Just a few observations of strange things you see and read over here...I'll add tidbits from the Arab News (mainly) when I can...

Regarding the hijab (head covering in Iran), apparently the main reason it's used is because women's hair emits "sex rays" that induce lust in men, and could drive them crazy...

"The Khomeinist version of the hijab, invented in the 1970s and now popular in many countries, including the United States, covers a woman's entire body but allows her face and hands to be exposed. Hijab theoreticians agree on one claim: a woman's hair emanates dangerous rays that could drive men wild with sexual lust and thus undermine social peace."

An excerpt from an article by Amir Taheri in the NY Post just before the Olympics... See the full article here: http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/6578