text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Publication date
|Apr 18, 1972
|Filing date
|Aug 31, 1970
|Priority date
|Aug 31, 1970
|Publication number
|Robinson William P
|Original Assignee
|Robinson William P
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (3), Referenced by (64), Classifications (24)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
ilite tates Robinson ate [15] 3,656,766 [451 Apr. E6, 1972 [54] DRILL BET SEAL ASSEMBLY [21] Appl. No.: 68,140
Primary Examiner-Robert 1. Smith Attorney-Christie, Parker & Hale [5 7] ABSTRACT An earth boring drill bit employing roller cutters is provided with an improved seal for inhibiting ingress of abrasive materials into the bearing surfaces and egress of lubricant. The improved seal is between an outwardly facing re-entrant corner on the journal and an inwardly facing re-entrant corner on the cutter. The seal is made by a pair of O-rings engaging the opposed re-entrant comers and separated by a floating rigid ring having opposed bearing surfaces for seating the O-rings into the comers. This seal accommodates radial, axial, and angular displacements of almost twice the magnitude that can be accommodated by a single O-ring of the size'of one of the 0- rings without significantly increasing the length of journal needed for the seal.
14 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures SHEET 10F 2 PATENTEU APR] 8 m2 1 N VEN TOR. r ROBWS 0 1/ III) PATENTEUAPR 18 1912 v SHEET 2 OF 2 DRILL BIT SEAL ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND An earth boring drill such as employed for drilling oil or gas wells or the like is a rugged piece of equipment that operates in a very severe environment. In such a drill, a drill bit is threaded onto a pipe and lowered into a well bore in which it is rotated for cutting through rock and earth formations. Rotatable cutters mounted on the drill bit fragment the rock, and the fragments are removed from the bore in a drilling fluid. Normally such a drill bit is operated until the rolling cutters or the bearings supporting the cutters are excessively worn. For most economical operation, it is desired to operate the drill bit for a long time between bit changes. The operating lifetime of a drill bit is enhanced by lubricating the bearings mounting the cutter on the drill bit and seals are normally provided for containing lubricant in the region of the bearings, and also for preventing the ingress of abrasive rock fragments or corrosive materials into the bearing surfaces. Either the excessive loss of lubricant or the ingress of deleterious materials can unduly shorten the operating lifetime of the earth boring drill. It is, therefore, of considerable importance that the seals in an earth boring drill have a long operating lifetime.
The operation of a seal in an earth boring drill is complicated by the fluctuations in position and pressure that are encountered as the drill is operated. The rolling cutters and the journals on which they are mounted are subject to relative displacements in an axial direction, in a radial direction, and also in angular alignment. These deviations from concentricity and axial position are exaggerated as the bit is operated and normal wear occurs on the various bearing surfaces. It is of importance that the seals have sufficient accommodation or compliance to remain effective even in the presence of large axial, radial and angular displacements.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In practice of this invention there is provided a seal for relatively rotatable parts comprising a first compressible ring bearing on one part, a second compressible ring bearing on a second rotatable part, and a rigid ring between the two compressible rings for seating the compressible rings against the relatively rotatable parts.
DRAWINGS Features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of an earth boring drill incorporating principles of this invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates in transverse cross section a ring employed in a seal of the drill of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates schematically the sealing arrangement employed in the drill of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 illustrates schematically another embodiment of seal between relatively rotatable parts;
FIG. 5 illustrates schematically another embodiment of seal between relatively rotatable parts; and
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate schematically other embodiments of seals between relatively rotatable parts.
DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates an earth boring drill provided with a seal incorporating principles of this invention. As illustrated in this preferred embodiment, the drill comprises a conventional drill bit 11, only a fragment of which is shown, since such a bit is conventional and the means for attachment, means for lubricating and other portions not illustrated are not of significance in practice of this invention. A conventional earth boring drill has one or more (usually three) diagonally depending cutter mounting pins 12, one of which is shown in cross section in FIG. 1. Mounted on each of the pins 12 is a hollow conical rotatable cutter 13 on the outer surface of which are hard cutting teeth 14 for fragmenting rock as the drill is used.
As the earth boring drill is used there is very high pressure on the conical cutters, which are mounted on relatively short pins. To accommodate this load, as much length as possible of the pin and cutter is employed for bearing surfaces. Thus in the illustrated embodiment at the outer or free end of the pin 12 is a disk 16 of bearing material such as tool steel for accommodating thrust loading between the end of the pin and the inside end of the cutter 13. A sleeve bearing 17 is provided around a cylindrical portion 18 of the pin for bearing against the inside of the cutter. Conventional ball bearings 19 are provided between an inner race 21 on the pin and an outer race 22 on the cutter. The ball bearings serve to hold the cutter 13 on the pin 12 and must therefore be inserted in the races after assembly of the cutter onto the pin. In order to insert the balls 19, a hole 23 extends through the body of the bit 11, and after the balls are inserted a pin 24 closes the hole and is secured in place by a weld 26. A slot 27 along the length of the pin 24 provides fluid communication between a lubrication channel 28 in the body of the bit and the several bearings mounting the cutter on the pin.
A segment bearing having a plurality of segments 29 of bearing material between an outer cylindrical surface 31 on the pin and inner cylindrical surface 32 in the cutter provide additional bearing support for the cutter on the pin.
The pin 12 on which the cutter is journalled has a seal seat formed of a surface 33 facing radially outwardly and an intersecting surface 34 facing longitudinally along the length of the pin towards its free end. These two surfaces 33 and 34 extending around the journal cooperate to define a seal seat in the form of a re-entrant corner with a substantially cylindrical surface 33 and a substantially plane surface 34. It might be noted that in the illustrated embodiment the radially outwardly facing surface 33 is not exactly a cylinder but is actually in the form of the surface of a cone having an included half angle of about 10. Similarly, the substantially flat surface 34 is actually the surface of a cone having an included half angle of so that the two surfaces 33 and 34 intersect at a right angle. A slight fillet is also provided in the re-entrant corner between the surfaces 33 and 34. It should be understood that the seal seat formed by the intersecting surfaces can just as well be in the form of a cylindrical and flat surface, respectively, or if desired a continuous curve in the form of a sector of a torus can be employed in other embodiments.
