Senin, 23 Oktober 2017

Future of Boxing and Holographic Projection

Boxing is a sport where men and sometimes very tough women get into a ring and knock the ever-living crap out of each other. It is a test of will, stamina and strength. Some say the one-on-one nature is the epitome of what sports competition is. To watch two people go through the rounds of boxing match seems to be something that we all can relate with, whether it is symbolic of life or our innate competitive nature.

To box competitively long hours of training is required and this takes its toll on sparing partners. Without sparing partners it is difficult to practice. So far there is no robot, which has been developed to move, weave and bob, like a professional fighter. No robot exists which can move that quick, block and dodge or one, which can hit back and actually make contact with a skillful human boxer.

Imagine sparing with your partner, which is Sugar Ray Leonard and fighting his holographic image? Imagine fighting his exact Olympic Game fights, step for step, right there in the ring with you? You would be able to stand behind him, making the punches or in front of him, dodging them and then taking the shot when you could? Once you got good you might even stand inside of him like a choreographed routine. Can you imagine the moves you might learn fighting Rocky, Sugar Ray, Jerry Foreman or Mohammed Ali?

Holographic Technologies are getting closer to becoming reality and soon we can see the data on our computers in 3D, 4D and 5D. We will enjoy Virtual Reality on our 360 X-Box in our living rooms. Military strategists and war fighters can play out the battle in the virtual battlespace in advance and then watch it un-fold in real time. Great, great grandchildren will be about to meet past ancestors and watch a holographic video. We will communicate in video conferencing with the image of the other people sitting next us, but not actually there. All this is on its way and even more, as the applications are endless indeed.



Senin, 16 Oktober 2017

Fly Fishing Secrets for the Novice as Well as the Seasoned Angler

Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the variety
of beautiful natural surroundings in which anglers often find
themselves; a secluded stream up in the mountains, a peaceful
meandering river deep in the forest, or a tranquil blue lake
somewhere out in big sky country. For some, it may be the
opportunity to test ones' individual skill against nature - in an
intricate game of cat and mouse (but in this case, man against
fish.) These are just some of the compelling reasons why many
thousands of people enjoy the challenges of fly fishing every
year.

For beginning fly-fishermen, however, learning fly fishing can be
difficult.

We have compiled this e-book to give anglers, especially new
anglers, some guidance on how to get the most out of the exciting
sport of fly fishing. While there are many other resources
available about fly fishing on the internet, few of them touch on
the techniques, tactics and strategies commonly used in fly
fishing. If these topics sound interesting, then you're in the
right place because this e-book was written just for you.

We'll explore in detail the various fish most people fish for,
we'll cover casting basics, how to read the water, how to take
care of your gear, how to tie knots, dry flies, and fly lines.
We'll also explore hatches, cover insect entomology and much,
much more. In short, this e-book will teach you everything you
always wanted to know about fly fishing! (maybe even more than
you've ever wanted to know)

Fly Fishing: Trout & Their Habitat

Successful fly fishing involves lots of things, including having
the proper fly fishing gear, using the right flies, being able to
cast correctly, and many more little things that often determine
whether a fly fishing adventure is successful or not. However,
one thing that many anglers frequently neglect to learn about is
the fish that they are fishing for.

A strong knowledge of the various types of trout is of critical
importance. Knowing more about the various types of trout that
you are fishing for, their habits, tendencies, and
characteristics, can help tremendously in improving your catch.

In our next article we have covered the primary types of trout,
their senses, and other important traits unique to each variety.


Sabtu, 07 Oktober 2017

Fishing for Salmon? Do You Know the Different Salmon Species?

Did you know that there are five species of Pacific salmon and one species of Atlantic salmon? Further, did you know that all 5 species of Pacific salmon run wild in Alaska?

We're proud of our wild salmon here in Alaska, and rightly so. On the one hand the wild salmon are great sport fish and we Alaskans love to spend gorgeous summer weekends challenging them.

On the other hand our commercial fisheries are healthy and self-sustaining. They are able to catch enough wild salmon to satisfy most of the world wide demand for fresh wild fillets in the restaurants and packaged wild salmon on grocery store shelves.

