was really fun overall.
I’m not a Trekkie by any means. I watched the TV show when I was a kid (my favorite episode was the one where Kirk got stranded on the planet with the lizard creature. See! A Trekkie would probably know that creature’s name!), and I watched all the films when they came out. The first film stunk (soooooo boring), Wrath of Khan was cool, then they all sort of blended together (although I kind of remember liking the one with the whales- which one was that? Four?). I never tried the new series, although my brother was a big fan of the Next Generation. I heard it was really good- maybe I’ll have to check it out.
This movie made me curious to go back and see some of the original TV show. It was so fun to see the young versions of each character: Bones, Sulu, Chekov, Scotty, etc.
And let me just say, JJ Abrams (the director) is just brilliant. The film started with such realistic action and strong performances. Watching this now, it would be truly difficult even for Star Wars fans to go back and watch Mark Hamill say lines like, “But I was going to the Tashi station to pick up some power converters!”
Plus.. the cast was amazing: Zachary Quinto (Cyler from Heroes), Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana (under a bunch of makeup), Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz and Shawn of the Dead), Tyler Perry… and more. Wow.
Star Trek rocked.
Todd’s official revue of the film here.
Posted in Movies | | Leave A Comment
Posted on: 05/15/09 6:52 AM | by Jonathan McKee
Last week Katy Perry made a guest appearance on American Idol, elevating yet another one of her songs to the top of the charts, Waking Up in Vegas. Not a bad marketing move for Perry. Most people that appear on Idol are on the charts days to follow. No exception here, as of today the song is #5 most downloaded song on iTunes and the #10 most downloaded video. (Monday morning update- now #2 downloaded song on iTunes)
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that Idol‘s content this year has been a little less “family friendly.” Not the contestants… but the guest stars. Just a few weeks ago Jamie Foxx sang the song, Blame It (you decide what you think of the lyrics). This week, Katy did her thing. Sure… these songs meet the standards of what is “acceptable” for T.V… but parents should probably make the decision of what is really acceptable for their kids’ ears.
Katy’s song started with these lyrics…
You gotta help me out
It’s all a blur last night
We need a taxi ’cause you’re
Hung over and I’m brokeI lost my fake ID
But you lost the motel key
Spare me your freaking
Dirty looks now don’t blame meYou wanna cash out
And get the hell outta town
Don’t be a baby
Remember what you told meShut up and put your money where your mouth is
That’s what you get for waking up in Vegas…
Nice. Huh?
Katy’s background is interesting, a flop as a Christian singer who adjusted her content to go mainstream. I blogged about her before when her I Kissed a Girl song first came out (and received heated responses from internet readers), she’s definitely one to keep your eyes on. Her journey as a young artist is reminding me of Madonna’s legacy– creative, controversial, and sexual… just what young people want to hear.
It would be nice to think that our kids are not hearing this music outside of our houses… but, think again. My son came home from school yesterday and announced, “Guess what song they (the school) were playing at lunch today. If You Seek Amy.” (If you’re not familiar with that song… you’ll want to read this article) The song wasn’t edited. The school plays songs as long as they aren’t “explicit.” (and that song only ‘spells’ the F word… it doesn’t say it. Nice!) This isn’t my first experience with this kind of music slipping under the radar at my kids’ schools.
So how should we respond?
Unfortunately, a letter to your congressman will probably do very little. But David offers parents and youth workers some advice at the bottom of our past Youth Culture Window article on the subject– check it out for more about the lyrics our kids hear, how the lyrics affect them, and how we should respond.
Posted in Jonathan's Rant, Music, Sexuality, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment
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