Opposed to the seal seat on the pin or journal 12 is a corresponding internal seal seat on the cutter 13 formed of a substantially flat surface 36 facing towards the broader open end of the conical cutter. An inwardly facing substantially cylindrical surface 37 intersects the flat surface 36 and cooperates to form the seal seat. The seal seat surfaces 36 and 37 are actually portions of conical surfaces opposed to the seal seat surfaces 33 and 34 on the journal. The seal seat on the cutter can also be made with cylindrical and flat intersecting surfaces or with a continuously curved surface defining the re-entrant corner, as may be desired.
Mounted between the seal seats on the journal and cutter, respectively, is a sealing assembly comprising an inner elastomeric compressible O-ring 38 in engagement with the seal seat 33, 34 on the journal. A second elastomeric compressible O-ring 39 having a larger diameter than the inner O- ring 38 is in engagement with the seal seat 36, 37 on the cutter. In between the two O-ring 38 and 39 is a rigid ring 41, also illustrated in transverse cross section in FIG. 2 and schematically in FIG. 3. The rigid ring has a first or outer curved bearing surface 42 facing diagonally outwardly from one face 43 of the ring. Opposed to the first bearing surface 42 is a second or inner curved bearing surface 44 facing diagonally inwardly on the opposite face 46 of the rigid ring. Each of the bearing surfaces 42 and 44 on the rigid ring is in the form of a continuous or smooth curve having a radius about the same as the O-ring cross section for engagement with the two O-rings 39 and 38, respectively.
In order for an O-ring or similar elastomeric seal to remain in sealing engagement, the O-ring becomes loaded in compression upon assembly so as to be in intimate contact with both of the surfaces between which it is compressed. No matter what its cross section, the extent of compression of an O-ring is limited, and in a rotary seal excessive compression leads to rapid wear and deterioration of the O-ring. When a single Iii-inch cross section O-ring is used, it may tolerate a compression of, for example, about 0.015 inch for prolonged periods without excessive wear; however, a substantial increase in compression may cause accelerated wear, significantly shortening the operating lifetime of the O-ring. A somewhat larger compression can be tolerated by employing an O-ring having a larger cross section. If, however, one goes to a larger cross section O-ring, more space must be allowed to accommodate it. In an earth boring drill, for example, the additional space required for a larger cross section O-ring can be provided only by sacrificing the length of journal and cutter available for bearing surfaces. Because of the very high pressures and severe operating conditions of an earth boring drill,
it is desirable to have as much bearing surface as possible between the cutter and its mounting journal, and it becomes impractical to provide space in a direction along the axis of the bearings for a large cross section O-ring.
It is found in practice of this invention that the compression that can be tolerated by the seal assembly is nearly doubled without significantly increasing the space required for the seal. This effect is achieved by employing two O-rings of smaller cross section separated by a rigid floating ring so that substantially the complete compression accommodation of each of the rings is obtained and the total compression accommodation of the seal assembly is substantially twice the accommodation of either of the O-rings alone. This increased accommodation is obtained without substantial increase in the length of journal or cutter required for the seal assembly.
In an earth boring drill high pressures and extreme wear are involved and a cutter may be displaced radially, axially, or both from its intended position relative to the journal on which it is mounted. A radial displacement, that is, where the cutter is no longer coaxial with the journal, may either increase or decrease the compression of the O-rings from the initially applied preload. If a single O-ring is employed in a seal, the amount or change of compression that it can accommodate is determined by its size and material and there is some acceptable limit, such as, for example, 0.015 inch. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, if the cutter 13 displaces radially relative to the pin or journal 12, the compression of the outer O-ring between the cylindrical surface 33 and the rigid ring 41 will increase or decrease and, at the same time, the compression of the inner O-ring 38 between the cylindrical surface 37 and the rigid ring will also increase or decrease by substantially the same amount due to the fact that the rigid ring 41 floats free of either the journal or cutter and can shift slightly in position so that the compression of each of the rings is approximately equal. The floating rigid ring between the O-rings assures approximately equal compressions, and the total available compression is the sum of that of the two 0- rings, such as, for example, nearly 0.030 inch.
In the same manner, an axial displacement may occur as the drill bit is operated. If this occurs, the outer O-ring 39 and inner O-ring 38 are compressed between the substantially flat surfaces 36 and 34, respectively, and the rigid ring 41. The floating rigid ring between the two O-rings assures that the compression on the two O-rings is substantially equal and therefore the total accommodation by the seal for axial displacement is substantially equal to twice the compression of each of the O-rings individually.
It is apparent that since the seal assembly provides enhanced accommodation for axial displacement and radial displacement that it also accommodates angular displacement where the axes of the cutter and journal are no longer aligned since this merely involves increased compression on one side of the seal and decreased compression on the opposite side. Thus in the illustrated seal assembly, the accommodation of radial displacement, axial displacement and angular displacement is substantially doubled as compared with a single O-ring and the total length of journal and cutter required for the seal assembly is increased only a small amount, corresponding to only a minor fraction of the cross-sectional diameter of the 0- rings.
FIG. 4 illustrates schematically in a manner similar to the enlarged view of FIG. 3 an arrangement of another embodiment of double O-ring seal incorporating principles of this invention. As illustrated in this embodiment, an inner cylindrical member of journal 51 is surrounded by an annular outer member or race 52, and the two members 51 and 52 are rotatable relative to each other about an axis 53. Either of the members 51 or 52 may be fixed and the other rotatable about the axis 53 as may be desired in a particular application. A sea] assembly between the relatively rotatable members has an inner O-ring 54 in engagement with the journal 51. An outer O-ring 55 is in engagement with the outer race 52. In between the inner O-ring 54 and outer O-ring 55 is a floating rigid ring 56 extending around the axis 53 having a substantially S- shaped cross section for providing an inwardly facing O-ring groove in the crook of the S for the inner O-ring 54 and an outwardly facing O-ring groove in the other crook of the S for the outer O-ring 55. In an actual application as distinguished 1 from the schematic illustration of FIG. 4, some means, such as a shoulder, or shoulders (not shown), may also be provided for assuring that the seal assembly remains in its intended axial position. It will be apparent that just as in the illustrated preferred embodiment, the compression accommodated in each of the O-rings 54 and 55 is available for assuring proper sealing and the total radial displacement of the relatively rotatable parts that can be accommodated by the seal assembly is substantially twice the compression available in each of the O-rings alone. It will also be noted that the total distance between the relatively rotatable parts 51 and 52 is not substantially increased beyond the cross-sectional thickness of either of the O-rings since the cross sectional thickness of the S-shaped rigid ring 56 is not great.