King Salmon

The Chinook salmon is nicknamed king salmon in Alaska. It is the official Alaska state fish.

Description

Of all the Pacific salmon the king is the largest. A 97-pound king was caught by a sport fisherman in 1986 on the Kenai River. In 1949 a 126 pound king was caught commercially near Petersburg, Alaska. Typically king salmon weigh 30 pounds and above.

The king is lightly and irregularly spotted on their blue-green back. They also have a black pigment along their gum line. Spawning kings in fresh water range in color from red to copper to almost black.

Life Cycle

All species of Pacific salmon hatch in fresh water, spend part of their life cycle in the ocean, then return to fresh water to spawn.

The king salmon generally live 5 to 7 years, though they can mature by their second to third year. As a result the kings in a spawning run can vary greatly in size. A mature 3-year old may only weigh 4 pounds while a mature 7-year old may exceed 50 pounds.

The young king salmon feed on plankton and insects during their fresh water period. During their second year they migrate to the ocean where they grow rapidly.

Some kings make immense spawning migrations. For example, many of the Yukon River kings will migrate over 2,000 miles during a 60 day period to reach the streams and headwaters in Yukon Territory, Canada.

Taste

The king salmon has a rich flavor, firm flesh, and a pleasing red color. Kings caught at the mouth of the Yukon River have a huge store of oil in their flesh for their long upriver migration. The result is an extra-rich flavor, much prized among those who love salmon.

Sockeye Salmon

The Sockeye salmon is also called the red salmon due to the bright red color of its flesh, and it is the second most abundant salmon species in Alaska.

Description

Sockeye salmon are the slimmest and most streamlined of the 5 species of Pacific salmon. They differ from kings, silvers, and pink salmon by the lack of large black spots, and they differ from chum salmon by having more gill rakers on the first gill.

Sockeye are generally a greenish-blue color with silver sides and a white or silver belly.

During the spawning season the Sockeye males develop a humped back and a hooked jaw. Both male and female Sockeye turn brilliant to dark red as they head upriver to their spawning grounds.

Life Cycle

After hatching during the winter and spending a few months in the river gravels, the juvenile Sockeye spend 1 to 3 years in freshwater before migrating to the ocean.

The Sockeye spend 1 to 4 years in the ocean, ranging thousands of miles while feeding and then returning to the same freshwater system where they were born. They reach an average size of 4 to 8 pounds, sometimes reaching in excess of 15 pounds.

Bristol Bay, in southwestern Alaska, annually harvests the largest number of Sockeye salmon in the world. About 10 million to 30 million Sockeye are caught during a short season that lasts only a few weeks.

Taste

The Sockeye salmon has an exquisitely rich flavor due to the high concentration of oils. It is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The rich red flesh color is maintained throughout cooking which results in a beautiful presentation. Some people consider the Sockeye to be the most flavorful of all the salmon species.

Silver Salmon

Coho salmon are known as silver salmon in Alaska and are an excellent game fish.

Description

Coho salmon have bright silver sides and have small black spots on their back.

Spawning salmon of both sexes develop red to maroon colored sides. The males develop a hooked snout with large teeth.

Life History

Juvenile silvers live in ponds and lakes formed by rivers and streams. They generally spend one to three years in the streams and may spend as many as 5 winters in lakes before migrating to the ocean.

Silvers stay in the ocean, where they grow quickly, for about 18 months before returning to their home streams. They weigh from 8 to 12 pounds, but can range up to 31 pounds. Their length ranges from 25 to 35 inches.

Taste

The flesh color of silver salmon is orange-red and is retained during cooking. The texture is firm and the fat content is high. The taste is a pleasing full salmon flavor, slightly milder than that of the Sockeye. The size of a fillet is larger than that of the Sockeye, and it is a prized fish for cooking.

Pink Salmon

Pink salmon are also known as the humpback in Alaska. Prior to spawning the pink salmon develops a pronounced hump on its back.

Description

The color of the pink salmon is generally a bright steely blue on top and silver on the sides. It has many large black spots on its back and over the entire tail fin. It has small scales and its flesh is pink, befitting its name.

The spawning pink salmon develops an olive green to black color on its back with a light-colored to white belly. It develops a very pronounced hump and hooked jaws.

