In recent times, the press has focused on celebrities and drug possession.  Last night, rapper T.I. was arrested along with his newly wed wife Tameka”Tiny” Cottle for suspicion of possession of methamphetamines.  According to police reports, the couple was pulled over on the Sunset strip in West Hollywood for making an illegal u-turn.  The vehicle smelled of marijuana and pills were found in the vehicle.  The pills were suspected to be ecstacy, and both T.I. and his wife were arrested and booked for possession of a controlled substance.  This is not the first offense for the Grammy winning rapper.  Earlier this year he had finished a 7 month prison sentence for his attempt to buy semiautomatic weapons before the 2007 BET Awards show.  After his prison term T.I. spent 3 months in a half-way home located and Georgia, and since his release he had been on a strong road to recovery, or so it seemed.  He wasted no time in redeeming the music spotlight and had done various appearances on television, film, and even spoke to children about the negatives about drug usage.  T.I. is within his 3 year probation term, and has violated his terms with this new arrest.  If officials determine that he in fact violated his probation he will be looking at some serious prison time.

Last week, Paris Hilton and her Vegas  night club mogul boyfriend Cy Waits were pulled over outside the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.  Police pulled over Waits’ Cadillac Escalade, and arrested him on D.U.I charges.  According to reports, he could barely stand straight when taking the field sobriety test.  It was reported that Hilton was searched and was found to be in possession of a small amount of cocaine.  It was later reported that as Hilton reached inside her purse for her lip balm and a small plastic bag of cocaine fell out in front of police.  In addition to cocaine, police found zig zag wrappers commonly know to wrap marijuana joints in the purse.  Coincidentally, police found a marijuana cigarette butt in Waits’ Cadillac Escalade when they searched it.  Hilton claims that she did not see the cocaine in her purse but thought it was chewing gum.  Who keeps their chewing gum in a plastic bag? All other items in the purse she claimed to be hers, except the cocaine. Hilton and Waits were both arrested and booked on Friday evening in front of the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.  Hilton claims the cocaine is not hers and must belong to a friend that borrowed the purse and left it inside.  According to TMZ.com, Paris claims “It could be a setup.  Everyone knows how against cocaine I am.”  The excuse is such a coincidence since it is similar to the excuse she gave to authorities last month when she was caught with possessing marijuana in South Africa.  Except in that case she said the marijuana was her friend’s, whereas now the friend left it in a purse she borrowed.   Paris Hilton is expected to be arraigned on October 27th for the cocaine arrest.  She can face up to 4 years in prison if found guilty.

The color of a vehicle is important for the overall appearance, they way it makes its owner feel when they drive it, value, and whether or not it will be a target for police to ticket.  As I researched the trend for car colors in today’s industry I have been informed about various FAQs when it comes to car owners and their vehicle hues.  I will be answering the top 5 questions most car owners struggle with when choosing a car or paint job.

1.  What are the most popular vehicle colors in today’s industry?

For the past 3 years, white is the most popular in North America.  Where as overall, silver has been the most popular globally for quite some time.  Black is the safe color most vehicle owners choose, so it is also among the top global choices.  On the rise are purple and metallic and pearl coat finishes or classic colors.

2.  What are the colors of the future?

According to Michelle Killen, Exterior Color Designer for GM, says that fuchsia and pink hues are expected to become popular in the North American and European markets.  These colors are apparently popular in Asia and in India and will impact the Westernized culture soon.  I don’t know how a Cadillac Escalade would look in pink?

3.  How many color choices are there to choose from?

This all depends on the make, model, and year of your vehicle.  For example, Ford’s first car only came in black.  And back then there were no car alarms to trigger when you forgot where you parked.  In recent times, the Bentley Mulsanne luxury sedan is available in 100 colors.  The 2010 Ford Fiesta SE has 8 colors to choose from which range from Tuxedo Black to Lime Squeeze Metallic.

4.  Could color add or detract from a car’s value?

It depends on the make, model, and year of your vehicle.  According to research, owners of 1960’s-era muscle cars want to stay with the original paint job for value purposes.  On the other hand, new Dodge Challenger tribute colors such as TorRed, B5 Blue, and Plum Crazy will add to a new Dodge Challenger since it is reflective of vintage times. While were on the topic of value, insurance companies claim that costs do not rise according to car color.

5.  Do police trigger certain colored cars?

According to research, no.  But then again dosen’t law enforcement deny every biased action?  It is scientific fact that human beings are genetically programmed for our eyes to notice color changes.I would say that a red car stands out among the popular colors of black and white therefore draw attention for police to spot.

Having grades on cars might be the new thing soon. Nowadays, consumers (like you and I) have become more aware of their surroundings and making sure they make the right purchases. We have already seen the grading system when it comes to restaurants and movies. But what about the cars we drive? Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to give a letter grade on how much fuel a car gets; has become the talk of the town. The sticker will have a large letter grading system using the standard A-F alphabets. And it will be displayed on the windows with the price tag. Moreover, the display will also tell you the amount an average (what is considered average) driver drives and puts the cost of gas per year.

Sounds good to me! I figured, other than the legal that are surrounding the letter grade; why not have it? I believe in a free market; but I also believe that consumers have the right to be fully informed. Knowing what is inside a package of hotdogs might make normal people sick; but I’ll have two please. Would it be okay if we kept everything inside a item sold a secret – okay? I see it this way. If a product is good, they have nothing to hide, and they will make money regardless of what it is. I personally would rather know the truth.