9 ms·

There was a similar story in comp.risks (anyone remember that?) back in 1986. When ordering a custom plate, you could put down three choices. The guy applying c

by kens 3y ago

There was a similar story in comp.risks (anyone remember that?) back in 1986. When ordering a custom plate, you could put down three choices. The guy applying could only think of two choices ("SAILING" and "BOATING"). If he couldn't get one of those, he didn't want a custom plate, so he put "NO PLATE" as the third choice. Of course that was the plate he got. He ended up getting 2500 parking tickets, since any car with no plate was marked on the ticket as "NO PLATE". The full story with references: https://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3/12#subj1 https://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/3/12#subj1

kjs3 3y ago
comp.risks (anyone remember that?) RISK-DIGEST mailing list is still going strong as (I think) the predecessor to and kinda the moderated version of comp.risks. Very highly recommended.
- rrdharan 3y ago
  Thank you! http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/risks/ http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/risks/
- dredmorbius 3y ago
  Is Peter G. Neumann still the moderator? He was born in 1932, and would be over 90 now. Which would seem something of a comp.risk of itself.
  - throw0101b 3y ago
    He's still around: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_G._Neumann https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_G._Neumann
    - dredmorbius 3y ago
      I'd inferred as much from the same source. RISKS-Digest is a valuable and venerable resource. I find it somewhat ironic that it seems not to have any specific preparation for transition or continuity. That's a challenge for numerous projects, and I can think of several examples of projects, services, or other institutions which failed on the death, disability, or retirement of their founders. It's a highly foreseable risk.
      - xyzzy_plugh 3y ago
        Sounds like that would make a good submission to RISKS-Digest.
        dredmorbius 3y ago
        Hrm...
47271994 3y ago
Similar story with a plate that reads "NULL": https://arstechnica.com/cars/2019/08/wiseguy-changes-license-plate-to-null-gets-12k-in-parking-tickets/ https://arstechnica.com/cars/2019/08/wiseguy-changes-license...
- tragomaskhalos 3y ago
  Or indeed this poor sod whose surname is 'Null': https://www.wired.com/2015/11/null/ https://www.wired.com/2015/11/null/
  - internetter 3y ago
    https://archive.ph/KPqJA https://archive.ph/KPqJA
prawn 3y ago
A journalist here in Australia just named her baby "Methamphetamine Rules" because she assumed it would be rejected and was writing a story trying to find out what the default assigned name was. Only it wasn't rejected and she received a birth certificate with that name. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/19/can-you-name-your-baby-methamphetamine-rules-in-australia https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/19/can-y...
- pests 3y ago
  Lovely, on record for life. Turns out she got her answer to her original question via a phone call. Maybe she should have tried that route first.
  - NolF 3y ago
    Nah, because there was a failure with the policy implementation the kid got a proper name and no record that it had changed.
    - TheHappyOddish 3y ago
      > Under the rules, the registrar will not approve a name if it is offensive and not in the public interest. It also will not approve given names that are more than 50 characters, include symbols, or an official title or rank such as princess, Queen, or goddess. Shame, it doesn't seem to violate policy. They should have been forced to do a full legal name change, and a welfare check on the other kids wouldn't be out of line either.
    - pests 3y ago
      That directly contradicts the article saying it will be on record for life.
  - prawn 3y ago
    The articles I read about it suggested she had tried that. Agencies indicated that the registrar would provide a name in the event that the chosen one was rejected, but wouldn't tell her what that might be.
ProllyInfamous 3y ago
My license plate is very similar to this, intended as a joke [I had to fight DMV for approval]. It has the additional advantage that no information about me pulls up when scanned/run through DMV records... intending to confuse [and often succeeding]. The occassional tow notice always elicits a chuckle — I no longer even respond to them. Citations/notices are few-and-far, as the authorities have made note to not use my lawful license plate as a default "no plate on vehicle" descriptor.

by kens 3y ago

kjs3 3y ago

comp.risks (anyone remember that?) RISK-DIGEST mailing list is still going strong as (I think) the predecessor to and kinda the moderated version of comp.risks. Very highly recommended.

rrdharan 3y ago
Thank you! http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/risks/ http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/risks/
dredmorbius 3y ago
Is Peter G. Neumann still the moderator? He was born in 1932, and would be over 90 now. Which would seem something of a comp.risk of itself.
- throw0101b 3y ago
  He's still around: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_G._Neumann https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_G._Neumann
  - dredmorbius 3y ago
    I'd inferred as much from the same source. RISKS-Digest is a valuable and venerable resource. I find it somewhat ironic that it seems not to have any specific preparation for transition or continuity. That's a challenge for numerous projects, and I can think of several examples of projects, services, or other institutions which failed on the death, disability, or retirement of their founders. It's a highly foreseable risk.
    - xyzzy_plugh 3y ago
      Sounds like that would make a good submission to RISKS-Digest.
      - dredmorbius 3y ago
        Hrm...

47271994 3y ago

Similar story with a plate that reads "NULL": https://arstechnica.com/cars/2019/08/wiseguy-changes-license-plate-to-null-gets-12k-in-parking-tickets/ https://arstechnica.com/cars/2019/08/wiseguy-changes-license...

tragomaskhalos 3y ago
Or indeed this poor sod whose surname is 'Null': https://www.wired.com/2015/11/null/ https://www.wired.com/2015/11/null/
- internetter 3y ago
  https://archive.ph/KPqJA https://archive.ph/KPqJA

prawn 3y ago

A journalist here in Australia just named her baby "Methamphetamine Rules" because she assumed it would be rejected and was writing a story trying to find out what the default assigned name was. Only it wasn't rejected and she received a birth certificate with that name. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/19/can-you-name-your-baby-methamphetamine-rules-in-australia https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/19/can-y...

pests 3y ago
Lovely, on record for life. Turns out she got her answer to her original question via a phone call. Maybe she should have tried that route first.
- NolF 3y ago
  Nah, because there was a failure with the policy implementation the kid got a proper name and no record that it had changed.
  - TheHappyOddish 3y ago
    > Under the rules, the registrar will not approve a name if it is offensive and not in the public interest. It also will not approve given names that are more than 50 characters, include symbols, or an official title or rank such as princess, Queen, or goddess. Shame, it doesn't seem to violate policy. They should have been forced to do a full legal name change, and a welfare check on the other kids wouldn't be out of line either.
  - pests 3y ago
    That directly contradicts the article saying it will be on record for life.
- prawn 3y ago
  The articles I read about it suggested she had tried that. Agencies indicated that the registrar would provide a name in the event that the chosen one was rejected, but wouldn't tell her what that might be.

ProllyInfamous 3y ago

My license plate is very similar to this, intended as a joke [I had to fight DMV for approval]. It has the additional advantage that no information about me pulls up when scanned/run through DMV records... intending to confuse [and often succeeding]. The occassional tow notice always elicits a chuckle — I no longer even respond to them. Citations/notices are few-and-far, as the authorities have made note to not use my lawful license plate as a default "no plate on vehicle" descriptor.