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Saudis ban 'lewd' number plates

E

ediblenapalm

New Member
arg-fallbackName="ediblenapalm"/>
Saudi Arabia has banned vehicle number plates which are seen as "offensive" in English when Arabic letters are given in the Latin alphabet, reports say.

Saudi newspaper al-Watan said the banned words included "sex" and "ass", but the list was topped by "USA".

Al-Watan said 90,000 existing plates were to be replaced.

Personalised plates are popular with wealthy young Saudis. One plate recently sold at auction for 6m riyals ($1.2m), the newspaper reported.

Newer Saudi plates include three Arabic letters that are also shown in the Latin alphabet.

The growing fashion is for car owners to buy personalised "vanity" plates that deliberately read "nut", "but", "bad", or "bar" in English.

The latter presumably has been deemed offensive as it relates to alcohol, which is banned in the Islamic kingdom, the AFP news agency reports.

The first on the list, for unexplained reasons, is the combination "USA".
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7995865.stm
 
arg-fallbackName="ImprobableJoe"/>
Th1sWasATriumph said:
That's an inappropriate response. If you find it pointless, say nothing.
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Let me rephrase then:
ediblenapalm, you posted an article and a link, but you did not in any way give us YOUR opinion. So, what is your opinion of this issue? Why did you post it, and what did you hope for us to get from it?

In other words: "so what?" :D
 
arg-fallbackName="ImprobableJoe"/>
Nemesis said:
Saudis find the word "USA" offensive.
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Actually, that's incorrect. The Saudi government finds that offensive.

What is the point of talking about it? What do you get from it, and what conclusions do you think other people should come to?
 
arg-fallbackName="Th1sWasATriumph"/>
ImprobableJoe said:
Let me rephrase then:
ediblenapalm, you posted an article and a link, but you did not in any way give us YOUR opinion. So, what is your opinion of this issue? Why did you post it, and what did you hope for us to get from it?

In other words: "so what?" :D
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Well, ediblenapalm seems to like posting news tidbits some of us may not have seen and leaves the debate to us, which I think is perfectly fine. And you didn't say "so what?" on his post about the couple arrested for sex in a car park, even though ediblenapalm had done exactly what he'd done here - post, without comment or opinion, a news article.

Just a thought!
 
arg-fallbackName="ImprobableJoe"/>
Th1sWasATriumph said:
Well, ediblenapalm seems to like posting news tidbits some of us may not have seen and leaves the debate to us, which I think is perfectly fine if he wants to start debate but not participate. And you didn't say "so what?" on his post about the couple arrested for sex in a car park, even though ediblenapalm had done exactly what he'd done here - post, without comment or opinion, a news article.

Just a thought!
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Yes, but there was a funny picture involved! All bets are off when there's a funny picture!

I'm pretty sure every country has a law covering acceptable license plates. I was wondering why it was news when Saudi Arabia enacted a law just like the one where most of us live. I mean, it wouldn't be news if they banned litter or loud noise either... which means there must be some other point, and I was curious as to what it might be.
 
arg-fallbackName="Th1sWasATriumph"/>
ImprobableJoe said:
Yes, but there was a funny picture involved! All bets are off when there's a funny picture!

I'm pretty sure every country has a law covering acceptable license plates. I was wondering why it was news when Saudi Arabia enacted a law just like the one where most of us live. I mean, it wouldn't be news if they banned litter or loud noise either... which means there must be some other point, and I was curious as to what it might be.
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USA being top of the list of banned license plates? Less usual than banning loud noise.
My point was purely: don't post inflammatory ambiguity when someone's done nothing other than bring a news report to light. If the topic dies, fine. I'm sure ediblenapalm will be bringing us more.
 
arg-fallbackName="ImprobableJoe"/>
Th1sWasATriumph said:
USA being top of the list of banned license plates? Less usual than banning loud noise.
My point was purely: don't post inflammatory ambiguity when someone's done nothing other than bring a news report to light. If the topic dies, fine. I'm sure ediblenapalm will be bringing us more.
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Seems to me that posting this without comment was "inflammatory ambiguity," truth be told.

*shrugs*
 
arg-fallbackName="Th1sWasATriumph"/>
ImprobableJoe said:
Seems to me that posting this without comment was "inflammatory ambiguity," truth be told.
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Well, it wasn't. You're well aware of the context. In future, play nice or keep quiet.
 
arg-fallbackName="CosmicSpork"/>
It's not a prerequisite to post your opinion on a news article, and nowhere does it say that. Maybe he has no opinion on the matter but thought others might.

I certainly appreciate being given articles to read rather than having to take time away from my otherwise busy schedule to find them.

As for this news story, it's probably another overreaction to a small problem.
 
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