Bits and Pieces: SpongeBob Takes a Ride

Trivia time, folks. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Hint: Apparently, he drives a 2014 Toyota Highlander, as well.

A: SpongeBob SquarePants.

Well, anyone who has spent any amount of time absorbing the escapades of the happy little sea sponge (actually shaped like a household sponge) and his annoying starfish neighbor from the Nickelodeon cartoon, knows that he has never been able to pass his boating test. Thus, SpongeBob will have to spend his time as a passenger in the Highlander.

That's OK, because the Las Vegas-based graphics firm Identity Brand joined forces with Wayde King and Brett Raymer, owners of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), and the host of the Animal Planet cable TV series "Tanked," to create a one-of-a-kind wrapped Highlander (see photos) that includes a fully functional, 800-gallon saltwater fish tank that has been custom fitted within the rear seat and cargo area. The "SUV-aquarium" made its debut on a recent episode of "Tanked."

Phillip Dominguez, owner of Identity Brand, said the car was bestowed with a Bikini Bottom theme in honor of Mr. SquarePants' home town. The SUV has made appearances at several automotive specialty events. Part of the challenge, according to Dominguez, was in working with three major companies from various industries: Toyota, Nickelodeon and ATM.

"We relied heavily on the advanced capabilities of our Roland VersaCAMM inkjet printer/cutter to quickly create the eye-catching, vibrant wrap we needed to complete the project," Dominguez said. "We were able to match the client colors flawlessly and the printing process was as smooth as could be. Even though we printed the hood and rear a day after the side install, there was no color variation whatsoever."

Once the fish tank was installed, Dominguez's Identity Brand crew quickly went to work to transform the SUV's entire hatchback space into SpongeBob paradise within a matter of hours.

A complex filtration system, including an overflow system, sterilizer, UV filter and temperature regulator, was also built into the vehicle. Upon completion of both the aquarium install and the vehicle wrap, ATM filled the tank with approximately 115 individual fish (32 different species), including starfish, squirrelfish, Fiji Foxface, flame angel, clownfish and pilotfish. There is a squirrel among the SpongeBob SquarePants cast of characters. But no sea sponge in the tank?

Can't blame ATM, though, for not including a sponge. SpongeBob is considerably more lively than your run-of-the-ocean sea sponge which, despite being multicellular, is more plantlike in appearance.

CANNABIS CALLING: One printer's decision to move away from printing to a more controversial business plan gives new meaning to the term "workflow."

Las Vegas-based A&B Printing has not been experiencing growth, so owner Kathy Gillespie has sought to get into another growing business by applying to open a medical marijuana dispensary. She is paying the $5,000 application fee, seeking to become one of the 10 allotted dispensaries in Clark County.

"The printing industry is not growing. It's not a growing business," Gillespie told KVVU-TV 5. "We very much are interested in getting in on the ground floor and will be applying (for dispensary and cultivation licenses)."

It's pretty easy to view the sale of medical marijuana with disdain, but this case has a more noble spirit at its heart. Gillespie's mother, as well as the mother of her partner, both battled cancer. She feels access to the medical marijuana would have eased her mother's pain.

Gillespie, who hopes to eventually operate in two locations, would like to get out of the printing business completely and feels her facility could be converted into a dispensary and growing operation. PI