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©photos by Donna Turner Ruhlman—see more at: Ruhlmanphotography.com When Donna found herself in NYC at the Ace Hotel last fall, she spent a couple nights in the Breslin kitchen watching executive chef April Bloomfield, Breslin chef de cuisine Peter Cho, and crew rock (that's Peter and April top right). The trotter caught her eye. It's the perfect example of why this post could be called Why April Is Not the Cruelest Month But Rather the Best Porker, or simply Why We Love April. The British chef takes a great Italian classic, a zampone, as she notes, breads it, fries it in olive oil and butter, and serves it as their "Pig's Foot for 2." It's the boned out trotter, stuffed with cotechino, a pork and pig skin farce. Peter says it's currently served with braised Read On »
Posts Categorized: Main Courses
I'm finishing up answering copy-edit queries on the new book, my beliefs on the core techniques of cooking due out next fall from Chronicle, and also going over some last minute testing with the good folks at cookskorner.com. One of the recipes being tested is a Moroccan-style braised lamb shank using lemon confit and the blend of spices known as ras el hanout. The testers asked, for those who weren't able to find it in their town, should I include a recipe for it. The book is already running long and I'm not an expert on the subject, so I thought why not include a link to it rather than my own version? Yes, but how do I know the online version I find will be any less spurious than mine? Go to an expert. Read On »
Flew out to southern California last week to be with one of Donna's oldest and dearest, almost entirely beaching it, but found time for one great restaurant meal and one day exploring little Saigon south of LA with the extraordinary White On Rice Couple, Todd Porter and Diane Cu. Diane, born in Vietnam two years before the family fled in 1975, and Todd, a native of Oregon, are photographers, videographers, writers, cooks and gardeners. I met them in Ixtapa last January and was immediately impressed with their energy and work, but I didn't quite appreciate how fine these two souls were until they invited me and Donna and the kids into their home, gave us a tour of their truly remarkable garden, then took us on a culinary tour of Little Saigon, including a bahn Read On »
Photos by Donna [I'm on a blog break from 5/17 through 5/31, so I'm putting up favorite food posts from the archives.] It began with pickles. I'd bought a quart of small cukes to pickle with tarragon but I wasn't thinking as I made the brine. I wanted some spice in there so I added black peppercorns. Then, here is the not thinking part, I put in a load of coriander seed, then the tarragon, but as I smelled the brine coming up to heat, it was clear that pepper and coriander would completely overpower the tarragon, and simply don't belong together. So I removed the tarragon. Donna arrived just then and said, "Mmm, smells good in here. Like corned beef." Having ruined the brine for the pickles (using the standard 5% brine ratio from Read On »
[I'm taking a blogging break until 5/31, so am putting up favorite food posts from the archives in the interim] Can we call this national make-pizza-at-home week? That would make me really happy. Why? Because pizza at home is so good, so easy, and so so affordable. But what I want to focus on here is the EASY part. This is why I really loved Sam Sifton's NYTimes mag article on pizza (except for that truly shameless plug of Jay McInerny's new book—are they pals? Really had to stretch even to make sense). But: Pizza at home IS so easy it got me wanting to make pizza for breakfast: bacon and eggs pizza? Why not?! I loved his stressing the fact that you don't have to have a stone oven that goes to 800 degrees Read On »


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UPDATE: Rob Bradford has a fascinating inside look at how negotiations occurred. The deal also includes a team option for a fifth year, Bradford reports.
The American League's reigning Hank Aaron Award winner just took a hometown discount.
Don't think any differently when reviewing Kevin Youkilis' reported decision to sign a four-year, $40 million deal with the Red Sox, a move that would seemingly keep him in Boston right through the prime of his career. The signing was first reported by Peter Gammons for ESPN, and independently confirmed by the Associated Press.
Face it: If Youkilis comes close to performing to the level he reached last year, he's a financial steal for the Red Sox. A salary of $10 million is sizeable, but it's barely more than the $7.1 million average the position had overall in 2008, and less than what four current Red Sox and nine current Yankees made last season.
To put it another way, is Mark Teixeira worth twice as Youk? That seems like a pretty big stretch, even if Teixeira admittedly has a higher upside and is a little bit younger.
Let's pop the cork and enjoy this one a bit: the Goatee of
Truth Justice Economics is here to stay, bars, beans, 'busters and all.

subset: commoncrawl


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The contributor center is in English only.
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We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful, centrally located bed and breakfast in late July. The second story deck is an added bonus. For breakfast on the last day of RAGBRAI, Shelly made peach smoothies, cranberry scones that were still warm from the oven, tofu scramble with fresh herbs, and fresh fruit. Everything was delicious. We would recommend it and hope we get the chance to stay again some day!
I moved from Iowa City and return to see friends and old sites. The Smith B & B is one of the reasons I keep coming back to town. The rooms are uncluttered, simple and smart looking. The Smiths are gentle and bright. As others have said- the breakfasts are incredible: fresh fruit and more prepared beautifully. There a peacefulness at the Smiths that takes the stress out of traveling.
We stayed for 3 nights and had a great time!! The pool was nice and warm for our midnight swims, the breakfast was different every morning, I asked for buttermilk and they gave it to us with buttermilk pancakes. We always had cold beer in the fridge never ran out My wife drank 2 bottles of wine while we were there the Victorian Lace is very quiet except for during the day every hour on the hour the church accross the street played Hymns on bell ringing tower, we thought we were in heaven
This is my 4th time to stay at Beth and Mark's B & B and I am looking forward to returning to a place with warmth, invitation and gracious welcome. I go to the writer's conference and this home provides great space and energy to do my homework projects. It also provides a nice little walk to the campus which is good since there is a lot of sitting time during the week. The breakfasts are great and healthy besides delicious. Looking forward to it. Becky
Very friendly, warm welcome with an excellent bottle of wine and some cheese to start our birthday celebration.
We traveled from St. Joseph Missouri to western Iowa and needed to say a night prior to arriving at a family members house. This was a nice treat, close to downtown Iowa City and a very nice home. The room was clean & cozy and the breakfast was amazing. Thank you Shelly!
Plum Grove Inn is a beautiful place to stay with an old style feel to it, mainly due to the recovered hardwoods thru the house. Not just decor' alone though, the hosts are very welcoming and polite, a true pleasure of a stay.
I spent 2 nights at Smith's Bed and Breakfast back in April and I couldn't have been more satisfied by my experience. The house is lovely. The room I stayed in was simple but very cozy and spotless. The owners were extremely welcoming. Breakfast was delicious, and I had very interesting conversations with Mark. The B&B is well located, in Iowa City's historic neighborhood (beautiful houses!) but close to the downtown area where you can find many dining options. I definitely recommend staying here!
In Iowa City for a hectic graduation weekend and having Plum Grove Inn to return to at night was rejuvenating. Change in work schedule caused us to arrive late in the evening and Shelly was graciously accommodating about the change in our arrival time. Each morning we were served a breakfast that was palate pleasing and healthy. The presentation of the food was unique each morning. Well done Shelly!! Bedroom and bath are elegantly appointed and you feel like you are in a turn of the century home with modern amenities. The bed was created for restorative sleep which we appreciated. The home sits within a quiet and historic neighborhood. Easy to get to any area of Iowa City from the Inn. Thank you for a wonderful and refreshing place to stay. Paul and Linda
Shelly was an incredibly kind and giving host. Her breakfasts every morning were so delicious -- I could not believe it! She and her husband have taken great care to create a unique and special environment for guests.
I recently stayed at Smiths B & B (10-29- thru 11-1-2013) I was extremely happy with my experience. Each morning I had a fantastic breakfast and visited with the host's. They were extremely accommodating. The room was incredible. I stayed in the downstairs room. I had my own bathroom and private entrance into my room. The grounds were very nice and the neighbor was beautiful. The B & B is close to the university and downtown. I was able to walk to both locations easily. I come to Iowa City usually once a year and I will stay at Smiths B & B each time. Thank you for a great experience.
Don't miss an opportunity to stay at the Plume Grove Inn. Especially if you like to be treated like royalty every once in awhile. Not only will attendees of The Iowa Summer Writing Festival (just minutes away) enjoy the quiet and comfort of a 'home away from home," they can also take notepad or laptop (great wifi!) up to the roof patio to get some sun without having to resort to expensive coffee-shops with one-hour limits. Another point of value is the delicious, homemade breakfasts you'd be apt to pay $30 for in any restaurant, and the free street parking. Why settle for the usual motel/hotel continental offerings of dry bagels and cold cereal, and a daily $10 charge to park your rental car? The owner is kind and conscientious but not intrusive. The Inn itself is both contemporary in its construction, and detailed in its history. The Plum Grove Inn is just a very special place to spend some time, and worth every penny.
Loved every bit of it!!!
we would highly recommend a stay at Victorian Lace it was wonderful; heated swimming pool free beer and wine for my wife. We also got married there and the wedding was very romantic; Reverend James did a excellent service met my wifes needs to a tee, and she is very picky. It was a great start to a beautiful Honeymoon
I have stayed at Smith's B&B three times and wouldn't think of choosing any other B&B of hotel in Iowa City. From the moment I met Mark and Beth they made me feel right at home. I especially love the cozy, lovely basement room. Absolutely no need to look elsewhere.
