Great result and a great tribute

Posted on December 4, 2011 by HippyDave

At the Leeds game on Saturday it was great to see all the tributes for Gary Speed who died the week before. It was even better that Leeds beat Milwall 2-0, especially as Speed’s widow Louise and two sons Edward and Thomas were in attendance. After the minute’s applause in memory of Gary Speed, Leeds didn’t really start off that well however after the hour mark, Snodgrass secured the points with a brilliant free-kick and then, two minutes later, with a header.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson actually he signed on for the club as a schoolboy on the same day as Speed, which probably made it quite an emotion match for Simon, especially with Speed’s family in attendance, however since the news broke Leeds haven’t let it really affect their form.

This week I notice the weather men are predicting snow, so that should be fun, seen as I have to get organised for Christmas. Luckily I got quite a few gifts for family from duty free booze and fags and chocolate for me mam! The Missus is a bit more stressed the holiday has left her a bit disorganised for Christmas, normally she has it all sorted by November however because we were getting sorted for the holiday she hasn’t done much else. But never mind I’m sure I’ll survive!

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Holiday shocker our flight was delayed!

Posted on November 30, 2011 by HippyDave

On our way out to South Africa our flight was delayed, shocker really isn’t (not). We flew from Heathrow and as per usual our flight out was delayed by about 3 hours. Although Heathrow is a big airport there is still only a limited amount you can do, mainly drinking! To pass the time my wife got stuck into her book, however I am not a big reader, so I thought that with a bit of booze in me it was a good time to try my luck in the online casinos.

I have been recently been using 888 Ladies for my gambling needs, I like to switch around every so often so the same people aren’t taking my money the whole time! As the name may suggest 888 Ladies is not just for the ladies, in fact I wouldn’t be able to get the other half playing on there (she prefers to spend her money on useful items such as shoes and handbags!)

Needless to say 3 hours of gambling saw my funds dwindle and I was glad of the call to the plane before I started spending my holiday money on online bingo! Although when I got on the plane I did have an option through the TV in the chair in front to gamble again but luckily I resisted temptation and got drunk instead. This in my opinion is the best way to be when flying! But please don’t ask me what film they showed because I really don’t have the foggiest idea!

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Holiday of a lifetime

Posted on November 27, 2011 by daniel

I have literally just got back from my holiday to South Africa, as I mentioned before it was a trip to see my dad and also go on a safari, something my wife has always wanted to do. I’ll talk more about the safari later, but first I want to let you all know how good it was to catch up with my dad.

My dad moved to Durban quite a few years ago because of his job, then when he retired he decided to stay there permanently so I really don’t get to see him that much, well other than through Skype.  Although South Africa doesn’t have the safest reputation where my dad is, it is fairly safe, probably just as safe as London really, plus there is a big ex pat community so there are friendly faces around.

It was nice to chill out with him and when I say chill out I mean my usual chill out methods, luckily my dad has rather a good collection of bongs, Roor pipes and snuff bullets and a great supplier out there, well it is a bit more relaxed over there well if you only have small amounts, it is normally over looked but that depends on the law enforcement of the area.

I also got some cool ‘weed’ gifts for my friends including some cool novelty ashtrays and lighters!

My dad doesn’t live right in the middle of Durban, it’s not that safe, however the suburb/village he lives in is really nice, obviously you always need to be aware of your surroundings especially at night, but touch wood so far he hasn’t had any problems and neither did we when we went. There are a few places to eat/drink, not unlike the small town where I live, ex pats tend to stick together, they do integrate with locals but I suppose you always feel a little bit safer with those like you around.

I would probably go back again in the near future to see him however air travel is quite expensive so I don’t think it will become a yearly thing. Going on safari in the Kruger National Park was a great experience which I will tell you about once I have got myself sorted!

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Holiday packing

Posted on November 16, 2011 by HippyDave

Okay so I only have a couple of days to go before we head off on Safari the wife has been busy buying herself new clothes and other holiday essentials however she did give me strict instructions to get myself some new t-shirts and shorts as apparently mine are old, worn and dated.

