The more the economy tanks, the more relevant becomes the term “geographically undesirable.†According to the Washington Post, the rising cost of fuel is making long-distance couples reconsider the number of times they see each other, adding some ick to an often already tricky arrangement. Reducing the number of visits, avoiding holiday weekend travel, and flying at off-peak times are just some approaches long-distance loves are taking to cope with the surge in travel-related expenses. “From just talking with people who have been in long-distance relationships…as the prices for flights and gasoline start going up, it makes them all much more stressed,” Greg Guldner, director of the Center for the Study of Long Distance Relationships (they have one of those?!), told CNN.
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One of BG’s favorite metaphors for partnership, offered by “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter” in this letter, is: having someone in your life who can “share the driving.” One shortcoming: the metaphor doesn’t really work for women in Saudi Arabia who, since the establishment of the state in 1932, have not been permitted to get behind the wheel.That, finally — noreallythistimewemeanit — may be changing. The Saudi legislature has formally recommended lifting the ban on female drivers. But, as my alter ego at Broadsheet reports:”There’s just one caveat. No, wait. There’s like 17. According to a source in the legislature, the Shura Council’s recommendation also includes the following stipulations:
The woman driver must be under 30.
The woman’s driving is conditional upon the permission of a relative [father, husband, brother or son]. [Son! “Can I have the car keys, son? C’mon, pleeeeeeeeease?!”]
The woman driver must be modestly dressed.
The woman driver will be permitted to drive alone in the cities, but outside the cities she must be accompanied by a relative.
The woman driver will be permitted to drive Saturday through Wednesday between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The woman driver must be able to prove that P=NP and have the power of telekinesis.”
Well, it’s a start. Perhaps someday soon (during a lunar eclipse?) they’ll be able to carpool over for a girls’ weekend at the new women-run, women-only Luthan Hotel & Spa, prompting vexing lesbian rumors! More on that at Jezebel.