Broken Bones (graphic warning)

Morning everyone

As you can imagine, most of my weekend was spent thinking about Eduardo da Silva and the horriffic injury he suffered in the 3rd minute of the match at Birmingham on Saturday.

I went to Manchester on Friday (took Harry Jnr to the excellent travelling Blackpool fairground) and didn't leave for home until lunchtime Saturday so I knew I'd have to record the match. I called in to see a mate who lives near Barny Castle on the way back and arrived home at about 16:00. Another friend, who is off on a months holiday crossing the US (he's starting in Hawaii and ending in Florida, where he then goes on a cruise), called in to borrow some books and I told him I didn't know the result. He promised not to tell me but said it wasn't the result I would be bothered about. And through one thing or another it was about 11pm when I sat down to watch.

3 minutes into the game Martin Taylor attempted to tackle Eduardo, who was just too quick for him. A lot has been said over the last 2 days about what a nice guy Taylor is and how he would never try to injure a fellow player on purpose.

Maybe so, but from the first picture you can see that the tackle is not only late but is very very high.



After the match Arsene Wenger made comments around Taylor and called for him to be banned for life. He later retracted the comments saying that they had been made in the heat of the moment.

What is incredible is the amount of press that have concentrated on Wengers comments and even some who have said the tackle didn't even rate a yellow card. This really does confirm that the press are, and alweays have been, negative toward Arsenal FC.

Below are 2 more pictures showing the extent of the injury. There are some reports that it is a double compound fracture and some that just the fibula is broken.





My best wishes go out to Eduardo and his family. Here's to a speedy recovery although I suspect it will be a long time before we see him play again... and that is by no means guarunteed.

Today's blog is brought to you by the Sugababes, Keisha (23), Heidi (24) and Amelle (23). I wouldn't like to choose between them, I guess I'd have to suggest a foursome... but if it was one or none I'd have no hesitation in choosing Heidi.



On this day: Adolf Hitler obtains German citizenship by naturalization, which allows him to run in the 1932 election for Reichsprasident (1932)

On the car iPod: Pink Floyd - Delicate Sound of Thunder

Talk Hard!
H.

365 Days

Morning all

Well, I was summoned by the committee last night to explain my outburst. I was very calm, apologised for swearing and stated that it was just because I'm passionate about the place that I had to say something. I explained that I was frustrated by attending a meeting where the first thing said is that you can't ask any questions and no questions will be answered. And then, quite bizarrly, they accused me of telling them that they should all resign? I have many faults but one thing I don't do is lie.

Anyway, they told me they would inform me by letter of their decision and sure enough, around 11pm a letter dropped onto the mat. I'm suspended for 12 months. 12 months! I believe I had every right to air my opinion, but knew I was wrong to swear, but come on, thats 6 months per swear word...

But, life goes on, there are 3 other pubs in the village, as well as hundreds in the area, I'm not short of places to visit.

The team played last night at home to European champions AC Milan. The result was 0-0 but we were so unlucky not to nick a result in injury time. It will be very hard to go to the San Siro and get something there but I'm sure they'll do their best.

Todays blog is brought to you by 18 year old Hayden Panettiere from Heroes. I lost interest in the series after half a dozen episodes or so... but I haven't lost interest in Hayden!

On this day: Malcolm X is assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City by mamber of the Nation of Islam (1965)

On the car iPod: Shania Twain - Up

Talk Hard!
H.

-4

Morning, it's a very cold -4 outside this morning (unless you live somewhere really cold, where -4 is like summer to you...).

A couple of things a forgot to mention yesterday...

There was a death in the family late last week. Poor little Robin Van Persie (RVP), or Hambo for short, is no more. I cleaned him out the day we left for Amsterdam but when we came back Harriet noticed that his cage was tidy (RVP had a thing for trashing the place) so she opened his hamster igloo and found him curled up stone cold. Tears were shed by Miss Hard-on as I steralised his cage and gave him a burial in the back garden (he actually went in a plastic bag and in the wheely bin but don't tell her!).

Then it was off to Pets R Us At Home World or whatever it's called, to adopt a new one. We picked a little (tiny) boy this time (not sure what sex RVP was?) and he has the cutest black fur. His official show name is Theo Walcott but Harriet has taken to calling him Blacky for short...

Also, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago about my local's break in. A special members meeting was called and a couple of hundred of us turned up a week last Sunday. The first thing announced was that no questions could be asked or would be answered... now you can imagine how that went down, a couple of hundred people turn up with burning questions to be told that they can't ask any questions. The official figure given was £13,500 stolen, which was in the safe but the safe was open with the key in it. At the end of the meeting I approached the Secretary, the Asst Secretury, the Treasurer and the Chairman and simply said "I've never heard such a load of sh*t, all of you should be f**king ashamed of yourselves" and then left. Last week I received a letter stating I was charged with foul & abusive behaviour towards club officials, and that I was barred until I appear before the committee this coming Wednesday night.

