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March 31, 2006
Another Option for Cable Systems
Browsing through a trade magazine, I spotted another interesting cable railing/cable systems manufacturer- Decor Cable. While their site does not look quite as easy to navigate as Cable Rail's, Decor Cable has a wide array of products and cable assembly solutions for railings, trellises and more.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 10:02 AM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2006
Turned Earth Turns 150!
9+ months and still going strong! Thanks to those readers who browse and comment from time to time.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 07:50 PM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2006
Shaking Like It's 1906
There was an interesting article today in the Marin IJ with links to simulations done by the USGS, trying to replicate the type of movement that occurred in the famous 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. The amount of violent shaking of the Golden Gate's span that was created in the simulation was amazing (deformations are amplified 100x in the simulations), and potentially horrifying. One wonders if cars on the span during a seismic event like this would be flung into the bay waters below. It brings to mind the famous destruction of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, although that was a case of wind resonance.
After the experiences and disaster reporting that took place after Hurricane Katrina, it is scary to think about a potential repeat of a great earthquake like 1906.
Image from Marin IJ: Computers and Structures, Inc/via USGS
USGS Photograph of SF City Hall after the quake- from Wikipedia
For More:
- USGS page with all sorts of Models and Videos of Earthquake simulations
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 06:18 PM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2006
Fresh Looking Precast Paver Solutions from Stepstone
One of the design issues with using concrete pavers is that often they look generic, not varying much from a style that imitates brick pavers. Even the best styles of concrete pavers can't fully imitate stone paving and often look phony when installed over a large area.
For projects with more modern design sensibilities, Stepstone Inc. provides an attractive and wide array of precast concrete pavers. These pavers look different than most of the traditional concrete pavers on the market, and can be more economical than stone or other paving types.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 09:53 AM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2006
Nothing to Fear from New Orleans Termites
I received an email from a colleague warning against the purchase of cheap mulch that may have come from the New Orleans area and which could contain the nasty Formosa termite. A quick Google News search puts this notion to rest however, as a quarantine imposed by the State of Louisiana has restricted the export of any wood that could be infected. Read more about this urban legend at About.com
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 10:31 AM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2006
Views of Ireland
Enjoy some of my favorite photographs of Ireland- Happy St. Paddy's
O'Connell Street in Dublin with our famous namesake lawyer and Irish patriot Daniel O'Connell
Moss Covered Trees in Glendalough monastic site, County Wicklow
Ancient Stone Round Tower- Glendalough monastic site, County Wicklow
The Beautifully Rugged Dingle Peninsula on Ireland's west coast
Moss Covered Facade of Blarney Castle, home of the famous stone
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2006
March & Spring
Spring is approaching, with continued rain and cold temperatures in Northern California. One thing that will warm the hearts of college basketball fans is the return of the NCAA tournament. One great tool for those trying to follow the tournament and something that is no doubt reducing productivity nationwide is CBS streaming video free of games from the first rounds. Definitely worth a look.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2006
Recent Plantings- Downtown San Rafael
Here are some images from a project with some small border plantings in San Rafael. This was the first phase of a larger garden project.
Screening from closely situated neighbors was important for this property. Here Italian Buckthorn (Rhamnus alaturus), is used to screen with an understory of Australian Rosemary (Westringea 'Morning Light').
In the deep shade between two buildings, a redwood trellis was built for a Star Jasmine, (Trachelospermum jasminoides), combined with Camellia Espalliers (Camellia sasanqua) for up against the adjacent building. The understory was planted with Liriope, Hakone Grass, Coral Bells and other shade lovers.
Along the street frontage tough Day Lilies were used with other ornamental grasses including Jack Spratt New Zealand Flax and species of Carex. The rock borders were recycled from an existing rock wall onsite.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 05:55 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2006
Articles from Marin Magazine
There were a couple of interesting articles in Marin Magazine recently, the newly launched magazine last year that profiles places and people within the county. The first profiled and asked questions of architect Sim Van Der Ryn, who I had a recent post on concerning a radio appearance and recent book.
The second gave a history and overview of Marin County open space.
Both are worth a look, and the magazine posts its current and archive content online, allowing for easy access.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 06:30 PM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2006
SF Garden Show
The San Francisco Flower and Garden show is this week, Wednesday-Sunday March 15-19. Among the show's features are 27 exhibition gardens, seminars, a plant market, and lots of home and garden vendors. It is being held as usual at the Cow Palace, with its cavernous exhibition space, which while more functional, lacks the intimacy and central location of Fort Mason where the show used to be held.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 06:42 AM | Comments (0)
March 10, 2006
Another Option for BBQ Islands
Another interesting option for BBQ islands that don't require the construction of elaborate Barbeque Islands are Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Barbeque Islands. Many of their products are designed to be freestanding, allowing for easy installation and movement if desired. This is definitely a high end product for those who are interested in a serious outdoor kitchen, but with a lot less installation cost this helps offset the cost of these high end grills and may offer more flexibility than a built-in island.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 06:05 PM | Comments (0)
March 08, 2006
Tiburon Project- Progress Images
Here are some new images from a current project in Tiburon, showing completed cedar perimeter fencing.
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 07:26 AM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2006
Going Paperless
We are big advocates of digital technology, as can be evidenced by past postings. One element where we are trying to reduce paper work and storage requirements is to go paperless. Using primarily Adobe .pdf format we are in the process of archiving many of our old documents and records into digital form. It makes records searchable from our company network and saves on filing space. Going paperless or the "paperless office," is not a new or radical notion by any means. Companies such as Xerox or Adobe (and countless others) have been pushing products and services for years. But as costs for good optical scanners and printers continues to go down, and acceptance increases among clients, vendors and our industry in general, it makes going paperless even easier and more seamless. We send our estimates out to clients in Acrobat format and use it for most client correspondence, which means decreased turn around time and easy tracking and search of documents.
Now to make sure everything is backed up!
Posted by Michael O'Connell at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)