The Smith B&B is quite simply beautiful!! Besides a bit of confusion around the price of my room I enjoyed my stay immensely! The Smith's are wonderful people and very gracious hosts! The breakfasts were definately 'something to write home about' with creative and varied fritatas and an assortment of fresh fruit, homemade bread, and homemade granola!! Thanks to these wonderful hosts and I look forward to staying again sometime soon! Sincerely, M.J. Mann-Harding
My Thank You to the Innkeeper of the Plum Grove Inn read: "I wanted to thank you again for making our stay in Iowa City very memorable! Your breakfasts were sumptuous and made us feel like royalty."
Very impressive gourmet breakfast in a comfortable, quiet B&B!
Our 3 nights at the Plum Grove Inn were very enjoyable. Very comfortable and conveniently located. The breakfasts were off-the-chart good.
Everything was lovely and incredibly clean. Breakfast service was above and beyond, and it was very private. I would stay there again.
We stayed here while visiting our grad student son. We were greeted graciously and shown to our room. Our host gave us a brief tour and told us about the construction of the house. The bed w,as very comfortable and the room was quiet. The breakfast in the morning was delicious and nutritious. We will definitely stay here again on future visits to our son.
We have been staying here since May 2010, and wouild never consider going anywhere else. Quiet, nice and clean, Amazing breakfast! Love the granola. Thanks, for everything..you guys are great!
Shelly and Tom gave me the kindest sweetest treatment I've ever received. My room was stately in the classic presidential fashion and clean to a fault. The direct tv was a nice touch, but I really appreciated the excellent wifi connection the most. I would stay there every time I travel through Iowa City. Finally it was the weekend before christmas and my stay included an amazing breakfast with christmas treats to top it off. Thanks Shelly and Tom!
The hostess (Shelly) is an absolute delight and an imaginative exceptional cook. Her passion for glassware is apparent and interestingly displayed as well as used. Rooms are somewhat small but very warm and inviting. The only drawback was hanging clothes, as one has to use a number of small wall hooks scattered about that hold only a few hangers each. All things considered we look forward to a return visit.
We stayed overnight recently and really enjoyed our stay. The house is beautiful and our hosts were very welcoming. The breakfast we had in the morning was simply amazing. It was one of the best breakfast's I have ever eaten in my life. I look forward to a return visit.
The house is great! The owners are charming and the breakfast was phenomenal!!!!!!
This was our 1st visit to Iowa City. We were there to attend a family wedding and flew from California into St. Louis. Our timing meant that we arrived in Iowa City around noon and then we had a rehearsal dinner in the afternoon. Shelly was very accommodating and allowed us to check in early. She also offered to change our room to the room downstairs, which worked out much better for us. The home was spotlessly clean and we thoroughly enjoyed every delicious breakfast. Shelly and Thomas were happy to share the story of the building of the house and the acquisition of the beautiful work work. Shelly also told us about a Civl War site and printed a map of how to find it, which we stopped by on the way back to St. Louis. We thank you so much for everything. We highly recommend the Plum Grove Inn. Marty & Dick
This was our first experience in a Bed and Breakfast and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Tom and Shelly were truly accomodating and available at a moment's notice. The room was beautifully set up with a keen attention to the finest details. We stayed two nights, therefore, allowing us the priviledge of enjoying two delicious and unique breakfasts. We highly recommend this to anyone coming to Iowa City. Located on a quiet street within minutes of the University of Iowa Campus, you'll have the school experience in a quiet setting. We plan to come again!
We stayed here the weekend of the Iowa / Ohio State game. Our room was very nice and felt like home. Shelly and Tom were kind enough to let us get in a little later in the evening (from Chicago) and gave us a small tour of their lovely inn. The breakfasts here were uber fresh and delicious! Such creativity! They knew the area and gave great suggestions on local restaurants. We will be coming back!
We stayed here on two separate visits to Iowa City, and I would definitely try to stay here again if I ever need to return to the city. The bathroom and tub was luxurious, the rooms were quiet, and the bed was superbly comfortable. The innkeepers were kind, friendly, and incredibly helpful, and the food was amazing. You will love staying here.


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"I probably text fewer prospects than any coach in the country. The football coach at Florida – Urban Meyer – I was just reading an article about him. What he did in one day with texts was more than I have my entire life. It's not a big deal with me, but it's really bad that we won't have that option. We're all our own worst enemy because everything is better in moderation and those that don't hurt it for everybody. … I wish we could put some moderation on it … There's no question it's helpful. If a kid does not want to answer you back he doesn't have to, but at the same time it's a means of communication that's very helpful in the recruiting process. But when one kid says in a 30 day period he got 10,000 texts, anybody that does that shouldn't be in coaching, they ought to be in an insane asylum."
On Bobby Frasor's lingering foot injury -
"Early in the summer we were more concerned about it than we are now. Had him checked by a specialist, had a new MRI and they said it's the same thing. Last part of July during our camp her participated in our camp game and was fine. … I haven't seen him since the recruiting period started, but I would assume that he's doing well or I would have heard about it."
On evaluating last season -
"I thought it was very successful. Didn't get where everybody wants to be, but that's the crutch of the problem – since everybody wants to be there. … You're trying to get to a point where you have a chance to win it all. One of my best friends called after the Georgetown game and said he'd take it every year to have a wide open shot by a good shooter to have a chance to go to the Final Four. So you have to look at it a little like that. And it's a shame that if we'd won that game, people wouldn't be saying as many bad things about our entire league. …
"The Georgetown game was the first game I felt like our freshmen and sophomores the last eight minutes of the game acted like freshmen and sophomores. For that part it was discouraging, but again, we tie for the conference regular season championship, win the conference tournament and go to the final eight and lose in overtime – you ask every coach if they'd take that and the answer would be 'Yes' on every one of them. If you say 'You have a jumpshot at the end of regular to make the Final Four,' everybody would take that. It was disheartening, particularly the way we played the last eight minutes – that was a difficult thing. We got away from what we'd done all year long – took some bad shots and didn't get the ball to Tyler and Brandan inside. Got to make sure that in big games, when the stress and pressure the kids feel, they've got to continue doing what got them there in the first place."
On being ill this week -
"I've got a little vertigo deal. It hasn't been very plesant the last couple days. I've just got to get better by Saturday to go back on the road …
"It's the first attack I've had since July 29, 2005. I'm fine."
On recruiting -
"… It's still a whacko experience. We have guys in the 9th and 10th grade trying to make commitments and for us, our admissions office doesn't want us to take them. And it's rightfully so. They're saying 'How can you say a kid can come to North Carolina when he hasn't taken sophomore English?' …"
"Nowadays there is one thing that's dominating everything and that's the big monster called the NBA. And that means money … Dwight Howard only visited one school and that was here. And at his press conference he said if he'd gone to college he'd have played for me. He had an English paper he showed me from his freshman class that he made an 'A' on it. The name of it was 'Dreams.' He writes about how he wants to be the starter on the team as a freshman, win four state championships, do this, do that and be the No. 1 player in the NBA Draft. There was not one word in there about college. So that's a discouraging thing in recruiting, but that's what it is."
On Lawson and Hansbrough turning down invites to the Pan Am Team Trials -
"[Ty] just didn't want to do it. Tyler was invited also and he didn't want to do it. Tyler's so focused on his own individual workouts and staying here and working with [strength coach] Jonas [Sahratian] instead of going to Serbia."
On what players can gain from the summer experiences on USA teams -
"I hope they gained a lot when I [coached] them – I had Hubert Davis and George Lynch … I think the kids can gain a lot, but I don't think anybody knows what each individual kid's goals are. Tyler Hansbrough's goals are not to practice two hours a day and let that be it and say he's getting better. Tyler works out in the weight room, works out on his ball, he plays pickup. For Tyler a good summer might be 6-8 hours [of work] a day and some of those teams don't get that much. So for Tyler it was the best decision not to go. For Wayne, he needed more action trying to guard people off the dribble so he can do a better job of that. The fact that the trials were in Philly, I thought that was good for him. I think it'll be helpful for Deon. I think it'll give him some confidence. I don't think it hurts Ty, because Ty's not lacking in confidence."
On Deon Thompson's offseason conditioning work -
"Deon's really gotten crazy. He's down to 235. It'll be interesting if he'll be at 205 or 255 when he gets back – it depends if he likes Serbian food [laughs]. But he's really done a nice job. …"


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Media Centre
Staying fresh: DVD launched to help Fresh Expressions evolve in unexpected places
A network of cell churches within Merseyside police force, a pair of surfers preparing to set up a church centre on Newquay's beachfront, and a special monthly service in Cambridge for Goths: they all feature in a DVD released today to mark the continuing expansion of Fresh Expressions, a movement led by the Church of England and the Methodist Church to nurture contemporary forms of church life alongside traditional ones.
Expressions: the DVD 2 – Changing Church in Every Place, has been developed as a tool for continuing the momentum of establishing and sustaining these new forms of church. It draws on the experiences of pioneers in this type of ministry and highlights that Fresh Expressions can be set up anywhere, by churches from any tradition. The DVD shows how Fresh Expressions have already been successfully developed in a range of specific contexts: within work places or leisure networks; in rural communities; by emphasizing sacramental elements; and with groups of young people.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, commends the film, adding: "I'm colossally encouraged by the amount of activity that there seems to be around the church at the moment. This DVD tells part of this new story. I hope you will watch it, give thanks to God and get involved!"
Recent figures show that 39 per cent of Church of England parishes have started a Fresh Expression since 2000. All over the country, Christians are beginning new initiatives to connect with those who are currently outside church, and many are using Fresh Expressions as a key component in this innovative mission work.
The film also indicates a deepening in understanding of how Fresh Expressions can evolve to continue to meet the needs of the community, and reflects the sharing of good practice and creative ideas currently taking place across the Churches.
