We were paying attention, here in Abu Dhabi, when Sandy struck New York. Emiratis may not know a lot about the U.S. (but probably more than Americans know about the UAE) … but they know that New York is a big deal. They are more likely to go to Paris or London or Munich, in […]

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As the east coast of the United States braced for the onset of megastorm Hurricane Sandy, we had our own impressive — if ultimately harmless — storm roll onto these shores. In no way was this weather front the crisis Sandy posed to New York and New Jersey, but it was interesting in that it […]

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I’m not quite sure how I feel about the San Francisco Giants winning the World Series. Having grown up a Dodgers fan, I came to loathe the Giants, and their shifty ways and their awful ballpark. Ah, the memories. Juan Marichal beating John Roseboro over the head with a bat; Willie Mays’s whining when Don […]

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This called for a Samuel L. Jackson exclamation. An Air India flight destined for Dubai was delayed most of an hour after a beehive was discovered near the tip of one of the wings of the plane. Which, of course, brings to mind Samuel L.’s memorable declaration during an otherwise forgettable movie:

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At 9 p.m., it was an almost-balmy 82. The humidity was a little too high for it to be pleasant, but the notion of doing some exercise outside lured me to the rubberized running track around Khalifa University, 100 yards from my door … and it was there that I got a bit of a […]

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This is not vaguely as nutty as it sounds. Every Dubai mall must stay open 24 hours a day for three consecutive weekends, by order of the emirate’s ruler. Why is it not nutty?

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At The National, one of the ways in which we mark the holiday season … is to run stories reminding everyone it is not legal to slaughter animals in your home. Health concerns are cited, as well as the 500-dirham fine (about $130). If the campaigns were entirely successful, presumably the government wouldn’t issue announcements […]

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This is a grand occasion, here in the UAE, and we should have observed it with greater fanfare. The Turning on of the Water Heater. Note the date:

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No, not the Uefa Champions League. You thought I was going to go there, right? Not the Asian Champions League … not anyone’s champions league. My favorite annual soccer competition is … the Europa League! And here is why:

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I am trying to figure this out. Have I always hated to fly? Or do I hate it incrementally more, year by year, day by day? Other questions I am pondering:

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