Right about now we are all wishing for a little extra free time. Mid-terms are upon us, the days are getting colder and we're smack dab in the middle of a long march through school.

But maybe free time isn't the best thing in the world. Sunday night I cruised through www.dumblaws.com, a Web site dedicated to dumb laws in the United States. While some of these laws may not still be in effect, it is interesting to see what people with too much time on their hands think of.

For instance, in Milwaukee it is illegal to park a car for more than two hours without a horse tied to the car, which pretty much explains the continuous presence of meter maids on campus.

It is also illegal for a person that is thought of as "offensive looking" to be out in public during the day. So you'll never see me wandering the streets before sundown in Milwaukee.

Ever wonder why it takes so long for trains to cross the tracks in Wisconsin? Well, whenever two trains meet at an intersection, neither shall proceed until the other one has.

Let's say you're taking one of those trains to Ohio for a weekend fishing trip. Remember not to go fishing for whales on Sunday, or you'll be breaking the law. And don't keep the fish in mind when making a beer run, because it is illegal to get a fish drunk, to which I respond: why fish at all?

Spring break is coming up and Florida is always a hot spot for students. Let me refresh you travelers on a few laws down there. Men, you can't be seen publicly in a strapless gown. Also, any sort of sexual relation with a porcupine is illegal. Disgusting as that law may be, you have to wonder what prompted someone to write it. Whatever else you do in Florida, don't steal a horse, because it is punishable by hanging.

Personally, I'm headed to Alabama for spring break (via plane, not on a stolen horse from Florida). I'll be in the bars, laying on a beach and relaxing. But I won't be wrestling with bears, that's taboo in 'Bama. I also won't put salt on a railroad track, that one is punishable by death. And execution would keep me away from my classes.

Like math classes. I never really understood mathematics. Neither, apparently, does anyone in Indiana. According to state law, the value of Pi is three. You'd think whoever made that law was sniffing glue, but they couldn't have, because that too is illegal in the Hoosier State.

Speaking of the number three, Marquette nearly beat Pitt by that many points. I'm sure the Pitt players found a way to cheer up after the game, just not by singing in a bathtub. That one is illegal in Pennsylvania. And it's probably for the better. Few people carry a solid tune in the shower room.

Those are just some of the laws people came up with in their spare time. So if you get a few extra minutes, relax. Don't go burning torches in the air, or you'll spend that free time in a Wisconsin court.