Life Cycle

The young pink salmon hatch during the winter and spend a few months in the river gravels. During the spring they migrate downstream to the ocean. They feed along the beaches before moving out further into the ocean.

Like all salmon, the pinks grow rapidly in the ocean but they are the smallest of the Pacific salmon species. The pinks reach a size of about 3 to 5 pounds and about 20 to 24 inches in length.

The pink salmon spends only two years in the ocean. This two year pattern causes distinct odd-year and even-year cycles which are unrelated to each other.

When the pinks return to freshwater, they are the most abundant of the Pacific salmon species. They do not migrate far upriver, but generally spawn within a few miles of the mouth of the river. As with the other Pacific species both male and female pinks will die within a couple of weeks of spawning.

Taste

The pink salmon has a delicate, mild flavor and a light flesh color. About 80% of harvested pinks are canned and are the most common salmon species found on grocery store shelves.

Chum Salmon

Sometimes called "dog salmon" in Alaska, the chum salmon is a traditional source of dried fish for winter use.

Description

Chum salmon have a metallic greenish-blue back surface with fine black spots. They resemble sockeye and silver salmon so closely that one needs to examine their gills and fins closely to make a positive identification.

When nearing fresh water the chum salmon develops noticeable vertical bars of green and purple, which gives them another nickname, calico salmon.

The spawning chums develop the typical hooked jaws like other Pacific salmon and large teeth, which partially accounts for their other nickname, dog salmon.

Life Cycle

As with pink salmon, the young chum do not spend much time in fresh water before migrating out into the ocean. They feed near the mouths of their streams for a period before forming schools and moving further out into the ocean.

The chums spend 3 to 5 years in salt water, growing rapidly after entering the ocean. They generally range in size from 7 to 18 pounds, sometimes reaching 30 pounds in weight.

When the chums return to fresh water they often spawn in the same areas as the pinks, not migrating far up river. One major exception to this pattern is the chum salmon population of the Yukon River. Some of these chums migrate 2000 miles upriver to spawn in Yukon Territory of Canada. These chums have a very high fat content in preparation for their long migration.

Taste

Chum salmon have a mild, delicate flavor with a medium red flesh color. However, Yukon River chums, with their higher fat content, have a rich, full flavor similar to Kings and Sockeye.

Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon are not native to the Pacific coast but are raised in large numbers in pens. They run wild on the Atlantic coast only. The Atlantic salmon found in markets are farm-raised, generally originating in salmon farms off Chile or British Columbia, Canada.

Description

Atlantic salmon in the wild have silvery sides and belly with greenish-blue coloration on its back.

Spawning Atlantic salmon develop blackish fins and purplish coloration and reddish spots. Surviving adults are dark in color.

Life Cycle

In the wild young salmon spend one to three years in fresh water before migrating to the ocean. In the ocean the Atlantic salmon ranges for thousands of miles.

They generally return to freshwater by the age of five. Unlike the five Pacific species of salmon, the Atlantic salmon does not die after spawning. The surviving adults repeat the migration and spawning cycle.


Kamis, 28 September 2017

Golf Course History - You Could Play On The World's Oldest Golf Course

The oldest golf course in the world...

If I asked you where the oldest golf course in the world was what would you say? Scotland - yes, good guess so far. But where in Scotland?

When pressed most golfers eventually say St Andrews, but they're wrong. Golf was played at Musselburgh near Edinburgh at least ten years before any recorded games at St Andrews. Local records suggest that golf was played on the links land near the shore at Musselburgh from around the year 1567.

The "old course" in Musselburgh is still there today and retains much of its original layout. It has nine holes and the golf course can be played by all comers. Seven of the old course holes were laid out before 1830 (and probably much earlier) and the two "new holes" were added in the mid 1800's.

The British Open golf tournament was held at Musselburgh on five occasions between 1874 and 1889 and the first ever golf competition for women was played on the old course in 1811. The club members still compete for the Old Club Cup, which dates back to 1774.

