*TO SHINE, OR NOT TO SHINE

This is what I Gotta Know....
Why must we all sit on chrome to make us feel good about ourselves? As much as it is a very bad investment, why is our car one of our most prized possessions? It is one of our biggest status symbols. Either we’re sitting up high on monster truck tires, or were sittin’ low on big rims and low-profile tires, leaning so far back you’d think we were driving from the back seat.

Maybe it’s because I’m broke, but I’ve taken time to reevaluate my financial situation, and I truly believe that breaking my neck to buy/rent-to-own the latest and greatest automobile is a BIG mistake. Maybe it’s just a mistake for me, but I think that I’d rather take that $6,000 I’ve scrapped so hard to save, and buy a quality used car outright (from an old lady that only used it for grocery store runs) (you can find them out there, you just have to take the time to research) instead of make high payments for 6-years on top of the down payment.

You go to the dealership, pick out the car and color of your dreams, negotiate a bad deal (you always loose) and sign you life away. To make things worse, your interest rate is super high, and they allow you 45-days before your first payment is due. Is that time given to you to prepare for the years of hurting that you’re about to endure? I have lots of friends that have the newest whips on the road, and they’re happy, but think about it...when that car is new, you’re sitting on top of the world, and it doesn’t matter if the payments are $1,000. You got what you want…period! But wait until that one-year mark rolls around when rent, food, electric, cell phone, gas, insurance and that payment start to creep up on you. $600 a month in nothing when you’re focused on getting what you want, and no one can tell you anything different, but after a while, the month’s start getting shorter, and that $600+ starts to hurt!

I’ll be damned if I’m going to work my butt off to TRY to save enough money to give to someone as a down payment, so they’ll let me give them more money for another 5-6 years! How does that work!? I’m cool on paying you, to allow me to pay you some more. Are they really car dealers, or loan sharks? A car depreciates as soon as you drive it off the lot! There’s no refinancing like houses. You can do it…probably, but you’re not getting any money out of it, and God forbid you try to trade it in. You’re gonna get served! Yes, I see the Blue Book value for your car is $8,000, but we’re willing to offer you $4,500……or even worse, they’ll tell you that you’ll get the full $8K for your car, but when you look at your contract, and break out into tears, you’ll see that they’ve tacked it onto the back of your payments. So, instead of paying $30K for that dream car, you’ll be paying $38K+financing…just like a sucker. Not the kid! I’m living and learning everyday, and I hope this can inspire you to do the same.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing better than having a ‘new car’ to call your own. No problems…it doesn’t smell like smoke(for those of us who don’t smoke)…and you can take care of it the way you’ve always wanted to. Don’t forget, you’ve GOT TO put some rims on it! Rims bring a car to life. They add that special quality that not many cars possess…the personal touch. Those rims mean this car is yours! Your choice, your design, your car…until it gets stolen, or your rims start to fade…and if you get a scratch on them….forget about it. That’s a real bad investment. You’re just throwing your money away. To all my personal friends reading this, I know what you’re thinking. I’m a hypocrite. I’ve ALWAYS had rims on my cars…until now. I’d rather take my money and invest it (www.msnmoney.com) (note: I’ve found that you can start an investment portfolio at www.sharebuilder.com for as little as $4). I’m tired of being broke.
How many times have we been in bad financial situations where we’ve said something like “I wish I didn’t spend that money on those rims” or anything unnecessary for that matter? We (black people) as a whole have to start putting our money to better use, instead of wasting it on material things that don’t really matter to the person you’re trying to impress in the first place. Mostly, they draw a lot of negative attention to you. You either get jacked or beat up for them, or your car gets stolen, and more importantly, the woman who you really want to/need to be involved with(pay attention men)doesn’t really care about rims anyway.

Trust me family, I know how much we like to shine, but is living check-to-check to save up for rims really worth it? Is being broke, but riding in the tightest car really worth it? Why not take that hard earned money, and turn it into something else…like more money? Let it work for you (www.msnmoney.com), instead of breaking your back, working hard to save that money, just to give it away to shine for someone who really doesn’t care whether you shine or not.


