Is it a sex blog? A mommy blog? A bitch & moan blog? Um, . . . yeah. This is my place to be totally honest. In my real life, I feel like I'm always lying to somebody about something. Here, I am totally honest. Brutally so. However, no matter what bad things I say about my kids, I adore them and would never ever really, say, sell them on Ebay. The husband, often referred to as Spousehole, is another story. Oh yeah - if you are under 18 (or if you are my husband), please leave now.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

WTF Wednesday

WTF . . .

. . . ever happened to getting keys copied for cheap? Spousehole's keys disappeared (Boy had them last). He replaced the keys for work and church and the house. We copied the keys for the older mommyvan with no problem. But then we wanted to copy the key for my current mommyvan (still old - 2002 - but not as ancient as the last one). "No can do" was the response from "the helpful hardware man." He sent me to my local Ford dealer. They want $75 to copy the damn key for the mommyvan. That's not including a key fob for unlocking the doors, just the key itself! Apparently almost all cars made this century have a computer chip in the key. When you put the key in the ignition, the car's computer must recognize the chip in the key or the car won't start, even if the key is physically correct. Makes is harder for some schmuck valet or auto repair person to copy your key and steal your car. But makes it f*cking expensive to replace your key if your Spousehole and son conspire to lose the damn key! I actually have another Ford fob and can get that programmed to unlock my van doors for less than half the cost of getting a freakin' key made. I also learned that those computer chips in the key can DIE and leave you stranded! My dad's golf buddy drives a Caddy with the "smart" key. He got in his car after a round of golf and the ignition wouldn't budge. It turned out the teeny-tiny little power source in the key died. Fortunately they were golfing in town and the friend's wife drove over with the spare key, which had not yet died. He also discovered the high cost of key replacement (about the same as Ford's ridiculous fee) in the age of "smart" keys. He vowed not to buy another Cadillac, but it is my understanding that these "smart" keys are the norm now, so we are all screwed. If you are like me and plan to drive a car into the ground, you can figure on replacing your keys at that ridiculous rate sooner or later when the key dies. What a scam. To me this makes sense for higher end vehicles that people might actually go to the trouble of copying a key to steal. If there's a ton of people out there stealing 2002 Ford Windstars, I haven't heard about it.

. . . is Dear Abby's problem? (Edited to add: Jeanne Phillips writes Dear Abby. She is the 50-60-ish daughter of the original Dear Abby, Pauline Phillips, who is in her 80s and suffers from Alzheimer's Disease.)

Recent letter and her (Jeanne Phillips') response:

DEAR ABBY: There seems to be an awful lot of women exposing themselves on the Internet in graphic sexual fashion. My wife says that men degrade themselves by looking at them.My question to you is, what is more degrading? Looking at them, or women exposing themselves? -- WONDERING IN PUYALLUP, WASH.

DEAR WONDERING: For a woman to post graphic sexual images for people she doesn't know to view strikes me as more degrading because it indicates that she thinks she has little else to offer.

However, for a married man to view those images could also be considered degrading -- and threatening -- to his wife. Many women have written to me because their husbands spend more time looking at porn on the Internet than having a sex life in their own bedroom. In other words, the practice became an addiction.

So, women who post images of themselves are degrading themselves. Women who are married to men who look at the pictures are degraded. But men, whether they look at the pictures or post their own, are not degrading themselves?

First of all, I take offense at Ms. Philips' (Dear Abby) assumption that all women who post pictures of their bodies on the internet are degrading themselves. Many are celebrating themselves and the sexuality - how is that degrading? Sure, there are people who are desperate for attention and think that their body is all they have to offer. But that doesn't necessarily apply to all or even most women who post pictures on the internet.

If a man's viewing of these pictures becomes a substitute for a healthy sex life with his partner, that is disrespectful to his partner, but likely there are other problems in the relationship. A man isn't forced to look at these images just because they exist. He still makes the choice. He chooses to not have a normal sex life with his partner. But it isn't the fault of the women who post pictures!

Am I overreacting?

. . . is with naming a children's magazine "Playmate"? I know there is a perfectly reasonable use of the term "playmate" in conjunction with children. I use it all the time to refer to my children's playmates. But a magazine of that name just makes me think of Playboy Playmates and nekkid pictures. I laughed upon learning my son would be receiving this magazine and explained to Spousehole why I found the name amusing. He accused me of always thinking about sex (duh!) and being a filthy pervert. I resented that, of course, because I am a clean and well-groomed pervert, thankyouverymuch. I may be a pervert with a dirty mind, but at least I have a sense of humor.


16 comments:

The Creeper said...

I'm sorry, but what moron named that magazine? Seriously. *laughing*

I'm with you, Dear Abby needs an ass kicking.

And car keys are ridiculous. My bro purchased a newer car a couple years ago and he had to pay extra for a second key. I thought that was ridiculous because it only came with one key. Oy.

Stephen R. said...

You are so not overreacting about the Dear Abby response. Why is that degrading to women? When I show pictures my myself naked to people on the internet, is that degrading to men? Geez...

