Share something odd/interesting about your state/province/country

[dclpluto]

New Jersey it's against the law to wear a bullet proof vest while Committing murder.

 

[RedAngie]

The fact that you posted this below RedAngie with that picture in her signature cracked me up. I was reading your post about hairspray and people spontaneously exploding while seeing that hair out of the corner of my eye. Pretty amusing.

My hair has been declared a hazard and is banned in 28 states and 12 foreign countries.

Northwest angle.... Google it.

Maryland has the most narrow part of any state. It is less than two miles from West Virginia to Pennsylvania, with Maryland in between, at the town of Hancock.

It's not my state, but there is this little oddity known as Point Roberts, Washington.

https://www.google.com/maps/@48.9932833,-123.0633675,13z

Don't have to google or read any links. I've been aware of these geographic anomalies for years. I should be, what with me being The Map Queen.

 

[GaryDis]

In Pennsylvania you can only buy wine and liquor at specific state stores.

There are several so-called control states, though the linked Wikipedia article doesn't separate those that control at the retail level versus those that control at the wholesale.

But unlike PA, and I suspect most retail control states, with operational goals that balance alcohol control with profit, the New Hampshire State liquor stores are largely profit driven, and quite deliberately undercut neighboring states to drive business.

Apocryphally, there was a time when Massachusetts state troopers in unmarked cars would hang out at the NH State stores and follow cars with Massachusetts license plates back over the border, to arrest them for illegally importing liquor into the Commonwealth. And, equally apocryphally, New Hampshire state troopers would charge the Massachusetts troopers with illegally loitering in the NH State liquor store parking lots.

Mass has since relaxed its attitude, first allowing stores near the NH border to open on Sundays, and now allowing all liquor stores to open Sunday.

 

[GaryDis]

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) invented the first computer in Cambridge in 1928

I'm not so sure about this. As near as I can tell, this refers to the analogue differential analyzer built by by Harold Locke Hazen and Vannevar Bush. It's certainly a noteworthy contribution, but I think most computer people would refer back to Babbage's Analytical Engine from the 1800s as the first programmable computer to be designed (though never fully implemented), while the first electromechanical digital computers were done by Germany and, of course, Alan Turing in the UK during World War II, and the first electronic one was Colossus, also done in the UK during the war.

Grr. Computer history is nearly as complex as computer programming.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Wisconsin ...

The QUERTY keyboard was invented in Milwaukee.
.

I've never seen a QUERTY keyboard. Did that go out of style because of the QWERTY keyboard?

T
Texas still owns all of its public lands. If the federal government wants to create a park or cut a stand of timber, it must first ask the state’s permission.

Half true. Though Texas kept most of its public lands upon admission and still owns quite a bit of land, It doesn't own All public land in the state. Nor does the Federal government have to ask permission to make a park for example or log trees on land the federal government owns.

Texas:
Texas was an independent nation from 1836 to 1845. When it was annexed in 1845, it retained the right to fly its flag at the same height as the national flag.

False.
1. There is no specific provision in the flag code granting specific exemption for Texas giving it the right to fly its flag differently than any other state.
2. Nor would there need to be such a provision. Technically, every single state in the union can fly its flag at the same height as the national flag if they are on separate poles. The code says the national flag must fly at the same or greater height than any other. There are other positioning guidelines as well.
3. The flag code is a set of guidelines that define the etiquitte of flying the flag. Nobody will be arrested, nor fined for violating it. So again there would be no need to give Texas specific exemption.
http://www.snopes.com/history/american/texasflag.asp

 

[clori]

The Portsmouth NH Navy Yard is in Kittery Maine though which state it actually is in has been disputed for years

You probably know that “Live free or die” is New Hampshire’s stark state motto. You might not know that the quote comes from a toast written by New Hampshire Revolutionary War hero General John Stark, and the full quote was “Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.”

New Hampshire is home to the first ever widely publicized case of an alien abduction. In 1961, Portsmouth natives Betty and Barney Hill reported being abducted by extraterrestrials and taken into a UFO. Since July of 2011, there has been a state historical marker at the alleged abduction site.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Lots of things have been mentioned about NJ but one of my faves happens to be:

Pork roll.

A pork roll, egg and cheese on an everything bagel is pure heaven.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Lots of things have been mentioned about NJ but one of my faves happens to be:

Pork roll.

A pork roll, egg and cheese on an everything bagel is pure heaven.

Thanks for calling that processed meat product by its proper name.

It's also great on a hard Kaiser roll, or an English muffin.

 

[yoopermom]

We yoopers consider ourselves not "really" to be part of the state of Michigan, so here are some fun facts about our beautiful peninsula:

Isle Royale National Park, part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is the least visited national park in the country. It has fewer visitors’ in an entire year than Yosemite has in a single day!

Copper Harbor is the farthest town from an interstate highway in the continental United States with a distance of 251 miles. The nearest interstate is Interstate 39 in Rothschild, Wisconsin.

Here’s a fact not for the squeamish: “Lake Superior seldom gives up her dead.” Due to the unusually low temperature of the water the bacteria that generate gas inside the body and cause it to float are inhibited.

The four bordering counties of Wisconsin (Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson, Menominee) are in Central Time while the remaining 11 counties are Eastern Time (I live five miles from the border. Live in one, work in the other. It gets confusing .)

(My favorite)
The Upper Peninsula is very regional, due to the physical separation from the rest of the state and the history of the area. From local delicacies like pasties and cudighi to the distinct dialect, to the preference of being called Yoopers before Michiganders, the extreme regionalism is definitely brought out in a variety of ways.

