None!

"A lone surfer returns from the sea, bathed in the sodium light of an onshore industrial site," writes Your Shot member John Goodman of this picture, a Daily Dozen selection. Goodman, who spends a fair amount of time at this spot just north of Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles, says he enjoys photographing surfers in their element.

"This shot was somewhat different for me because I usually shoot surfers in action, riding the waves," he says. "But the overcast conditions made for an unusually uniform cool, blue dusk that evening, which was complemented by the orange sodium lights. Once I saw that, it was just a matter of patient waiting until one of the last surfers out of the water entered the frame on his way home."

This photo was submitted to Your Shot. Check out the new and improved website, where you can share photos, take part in assignments, lend your voice to stories, and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.

Your Shot member Denis Nezhentsev captured this underwater scene, a recent Daily Dozen selection, during a dive safari near Wolf Island in the Galápagos. "The main purpose of the shoot was hammerhead sharks and stingrays," he says. "I first went into the big cloud of small fish, and then there was a pack of hammerhead sharks circling me. I could only hope they were satiated and took the shot."

This photo was submitted to Your Shot. Check out the new and improved website, where you can share photos, take part in assignments, lend your voice to stories, and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.

Well, you always have to have a few good Arsenal stories up your sleeve around March time when your Mark Gonnella. They’re like the mushrooms in Super Mario, they protect the club against the turtle shells Arsene Wenger pings the clubs way with his March / Feb antics. Anyway, we released some very good news yesterday.

NEW DEALS:

First up:

Per Mertesacker: The giant German has signed the last major deal of his career. I’ve no idea what it’s worth. but I’m guessing it’ll be near the £100k a week territory. He’s been an inspirational signing, one that we needed for years. He answered a major issue of ours… conceding from set pieces. It wasn’t a particularly difficult one to solve… sign someone of high quality who has height. Boom, Per, the self confessed Gooner solved that issue in his first season. He’s settled now and he’s formed part of one of the best back 4s in the league.

Tomas Rosicky: For me, he’s been a top player for us this season. He was at the tail end of the last two. He’s never really fulfilled on his promise, but he’s been a superb squad player when given the chance. He’s probably hitting his last season next year, and I’m sure he can still offer us plenty… just not three times a week. You need to keep experience around the squad as long as it’s useful. He’s useful. He drives forward, he’s technically gifted and he’s the only man I know who grows up younger.

Aaron Ramsey: He signed up to a £65k a week deal last year, which I didn’t really agree with based on performance. But then guess what? He totally proved me wrong and smashed the hell out of the tail end of last season as well as playing an integral role for the first three months of this year until Arsene drove him into a long term injury. He’s signed up to a £100k a week deal. Hard to argue that. Pay players what they’re worth, or they go.

The only other deal I’d like to be settled is the Sagna one. I’m not sure whether this is going to happen now? One paper says he’s staying, the other paper is saying he’s said goodbye to his team mates. I don’t know what to make of it… all I know is that he’s a very good player who has never had a mega pay day. If the club have waited this long to tie him down. that might have hacked him off. That’d be bad news.

The other bit of ‘news in waiting’ could be Wenger. Has he signed a deal? Are Arsenal sitting on the news? I hope not. We’ll see though. If we beat Everton in the FA Cup, they might shuffle the news out after.

‘SURPRISE!’

In other news, Nik Bendtner is feeling sorry for himself.

“For the last three years, I have spent my summers conducting biodiversity surveys with a team of other biologists and research assistants in the rain forests of Guyana,” says Your Shot contributor Andrew Snyder, whose picture was featured in the Daily Dozen. “For our bird surveys, we set up a series of mist nets through the understory, and this Amazonian royal flycatcher was one of the birds caught [over the] summer. From previous experience, I knew that this species typically puts on its remarkable crest displays when handled, so while the team was taking their necessary measurements, I was able to make this photograph.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot. Check out the new and improved website, where you can share photos, take part in assignments, lend your voice to stories, and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.

Mayor Dawn Zimmer urged the Hoboken community to learn about the Rebuild by Design competition – an opportunity to protect the City of Hoboken from flooding – and to participate in an upcoming community meeting on the project.