Four in-depth 'discussion starter' films are also included, featuring experienced contributors who hope to guide churches through unpacking their thinking on contemporary mission. These interviews, with key Fresh Expressions pioneers from across the Churches, reveal insights to provoke thought and action across all church traditions and to inspire ministry teams to review their progress and consider how their plans could be evolved in the light of their own and others' experiences.
Expressions: The DVD 2 (ISBN 978-07151-4128-1) is priced £14.99 and available from Christian bookshops including Church House Bookshop, 31 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BN, tel. 020 7799 4064, email email@example.com, or on the web.


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Bollywood hunk Hrithik Roshan was all praises for Kunal Kapoor and said the actor is an inspiration to him. "Kunal is one of the best guys I know in the industry. I wish him success and luck. He is an inspiration for me. He is the one guy I know who does not give up. He tries till he can,"
Chhotisi Pyarisi Nanhisi LOKMAN SONG
ANARI FILM Venkatesh Karisma Kapoor. Rakhee Gulshan Grover Suresh Oberoi Raju Shreshta Laxmikant Berde Johny Lever Beena Priya Arun Adi Irani
gulshan grover
The comedy satire film 'Kaun Kitney Paani Mein' starring Radhika Apte and Kunal Kapoor has released its second trailer. The film is directed by Nila Madhab Panda of 'I Am Kalam' fame and also casts Saurabh Shukla and Gulshan Grover. The film revolves around a village facing water scarcity.
Radhika Apte and Kunal Kapoor starrer comedy satire 'Kaun Kitney Paani Mein' is out with its trailer. Directed by Nila Madhab Panda of 'I Am Kalam'fame, the film also stars Saurabh Shukla and Gulshan Grover. The trailer shows a certain village up for auction, but there is no bu


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Visual Arts
Nolan Haan: The Futility of Envy
February 13 – March 27, 2016
Opening Reception: Friday, February 12, 6 – 9 pm
Artist Talk: Thursday, March 24, 6:30 pm
Nolan Haan is a portrait artist. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Western Samoa, Haan taught himself to paint by doing portraits of the local villagers. After a decade, he returned to America and painted portraits of ducks for eight years. Currently he paints portraits of concrete blocks and cinder block walls in acrylic on silk.
The Futility of Envy is an installation of nine paintings of cinder block walls that want to be something they're not. A cinder block wall wanting to be stone. Another longing to be a window. Not satisfied with being dense concrete, others want to be delicate lace or a draped curtain. One simply wants to be touched. Alas, the futility of envy.
Nolan Haan Artist Talk
Thursday, March 24, 6:30 pm
Nolan Haan will delve into his artistic evolution and practice from his early Peace Corps days to his current Cinder Block Wall series. Free with gallery admission.
Shows run through March 27, 2016For more information about the following shows, visit:…Posted by Art and Culture Center/Hollywood on Monday, February 22, 2016
Image: Nolan Haan, A cinder block wall that wants to be lace, 2015, Acrylic on silk, mounted on hardboard panel, 72 × 48 in.
Nolan Haan: The Futility of Envy is funded in part by a grant from the Gay and Lesbian Broward Community Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward.
Funding Acknowledgements
The Art and Culture Center/Hollywood is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported in part by its members, admissions, private entities, the City of Hollywood, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council; and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. We welcome donations from all members of the community who wish to support our work.


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Item description
Opium Eau De Toilette from Yves Saint Laurent.
£146.67 per 100ml
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Saturday - order by 6pm
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Conserving Sri Lanka Wildlife
Using Poachers As Protectors
Sri Lanka is an abundant paradise filled with huge national parks, wildlife reserves and other areas of outstanding natural beauty. So it's hardly surprising that ecotourism has become big business in the country, making the conservation of Sri Lanka wildlife an increasingly important topic.
A large portion of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka is dependent on showcasing the landscapes and wildlife that are unique to the country. But the ecotourism and wildlife travel sector doesn't always get it right, with some irresponsible tour operators putting profit over conservation efforts.
Of course there are options that try to uphold international guidelines on responsible tourism. In fact, there are so many back-to-basics tours and yoga retreats in the country, Sri Lanka is standing at the forefront in Asia in terms of redefining what responsible travel is.


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Book Cellar, books for sale, basement, Warren Public Library, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
The Photographs of Clare J. Crary: People, Crary Art Gallery, 511 Market St., Warren, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Warren County Youth Field Day sponsored by Warren County Council of Sportsmen's Clubs, Chapman State Park, 8 a.m.(726-1222).
Grand Valley Homecoming Celebration, 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m. (Rt. 27)
16th annual Pleasant Days, sales throughout the township; open house, chicken barbecue from 11 a.m. until sold out and free blood pressure screening at fire hall.
Sugar Grove Sales Day.
ABATE, Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education, Dan's Down Under, Youngsville, 1:30 p.m.
The Photographs of Clare J. Crary: People, Crary Art Gallery, 511 Market St., Warren, noon-4 p.m.
Ice cream social, Good News Community Church, 615 Conewango Ave., Warren, 7 p.m., with music by Chaplain David Johnson.
Slovenian Polka Boosters, Maple Inn, Crosby, 2-6 p.m.
Dan Schall in concert, Cherry Grove Fire Hall, tureen dinner, 5 p.m.; concert, 6 p.m.


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Robert Plant Announces 2014 North American Tour
Robert Plant will play a handful of shows in North America in support of 'lullaby and...The Ceaseless Roar.'
Robert Plant will play a handful of shows in North America in support of 'lullaby and...The Ceaseless Roar.'
This guy really likes Kenny Loggins. Like, really, REALLY likes Loggins.
He likes the '80s movie soundtrack master so much that he started a Kickstarter campaign to raise $30,000 to get him to play a 75-minute private concert in his living room.
Steve Lukather tells what fans can expect from the upcoming co-headlining tour between Toto and Michael McDonald.
Concert review and photos from Sammy Hagar's 'A Journey Through the History of Rock' on July 30, 2014 at the Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, NH.
I'll be hosting the final D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops concert tonight at Cannonsburg Ski Area in Belmont.
Terry Brock joined "The Jojo Show" this week to talk about the show and The Eagles.
With five No. 1 singles, six Grammy Awards and six No. 1 albums, The Eagles are one of the most successful rock groups from the '70s. They broke up spectacularly, and then regrouped in 1994.
"Desperado." "Take It Easy." "Hotel California." "Take It to the Limit." "Heartache Tonight." "Life in the Fast Lane." "Witchy Woman."
They have sold more than 120 million albums worldwide.
There's three opportunities coming up locally to enjoy their music in person.
Roger Daltrey and Joan Jett joined together for a surprise version of 'Summertime Blues' at a cancer benefit concert in Philadelphia.
For nearly 30 years, Farm Aid has made music and raised money for American farmers.
The great news? The annual event is set for September.
The bad news? WE STILL NEED TO HAVE IT!
The festival will take place September 13th in Raleigh, North Carolina with a lineup that includes co-founders Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Willie Nelson, as well as Jack White, Dave Matthews, Carlene Carter, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and others.
Harry Casey formed KC and the Sunshine Band in 1975.
The group continues to tour and record, and hits the stage at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park tonight. The performance is part of the Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens series. Tickets are still available.
Casey joined "The Jojo Show" to talk about his role in a turning the tide of music in the early '70s.
By Tricia Woolfenden | Local Spins
It was the "f— you" and implicit mic drop heard 'round the world.
Or, at least heard 'round Grand Rapids' social media sphere (and likely far, far beyond) as reports of singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne's expletive-laden on-stage meltdown flooded Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The famously mercurial artist abruptly stopped his set and stormed off stage Wednesday night when several members (seated in the front row, directly in the singer's sightline) in the sold-out audience at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park wouldn't stop yapping during the quiet of "Like Rock & Roll and Radio."
Those looking forward to see Keith Sweat perform at DeVos Performance Hall will be quite disappointed.
According to SMG (the company that manages the venue), the R&B crooner regrets to inform his fans that he will not return to Grand Rapids for a late-summer performance at DeVos Performance Hall on Saturday, August 2.
Review and photographs from Yes' 2014 summer tour.


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Astrograph Telescopes
For serious astrophotographers, an optical tube that has quality optics and suitable specifications is key to producing successful images. Astrographs come in many different specifications and designs, so each model can be oriented or preferred for a different type of imaging (eg. solar, terrestrial, deep sky etc). Some common designs include the Ritchey-Chrétien, Riccardi Honders, and Catadioptric optical tubes. Choosing an astrograph depends on how the astro-imager wants to observe, what focal length and focal ratio it has, aperture, optical coatings, and how suitable it is for the camera they intend to use.
A key specification very important to consider when choosing an astrograph is focal ratio in relation to aperture. This is an important to remember because focal ratio determines what the magnification and field of view the observor will get. Therefore, if the observor intends to mainly view deep sky objects with lower surface brightnesses, a shorter focal length will reduce magnification and increase field of view since most deep sky objects tend to appear very large but not bright. Astrograph telescopes with slower focal ratios such as an f/12 will provide higher magnification and smaller field of views; better for planetary observing.
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Artist: Paul Kelly
Album: Spring and Fall
You've been crying a long long spell
You've been drinking from the Devil's own well
You're just hanging on to your pride
Oh, hold on to me now
I'm on your side
I'm on your side when you think there's no-one
I'm on your side when darkness falls
I'm on your side
All you gotta do is call
The trees on the shoreline are all fresh from the rain
The ship on the water's heading for the main
Open your window, let the good air inside
You don't always know when
There's a change in the tide
I'm on your side when others turn on you
I'm on your side when your back's to the wall
I'm on your side
All you gotta do is call
I'm on your side though you might not believe it
I'm on your side when the shit rains down
I'm on your side
I'm gonna stand your ground
Stand your ground
Call on me
All you gotta do is call
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do you know Baden well?
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where:hotel in Baden
- price level: high-end
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- rates:All 10 rooms (including 5 doubles and one single), the 2 suites and the apartments have their own bathroom with a hairdryer, TV and a mini bar. The hotel offers non-smoking rooms, Prices: single rooms CHF 220.00, double rooms CHF 290.00, suites CHF 280.00 - CHF 320.00. Room prices include breakfast. Debit and credit cards are accepted
- kid friendly:yes
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Design by Rhonda W. © 2012 This design is for my grandson, who is a frontier kind of boy. He was making his own primitive, but functioning, bows and arrows before he started school!
This design was created especially for my grandson as a tribute to his spirit of adventure, creativity and determination! All arrows fire to the left in recognition of his left-handedness. The background is yellow, as that is his favourite colour. The images were drawn by me from memories of his earliest , successful, attempts at making and firing his very own, hand-made bows and arrows. An original hand drawn design by Rhonda W. © 2012.
by: rhondadesigns
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These 20 mil. eco-friendly custom magnets are digitally printed in full color on a durable magnetic stock. Made of 70% recycled magnet and 10% recycled substrate.
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I am considering buying OPF coming from Arma 2 and am wondering if there is a site like Armaholic for OPF? I know there are tons of addons available but I can't find a site such as Armaholic for OPF. If someone could help me out I'd appreciate it.
Addon sites
Started by Devil Dogs SF , 29 Jul 2010 19:02
3 replies to this topic
Posted 29 July 2010 - 19:29 #3
OFPR.info is the arma.info/armaholic of OFP
OFP addons:SOPMOD M4's Black OPS WW4 textures WW4 reload Animation Diemaco SFW
Accuracy over "details".


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Paper industry goliath International Paper IP -1.8522530329289428% International Paper Co. U.S.: NYSE USD45.305 -0.855 -1.8522530329289428% /Date(1477591087773-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1782020 P/E Ratio 24.25668449197861 Market Cap 18981084065.6735 Dividend Yield 4.078483245149912% Rev. per Employee 385107 More quote details and news » announced last week that it will spend up to $423 million to acquire as much as 75% of a leading integrated paper manufacturer in India.
The deal will make IP the first global paper and packaging company to have a significant presence in that country, which boasts the world's fastest-growing (and very fragmented) paper market.
Oh, yes, one other thing: IP boosted its dividend Tuesday for the third time in 12 months. The hike lifts the quarterly above its pre-recession level, noted CEO John V. Faraci, and "reflects our confidence in the future of International Paper and our commitment to return cash to shareholders."
The new distribution will be 26.25 cents a common share, up 40% from 18.75 cents.
That will put some $132 million more cash in investors' pockets annually. Yield: 3.5%.
International Paper has paid dividends without interruption since 1946. The Memphis, Tenn., company cut its quarterly to 2.5 cents a share from 25 cents in March 2009, using the savings to reduce debt.
It then quintupled the payout in April 2010 and sweetened it again in January.
Traded on the Big Board, International Paper shares (ticker: IP) set a 52-week high of 31 Friday. (Their 52-week low is 19.33.)
Goldman Sachs and Standard & Poor's both rate the stock a Buy. Goldman argues that containerboard supply/demand fundamentals will tighten over the next three to six months, which should lift prices.
And S&P notes that "IP has made many moves in recent years aimed at focusing on faster-growing regions and higher-return businesses."
The Indian company that International Paper is taking a stake in is Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills (also known as AP Paper Mills), the subcontinent nation's third-largest paper maker by market value.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter.
EMERGING LAST NOVEMBER from a 19-month Chapter 11 restructuring (the biggest real-estate bankruptcy in U.S. history), General Growth Properties ggp -2.8672427336999213% General Growth Properties Inc. U.S.: NYSE USD24.73 -0.73 -2.8672427336999213% /Date(1477591086554-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 4077271 P/E Ratio 34.361111111111114 Market Cap 22525428060.8478 Dividend Yield 3.2336297493936943% Rev. per Employee 1427620 More quote details and news » (GGP) is working toward reinstating regular quarterly dividends.
The 57-year-old Chicago real-estate investment trust distributed a 19-cent court-approved cash-and-stock dividend to shareholders in January 2010 and another of 38 cents in January 2011. Wednesday, General Growth, the nation's second-largest owner and operator of shopping malls, after Simon Property Group, declared a first-quarter dividend of 10 cents a share. Payouts were 50 cents a quarter when they were eliminated in October 2008.
In late February, General Growth amended its $300 million senior secured revolving-credit facility, boosting it to around $720 million. The credit agreement contains a clause that could raise it further, to $1 billion.
"The availability of credit is a good sign," said Sandeep Mathrani, General Growth's new CEO. "It's a testament that confidence is increasing, not only in GGP but also in the industry. We are committed to reinvesting in our properties."
General Growth, which trades on the Big Board, was recently quoted at 15 and change. It set a 52-week high of 16.24 March 1; its 52-week low is 9.46. (The day General Growth filed for bankruptcy protection, its stock opened at 50 cents.)
Earlier this year, Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management raised its stake in General Growth to 38%.
Goldman Sachs maintained its Buy rating on the stock after General Growth beat Wall Street's fourth-quarter earnings estimates. Meanwhile, Credit Suisse raised its opinion to Outperform from Neutral. Funds from operations (FFO)—a key measure of a REIT's financial performance—are projected at 99 cents a share, $1.05 and $1.13 for 2011, 2012 and 2013, versus 91 cents in 2010.
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text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Sep 6, 1994
|Filing date
|Aug 6, 1993
|Priority date
|Aug 6, 1993
|Fee status
|Publication number
|John R. Curry
|Original Assignee
|Curry John R
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (16), Referenced by (30), Classifications (11), Legal Events (5)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cargo transfer cranes and particularly to a mobile hoisting crane for loading and unloading cargo ships.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Used upon a dock at a harbor installation, a cargo gantry crane provides a vital link in the movement of goods between land based transportation systems and sea-going vessels by accomplishing the Herculean task of loading and unloading cargo therebetween. Typically, such gantry cranes move along rails that run lengthwise alongside a ship by means of a self-propelled wheel-type motor bed. A vertical gantry tower rises above the motor bed to support a horizontal load-bearing cantilevered boom, such that the free end of the boom may hang over a ship's hold. Cargo is hoisted by means of a spreader suspended from a trolley coupled to the boom. The trolley moves the hoisted cargo between the ship and the dock lengthwise along the underside of the boom. The crane is operated from a cab suspended high overhead attached to the trolley. When not in use, the gantry boom includes a pair of pivot pins positioned in front of the tower that enable the free end of the boom to rotate on a horizontal axis in a drawbridge like fashion to a vertical position thereby creating an unobstructed berth for the ships while docking.
Typically, one or two gantry cranes handle the task of loading or unloading cargo, whereby such cranes must access several hatches to the ship's hold. Such a scheme requires the gantry crane to selectively move lengthwise alongside the ship in order to position the boom over each of the hatches. During such maneuvers, the gantry crane operator ensures the boom remains unobstructed by relatively stationary vertically-extending objects, such as the ship's masts and radar antennas. Additionally, longshoremen and trucks may obstruct the ground path of the gantry crane, so it is also very important for the operator to direct his or her attention to the rails to avoid injury to people or other objects that may be in the path of the crane as it gantries along the rails. Focus of the operator's attention on the ground path may divert his attention from the gantry boom as it translates over the ship.
A collision of the gantry boom during movement of the gantry crane can damage the crane or, more frequently, inflict severe damage to the ship's mast or radar antenna. This can affect the sea worthiness of the ship thus dictating that the ship remain in port until repairs are completed. In out of the way ports, where repair services are not readily obtainable with any degree of dispatch, this problem can work a severe economic hardship on the ship's operation. The time lost by the ship laying in port may even have a greater economic impact than the cost of repairs on the ship's operation. Thus, it has long been established that there exists a need for a reliable system for detecting the approach of the crane on obstacles in the gantry boom's path so that progress of the crane can be interrupted pending clearance of the path.
In recognition of this need, devices have been proposed to detect objects located in the path of a cargo gantry crane. One such system, sold by Bewa, Inc., Sharon, Pa., for bewa-GmbH of Germany, under the model designation Colwar III, employs an array of ultrasonic receivers arranged lengthwise along a gantry crane boom in spaced apart relation to detect the boom moving near an object. Because such receivers have a limited detection range, the length of the boom dictates the number of receivers required for adequate coverage. These receivers tend to be costly and for larger cranes may be cost prohibitive because of the extensive number of receivers required along the boom. Additionally, the receivers may be subject to error due to interference caused by the trolley moving along the boom.
Similarly, devices have been proposed to determine the position of a spreader in relation to objects underlying the spreader for the lowering of cargo thereon. In Tax et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,703, a container crane installation is disclosed having a remote recognition system and a position recognition system fitted on a spreader suspended by rigging from a crane trolley. The remote recognition system ascertains the distance of the spreader from the objects in the spreader's path, such as a ship's hatch, hold or cargo containers, by calculating the round-trip time of a pair of laser pulses projected from the spreader to the object and back. Intended to ascertain the position of the spreader with respect to the trolley, the position recognition system determines the distance and pitch of the spreader in relation to the trolley by calculating the round-trip time and lateral displacement of a pair of reflection beams projected from the spreader to the trolley and back. In each of the recognition systems disclosed, the respective beams are directed along the vertical path of a spreader at objects having large planar surfaces that provide ideal identifiable reflective surfaces. Such systems do not overcome the problem of detecting a vertically extended object in the path of a gantry boom, such as a ship's mast with a small cylindrical surface, where such an object provides a poor or non-reflective surface.
Thus, the need exists for a cost effective reliable system to detect objects that may appear in the path of the gantry crane as it gantries lengthwise alongside a ship. Such a system must be capable of detecting objects, error free, even under extreme weather conditions, in dirty and dusty environments and while other lighting devices are operating near the gantry crane.
The present invention provides a low cost and low maintenance collision avoidance apparatus that detects and warns of vertically extended objects, such as a ship's mast, located in the path of a gantry crane boom during movement of a gantry crane laterally alongside a ship and upon detection of such object provides a warning signal. The subject invention includes transmitters mounted on opposite sides of the free end of a gantry crane boom for directing their respective laser beams rearward towards a plurality of photo-electric receivers mounted in vertical spaced apart relation on respective legs of a gantry crane tower. By directing the respective laser beams at the respective tower leg's receivers, the laser transmitters define boundary paths to the respective tower leg's receivers positioned to define the extent of respective danger fields for providing detection and warning of intrusion in such fields by vertically extended objects, such as a ship's mast.
In the presently preferred embodiment, a pair of laser transmitters is mounted on each side of the free end of the gantry crane boom and include respective lasers that rotate like beacons to radially project respective vertically sweeping laser beams in a fan-like pattern toward the respective tower legs. The receivers mounted on each tower leg detect the intrusion of an object into their associated boundary paths by detecting the absence of a laser pulse. Upon any of the receivers detecting the absence of the laser pulse, the receiver transmits a continuous digital response signal to its respective logic circuit connected in circuit with the receivers mounted on each of the respective tower legs. The response signal is generated continuously until the receiver generating the response signal detects the presence of the laser beam. The respective logic circuits distinguish vertically extended objects, such as a ship's mast, from birds or air-borne debris by logically processing the response signals from the respective tower leg's receivers and integrating the response signals with a preset threshold signal level. Objects such as a bird and other air-borne debris do not cause the generation of a response signal above the threshold signal level. Intrusion of vertically extended fixed objects, such as a ship's mast, into the danger field, generate a response signal above the threshold level which in turn triggers respective relays which shutdown the prime movers on respective sides of the gantry crane motor bed and simultaneously sound an alarm alerting the operator of such an intrusion.
After the gantry crane has stopped, the respective logic circuits also function to determine when the respective danger fields are clear by processing the input signals from their associated receivers and, upon determining the respective fields are clear, trigger the respective relays that reestablish operation of the respective prime movers.
Once the gantry prime movers have been shutdown, it can be expected that there will still be several feet of drift that may occur before the crane comes to a complete stop. The present invention accounts for such drift by positioning the receivers on the respective towers to lead in the direction of crane travel and aligning the laser transmitters thereat such that any object in the gantry crane's path may be detected therefrom to allow the crane to stop well in advance of such object.
As an additional feature, the present invention includes laterally extended sensors on each of the respective receivers that cooperate with the respective vertically sweeping laser beams projecting from the lasers to account for variations in the horizontal and vertical direction at which the respective laser beams are projected thereby eliminating alignment errors due to movement of the lasers caused by swaying of the free end of the gantry boom.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent in consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cargo crane embodying the collision avoidance device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a back view of a cargo gantry crane embodying the collision avoidance device of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top view similar to FIG. 3 but, in enlarged scale, partially cut away along line 5--5 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 6 is a transverse view taken along the lines 6--6 in FIG. 3 showing one end of the transmitter depicted in FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a view of the opposite end of the transmitter shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a broken view in enlarged scale, taken along the line 8--8 in FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the top of a receiver;
FIG. 10 is a front view of the receiver shown in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 11--11 of FIG. 9;
FIG. 12 is a left side view of the shown in FIG. 10 receiver;
FIG. 13 is a back view of the receiver shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a receiver and controller device incorporated in the collision avoidance device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 15 is a diagram of the circuitry incorporated in the controller device shown in FIG. 14; and
FIG. 16 is a logic table for a receiver demultiplexer incorporated in the collision avoidance device shown in FIG. 14.
As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, and with particular reference to FIG. 1, the invention is embodied in laser transmitters, generally designated 30, which are mounted on opposite sides of a whisker pull platform 31 at the free end of a gantry crane boom 32 to transmit respective laser beams rearward toward targets defined by a plurality of photo-electric receivers, generally designated 34, 36, and 38 that are mounted in vertically spaced apart relation on the respective opposite legs 40 of a gantry crane tower 42. Such laser transmitters 30 project their respective laser beams by means of respective rotating laser generators 44 (FIG. 5) radially projecting respective vertically sweeping laser beams in an outwardly diverging fan-like pattern that, when directed lengthwise alongside the boom 32, is detected by the respective tower leg's receivers 34, 36 and 38 in the form of pulsating laser signals. These respective tower leg's receivers 34, 36 and 38 are positioned to define the extent of respective danger fields 46 patrolled by the respective tower leg's receivers along associated boundary paths 48 defined by the respective laser beams when directed thereat. The receivers on the respective tower legs connect in circuit through respective multiple-conductor cables 50 with respective logic controllers, generally designated 52 (FIG. 14), mounted in a gantry motor control 53 (FIG. 1). Such respective logic controllers 52 include respective logic circuits 54 (FIG. 14) that connect to alarms 56 mounted in an operator's cab 58 (FIG. 1) and relay power to respective gantry motor controllers 62 (FIG. 14) on opposite sides of a gantry motor bed. Each of the respective tower leg's receivers 34, 36 and 38 detects the intrusion of an object (not shown) into its associated boundary path, by detecting the absence of a laser pulse. Upon detecting the absence of a laser pulse, each of the respective tower leg's receivers is operative to continuously signal a corresponding digital response signal to the respective logic circuits 54. These respective logic circuits 54 distinguish intrusions in the respective danger fields by vertically extended objects such as a ship's mast from birds or air-borne debris by comparing the response signals from the respective tower leg's receivers to a predetermined threshold and, upon determining the intrusion is due to a vertically extended object, shuts down the prime mover on the respective sides of a gantry motor bed and alerts the operator of such an intrusion.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5-8, the transmitters 30 include respective transmitter housings 64 (FIG. 3) mounted on the opposite sides of the whisker pull platform 31 at the free end of a gantry boom 32 by means of bolts 66 (FIG. 8) to extend laterally 3 to 6 feet in the direction of travel of the boom. Each respective transmitter housing includes a box 68 covered by a lid 70 attached thereto by screws 72 with a gasket 74 sandwiched between to seal against salt air and moisture experienced at the dock. The respective boxes include respective windows 76 (FIG. 6) covered by respective glass window panes 77 and disposed to project the respective laser beams therethrough (FIG. 5) toward the respective tower legs 40. Leading through respective grommets in one wall of the respective boxes, respective power lines (FIG. 7) electrically connect a power supply (not shown), which consists of a commercially available 115 VAC to 12 VDC transformer, to respective laser generators 44 that are housed inside the respective boxes 68 to generate respective laser beams through the respective windows 76 (FIG. 5).
Typically used in landscaping or surveying equipment, each of the respective laser generators 44 (FIG. 5) includes a cylindrical collimator solid-state laser light source (not shown) such as the type manufactured by Philip Electronics, headquartered in The Netherlands, under the model designation 515CQL-A or 515CQL-AH 614-886. Such a laser light source provides a 2 milliwatt, 4 to 5 millimeter circular infra-red beam by means of a low energy, semiconductor, solid-state laser diode of the type found in supermarket scanners that projects laser light through collimating lenses that serve to focus the laser beam. The laser light source mounts on the inside of a fly wheel 80, carried from the end of a rotary drive shaft 82, to radially project the laser beam therefrom through an aperture 84 formed in the cylindrical surface of the fly wheel at precisely 90� to the spin axis of the drive shaft. The drive shaft 82 movably couples to the transmitter housing 64 by a pair of journal and race assemblies (not shown) for rotation by an electric motor 86 with a pair of drive belts 88 causing the laser light source connected therefrom to radially direct a sweeping laser beam at the respective receivers.
With continued reference to each of the respective laser generators 44 (FIG. 5), a disk-shaped opaque laser circuit board 90, formed with concentric spaced apart optic bores (not shown), attaches to the opposite end of the drive shaft 82. During rotation of the laser circuit board 90, a stationary optical sensor 92 sensing the stroboscopic effect of light through the rotating bore holes is operative to determine the frequency of rotation of the drive shaft. Connected in circuit therewith, a rotation-control circuit-board 94 is responsive to the measured frequency of rotation from the optical sensor 92 to maintain the rotation speed of the laser light source at a predetermined reference frequency, 10 revolutions per second (RPS) in the preferred embodiment, by adjusting the voltage load to the drive motor 86 accordingly. This circuit also shuts off laser power when spinning stops to meet safety requirements to prevent injuries due to a long term exposure to a stationary laser source.
A laser generator satisfactory for this application is of the type disclosed in Marsh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,158 and sold by Martronic Engineering, Simi Valley, Calif. under the model designation No. 107.
In the preferred embodiment, the respective laser generators include respective mercury switches 96 that operate as inclinometers to render each of such transmitters 30 inoperative upon rising the free end of the boom.
Still referring to FIG. 5, the respective laser generators include heat lamps 98 disposed in heat exchange relationship with the respective window panes 78 to act as defoggers. Respective light sources 100 are focused on the respective rotating fly wheels to illuminate the respective laser sources for viewing through the respective windows to detect operation thereof. A light bulb or light diode is preferred due to its longevity of operation and low cost and to provide for the combination of elements 98 and 100.
As illustrated by FIGS. 4 and 9-13, the respective tower leg's receivers 34, 36 and 38 are positioned and aligned with the laser transmitters 30 to cause the respective boundary paths 48 to lead in the direction of crane travel to detect an object in the respective boundary paths well in advance of the boom 32.
The respective tower leg's receivers are each constructed identically and may all be described witch reference to the lower left side receiver 34 illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 9-13, the receiver includes a receiver housing 110 that serves to insulate against salt air and moisture experienced at the dock. The receiver housing 110 includes an outwardly opening rectangular box 112 covered by cover 114 attached thereto by screws. Mounted to the back wall of the box 112 is a pair of rubberized magnets 116 (FIGS. 3 and 9) which serve to magnetically secure the housing 110 to the front face of the tower leg 40 while maintaining the structural integrity of the leg without drilling or welding thereto. Mounted by grommets 118 exteriorly on one side of the box are input 120 and output 122 plugs which connect the receiver 34 with its respective tower leg's logic controller 52 by means of multi-conducting insulated cables 50 that provide power and signal lines. The cover 114 includes a window 124 shielded by a Lexan type window pane 126 for projecting light therethrough.
With continued reference to the lower left side receiver 34 of FIG. 1, the receiver housing houses a pair of laterally extended detector arrays 128 and 129 (FIG. 10) visibly perceptible through the window and positioned in a partially tiered vertical overlapping relationship to form a central sensor region 130 with opposed lateral left side 132 and right side 134 sensor regions disposed on the opposite sides thereof. In the preferred embodiment, each of the detector arrays measures eight inches in lateral length that gives a combined sensor length of twelve inches and four inches of overlap in the center region 130. Mounted exteriorly on the front side of each of the housings are three light emitting diodes (LEDs) 135, 136 and 137 which correspond to the three sensor regions 130, 132 and 134 respectively. Connected in circuit with the detector arrays, such LEDs facilitate centering of the respective receivers along a vertical interface line 138 traced by the invisible infra-red vertically sweeping laser beam along respective tower legs by causing illumination of a center LED 135 in response to the overlapping detector arrays 128 and 129 in the center sensor region 130 detecting the laser beam.
Illustrated in FIG. 14, the detector arrays 128 and 129 are each defined by associated tightly spaced lateral rows of photo voltaic diodes 140 connected in parallel across the input leads 142 and 143 of associated high gain amplifiers 144 and 145. The output leads 146 and 147 of associated high gain amplifiers connect with the input leads of associated logical pulse discriminators 148 and 149 to form associated pulse channels 150 and 151. The associated pulse channels 150 and 151 respond to the presence or absence laser pulses having a particular amplitude, pulse width and pulse frequency by generating a corresponding "HI" or "LOW" digital signal having a clock cycle that corresponds with the rotation rate of the lasers, 10 Hz in the preferred embodiment. The output leads 152 and 153 of the associated pulse discriminators 148 and 149 connect to associated input leads in a two-state, TTL type, 2 to 4 demultiplexer 154 that responds to the respective Boolean-type input signals to generate a response signal across one of four output lines 155-158 as illustrated in the table of FIG. 16, where three output lines 155-157 connect to the corresponding LEDs 135, 136 and 136 and the fourth output line 158 connects to the input of the logic circuit 54.
This receiver circuitry as described is of the type typically used in landscaping receivers where the grade of the slope may be measured by a rotating laser registering a laser pulse upon a longitudinally extended photo-electric receiver such as the type sold by Martronic Engineering, Simi Valley, Calif. under the model designation Mini-MCS.
The respective tower leg's logic controllers 52 are each constructed identically and may be described with reference to the left side tower leg's logic controller 52 illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. The logic controller housed in a typical electrical junction box (not shown) comprises a logic circuit 54 that in response to detecting objects in the boundary path having a predetermined characteristic, shuts down the gantry's motor and alerts the operator of the object. The logic circuit 52 functionally includes a logical gate 159 (FIG. 14) with input that are actually housed in the corresponding receiver and connect to the outputs of the corresponding demultiplexers in the receivers 34, 36 and 38. The output of the OR gate 159 connects to the input of an object discriminator that includes a two-state threshold-triggered-response integrator that generates a control signal upon detecting an object such as a ship's mast. An override 162 connects to the object discriminator and has two leads 161 across which a toggle switch 163 mounted on the logic controller box (not shown), a mercury switch 164 mounted on the gantry crane's boom 32, and an external switch 165 mounted in the operator's cab 58 connect in parallel and upon causing a short-circuit across the input leads 161 disables the control signal. The output 166 of the object discriminator 160 connects in parallel to a power relay 168 operative to disable power at the respective gantry motor controllers 62 to the respective gantry motors on opposite sides of the motor bed 170 and a two-state two-output alarm-signal generator 172 operative to signal audio 174 and visual alarms 175 and 176 in the operator's cab (FIG. 15).
Although principally housed in the logic controller 52 (FIG. 1), the OR gate 159 (FIG. 15) is made up of a circuit that includes modular inputs 178 in each of the corresponding receivers 34, 36 and 38 defined by buffer-invertors 180 connecting to the base of a transistor 182. The transistors are serially chained from ground 183 along their corresponding emitters and collectors to a 12 v biased RC circuit 184 with an OR gate output buffer-invertor 185. By designing modular inputs 178 for the OR gate, the input configuration for the logic circuit 54 can be modified simply by adding or removing one of the receivers.
The object discriminator or two-state threshold-triggered response integrator comprises an RC integrator circuit 186 with a diode 187 defining forward bias and reverse bias threshold values across two parallel sets 188 and 189 of resisters 190. Dip switches 192 serially connect with all but one of the resistors 190 in each set to permit adjustment of both threshold values defined by the resistance across the two sets 188 and 189 of resistors. The override 162, forward biased by a diode 194 connects in parallel to the RC integrator circuit 186 output and the input lead of an integrator buffer invertor 195. The override includes a buffer-invertor 196 to isolate the override switches 163, 164 and 165 from the logic circuit 54 and a 12 v biased RC switching circuit 197 that is grounded by the activation of any one of the override switches 163, 164 and 165 to disable the logic circuit 54.
The power relay 168 includes a power relay input buffer-invertor 198 that isolates a relay switch 199 from the logic circuit 54 and connects at the base of a power transistor 200. The power 24 v load relay switch 199 is comprised of the type Stancor TS-9024A and serially connects to ground across the collector and emitter of the power transmitter. The relay switch connects to the respective gantry motor controllers 62 to disable power to the respective gantry motors.
The two-state two-output alarm-signal generator 172 comprises an input buffer-invertor 202 which connects in parallel circuit to two alarm signal lines 203 and 204 at the base of respective alarm transistors 205 and 206 where the first signal line 203 includes a second alarm buffer-invertor 207 connected in series for inverting the load of the first signal line with respect to the second signal line. An LED 208 connects to the second signal line and acts as an all-clear signal indicator and illuminates upon the second signal line switching to a "low" voltage state. A light 175 and audio 174 alarm serially connect in circuit across the two signal lines forward biased from the second signal line by a diode 209 connected therewith. A second all-clear indicator light 176 also connects across the signal lines forward biased from the first signal line by a diode 210 connected serially therewith. Although described connecting to the light indicators and audio alarm, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the two-state two-output alarm-signal generator may be connected to any type of alarm including a digital voice type alarm where a digitized voice may be programmed to say, "Warning the gantry boom is blocked."
The logic circuit receives power from power lines 211 connecting to the gantry's power supply 60 and includes AC/DC converter 212 defined by diodes in a whetstone bridge and a balanced 24 v. input line 214 and 12 v. output line 216 DC voltage regulator 218.
A cargo gantry crane 219 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is carried on rails 220 by a self-propelled wheel-type motor bed 170 that permits travel on the dock 222 laterally alongside a ship 224. The gantry crane moves along the vessel to access all of the cargo holds 226 on the ship. Thus one crane can be utilized to efficiently load or unload cargo 227 on a ship by means of a spreader 228 attached to a trolley 230 that moves along the lengthwise underside of the boom.
Typically, when the crane is about to be moved along the rails, the crane operator's attention is directed to the path along the rails on which the crane will travel. In many models the operator has the option of raising the boom 32 prior to gantry movement along the rail. The free end 31 of the boom may be rotated to a substantially vertical position about a horizontal axis defined by a hinge 232 in front of the tower 42. At the near vertical position, the crane's boom 32 will clear any object projecting vertically from the vessel. In the effort to achieve efficient cargo transfer, the operator typically forgoes raising the boom 32 prior to movement of the gantry crane to thus avoid the associated time delay.
When the boom of the gantry crane is lowered, the transmitters' mercury switch 96 and logic controllers' mercury switch 164 act as inclinometers to activate the present invention. Once activated each of the transmitters 30 generates a sweeping laser beam at 10 RPS tracing interface lines 138 on each of the respective gantry tower legs 40. It may be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a sweeping laser beam not only eliminates the one to one correspondence required for a static laser and receiver configuration (not shown), but the sweeping laser cooperates with the lateral detectors 128 and 129 on the receivers to provide corresponding vertical and horizontal intersecting lines that eliminate alignment errors due to movement of the laser transmitters 30 caused by swaying of the free end of the gantry boom.
The receivers 34, 36 and 38 mounted on each of the tower legs receive the respective laser beam in the form of a laser pulse having a duration of approximately 2 to 3 micro-seconds given a boom length of 120 feet and a 10 RPS laser sweep speed. Each receiver's detectors 128 and 129 (FIG. 14) are operative in response to sensing light to generate a small voltage across the high gain amplifiers 144 and 145. The amplifiers amplify the signal and send an output signal representative of the detector's voltage to the associated pulse discriminators 148 and 149. The pulse discriminator in response to detecting a laser pulse having a reference amplitude, pulse width and frequency is operative to generate a digital "HI" signal to the associated input channels 152 and 153 of a demultiplexer 154. Each digital signal has a sampling rate of 10 Hz, corresponding to the laser pulse frequency, and is continuously transmitted to indicate whether the associated pulse discriminator has detected a pulse during each pulse period. The demultiplexer 154 receives signals from two such pulse discriminators 148 and 149 and in response to the Boolean-type digital inputs is operative to generate an output load on one of four output lines 154-158 (FIG. 16). Three of the output lines 155-157 connect to the three LEDs 135-137 corresponding to the three sensor regions 130, 132 and 134 on the front of the receiver. These LEDs are illuminated by the demultiplexer such that upon the laser pulse being sensed in the center region 130 both pulse discriminators register a "HI" signal causing the corresponding center LED 135 to illuminate. The fourth output line 158 provides a load to a logic controller 52. This load is generated upon the receiver detecting the absence of a laser pulse for any pulse period. Thus each receiver is operative to produce a digital "LOW" signal any time a pulse is detected and produces a digital "HI" signal any time the absence of a pulse is detected.
The receivers 34, 36, and 38 (FIG. 16) mounted on each tower leg connect to the corresponding logic controller 52 through an OR gate 159 which in response to a "HI" signal from any one of the respective receivers is operative to generate a "HI" signal output. The OR gate 159 response time also cycles at 10 Hz as dictated by the timing in the receivers. Once a "HI" signal has been generated by the OR gate 159, the object discriminator begins to count the number of sequentially lost laser pulses along its respective tower leg 42. Since an object such as a ship's mast would block several laser pulses, a threshold level 188 between one and three pulse periods may be set by dip switches 192 on a first resistor set 190 connected with the RC integrator circuit 186 to discriminate a ship's mast over objects which would not generate a response signal at the threshold level. Thus the object discriminator, in response to objects blocking several laser pulses thereby causing a response signal above the threshold level, triggers a control signal. Once a control signal has been generated, the power relay 168 in response to the control signal causes an open circuit at the respective gantry motor controllers 62 to disable the respective gantry drive motors. The alarm signal generator 172, in response to the control signal, acts as a flip-flop to toggle the states of the two alarm leads 203 and 204 thereby generating an alarm signal.
Upon disconnecting the drive motors from the gantry power, the gantry crane will roll to a stop. The detection of an object near the gantry crane must be at a sufficient distance from the boom 32, approximately 8 feet in the preferred embodiment, so that the gantry crane will glide to a stop before colliding with the object that blocked the laser beam from registering on one of the receivers.
Once the boundary paths leading in the direction of travel have been cleared of any obstacles, each logic circuit 54 does not immediately trigger the power relay 168 to reestablish power. Instead a second set of resistors 191 adjustable by dip switches 193 connected therewith causes the object discriminator to delay terminating the control signal for 6 to 30 seconds depending on the dip switch setting. This delay feature ensures that the operator has time to react to manually shutdown the gantry motors and apply brakes if available before power is reestablished.
Further, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a laser with a low diffusion rate ensures the narrow laser signal will be blocked by a narrow mast or other hazardous object compensating for the sway of the overhang.
From the forgoing it will be appreciated that the collision avoidance device of the present invention provides a convenient to install, economical, and reliable apparatus for ensuring the safe movement of a gantry crane with respect to a vessel during the loading and unloading of containers thereon. The device operates to prevent the gantry crane overhang from contacting and causing damage to portions of the vessel that may be within the overhang's lateral path.
Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the forgoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Jan 13, 1943
|Dec 26, 1944
|Edward Lauterbach George
|System and apparatus for detecting high and wide railroad cars and open top lading
|Jan 5, 1951
|May 17, 1955
|Western Electric Co
|Crane control systems
|Jul 13, 1961
|Jun 23, 1964
|James Scott Electronic Enginee
|Gantry crane safety device
|Jan 20, 1966
|Mar 12, 1968
|Triax Co
|Detecting device for improperly positioned loads in an automatic warehousing system
|Oct 4, 1967
|Mar 24, 1970
|Hartman Metal Fabricators Inc
|Load size and position detector for automatic storage apparatus
|Oct 3, 1968
|Jun 1, 1971
|Place Willard Porter
|Proximity detector
|Jan 11, 1974
|May 6, 1975
|Amsted Ind Inc
|Offset coupling
|Oct 21, 1974
|Jun 14, 1977
|Dynascan Corporation
|Vehicle proximity sensing and control system
|Aug 17, 1981
|Oct 4, 1983
|Fmc Corporation
|Boundary plane warning system
|Mar 10, 1982
|Mar 12, 1985
|Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
|Arrangement for controlling the operation of a grabbing crane for loading and unloading a ship
|Apr 7, 1986
|Jun 23, 1987
|Alarm system and method for detecting proximity of an object to electrical power lines
|Mar 22, 1989
|Aug 21, 1990
|Caterpillar Industrial Inc.
|System for loading and unloading trailers using automatic guided vehicles
|Apr 14, 1989
|Nov 27, 1990
|Richard Marsh
|Rotating laser beam reference plane instrument
|May 8, 1989
|Sep 17, 1991
|Tax Ingenieurgesellschaft Mbh
|Container crane installation
|Mar 3, 1959
|Jun 2, 1960
|Demag Ag
|Einrichtung zur Fernanzeige des Standortes einer Greiferkatze
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|Mar 23, 1978
|Krupp Gmbh
|Einrichtung zum betrieb eines greiferkranes
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Jun 27, 1994
|Nov 14, 1995
|Harold Josephs
|Safety guard for hand trucks or lift gates
|Aug 11, 1995
|Aug 5, 1997
|Josephs; Harold
|Safety guard for lift gates
|Jun 19, 1996
|Dec 30, 1997
|Josephs; Harold
|Safety guard for pedestrian-operated machines having rotatable blades
|Oct 18, 1996
|May 12, 1998
|Josephs; Harold
|Safety guard for pedestrian-operated machines having rotatable blades
|Sep 26, 1997
|Oct 27, 1998
|Trigg Industries, Inc.
|Vehicle overheight detector device and method
|Jan 5, 1996
|Jan 12, 1999
|Ytterberg Scientific Inc.
|Method and apparatus for measuring flatness of a floor
|Jul 31, 1997
|May 2, 2000
|Laser Technology
|Industrial position sensor
|Jul 9, 1997
|May 30, 2000
|Wiab Widholms Industri Ab
|Goods handling system
|Jun 14, 1999
|Jan 9, 2001
|Alvarado Manufacturing Company, Inc.
|Low clearance alarm bumper
|Jan 28, 1999
|Feb 6, 2001
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Vehicle scheduling and collision avoidance system using time multiplexed global positioning system
|Dec 4, 1998
|Feb 5, 2002
|Grove U.S. L.L.C.
|Anti-two block device using non-contract measuring and detecting devices
|Apr 19, 2000
|Apr 23, 2002
|Laser Technology, Inc.
|Industrial position sensor
|Dec 20, 1999
|Apr 30, 2002
|Kabushiki Kaisha Aichi Corporation
|Travel and rotation control device for boom lift
|Dec 24, 2002
|Jan 4, 2005
|Walter Deimel
|Apparatus and method improving safety in the operation of a crane
|Jan 17, 2002
|Apr 25, 2006
|Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd.
|Anti-collision protection system
|Jan 16, 2004
|Jan 29, 2008
|The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy
|Mobile loader for transfer of containers between delivery vehicles and marine terminal cranes
|Jan 23, 2007
|Sep 30, 2008
|John C Wickhart
|Method and apparatus for performing overhead crane rail alignment surveys
|Jun 20, 2008
|Oct 19, 2010
|Holzman Moss Architecture, Llp
|Movable acoustic shell assembly
|May 1, 2009
|Sep 11, 2012
|Nacey Edward L
|Security alarm system
|Dec 19, 2011
|May 26, 2015
|Trimble Navigation Limited
|Determining the location of a load for a tower crane
|Nov 27, 2012
|May 31, 2016
|Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
|Crane operation assistance system
|Jan 17, 2002
|Mar 25, 2004
|Lamb Peter John
|Anti-collision protection system
|Dec 24, 2002
|Jun 24, 2004
|Walter Deimel
|Apparatus and method improving safety in the operation of a crane
|Jan 23, 2007
|Jul 26, 2007
|Wickhart John C
|Method and apparatus for performing overhead crane rail alignment surveys
|Jun 20, 2008
|Dec 24, 2009
|Holzman Malcolm
|Movable acoustic shell assembly
|Dec 19, 2011
|Jun 20, 2013
|John F. Cameron
|Determining the location of a load for a tower crane
|Jul 23, 1998
|May 3, 2000
|International Stevedoring Operations Limited
|Cargo transfer safety system
|Jul 23, 1998
|Feb 4, 1999
|International Stevedoring Operations Limited
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|Nov 14, 2001
|Feb 13, 2003
|Choi, Yong-Wook
|Hoisting aparatus using a counterweight technology
|Sep 28, 2012
|May 30, 2013
|Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science And Technology Co., Ltd.
