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Friday, March 03, 2006

Tennessee, the Deoxyribonucleic Acid State

I'll say I'm a fan of the new Tennessee state license plates. But there seems to be a manufacturing defect in many of the inital runs as best I can tell. It looks like the machine that stamps the watermark also has a wheel or a sprocket or something that got the shiny reflective lacquer on it, leaving a DNA shaped line from the top to the bottom.

I have found it to be very distracting driving around. Of course that could just be me being gunshy from rear-ending someone in Decemeber.

At least that's what I'd like to believe.

Deep down I think it's a part of a vast government consipracy to encode a DNA fingerprint on everyone's license plate. They're tracking you, and they can do it without you even getting out of your car.

My license plate expires this month, but I tell you I'm not going to be part of some DNA database without a fight. I'm getting Abby to lick the return envelope.

I'm going to go find my tinfoil hat now.

5 Comments:

Linda said...: I noticed that too - what's stranger is it only appears when you view the plate straight on - the double helix "disappears" when you're at an angle... I'm just glad it's not on my IU plate.; March 06, 2006 8:55 AM
Justin said...: Tim: I noticed the double helix right away and for a few weeks thought "that's the dumbest representation of the Smoky Mountains ever". After examining a few more of the plates up close, I'm on board the double helix train. Curiously, Kentucky's new plates also have the Watson & Crick-inspired markings.; March 07, 2006 11:52 AM
Blake Wylie said...: I noticed it too. I at first thought it was smoke rising from the mountains.

I guess we have to figure out a way to circumvent this (along with that dirty bar code). I recommend placing it in the microwave for about 2 minutes. That should kill any DNA traces. Then, use a permanent marker to cover up the bar code.; March 08, 2006 9:23 AM
Denny said...: First I thought it was only on some of the new tags. My wife pointed out that it appeared and disappeared at certain angles. I figure that in the artist's creativity to "capture tennessee's natural beauty", he encrypted the "ghost double helix" to capture and express the notion of spontaneous generation of life in evolution theory, with which I, myself, do not agree.; April 05, 2006 8:36 PM
Vas Niltere said...: This isn't just on your tennessee plates, It's on our kansas ones as well. I would bet two dimes that it is on all of the newer plates as well. does anyone know what it is. It dosent look accidental.; September 25, 2006 9:34 PM