Thermal underwear, check. Turtleneck and sweater, check. Wind pants, gloves, absolutely. Insulated boots and hooded jacket - with Vikings logo, of course - done.
With memories of winter games at the old Metropolitan Stadium, Ellen Swanson and tens of thousands of Minnesota Vikings fans bundled up for an unusual and highly anticipated Monday night football game against the rival Chicago Bears, a contest preceded by a driving snowstorm.
"It's not even that cold out here," Swanson said with a laugh outside TCF Bank Stadium a few hours before kick off on the 29th anniversary of the Vikings' last outdoor game.
The temperature at kick off was minus 6°C, with wind. "This is football how it should be," Swanson said.
The NFL thought so, too, approving the game at the University of Minnesota's outdoor stadium while repair crews worked on the snow-damaged roof of the Metrodome. When the Vikings moved the last home game of their 50th season to the campus stadium, workers scrambled to get the stadium ready. That led to speculation on what the players would endure on an artificial grass field without any heating elements underneath to soften things up.
In a twist so perfect it almost seemed scripted, a fresh blast of snow arrived in the Minneapolis area on Monday. Crews of workers shot the field with blowing machines ahead of the game, though the snow had eased to flurries by kick off.
It was fallout from Minnesota's extra-snowy December that forced the Vikings back outdoors this season. A winter storm on December 12 and 13 dumped 43cm of snow on the roof of the Metrodome, causing its Teflon roof to fail and dumping massive piles of snow on the field. The Metrodome's operators soon decided there was no way to get the Vikings' home back into shape for Monday's game.
TCF Bank Stadium holds about 50,000 football fans and was hosting a game with about 64,000 ticket-holders. The Vikings decided fans would line up outside Monday and be given unassigned seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans started to stream into the stadium about 5pm in what appeared to be an orderly fashion.
A university spokesman said he knew of no major problems, and fans still were straggling in at kick off, heading for what appeared to be at least a few thousand empty seats.
The fans Matt Ausmus and Matt Hansen were not born when the Vikings played their last game at the since-demolished Metropolitan Stadium, a 10-6 loss to Kansas City on December 20, 1981. Waiting in line, they were not too worried about finding seats.
For some fans, the game was an early Christmas present. Older fans have fond memories of outdoor games at the old Met Stadium, when coach Bud Grant and quarterback Fran Tarkenton led powerhouse Vikings squads that treated the bitter conditions as their ally en route to four Super Bowls.
Jennifer Kosmala, a Bears fan who flew from Chicago with a friend to watch the game, said she was accustomed to outdoor football in the winter - and enjoyed the chance to needle Vikings fans.
"The Packers and the Bears have it right," Kosmala said. "The Vikings and the [Detroit] Lions [who both play indoors] - they're sort of pansies. This is what real Midwestern football is."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
World Series
Game 1: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4
Game 2: Red Sox 4, Dodgers 2
Game 3: Saturday (UAE)
* if needed
Game 4: Sunday
Game 5: Monday
Game 6: Wednesday
Game 7: Thursday
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
VERSTAPPEN'S FIRSTS
Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days - Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)
SPECS
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The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5