Humor Tips

   Tips for Stress free life  >  Expert Zone   > Humor

       Humor Tips by experts


Valet Parking: Theft with Consent


This column is long overdue. To put it in library terms, which I guess I already did (but I'd like to elaborate), this column is like checking out a book in 1998 but not returning it until yesterday. And by yesterday, I really mean tomorrow. This analogy will only grow as time continues because yesterday and tomorrow are both relative terms. I can't wait until the space creatures read this in the year 2577. Maybe they will e-mail me when they do, just so I feel like my previous sentence came with a purpose...

As far as my purpose, I'd like to address the issue of valet parking this week because, quite frankly, I think it's the worst system in the world. If I was still on that library kick, I'd add that Dewey Decimal - if that is his real name - would be laughing in his grave. Now I understand that this is a "fancy" way to park because someone is doing the parking for you, and anytime someone does something for you, it's automatically fancy. The same ideology is what makes room service more than just expensive food. I also know the argument that valet parking is a privilege, because instead of having to park your own car into a visibly tight spot, some random person will park your car into an area that you can't see because that's how special it is. Privileges aside, this worries me because if you took away the voluntary nature of the system, it would be considered grand theft auto...

That's right - valet parking is the one time when we are basically telling a stranger, "Go ahead, steal my car. I trust that it'll be here later." And sure, virtually 100% of the time it is. But what about that 0% of the time when your car just isn't there and that valet parker turns out to be a person who knows how to find the appropriate attire online? Furthermore, what is the guarantee that your stuff inside the car will still be there? This is a time period when the valet can do anything he wants with your car - change the radio station, eat your food, kill your friend still sitting in the passenger seat - so we need to think more carefully about why we continue to utilize this system...

Some would say that the system is faster, but oftentimes the self-parking area is right next to the valet. Others would add that valet allows someone else to hold your keys, and if that is supposed to be a good thing, then why don't we just hand in our wallets at the door as well? So, when it comes down to it, speed and convenience aren't prominent enough to be used as valid evidence (I am really tackling the legal terms in this column)...

To prove the risk of valet parking further, I must question why we don't hire random house sitters. You know, just stop a passerby and ask him to stay at your house for three days while you're gone, and in return you'll let him eat all the fish sticks from the freezer he wants - even though you don't have a freezer - and he can pet your dog twice. Or, since I'm on the animal kick, why don't people who walk their dogs in a park just switch dogs temporarily with someone else? This is essentially what valet parking is, except that parking isn't a two-way trade. If it were a two-way system, I guess that would have to be called "parallel" parking, but I'll have to save that for a different column (note to self: please don't)...

Unless required by law or the front-seat passenger, I will continue to park my own car. I am not implying that I want valets to lose their jobs. Rather, I am just noting that I don't want them to do anything. I guess that would make them government officials...

But I digress.

Greg Gagliardi is a teacher and writer. His stream-of-consciousness weekly humor column, "Progressive Revelations," has been ongoing since 1998. (http://www.ProgressiveRevelations.com)


MORE RESOURCES:

See the complete list of Articles on Humor here

Have a look at Best Selling Books on Humor

 

Google

See also : Other articles on

Depression, Grief-loss, Elder Care Relationships
Humor, Inspirational, Motivation,
Positive Attitude
,  Meditation, Spirituality

 

Latest info on : Humour

 

 


Ottawa Citizen

REVIEW: Irreverent humor lightens 'Hamlet 2'
The Desert Sun, CA - 14 hours ago
If you're familiar with "South Park's" irreverent wit and humor, you will enjoy "Hamlet 2." The heart of the movie belongs to UK comedian Steve Coogan. ...
Anything goes in 'Hamlet 2' Los Angeles Times
Steve Coogan: no holds bard The Phoenix
Steve Coogan on Hamlet 2 Windy City Times
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Time Out New York
all 121 news articles


Vancouver Sun

'Rocker' has heart, as well as its share of metal-headed humor
Boston Globe, United States - Aug 20, 2008
"The Rocker" is a grubby little redemption comedy that in every way feels like a consignment-shop Jack Black vehicle. It wears better on Rainn Wilson, ...
Rhythm of Rainn lends humor to `The Rocker' Daily Breeze
The Rocker and Hamlet 2: Stage Plight Washington City Paper
Interview: Rainn Wilson Cinematical
Seattle Times - Enterprise News
all 426 news articles


Humor: Hard times mean less monkey coverage
WSLS.com, VA - 6 hours ago
By SCOTT HOLLIFIELD The worst thing about the downturn in the newspaper industry, aside from massive layoffs, careers in ruins, frozen salaries and the grim ...


Gamasutra

Humor: 'Excerpts From Development Books That Never Were'
Gamasutra, CA - 9 hours ago
[Veteran, possibly pseudonymous game developer Matthew Wasteland writes the 'Arrested Development' humor column for Game Developer magazine, and we're now ...


Humor in 'Bottle Shock' leaves a bad aftertaste
Deseret News, UT - 2 hours ago
... it in a straightforward fashion, the filmmakers decided to go in a more lighthearted direction, with cliched, predictable plotting and dimwitted humor. ...


Weekly Volcano

The Family Filmgoer
Washington Post, United States - 6 hours ago
The eye-popping visuals put the moviegoer in the thick of things, but the charmless, jumbled story lacks humor and poignancy. Kids won't get the Cold War ...
"The Longshots" is corny but a crowd pleaser Seattle Times
'Longshots' sadly formulaic Deseret News
'The Longshots' an inspirational football movie based on true story Scripps News
all 47 news articles


Religion, politics and humor can be a tricky mix, but Ahmad Bahgat ...
Egypt Today, Egypt - 5 hours ago
Never lacking in humor, he explores major social corruption and the typical Egyptian mindset with the simplest of words. Voices from peace activists on both ...


Web sites offer games, biting humor
Battle Creek Enquirer, MI - 8 hours ago
It is this dichotomy of high- and low-brow humor that is present in its first video game offering, "Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of ...


Tommy Chong discusses 'Cheech and Chong' bio
Washington Post, United States - 3 hours ago
Is society more or less tolerant of drug-based humor? Tommy Chong: Society is way way way more tolerant. You have many shows on television now that depict ...


2 GOP CONTENDERS WHOSE SIMILARITIES ARE MOSTLY SKIN-DEEP
Volkskrant, Netherlands - 19 hours ago
Dole, as a candidate, reined in his humor and kept a protective wall around him, avoiding freewheeling sessions with voters or reporters, in deference to ...

Humor - Google News

 

Why not be an expert yourself  ?

 If you can write on any of the above topic, you are welcome to submit your
 articles in our database :

 Submit your article here   Our Article Area

You are here Home > Tips for Stress free Life > Expert Zone > Humour Tips


| Humour Tips Home | Humour Tips - Complete list 

| Main Home | | Meditation Corner

                |Health Tips  | Workplace Tips  | Soul Tips  |Expert Zone  |

Recommend us  |

 Books, DVDs and accessories on meditation & yoga  |

[About us] [Contact] [Privacy Policy]

Copyright 2006, Meditation is Easy.com, All rights reserved