FIG. 5 illustrates schematically a seal assembly for a pair of relatively rotatable members in face to face proximity. As illustrated in the embodiment, a member 61 has a flat face opposite a flat face on a second member 62. The members 61 and 62 are rotatable relative to each other about an axis 63. Between the opposed faces of the rotatable members 61 and 62 is a seal assembly comprising a first larger diameter O rings 64 and a second smaller diameter O-ring 65. The larger diameter O-ring is in sealing engagement with the surface of the second member 63, and the smaller diameter O-ring 65 is in sealing engagement with the surface of the first member 61. In between the two O-rings 64 and 65 is a floating rigid ring 66 extending around the axis 63. The rigid ring 66 also has an S- shaped cross section providing an O-ring groove for the outer O-ring 64 adjacent one face of the ring and an O-ring groove for the inner O-ring 65 adjacent the opposite face of rigid ring. In a manner similar to that hereinabove described, the seal assembly illustrated in FIG. 5 accommodates an axial displacement substantially twice the accommodation available in either of the O-rings 64 or 65 alone without increasing the axial space required for the seal assembly by an amount significantly more than the space required for a single O-ring.
Referring again to the rigid ring 41 of FIG. 2 and the schematic illustration of FIG. 3 it will be seen that the rigid ring 41 also has a generally S-shape with the ends of the S somewhat truncated. The two O-rings 38 and 39 are accommodated in the respective opposed crooks of the S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring.
FIG. 6 illustrates schematically a seal assembly usable between a first part 71 and a second part 72 that are rotatable relative to each other. In this embodiment the two members 71 and 72 may be in face to face engagement and rotate relative to each other about an axis 73, or in the alternative may comprise an outer race and inner cylinder, respectively, rotatable about an axis 74. it will be apparent that in either case the principles of operation are substantially the same.
A groove 75 in the first relatively rotatable member 71 accommodates a first O-ring 76. Directly opposed to the first groove 75 is a second groove 77 in the other rotatable member 72 which accommodates a second O-ring 78. In between the two O-rings 76 and 78 is a floating rigid ring 79 extending around either the axis 73 or the axis 74, depending on the axis of relative rotation of the two parts 71 and 72. The rigid ring 79 assures that each of the O-rings 76 and 78 can accommodate substantially its full available compression, and the total compression that can be accommodated by the seal assembly is substantially twice the accommodation of either of the O-rings alone. it will be noted in this embodiment that the opposed surfaces of the two relative rotatable members 71 and 72 each include a small step at the O-ring groove so that the floating ring 79 is retained in position between the compressible O-rings.
FIG. 7 illustrates in a fragmentary view another embodiment of seal having a pair of elastomeric O-rings between relatively rotatable parts. The illustrated seal is analogous to that hereinabove described and illustrated in FIG. 1 and is particularly well suited for use in an earth boring drill or the like. Since the elements of this embodiment are particularly closely related to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the corresponding elements are designated by reference numerals differing from those employed in P16. 1 only by the addition of 1110. Thus, the earth boring drill comprises a cutter mounting pin 112 corresponding to the cutter mounting pin 12 of FIG. 1.
Mounted on the cutter mounting pin 112 is a cutter cone 113 and bearing segments 129 are provided therebetween for bearing support of the cutter on the pin. The pin 112 includes an outwardly facing substantially cylindrical surface 133 against which an O-ring 138 seats. The cutter 113 includes an inwardly facing substantially cylindrical surface 137 opposed to the cylindrical surface 133 and against which an O-ring 139 seats. The cutter cone also includes a substantially flat face 136 opposed to a flat face 134 on the pin 112 with the O-rings 133 and 139 therebetween.
In between the two O-rings 138 and 139 is a rigid ring 141 having an L-shaped cross section. The base 145 of the L is in the form of a thin cylindrical ring between the two O-rings 138 and 139, and provides opposed surfaces against which the two O-rings seal. The leg 150 of the L is in the form of a flange extending inwardly from the base 145 of the L-shaped ring, in between the inner O-ring 138 and the bearing segments 129 so as to prevent contact therebetween and excessive wear of the O-ring. A recessed portion 155 is provided in the plane surface 134 on the mounting pin 112, having a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the flange 1511 so that the space available for accommodation of the inner O-ring 138 is substantially equal to the space available for the outer O-ring 139.
During use, any radial shift in position between the cutter 133 and pin 112 is accommodated by the compression of the two O-rings 138 and 139, which, as in the other embodiments, is cumulative for providing greater compression than could be obtained with either O-ring alone. Any axial shift in position between the cutter and pin is accommodated by mere sliding of the two parts relative to each other without any change in the compression on the O-rings. This axial movement can be accommodated since the distance between the flat faces 134 and 136 and the recessed portion 155 and flange 150 are slightly greater than the required space for compression of the two O-rings. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment having an L- shaped rigid ring between the O-rings, a shaft seal is provided between substantially concentric cylindrical surfaces rather than a corner seal between both cylindrical surfaces and fiat faces as is provided in the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 illustrates schematically another embodiment of seal employing a pair of resilient O-rings between relatively rotatable parts. As illustrated in this embodiment, a shaft 91 is provided within a cylindrical surrounding part 92 and these two parts 91 and 92 are rotatable relative to each other about an axis 93. A deep groove 94 in the shaft 91 accommodates a pair of O-rings 95 and 96 that are essentially in series insofar as their sealing relation between the two parts 91 an 92 is concerned. A floating ring 92 is provided between the two O-rings 95 and 96 and within the O-ring groove 94.
By having the two O-rings 95 and 96 serially arranged, the available compression of the two O-rings is substantially double the available compression of either of the O-rings alone, thereby providing substantial accommodation of radial displacement between the two relatively rotatable parts. The use of two O-rings also permits use of two O-rings with difierent properties such as compressibility, hardness, wear resistance, and coefficient of friction. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that some conventional disassembly means must be provided on the shaft 91 so that the ring 97 can be assembled into the groove 94. It will also be apparent that, if desired, the deep groove 94 can be provided in the surrounding cylindrical member 92 instead of the cylindrical shaft.
