VALENTINES DAY

Ten Classic Valentines Sayings 1. Love is friendship set on fire. Jeremy Taylor 2. Love is a game that two can play and both win. Eva Gabor 3. Love is like the measles; we all have to go through it. Jerome K. Jerome 4. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. Elizabeth Barrett Browning 5. 'Lucky is the man who is the first love of a woman, but luckier is the woman who is the last love of a man.' Anon 6. For twas not into my ear you whispered but into my heart. Twas not my lips you kissed but my soul. Judy Garland 7. Love is the heart of the soul. Robert Paul 8. A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you. Anon 9. My girlfriend told me that she was seeing another man. I told her to rub her eyes. Emo Philips 10. I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon. Anon Funny Valentine's Day Sayings • I thought that I could love no other Until, that is, I met your brother. • Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you. But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head. • Of loving beauty you float with grace If only you could hide your face. • Kind, intelligent, loving and hot This describes everything you are not. • I want to feel your sweet embrace But don't take that paper bag off of your face. • I love your smile, your face, and your eyes Damn, I'm good at telling lies! • I see your face when I am dreaming. That's why I always wake up screaming. • My love, you take my breath away. What have you stepped in to smell this way? • My feelings for you no words can tell Except for maybe 'Go To Hell'. • What inspired this amorous rhyme? Two parts vodka, one part lime ... Love and Marriage • A man said his credit card was stolen but he decided not to report it because the thief was spending less than his wife did. • Love is blind but marriage is an eye-opener. • The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once. • When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: either the car is new or the wife. • Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you say. After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish. • A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man • A little boy asked his father, 'Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?' And the father replied, 'I don't know, son, I'm still paying for it.' • A couple was having a discussion about family finances. Finally the husband exploded, 'If it weren't for my money, the house wouldn't be here!' The wife replied, 'My dear, if it weren't for your money, I wouldn't be here.'

THE HISTORY OF THE RYDER CUP

Just thought I would share this interesting information with you all. Source: http://www.rydercup.com/2010/europe/history/index.cfm The Ryder Cup, one of the last great sporting events founded on prestige rather than prize money, was first contested in 1927. The origin of the idea to stage international matches between the best American professionals and those of Great Britain is a subject of debate among golf historians. Past PGA of America President George Sargent (1921-26) of the Southeastern PGA Section credited Sylvanus P. Jermain, president of Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, for first presenting the concept in 1921. However, Bob Harlow, founder of Golf World and onetime manager of Walter Hagen, reported in 1951 that the concept was first proposed in 1920 by James Harnett, a circulation representative for Golf Illustrated. Harnett had attempted to attract potential readers by raising funds to pay expenses for a professional match between the USA and Great Britain. Harnett didn't get the support he needed until The PGA of America voted at its Annual Meeting on December 15, 1920, to advance Harnett some funds. The rivalry Harnett so eagerly attempted to develop eventually became The Ryder Cup. Regardless of who takes credit, the first informal matches were played in 1921 at Gleneagles, Scotland. Harnett, most likely with Hagen's assistance, selected the American Team. The matches were played just before the 2,000 Guineas Match Play Championship, with the British soundly defeating the U.S. Team, 9-3. Another unofficial match occurred when The R&A decreed regional qualifying rounds before The 1926 Open Golf Championship, forcing overseas competitors to make their transatlantic trek earlier. With extra time on their hands, the American contingent agreed to form a team for an unofficial match against the British professionals at Wentworth Club. This time, the Americans' defeat was worse -- a 13 1/2 to 1 1/2 rout. English seed merchant and entrepreneur Samuel Ryder was a member of the appreciative gallery. Ryder was an Englishman from St. Albans in Hertfordshire, who made his fortune selling penny seed packets. Before the matches at Wentworth, Ryder had engaged the British star Abe Mitchell as his personal golf tutor. Mitchell beat the reigning Open Champion Jim Barnes, 8 and 7, in the singles, and then partnered with George Duncan in the foursomes to