Christmas 2014   Semi-Golf

Did You Know? - Bullwinkle J. Moose is a fictional character in the 1959–1964 animated television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, often collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle, produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott. When the show changed networks from ABC to NBC, its name was changed to The Bullwinkle Show, reflecting the popularity of Bullwinkle.

In 1996, Bullwinkle was ranked #32 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.

Did You Know? - The USGA and R&A (European golf governing body) rule that the velocity of the golf ball shall not be greater than 250 ft. (76.2 m.) per second. A maximum tolerance of 2 percent will be allowed.

Effects on Speed - Besides club speed, there are other factors that can affect ball velocity. Hitting the sweet spot of the club is the most important factor. The material of the club and angle of approach can also produce varying ball speeds. Titanium offers the greatest increase to ball velocity.

Equation - To capture the velocity of the ball use this equation:
velocity = (clubhead speed x coefficient of restitution) / (1.0 + (mass of ball / mass of clubhead))
1.62 oz. is the weight of most golf balls.

Example of Velocity - With a 100-mph swing using an 11-degree driver with .825 COR and 200 gram head weight, assuming a center hit the golf ball, velocity would be 148 mph.

Considerations - That fastest velocity is just after impact. The golf ball will continue to lose speed until it reaches its peak height. The ball will than face loss of momentum and spin rate due to air resistance and gravity. From that point the golf ball will reach a max speed of 72 mph.

Did You Know? - Nopales are unique but you may taste hints of string beans, asparagus or even green pepper, all with a citrus, or sorrel-like undercurrent. They need to be cooked before eating but they remain both soft and crispy when cooked correctly.

Clean the nopales by holding the base with tongs or a wad of newspapers and using a sharp knife, shave off the spines, trying not to remove too much of the skin. Shave in both directions until all spines are gone. Cut along the edge of the cactus paddle, removing a thin strip. Cut off thickest, woody end of the base. Rinse with water. If you should get a spine in your skin, try to remove it with adhesive tape.

Cut nopal paddle into strips or cubes. Simmer for about 10 minutes with some cut onion and garlic. Strain. Some cooks rinse in cold water but there will be a loss of nutrients and possibly flavor. The paddles should be cooked but still be very al dente.

Did You Know? - The Negroni cocktail is made of one part gin, one part vermouth rosso (red, semi-sweet), and one part Campari, garnished with orange peel. It is considered an apéritif.

While the drink's origins are unknown, the most widely reported account is that it was invented in Florence, Italy in 1919, at Caffè Casoni, ex Caffè Giacosa, now called Caffè Cavalli. Count Camillo Negroni invented it by asking the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, to strengthen his favorite cocktail, the Americano, by adding gin rather than the normal soda water.

The bartender also added an orange garnish rather than the typical lemon garnish of the Americano to signify that it was a different drink.

After the success of the cocktail, the Negroni Family founded Negroni Distillerie in Treviso, Italy, and produced a ready-made version of the drink, sold as Antico Negroni 1919.

One of the earliest reports of the drink came from Orson Welles in correspondence with the Coshocton Tribune while working in Rome on Cagliostro in 1947, where he described a new drink called the Negroni, "The bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other."

There is an alternative theory regarding the origin of the Negroni Cocktail. This theory attributes the invention to General Pascal Olivier de Negroni, Count de Negroni.

This theory appears in two published sources. The first source is "A Corse Matin" Sunday Edition article dated 2 February 1980.[8] The second source is an article published in the New Hampshire Union leader on 19 June 2014.