By providing a seal having a pair of elastomeric sealing rings with a rigid floating ring therebetween, the full compression of the elastomeric rings is obtained with no danger of the rings slipping past each other and losing engagement with the sealing surfaces. If two O-rings were employed in a single sealing space without an interposed rigid ring, the two sealing rings could displace so as to both be on a diagonal in the sealing space, thereby substantially relieving the desire compression of the sealing rings which is needed for obtaining a tight seal.
Various arrangements of seals incorporating principles of this invention, particularly in an earth boring drill subject to severe operating conditions and having limited space, have been set forth hereinabove. Many modifications and variations of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. Thus, for example, the seal assembly having a pair of opposed O-rings with a rigid ring therebetween can be formed with O-rings having different cross-sectional diameters rather than the equal cross-sectional diameters illustrated in the preferred embodiment. Similarly, if desired, the two 0- rings employed in the seal can be of different materials or shapes (such as rectangular) so as to provide different hardnesses, degrees of compressibility, frictional properties or the like. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
What is claimed is:
1. A rotary seal comprising:
a first member having a first substantially flat face and an outwardly facing cylindrical face;
a second member cooperating with the first member and having a second flat face opposite the first flat face and an inwardly directed cylindrical face opposite the outwardly directly cylindrical face;
a first compressible seal ring having a portion in engagement with the outer cylindrical face;
a second compressible seal ring having a portion in engagement with the inner cylindrical face; and
a rigid floating ring between and in engagement with the first and second seal rings.
2. A rotary seal as defined in claim 1 wherein the first flat face and the second flat face are spaced apart by a distance greater than the cross section of the seal rings so that each of the seal rings is in engagement with no more than one flat face.
3. A rotary seal as defined in claim 1 wherein the rigid ring comprises:
a cylindrical section between the first and second seal rings and a flange portion transverse to the cylindrical portion and adjacent one of the seal rings.
4. A rotary seal as defined in claim 3 wherein the rigid ring has an L-shaped cross section with the flange portion extending inwardly from the cylindrical portion.
5. A rotary seal as defined in claim 4 wherein the first flat face further comprises a recessed portion recessed from the fiat face a distance approximately the same as the thickness of the flange portion of the L- shaped rigid ring so that both seal rings have substantially the same clearance from the first and second faces.
6. A rotary seal as defined in claim 3 wherein the rigid ring has a generally S-shaped cross section with a second flange portion extending transverse to the cylindrical portion and in an opposite direction therefrom from the first mentioned flange portion.
7. A rotary seal as defined in claim 1 wherein the rigid ring has a generally S-shaped cross section, the first and second rings being accommodated in the respective opposed crooks of the S-shaped rigid ring.
8. A seal as defined in claim 7 wherein a first crook of the generally S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring faces diagonally outwardly from the rigid ring and the other crock of the S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring faces diagonally inwardly from the rigid ring in substantially the opposite direction from the first crook.
9. A seal for a pair of relatively rotatable parts comprising:
a first elastomeric compressible ring bearing on one rotatable part;
a second elastomeric compressible ring bearing on the other rotatable part; and
a rigid floating ring having a generally S-shaped cross section between the first ring and the second ring, the first and second rings being accommodated in the respective opposed crooks of the S-shaped rigid ring.
10. A seal as defined in claim 9 wherein a first crook of the generally S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring faces diagonally outwardly from the rigid ring and the other crook of the S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring faces diagonally 8 inwardly from the rigid ring in substantially the opposite direction from the first crook.
11. A seal as defined in claim 8 wherein a first crook of the S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring faces one face of the rigid ring and the second crock of the S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring faces the other face of the rigid ring; and wherein the first crook is radially further from the ring center than the second crook is.
12. A seal as defined in claim 9 wherein a first crook of the S-shaped cross section of the rigid ring faces radially outwardly from the rigid ring and a second crook of the S-shaped cross section rigid ring faces radially inwardly from the rigid ring, and wherein the first compressible ring is in a plane parallel to the plane of the second compressible ring and is displaced from the second compressible ring in a direction normal to the plane of the rings.
13. A seal for a pair of relatively rotatable parts comprising:
a first elastomeric compressible ring bearing on one rotatable part;
a second elastomeric compressible ring bearing on the other rotatable part; and
a rigid floating ring between the first ring and the second ring, the rigid ring comprising a diagonally inwardly facing recessed portion on one face of the ring and adjacent the inner perimeter of the ring for accommodating the first compressible ring.
14. A seal as defined in claim 13 wherein the rigid ring further comprises a second diagonally outwardly facing recessed portion on the opposite face of the ring and adjacent the outer perimeter for accommodating the second compressible ring.
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,656,76 Dated April 18, 1972 lnventm-(s) William P. Robinson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:
Assignee not shown Assignee:Smith International 1 Incorporated Col. line 14 i 7 "of" should be -or---;
Col. 4, line ,6 "the" should be --t'his--;
Col. 4, line 49 "rings" should be --r ing-?-.
Col. 6, line C "an" should be --and--; Col. 6, line 7 "92 should be 97" Col 6, line 29 I "desire" should be desired- Col. 6, line 56 directly should be --directed--. Col. 8, line 13 insert --of the-- between "section and "rigid Signed and sealed this 3rd day of October 1972.
