Questions for the week of April 27

1) I noticed a pair of sneakers hanging from a telephone wire earlier this week and it got me thinking, why do I always see sneakers hanging from telephone wires? Who is throwing them up there? And why?

It turns out that this act actually has a name: shoe tossing or shoe flinging. The urban legend explantions for why people do this include a way to section off gang territory, a way to locate a local crack house or a place where drugs are sold, to celebrate the last day of school, or to celebrate losing your virginity.

The problem is especially bad in south central LA where the Mayor setup a community program to remove shoes hanging from telephone wires.

2) Of all the things that a man looks for in a woman, I think I have figured out which one is most important. And no, believe it or not, I'm not going to say attractiveness, I think I have found something even more important!

A girl's laugh. It's the most important thing. Don't all of us guys just want a hot girl that laughs at all our jokes and boosts our ego? When we are laughing, it's the happiest time of our life. So how can we be with a girl if we dislike her laugh? How can we be with someone who, during the happiest times, we are the most annoyed with?

3) If a "big three" accomplishments in life were recording an album, writing a book, and directing a movie, which is the easiest and which is the hardest? I hope to accomplish all three someday, I have one completed, and am hoping to get started on #2 soon.

4) My all-male softball team frequently send emails back and forth regarding game times, game plans, and for general ball-busting. One guy on our team has been putting smiley faces at the end of his emails to the team, and it struck me as wrong. I had to call him out about it. I think he was just confused about the rules regarding email smiley faces. So let me make this clear. Under no circumstance should a straight man ever use a smiley face in an email or text message. I don't care what the circumstance is, if he is trying to be cute with a girl, if he is trying to show that he is joking to a friend; you just don't do it. Use a "ha, ha" instead to signify laughter or something clever, but please, do not use a smiley face. Especially a winking one.