“Hoboken has an excellent opportunity to protect our City from all types of flooding through the Rebuild by Design competition,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “In addition to Sandy, we face flooding challenges every year, and the cost of flood insurance is a major concern for residents and businesses. A comprehensive flood protection strategy being developed as part of this competition would not only physically protect all Hoboken residents and businesses, but also financially protect us from soaring flood insurance costs while providing valuable civic benefits. This integrated water management strategy would add a layer of protection for Hoboken Terminal, our electrical substations, hospital, flood pump, and sewage treatment plant. The winning design proposals will be chosen by the end of April, and since strong support from Hobokenites will help our chances to win the competition, I urge the entire community to learn more about this important proposal and provide your input.”

Members of the Hoboken community have various opportunities to learn more about efforts to protect Hoboken from flooding including presentations at the City Council meeting and the second community meeting for the Rebuild by Design competition.

City Council Meeting
A full presentation will be made at the beginning of the Hoboken City Council Meeting on Wednesday, March 5 at 7:00pm including the following:

• Rebuild by Design – A representative from the firm OMA will present the team’s proposal to protect Hoboken from flooding as part of the Rebuild by Design competition.
• Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan – A representative from Together North Jersey will present the findings of a plan developed to mitigate flooding through green infrastructure.
• Flood pump – A representative from North Hudson Sewerage Authority will update the community on plans for a second flood pump to be located at 11th Street. The City Council will be asked to vote on a resolution of support for the City’s application for a low-interest loan to build the pump.

The presentation will be viewable live online at www.hobokennj.org/live and will run on Cablevision Channel 78 a few days after the meeting.

Rebuild by Design Meetings
Mayor Dawn Zimmer will join representatives from the Rebuild by Design competition and OMA, the firm leading an interdisciplinary team of experts on the Hoboken proposal. A general public meeting will be held on March 11 and two additional events will be held on March 6. Light refreshments will be served.

General Community Meeting
When: Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 5:30pm – 8:00pm
Where: Hoboken Terminal waiting room, 1 Hudson Place

For Business Community
When: March 6, 2014, 8:00am
Where: Amanda’s Restaurant, 908 Washington Street

For Developer Community
When: March 6, 2014, 6:00pm
Where: 1422 Grand Street, 5th floor

The March 11 meeting is the second Rebuild by Design public meeting held in Hoboken and is an opportunity to learn more about a strategy to protect Hoboken from flooding. The Rebuild by Design competition is an initiative of President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The City of Hoboken is working with a multi-disciplinary team of experts to develop a comprehensive strategy to protect the community from all kinds of flooding. The public meeting is a chance for our community to speak directly with these experts, provide feedback, and learn more about this initiative.

Rebuild by Design is an unprecedented regional design competition with a goal of rebuilding areas affected by Hurricane Sandy to be more resilient, sustainable, and livable. The competition also represents a policy innovation by committing to set aside HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding specifically to incentivize implementation of winning projects and proposals. More information on the competition is available at www.rebuildbydesign.org.

OMA’s design proposal titled “Resist, Delay, Store, Discharge: a Comprehensive Strategy for Hoboken” employs a multi-pronged approach to address Hoboken’s historic flooding challenge and increasing threats from rising seas and stronger storms. The comprehensive strategy uses both hard infrastructure and soft landscape for coastal defense (resist), recommends policies to enable the urban fabric to slow down water (delay), and includes a green circuit to trap water (store) and water pumps to support drainage (discharge).

The proposal has advanced to the third round of the competition as one of 10 finalists. Winning projects that demonstrate community support will be implemented with federal disaster recovery funds and private funding. Competition submissions are due by the end of March, and finalists will be selected in April 2014.

Residents are invited to learn more about the project and add their comments at www.rebuildbydesign.org/project/comprehensive-strategy.

Due to the extreme winter weather, the freeze/thaw cycle, and frequent plowing, there are a large number of potholes along roadways. Hoboken crews have filled 752 potholes so far this year, including 284 potholes in the past week alone.

Due to the cold weather, potholes are filled with cold patch, which may become dislodged and require further repairs. More permanent repairs using hot asphalt require warmer weather in the spring in order for proper bonding to occur and will take place at that time.

