Dunkirk101
07-15-2006, 11:56 AM
Something to ponder :hahanot:
Asia and Africa
The laws of Asian countries appear absurd at first glance, but in reality they make sense. For example, in accordance with Mongolian law, women are obligated to walk with their bosom exposed. This law was appropriate in the Middle Ages; in such a way Mongolian nomads protected themselves from enemy soldiers dressed up as women. In the Indian state of Rajastan, women are obligated to eat carrot seeds, which are supposed to possess contraceptive properties. An ancient Iranian law was mentioned in the Western press, which forbids copulation with wild animals, especially lionesses, but permits intimate relations with some domestic animals. Here, however, contemporary laws are not inferior to ancient ones: strict Singapore legislators have forbidden the public from chewing gum in the metro, walking around the house naked, and failing to flush after using the toilet. In South Korea, officers of the highway patrol are obligated to report to their supervisors the bribes they received for the day. Thais are not permitted to leave the house without underwear, and they are forbidden from stepping on the local money or coins - since the king is depicted on the currency. There are severe laws in Israel. Here, along with many other things, it is forbidden to blow your nose on Saturdays. To ride a bike here, you must have a driver's license. In the city of Arade it is forbidden to feed animals in public places, in Ramat-Gasharon you cannot have a Rottweiler, and in Haifa bears are not allowed on the city beaches. African laws are no less strict. Since 1994, men are not allowed to have intimate relations with girls younger than 18 years of age, unless the man has more than $50, a sheep, and 3 bottles of gin, since this is the fine that a man must pay for impregnating an underage girl. In Swaziland, however, up to a year in prison awaits those couples that decide to try "underwater love." The law was put into force in 1985 after it was noted that a national sight (the Kadl-Padl hot spring) was very popular among lovers.
North America
Canadian legislation, like American, tries to cover almost all aspects of a citizen's life: Canadians are forbidden from removing bandages and wound dressings in public, under threat of a large penalty. They cannot pay for goods costing more than 50 cents in pennies, and clear beverages cannot contain caffeine. Provincial and city laws are even more specific. In the province of Nova Scotia, it is not allowed to water one's lawn while it is raining. In Quebec, the sale of yellow margarine is forbidden. In Montreal (also in Quebec), it is forbidden to curse in French and wash automobiles on the street. In Toronto (in the province of Ontario) it is criminal to drag a dead horse down Long Street on a Sunday. It is entirely possible that this street is no longer in Toronto, but no one has abolished the law. In the city of Itobikok (in the same province) the water level in a bathtub cannot to exceed 10 cm. In the entire province of Saskatchewan there is a law, which forbids to children from appearing outside in the boots with the laces untied. In Bolivia there is a law, which has been in place since the beginning of the 20th century, forbidding women from drinking more than one glass of wine in bars and restaurants. The legislators decided that a larger quantity of alcohol makes "a woman morally and sexually yielding." Breaking the law not only entails a large monetary penalty (up to $100), but also appears to be official grounds for divorce. Life is not easy for bearded women in Mexico. Here their appearance on the street can end with a public shave.
Generally, Latin American laws are extraordinarily humane. For example, Paraguayan law, which forbids dueling, makes an exception for those who have bequeathed their organs to medical or scientific establishments. Peru concluded that it should be forbidden to add hot pepper or other spices to prison food: they are considered aphrodisiacs, which, in the opinion of legislators, "are not permitted for men who are forced to live under the conditions of limited contact."
Australia and Oceania
Papua, New Guinea, it seems, holds the world record for the severity of punishment for marital infidelity. In the Madang region, where ancient Papuan laws have legal status, deceived husbands are not just permitted, but directed, to behead the lovers of their wives. Before execution, the condemned must eat a finger of his lover. The laws of Australia and Oceania are more ridiculous than they are terrible. In Australia, for example, legislation is extremely humane. Life imprisonment (the most severe punishment in this country) cannot exceed 25 years. An Australian taxi driver can be penalized if he does not have an armload of hay in his vehicle, a rule still in existence from the days when taxi drivers were coachmen. Furthermore, in Australian cities it is forbidden to appear out on the street in dark clothing, rubber-soled shoes, and with shoe polish on your face. It is possible to receive a fine by simply going out for a walk as well: there is a prohibition against travel opposite the direction of traffic (i.e.: walking on the right side instead of the left) on all roads, including on the rural pedestrian paths. Besides Australian federal laws, there are, of course, local ones. In the state of Victoria, for example, only licensed electricians can change a burned-out light bulb, even in private dwellings. The penalty is about $20. In the same state, it is forbidden to walk in pink trousers after noon on Sundays. Laws concerning clothing also exist in Melbourne. Here a man can be penalized if he appears out on the street in a "dress without straps." There are no limitations on other forms of female clothing for men in that city. Inhabitants of the New Zealand cities Of Longbern, agitated by the attacks of cats on defenseless birds, passed a law, which forbids a cat from leaving the house without three bells on around its neck.
Russian truth
In Russia nowadays there are still thousands of legal acts that were passed during the times of socialism. They are still legal in the sense that no one abolished them, but in practice they are just not enforced. If someone really wants to, however, they can. For example, on March 5th, 1969, a decision of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR affirmed an act titled "Rules on the protection of motorways and road construction," in which Point 7 states that "construction along a roadway of a detour to a dwelling, public building, or warehouse, or the installation of advertising signs or posters having no relation to traffic safety, is forbidden." We encounter rude violations of this law at every turn.
The criminal code concerning administrative offenses (KoAP) was adopted in 1984, and the new administrative codex as yet does not have all assumed instances covered. The KoAP contains an enormous number of standards, which place many completely respectable citizens outside the law. Article 164.3, for example, provides a penalty for "pestering foreign citizens for the purpose of acquiring things." The discussion, evidentially, deals with importers. Another article threatens a penalty against any participant in a game of chance, including cards and roulette, and prosecution for the organization of these types of games (which are going on everywhere). But how many people would suffer in the case of the application of Article 152, which forbids purchasing bread from a bakery to feeding to domestic livestock and poultry? It's terrible to imagine. These are trifles, however, in comparison with the possibilities given to authorities by a law from March 28th, 1927, which has still not been abolished: "The requisition and seizure of property." Article 13 of this law permits the seizure of property from "persons who escaped beyond the boundaries of the republic out of political motives, and who have not returned up to the moment of confiscation." Nothing prevents a prosecutor from using this law, and going to court demanding the confiscation of property from some big business owner who is out of the country at the time. True, in this case it is necessary to declare that he left "out of political motives," but this is no obstacle: the main thing is that he does not return up to the moment of the confiscation. <end>
Asia and Africa
The laws of Asian countries appear absurd at first glance, but in reality they make sense. For example, in accordance with Mongolian law, women are obligated to walk with their bosom exposed. This law was appropriate in the Middle Ages; in such a way Mongolian nomads protected themselves from enemy soldiers dressed up as women. In the Indian state of Rajastan, women are obligated to eat carrot seeds, which are supposed to possess contraceptive properties. An ancient Iranian law was mentioned in the Western press, which forbids copulation with wild animals, especially lionesses, but permits intimate relations with some domestic animals. Here, however, contemporary laws are not inferior to ancient ones: strict Singapore legislators have forbidden the public from chewing gum in the metro, walking around the house naked, and failing to flush after using the toilet. In South Korea, officers of the highway patrol are obligated to report to their supervisors the bribes they received for the day. Thais are not permitted to leave the house without underwear, and they are forbidden from stepping on the local money or coins - since the king is depicted on the currency. There are severe laws in Israel. Here, along with many other things, it is forbidden to blow your nose on Saturdays. To ride a bike here, you must have a driver's license. In the city of Arade it is forbidden to feed animals in public places, in Ramat-Gasharon you cannot have a Rottweiler, and in Haifa bears are not allowed on the city beaches. African laws are no less strict. Since 1994, men are not allowed to have intimate relations with girls younger than 18 years of age, unless the man has more than $50, a sheep, and 3 bottles of gin, since this is the fine that a man must pay for impregnating an underage girl. In Swaziland, however, up to a year in prison awaits those couples that decide to try "underwater love." The law was put into force in 1985 after it was noted that a national sight (the Kadl-Padl hot spring) was very popular among lovers.
North America
Canadian legislation, like American, tries to cover almost all aspects of a citizen's life: Canadians are forbidden from removing bandages and wound dressings in public, under threat of a large penalty. They cannot pay for goods costing more than 50 cents in pennies, and clear beverages cannot contain caffeine. Provincial and city laws are even more specific. In the province of Nova Scotia, it is not allowed to water one's lawn while it is raining. In Quebec, the sale of yellow margarine is forbidden. In Montreal (also in Quebec), it is forbidden to curse in French and wash automobiles on the street. In Toronto (in the province of Ontario) it is criminal to drag a dead horse down Long Street on a Sunday. It is entirely possible that this street is no longer in Toronto, but no one has abolished the law. In the city of Itobikok (in the same province) the water level in a bathtub cannot to exceed 10 cm. In the entire province of Saskatchewan there is a law, which forbids to children from appearing outside in the boots with the laces untied. In Bolivia there is a law, which has been in place since the beginning of the 20th century, forbidding women from drinking more than one glass of wine in bars and restaurants. The legislators decided that a larger quantity of alcohol makes "a woman morally and sexually yielding." Breaking the law not only entails a large monetary penalty (up to $100), but also appears to be official grounds for divorce. Life is not easy for bearded women in Mexico. Here their appearance on the street can end with a public shave.
Generally, Latin American laws are extraordinarily humane. For example, Paraguayan law, which forbids dueling, makes an exception for those who have bequeathed their organs to medical or scientific establishments. Peru concluded that it should be forbidden to add hot pepper or other spices to prison food: they are considered aphrodisiacs, which, in the opinion of legislators, "are not permitted for men who are forced to live under the conditions of limited contact."
Australia and Oceania
Papua, New Guinea, it seems, holds the world record for the severity of punishment for marital infidelity. In the Madang region, where ancient Papuan laws have legal status, deceived husbands are not just permitted, but directed, to behead the lovers of their wives. Before execution, the condemned must eat a finger of his lover. The laws of Australia and Oceania are more ridiculous than they are terrible. In Australia, for example, legislation is extremely humane. Life imprisonment (the most severe punishment in this country) cannot exceed 25 years. An Australian taxi driver can be penalized if he does not have an armload of hay in his vehicle, a rule still in existence from the days when taxi drivers were coachmen. Furthermore, in Australian cities it is forbidden to appear out on the street in dark clothing, rubber-soled shoes, and with shoe polish on your face. It is possible to receive a fine by simply going out for a walk as well: there is a prohibition against travel opposite the direction of traffic (i.e.: walking on the right side instead of the left) on all roads, including on the rural pedestrian paths. Besides Australian federal laws, there are, of course, local ones. In the state of Victoria, for example, only licensed electricians can change a burned-out light bulb, even in private dwellings. The penalty is about $20. In the same state, it is forbidden to walk in pink trousers after noon on Sundays. Laws concerning clothing also exist in Melbourne. Here a man can be penalized if he appears out on the street in a "dress without straps." There are no limitations on other forms of female clothing for men in that city. Inhabitants of the New Zealand cities Of Longbern, agitated by the attacks of cats on defenseless birds, passed a law, which forbids a cat from leaving the house without three bells on around its neck.
Russian truth
In Russia nowadays there are still thousands of legal acts that were passed during the times of socialism. They are still legal in the sense that no one abolished them, but in practice they are just not enforced. If someone really wants to, however, they can. For example, on March 5th, 1969, a decision of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR affirmed an act titled "Rules on the protection of motorways and road construction," in which Point 7 states that "construction along a roadway of a detour to a dwelling, public building, or warehouse, or the installation of advertising signs or posters having no relation to traffic safety, is forbidden." We encounter rude violations of this law at every turn.
The criminal code concerning administrative offenses (KoAP) was adopted in 1984, and the new administrative codex as yet does not have all assumed instances covered. The KoAP contains an enormous number of standards, which place many completely respectable citizens outside the law. Article 164.3, for example, provides a penalty for "pestering foreign citizens for the purpose of acquiring things." The discussion, evidentially, deals with importers. Another article threatens a penalty against any participant in a game of chance, including cards and roulette, and prosecution for the organization of these types of games (which are going on everywhere). But how many people would suffer in the case of the application of Article 152, which forbids purchasing bread from a bakery to feeding to domestic livestock and poultry? It's terrible to imagine. These are trifles, however, in comparison with the possibilities given to authorities by a law from March 28th, 1927, which has still not been abolished: "The requisition and seizure of property." Article 13 of this law permits the seizure of property from "persons who escaped beyond the boundaries of the republic out of political motives, and who have not returned up to the moment of confiscation." Nothing prevents a prosecutor from using this law, and going to court demanding the confiscation of property from some big business owner who is out of the country at the time. True, in this case it is necessary to declare that he left "out of political motives," but this is no obstacle: the main thing is that he does not return up to the moment of the confiscation. <end>