beat Hagen and Barnes, 9 and 8. After the matches, Ryder had tea with British Team Members George Duncan and Mitchell. Also joining them were Hagen and American team-mate Emmett French. Duncan suggested Ryder provide a trophy and encourage the establishment of matches on a regular basis. Ryder agreed at once and commissioned the design of the gold chalice that bears his name and Mitchell's likeness on the top. Unfortunately, Mitchell was suffering from appendicitis and could not join his countrymen at Worcester Country Club, Massachusetts, in 1927 for the inaugural Ryder Cup. The United States Team defeated their counterparts from Great Britain in that historic first match, 9 1/2 -2 1/2. The first U.S. Ryder Cup Team was captained by Hagen, a charter Member of The PGA of America. Only American-born players were allowed to join the Team, according to a Selection Committee ruling, April 5, 1927, in Chicago. Joining Hagen on the Team were Leo Diegel, Johnny Farrell, Johnny Golden, Bill Mehlhorn, Gene Sarazen, Joe Turnesa and Al Watrous. Mike Brady and Al Espinosa were named alternates. The British Team was originally set with Mitchell as Captain, but he remained home due to his illness. Ted Ray took over the duties, and was joined on the Team by Aubrey Boomer, Archie Compston, George Duncan, George Gadd, Arthur Havers, Herbert Jolly, Fred Robson and C.A. (Charles) Whitcombe. Samuel Ryder had sown the seed. Few amateurs who took up golf after their 50th birthday have left as many positive impressions upon the game as Samuel Ryder. Born in 1858, he was the son of a Manchester corn merchant and educated at Manchester University. His father doubted the wisdom of his son's plans to sell penny seed packets to English garden lovers. The young Ryder decided he would go into business on his own, moved south to St. Albans in Hertfordshire and formed the Heath and Heather Seed Company. His business quickly prospered, and in 1906 his social standing improved to the point where he was elected Mayor of St. Albans. He became ill due to overwork, and fresh air and light exercise were prescribed as part of the cure. He was encouraged to take up golf. Reared on music and cricket, Ryder at first spurned the idea, but later relented. Ryder first enlisted a professional named Hill from a local nine-hole course to guide him through his golf fundamentals. Later, Ryder employed Mitchell as his exclusive instructor at an annual fee of £1,000. Ryder practiced rain or shine, six days a week (never on Sunday), for a year. He was given instruction at Marlborough House, his home, on driving and iron shots, and he hit chip shots over a hedge in the paddock. He followed up with putting. After his rigorous practice regimen, Ryder decided he could apply for membership at Verulam Golf Club. By age 51, he boasted a six handicap and joined the Verulam Golf Club in St. Albans in 1910. Within a year he was elected Captain of the club, and later held the title in 1926 and '27. He sponsored a Heath and Heather Tournament in 1923, the first event to be restricted to professionals. Among the field was Mitchell, a former gardener himself, and considered one of the finest players in Great Britain to have never won an Open Championship. Ryder relished the 1926 unofficial international match between the Americans and British at Wentworth, watching Mitchell and Duncan defeat Hagen and Barnes. "Why can't they all get to know each other?" said Ryder. "I will give £5 to each of the winning players, and give a party afterwards, with champagne and chicken sandwiches." Later that evening in a pub, Duncan turned to Ryder and said, "This is wonderful. It's too bad we don't have a match like this which is official." "Why not?" Ryder asked. Soon, the deed of gift was drafted with Ryder agreeing to donate a solid gold cup, worth £250. The cup was designed by Mappin & Webb Company. Ryder insisted that a golfing figure adorn the lid and that it resemble Mitchell. The first official Ryder Cup was arranged for June 3-4, 1927, at the Worcester Country Club, Massachusetts. An appeal for £3,000 to finance the first British Ryder Cup Team was met with apathy and fell £500 short of the goal, but Ryder made up the deficit. After Ryder, the biggest single contribution was £210 from the Stock Exchange Golf Society. With no Order of Merit money-winning list available, the famed British triumvirate of Harry Vardon, James Braid and James Taylor acted as team selection committee. Samuel Ryder, who would serve two terms as Mayor of St. Albans, lived to see two Ryder Cup encounters on his home soil. While celebrating the holidays with his family in London, he died of a massive hemorrhage on January 2, 1936. He was 77. His eldest daughter, Mrs. Marjorie Claisen, sent her father's favourite mashie (5-iron) to be placed in his coffin. Another of his daughters, Mrs. Thomas Scarfe, took over the family business. However, she never shared her father's passion for golf. Ryder's youngest daughter, Joan, was her father's constant