Hyperfixed Podcast Episode Summary: "Jack and the Missouri Color Cabal"
Release Date: February 13, 2025
Host: Alex Goldman
Podcast Network: Radiotopia
Introduction
In this compelling episode of Hyperfixed, host Alex Goldman delves into an intriguing mystery presented by a listener named Jack from Missouri. Jack has observed an unusual pattern: numerous license plates in his area display hex color codes, predominantly green. This observation has piqued his curiosity and led him to seek answers through the Hyperfixed platform.
Jack's Curious Observation
At the heart of the episode is Jack’s puzzling discovery. He narrates his initial encounter with the phenomenon:
[03:05] Alex Goldman: "This man impugning the shed, like nature of my basement studio is Jack. He lives in Missouri in a home that looks nothing like a shed. And he works as a software engineer building websites using their most basic building blocks, code."
Jack explains how his background in software engineering made him notice that many license plates resemble hex color codes, particularly those representing green hues.
[03:47] Jack: "I was driving to get coffee with my wife and we were behind this car that had this plate... I noticed because I've been trying to teach myself how to read hex codes, that this license plate in front of us was a hex code."
Alex further clarifies for listeners unfamiliar with hex codes:
[04:20] Alex Goldman: "If you have no idea what we're talking about. A hex code is a six character sequence that tells a computer what color should appear on the screen."
Jack and his wife turned this observation into a game, logging around 90 green hex plates. The anomaly deepened when they realized that nearly all the hex codes they encountered were variations of green:
[06:21] Jack: "And I never knew why it was always green. And that's the question that I have, is why are all of the hex code plates that I see in Missouri green?"
Initial Theories and Investigation
Jack pondered whether the occurrence was random or indicative of a deliberate pattern. He entertained two main theories:
- Algorithmic Bias: An algorithm at the Department of Transportation might preferentially assign green hex codes.
- Organizational Affiliation: The green hex plates could denote membership in a specific group or club.
[08:09] Jack: "Totally a guess, right? Like, I'm just trying to connect green to organizations and. But I. I genuinely have no idea, and no idea even where to begin."
Reaching Out for Solutions
Alex, determined to assist Jack, collaborates with producer Emma Cortland to investigate further. Their quest begins with contacting the Children's Trust Fund (CTF) of Missouri, hypothesizing a connection between the green plates and the organization’s branding. Initial attempts to reach CTF were unsuccessful due to holiday closures:
[13:42] Emma Cortland: "Children's Trust Fund, Missouri foundation for Child Abuse Prevention. We are currently away from our desk."
After multiple unreturned calls and emails, Alex turns to the Missouri Department of Revenue, the agency overseeing license plates. Similar resistance and non-responsiveness from the Department only fueled the mystery.
Discovering the License Plate Collectors Community
Frustrated but undeterred, Alex and Emma sought expertise from the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA), a community passionate about license plates. The association proved invaluable, offering insights into the sequencing and categorization of specialty plates across states.
[16:06] License Plate Collector 1: "I really appreciate the great heroic efforts. You are trying to answer this one."
They learned that many states, including Missouri, use separate sequencing systems for specialty and vanity plates. This explained why Jack predominantly saw green hex codes:
[17:58] License Plate Collector 2: "They're using the same numbering pattern on all their specialty plates."
Breakthrough with Children's Trust Fund
Persistence paid off when Brianna Barber from the Children's Trust Fund responded to their outreach. She confirmed that CTF’s green hex plates follow a specific sequencing pattern:
[21:18] Brianna Barber: "I can absolutely confirm that... I have CTF license plates, and they very much follow like that. You know, number, number, letter, letter, number, number sequence."
Brianna elaborated that CTF’s plates are not vanity plates but part of Missouri’s suite of specialty plates, each with distinct sequences to denote various affiliations and causes.
Unveiling the Sequence Logic
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request revealed a comprehensive list of Missouri’s specialty plate sequences. The data confirmed that CTF’s plates utilize the number, number, letter, letter, number, number format, aligning with Jack’s observations of green hex codes:
[26:36] Alex Goldman: "From that list, with the exception of motorcycles and other specialty vehicles, they're all sequenced. Number, number, letter, letter, number, number. And as long as those letters are A through F, which is most of them, you'll get a green hexadecimal code."
This discovery debunked the initial conspiracy theories, attributing the green hex codes to the standardized sequencing of specialty plates rather than any hidden cabal.
Community and Validation
The resolution not only answered Jack’s question but also connected him with a community of license plate enthusiasts, alleviating his feelings of isolation over his unique interest.
[27:53] Jack: "Oh, my gosh."
[27:58] Jack: "Yes, I feel like I found my people."
Jack expressed gratitude for finding a group that shared his passion, highlighting the community aspect of the Hyperfixed investigation.
Conclusion and Insights
The "Jack and the Missouri Color Cabal" episode exemplifies Hyperfixed’s mission to unravel perplexing issues through thorough investigation and community engagement. What began as a seemingly bizarre observation evolved into a journey of discovery, connecting listener inquiries with expert knowledge and supportive communities. The episode underscores the importance of persistence, the value of specialized communities, and the joy of finding clarity in confusion.
Through Jack's story, listeners gain insight into the complexities of license plate sequencing and the broader implications of specialized identifiers in everyday objects. The episode reinforces the idea that behind every oddity lies a logical explanation waiting to be uncovered.
Notable Quotes
- Alex Goldman [03:05]: "This man impugning the shed, like nature of my basement studio is Jack..."
- Jack [03:47]: "I was driving to get coffee with my wife and we were behind this car that had this plate..."
- Emma Cortland [10:02]: "Do you think license plate numbers are random?"
- Brianna Barber [21:18]: "I can absolutely confirm that... I have CTF license plates..."
- License Plate Collector 2 [17:58]: "They're using the same numbering pattern on all their specialty plates."
This detailed exploration not only solves a specific mystery but also highlights the intricate systems governing seemingly mundane aspects of daily life. Hyperfixed successfully transforms a listener’s perplexity into a shared voyage of discovery, exemplifying the show's commitment to understanding and explaining life's hidden mechanisms.