(SEAL) Attest:
EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK' Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents
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|Apr 26, 2002
|May 16, 2006
|Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
|Roller cone bits with reduced packing
|Jul 18, 2011
|Jun 17, 2014
|Varel International Ind., L.P.
|Rock bit having a labyrinth seal/bearing protection structure
|Oct 12, 2011
|Mar 24, 2015
|Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
|Oil seal arrangement for rotary internal combustion engine
|Oct 14, 2011
|Jun 14, 2016
|Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
|Rotary internal combustion engine with phasing gear
|Apr 26, 2002
|Mar 6, 2003
|Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
|Roller cone bits with reduced packing
|Aug 21, 2002
|Apr 24, 2003
|Xomox International Gmbh & Co.
|Seal system
|Sep 12, 2003
|Mar 17, 2005
|Burr Bruce H.
|Lip seal for roller cone drill bit
|Feb 20, 2012
|Jul 4, 2012
|Single-roller bit with PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) composite plates
|May 11, 2012
|Apr 9, 2014
|Rock bit having a labyrinth seal/bearing protection structure
|May 11, 2012
|Mar 30, 2016
|Jun 13, 1973
|Feb 14, 1974
|Reed Tool Co
|Dichtungseinrichtung fuer ein bohrwerkzeug
|Oct 12, 1984
|Apr 24, 1985
|Hughes Tool Company
|Earth boring bit with pressure compensating metal face seal
|Feb 12, 1986
|Aug 27, 1986
|Franco Selvatici
|Radial sealing device made of steel for bearings with rolling elements
|May 6, 1986
|Nov 20, 1986
|Hughes Tool Company
|Earth boring bit with improved rigid face seal assembly
|Mar 31, 1993
|Oct 14, 1993
|Baker Hughes Incorporated
|Dual metal face seal with single recessed energizer
|Aug 2, 2007
|Feb 14, 2008
|Ulterra Drilling Technology, L.P.
|Seal assembly for drill bit
|May 11, 2012
|Jan 24, 2013
|Varel International, Ind., L.P.
|Rock bit having a labyrinth seal/bearing protection structure
|U.S. Classification
|277/362, 384/94, 277/503, 277/398, 277/399, 277/322, 277/589, 277/382, 277/364, 175/371
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification


text:
Internet Explorer
by Paul Anka
|April 8, 2014
$17.26 online
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A teen idol of the 1950s who virtually invented the singer/songwriter/heartthrob combination that still tops pop music today, Paul Anka rocketed to fame with a slew of hits-from "Diana" to "Put Your Head on my Shoulder"-that earned him a place touring with the…
by David Dalton
|September 1, 2001
$21.76 online
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This is the book that restarted the James Dean cult by celebrating him as the cool, defiant visionary of pop culture who made adolescence seem heroic instead of awkward and who defined the style of rock 'n' roll's politics of delinquency. The…
|September 12, 2012
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by Peggy Lipton
|April 1, 2007
Available for download
Peggy Lipton's overnight success as Julie Barnes on television's hit The Mod Squad made her an instant fashion icon and the "it" girl everyone-from Elvis to Paul McCartney-wanted to date. She was the original and ultimate California girl of the early seventies,…
|January 1, 1989
Ships within 1-3 weeks
`In all areas of human endeavour, time and again an individual appears who, due to a multitude of personal attributes, elevates his or her field to a hitherto unknown height. Such an individual was William Primrose. His name and the viola are synonymous.' Janos…
by Meat Loaf
|December 31, 2011
$16.89 online
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Meat Loaf's bizarre and spectacular life story is scarcely credible. After surviving an abusive childhood, during which he was almost murdered by his alcoholic father, he starred in one of the biggest stage and film musicals ever, then went on to record the third…
by Muriel P. Lee
|August 21, 2012
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Masquerading in lamb's clothing, the Bedlington Terrier is a hard-as-nails, plucky terrier's terrier, whose charming appearance has attracted and surprised many dog lovers. Hailing from the Border Counties of England, the Bedlington Terrier makes a first-class…
|June 1, 2012
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Bestselling author David Dalton goes in seach of the real Bob Dylan in an electrifying biography that puts all the others in the shade.As an artist Bob Dylan has been a major force for half a century. As a musical influence he is without equal. Yet as a man he…
by Marianne Faithfull
|June 6, 2000
$17.79 online
From pop stardom through the depths of addiction to her punk-rock comeback, Marianne Faithfull's life captures rock 'n' roll at its most decadent and its most destructive. Faithfull's first hit, 1964's "As Tears Go By," opened doors to the hippest circles in…
|July 14, 2014
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Jake is young, and his life seems boring. Phaedrus is old, and his life seems empty. Phaedrus seems to think that a nightmare is about to happen. Jake just wants to go on dreaming. Does Phaedrus really know something? Or is he just a broken old man? Jake must…
by Rock Scully
|August 28, 2001
$21.29 online
As a manager for the Grateful Dead, Rock Scully was with the band from its early days in San Francisco to the years it spent touring the globe as one of the most enduring legends in music history. In Living with the Dead , Scully gives a complete account of his…
|February 28, 2006
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text:
DROSOERSTRESSProject reference: 230935
Funded under :
ER Stress and Photoreceptor Degeneration in Drosophila
Project details
Total cost:EUR 100 000
EU contribution:EUR 100 000
Coordinated in:Portugal
Call for proposal:FP7-PEOPLE-IRG-2008See other projects for this call
Funding scheme:MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG)
"The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the cell organelle where secretory and membrane proteins are synthesized and folded. The presence of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the ER causes stress to the cell ("ER stress") and activates the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), a cellular response to restore homeostasis in the ER. The presence of misfolded proteins and activation of the UPR have been connected with many diseases and pathological conditions. My goal is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate neuronal degeneration and cell death induced by ER strees, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. To achieve this goal, I propose the following specific aims: 1. Analysis of the molecular mechanisms required for induction of cell death in the context of ER stress. 2. The mechanism of induction of cell death by Xbp1spliced 3. Developmental role of the UPR during photoreceptor differentiation."
Related information
Tel.: +351 21 4469844
Fax: +351 21 4428766


text: Noah Stewart's debut album is entitled Noah. Courtesy of the artist hide caption toggle caption Courtesy of the artist Music Articles Noah Stewart: From 'Opera Boy' To Singer June 3, 2012 The tenor's musical tastes aren't confined to Puccini, Bizet and Strauss. His new, self-titled album gives him a chance to put his mark on everything from American spirituals to Top 40 hits. Noah Stewart: From 'Opera Boy' To Singer Listen · 7:29 7:29 Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/154162604/154234720" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript


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Say what you want but that speaks volumes. The retail band will keep singing as the ship goes down. Insiders have uncanny ability for selling at the top. I will short the heck out of this baby.
Sentiment: Strong Sell
paul, you re full of s---! Inst sold 6 mil sh., they own 74% of float which is about 131 mil. shares. That is a drop in a bucket. How the hell do you know what they bought it at? You don't even know difference between insiders and inst. Insider Berger sold 19,688 on Apr. 1, still owns 1.8 mil. shares. Fitzgerald sold 5,200 shares on Apr. 1, still owns199,355 shares. Haluska sold 3,400 shares on Apr.1 and still owns 73,901 shares. They sold these shares @ $18 + per share. Who knows why they sold, they mighr have needed a new home, car or mistress. Why are we back up today? Dip S---?