companion at all his golfing events. She witnessed all The Ryder Cups in Great Britain, and once in America, in 1983, when the U.S. edged the Europeans at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. In 1981, Joan met the Duke of Kent at The Ryder Cup at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England. She told the royal guest that her father had been surprised by the success of the matches. "He had the idea that when the Americans came over for a match he would give a 'small friendly lunch party' to both teams," said Joan. The Duke gazed at the spectators swarming near the 18th green, and said: "I wonder what your father would think of this little lunch party!" Joan Ryder's final appearance at The Ryder Cup was at The Belfry in 1985. She called that edition of the matches "the most exciting ever." Later that year, she died at her home in Sussex at age 81. War-torn Matches With the outbreak of World War II, The Ryder Cup was suspended from 1939-45, and the U.S. retained the trophy from its 1937 victory. Whilst the outbreak of war in Europe forced the cancellation of The 1939 Ryder Cup at Ponte Vedra Country Club, Florida, both teams were still named. The United States also continued the spirit of the contest by selecting a ten-member team that participated in "challenge" matches against fellow Americans to raise funds for the American Red Cross, various service organizations and other war-related efforts. With The 1939 Ryder Cup canceled, challenge competitions were arranged from 1940- 43, with two at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield, Michigan, in 1940 and 1942: at Detroit Golf Club, in 1941: and at Plum Hollow Country Club in 1943. The Ryder Cup Team, which had various members during that period, won four of the five challenge matches. Walter Hagen captained the 1939, '40 and '41 Ryder Cup Teams, while Craig Wood captained the Team in 1942 and 1943. There was no competition in 1939. The 1939 U.S. selections were repeated in 1940 in a challenge match at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, against Gene Sarazen's Challengers. Sarazen, who was left off The Ryder Cup Team, challenged Hagen by assembling a team that included Ben Hogan, Jimmy Demaret and Craig Wood. In 1939, The Professional Golfers Association of Great Britain had selected eight players and Captain Henry Cotton before war interrupted further plans. The eight players named were: Jimmy Adams, Dick Burton, Sam King, Alf Padgham, Dai Rees, Charles Whitcombe and Reg Whitcombe. The remaining two members were never filled. During the war, the exhibition matches brought together the greatest American players of the era, including amateur Bobby Jones who led his team to an 8 1/2 to 6 1/2 upset of The Ryder Cup Team in 1941, at Detroit Golf Club. The Ryder Cup resumed with the seventh meeting to the two teams in 1947 at Portland Golf Club, Oregon. Europeans Join the Fight for the Cup In 1973, The Ryder Cup was contested for the first time in Scotland at historic Muirfield. The PGA of Great Britain altered its selection procedure by having eight players chosen from a year-long points system and four by invitation. The introduction of players from continental Europe into The Ryder Cup fold in 1979 marked a new chapter in the history of the biennial competition and after years of U.S. domination the tide started to turn. The foundations were laid as far back as 1971 when John Jacobs, the first Director General of The European Tour, had the vision to realise that the future lay in Europe. As The European Tour grew into a cosmopolitan mix of players from all nationalities, particularly from the continent, the logical step was to include these players in The Ryder Cup and make the matches Europe versus America. During The 1977 Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham & St Annes, Jack Nicklaus approached the PGA of Great Britain about the urgency to improve the competitive level of the contest. The issue had been discussed earlier the same day by both Past The PGA of America President Henry Poe and British PGA President Lord Derby. Nicklaus pitched his ideas, adding: "It is vital to widen the selection procedures if The Ryder Cup is to continue to enjoy its past prestige." The changes in team selection procedure were approved by descendants of the Samuel Ryder family along with The PGA of America. The major change was expanding selection procedures to include players from the European Tournament Players' Division, and "that European Members be entitled to play on the team." This meant that professional players on the European Tournament Players' Division, the forerunner to The European Tour we have today, from continental Europe would be eligible to play in The Ryder Cup. The recommendation and succeeding approval of the new selection process followed another American victory at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1977. The first Ryder Cup under the expanded European selection format was played at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The first two Europeans to make the overseas squad were two Spaniards - Severiano Ballesteros and Antonio Garrido. Ballesteros went on to become one of the all-time winners in The Ryder Cup. He has a record of won 20, lost 12 and halved five and has earned 22 1/2 points in 37 Ryder Cup matches. The move to include the continental players was a major step in upgrading The Ryder Cup. The U.S. had won all but one outing from 1959 to 1977, the exception being the tied match in a memorable duel in 1969 at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. Expanding the selection procedure to include Europeans provided a much greater pool of talent from which to the team. The effect of The European Tour, with its varying types of golf courses, climates, food, language and customs, was to produce players of unprecedented durability. They possessed the technique and confidence to deal with all course situations and make The Ryder Cup one of the most compelling events in world sport. Ryder Cup Format Changes From the beginning of the series through 1959, The Ryder Cup competition was comprised of four foursomes (alternate shot) matches on one day and eight singles matches on the other day, each of 36 holes. The format was changed in 1961, to provide four 18-hole foursomes matches the morning of the first day, four more foursomes that afternoon, eight 18-hole singles the morning of the second day and eight more singles that afternoon. One point was at stake in each match, so the total number of points was doubled to 24. In 1963, fourball (better-ball) matches were added for the first time, boosting the total number of points available to 32. The format was altered again in 1977, this time with five foursomes on opening day, five four-ball matches on the second day, and ten singles matches on the final day. This reduced the total points to 20. In 1979, when the Great Britain & Ireland Team was expanded to include players from Continental Europe, the format was revised to provide four fourball and four foursomes matches on each of the first two days and 12 singles matches on the third day. The total points awarded were 28. This format continues today. The Ryder Cup was interrupted for the second time in history following the September 11, 2001, attack upon America. Some eight days following the tragedy, The 2001 Ryder Cup was rescheduled to the following year in 2002, with all future competitions conducted in even-numbered years.

INTERESTING OLYMPIC FACTS

The Official Olympic Flag Created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1914, the Olympic flag contains five interconnected rings on a white background. The five rings symbolize the five significant continents and are interconnected to symbolize the friendship to be gained from these international competitions. The rings, from left to right, are blue, yellow, black, green, and red. The colors were chosen because at least one of them appeared on the flag of every country in the world. The Olympic flag was first flown during the 1920 Olympic Games. The Olympic Motto In 1921, Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, borrowed a Latin phrase from his friend, Father Henri Didon, for the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius ("Swifter, Higher, Stronger"). The Olympic Oath Pierre de Coubertin wrote an oath for the athletes to recite at each Olympic Games. During the opening ceremonies, one athlete recites the oath on behalf of all the athletes. The Olympic oath was first taken during the 1920 Olympic Games by Belgian fencer Victor Boin. The Olympic Oath states, "In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams." The Olympic Creed Pierre de Coubertin got the idea for this phrase from a speech given by Bishop Ethelbert Talbot at a service for Olympic champions during the 1908 Olympic Games. The Olympic Creed reads: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." The Olympic Flame The Olympic flame is a practice continued from the ancient Olympic Games. In Olympia (Greece), a flame was ignited by the sun and then kept burning until the closing of the Olympic Games. The flame first appeared in the modern Olympics at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. The flame itself represents a number of things, including purity and the endeavor for perfection. In 1936, the chairman of the organizing committee for the 1936 Olympic Games, Carl Diem, suggested what is now the modern Olympic Torch relay. The Olympic flame is lit at the ancient site of Olympia by women wearing ancient-style robes and using a curved mirror and the sun. The Olympic Torch is then passed from runner to runner from the ancient site of Olympia to the Olympic stadium in the hosting city. The flame is then kept alight until the Games have concluded. The Olympic Torch relay represents a continuation from the ancient Olympic Games to the modern Olympics. The Olympic Hymn The Olympic Hymn, played when the Olympic Flag