Am I wrong here? Am I the only one who’s broke here? Am I the only one thinking of saving my money for my future? Please let me know, and as always….

*WHO HAS AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN?*
(This article was inspired by J.Curtis. www.fastlifeonline.com)

*I GOT GAS

This is what I Gotta Know....
What the %#@& is up with these gas prices! It seems like EVERY $&#%in’ day, this ish is going up! What the #&%*!
Our beloved President…”W” is killin’ me! One week, it’s $3.07 (thank God for that), and the next DAY, it’s like $3.25! What is going on? I can’t stand it. You know it’s bad when you’re happy to see that gas is back to $3.07, and don’t let the gas get down to $2.99. The line will be wrapped around the block.

We’ve got our brothers (my brother is really over there) and sisters out there fighting and losing their lives in a fight that has gone well beyond what Osama did to us. Now, it seems that this battle is for gas more than retaliating for what took place in New York. This madness has to stop. It’s almost becoming too expensive for us to go to work…if you can follow me. More than half the nation (or at least the people I know) is living from check to check, and that’s hard enough by itself. Then, along with the normal cost-of-living increases, we have to rearrange our budgets to compensate for these gas hikes. Everything is going up except our paychecks. It hurts(financially) to drive to work (for us who have long commutes), but we can’t afford not to go either. This is the worst catch-22 I’ve ever experienced.

I’m so sick of the lame excuses of our crude oil prices rising I don’t know what to do. What ever happened to all of the oil that we recycle from our cars and other machinery? Why can’t we use that to produce more gas? I guess it takes oil to recycle oil. With that being the case, we’re back at square one.

I truly believe that we’re being served at the pump, and I’ll tell you why. In my neighborhood, the gas prices rise and fall like the sun, but what I don’t understand is how can one gas station on the eastern corner charge $3.07 for regular unleaded, while the adjacent gas station charges $3.17 for the same ish? I’m not making this up people, this is real (I would take pics, but I don’t want to get in trouble). Is it because they have a mini-mart on site? Why should we have to pay for their amenities? I don’t want anything you’re selling but gas…and I’m already mad enough about that! The craziest part of all of this madness is that I actually see people across the street paying .10cents more for the same gas! What’s up with that? You’ve got so much loot that you can throw that extra dime-per-gallon away. Man, slide that over to me, cause I need it. We are being gouged at the pump people. There’s no way in hell you can explain to me how one gas station charges $x, while the competing gas station, on the same corner charges $x+. They’re setting the prices as the see fit, and they are reaping the benefits. Don’t believe the hype when they say they’re broke, and not profiting. They are getting over.

Here’s the worst part of it all! This is the REAL reality. Gas is NEVER going back down. Back when I was in college, gas was .89cents a gallon! We used to complain when it would go up to .92cents. MAN, how I wish for those days to come back. As a matter of fact, give me $1.50 and I’ll shut up, but at$3.07+ a gallon…..kiss my #$%!
This is how I know gas is going to stay the same, or get worse. Our government is finding ways for us to cope with these gas prices by giving us hybrid vehicles, and finding other petroleum solutions such as E-85 Ethanol.

That’s proof that gas will never have a significant price drop. With these new vehicles and solutions, why would/should they. They’re getting paid by the oil companies, gas companies and car manufacturers. They claim that our natural resources are scarce, so they charge us accordingly. Basic laws of supply and demand, and with all this money being made off our NEED for this super high gas, they’re not going to lower gas prices ever, even if they supply us with vehicles that give great mpg’s. Just think of how much money the industries would lose if they lowered gas prices back to normal, with all of these hybrids floating around. We wouldn’t have to fill up for weeks at a time, and you know they can’t have that. Why change the game if you don’t have to? They’re gonna keep sticking us, and there’s nothing we can do. Can we write letters…no. Been there, done that. Can we strike…no. If we picked a day to boycott the gas stations, all we’d do is fill-up on the day before the boycott, and the gas stations would make their money anyway.