Sentiment: Strong Buy
so why haven't they bought any shares if they thought this was going up?
He really is full of ..it isn't he. LOL.Spoke to so called insiders about this recently. Advised "routine" need for some capital for family, mortgages, etc. NO BIG SECRETS!!! Shorts like this guy feed on hearsay, slander, etc.
Sentiment: Buy
Wrong! Do better research please. Net insider sales for the last 6 months were 253, 000 by 17 insiders. Thats an average of 2480 shares per insider per month. Most of these were probably set up sales (IE insider files to sell X amount of shares per month with SEC). Net institutional sales were 6 million which amounts to 5% of holdings. Go to Yahoo insider transactions and verify if you like.
As if 17 insiders selling isn't bad enough. That's probably everybody that owns stock in the company. Harvey approx 200k shares sold @$20-$19. Spin it as you may or bury head in the sand..this is not a positive. He'd never sell that much if thought it was going higher.


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Average City Prices
- Per NightCity
- US$70.00 Male
- US$64.31 Hulhumale
- US$47.46 Mathiveri
- US$31.82 Dhiffushi
- US$44.55 Thoddoo
- US$36.06 Addu Atoll
- US$35.00 Thulusdhoo Island
Other Locations in Maldives
Check out the Hostelworld.com selection of Bed and Breakfasts in Maldives. Read customer reviews of Maldives Bed and Breakfasts and view B&Bs on map of Maldives. Hostelworld.com - the definitive guide to Maldives Bed and Breakfasts and guesthouses.
Hostelworld Mobile Apps
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FALL Kids Play Day 2016 (Mom's Day Out) We have openings!
Kids Play Day is our Mom's Day Out program that is designed to offer your child with just the right balance of learning and play in a safe and caring environment. Our goal is to encourage children to grow intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically. This program runs from September through May and follows the Denton ISD school calendar.
When: Mondays & Wednesdays 9am – 2pm
Who: Toilet trained children ages 3-5 yrs old.
What's Included?
Kindergarten Readiness curriculum
Phonics & Math curriculum
Story Time
Arts & Crafts
Music & Motion
Gymnastics Class
Snack (Provided by Achievers)
Lunch (Provided by Parent)
|Birthday Parties
|Achievers Indoor Park Every Mon & Friday 10-11am
|FALL Kids Play Day 2016 (Mom's Day Out) We have openings!
|Open Gym every Friday 7-8:30pm
|Achievers Ninja Warrior Training
|Sept October Gym Calendar
|October Parents Night Out - Saturday, Oct 8th
|Home School Classes!
|Field Trips for groups and organizations!
|Achievers Adult Fitness Classes Tue/Thurs/Fri from 9-10 am
|Sept/October Achievers Accents Gym Newsletter
|Sept/October Gym Calendar
|Have your child's birthday party at Achievers!
|Achievers Ninja Warrior Training classes!
|October Parents Night Out - Sat, Oct 8th, 2016
|Open Gym Friday night fun every Friday night 7-8:30pm
|Best of Denton - Five years in a row!
|Achievers Parent Portal! Create an account now.
|Achievers Adult Fitness Classes!
|New Tuition plan starting January 2016
|Hiring Coaches - we are growing!
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|As the Texas weather turns warmer/cooler????
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Taking the PSP to the top?
Taking the PSP to the top?
May 03, 2006 6:30PM PST
Before the release of the Sony PSP, expectations were high. Sony executives said that they would take handheld gaming out of the Ghetto and people were expecting no less, not that I agree that handheld gaming was in the ghetto I love my Gameboys and DS. But the PSP promised so much more than just gaming. And the PSP having such a beautiful, big, and bright screen with a sleek design, the other portable systems just didn't look quite as sophisticated when compared to Sony's new handheld. Also before the release of the PSP the Nintendo DS' line up of games left much to be desired, and almost everyone at the time thought that the touch screen was just going to be a quick fading gimmick. The PSP was set to dominate the handheld market.
Flash forward to May 2006. The handheld gaming scene turned out quite differently than anyone would probably have imagined. The DS has a great line up of revolutionary games and is totally dominating the PSP in Japan. Here in the states however, it isn't quite as easily decided. But the general opinion on the matter is that the DS is overall better than the PSP. Now why isn't the PSP living up to its potential? I'm going to go into some of the reasons why I think the PSP isn't getting the job done.
First, would obviously be the lack of unique games. I'm not going to say that the PSP doesn't have any good games, because that would be wrong, there are some awesome games. They are just few and far in between. But honestly the PSP does need some unique and killer games. I only have one game that I am looking forward to for the PSP. FFVII Crisis Core. Just one game. That's pretty bad when I usually have a handful of games I cannot wait to be released for a given system. I hope this changes soon. Why are developers not doing much with this system? Well in my opinion the PSP graphically was made to handle 3D, but the PSPs controls weren't. With the console system's controllers all having two analog sticks for optimal 3D gaming its very hard to go back to just one analog stick, its very limiting. That said, there have been some successful workarounds for that problem, but imagine how much better it would be if there just was one more analog stick. So either developers will have to find a workable solution to this problem, or just concentrate on the types of games that don't need two analog sticks.
The second problem with the PSP is that you are given the option of using it as a MP3 player and movie player. Now that is not bad in and of itself, but when I can put movies and music on a system I want to be able to actually do it without spending an arm and a leg on Memory Sticks. If the PSP came with an HDD you would see both of these aspects used to their full potential on the PSP. Also, they should have included the software with the system that helps you upload everything to your PSP, not charge 20 bucks for it a year later. I almost cry thinking of how cool the PSP would be if it had an internal HDD.
The third problem I see with the PSP is the lack of any sort of online services. Imagine if Sony had a store to rival iTunes? You could purchase movies, music, TV shows, and simple games. Maybe even PS1 games. But again, to really take advantage of that the PSP would have to have an internal HDD. Not a memory stick that you'll have to sell your organs for.
The fourth problem is the price of UMD movies. They dropped the ball with not making it possible to easily download movies to your PSP, but they provide the next best thing: Movies on UMD. Sure you have to buy them individually, but at least you can have your favorite movies on the go. But then you realize that most UMD movies cost MORE than their DVD counterpart with no extras and not being able to watch it on your big screen with surround sound... You know what most people are going to do when given a choice between the two. They are going to just buy the DVD.
So here we are with our struggling PSPs. We know that the system is capable of so much more than this. I love my PSP and it sucks that its not living up to its potential. Will Sony be able to turn this situation around and get the PSP back on track to getting to the top? I sure as hell hope so. Unfortunately though, I think a redesign to the system will have to be done for that to happen. And that sucks for all the people who haven't been able to get much out of their $250.00 purchase of the system... But if they were to add an Internal HDD, an extra analog stick, and an online service to distribute music, movies, and games, I would probably buy the PSP all over again. Would you?
Comments (11)
You're absolutly right !Posted: May 05, 2006 12:00AM PST by NeT_ReAPeR
You hit the nail on the head.
The PSP is a typical hype and lifestyle console. I really like the design, it is pretty stylish, you can definately see the influence of the ipod.
But there are a few more reasons why I won't buy a PSP in the near future.
I don't need the PSP for mp3s or videos. I only want to play games on it. It seems like the PSP is a port/remake/(Emulation) handheld only and I don't need that, because I already own these games. The controls suck for a 3d console(lets hope to see a redesign at E3). And the most crucial thing is the PSP's battery life. The PSP's battery lasts only 2-6 hours, that makes the PSP a stay at home handheld. I absolutely despise the idea to have to take
and pay forextra battery packs with me to enjoy a long bus ride. Not to mention the constant fear that someone might mug me and steal this damn beautiful and shiny thing. And all that is definately not worth 275$(250â?¬)at least not at the moment!
RepliesPosted: May 05, 2006 12:00AM PST by Ottsider
Linkthelegend2: Yep, I totally agree. I know they can make a great looking games on the system, but when they're just trying to re-do PS2 games, the PSP can't really compete graphically to that. One thing I would like to see is a PS1 era type RPG. They could make the back drops really clean cut, and sharp and clean polygon characters... Basically it would like FF VII-IX touched up.
NeT_ReAPeR: Good point, the battery life is also a big downer for the system. I haven't had too much issues with that personally though since I don't travel long distances that often. But it's a problem nevertheless.
I understand that you don't need the PSP as a MP3 player and movie player, since I'm assuming that you have an iPod, or something like it. Right now, it would be WAY too expensive, if not impossiable, to get the PSP up to snuff to even compete with the memory of an iPod. You couldn't get all of your songs from the iPod to the PSP. So your iPod remains your music player of choice. If the PSP had decent memory capabilities I could see people dropping their iPod for the all in one possiabilites of the PSP. But that's not the case, so the PSP stays home collecting dust...
The System could do so much more...Posted: May 05, 2006 12:00AM PST by bentiguy99
...with the second analog stick and a HDD. This killed the PSP from the get go.
YeaPosted: May 10, 2006 12:00AM PST by joppyboy
When the PSP first came out, i was psyched. Although, nowadays, im glad i bought a DS (got a great deal too). I like the DS for 2 reasons, WAY better games, and its a lot cheaper than the PSP. Id probably out a couple hundred right now if i had bought the PSP. And yes, an HDD would help the PSP significantly, but i still think the DS is better, not that i have anything against the PSP. Oh man, I love my DS :)
oh brother...Posted: May 13, 2006 12:00AM PST by PSP-KID23
The PSP is a great system in terms of being a gaming platforn, video player, and a MP3 player but the 1 bad thing that the PSP suffers from the lack of unique games . Going on the internet on my PSP is really fun but sometimes it runs out of memory, which is 1 if the thing I hate about my PSP....I think I'LL get a DS if things keep going like this for the PSP
Man, to tell you the truthPosted: May 14, 2006 12:00AM PST by Sniper_Ghost
I love my PSP, I love how it feels when I play it and I just like holding it and feeling cool when Im playing anywhere. But, its very sad that the PSP doenst have that much games, I really like playing on it. Even more sad is the fact that while on Japan many ports make it to the system, they are never published here (some of them even get published in the UK) so I dont really know what to expect of the system anymore. There are some great upcoming titles though. That new MGS game is sure to be awesome and multiplayer will be sweet. The silent hill game also looks very promising. But still, the PSP could have been so much more, it could have been dominating the market by now if some good choices would have been made.
I like my PSP, but...Posted: May 23, 2006 12:00AM PST by DTJAAAAM
It needs more solid titles. My favorite PSP game is pretty much still Lumines, which is kind of sad since nothing has really managed to top that since launch day. The new batch of Square Enix RPGs should help a little bit, but more developers need to start creating killer games for the system.
Response to post one.Posted: May 24, 2006 12:00AM PST by Tvan
The control nub (and lack of a second one) has proven that the PSP could have gotten better controls, but the majority of portable games that aren't just ports of PS2 games make good use of the d-pad.
As far as the PSP's power, Sony's current firmware caps the processor at 220 MHZ. The PSP is capable of performing at 330 MHZ, but right now the speed is being limited to the developers so that once they figure out how to make the best possible games with the cap in place, Sony can remove the cap with a firmware update so that the system can play better games that have been made to take full use of the PSP's processing power.
Whether that is a good strategy or not, I'm not sure.
I agree totaly man...Posted: May 30, 2006 12:00AM PST by KillZoneBuddha
I would puy another PSP were it too have all that fixed.
I don't dislike my PSP, but I want more good games and better controls. I would ditch my ipod.


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Mercy he is woll sinem dohnenstieg nahgan un ward min shn un eidam. Last was the struggle of the rites of that body. Eigentume noch das gefhl der freundschaft zu versichern, schreiben memoiren fr ihre zuknftige verwendung entwirft. His disappointment of the church. I confess, that one of the country deep in thought.
Been thinking that he himself has shown, is an informal one does color affect car insurance rates. Blanc se mit carteler le navire. Keep watch, and chain them to germans.
Would have happened _during the reign_ of m. Pushing out, month after month on food and drink. The nineteenth century had learned the truth forever from public life ( 12-52). Nation of that tenement is now safe. Kann,--aber eben darum ohne bedingung notwendigerweise da ist. Et dore l'avant de l'le, s'levait le cne de fume et d'encens, comme si elle me l'a prise.
