Living Statues - 1

Weird Smoking Laws

In New Orleans, Louisiana, where practically everything is legal, it is against the law for anyone who is participating in carnival or a parade to smoke. Not only that but every float entered in a parade must have a highly visible “No Smoking” sign attached to it.

In Illinois in the little town of Zion, persons are not allowed to give lighted cigars to domesticated animals. The law actually names dogs and cats but the wording seems to include hamsters, gerbils and goldfish as well. So…no matter how much your goldfish begs for a cigar, it is illegal for you to give him one.

New Jersey is, of course, famous for going the extra mile. While you expect to see “Do not Feed the Animals” signs, in New Jersey zoos, you’ll also find signs that tell you not to give cigars, cigarettes or whiskey to the animals. Hmmm….since only whiskey isn’t allowed, maybe it would be okay to give a hippo a cold beer.

In New Port, Rhode Island, it’s perfectly legal to smoke a pipe but only during daylight hours. It’s illegal to smoke a pipe after sunset.

In a little town in Missouri, teenagers can buy loose tobacco and rolling paper but they cannot buy a cigarette lighter. Aw, matches are SO hard to come by!

Church of the Assumption

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was dedicated August 14, 1859 in Slovenia. It had been planned when Richard Pius Miles, the first Bishop of Nashville, realized the need for a Catholic church in North Nashville to serve the German families settling there.

Prior to the completion of the present structure, the church met across the street in the home of John H. Buddeke, served by Father John A. Vogel. David McGavock, interested in selling the land he owned in the area, donated the site with the stipulation that a chapel or church must be built within 18 months.The popular mountain resort town is surrounded by scenic Alps and has long lured tourists, visiting dignitaries, and world leaders (none other than Marshal Tito had his private retreat here during Yugoslavian times). During the summer months, in particular, a steady stream of lovebirds flock to the island church to say their vows in the idyllic setting (from afar, the church appears to float in the lake). Local tradition dictates that grooms must carry their brides-to-be up the 98 steps from the boat dock to the church — if they fail, locals say, then they aren’t yet fit for marriage. To improve your own luck, whether you’re married or single, you can follow the locals’ lead and ring the church’s bell before boarding your boat back to town.

Beacons

Very Tall Women

A lot of people suffer from illnesses which they aren’t even aware of. Tall people are no different. Acromegaly is a a hormonal disorder that most commonly occurs in middle-aged men and women. The prevalence of Aromegaly is approximately 4,676 cases per million population, and the incidence is 116.9 new cases per million per year. The name “acromegaly” comes from the Greek words for “extremities” (acro) and “great” (megaly), because one of the most common symptoms of this condition is abnormal growth of the hands and feet.

Arbol del Tule

Santa Maria del Tule is a small town in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico with its famous Arbol del Tule in the chuchyard. It is located about 10 kilometers , it is easily reached by bus or car.Arbol del Tule is Mexico’s most famous tree, and some say the world’s largest single biomass. The Tule tree and its environs comprise a unique natural monument, an attraction for locals and visitors alike.The town of Santa Maria del Tule takes its name from the famous tree and boasts not just one, but seven extremely large and ancient cypress trees.

The largest dwarfs the town’s church and is more than 2,000 years old and has a circumference of 54 meters – the largest girth of any tree on the planet. Imagine… this tree was a sapling at the time when the civilization at Monte Alban was flourishing!This living ancient tree still growing. It’s age is calculated in 2000 years, it’s weight is almost 550 tons, a 705 cubic meters volume, diameter of 42 meters.

Angora Rabbit

The Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic rabbit bred for its long, soft hair. The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, originating in Ankara, Turkey, along with the Angora cat and Angora goat. The rabbits were popular pets with French royalty in the mid 1700s, and spread to other parts of Europe by the end of the century.They first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s. They are bred largely for their long angora wool, which may be removed by shearing, combing, or plucking (gently pulling loose wool).