Saturday, November 07, 2009

Someone on one of the Ravelry groups I am in linked to a site of "crazy old laws." No idea if these are real or not (I am so not going to Snopes all of these) but here are the ones for my home state. My commentary in italics.

Females are forbidden from doing their own hair without being licensed by the state.
which is why I never "do" mine...it's mostly a mess

Dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate in groups of three or more on private property. (It's to prevent their eventual world domination.)
I have seen this one broken in my town. Or at least I think so. I am not brave enough to go up to the pack of dogs and ask

Oklahoma will not tolerate anyone taking a bite out of another's hamburger. (I'm glad Oklahoma cares...)
but what if they give permission?

It is against the law to read a comic book while operating a motor vehicle.
Add "or text-message" and I will approve of this

Whaling is illegal.
Um, yeah. Last I looked I don't think the Red River HAS whales

It is illegal to have the hind legs of farm animals in your boots. (the page editor suggests this is a polite way of referring to a practice that is illegal in most, if not all, states. And which should be illegal...)

Residents are taxed for the furniture in their homes, and any other personal belongings.
I'm SURE that used to be the case...we have an "ad valorem" tax which is like a personal income tax, they base it on the value of our house

People who make "ugly faces" at dogs may be fined and/or jailed.
What about dogs making ugly faces at people?

Cars must be tethered outside of public buildings. (Tethered?)
It is illegal to wear your boots to bed.
Fish may not be contained in fishbowls while on a public bus.

It is illegal for the owner of a bar to allow anyone inside to pretend to have sex with a buffalo. (Don't want to know...)
I concur in the "don't want to know"

If you wear New York Jets clothing, you may be put in jail.
Huh? Is this some kind of misplaced anti-gang measure?

No person may own more than two adult cats.
Crud. So I guess "crazy cat lady" is out of the running on the list of "future vocations" for me.

It is illegal to cause "annoying vibrations" in the city limits.
Really? Tell that to all the boom car drivers in my town. And the guys who drive by in their duallies at 2 am with country and western blaring from the open windows.

It is unlawful to put any hypnotized person in a display window.


No one may walk backwards downtown while eating a hamburger.
I may just have to test this one someday.

The mayor may not go on strike.
One may not tip over a casket at a funeral.
It is illegal to own a stink bomb.

You may not open a soda bottle without the supervision of a licensed engineer. (a licensed engineer of what?)
I have broken this one several times. In fact, my students break it daily in class. Perhaps I have to tell them they are breaking the law. And maybe I can use that as a way of FINALLY getting my "soils boys" not to drink pop in lab on the day when we're working with cyanide compounds...

Elephants are not to be taken into the downtown area.
ha ha, my town has broken this one...there was a circus here once that had a parade with elephants

While passing another vehicle, you must honk your horn.
I'd settle for them using their directional blinkers

***
And of course, all of that makes me think of Beavis and Butthead: "Breakin' the law! Breakin' the law!" (It's funny to watch re-runs of that and think about how SCANDALOUS it was - and it WAS - back when it first aired. We are changing too fast as a society, I think, when Beavis and Butthead have lost some of their impact/rudeness because of other things that have come along...)

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