07 March 2007
The cost of a key
We have a minivan and a Saturn sedan. My wife drives the Saturn to work - it gets great gas milage, and we've got Blizzak all weather tires on it for the snow. It's a great little car.
When we take our son places, we use the minivan. I usually drive. But on Tuesdays, the wife has her day off and takes the little one to the library and sometimes on other errands and trips, driving the van, of course.
We only received one set of keys with the van. This wasn't a problem until a couple of months ago, when she left the keys in her coat pocket, and the next day, she left for work. I was packing our son up, getting ready to take him to day care, and couldn't find the keys. A phone call later confirmed my fear - the keys were still in her pocket, and there was no way she could get back home before the afternoon.
The next day, I took the keys to a hardware store to get a copy. The reference book they had said it was a transponder key (a small microchip in the key has to be present for the ignition to start), but it didn't look like one to me or the key guy. The chips were clearly visible on other transponder keys I had seen before. So I got a copy made. It fit in the door and operated the locks, but it wouldn't start the ignition.
So I called the dealership. A year ago, I ordered a new remote for the locks as my other one was falling apart. That was nearly $50. The transponder key? $85. I told my wife we'd just have to remember to make sure she left the keys.
Well, we forgot again today. So it looks like I'm forking out the money for a key.
When we take our son places, we use the minivan. I usually drive. But on Tuesdays, the wife has her day off and takes the little one to the library and sometimes on other errands and trips, driving the van, of course.
We only received one set of keys with the van. This wasn't a problem until a couple of months ago, when she left the keys in her coat pocket, and the next day, she left for work. I was packing our son up, getting ready to take him to day care, and couldn't find the keys. A phone call later confirmed my fear - the keys were still in her pocket, and there was no way she could get back home before the afternoon.
The next day, I took the keys to a hardware store to get a copy. The reference book they had said it was a transponder key (a small microchip in the key has to be present for the ignition to start), but it didn't look like one to me or the key guy. The chips were clearly visible on other transponder keys I had seen before. So I got a copy made. It fit in the door and operated the locks, but it wouldn't start the ignition.
So I called the dealership. A year ago, I ordered a new remote for the locks as my other one was falling apart. That was nearly $50. The transponder key? $85. I told my wife we'd just have to remember to make sure she left the keys.
Well, we forgot again today. So it looks like I'm forking out the money for a key.
Labels: flexible scheduling, lame, money
Ugh! Not again!
Remember Bob? The talking baby first from some internet company (Wikipedia says it was "Freeinternet")? And then, because TV execs are so desperate to catch onto any fad, his own TV show? (If you don't remember, then be happy you don't have the same penchant for remembering all this useless crap like I do.)
Well, that worked so well that now there's going to be a caveman sitcom based on the Geico commercials.
Does anyone really want to watch this theme played out over 30 minutes... repeatedly... every week? I hope not.
Some have said we're in a new golden age of TV. Shows like 24, Lost, and Heroes are telling compelling stories with excellent acting. Channels like HBO are putting out more critically acclaimed programming like the Soprano's and Curb Your Enthusiasm. But then again, shows like Dancing with the Stars and Deal or No Deal are popular, too. So maybe you do want to watch cavemen deal with discrimination in a modern world.
Just can't imagine this show living beyond a few episodes, or, at the longest, an entire first season. I almost feel sorry for the people who will be venturing their livelihood on this.
But Baby Bob made out, OK I guess, since he starred in Quizno's commercials in 2005 and 2006 (and maybe still?). I suppose the cavemen will still have Geico to fall back on. And imagine their return to commercials - a Super Bowl spot where the caveman laments how he couldn't make it in Hollywood due to discrimination! That'll sure sell some car insurance!
Well, that worked so well that now there's going to be a caveman sitcom based on the Geico commercials.
Does anyone really want to watch this theme played out over 30 minutes... repeatedly... every week? I hope not.
Some have said we're in a new golden age of TV. Shows like 24, Lost, and Heroes are telling compelling stories with excellent acting. Channels like HBO are putting out more critically acclaimed programming like the Soprano's and Curb Your Enthusiasm. But then again, shows like Dancing with the Stars and Deal or No Deal are popular, too. So maybe you do want to watch cavemen deal with discrimination in a modern world.
Just can't imagine this show living beyond a few episodes, or, at the longest, an entire first season. I almost feel sorry for the people who will be venturing their livelihood on this.
But Baby Bob made out, OK I guess, since he starred in Quizno's commercials in 2005 and 2006 (and maybe still?). I suppose the cavemen will still have Geico to fall back on. And imagine their return to commercials - a Super Bowl spot where the caveman laments how he couldn't make it in Hollywood due to discrimination! That'll sure sell some car insurance!
Labels: commercials, lame, sitcoms, talking babies, tv