Terri

 

[monorailsilver]

CT:

Pretty boring state!

High taxes, gas taxes, although I just paid $1.59 cash, wonder how long that will last!

My town is known for its annual ancient Muster every July.

New Haven pizza

Hot buttered lobster roll on a New England style bun (vs the icky mayo ones)

 

[hereyago]

VA here: 1 in 10 people who have vanity plates live here..Yes, I have them as well.

Ella Fitzgerald was born here in Newport News, so were the loser Vick brothers.

We like to close stuff down in 1-2 inches of possible snow.

The first fraternity was established at William and Mary.


After a certain age it illegal to trick or treat.

During prohibition, Franklin county was dubbed Moonshine Capital of the world.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

Well, according to NBA announcer Jeff Wade, my home province of Saskatchewan is apparently famous for sasquaches. In his words, "Of course that region's known for being known for being home to a lot of sasquatches. That's what it's named for."

I guess that makes us Sasquachawanians or some other such thing.

http://regina.ctvnews.ca/fox-sports...katchewan-sasquatch-story-weighs-in-1.2772212

My husband and I have been having a good laugh over that one. I can honestly say that I have seen a lot of things, but never a sasquatch. I guess the sasquatches are exceptionally good at hiding on that flat Saskatchewan prairie. We didn't earn sayings like, "Saskatchewan is so flat that you can watch your dog run away from home for 3 days," or "See Saskatchewan standing on a chair," for nothing.

 

[GaryDis]

• Official cookie is the Toll House cookie (also invented here).

• The Fig Newton is named for the city of Newton, MA.

You forgot the Parker House roll, also invented here.

 

[maxaroni]

Lots of things have been mentioned about NJ but one of my faves happens to be:

Pork roll.

A pork roll, egg and cheese on an everything bagel is pure heaven.

Taylor Ham gal here

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Thanks for calling that processed meat product by its proper name.

It's also great on a hard Kaiser roll, or an English muffin.

Taylor Ham gal here

I didn't know it was also called taylor ham until I was in my 20s lol

 

[justgrace]

1. .

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Well, according to NBA announcer Jeff Wade, my home province of Saskatchewan is apparently famous for sasquaches. In his words, "Of course that region's known for being known for being home to a lot of sasquatches. That's what it's named for."

I guess that makes us Sasquachawanians or some other such thing.

http://regina.ctvnews.ca/fox-sports...katchewan-sasquatch-story-weighs-in-1.2772212

My husband and I have been having a good laugh over that one. I can honestly say that I have seen a lot of things, but never a sasquatch. I guess the sasquatches are exceptionally good at hiding on that flat Saskatchewan prairie. We didn't earn sayings like, "Saskatchewan is so flat that you can watch your dog run away from home for 3 days," or "See Saskatchewan standing on a chair," for nothing.

Saskatchewan produced the Hanson Buck - the current World Record typical whitetail deer. Interesting side note on that, hunter Milo Hanson's bullet passed through the deer & lodged in it's antler & had the antler broken, the record would not have counted.

And you nearly stole our NHL team some 20-30 years ago

 

[Julie's Haircut]

And you nearly stole our NHL team some 20-30 years ago

I was kind of disappointed it didn't happen. But it was a ridiculous idea.

Edit: The NHL did eventually come to Saskatoon. During the early 90s, there were two seasons when the league played games at neutral sites. I know Saskatoon had at least three or four of them. I went to one in 1994. Vancouver vs. Edmonton.

 

[bcla]

New Jersey it's against the law to wear a bullet proof vest while Committing murder.

That's a pretty common "enhancement" penalty in lots of states. In California there can be an add-on penalty for wearing a "body vest" in the commission of a felony, but the law doesn't go into effect until next year.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=pen&group=12001-13000&file=12001-12022.95

12022.2. (b) Any person who wears a body vest in the commission or
attempted commission of a violent offense, as defined in Section
29905, shall, upon conviction of that felony or attempted felony, in
addition and consecutive to the punishment prescribed for the felony
or attempted felony of which he or she has been convicted, be
punished by an additional term of one, two, or five years. The court
shall order the middle term unless there are circumstances in
aggravation or mitigation. The court shall state the reasons for its
enhancement choice on the record at the time of the sentence.
(c) As used in this section, "body vest" means any
bullet-resistant material intended to provide ballistic and trauma
protection for the wearer.
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017.​

 

[bcla]

We yoopers consider ourselves not "really" to be part of the state of Michigan, so here are some fun facts about our beautiful peninsula:

Isle Royale National Park, part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is the least visited national park in the country. It has fewer visitors’ in an entire year than Yosemite has in a single day!

It is not the least visited national park, and it's not really that close. 2015 lists over 18,000 visitors. There are some national parks in Alaska in the middle of nowhere where visitors have to be dropped in by plane. Gates of the Arctic NP had less than 11,000 visitors for 2015. Lake Clark NP is also lower. Heck - Kobuk Valley NP lists some years where visits are maybe 600. They're listing 0 for the last two years, but I think there's a reporting issue. I was joking once with an NPS ranger about visitation, and he said that he had talked to some rangers in remote parks in Alaska mentioning a surge in visitation of a 50 visitors.

National Park of American Samoa is also less visited.

http://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/g296/national-parks-124040809/?slide=3

Besides that - I thought of visiting once. The irony is that it's closer to Minnesota than any part of Michigan, and the scheduled transportation is from Minnesota.