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Entries from March 2014

Round-the-World Sail at 73 Degrees

March 31st, 2014 · No Comments · Abu Dhabi

A cool technology story today in The National. The Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team is preparing to wear one-piece suits which will adjust for the heat and cold of the upcoming round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race — so that to everyone on the boat it feels like 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 Celsius) at all times. That […]

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Liverpool Resurgent

March 30th, 2014 · No Comments · Baseball, Dodgers, Football, Lakers, soccer

Even baseball fans who have been following the game for more than a decade may wonder about the fuss surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers. Three million tickets sold nearly every season, a huge local TV contract, continued popularity in the City of the Angels. Perhaps the only concepts Angelenos can agree on are their preferences […]

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The 5:30 a.m. Fantasy Draft

March 29th, 2014 · 1 Comment · Abu Dhabi, Baseball, Fantasy Baseball, UAE

I should get some sort of award for this. Or, better, a reward. An extra 10 RBI the first week. An extra home run for each of the next 26 weeks. I could cite biorhythm studies here, but I most certainly was at a huge disadvantage when the Sun Baseball League conducted its 33rd draft […]

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In Praise of Small Appliances

March 28th, 2014 · No Comments · Uncategorized

This occurred to me while using my Norelco electric shaver for the umpteenth time. I have had that thing for longer than I can remember. I spent maybe $30 on it, and have done almost zero maintenance on it … and every morning it fires up and takes care of business. It struck me that […]

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Asian Cup Draw: UAE, Qatar, Iran, Bahrain

March 27th, 2014 · No Comments · Football, soccer, UAE, World Cup

The Asian Cup gets very little attention outside this continent. This is the local equivalent of the European Championships, a closely followed quadrennial, but isn’t remotely the global event the Euros are. Nor is it as big a deal as the African Cup of Nations or the Copa America, South America’s national tournament. But it’s […]

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The Falacy of MLS ‘Catching’ MLB

March 26th, 2014 · No Comments · Baseball, Football, soccer

Perhaps you read this. An ESPN poll suggests that young Americans, ages 12 to 17, are as likely to say they are “avid fans” of Major League Soccer as they are of Major League Baseball. According to the survey, about 18 percent of Americans in that age group each identified themselves as “avid fans” of […]

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John Wayne and Frodo Baggins

March 25th, 2014 · No Comments · Books

Almost a comical headline, no? John Wayne and Frodo Baggins, in the same sentence? How silly. The man’s man of 20th century American film … and the furry-footed hobbit invented by the English author J.R.R. Tolkien. But in a new biography of The Duke, author Scott Eyman writes that Wayne was more than just a […]

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The Best In-Home Flowers Ever

March 24th, 2014 · No Comments · Abu Dhabi

Who doesn’t like flowers in the house? The problems are … the expense … and the limited duration of cut flowers before they begin to wilt. Lilies and carnations might be presentable for more than a week, but roses can fall to pieces in days. If only we could nurture flowers inside a humble home! […]

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UAE Football and a Western Tourist

March 23rd, 2014 · No Comments · Abu Dhabi, Arabian Gulf League, Arsenal, Football, soccer, tourism, UAE

The most genuine of UAE sports events is a domestic football match. Perhaps the national team is a bigger deal than the upper-tier clubs … but not always. Especially when it is a leading rivalry, like Al Jazira home to Al Wahda, Abu Dhabi rivals whose stadiums are about three miles apart. When opportunities like […]

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The Camel Ride

March 22nd, 2014 · No Comments · Abu Dhabi, tourism, UAE

  So, our visitor wanted to see a camel up close. Generally, interactions with camels here come as part of a “heritage” package that likely includes tea on a stretch of carpet inside a tent, a falcon or two, a “dune bashing” ride in someone’s SUV … and a ride on a camel. A very […]

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