Even the holes in the greens are significant at Musselburgh. In 1829 the members decided to buy a mechanical device from a local blacksmith to cut the holes on the green. By chance he made it with a diameter of exactly four and a half inches. Golf holes at the time could be any size that the members wanted - there was no rule about it. In 1893 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews - who by this time wrote the rules of golf for the game worldwide - decided that all golf holes should be the same size as the ones at Musselburgh old course and the decision has remained unchanged to this day. Just measure the cup size on your local golf course if you don't believe me.

For a golf course of such historical importance, access is remarkably easy. You can simply pay and play if you wish and there is a small shop selling special souvenirs. Memberships are available for both local and overseas members - the latter might make a particularly unusual golf gift. Each overseas member receives a welcome pack with a history of the club, a special bag tag, special golf balls and tees and is welcome to join in any competitions if they come for a holiday in Scotland.

Jumat, 15 September 2017

Golf Tips - A Good Thinking Head Makes A Better Golfer

Golf is a wonderful game but we all want to improve a little bit more and for some a lot more. There can be many contributing factors as to why you find that you are not playing consistently every week or the fact that your handicap seems to be going up a notch instead of the reverse. We all need advice and starting with the basics that help even the lowest handicapper in the club.

On the tee box:

There is nothing like getting up on a tee box and letting fly with the perfect drive down the center of the fairway, well that's the way it should be. There are a number of basic errors golfers can make. Timing when hitting the ball is everything, too many golfers feel the need to smash the ball out of sight when in fact golf is all about placing yourself in position for the next shot. When teeing off with the oversized drivers remember to tee the ball a little higher than normal for a maximum strike.

Different golfers hit the ball different distances, how many times have your seen the guy only 5ft odd hitting the ball 30 yards further than someone of 6ft odd. In golf size does not matter, it's all about the timing of your shot. Golfers who try to kill the ball down the fairway will nine times out of ten make a mess out of the shot either by knocking the ball down or forcing is far left or right. Take your time and play golf like chess or pool, think about placement and the shots ahead, one big drive will not mean a par or birdie.

From the fairway to the green:

If you manage to hit a nice drive from the tee box confidence is at a high, now find the green, easier said than done. Always play to your handicap, if you feel that you cannot make the green on the second shot or quite possible find the bunker why not play a little short to leave a nice wedge to the green for your third? Under clubbing can also be a major problem especially with older golfers like myself, you need to be honest if you are at the age of 50 - 70, we are not young lads anymore so don't be embarrassed to drop down a club or two, it will only help keep the confidence high.

If looking from the fairway to the green you see that the pin position is at the front of the green but just over a bunker, why not aim for the centre of the green, sometimes the gamble will work out for you but the center of the green could get you a safe par or with a nice putt an excellent birdie. When chipping to the green with a little pitching wedge or sand wedge always try and leave yourself with an uphill putt, downhill is always tricky especially in the summer when the greens are lightening fast.

Putting:

Putting has a similar concept to that of driving from the tee box, timing is important. Never rush a putt no matter how short the distance is from the hole. Avoid at all times the one handed tap ins that could end up costing you dearly, how many times have you yourself tried to finish a putt one handed only to fluff the putt? Unfortunately we are not professionals with a caddy to help us with our shots, you need to take a step back and try to read the lie of the green.

In match play most games are won and lost on the putting surface. Always follow through with your putt, never quit after the backswing, quitting will make you either leave the putt a mile short of add unwanted side spin to the ball.

From the Bunkers:

Sand should only be found on a beach! That's what we would all like to think when we end up in a bunker. The sand shot is something that takes lots of practice. You need to hit hard beneath the ball and to do so a large backswing is important. Remember the ball tends not to travel too far once it hits the green so allow for your shot to be flown as close to the flag as possible.

If you end up at the very front of the bunker and are looking at an next to impossible forward shot play out sideways or backwards, better dropping only one shot than losing the head and hacking two or three in the sand.

In Brief:

Golf is a game of patience, rushing shots never works, a good temperament on the course is like having that extra club in the bag. Always have good protective clothing and waterproof golf shoes, choose your golf balls carefully to gain the extra distance or spin control. The golf glove will give you that extra bit of grip required in wet conditions or peak summer when your hands get sweaty. It's a wonderful game that can be improved with even the basic advice.