Presidential Holidays

In Nevada, "any day that may be appointed by the President of the United States for public fast, thanksgiving or as a legal holiday except for any Presidential appointment of the fourth Monday in October as Veterans' Day" is an official state holiday. (Nev. Rev. Stat. § 236.015)

So the only exception to a Presidentially-declared holiday is if the President designates the fourth Monday in October as Veterans' Day? Why?

Raiding Orchards in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, the penalty for entering someone else's land to damage or steal the vegetation or produce is imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of not more than $500. No silliness there, eh? Well, if the offense is committed on a Sunday, there are minimums: "The imprisonment shall not be for less than five days nor the fine less than five dollars." (Mass. Gen. Laws § 266:117)

No Skinny-Dipping . . . During Daylight Hours

In Vicksburg, Mississippi, public skinny-dipping may not specifically be prohibited at night, but it is during the day. Here is the city ordinance:

"Sec. 17-29.  Same--Nude bathing in public.
It shall be unlawful in the daytime for any person to swim or bathe in a nude condition in any canal, lake, river, or waters in or contiguous to the city, thereby exposing his person, or any part thereof to public view.
(Code 1959, § 14-33)"

Don't Taunt Someone for Refusing to Duel

In West Virginia, it is a misdemeanor to taunt someone "for not fighting a duel, or for not sending or accepting a challenge." (W. Va. Code § 61-2-24) Note that it it only a criminal offense if you put the taunts in writing; apparently, you are free to verbally abuse someone all you wish for refusing your challenge.

Watch Out for Strolling Paupers!

Mississippi Code Section 43-31-27 says, in part, "The members of the board of supervisors shall prevent the poor from strolling from one district to another."

The statute goes on to say that if a poor person on the county dole strolls to another county, any member of the board of supervisors is authorized to order a constable to bring him back. So have many counties run a shortage of paupers, so that the county supervisors need to make sure that other counties don't steal theirs?

Sometimes it's all in the Wording

Laws against indecent exposure are important, but sometimes the wording of them gets a little . . . peculiar. Take, for example, California Penal Code Section 314:

"Every person who willfully and lewdly . . .exposes his person . . . where there are present other persons to be offended or annoyed thereby . . ." So it is a crime to willfully and lewdly expose yourself to another person and annoy him or her thereby.

Also, if you willfully or lewdly exhibit yourself in a manner that "is adapted to excite to vicious or lewd thoughts or acts" you also have committed a crime. I wonder if a fat man wearing a speedo on the beach would qualify, since it might be willful and lewd, and may excite someone to think about violence against him.

Weird Laws: No Fishing with Guns in Wyoming

In Wyoming, fishing with guns is forbidden. The actual wording of Wyoming Statute § 23-3-201(d) is "No person shall take, wound or destroy any fish of Wyoming with a firearm of any kind or nature."