Ellee Seymour

Anyone who has died in the Houses of Parliament will have committed the UK’s most absurd offence – according to Suffolk’s finest political correspondent, Graham Dines.

This is one of the absurd laws highlighted on his post today following a survey commissioned by satellite television channel UKTV Gold. The poll of 3,931 people asked the public to pick the most ludicrous British and foreign laws still in existence, from a shortlist. Twenty seven per cent of those questioned thought the law against dying in the Houses of Parliament was the most ludicrous.

The fact is, if anyone has died in the Houses of Parliament, what could they be charged with – and who would face criminal proceedings as a deceased person would be unable to plead? What is the penalty?

I couldn’t resist adding the whole list of ludicrous laws, they might make you smile like they did me. Which one do you find the most amusing?

Top 10 most ridiculous British laws named were:

1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.

2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down.

3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except working as a clerk in a tropical fish store.

4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day.

5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter.

6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman’s helmet.

7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen.

8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing.

9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour.

10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.

Most outrageous foreign laws:

1. In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk

2. In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation.

3. In Bahrain, a male doctor can only examine the genitals of a woman in the reflection of a mirror.

4. In Switzerland, a man may not relieve himself standing up after 10pm.

5. In Alabama, it is illegal to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle.

6. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on a Sunday could be jailed.

7. In Vermont, women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.

8. In Milan, it is a legal requirement to smile at all times, except funerals or hospital visits.

9. In Japan, there is no age of consent.

10. In France, it is illegal to name a pig Napoleon.

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Animal lovers throughout the world are sickened and outraged at how Costa Rican artist, Guillermo Habacuc Vargas took a dog from the street and used it as an art exhibit, causing it to suffer and starve to death in the name of art.

I’m not going to post any of the offensive pictures, but have included a snapshot of Eurodogtraining, who alerted me to this. And here is an online petition you can sign to try and stop this sick-minded man representing his country at an art exhibition in Honduras.

Here is Eurodogtraining’s protest letter which she and other angry animal lovers are sending to the organisers of the art exhibition:

To allow Guillermo Habacuc Vargas to represent Costa Rica in Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008 will in no way benefit Costa Rica. The world is watching, and the actions of this so-called artist have brought many negative assumptions as to the humanity of the people of Costa Rica. The fact that many witnesses of this animal’s suffering did nothing, and that the organizers of this event allowed this to happen, rather than taking action to see that Guillermo Vargas be criminally charged with animal abuse, is sending the world a message that Costa Rica is a cruel, uncivilized society that has no regard for life, but enjoys viewing and contributing to the loss of life.

Each and every person who knew of and witnessed the suffering of this innocent dog is guilty of causing its unnecessary death. To let this crime go unpunished, and instead to reward Guillermo Vargas by choosing him to represent Costa Rica in Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008 is unacceptable and shameful, not only to Costa Rica but to all participants in this event.

Please pass the word on to other animal lovers.

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I lay in bed last night thinking about Nadine’s dilemma. I expressed my disappointment yesterday that she had switched off her comment facility, which I feel is crucial to a blog.

Nadine indicated it was a time-issue, without mentioning that she had been targeted by hundreds of merciless "low-life" bloggers. I’m sure I would do the same in her shoes.

The furore followed her controversial posts on abortion and the science and technology committee on which she sits. Abortion is a subject Nadine feels passionately about. As an MP with a medical background, her judgement should be valued. She believes the committee was hi-jacked by those who have powerful financial vested interests in the abortion industry.

This is Nadine’s report on abortion, describing how she thinks MPs were misled and not presented with all the facts about foetal pain. MPs were discussing whether changes should  be made to the 24 week limit for abortions. They decided it should remain unchanged.

Nadine left a comment last night in response to my post. I do send her my sympathies, particularly being sent "scary" messages too late at night. It is unfair that her loyal following should be deprived of the chance to debate a very serious topic, that it should be hijacked in such a forceful way, leaving her no choice but to ban comments altogether.

I share Nadine’s hopes that she will re-open her comment facility when she feels comfortable about it. We want Nadine to continue writing her great posts without being under duress from cyber stalkers.

This is what Nadine said:

The fact is I was getting hundreds of comments. Many, as a result of what I have been doing with regard to abortion, some of which were absolutely vile.

There are some lovely people out there, but there are also some serious low life – and when you put your head above the parapet, as I have, the low life take aim.

I may, when my work regarding abortion takes a slower pace, re-introduce comments. However, in the meantime, having to deal with people who think it’s cool to re- post their comments 40 times a night, and there are dozens of them, so that it takes over an hour to sort out the email account in the morning is no joke.

The comments I now take on email are far more serious in content.

It would be great if I didn’t have a day and night job and could focus on the blog, but that‘s not why I’m here.

Very few of my constituents used the blog to communicate with me, but almost every person I meet reads the blog and therefore that is where I need to focus what little time I have.

I did take comments on my BB but I am afraid I had to stop that also when I started to receive some very weird posts late at night, which frankly scared me.

*I’ve just spoken to my technical adviser Geoff and he recommends Nadine should add blocks to prevent offensive comments and emails. 

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