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Saturday, January 28, 2012 By Aaron Joseph
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- Avatar (but only the 2D version): The Chinese government decided
that they didn’t like Avatar’s message, so they only allowed it to be
shown in 3D. Since China has few 3D theaters, the movie was effectively
banned. Or else, maybe they just didn’t want to ruin James Cameron’s
deep, artistic vision by allowing it to be seen in only two
dimensions?
- Emo clothing: Russia decided that emo clothes
are not only depressing and silly, they are also a threat to national
stability and the cause of teen suicide.
- Jumping off a
building: In New York, it is illegal to try to commit suicide by jumping
off a building. The penalty? Death, of course.
- Collecting
rain water: Rain water fuels underground reservoirs, which some
governments control for profit. So collecting rain water is a clear case
of theft, at least in Colorado.
- Video games: In Greece,
all electronic games were banned in an effort to stop gambling. This
unintentionally banned video games as well, which the Greek government
apparently didn't know existed.
- Jasmines: Yet more about
China. After Tunisia had a rebellion called the "Jasmine Revolutions",
China decided the only way to prevent the same thing happening to them
was to ban the flower and any mention of the word "jasmine".
- Valentines
Day: This holiday was banned in Saudi Arabia for being against Islam,
and stores and florists across the country were barred from selling
anything red or anything symbolizing romance. This has led to the
emergence of an underground Valentines black market in Saudi Arabia.
- All
but 24,000 baby names: In Denmark, parents must choose from a list of
pre-approved names for their children. Many European countries have laws
such as this to protect babies from ridiculous parents, but Denmark's
are the strictest.
- Reincarnation (without a permit): One
more in China, just for good measure. The actual goal is to keep Tibetan
Buddhists under control, although how the Chinese government actually
enforces this law is a mystery.
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