is raised, was composed by Spyros Samaras and the words added by Kostis Palamas. The Olympic Hymn was first played at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens but wasn't declared the official hymn by the IOC until 1957. Real Gold Medals The last Olympic gold medals that were made entirely out of gold were awarded in 1912. The Medals The Olympic medals are designed especially for each individual Olympic Games by the host city's organizing committee. Each medal must be at least three millimeters thick and 60 millimeters in diameter. Also, the gold and silver Olympic medals must be made out of 92.5 percent silver, with the gold medal covered in six grams of gold. The First Opening Ceremonies The first opening ceremonies were held during the 1908 Olympic Games in London. Opening Ceremony Procession Order During the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the procession of athletes is always led by the Greek team, followed by all the other teams in alphabetical order (in the language of the hosting country), except for the last team which is always the team of the hosting country. A City, Not a Country When choosing locations for the Olympic Games, the IOC specifically gives the honor of holding the Games to a city rather than a country. IOC Diplomats In order to make the IOC an independent organization, the members of the IOC are not considered diplomats from their countries to the IOC, but rather are diplomats from the IOC to their respective countries. First Modern Champio James B. Connolly (United States), winner of the hop, step, and jump (the first final event in the 1896 Olympics), was the first Olympic champion of the modern Olympic Games. The First Marathon In 490 BCE, Pheidippides, a Greek soldier, ran from Marathon to Athens (about 25 miles) to inform the Athenians the outcome of the battle with invading Persians. The distance was filled with hills and other obstacles; thus Pheidippides arrived in Athens exhausted and with bleeding feet. After telling the townspeople of the Greeks' success in the battle, Pheidippides fell to the ground dead. In 1896, at the first modern Olympic Games, held a race of approximately the same length in commemoration of Pheidippides. The Exact Length of a Marathon During the first several modern Olympics, the marathon was always an approximate distance. In 1908, the British royal family requested that the marathon start at the Windsor Castle so that the royal children could witness its start. The distance from the Windsor Castle to the Olympic Stadium was 42,195 meters (or 26 miles and 385 yards). In 1924, this distance became the standardized length of a marathon. Women Women were first allowed to participate in 1900 at the second modern Olympic Games. Winter Games Begun The winter Olympic Games were first held in 1924, beginning a tradition of holding them a few months earlier and in a different city than the summer Olympic Games. Beginning in 1994, the winter Olympic Games were held in completely different years (two years apart) than the summer Games. Cancelled Games Because of World War I and World War II, there were no Olympic Games in 1916, 1940, or 1944. Tennis Banned Tennis was played at the Olympics until 1924, then reinstituted in 1988. Walt Disney In 1960, the Winter Olympic Games were held in Squaw Valley, California (United States). In order to bedazzle and impress the spectators, Walt Disney was head of the committee that organized the opening day ceremonies. The 1960 Winter Games Opening Ceremony was filled with high school choirs and bands, releasing of thousands of balloons, fireworks, ice statues, releasing of 2,000 white doves, and national flags dropped by parachute. Russia Not Present Though Russia had sent a few athletes to compete in the 1908 and 1912 Olympic Games, they did not compete again until the 1952 Games. Motor Boating Motor boating was an official sport at the 1908 Olympics. Polo, an Olympic Sport Polo was played at the Olympics in 1900, 1908, 1920, 1924, and 1936. Gymnasium The word "gymnasium" comes from the Greek root "gymnos" meaning nude; the literal meaning of "gymnasium" is "school for naked exercise." Athletes in the ancient Olympic Games would participate in the nude. Stadium The first recorded ancient Olympic Games were held in 776 BCE with only one event - the stade. The stade was a unit of measurement (about 600 feet) that also became the name of the footrace because it was the distance run. Since the track for the stade (race) was a stade (length), the location of the race became the stadium. Counting Olympiads An Olympiad is a period of four successive years. The Olympic Games celebrate each Olympiad. For the modern Olympic Games, the first Olympiad celebration was in 1896. Every four years celebrates another Olympiad; thus, even the Games that were cancelled (1916, 1940, and 1944) count as Olympiads. The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens was called the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad.