Seven Things I Didn't Know Were Illegal

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China's recent ban on reincarnation without government permission "“ "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation" "“ inspired our research editor extraordinaire Kara Kovalchik to dig up more examples of bizarre legislation on the books.

Being a Cow and Lacking ID in West Bengal, India

To prevent the smuggling of cattle into Bangladesh, Border Security Guards are issuing mandatory ID cards to cattle owners. The BBC explains: "Valid for two years, each laminated cattle ID card displays the picture of the animal and its owner. It also carries vital information about the animal, such as its color, height, sex and length of horns, the owner's name and address and sometimes other details about the animal "“ like one 'horn missing' or 'half tail lost.'"

This has not been easy on the cattle owners.

"I spent two whole days to get their pictures in a studio," Farid Hussain told the Toronto Star. "One of my cows damaged the lighting system of the studio and I had to pay 800 rupees "“ half of my month's income "“ in damages."

Wearing a Bullet-Proof Vest While Committing a Murder in New Jersey

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Seeking West Virginia Political Office with a Duel on Your Resume

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Sagging Your Pants in Mansfield, Louisiana

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Discouraging the Use of Manual Flushing Devices for Urinals in Utah

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Wearing a Hooded Sweatshirt in the Bluewater Shopping Center in Kent, England

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Chewing Gum Without a Prescription in Singapore

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As part of a 2003 trade deal with the United States "“ with lots of help from the powerful gum lobby "“ Singapore agreed to relax the ban. However, gum is only allowed with a medical prescription.

For more weird laws, check out Becky's previous post on this subject and all the great comments underneath. And if you know of or have been cited for breaking any strange laws, keep the list going.