Thursday, 21 February 2008


Cyclone Gonu (JTWC designation: 02A, also known as Super Cyclonic Storm Gonu) was the strongest tropical cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea, and tied for the strongest tropical cyclone on record in the northern Indian Ocean.[1] The second named tropical cyclone of the 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Gonu developed from a persistent area of convection in the eastern Arabian Sea on June 1. With a favorable upper-level environment and warm sea surface temperatures, it rapidly intensified to attain peak winds of 240 km/h (150 mph) on June 3 according to the India Meteorological Department. Gonu weakened after encountering dry air and cooler waters, and late on June 5 it made landfall on the eastern-most tip of Oman, becoming the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula. Intense cyclones like Gonu have been extremely rare over the Arabian Sea, as most storms in this area tend to be small and dissipate quickly.[2]
The cyclone caused about $4 billion in damage (2007 USD) and over 50 deaths in Oman, where the cyclone was considered the nation's worst natural disaster. Gonu dropped heavy rainfall near the eastern coastline, reaching up to 610 mm (24 inches) which caused flooding and heavy damage. In Iran, the cyclone caused 23 deaths and $215 million in damage (2007 USD).

Cyclone Gonu (JTWC designation: 02A, also known as Super Cyclonic Storm Gonu) was the strongest tropical cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea, and tied for the strongest tropical cyclone on record in the northern Indian Ocean. The second named tropical cyclone of the 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Gonu developed from a persistent area of convection in the eastern Arabian Sea on June 1. With a favorable upper-level environment and warm sea surface temperatures, it rapidly intensified to attain peak winds of 240 km/h (150 mph) on June 3 according to the India Meteorological Department. Gonu weakened after encountering dry air and cooler waters, and late on June 5 it made landfall on the eastern-most tip of Oman, becoming the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula. Intense cyclones like Gonu have been extremely rare over the Arabian Sea, as most storms in this area tend to be small and dissipate quickly.
The cyclone caused about $4 billion in damage (2007
USD) and over 50 deaths in Oman, where the cyclone was considered the nation's worst natural disaster. Gonu dropped heavy rainfall near the eastern coastline, reaching up to 610 mm (24 inches) which caused flooding and heavy damage. In Iran, the cyclone caused 23 deaths and $215 million in damage (2007 USD).

Salalah



Salalah lies in Oman's southern Dhofar region. Known for its glorious history, heritage, rich culture, traditions and wonders of nature. Salalah today is also contributing towards the economic boom in the Sultanate of Oman. Spread along the coast, Salalah is the most densely populated city in the Dhofar region. It has a modern port, hospitals, schools, colleges and a wide range of accommodation for both short and long staying visitors.
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Click on the image to view some stunning photographs on Salalah and sites around Salalah. You may also download these images and use them as background's for your desktop.



There is plenty to do and see in and around Salalah. The best time to visit Salalah is just after the Khareef season (September - October). Listed below are some of the things you can do during your stay here.
Mughsayl Beach
40 kilometers west of Salalah. Know for its beautiful beach, Blow Holes, stunning sea views and jagged cliffs and mountains. The Mughsayl Beach Tourist Restaurant located by the beach, offers visitors an international menu and water sports.
Prophet's Emran's Tomb
Located near the Clock Tower. The tomb of Prophet Emran is an extraordinary site to visit. It is around 30 meters long. Prophet Emran was the father of Moses, a famous biblical prophet.
Frankincense trail
The Frankincense trail are excavation sites protected by UNESCO and marked as under the World Heritage Sites. The Frankincense trail can be visited at Al Balid - downtown Salalah, at Khor Rohri, 37 kilometers from Salalah and Ubar at Shisr - believed to be the site of the Lost City, the Atlantis of Arabia discovered by the famous explorer, Wilfred Thesiger
The Magic Road
Believe it or not … This road is a dirt track that lies on to your left when you hit the road from Taqha to Mirbat. The road leads to a short drive down a hill on an elevated dirt-trail. When you reach the base of the trail, you have to switch off your engine and put the gear into "neutral". Keep your foot on the brake lightly to "regulate" your speed when the anti-gravity thingy kicks in..!!!! Here's what happens: your vehicle instead of rolling down the slope begins to roll back UP hill.

Is your computer male or female


Is your computer male or female?As you are aware, ships have long been characterized as being female(e.g., "Steady as she goes", or "She's listing to starboard,Captain!").Recently, a group of computer scientists (all males) announced thatcomputers should also be referred to as being female. Their reasonsfor drawing this conclusion follow: Five reasons to believe computers are female:1. No one but the Creator understands their internal logic.2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.3. The message "Bad command or file name" is about as informative as, "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, then I'm certainly not going to tell you".4. Even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval.5. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.However, another group of computer scientists (all female) think thatcomputers should be referred to as if they were male. Their reasonsfollow: Five reasons to believe computers are male:1. They have a lot of data, but are still clueless.2. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they are the problem.3. As soon as you commit to one you realize that, if you had waited a little longer, you could have obtained a better model.4. In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.5. Big power surges knock them out for the rest of the night.