Tourists visiting France soon learn that certain things can really irritate the natives. Daring to desecrate French bread with butter, speaking English, or mispronouncing a French word are just a few of […]
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité… and Trousers
It is Illegal to Sell Infants in Pennsylvania
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.
Boy Scouts Are Not Considered a Private Military Force in Connecticut
As we pointed out in this article you may be a member of the militia without knowing it. That being the case, it’s only natural to assume the same about a group […]
Luxembourg Cars Must Have Windshield Wipers But Windshields Are Optional
Governments can be famous for making regulations that put more emphasis on form than substance. No better example can be found than the highly-bureaucratic Vogons in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: […]
Deliver Us From Weevils — The Time a Town Put a Bunch of Insects on Trial
Something was bugging the people of St. Julien. The “something” was a bug. A bunch of them, actually. Weevils were threatening the peace and prosperity of the French town. Criminal trespass to […]
Finland’s Reflecting Reindeer Plan … And How It Turned Out
Once upon a time, there was a reindeer. It was a very special reindeer because part of its body glowed brightly in the night. If it weren’t for that unnatural light source, […]
What Was the Original Purpose of a Strip Search?
In compiling your list of the things you’d like to do over the holidays, it’s highly unlikely participating in a strip search is anywhere close to the top of the list. If […]
When Whistling Was a War Crime
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy describes the Marketing Department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation as: “A bunch of mindless jerks who’ll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.” […]
That Time the United States Had an Emperor
Suppose fortune fails to smile upon you. Despite your best efforts at gaining wealth, you are bankrupt and have no professional skills to speak of. You could give up and embrace a […]
Congress Got Rid of Lunatics But Kept All the Idiots
If you ever decide you’d like to learn all of the laws of the United States, you will need to grab a copy of the United States Code (or you can read […]
It is Illegal in Georgia to Sell a Child Under the Age of 12 to a Circus
For anyone who is hoping to make money through the sale of children to circuses, be careful when conducting business in Georgia. The state has imposed a minimum age for such a […]
Haircuts in North Korea Are a Big, Fat, Hairy Deal
Just when we thought we had run out of utterly bizarre things to report about North Korea, something else presents itself. The nation may be financially bankrupt, but as far as entertainment […]
The Indiana Pi Bill and the Attempt to Redefine Mathematics Through Legislative Fiat
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 […]
Striped Shirts: Better than Bullet-Proof Vests
In Natoma, Kansas, it is illegal to throw a knife at anyone wearing a striped shirt. Read about more stupid laws. Read fun facts about fashion.
When Landing an Aircraft at the U.S. Capitol Gets You Charged with Impersonating a Postal Vehicle.
Doug Hughes was upset about a lack of progress in campaign finance reform. He wrote letters to members of Congress, urging them to take immediate action. Apparently believing too much time had […]
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