OFF: Silly laws in the USA

[Michel Ellis]

> From: Ed Gallagher <egallagh at HARPER.CC.IL.US>

> I remember hearing that it's illegal to cary an ice cream cone in your
> pocket in Texas.
>
Hmm, considering that an ice cream cone usually wouldn't last very long
in your pocket - especially in the summer - this sounds like a tall tale
to me.

> For quite some time (maybe still) it was (or is) illegal to buy baby
> food, diapers and lots of other stuff on Sundays in South Carolina. Part
> of a bunch of laws that were refered to as "Blue Laws".
>

Just a few years ago, Blue Laws in Texas meant that just about all stores
had to be closed on Sundays - department stores, malls, record stores (!).
You could buy food, but not luxury items. The sale of liquor is still
restricted to certain hours in Texas. You can't buy beer or wine till noon
on Sunday, and hard liquor can't be sold on Sunday at all.

> I still wonder where they got that name.

I don't know the source of the name, but Blue Laws are/were common in the
Bible Belt states dominated by Baptists. I believe they are a direct result
of Baptists frowning upon frivolousness in general and particularily on
Sundays. No drinkin' and no dancin' allowed !

>
> --
> "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
> - Albert Einstein
>
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