VA driver's licenses going black-and-white to thwart counterfeiters
To aid in the fight against counterfeiting, Virginia is combining new tech with old: lasers and black & white photography. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has ceased issuing licenses made from layers of plastic, replacing them with cards that use neither layers nor photographs. The new licenses have a color background, but the photographs are laser etched in black-and-white since lasers can't yet etch in color. The new IDs also sport a bit of microprinting and a transparent second picture, behind which is the person's name in some squiggly print. It's not the prettiest driver's license in the world, but if it helps you hold onto your identity, that's got to count for something. It also gives someone in the DMV purchasing department a chance to say "I've been looking for a good reason to buy a laser..."
[Source: The Associated Press via NBCWashington.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
HotRodzNKustoms 7:07PM (2/26/2009)
There is no such thing as a bad reason to buy a laser.
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CarbonBlack 7:09PM (2/26/2009)
Damn right!
AK 8:37PM (2/26/2009)
Make sure to get some straps with them, so that you won't have a problem when you get the sharks.
Temple 2:08AM (2/27/2009)
Except last week it was announced that Virginia has a $3.7 billion budget shortfall. Probably not the best time to be buying laser beams for the DMV.
dwightB 7:15PM (2/26/2009)
I am African-American, but I must say I had to chuckle when I read the title... and saw the photo :-X
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Torrent 7:21PM (2/26/2009)
+1
lol
the vegas style guy 8:36PM (2/26/2009)
Why?
Patrick 8:41PM (2/26/2009)
LMAO! What a good sport cuz I laughed on the inside too. I was thinking to myself..."well THAT's ironic".
Lar 11:14PM (2/26/2009)
Ha! That's pretty funny Dwight =)
Best.
Just heard this story today on NPR too, by the way.
ambientFLIER 12:47AM (2/27/2009)
Were you born in Africa, but later became an American citizen? Or are you just black?
Vik 8:53AM (2/27/2009)
ambientFLIER- people of Asian descent (even those who have been in the US for generations) are referred to as "Asian Americans". The same naming convention applies when referring to African-Americans, whose ancestors are from Africa. You must be from the South. Please don't move anywhere else in my lifetime.
Deofol 9:27AM (2/27/2009)
While his comment wasn't the most tactful, I do have to somewhat agree.
My family came here from England generations ago. I was born in the united states.
But do I refer to myself as an English American? No.
I say if you are American, call yourself an American and be proud.
Diversity is a founding block of our nation.
jgp 12:00PM (2/27/2009)
@ambientFLIER, deofol
Agreed. The "-American" suffix should only be used for naturalized citizens or those with dual citizenship, not people actually born here.
Vik 3:21PM (2/27/2009)
deo, jgp-
1. How many white people do you know who, when talking about an AMERICAN who happens to be Korean or Indian born in the US or not, refers to them as "that Asian girl" or "that Indian girl" vs. how often they refer to a white person as "that white guy"?
2. How many white people still ask "Where are you from? (Washington) No where are you REALLY from?" And yet you still take issue with minorities recognizing their ancestry, in spite of that fact that this difference is a part of their daily life for most.
3. How much of your culture is unique and different from the majority population? Do you celebrate the Chinese New Year? Do you celebrate Kwaanza? Didn't think so. This is a differentiating factor, as well.
Deo- it makes sense that you don't refer to yourself as European-American because you're part of the majority. Until you've experienced what I've described above, I wouldn't think you'd think twice about it.
It's ironic that you mention diversity being a founding block of our nation in this context. Without recognizing this diversity and maintaining some semblance of one's hybrid culture, including the way in which one self identifies, the "melting pot" that is America will only be made up of one ingredient.
Vik 3:25PM (2/27/2009)
edit: "that white guy" in 1. should read "that European guy". Note that nobody refers to American born white people of European ancestry as European the way they do an American born person of Asian ancestry (they call them Asian).
Ruth 10:34PM (2/27/2009)
Vik, Vik, Vik,
While chastising Flier for a potentially poor comment you insult an entire region.
Torrent 7:21PM (2/26/2009)
Looks outdated.
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Mobius_1 7:28PM (2/26/2009)
It's retro. Like the entire US muscle car industry has gone.
Torrent 7:47PM (2/26/2009)
idk if that was an insult, or what.......
Mobius_1 7:29PM (2/26/2009)
Wow, many teens are now wondering how to get hold of a laser.
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