Legal Myths

We've all seen the warnings on mattress and pillow tags: "Under penalty of law this tag is not to be removed." So why hasn't an official mattress inspector ever knocked on your door to make sure the tags are intact?

Because if you keep reading, the tag says, "Except by consumer." That's you. Those tags are there to assure you that you are buying a brand-new product. Once you have purchased a mattress or pillow and brought it home, you can rip those tags right off, if you like. You might want to hang on to them, though, just in case you need to reference the care instructions or materials.

You may have heard this "law" used as proof that the U.S. government is aware of the existence of aliens and does indeed have UFOs stored at a facility in Roswell, N.M.

While a law was passed in 1969, it did not make it illegal to have contact with extraterrestrials; it only stipulated that anyone who had been exposed to space or to any person, animal, plant, rock samples or vehicle that had returned from space was required to undergo a quarantine to prevent the spread of any potential biological pathogens that might have been brought back to Earth.

The law was repealed in 1991, when NASA determined that it had served its purpose.

Ever wondered why some restaurants make up their own silly birthday songs for their staff to sing to patrons? It's so they don't have to pay royalties. Every time you celebrate someone's birthday at a restaurant or other public place, you are technically committing copyright infringement by singing "Happy Birthday to You" to the birthday girl or boy.

The tune was written by sisters Mildred and Patty Hill in 1893 and copyrighted in 1934 by their sister Jessica. Although the original copyright would have expired in 1991, two intervening Acts of Congress have extended it through at least 2030. The song earns about $2 million per year in royalties and would probably make a lot more if ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) had a representative enforcing the copyright at restaurants.

The Texas bluebonnet, a species of lupine, grows wild across the state, erupting into dramatic fields of deep blue blossoms in early spring. While it is a popular pastime to pose for photographs amidst the flowers, no one dares pick one, as it is commonly believed that it is illegal to do so. In fact, there is no such law on the books in Texas -- it is perfectly legal to pick bluebonnets as long as they are not on state property or someone else's private property -- but it's still a good idea to leave them where they are so everyone can enjoy them.

Incidentally, it is illegal to pick the state flower in Minnesota, so if you come across a pink-and-white lady's slipper, don't even think about bringing it home with you.

According to Title 18, Part I, Chapter 83, Section 1702 of the U.S. Code:

"Whoever takes any letter, postal card, or package before it has been delivered to the person to whom it was directed, with design to obstruct the correspondence, or to pry into the business or secrets of another, or opens, secretes, embezzles, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

So even if you know that package from your roommate's mom is full of cookies she promised to share with you, it's best to wait until she gets home and opens it herself.

While praying mantises (or mantids) are beneficial in that they eat many insects we consider pests, they are not endangered, and there are no known federal or state laws that prohibit killing them. So there is no need to turn yourself in to the authorities should a praying mantis have an unfortunate encounter with your lawn mower, hedge clippers or shoe.

The Puritans of New England followed a strict interpretation of the Bible, and since there is no mention of the exact date of the birth of Christ, they believed it was inappropriate to observe it on Dec. 25. They also frowned upon the drinking, feasting and other carousing associated with the holiday.

In 1659, a law was passed making it a criminal offense, punishable by a 5-shilling fine, to publicly observe Christmas in Massachusetts. The law was revoked in 1681, but it wasn't until the mid-1800s that Christmas celebrations came back into favor.

While it is generally a bad idea to send cash in the mail -- there's not much you can do if it gets lost or stolen -- it's not against the law. It is a federal offense to use the U.S. Postal Service to send cash for illegal purposes, such as tax evasion or money laundering. However, there's nothing preventing you from sending your niece a $20 bill for her birthday -- except common sense.