The Commonplace Fun Facts Legal Department tells us that laws are supposed to be reasonable. Apparently, this concept doesn’t apply to legal advice, however. That one sentence generated a bill for $362.11.
If you are fortunate enough to be elected as a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, you will probably want to add to your wardrobe so you look good when you […]
William McBoyle stole an airplane, and it was perfectly legal. Just to be clear, he actually took possession of someone else’s aircraft without their permission and never gave it back. Even so, […]
Do you remember when you first learned of the concept of π? Have mathematics always been at least a little bit difficult for you? Haven’t you wished you could just pass a […]
Governments have been known to criminalize things such as cursing, making jokes of national leaders with funny names, and even time travel movies. Rules and regulations have become so cumbersome that it […]
How well did you do identifying the eponymous laws from Part I of this series? Now try your hand at the rest of them:
Most people are familiar with Murphy’s Law — whatever can go wrong, will. Many more people than Mr. Murphy have posited laws, principles, and rules that bear their names. See how many […]
In Utah it is illegal to swear in front of a dead person.
US President Theodore Roosevelt considered outlawing American football because it was too violent. Roman Emperor Julius Caesar banned a game similar to football because it was too gentle.
When the town of Lanjaron, Spain found itself running out of space at its cemetery, the mayor came up with a creative solution: he made dying illegal. Mayor Jose Rubio issued an […]
Under Illinois law (410 ILCS 650/9) it is illegal to take a nap in a cheese factory.
If you feel the urge to be a daredevil, you might want to steer clear of Glendale, California. City ordinances there make it illegal to jump from a motor vehicle that is […]
The law in Denmark requires all drivers to look under the car prior to starting the engine to make sure there isn’t anyone there. source
In Denmark, the law prohibits a person from being charged for a meal unless, in the sole opinion of the person who has eaten, he or she is “full.” As long as […]
Drinking coffee in Turkey was against the law in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Those caught breaking the law were put to death. source
Commonplace Fun Facts 