What’s the world coming to when a prisoner can’t even call his drug dealer? What’s a prostitute to do when she can’t call her pimp for a little advise? Sometimes you just need to call a friend on the outside and ask about the best way to make a shiv. Oh well.

California’s Public Safety Committee has approved a new bill that aims to crack down on the smuggling of mobile phones into prisons. The new law would have tough penalties for both the smugglers and inmates. If this bill passes, anyone who possesses a cell phone with the intent to deliver, or delivers a cellphone to an inmate, would be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000 per device.

We’ve seen iPads being offered on planes and in hotels, and now they are hitting schools. A pilot project in four California school districts will replace 400 students’ eighth-grade algebra textbooks with Apple iPads in an attempt to prove the advantages of interactive digital technologies over traditional teaching methods. He should help to correct their spines as well, since an iPad in the backpack weighs a lot less than a book.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has teamed up with California Secretary of Education Bonnie Reiss for the pilot, which will take place at Long Beach Unified School District, Riverside Unified School District, Fresno Unified School District and San Francisco Unified School District.

You know what’s awesome on top of a car that you paid too much money for, which runs on gas that you paid too much money for? Advertising on your license plate that you have no control over. I know, sounds great right?

The California Legislature is considering a bill that would at least begin a research process on digital license plates. These license plates would replace old stamped metal ones that we are used to. Apparently, the system would display your normal license plate number when your car is in motion. It would stop for four seconds to advertise a service or product when not in motion.

If you have a Honda Civic and happen to be in Lancaster, California then you’ll want to drive over a magical and musical pock marked road with special grooves that plays a tune.

It was created by Honda for an upcoming advertising campaign. The road plays “The William Tell Overture”. (Most of us know it as the theme from The Lone Ranger) To get the most out of the musical road, the company advises you to drive over it with a Honda Civic because the road was tuned specifically to the tires and wheelbase of a Civic. Hit the link for a video. It somehow sounded more impressive with the Lone Ranger.