Unlike the wife I hate stepping foot into a shop so its online all the way for me! Browsing the net for some cool but cheap t-shirts is easy and doesn’t require too much attention! I found a couple of cool 883 Police t-shirts and polo shirts in fairly subdued colours they also have khaki and beige colour shorts which will be effective when hiding from animals too!

I do need some smarter t-shirts and jeans to because before we head out on safari I will be going out with my dad and I don’t want him to think I still a scruffy layabout! I though the 883 Police stuff caught my eye I would say generally I am not a huge label fan however I did come across some smart/cas clothing from Firetrap in my usual dull colours. (Not selling it am I?) I am not really fashion orientated however I think they are cool and fashionable just need the wife’s approval that they will do!

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A sporting weekend and finally my review on Battlefield 3

Posted on November 14, 2011 by HippyDave

I love a weekend that is full of F1 and international football it makes great television viewing and a perfect excuse for a couple of bevvies! I was half expecting England to lose against Spain, so I was pleasantly surprise to see the win however it wasn’t a very interesting match to say the least! I personally thought that the Lampard goal was good but not exciting really! I did think it was nice to see a win for Hamilton on the F1 yesterday he has been struggling recently so it was good that he could pull a win out of the hat.

Finally I found some time to do a review of Battlefield 3:

Battlefield 3 – my thoughts

I’ve been a big fan of the Battlefield franchise for many years now since Battlefield 1942 and eagerly awaited the new Battlefield 3 with baited breath. I was lucky enough to get early access to the Beta testing phase and although there were many bugs, the core game was as good as ever. The Beta put many people off, but if you buy the main game you won’t be disappointed.

Having clocked nearly 40 hours of online play since receiving the game I can safely say that it is the most immersive war game to come out ever. First of all the graphics are amazing with great textures and character animations, and the sound is second to none, conveying a real battlefield feel.

Online play is great and the 9 maps are huge in comparison to Call of Duty, but you really have to work as a team to really enjoy it. A Balanced team is essential to winning a game with different kits providing crucial weapons and medical gear. Another plus point for Battlefield 3 is the inclusion of vehicles; tanks and jeeps provide ground attack capabilities, while helicopters and planes provide an aerial assault. Helicopters are a little hard to control at first but once you get used to the controls they become a great tool for aerial bombardment of the opposing team.

There are a couple of down points to the game such as some of the weapons seem a bit under/over powered; the support weapons are very powerful, usually dispatching an enemy with a couple of bullets whereas the sniper rifle take two shots to kill someone unless you hit them in the head. This may be true to life but it does get annoying when you fire half a clip of your assault rifle into someone for them to turn around and kill you with a couple of shot of their support gun.

All being said, Battlefield 3 is a great game with huge maps and an even bigger unlock tree that will have you playing for many hours.

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Time for a handset upgrade

Posted on November 12, 2011 by HippyDave

My two year phone contract is coming to an end soon, so I thought it was time I checked out what handsets are out there and what contract deals are available. My current phone is the HTC Hero and I have found it to be a reliable, good, solid phone which has served my needs well. So the question is do I stick with HTC or try another manufacturer???

Yesterday I read a Motorola Razr review, which perked my interest. Back in the day I had the original Motorola Razr and loved that little flip up handset with its sleek and stylish looks so I was quite interested to see what its modern day rehash is like. Motorola have still kept the sleek, slim style that made the original popular but it now also looks like a modern smart phone. It has a large 4.3-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen which is made out of Gorilla Glass. Its comes with similar specifications to most new handset and nothing that really stands out other than a few similarities to the iPhone such as the need for a micro Sim and a non-removable battery however that’s probably the only way they can get it so thin.

I think this handset is defiantly on my list however more mobile phone reviews need to be studied first and that’s before I go into (gasp) a shop to test drive them before I scour the internet for the best deals!! There really is a lot of work involved in getting a new mobile phone, good job contracts are around two years now, I couldn’t be bothered to do this every year!!

The new Motorola Razr with a modern sleek design

The new Motorola Razr with a modern sleek design

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A loss to the sporting world and saying no to racism

Posted on November 10, 2011 by HippyDave

This week we saw the loss of boxing legend Joe Frazier, who lost his battle against liver cancer, he was 67. Unfortunately for ‘Smokin’ Joe he was predominantly known for his most memorable three fights against Muhammad Ali, however he did take part in many other fights over his career. In 1971 Frazier beat Ali in a much hyped clash which saw Ali trying to reclaim his belts after losing them because of his refusal to fight in the Vietnam conflict. The pair met twice more after which saw Ali winning both, most notably the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ fight in 1975.

