plates

You giggled when you filled out your application for a new Arizona license plate. You thought your chances were good the DMV wouldn't get "LOLGTFO." You were wrong. That is one of many banned license plates on the state of Arizona's extensive no-drive list.

GovernmentAttic.org has released a treasure trove of banned-plate lists from various states. Arizona, in particular, has a very long list of plates you're not allowed to have. Most of them aren't too surprising. The standard curse words aren't allowed. If you wanted your BMW to say "MYPOOPY," you're out of luck. Some of the banned plates are a bit curious. For example, "BIOPSY" is not allowed.… Read more

Trying to find parking in San Francisco sometimes feels likes a car-based version of "Survivor." It's not pretty. Cars block driveways, drivers forget to curb their wheels, lights get left on, and meters run out. These are all reasons why you might want to contact a vehicle's owner. If everyone in San Francisco signed up for CurbTXT, then it would be easy to get in touch.

Drivers can sign up for CurbTXT by registering their license plates and phone numbers. A sticker on the car gives people an anonymous way to contact the driver through text … Read more

Jeff Nimoy is the founder of Sameplate.com, a dating site that pairs you up with other singles with the same food and dieting preferences. Inspired by his quest to find a partner who respects his love for the Paleo Diet, Jeff tells us the process that led to the site's inception and how you can make an easy transition to a healthier lifestyle.

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- The Cooking Caveman documents Jeff's experience eating and dating in LA.

- Entering the Cave: How to get started with The Caveman Diet, also known as the … Read more

Some people will go to great lengths to foil red light cameras. They may use darkened license plate covers, questionable spray-on photo blockers, or strategically placed layers of mud. All those methods are low tech, but there's a higher-tech option on the way.

The noPhoto is a microprocessor-controlled smart license plate. A sensor detects the flash from a red light camera or a consumer camera. It triggers a pair of flashes on the sides of the plate. Those flashes make the plate too bright for the camera to capture.

Besides combating red light cameras, the noPhoto may also find a niche in Hollywood by protecting the license plate numbers of celebrities with paparazzi on their tails. It would also save people who post pictures of their rides online from endless sessions of Photoshop license plate scrubbing.… Read more

The American Civil Liberties Union today sued the U.S. government to get access to information about how authorities are using automated license plate readers to track people's movements and location.

The ACLU filed Freedom of Information Act requests on July 30 with the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Transportation to try to find out how much officials use the technology and how much it is paying to expand the program. Agencies are required by law to respond to FOIA requests within 20 working days, but more than a month later, only one DOJ office and a few … Read more

Turning light switches on and off is a necessary, but dull, part of our lives. It doesn't have to be like that. With a $29.99 Power-Up Arcade Light Switch Plate from ThinkGeek installed, turning on the living room light will become a retro-gaming adventure.

A bright red joystick turns the light on and off. The switch plate makes classic "pew pew pew" noises when you press the buttons. This will allow you to pretend to play Space Invaders in the dark of your bedroom at 3 in the morning. … Read more

LAS VEGAS - The American Civil Liberties Union wants to know how police around the country are using automatic license plate readers to track people's movements.

The ACLU today sent requests for information to police departments in 38 states and filed federal Freedom of Information Act requests with the departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Transportation to try to find out how much the governments use the technology and how much it is paying to expand the program.

Mounted on patrol cars, telephone poles and under bridges, the automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) can snap a photograph of every … Read more

NEW ORLEANS--Here at CTIA, you can't go 10 steps without tripping over an iPhone case vendor.

Skinit, which traditionally offers printed stickers to apply to the back and front of your iPhone, is taking a different tack with SwitchPlate, a case system that consists of a decorated cut-out you place on the back of your phone and a black or clear bumper you snap around the perimeter to keep the plastic or aluminum panel in place.

The idea is to buy plates as a three-pack (sort of like department store socks, but cooler) and swap them out at a … Read more

Drivers in the United Kingdom will have another thing to worry about every time they pull up to the pump. In addition to wondering if they'll have enough money in the bank to pay for the exorbitant price of fuel, they may need to check if they paid their car insurance premium on time.

In an effort to crack down on auto insurance scofflaws, the British government wants to team up with gas stations to identify drivers who haven't paid their premiums, and prevent them from filling up. The proposed plan will use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) … Read more