I saw a special on our economy on PBS two years ago. It was about Hybrid vehicle manufacturers, and I believe the special was about Chevy Hybrids (don’t quote me on this). It was said that their Hybrids were so efficient with gas that our beloved government stepped in and enforced an all vehicle recall, because they were capable of an estimated 65+mpg. Our gas economy would have suffered such a surplus profit loss, that they wouldn’t allow it. Now tell me you don’t think we’re being gouged and lied to about our crude oil and natural gas shortage.

We are getting served people, and there’s nothing we can do. Am I wrong here? Please let me know.

***WHO HAS AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN?***

*GET MY DRINK ON!

This is what I Gotta Know....
Why is it that some people who drink get embarrassed about their decisions to drink and smoke? You feel cool when you're around others who do it, but when you're asked if you drink or smoke by people who don't drink or smoke, you feel compelled to say "just a little", or "occasionally". You're quick to say someone is a square if they don't party like you, but won't stand behind your own decisions to do what you do. Why is that?

I've come across women, and been around men who have lied to people who they're attracted to (if that person doesn't drink or smoke) for a chance to get close. Now, I know people lie all the time when they're meeting someone, but something like drinking and/or smoking is more than just a little white lie. How long are you willing to keep up the facade? What do you think is going to happen when you and your "other" go clubbing, or to a social event where everyone is drinking or smoking? You're gonna go CRAZY!! Eventually, you're going to get tired of not having any fun, because you're not used to partying without alcohol, and you're gonna drink your new relationship into ruin.

Why go through the trouble of lying about who you are, and what you do? Are you ashamed of who you really are? Are you not proud of your real self? Is that why you attempt to create a person that the one you're interested in would like? Why do we, on one side of the coin, make fun of those (our "square" friends) who don't drink, while, on the other side of the coin try to cover up our real drinking habits when we're around someone we respect? Why do we have so much trouble with who we are? Why must we choose to drink in order to have a good time? It's amazing to me how drinking is so good, yet so taboo.

What ever happened to that brilliant imagination we had as children? Is the REAL you so bad that you have to have some sauce before you can speak? Have you no charm?

Have you ever seen someone, who normally drinks, in a social setting where they could not drink? They look like their going to explode! They're so bored. They have no personality, and all they can talk about is the last time they were wasted, or how much they'd love a drink right now. It's sad to me, but I guess I can't really relate, because I don't drink. Nothing good comes from it, unless you consider hooking up with a tipsy female good...but that just proves to me that you have no game! I don't need a personality booster, or an uninhibitor, and I don't need any liquid courage to let loose the "me" inside.

I don't know people...am I missing something by not driniking? I know that alcohol is an acquired taste, but that ish is NASTY as hell, and I don't care what anybody says, those fruit drinks DON'T taste fruity at all!

A long time ago, a cousin of mine (who doesn't drink either) said something that really hit home. He said "why should I teach myself to like something that's bad for me?". If I EVER wanted to try to drink, hearing that resolidified my original decision not to. Alcohol destroys your liver, it slows your thought process and motor skills causing those intoxicated individuals who are dumb enough to drive to put many lives at risk! My cousin just had an accident where he was rear-ended by a drunk driver. Although he tried to move out of the way of the swerving driver's way (he could see him in his rear-view mirror), he was still hit. There was nothing the glassy-eyed driver could say but "sorry man.....I lost control". Where's the good in that?

Am I wrong in my assumptions here, or do I have a valid argument? Let me know people please.....

***WHO HAS AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN***

*GLORIFYING THE GHETTO

This is what I Gotta Know....
What is it that’s so fascinating about the ghetto? Why do we take what’s bad about the ghetto, and try to make it good by giving it affectionate names like “Ghetto Fabulous”, and “Hood-Rich” instead of taking the necessary steps to make things really better?

Our ghetto-glorifying in the film industry has done nothing but given us type-cast roles such as Pimps, Drug Dealers, and Dry Cleaners while leaving Basketball and Rapping as our only ways out.

We’ve gone as far as taking the old cars that our parents had, that we used to be embarrassed by, and rebuilt them by putting ghetto-fabulous rims on it(23”-26” wheels on a car…that just ain’t right). Is that what we’re all about Black people? That goes back to my previous writing about our Hip-Hop culture. Is this a part of our culture too? Well, society seems to think so. If it’s not a syndicated tv show, or a movie role starring Denzel Washington or Blair Underwood, almost all of our other black actors have been given those type-cast roles of gangsters, pimps and hustlers.


How do you feel about the ghetto becoming a gimmick? What do you think the term “Wigger” is associated with…..someone White trying to act (whatever that insult is supposed to mean) Black. As bad as the ghetto is, it is surprising to me how reluctant our black people are to uplifting and renovating our communities. Whenever someone tries to make a difference by cleaning and painting the buildings in the projects, all we do is graffiti them, then blame white society for our living conditions.

We’re starting to give the ghetto’s and ghetto ways such good connotations that when we DO encounter a “Wigger”, he, or she is automatically given a “ghetto pass”. Shouldn’t you feel insulted if someone that is not black goes out of his or her way to try to act like our ghetto brothers and sisters? All they’re doing is purposely neglecting their proper etiquette, and pretending to be dumb because that’s how they are viewing us….and we’re not doing anything about it, except excusing it. Now, I’m not saying that EVERY urban white or latino individual is acting. Some of our Latin or Caucasian brothers and sisters (we’re all the same….really) have grown up in the slums, or in the trailer parks, and that’s how they really act, BUT THAT’S NOT OK EITHER!!! Education is the key to our salvation.

I am tired of being labeled, or predestined to be a rapper or ball player instead of an educator, CEO or government official (not that they’re all smart). Why do we have to accept the identities that are given to us, by white society, and give lame excuses to make it better? Don’t get me wrong, so of the tricks that I’ve seen done to some of those old embarrassing vehicles is showcasing talent beyond reproach, but do we have to take that, and use it as a label for who we are? Why can’t we take that talent, and use it for special effects careers, or vehicle sculpting for major corporations like Chevrolet or Ford, instead of allowing it to become something that we’re later made fun of?

I GOTTA KNOW***WHO HAS AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN***

*BLACK QUEENS, OR ANGRY BLACK WOMEN?

Here’s a topic that’s been discussed, debated and argued over and over again, and yet, we still have no solution, and the problem still persists. Why are our Black Women so angry? Is it because most of our Black Men are not living up to the hype that we’ve created for ourselves? The Black Man is a soldier. The Black Man is strong. The Black Man is a King who should have a Black Queen by his side, but where is the Royal treatment that our so-called Queens deserve? I tell you. That treatment is out the door! What makes our “Queens” think that they deserve some special treatment? What makes them “Queens”? The fact that they’re black, and that in Africa, lots of black women were queens? Not all black women in Africa are queens. Our Americanized black women are definitely not queens by default. I am a Black Queen….according to who!!!? Definitely not me.

As always, I implore you, please don’t tear me a new one! I am NOT talking about ALL black women. There are lots of black women in my life that I absolutely love, respect and hold in high regard. I have a few black women that I consider Queens that I keep in my circle. The black women that I keep near me are strong, educated, motivated, respectful, and demand and command respect just the same. I'm talking about the single black mothers, who raise their sons (if that isn't hard enough) by themselves, pay the rent by themselves, hold down a job that they don't like, and go to school if they have to, just to try to make a better life for their families. These are black women that help keep me motivated with their displays of strength and success in their lives. These are strong, not bitchy black women. So please, don’t take this as Black Woman bashing, because it is not that at all. All this is, is reiterating the issues that we as a culture and community suffer.