Residents are asked to report any potholes via www.hoboken311.com. Reports of potholes on County roads will be forwarded to Hudson County for repair.

“Pushkar Lake is situated in the heart of town,” says Your Shot member Giancarlo Zuccarone, who submitted this photo to the I Heart My City assignment. “The waters of this lake possess a spiritual quality for Hindu people. Many Hindu pilgrims come here from every part of India every day.” Zuccarone had been spending the day shooting portraits of sadhus and decided to capture the atmosphere around the sacred lake. “I remember the sky was clear and the sun shone on everything—a moment of a lifetime.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot. Check out the new and improved website, where you can share photos, take part in assignments, lend your voice to stories, and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.

"La Payunia is a vast region located in the department of Malargüe, south of the province of Mendoza in Argentina,” says Albert Claveria, a member of National Geographic Your Shot. “This place is considered one of the most extensive volcanic fields in South America. The volcanological diversity makes the region a paradise for experts.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot. Check out the new and improved website, where you can share photos, take part in assignments, lend your voice to stories, and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.

As there is nothing much going on and I am knackered after spending all of yesterday travelling, here is a reminder of events from 4th March 1987, a pivotal moment in the genesis of a young Arsenal squad that went onto better things. Tabs recalled events at White Hart Lane from a League Cup semi-final replay for us a year or so ago and on the anniversary of the match, what better way to remember it. A replay of a post about a replay, if you like.

I am on a tube. My small band of compadres have gathered. We are on our way to White Hart Lane, a League Cup Semi Final Replay no less. Conversation is at a premium. Pensive glances, cognisant of the emotional effort that we all know is coming, are exchanged. “Enjoy the game” a colleague had cheerfully said as I ducked out of work early. Enjoy?? These games were not to be enjoyed but endured. Enjoyment didn’t come into it, not unless you were three goals to the good, there were five minutes to go, and Tottenham had given up the ghost.

We walk up Tottenham High Rd from Seven Sisters. The atmosphere is expectant but is also heavily undercut with the omnipresent threat of incipient violence. Questions, questions. Will the fledgling Michael Thomas cope? Will Big-time Charlie turn up? Are we capable of winning for a third time in two months on enemy soil? Relax Son, relax. Still two hours to kick off.

Inside the ground, we position ourselves on the Park Lane terrace, towards the back and, as you look out onto the pitch, to the left of the goal. Soon we are packed in so tightly that independent movement has become impossible. We have become one, a swaying mass of hope, tension and defiance. Nothing to do but sing. Sing for the Arsenal.

The game starts. My God, this is really happening. The tension transmits itself to the pitch. Gone is the end to end roustabout of three days earlier. Instead, an attritional war develops that turns the vice of apprehension ever tighter. A callow Tony Adams, all arms, legs and bloody mindedness leads a defence that holds firm. The midfield give as good as they get. Paul Davis, a velvet elegance wrapped around a steel core, conducts. Alongside him, Michael Thomas bristles with muscular energy. On the right, the jewel, David Rocastle, a purposeful mix of intensity and desire. Half Time comes. 0-0.

On the hour, a soft goal is conceded. Three sides of the ground reverberate to that spirit-sapping Chas ‘n Dave number. It soon gets worse. Charlie is carried off. Stoic resignation sets in. Depression can wait.

Another look at the clock. No longer a friend. Ten minutes to go. A hopeful ball down the inside left channel from Davis. The Tottenham defender hesitates. Go on Ian Allinson, you’re in son. A pirouette turn. A shot. I don’t see the ball hit the back of the net. I don’t need to. The Park Lane explodes. Hope is reborn.

Arsenal are suddenly everywhere. We roar them on with a soundtrack of almost primal noise. Come on Arsenal! The Chicken is squawking, time to snap it’s neck. A hopeful shot from that man Allinson takes a deflection. Rocky is there. ROCKY IS THERE! A swing of the leg. The net bulges. Delirium! Wide-eyed strangers embrace, grown men go crowd surfing. We are at the centre of the Universe.