I sometimes feel in the boxing world now we are missing fighters like Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman the way the fought and all the hype surrounding them plus the fights we nowhere nearly as glamorous as they seem to be today. They seemed to be much grittier back then.

On a footballing note I see there is still nothing happening in the racism probe against John Terry, which at the moment is being investigated by the police. No doubt this will be another drawn out matter which will fade into obscurity with nothing ever being done. Hopefully footballers will buck up their acts on the pitch when playing each other as there is no need for racism in this day and age.

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Enjoying Mr Blue

Posted on November 8, 2011 by HippyDave

I don’t shy away from the fact on here that I do tend to enjoy some mind altering drugs, after all we are all allowed our fun, aren’t we (well some people might disagree there). However there can be some side effects which not only affect me but also the missus and that is erectile dysfunction (ED).

Normally I’m very virile when I haven’t taken anything for a while which is great for our marriage however when I do take something, it’s like the little General doesn’t want to come out to play. Now this does cause problems with the missus so I need to do something to combat this.

Apparently mind altering drugs inhibit erections, so to combat this people have found that taking Viagra helps. Now I’m not one to admit I need to take Viagra so after having a quick word with the Dr I am looking to buy Viagra online. Obviously I will be buying them from a reputable online store, because I know the dangers of buying dodgy medicines and drugs online.

Hopefully by taking Viagra when I have been on a ‘high’ I can still satisfy the missus, not sure how much she could put up with without getting her dose of me!

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Bonfire night

Posted on November 6, 2011 by HippyDave

Went to the local bonfire event at our local football club last night, they had a massive bonfire with an effigy of Wayne Rooney on top (mainly a Leeds supporting area) which was fantastic. Entry was five pounds with extra for donations which will go to help the club. They had plenty of food and drink available as well as music for entertainment and the firework show was brill.

It’s nice to see so many locals out enjoying themselves and kid having fun and not causing trouble, there wasn’t much activity the night before on mischief night either, well not around my house. The main trouble we have where we live is normally caused by drunks from the local social who spend the best part of a Friday drowning their sorrows.

I do think it’s funny how we celebrate the gunpowder plot all these years on and still remember Guy Fawkes, I wonder if he ever anticipated that? Anyway all people manage to do now is protest a bit in London but it doesn’t really make much difference. I’m sure now the only people considering blowing up the houses of parliament would be Islamic extremist etc.

Fireworks

Fireworks

Picture courtesy of Vironevaeh

 

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Gardening turns out to be expensive when you need to buy a new mower

Posted on November 4, 2011 by HippyDave

I decided clear out our back garden yesterday, it was a rash decision which I now regret but looking out on a morning to what I can only describe as a jungle, has been annoying me recently. Unfortunately I wasn’t prepared for the task in hand I don’t really have much gardening equipment nor knowledge.

The tipping point came in the afternoon, once I had cleared a lot of over grown weeds and probably plants (I can’t really tell the difference) I got out my trusty old mower to cut the grass only to find since I last cut the grass in the spring it had died alone in the shed. Getting on in the afternoon I decided that my only option was to run out and buy a new one without doing any research on what would be best or checking any prices on the internet first!

So at my local DIY depot I stood staring quite blankly at the rows of lawnmowers without a clue on what to get! I must point out my old mower belonged to my dad who passed it onto me when he left these shores for sunnier and less grassy climes so it’s all I know and add to the fact I think it was older than me I was quite out of my depth! Apparently there are three types of mower Cylinder, rotary and hover after talking to a nice but spotty teen I opted for a hover mover, because apparently the small patch of grass I do have doesn’t require anything big and electric would be most useful.

Anyway prices range from £30-£200 pounds for these types however I opted for a nice sized £50 Flymo mower which is not too expensive however I didn’t want to be shelling money out for a mower really, but I need it so, never mind just hope it lasts as long as my old one, but I doubt it!

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