Any reader of why.i.hate.dc knows of James F.’s disdain for vanity plates in the commonwealth of Virginia. DCist has for many months appreciated his careful observation and reporting of odd, inane and quirky personalized plates. In the commonwealth, it’s cheap and easy to get personalized plates. If you’re a Virginia resident, all you need to do is go to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ website and make one yourself. It’s sort of like an online paint-your-own pottery place.

While the personalized plate shown here (thanks to the DCist operative with a cameraphone who snapped this photo) isn’t necessarily creative, it shows how it is easy to spot vanity plates in the commonwealth. Could this be Roger Ailes’ BMW? Or Rupert Murdoch’s? We doubt it as this was taken at a Ballston apartment tower yesterday. We suspect big Fox honchos who might have a Washington-area home would live in Fairfax or Loudoun counties. But maybe we’re wrong. Maybe they’re Arlington fans and like to hang out at Clarendon Ballroom, the Cheesecake Factory or Car Pool.