And are you SERIOUS that someone named this kid's magazine PLAYMATE?!?!? COME ON!!!!

dareuu said...

speaking as one clean and well groomed pervert to another ... "playmate"?!?! who the hell is stupid enough to name a magazine for kids playmate? next thing you know there will be a sports magazine for kids named "hustle".

and the key thing ... my wife and i both drive saturns and they are less than 2 years old. neither of our keys have chips in them. in fact, the spare keys they gave us are all metal. but you can bet i'll be looking for this if i get another car anytime soon.

and dear abbey is an old fart. always has been, always will be. even my mom thinks she is a bit much and they are from the same generation.

Desmond Jones said...

Re Dear Abby - is her response really all that surprising? I do find it a little odd (and, honestly, I'll leave it at that - a little odd; that's all) how willing some folks are to flash themselves nekkid for the benefit of whoever-in-the-world. But, yeah - I don't have to look. And I do agree that, if it's degrading to the women, it's degrading to the men, too. . .

And, who's kidding whom about the name of the kids' mag? Do they really suppose that it wouldn't occur to anybody to make the association with skin mags?

Oh, and don't get me started about the 'smart keys'. Even my cheap-o Chevy Aveo has one (but the Chevy dealer only told me it'd be $40 to replace mine) I told the guy for $40, I'd be just as happy to risk getting the car stolen - I mean, it's a Chevy Aveo, fer cryin' out loud! I might not get $40 back from the insurance. . .

Anonymous said...

All I can say to Dear Abby is if proudly displaying our bodies at it's best is degrading, then for centuries the creation of art and the efforts we take of adorning ourselves is nothing more then self-deprecation.

Rae said...

I fully agree with you that it's a stupid answer to the question. Nothing is that black and white, and the guys are definitely degrading themselves as much as the women if you want to look at it as degrading.

You know someone named that magazine because they thought it would be funny for the parents.

I don't think I've ever heard of the computer chip breaking down--that happens about one in a million (my dad runs a Ford dealership), so that isn't terribly likely. And whenever you get your keys with fobs when you buy a car ask them to get you three instead of two...they should be able to get you a third sole-key (no fob) for cheap when they buy your car (usually cheaper than bringing it in when you need a new key for losing it because they need both keys usually to program the third key--hence the exorbitant amount for just a second key). Just a good advice piece that I hear my dad spout at least once a month.

George said...

There are advantages to being dumb aren't there?

How old is the current Abby?

Aren't the Playboy girls called Playmates?

Good post

Anonymous said...

I feel so degraded... C;)

No wait, to measure myself by someone else's opinion is degrading myself - doing what I do is being myself. So C;Pffft!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'll add some fuel to the Key fire by pointing out, that not only are they a issue, they can actually be a problem for some people.

You see, that Key (or those like it) have a small RFID signal that is required to start the car (as you know). Because of that, insurance companies consider these cars "unstealable" (is that a word). Trouble is, that anbody with a couple of hundred dollars worth of equiment could actually steal the signal, if they get close enough.

Don't think anybody can get close enough? How about that guy sitting at the table with his laptop at Starbuck (or Dunkin Donuts, or whereever) while you run in, keys in hand (nothing to block the signal), to go get your coffee. Now they have the "code" and can replicate and steal your unstealable (there's that word again) car.

As for Dear Abbby, has any of her answers ever really made any sense? It is simply a bunch of puritanical BS that plays well enough to older and "religious" type people.

The whole, he is "addicted" to porn shows how little insight (or thought) this "advice giver" has. If a man is passing up sex with a warm blooded person in order to surf porn, there is a problem in that relationship that goes way beyond his viewing of porn.

Walker said...

What if the husband was looking at naked pictures of his wife online?

There is a price for security and we are the ones that get stuck with the bill like always.
Sometimes I wonder if it isn;t the same people who teach burglers how to get past new systems.

Thank you for stopping by

Vixen said...

I'm thinking Dear Abby, nor her reader, would appreciate HNT very much ;)

Ignorant. Close minded. And opinionated. That's what I have to say about THAT!

Oh and about the keys. NO SHIT! The same thing happened to me several years ago when I went to get a replacement key for my Hummer. *choke*

Kittie Kate said...

Dear Abby is stupid! She's always been a huge prude and is very anti-sex. I bet she doesn't enjoy sex and hates anyone who does.

Anonymous said...

The key to my 2000 Toyota went into the toilet and down the drain at work. Cost to replace the key and fob? $250. Not funny.

I'm sure *some* women degrade themselves by posting nude pix on the internet. I don't post any myself, and I don't care what other people do or think. Just chalk it up to Dear Abby being uptight.

I'm LMAO about the magazine title. Morons...

ATLLG said...

smart keys are a bit of a pain but do work.....ANY pre-cut smart key can be programmed for your van THEN you can use the standard emergency get-into-mommyvan-key from the hardware store will work.
The key slot is looking for the right key, the electronics is looking for the smart part. It's a jumble but will work. I bought blanks off eBay in advance of this problem for one forth the dealer price. OK I'll stop if you need more just email me.

sandy shoes said...

You're not overreacting. The double standard is maddening... women being sexual are degraded, men being sexual are congratulated.

The Bizza said...

What?!? There's still a "Dear Abby" column?!? On purpose?? And people actually CARE about the opinion of an irrelevant old coot whose sensuality was clubbed to death like a baby seal several decades ago?

I'm sorry, but I would have probably been more shocked had this article come from someone who actually gives their vagina a friendly greeting from time to time.

Considering the source, I just can't get concerned about her uninformed opinion, either way.

Oh, and nekkid chicks rule!