Now, back to the topic at hand…Angry Black Women. Why do you think there are so many black men that have moved toward interracial dating? Naturally, your first response would be to say that black men date interracially because they want somebody weak minded that they can boss-around and take advantage of, and that is the furthest from the truth.

I’ve dated interracially before, and there was nothing that I said or did with my Latin or White girlfriends that I didn’t do or say with my Black girlfriends. I and a bunch of my black male friends have chosen to date interracially because of the FACT that most of the different raced women that we’ve experienced do not have attitudes, just for the sake of having an attitude.

Here’s a BIG misconception. A lot of black women that I’ve come across truly believe that Black Men just can’t handle a strong Black Woman, but that couldn’t be more further from the truth. I LOVE having strong Black Women in my life. The problem is that a lot of Black Women believe that bitching, and giving men a hard time, for no damn reason at all, is being strong. That’s not being strong at all. That’s just being a bitch!

I know a married black woman who swears that if she starts doing nice things for her husband (who is black), he’s going to expect it all the time, and take advantage of her. Well, I’ve gotta know….what’s wrong with doing nice things for your significant other, or for people in general for that matter? She’s actually told me once before that her husband, after a hard-days work (she’s an unemployed mother of two) asked her to fix him something to eat, and her response was “fix it your damn self”! I asked her why she would be that way towards the man that she loved, and her response was “if I make him something to eat now, he’s gonna want me to start making him something all the time”. I was totally blown away. I mean, I was speechless (and y’all know I can talk). What the hell is wrong with fixing your hard working husband (not unemployed boyfriend) something to eat for dinner? He IS the bread-winner in the family. I could see if he was hanging out on the corner doing nothing all day long. I wouldn’t have anything to say then, but he’s not. He’s working hard to keep you in new clothes (and y’all know she goes shopping all the time), keep the bills paid, and a roof over your heads, like a MAN is supposed to do. I could see if he was asking you to run his bath water and clean his feet…then you’d have an argument, but asking for something to eat after work….come on. Let’s be real here.

I did something once that had every woman in my family want to, and try to choke me out!!! I was a featured guest on a BET(www.bet.com)show called “Oh Drama”, with Kym Whitley, Vanessa Bell Calloway and Julissa Marquez. The topic of the show was “Why Black Men no longer date Black Women”. Do I even have to go there and tell y’all how my family reacted? I didn’t get to talk much on the show, but the point was made, and audience was heated! I had phone calls from cousins and aunts I didn’t even know I had! The only thing I heard was boy…..I’m gonna kill you!!! I had to explain my position and cool the fire, cause they were definitely going to burn me at the stake. After lots of long talks, I am welcome back into the family!

So, with all that being said, is there anyone out there who can explain to me why our beautiful black women are so angry, and unwilling to change their ways to get our black men back into their lives?
Is there a black woman reading this right now that can tell me where the anger comes from, other than the fact that you’re mad cause your men are dating other women? Is there a black woman reading this right now that can honestly say that she’s guilty of being bitchy towards black men (and other people in general) for no good reason? Is there a black woman out there reading this right now that can tell me that she’s made changes in to get black men back into her life, or better yet, is there a black woman reading this right now that can tell me that she’s given up on black men for a while, and decided to date interracially, and why? Please let me know, cause as always, I’ve gotta know….
*** WHO’S GOT AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN?****

*HIP-HOP....CULTURE ?

Ok folks, here we are again, with another I Gotta Know editorial. Alright class, can we all say Hip-Hop?

What’s the FIRST thing that comes to mind when we say Hip-Hop? Black people and our so-called culture. Now, don’t get upset with me, for I am not here to offend any race, or anyone in particular. All I’m trying to say is, making Hip-Hop our culture is a joke…and I’ll tell you why.

