DAILY DIRT: There are rules for vampires in Louisiana, and a tip o’ the hat to Tennessee

Just guessing, but I’d wager bacon is a popular breakfast entity in Iowa … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 921 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Just when you thought you knew pretty much everything about everything, something like this comes along.

Here are some oh-so-strange, but oh-so-true facts about certain U.S. states:

• Louisiana has an actual law that says vampires may not bite their victims without permission.
• Ohio has the only state flag that is not rectangular.
• Tennessee is the birthplace of Mountain Dew.
• In Iowa, pigs outnumber the human population 7 to 1.
• Kentucky has more barrels of bourbon than people.
• The geographical center of North America is located in North Dakota. Specifically, in Rugby, N.D.
• Hawaii residents have the highest life expectancy of any state at 81 years old.
• Delaware is the only state without any national parks.
• The fortune cookie was actually invented in California, not China.
• Maine is the only state that shares its U.S. border with just one other state.
• Oklahoma is where the parking meter was invented.
• Nevada has more hotel rooms than any place on earth.
• Alaska has the highest percentage of people who walk to work.
• Wisconsin has a national mustard museum.

2. Close, but no cigar.

The Great Plate Debate of 2024 nearly had another new gold medalist, but the esteemed Daily Dirt panel judges settled on a silver medal position for S-EVAN. As a result, CO XIST hangs on to the gold for a second straight week.

 ow in its third year, the Great Plate Debate recognizes outstanding personal license plates from across the vast reaches of West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri.

Gold medal: CO XIST

Silver medal: S-EVAN

Bronze medal:  US-MALE

Best of the rest from the past week:

• SALTED 7
• BUSY B 2
• MAGGS 50
• ALLINE 8
• L2PRAY

3. Daily Dirt reader Stacey O’Brien sent us a picture of the following sign while she and husband Don were traveling along the eastern side of the state:

“GOOD FOOD. BAD SERVICE. UGLY WAITRESSES. COME ON IN.”

Thanks for the contribution, Stacey!

Steve Thought O’ The Day — More on that note about Alaska and people walking to work. It’s not like half the state actually walks to work. It’s roughly 8.9 percent, or about 6,400. Don’t they have a spare sled or something?

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He has never walked to work. Ever.