The women of Saudi Arabia finally get some rights. A dog who can bark the Batman theme. And naked shoppers invade Germany!

I begin Good News Friday with a story that should be shocking, because it seems so silly that it hasn’t been allowed before.

But for the first time this summer, the nation of Saudi Arabia is thinking of, perhaps, allowing its female citizens to compete in the Olympics.
I mean, how ridiculous is this? It’s 2012, and one of our biggest allies in the Middle East, a country that represses women to a nauseating degree (see the above clip, and while, yes, I know it’s from a TV show, the sentiment and facts spouted are true), is only now allowing its women to compete against athletes from around the world.

I know, I know, it’s a small step forward. I know it’s good news that finally, the oppressed and abused women of Saudi Arabia are slowly getting a few more rights.
It just disgusts me that it takes so long for sexist societies like Saudi Arabia to acknowledge women are anything close to equal.

And now, for something completely different. Check out this dog that can bark the Batman TV show theme song.

**Finally, this story qualified as good news to me, because it’s so fun and silly. A supermarket in Süderlügum, Germany came up with a joke promotion, offering free groceries (basically a shopping spree) to the first 100 people who showed up to the store naked on the day of the grand opening.
Apparently they didn’t think anyone would actually do it.

Unfortunately for the store, 250 people showed up (including quite a few from Denmark), causing a near-stampede.

“Especially popular were alcoholic beverages and sweets, which are more expensive in Denmark,” according to a translation of German news site, Bild.de.

Well, sure. When I’m nude there’s nothing I want more than a Clark bar and a Heineken.

A setback on stem cells. Ebert nails it again. And a hilarious ESPN graphic

I’m a huge proponent of stem-cell research, as it’s one of those issues I just can’t understand why people are against. After eight years of the Bush administration severely curtailing the ability of scientists and doctors to find cures for devastating diseases, I thought scientists would be able to get back to work on these potentially life-saving stem cells once President Obama approved funding for more stem cells in 2009.

So it was with anger and sadness that I read this story in the Times Tuesday, saying that a federal judge has stopped Obama’s expansion of stem-cell research, on what appears to be flimsy grounds.

This is such important work, and so vitally crucial to the health and welfare of millions. Every available opportunity needs to be there for researchers and scientists, and here’s a federal judge basically ordering them to stop working.

My beloved grandmother, the best person I’ve ever met in my life, currently suffers from Alzheimer’s. Stem cell research may be unable to help her, but it could help some of the millions in the future who’ll be afflicted.

I hope this decision gets appealed and overturned, but quick. There is no time to waste. None.

The Times also had an eloquent editorial about the issue here.

**Roger Ebert, one of my favorite writers of any genre, wrote an excellent blog today about the ridiculous Ground Zero mosque issue. Ebert cuts through the b.s. and really nails it, with 10 cogent points. Check it out here.

**Gotta love the Little League World Series, for so many reasons. Tuesday I loved it because I happened to turn on ESPN while I was eating breakfast and saw this scoreline graphic on screen:

New Jersey 0
Saudi Arabia 0

I love that. How often do you ever get to see New Jersey and Saudi Arabia square off in an athletic event? I love the possible promos for the game: “One’s got sheiks and Arabs, the other one has a guy who shakes his abs!” Tune in for New Jersey vs. Saudi Arabia!”