In the beginning, in the days of Africa Bambatta, The Sugar Hill Gang, and groups like BDP (Boogie Down Productions…KRS-ONE for all you un-cultured Hip-Hop heads), Hip-Hop had strong tendencies of becoming a “culture” for under privileged blacks. It gave us an outlet that could allow us to vent our frustrations, and showcase our talents and our way of life, in a positive light.

Nowadays, Hip-Hop has become a joke. I say that because instead of us making music that hits home with all of us in our daily lives, we’re making, and celebrating music with gimmicky dances, and finger snaps. That’s not music, that’s not culture, that’s not Hip-Hop. So, what do we do in turn…we give our “Culture” different categories. We call Hip-Hop our “Culture”, and we call the finger-snapping, toe-tapping other stuff “Rap”!! What’s up with that!?!

We’ve excused ourselves, once again, from taking responsibility for the messes that we create. What do I mean….I mean, Ebonics for example. That was such much of an insult to me, I almost threw-up! What the hell is Ebonics, and more importantly, why the hell are we making it ok!?! Why, I’ll tell you why! It’s because we (black people) tend to make excuses for why we accept our inferior labels. I speak broken English, and I don’t have to change for nobody, so I’m gonna call it Ebonics. Broken down (semantically), that’s just Ebony(black/brown/dark) Phonics(the way we sound)…..am I the only one insulted here!?! What the hell is going on…but I digress.

Our latest crossover Hip-Hop artists have used the record label contracts as excuses to make inferior music, cause it sells, and the record labels don’t care about us anyway. Newsflash, record labels NEVER cared about their artists! They only care about what all of us work-a-day Americans care about, and that’s keeping our all-mighty-dollar! If ONE major rap artist stopped agreeing to make b-s music, the trend would change, cause that’s all the rap is…a trend. Once we get back to positive rap, or better rap for that sake, the Hip-Hop “Culture” would follow suit. We follow trends, we follow dollars, and we accept belittling labels just to fit in, to get a piece of an American Dream that was never designed for us in the first place.

We need to take back our “culture”, take it out of the hands of the major label big-wigs, and make music that we don’t have to feel embarrassed about dancing to. I’ll be damned if you EVER catch me in a club snapping my fingers and tapping my feet to some backwoods, country “Rap”. I’m a Hip-Hop head to the fullest. Play any song from before I was born, and I bet you I can tell you who it is, but start playing some of that gimmick-hop that’s on the radio now, and you’ll probably get a blank Homer Simpson stare for the record books.

As always, I COULD go on and on, but I’d LOVE to hear from you..so, with that in mind

****WHO'S GOT AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN****

*QUICK AND EAZY

This is what I GOTTA KNOW....

What's the deal with fake-loss....I mean weight loss pills? How many times do we have to go through the ups and downs with our disappointments of our diet failures? Realistically, it took us more than a few weeks to put on the additional 100lbs. that we used to think was cute, cuddly and sexy, that we're now trying so hard (or at least that's what we say) to lose.

We all have put on many pounds sitting on our butts, so how do we think we're gonna lose pounds by popping a pill....and still sitting on our butts? Face it, it ain't gonna happen people! We've got to get up, do some...and I don't mean eat some... push-ups, do some sit-ups, and run a little. You've got to sweat to burn that fat....NOT sweat while standing over the stove, frying up bacon fat! You've got to earn it to burn it.

I'm no health-nut, eating and drinking grass shakes, but I'll tell you this. When I walk down the stairs, my ass doesn't shake.

I'm not trying to be heartless or anything, but I'm running out of patience for all those so called weight loss pill infomercials. If this pill was so real, why do the infomercials come on soooo late at night? And for the one's that DO come on during the day, you've got to have a magnifying glass handy (and be a speed reader)to read the extra small print at the bottom of the screen. Don't believe the hype people. The closest thing that we've had to easy weight loss solutions, without the addition of steroids, has been Slim Fast....and that didn't even work. Don't believe me...ask my dad. He tried it for 3-months, and he was miserable. Granted, three months in nowhere near enough time to see results by just drinking nasty milk shakes, but still, nothing changed but his motivation...from a believer, to a frustrated binge eater. Now, 25 EXTRA pounds later (on top of the one's he was trying to lose), we've got cans of 15-year old Slim Fast residue in the cabinet....acting as a stand-in pesticide for the roaches.