Today's blog is brought to you by 19 year old Vanessa Anne Hudgens from Thirteen, Thunderbirds and the High School Musical series.



On this day: British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetlands Islands, and claims them in the name of King George III (1819)

On the car iPod: Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride

Talk Hard!
H.

Abandon Ship!

Hello and apologies for the 2 week break...

I was on holiday last week, Miss Hard-on and I took a well deserved break to Amsterdam.

We travelled from Newcastle to Ijmuiden on the m.s. Princess of Norway. We had a nice cabin, a double bed with a sea view window. The first evening we eat in the Bake 'n Coffee cafe, 2 burger and chips, which came to a little over £26! Then it was off to the Columbus club for a game of bingo at £15 for the 2 of us, while drinking Grolsh at £2.65 a pint. The band where ok and there was a dance caberet that did a couple of acts. We retired to the cabin and got ourselves settled in bed just in time for next door to start there very own sex show. She was a right little moaner. I gave her a huge big smile the mext morning.

Next morning we arrived in Amsterdam and by the time we had checked into the hotel it was about 11am. We had a nice day wandering around, ogling the women in the Red Light district, looking at the sights and visiting the shops. We called into a coffee shop to try a joint. Last time we went to Amsterdam I had just stopped smoking and didn't wasnt to start again by having a spliff, but this time I felt more confident that I wouldn't start smoking again. I asked for a pure joint without tobacco and the result was spectacular. My face went numb after 5 minutes and Harriet said my eyes looked like Harry's from 3rd Rock! Harriet laughed once, then again, and again and didn't stop laughing for about 2 hours...

In the evening started at Lord Mick's bar whick proclaimed to be a genuine British pub? 2 Heineken's came to £9.20!!! We visited the Red Light district again, this time it was dark, which was a first for us as our last visit to Amsterdam 2 years previous had just been during the day. I must say the number and quality of the girls on offer does improve after dark (or perhaps it was the spliff still affecting me?). We went to an Argentine restaurant, just under £17 for 2 peppered steaks which isn't bad... but were again stung for beer.

The following morning we had breakfast at the Hotel (Ibis Stoppera, would definatly stay there again). Then we were off into town to look at more sights, buy more souvenirs and we also took a bubble boat tour around the city. Finally we had some more expensive beers an the Old Sailor in the Red Light district.

We arrived back on the boat at 5pm, this time it was the m.s. King of Scandinavia. We looked around a little then went to the cabin for a little snooze, just in time for our new neighbours to start banging away. This one didn't moan until the final 30 seconds or so... The return trip was a little bouncy to say the least and I was feeling a little green. We again eat in the Bake 'n Coffee cafe, this time 2 club sandwiches, 2 portions of chips and 2 cokes which came to a little over £35. Then it was off to watch a different band and a different set of dances while again drinking Grolsh at £2.65 a pint.

So, all in all a good but expensive break.

Today's blog is brought to you by Carrie Underwood who won the American Idol competition in 2005. I don't normally go in for reality TV shows or it's stars but this girl has a cracking voice (and a body to match).



On this day: The Space Shuttle Enterprise test vehicle goes on its maiden 'flight' while sitting on top of a Boeing 747
On the car iPod: Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride

Talk Hard!
H.

Ouch!

Morning

I feel like I was drinking anti-freeze last night?

Shell have announced record annual profits of £13.9bn which I think you will agree is bloody obscene. Between the oil companies and the government we are being fleeced... I have an alternative plan in place which means I don't suffer from increased fuel prices like most other people (I won't elaborate) but I still get incensed at the rising cost of goods.

Gas and electric has gone up too. My head hurts too much to think about it, but on the surface, I get the feeling that if I did sit down and think about it properly, I wouldn't agree with companies making vast profits from essential goods. I guess my vision would see companies making enough profit to cover costs and wages, with the surplace being passed back to the consumer.

Right, I'm off to crawl into the corner of an office somewhere and sleep...

Today's blog is brought to you by 18 year old Helen Daniella Flanagan, better known as Rosie from Coronation Street. She really could be the future Mrs Hard-on!



On this day: Felix Wankel's first working prototype DKM 54 of the Wankel engine was running at the NSU research and development department Versuchsabreilung TX in Germany (1957)

On the car iPod: Sugababes - Change

Talk hard!
H.