But does the seatbelt law apply?

Several times in the last few weeks while driving around Doha, we've passed pickup trucks whose beds are full of sheep and/or goats. One woman I know has even passed a truck with a camel strapped onto it.

Yesterday, however, was my first encounter with a minivan full of sheep.

A late-model Hyundai H100, to be exact, with two sheep in the "trunk" space behind the back seat, and two more on each bench seat. They looked a little alarmed, but then again I suppose sheep usually do.

I can't imagine that's good for the upholstry.

Qatar news

nikki_nana asked me yesterday what Qatari reactions to the election were. I haven't spoken to any students about it, but here is an interesting report from the local English-language newspaper:
Known devil is better than an unknown angel

In other intriguing news, there's an article today about Filipino men who come to Qatar to work (leaving their wives and families in the Philippines) and then convert to Islam while here. foobart and I had sometimes joked about what would happen if one of us converted to Islam and the other didn't. This article explains: we would automatically get divorced.

Now, I understand why a divorce would be inevitable if I converted and foobart didn't, because a Muslimah is not supposed to be married to a non-Muslim man. But if a Muslim man can marry an non-Muslim woman, why would divorce be automatic?

Qur'an update

( Today's Ramadan Qur'an readings )