- The Zone of Death
Located in the south east of Idaho, this controversial 50 square mile area is a part of Yellowstone National Park wherein you could, in theory, get away with murder.
According to the sixth amendment of the U.S. constitution, if you are to be put on trial, it’s required that you be judged by a jury of your peers from the same state AND federal district in which the crime is believed to have been committed.
The amendment reads…
“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed....”
Now, geographically, the majority of Yellowstone National Park is inside the state of Wyoming. This little piece, however, is actually in Idaho state. But the park as a whole is under the federal jurisdiction of Wyoming, including this small zone in Idaho. And here’s where things get messy.
In case a crime is committed in this area, the defendant has the right to a bias jury that includes people who both live in Idaho AND are under the federal jurisdiction of Wyoming. In other words, people who live in the zone of death.
But here’s the thing, this portion of the park is entirely uninhabited. Which means that the assembly of a jury in this case is practically impossible. You’re constitutionally protected from prosecution.
Zone of Death (geography) - Wikipedia
- Strange Laws
During a recent research I’ve been conducting for travel purposes, I came across a few bizarre laws from different countries around the world. Some of these laws are downright crazy.
In Thailand, for example, It’s illegal to leave your house without underwear! The question that begs to mind here, how would the police tell if someone is going commando? And if a person is suspected to be walking outside with no underpants, how would the cops, you know,…..investigate the situation?
It’s also illegal in Thailand to drive your car shirtless. It seems that the country takes underwear quite seriously.
Another thing they take seriously is their currency. You are not to step over Thai money as this is considered an offense too. Most likely because the picture of the king is printed on their banknotes.
In Germany, on the other hand, escaping prison is completely 100% legal, and you can’t be punished for it. Yes, you’ll be brought back behind bars if they capture you, but no extra time will be added to your sentence.
The reason behind this law is that the country believes that while criminals don’t have the right to live freely among the rest of the population, every person, criminals included, has the right to seek freedom as it is a human nature to do so. Therefore, breaking out of a prison is not considered a crime. Just a human being succumbing to their survival instincts.
https://www.workandvolunteer.com/10-things-you-should-know-before-travelling-to-thailand
These are the countries where prison breaking (escape) is legal and not punishable……
- The Eiffel Tower at Night
Speaking of what’s legal and what’s not. If you’ve ever taken a picture of the Eiffel Tower at night and posted it on social media, then congratulations, you might’ve committed a felony.
Taking a picture like this one for the Eiffel Tower is completely legal,
This one however -if without blurring it out- not so much.
Copyright laws in The European Union state that any work of art, buildings included, is protected for as long as its creater is alive, plus 70 years. Gustave Eiffel, The copyright owner of the Eiffel Tower, died in 1923. So, in 1993, the copyright of the Eiffel Tower expired. And all pictures and replicas of it became fully legal.
The lights, however, weren’t installed until 1985. Which means that until now, they’re still protected by copyright laws. As a result, pictures taken for the lit Eiffel Tower without permission from Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel are illegal.
- Hawaii Overprint Note, The Second World War.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, the U.S. federal reserve issued a series of special banknotes to be used in the state of Hawaii as a replacement for the regular U.S. dollar bill. This measurement was taken out of fear that a Japanese invasion of Hawaii would lead to the seizure of tens of millions of dollars by the Japanese army.
As a result, the use of standard U.S. dollar bills was prohibited in Hawaii between the years of 1942 and 1944. In an event of a Japanese invasion of the state, these overprint banknotes were to be deemed worthless by the United States’ government to protect the U.S. dollar, and consequently, the nation’s economy.
On a side note, I love how the United States is always prepared for the worst. Always.
Hawaii overprint note - Wikipedia
- Christmas Truce of 1914, The First World War.
On Christmas eve of 1914, six months into the deadliest conflict in history until that time, British and German soldiers put their guns down and raised their glasses up high. For a few hours, men who’d been exchanging bullets on the battlefield, stopped the gunfire and celebrated together all night.
It all started with a few German soldiers singing in the spirit of Christmas on the evening of December 25th, 1914. As their singing reached beyond enemy lines, their British counterparts joined them and started singing along.
Shortly after, a voice emerged from the German front calling, “Come over here”.
Worried that this might be some kind of a trap, a British sergeant replied,“You come half way. We come half way”.
It was then when German troops stepped out of their trenches and headed towards no man’s land (that little space between the opposing armies).
Yearning desperately for a few moments of peace, these men moved slowly toward each other, unarmed, cautious, but hopeful. This time, in their hands, they carried things other than the deadly weapons they’d been holding on to for months.
They shook hands, exchanged bottles of wine, cigarettes, and even letters they’d written to their loved ones. In the most unexpected place, thousands of men came together and spent Christmas singing, drinking and celebrating.
Suddenly, though, a round object was thrown in the air. It wasn’t a grenade as one would expect to see in such place, but a football. The two teams are now competing, not by occupying lands or taking each others’ lives, but by scoring goals.
Those were some of the strangest hours in the history of warfare. Earlier that day, these men had been shooting at each other. But once they put their rifles down, something extraordinary happened. Peace rised from the muddy trenches, and cut through the dark clouds of war.
Christmas Truce of 1914 was a monumental event. A testimony that even in our darkest days, we strive to live.
This memorial was built to commemorate these ceasefires and the soldiers who made the impossible possible.
File:Christmas Truce 1914 Memorial.jpg
What Happened When WWI Paused for Christmas
Every time, I start off an answer with the intention of writing a paragraph or two. But then I keep adding more and more lines, and end up with a really long answer. Frankly, I don’t see this changing anytime soon, for I love writing. Seriously, I need it to get through this part of my life.
Not all of you, however, have the time to read these lengthy answers. For that, I’ve decided to include a visual summary for some of my answers from now on. Just in case you only have a minute or two to spare, and would like to spend it reading on the go.
For a visual summary of this answer, please check the infographic below.
Cheers.