How many of you have had friends or family members waste $20+ dollars on these pills and swear to you that they have to go shopping to buy new clothes, cause all their old clothes are too baggy, and don't fit? How many of you, with those same falsly motivated family members have them tell you that your eating habits are all wrong, and that you should pop a fake-loss...I mean weight-loss pill to keep your appetite under control..."cause with the pill, you can eat anything you want cause it burns the fat while you sleep and sit on your butt all day long"? What's up with that? There ain't nothing worse than someone with weight problems (and fake remedies) tell you that your eating habits are wrong.

How many of you out there have gone through, or are going through the same thing that I've just described?
SOMEBODY...ANYBODY...PLEASE TELL ME....CAUSE I-GOTTA-KNOW

*DAILY STREET LIGHT TRAFFIC

This is what I Gotta Know....
What’s up with daily street light traffic? I mean, when you’re on your way home from work, and the streets are more crowded than the free-cheese line at the neighborhood Church, and you’re at the red light roughly 8-10 cars back, how long does it have to take to get through? Here’s how it goes for me. The light turns green, and you’re waiting to go, but you’re sitting there for another 2 minutes (and you know the light doesn’t last no longer than 2 ½ minutes), then, by the time you’re lucky enough to move, you get to the light, and it’s red again. What the hell is going on!?! When it’s your turn at the front of the light, you go….simple as that. Why can’t they??? I’ll tell you why. Somebody out there is illegal, and scared to drive, so when the light turns green, they’re looking to the left and right to see who else is going, and they wait for approval. So, what happens when EVERYBODY at the front on the green light is scared to go? We all end up sitting through 2 green lights JUST to get up to the front of the light for our turn to go. That drives me crazy. I know that when I finally make it to the front of the line, the light turns green, I go. What the other people up front are doing is beyond me.

Ok, some of us have bad relationships and marriages, and you don’t want to go home immediately after work, and I totally sympathize, but don’t hold up traffic because YOU don’t like your lover. Take your ass to the park, or to the gym, or kill some time at your local strip club or something. LET ME GO HOME! Cali is way too crowded for cruising. The day of the California cruiser is over! You see, I don’t have those problems. As a matter of fact, I have more problems trying to get home, as opposed to being at home.

Oh yeah, what about this….you ever been driving home, or to the store, or anywhere for that matter, and been stuck behind someone who’s so afraid to drive that they actually follow the speed limit to the number!!!? What ever happened to going with the flow of traffic? They got the flow of traffic so jacked up that they’ve created a new flow that’s so slow, I might as well be driving backward. Trust me, I’m no chauvinist. This frustration is NOT directed towards women drivers, in case some of y’all were thinking that. I’m talking about ALL of y’all!!! I’m not saying turn the roadways to a ‘Cannon Ball Run’ raceway, but still. You don’t have to be a speed demon, but you don’t have to drive “grandma-slow” to be a law abiding citizen either. Let me also elaborate on the old, mid-life crisis men out here who buy these oh so expensive sports cars, just to drive around with the top down, looking for chicks. Get this through your gray haired skull...YOU'RE NOT COOL!!! Open that muscle up, and let's get to where we're going, or get the hell out of my way! Oh, and please don't get me started on cell phone drivers! I know I'm not a perfect driver, but I can get the job done, whether I'm on my cell phone or not. Some people, even with earpieces STILL can't drive! If it were up to me, I'd be revoking licenses DAILY!!!

Anyway…I could go on and on about this, but I’m here to open the floor and allow all of my peers to share your frustrations with the world as I am trying to do…so,…with that in mind.

**WHO HAS AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN???**