"It's The Law!" by Marti Ronemus

Here are some laws currently on the books. See what you think.

Iowa: Since 1913, it's been against the law to warm your car up. Why? Lawmakers felt that cars warming up unattended were too easy to steal.

South Carolina: If you're under 18, since 1940, you can be arrested for playing pinball.

Michigan: If you are unwed and cohabiting, there's a $1000 fine and a year in jail waiting for you. There have been repeated failed attempts to repeal this law. Really.

Texas: While Texas lawmakers have very generous policies for owning, carrying and shooting firearms, since 1973 it's been illegal to own more than six "obscene devices." One's mind is boggled.

Finally, in the Bridge World: It SHOULD be illegal to make bad bids. While there are no fines or jail terms, bad bids certainly earn us scorn and bad scores. Let's see what we can do about this.

Our goal in bridge should be to keep it simple. I've noticed that the more conventions people attach to the game, the higher their chances for tripping over their own feet. So today, let's see what we can do without going afoul of the law.