The final whistle is upon us, and for the third time in fifteen minutes, the Park Lane is enveloped in a frenzy of celebration.

The Arsenal are back. Bonnie Prince Charlie will have his day in the sun, and yet more wondrous deeds lay on the horizon.

And it felt fantastic.

*boilk*

Monday night shenanigans are not usually my thing these day but thanks to a big Gooner playing drums for this man, I had to have a few drinks last evening. Funnily enough, I shared the same exclusive viewing area as this actor from Game of Thrones.

Is it rude to say that I had Littlefinger in my box last night? It probably is. Oh well. Thanks Kiddi!

As it’s one of those international weeks news is in fairly short supply but there are some interesting quotes from Tomas Rosicky who touched on the defeat to Stoke and what it means for our title challenge. Speaking to the local press ahead of the Czech Republic’s game against Norway, he said:

It was a huge loss of points. On the other hand, there are still ten games left. In the season in which we won the title with Dortmund, we lost to Kaiserslautern a few rounds before the end and in the dressing room we were talking ‘Well, this is over now.’

Suddenly, we won all the remaining games and had the title in our hands.

It’s most definitely a long shot but stranger things have happened, I suppose. I think if there’s any chance of winning the league, then we’re going to have to take 30 points, which means beating Man City, Chelsea and Sp*rs, and not slipping up against shit-kickers like Stoke.

Would I put a great deal of money on it? No, no I would not. I would not really even put a small amount of money on it, but maybe it’s a good thing that there’s somebody like Rosicky in the dressing room who’s been through an experience like that.

I think it’s safe to say that we need to get our arses in gear, and quickly, because while the defeat to Stoke was in some ways unexpected, it’s not as if we’d been playing out of our skins and just had a blip on the day. We’ve been grinding out wins rather than steamrollering teams (Sunderland aside) for quite a while now. And look, I’m not complaining.

I’m good with the grind. I’m good with wins regardless of how they come, but a few of them, particularly against teams of the same calibre as Stoke (just less stampy), haven’t been what you might call convincing. The football has been solid rather than exciting. A bit like porridge for breakfast every morning instead of a bacon roll – it does the same exact thing but much less deliciously.

At some point our breakfast was going to be made up entirely of the dusty stuff you get at the bottom of a box of cereal and that’s what Stoke was (but more stampy). Looking at the fixtures to come you have to worry about what kind of breakfast we’re going to get against Chelsea, City etc, but even the most basic gruel can suffice as long as we avoid the dust.

A scabby 1-0 over Sp*rs would result in a ‘Please sir, can I have some more?’ as we travel to Stamford Bridge wearing swimming goggles lest Mourinho gouge our eyes and give us cancer in the process. Take that into the game against City and we might even have a bit of momentum and that would be like a bit of sliced banana or golden syrup on the top of our oats and then – hopefully – we can return to blog posts without terribly awkward morning meal analogies.

Let’s keep fingers crossed for that. Meanwhile, lumbering oaf Charlie Adam has been charged for his stamp on Olivier Giroud. Our news piece on this must have ended up on a Stoke news feed or something because there are a lot of Stoke fans trying (unsuccessfully, I should add) to leave comments on it. Some of the contributions so far suggest that Arsenal fans are:

- Southern jessies
- Shandy drinking ladyboys
- ‘Loosers’ [sic]
- Grape loving poofters
- Thick froggs [sic]
- Frilly knicker wearing tutu wearers

I see something of a common theme there. Still, we might be any, or all, of those things, but I can assure you that when I wear frilly knickers I do not also sport a tutu. That would be overkill and I am a man of great subtlety in that regard. However, I would like to thank those Stoke fans who have learned how to type by bashing their clenched fists repeatedly on a keyboard for their insightful and amusing contributions.

Finally for today, if you haven’t had a listen to this week’s Arsecast Extra with myself and Gunnerblog then please click right here and get your ears wrapped around 40 minutes of mostly Arsenal chat. We talk about the Stoke game and take listeners questions about Jack Wilshere’s form, that Luis Suarez contract clause story and ponder what might happen if Charlie Adam had sex with a wasp (I think).

Till tomorrow.