Big Government. Small Brains. Dumb Laws.

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If getting more alcoholic drinks, the bartender must ask "who is that other drink (or drinks) for," and the customer must point them out. And that person (or persons) may not be holding a drink.

Explanation

A revenue maker for the city.

Explanation

This tax used to be called a TV permit, which was collected from TV owners. It was switched to a tax mainly because the government figures that even if you don't own a TV, you probably know someone who does and can watch it at their place.

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Starting 2013 people in Finland will have to pay a TV tax whether or not they own at TV. The tax will be anywhere from 50-140 euros per person depending on the person's level of income.

Explanation

The spelling and pronunciation of "Arkansas" (it is always ar-kan-saw) reflect the state's heritage. The name is a French pronunciation of a Siouxan word meaning "land of downriver people" and was prescribed by law in 1881. It is technically still illegal to mispronounce the name, although no consequences are enforced.

WikiTravel: Arkansas

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Arkansas Code 1-4-105. Pronunciation of state name.

Whereas, confusion of practice has arisen in the pronunciation of the name of our state and it is deemed important that the true pronunciation should be determined for use in oral official proceedings.

And, whereas, the matter has been thoroughly investigated by the State Historical Society and the Eclectic Society of Little Rock, which have agreed upon the correct pronunciation as derived from history and the early usage of the American immigrants.

Be it therefore resolved by both houses of the General Assembly, that the only true pronunciation of the name of the state, in the opinion of this body, is that received by the French from the native Indians and committed to writing in the French word representing the sound. It should be pronounced in three (3) syllables, with the final “s” silent, the “a” in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables. The pronunciation with the accent on the second syllable with the sound of “a” in “man” and the sounding of the terminal “s” is an innovation to be discouraged.

History..Concurrent Resolution No. 4, Acts 1881, p. 216; C. & M. Dig., § 9181a; Pope's Dig., § 11867; A.S.A. 1947, § 5-102.

Explanation

Explanation

Prostitutes working on the street outside a town in northern Spain have been ordered to wear reflective vests to make them visible to passing traffic and reduce the risk of accidents.

Explanation

Back in the 1960s the town of Murray enacted this ordinance and when someone from Kendall heard about it they thought it was a "good idea." The Murray town lawyer brought their ordinance up to Kendall and worked with the Kendall lawyer to change the name, a few details, and then the board voted on it and enacted it.

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SECTION 625 CAMPING UNITS

A.) Camping units shall not be occupied outside of an approved camp ground for more than seventy-two (72) hours on any basis. A special permit may be granted by the ZEO for single camping units to be occupied outside of approved campgrounds for a period not to exceed two weeks in duration per calendar year. (Amended 08.05.96)

B.) For the purposes of this section improved property shall be land (lot) upon which there is a dwelling that conforms to the articles of this Ordinance.

C.) No more than two (2) Camping Units may be parked on any property at the same time.

D.) All Camping Units are to be placed on the side and rear lots of improved property.

E.) Placement of Camping Units must be in accordance with the setbacks required for buildings in the respective zone of the property.

F.) The Camping Unit must either have self contained sanitation or be connected to adequate sanitation facilities.

Read the full text of the law (page 42).

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An unlicensed vehicle is any vehicle with expired registration, displaying expired license plates or whose rear license plate with expiration stickers is not clearly visible.

An inoperable vehicle is any motorized or self-propelled vehicle that cannot safely and lawfully move under its own power in its present condition.

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Owners and occupants must cut and remove weeds or collections of cuttings, clippings, or other grasses, brush, tree limbs, branches or other similar debris.

Weeds include:

• Any plant which ordinarily grows without cultivation, is not grown for landscaping, slope stabilization, drainage control or food production purposes.
• Grass or weeds over nine (9) inches in height
• Any plant that grows in such accumulation as to become a fire danger

Explanation

The product causes side effects similar to marijuana and cocaine, leading to hallucinations, chest pains and loss of motor control.

Two Ohio men were recently arrested under the new bath salt law.

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Ohio HB 64

To amend sections 149.43, 149.45, 2925.02, 2925.03, 2925.11, 3719.01, and 3719.41 and to enact section 3719.013 of the Revised Code to add synthetic cannabinoids commonly known as K2 or Spice to the list of Schedule I controlled substances, to prohibit the possession of Spice, to prohibit trafficking in Spice, to provide that if Spice is the drug involved in a violation of the offense of corrupting another with drugs the penalty for the violation will be the same as if marihuana was the drug involved in the offense, to add six synthetic derivatives of cathinone that have been found in bath salts to the list of Schedule I controlled substances, to define a "controlled substance analog" for purposes of the Controlled Substances Law, and to treat controlled substance analogs as Schedule I controlled substances, and to specify that the residential and familial information of probation officers and bailiffs is not a public record.

Read more about the law here

Explanation

City law requires motorists place stickers “at the lower right-hand corner on the inside of the glass portion of the windshield of such motor vehicle.” The ordinance also tells motorist they must follow the instructions on the sticker, which include removing the previous year’s sticker.

Read more in the Chicago Tribune.

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Explanation

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Explanation

The New York Times City Room blog discusses this law on March 21st, 2008. The law is rarely enforced, but about a dozen people have been charged since the 1970's. The law took effect on Septembert 1st, 1907.

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Link to the full text.

Section 255.17 of the state penal law states, “A person is guilty of adultery when he engages in sexual intercourse with another person at a time when he has a living spouse, or the other person has a living spouse. Adultery is a class B misdemeanor.” A class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine.