Thursday, March 18, 2010

In the News

Sometimes there are days when the news just all seems so far out there, and today struck me as one of those days. Here is a rundown to some oddball, hard to believe, or head-shaking news stories (with their links) that I read today coming out of Saudi Arabia... and just remember, I didn't make this stuff up!

Wife in Coma, Man Remarries - He Hopes She'll Understand

Saudi Man Arrested in Gas Station Murder - Killed Over a Box of Tissues

'Wrong Trousers' Man Gets Bail - Religious Police Said Pants Were Unacceptable

You Know You Are in Jeddah When... - A Stark Look at What's Wrong with This City

Why Should Saudi Maids Be a Tough Pill to Swallow? - Op-Ed Piece by Sabria S Jawhar

And this last one is a report from 2007 that I came upon while researching the above article about Saudi Maids...

Two Maids If Two Wives: New Saudi Law - Conditions Set For Hiring Maids and Drivers

16 comments:

  1. What a restrictive society, but not so restrictive as to allow two wives! LOL.

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  2. Good Grief....Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed...
    Sweet night to you!

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  3. "If you found a company asphalting a street while another one was simultaneously digging it, then know you are in Jeddah."

    Hmm...Amazingly, this could also mean you're in upstate NY. We like to say we have 2 seasons here; winter, and construction. Hmm...let me check outside...ok, yeah, there's still snow on the ground in some places, it's NY. ;-)

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  4. Hehehe I LOVE oddball news it's the best reason for seeing the news what with all the war and pain and such.....

    How are you doing Susie? I'm glad you got your account theft straightened out. May Allah have Mercy on you.

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  5. For you Susie still coping with computer hacking and all who are reading your blog. The main interesting news today is coming from Reuters:
    New password-stealing virus targets Facebook

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  6. Although I believe restrictive attitudes towards women and society as a whole result in nonsensical laws, craziness is not limited to Saudi Arabia.

    We all need to get a grip and get along with each other!

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  7. Susie, I forgot to tell you that I saw an article on the effect of the internet on Saudi women. Go to www.globalpost.com, then Middle East, then "Saudi Women Revel in Online Lives".

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  8. Always love crazy news!

    American Muslima writer: I lopve your avatar! :)

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  9. I'm very curious what kind of pernicious pants the guy was wearing. Were they "high waters"?(pants that don't reach the top of the shoe). Were they tight jeans? Perhaps they were cargo shorts that were just a bit above the knee.

    It's hard to even imagine what the tawdry trousers might have been. I'm guessing that "sinful slacks" was just an excuse cooked up after-the-fact, like a policeman stopping a suspicious vehicle and then looking around for a broken brake light or smudged license plate to justify the stop.

    Does anyone know what the terrible trous looked like?

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    don't quit as well as keep writing considering the fact that it just worth to look through it.
    impatient to view more and more of your current articles, enjoy your day ;)

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  11. My guess is the guy was wearing shorts that hit below the knee. Lately, shorts has been quite the issue. It is very silly. Anyway, in our household we now refer to shorts as "immoral trousers".

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  12. Hi Gigi - Ironic, isn't it? Restricvtive, but male-dominated - makes a difference.

    Hi Donna - I've had days like that myself...

    Hi Mr.Nighttime - There must be lists like this for just about any place in the world now...

    Hi AMW - Good to hear from you. I'm okay - thank you.

    Hi Bruno - Thanks for the link - it all makes sense now...!

    Hi Linda - I agree - why can't we all just get along?

    Hi Aafke - I've missed you!!!

    Hi Veeds - The article says that he was wearing just normal pants, so it sounds like the CPVPV just trumped up the unacceptable trousers charges because they were targeting him for some reason. Kinda scarey, I think... so watch what you wear out in public!

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  13. Hi Anon @6:27AM - Thanks so much.

    Hi Sandy - I better warn my son - he likes to go out in long shorts sometimes! Yikes!

    Hi Aafke - LOL!

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  14. Good luck with that Susie! One of my boys is a notorious "immoral trouser"-wearer, and I can'seem to get him to stop. Vice will do that to you. But he's been warned. So far the worst that's happened is he was refused entry to a mall. But that is sort of a typical occurance for young men anyway- unless of course they are out with girls, and they go in as a "family" (oh the wacky ironies of living here)

    I draw the line at traveling though. Trousers must be moral. Someone was refused entry to a plane, and I just am not up for dealing with that.

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  15. You know something ,I have a creative solution to this issue of dress code in Saudi which looks bothering to so many expats .The religious police need to go out and see the world .I bet after they come back from a lenghthy visit to Miami or L.A ,they won't stop anyone from wearing shorts in Jeddah or Khobar.

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