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|U.S. Classification
|212/280, 340/436, 212/325, 212/276, 340/942
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Feb 23, 1998
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Aug 11, 1998
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Mar 26, 2002
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Sep 6, 2002
|Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
|Nov 5, 2002
|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 20020906


text:
Beautiful photo, Like
Best regards, Boris
Many thanks B.B.R.S
Greetings, uni
Klasse. Sehr schön. L+F. Beste Grüße, Michael.
Stunning! Like
Greetings and best wishes, Bassam
Superbă imagine. L+F. Ştefan.
dunkelkristall - freut mich, dass es Dir gefällt. Danke für YSL :)
Many thanks for the nice comments, liked and YS :)) ~Bassam and Ste F!
LG, Greetings, uni
Outstanding reflection shot with excellent framing by trees and foliage. L&F -JAK
Wonderful reflections! Very nice place!
Greetings from Ukraine, Yuri.
Many thanks for the nice comments, liked and YS :))
coloradojak and Yuri O.
Greetings, uni
Excellent image and beautiful place uni*
...liked/F, best wishes,
Many thanks for the nice comment, liked and YS :))
Ahmet Bekir
Greetings, uni
Beautiful reflection greetings from India :)
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Photo taken in Mitte, Hanover, Germany


text:
My Omani Students
Fondest memory: I went to Oman in 1975 to work in the Force Headquarters at Bait al-Falaj but something went wrong and I ended up in Muaskar al-Murtafa'a near Seeb as the Force Clerical Training Instructor. With no knowledge of Arabic, and only two handwritten notebooks of lesson plans, I had to learn how to teach Omani and Baluchi servicemen clerical subjects and typewriting. Looking back now it was one of the best jobs I ever had. After each course we would go for a 'picnic' somewhere, and always where there was water and date palms. The picture shows some of the students from a course. Anyone who recognises any of them is asked to get in touch with me, please.Add to your Trip Planner
Favorite thing: Sightseeing is obviously the most important activity for anyone wishing to visit Oman. The problem is that there are just so many wonderful places to visit. My advice would be to try and find an Omani friend who can suggest the best places, and show you around. Conducted tours are OK but I prefer to be 'on my own' and therefore able to browse at my own leisure. That is the danger, of course, because you may well stay longer in one place than you expected, thereby missing out on some of the other attractive places. Nizwa, Bahla, Rustaq, Sohar and Sur besides Muscat and Muttrah are all places I will return to.Add to your Trip Planner
Muscat in 1976
Favorite thing: This photo shows, in the top left corner, the old Jalali Fort, which used to be a prison. Slightly to the right, and looking like trumpets standing on end, is the magnificent Royal Palace. Enlarge the picture for a clearer view.
Fondest memory: Having seen the splendour of the Royal Palace in Muscat, only about half a mile away on the old airfield, lived a large number of people living in an assortment of makeshift dwellings, of scrap wood, boxes and plastic sheeting!Add to your Trip Planner
Jebel Ahkdar
Favorite thing: Leave the tarmac roads and cities behind you, and explore the interior regions, especially the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain). At any time of the year this is a most beautiful region
Fondest memory: My fondest memory of Oman is the generousity and friendliness of the people. There were few tarmac roads when I was there and we used to take a Landrover into areas where there were only graded tracks, and sometimes just drive through boulder strewn wadis. We often ended up at dead ends, and were always welcomed by the local people, and invited to share a light meal with them, before returning home. A really wonderful memory is of climbing to the top of Jebel Sham (The Sun Mountain) on foot. It took a whole day to get there, departing at first light from Ghul, a village now abandoned, I believe, and then we had a severe thunder storm, so I was unable to take any photos! I believe it is now possible to drive most of the way to the summit - using suitable vehicles, of course. See more details in my new Travelogue.Add to your Trip Planner
Favorite thing: Trekking
One of the most popular treks in Oman is the 'Jebel Shams Rim Walk'. Jebel Shams, or the Mountain of the Sun, is the highest mountain in Oman, standing at 3075m.
The trek starts at the village of Al Khateem, which has amazing panoramic views of Wadi Nakhr and Wadi Ghul. The walk can be rather precarious as it is littered with rock rubble and hugs the cliff wall. There is a sheer drop to the other side.
The route along the rim walk takes many twists and turns as it follows the mountain's contours and some of the stretches take you out on a protrusion which offers the less-vertiginous trekkers some breathtaking views of the canyon below.
Only those who are extremely fit should attempt this walk as the route is very steep, exhausting, and has little shade or shelter.
Always remember to take with you plenty of water, wear sunscreen and advise people where you are and when you anticipate returning.Add to your Trip Planner
Guide Books
Favorite thing: Buy yourself a good guide book. I bought a great paperback by Diana Darke entitled: Discovery Guide to Oman, published by IMMEL Publishing, and available from Amazon.com, amongst others. It is an easy to read book and extremely well presented. Recommended price is £15.95.
I was both fascinated and horrified to discover the changes that have occurred in Oman since the mid 70's. Having got over the initial shock and I suppose disappointment, I am now more determined than ever to retrace my steps.Add to your Trip Planner
Muscat, exhibition contest drawings
Favorite thing: Because of the week of the traffic there was also a contest of drawings.
In the shopping mall we had a look at the results, presented in an exhibition. There were a lot of other visitors.
I liked the drawings very much, learning something about traffic in Oman and local customs. Themes in the drawings were, wearing your safety belt, not biking between cars, being aware of camels on the road and more.
I put some pictures of these nice drawings in a travelogue, so have a look.Related to:
- Road Trip
- Arts and Culture
Muscat, exhibition of numberplates
Favorite thing: Because of the week of the traffic there was an exhibition of numberplatesin one of the shopping mall we visited.
Our driver explained us the meaning of the different identification plates, becasue there were not only the regular ones, but also some special ones, of the UN, of the Corps Diplomatique, of the export ministry or of cars for learning to drive.Add to your Trip Planner
Muscat, radio interview
Favorite thing: Also the press was present in the shopping mall during the festivities of the ''week of the traffic''.
The reporter of the local radiostation made a interview with someboby of the ministry. They told us, it was the minister himself.
Also the reporter is wearing the traditional dress.Add to your Trip Planner
Muscat, week of the traffic
Favorite thing: In the shopping mall, where we heard the bag-pipe music, were some festivities because of the ''week of the traffic''.
We saw a lot of officials of the ministry of traffic. Like legally is required, all the employees of the ministry wear the traditional dishdasha, a long dressshirt, mostly white for the government.
They were also wearing their traditional khanjar (knife) and a turban.Add to your Trip Planner
Muscat, ice-skating and bagpipes
Favorite thing: In greater Muscat we not only visited the older parts and museums, but we also went to some modern shopping malls. We even visited an ice-skating hall, the coolest place in town ! In one of the shopping malls we heard bagpipe-music.
So you can really say, Muscat is a place of contrasts and surprises !!Related to:
- Music
Favorite thing: Oman extends from the northern fijords of the Musandam peninsula to the annually green Dhofar region in the south.
Most of the population is based on the Batinah coast, a semifertile plain running from the border with the UAE to Muscat, and separated from the rest of Arabia by the Hajar Mountains. The highest peak being Jebel Shams (Mountain of the Sun) at 3075m. Nearby, on the slopes of Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) there is fruit growing!
Between the Hajar Mountains and Dhofar, a lot of the country is comprised of flat rocky desert with sand dune areas. Notably the Wahiba Sands, also known as Sharqiya (Eastern) Sands. There is thriving and diverse marine life off Oman's 1700km coastline.Related to:
- Road Trip
- Beaches
The Souk
Favorite thing: Wander through the souk in Muscat. There is so much to see and so much to buy.
We were very disappointed in Salalah. We tended to agree with one of the shipboard personnel who told us that the translation of Salalah is 'Don't bother to leave the ship.'
Here is a picture of Irwin and me in front of the souk in Muscat.Add to your Trip Planner
Magical hotel
Favorite thing: Our visit revolved mainly around Muscat . If the hotel is affordable please spend some time , say a minimum of 3 nights at the Al Bustan Palace . Insist on a sea view room overlooking the pool and on at least the 5 th floor . You will not be disappointed .
Fondest memory: The wonderful December weather . Driving along the garden lined roads leading from the Capital and the wondrous roundabouts.Related to:
- Spa and Resort
Spend time exploring some of...
Favorite thing:
Spend time exploring some of the small villages as well. If you go into the mountains, you will be rewarded with beautiful scenic views such as this. I love the contrasting colors of green against the sand colored mountains.Add to your Trip Planner
Oman Hotels
InterContinental Al Bustan Palace Muscat
If you have a chance to visit this prestigious hôtel , you will not regret it. Outstanding...more
Hilton Salalah
I was busy in KL and Cambodia, so took advantage of the trip to London and beyond, to break it up in...more
Golden Tulip Khasab Hotel Res
Po Box 434
Satisfaction: Excellent
Good for: Families
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