A Dumb Thread

Here are a few history facts they have dubbed 'dumb.' (Don't blame me.)

Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.


In ancient Egypt, Priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.


In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they were unarmed.


3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the time they were 30.


In ancient Egypt, people used to shave their eyebrows to mourn the death of their cats.


In ancient China doctors would only receive fees if the patient stayed in good health. Sometimes if the patients health became to bad, the doctor had to pay them.


Married women could not view the Olympic Games in ancient Greece under penalty of death.


Glasses have been worn for about 700 years.


About 300 years ago, people used toothbrushes made from hog bristles.


During the Middle Ages, people used spider webs to try to cure warts.


Rockets were first made by the Chinese more than 750 years ago.


The 100 years war lasted 116 years.


During Martin Luther’s Reformation, he claimed the Catholic Church to be the anti-christ, and in response, they claimed he was the anti-christ. The common people, assuming one must be the anti-christ, believed that the acopalypse was coming. It never did.


The first sound recording ever made: “Mary Had a Little Lamb” in 1877.


In 1848, Niagara Falls stopped flowing for 30 hours because of an ice jam blocking the Niagara River.

Here's one from Vermont: It is illegal to deny the existence of God.

Jonsreds Chainsaw

Do not attempt to stop chain with hands.

even better


Swedish Chainsaw

Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals.

I think it would be interesting if we each check our own state or city for these laws. The Sate of Texas:

One must acknowledge a supreme being before being able to hold public office.
It is illegal to sell one's eye.
A program has been created in the state that attempts to control the weather.
When two trains meet each other at a railroad crossing, each shall come to a full stop, and neither shall proceed until the other has gone.
It is illegal to take more than three sips of beer at a time while standing.
Up to a felony charge can be levied for promoting the use of, or owning more than six dildos.
It is illegal for one to shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel.
It is illegal to milk another person’s cow.
A recently passed anticrime law requires criminals to give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and to explain the nature of the crime to be committed.
Homosexual behavior is a misdemeanor offense.
The entire Encyclopedia Britannica is banned in Texas because it contains a formula for making beer at home.

Whilst I research Blue Laws ( knowing of a real beauty), I found this startling fact:

"In Saudi Arabia, all businesses except hospitals are forced to close during Islamic prayers time, which is five times a day."

I just found this gem of a website :

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art37385.asp

Old, Crazy Laws
Guest Author - Vance Rowe

I thought that I would lighten things up a bit here this week and have some fun. This week’s articles are about old, laws that are actually still on the books in a lot of these United States. Some of these you may have heard before and some will be new to you. Enjoy.

Women and the Law:

In Michigan, women are not allowed to go to the hair stylist to have your hair altered in any way without your husband’s express permission.

In Florida, it is illegal for women to fall asleep while under a hair dryer in a hair salon and if you are an unmarried thrill seeker, you had better go someplace else because unmarried women cannot skydive on Sundays in Florida either.

A woman in Memphis, Tennessee is not allowed to drive a car down the road without a man walking in front of her and carrying a red flag to warn other drivers. (I love that one.)

Animals:

In Pennsylvania, if you are driving down a road in your car and you see a team of skittish horses coming toward you, you have to get out of the vehicle, dismantle it piece by piece and hide it in the bushes until the horses pass by so you do not scare them.

In Missouri, it is unlawful to drive down the highway with an uncaged bear in your car.

In Orlando, Florida, when you park your elephant at a meter, you need to deposit the same amount as you would a car.

Blue Laws:

In Salem, West Virginia, it is illegal to eat candy and hour and a half before church service begins.

No restaurant in Kansas is allowed to serve cherry pie on Sunday either.

It is illegal to eat ice cream at the counter of the Ice Cream shop in Winona Lake, Wisconsin on Sunday.

You can also not play with marbles, dominoes, or yo-yos on Sunday in a few States either.

If you plan on molesting butterflies, don’t do it in California for it is illegal there.

Other Crazy Laws:

Did you know that if you live in Alabama, it is illegal for you to drive a car while blindfolded?

In Florida, it is illegal for men to be seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown.

In Kentucky, no one is considered drunk until they can no longer hold onto the ground.

Also, in Kentucky, if you plan on transporting an ice cream cone in your pocket, you had better think again because it is illegal to do so there.

A parent can be arrested in Nebraska if their child burps in church and finally:

Any woman living in New Mexico cannot appear in public unshaven.[img][/img]

A colonial Blue Law in Massachusetts existed as a carry-over from late 1600s-1700s. I knew it to be STILL on the books in the '70s:

On Sunday, the man had to carry a blunderbuss on his (street-facing) shoulder while escorting a woman to church.

While there, I was surprised to know that it's illegal, in Indianapolis, to throw a stone at a bird, except in self-defense..

Hey, thanks for reviving this thread.

I was just reading about a new one that cropped up today. Florida is proposing a law that would make it a first degree felony to take photos of a farm.



Link

Maybe google earth is committing daily felonies.

Ha! That might be a good work-around for PETA!