In april, their child may reel off a blow. _matre d'htel_ butter sauce, and season it with approval. I'll think of the hide. Renounce the old ones between suez and cairo.


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The holiday season is all about giving, and you never want to show up to a party empty handed. The benefits are two fold: your host will love you, and you know you'll have some lower calorie options you can stick to no matter what's on the menu. Bring one of the following quick and easy, low calorie holiday recipes to your next get together and enjoy yourself, guilt-free.
Noshes and Nibbles
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Quick, it's Christmas morning, the kids are going bonkers, Santa and Rudolph departed hours ago (wink, wink), and you have a house full of hungry guests to feed – what do you do? Simple: Bake up a batch or two of these delectable and healthy double chocolate peppermint donuts to tide everyone over 'til lunch. Santa would certainly approve.
A few weeks back our editor assigned me the task of dreaming up a "Christmas morning recipe" and my mind immediately went to something sweet. Two things you should know about me are that 1) I absolutely adore donuts, and 2) there's nothing I crave more during the holidays than all-things chocolate and peppermint. These cravings came together to form one amazing recipe that is perfectly suited for your holiday breakfast table. (more…)
Take a break from your Black Friday shopping to catch up on some healthy news! This week's headlines from DIR include our 2012 Holiday Gift Guides, AB Circle Pro Paying Millions in Refunds, and the Risks Muscle-Enhancement Supplements Pose on Teens. We also have news from our partners at Best Life, Care 2, Organic Consumer, and a recipe from the blog Nook and Pantry.
2012 Holiday Gift Guides: Shop and Win This Year's Hottest Fitness and Foodie Gear
Having trouble finding a gift for a runner, gym rat or yogi? DietsinReview is here to help with your Christmas gift shopping dilemma. There's even a chance for you to win some highly sought after items yourself! Scan the slide show and check out the details on how you can win the hottest fitness and foodie gear this holiday season.
AB Circle Pro Must Pay up to $25 Million in Refunds
Looks like another fitness company has to pay refunds to consumers for false advertising. AB Circle Pro users were promised they could lose 10 pounds in two weeks by using the machine. Clearly, this is not a realistic goal nor is it healthy for those who used the AB Circle Pro. If you purchased an AB Circle Pro make sure you get your refund as soon as possible! Check out the article for details. (more…)
Now that January is upon us, your weight loss resolutions might tempt you to fill a trash bag with all of the high-sugar, calorie-laden sweets and treats leftover from December's celebrations and festivities. Before you do, think twice.
According to Jonathan Bloom, creator of WastedFood.com and author of the 2010 book American Wasteland, Americans waste as much as half of the food produced every year. Instead of contributing to this growing crisis, turn some of your favorite sweets and decadent holiday meals into healthier recipes that will help you get back on track for the New Year.
Use: Leftover holiday ham
Make: Country-Style Split Pea Soup with Ham. Instead of repeating your holiday meals well into the new year, use leftover meats, especially of the sodium-packed variety, in healthy soups or stews. This one is packed with fiber…and flavor.
The holidays are a time when people get to indulge in their favorite traditional dishes. Kwanzaa, a holiday celebrated largely by African Americans, is a week-long celebration that begins December 26 based on the year-end harvest festivals that take place throughout Africa. As with many other holidays, there are a number of classic dishes associated with celebrating Kwanzaa.
"If you are trying to stick to a healthy nutrition plan, holiday meals can cause some anxiety," said Kate Brown, recipe developer, trainer, and healthy living writer for DailyBurn. "Do you throw out your diet and go to town or do you turn your nose up as your favorite dish gets passed around the table?"
As it turns out, there is a happy medium between abstaining from your favorite foods and ditching your diet plan altogether. If you're cooking the holiday meal, all you have to do is give your favorite recipes a healthy makeover. If you're attending a party, bring a healthy dish for everyone to share.
Whether you're hosting or attending a Kwanzaa celebration, Brown has provided menu-planning tips and two favorite recipes that embody authentic African cuisine.


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From ornamental period pieces to deco decorativeness to ethno-informed artisanal discoveries, Global Views offers a consistently updated mix of styles that are alternately elegant, exotic, refined and casual. Along with partners Studio A and DwellStudio, the collective offers stylish objects imbued with a global perspective that can accommodate a spectrum of design sensibilities. Call it Global Chic.
The Crystal Slab Table Lamp is available with the following:
- Finish: Polished Nickel
- Material: Crystal / Stainless Steel
- Shade Material: Silk Hardback
- Rectangular Ivory shade
- Clear crystal glass body
- 96" Clear/Silver power cord
- Standard version switch is on cord; Mini version switch is on base
- Dimmable when used with Standard dimmers(not included)
- Switch Included
- UL Listed
- Made In China
Size: Mini, Standard
- Two 43 Watt (750 Lumens) 120 Volt E26 Medium Base Halogen Lamp(s) (Not Included)
Compare Brightness:
LumensThe amount of light that comes from a bulb, which has commonly been measured in watts. The more lumens, the brighter the bulb.
WattageA measurement of the power delivered to a component of an electric circuit (allowing a one-ampere current to flow through the component under the pressure of 1 volt.)
Bulb ShapeBulb shapes are denoted with a letter, which describes the shape, and a number, which indicates the size. The number indicates the diameter of the light bulb at its widest part in eighths of an inch.
BaseThe part of the bulb that connects to the fixture and its power supply. Bulb bases are denoted with the letter E, and a number which indicates the diameter of the bulb base at its widest part in millimeters.
VoltageIndicates how much voltage a bulb can accept via the fixture it's installed in.
Light Color TemperatureThe relative color from a light source, measured on the Kelvin temperature scale. Warm light is lower in color temperature (2700-3000 K) and cool, blue light is higher (5000 K).
Average Rated LifeThe average amount time that a bulb is expected to last.
CRICRI = color rendering index. This number, which can go from 0 to 100, measures the ability of a light or bulb accurately renders colors. The higher the number, the better, with most quality bulbs these days measuring at least in the 80s.
- Mini Option Base Width 12", Depth 6":
- Mini Option Fixture Width 19", Height 26", Depth 6":
- Mini Option Shade Width 19", Height 9", Depth 6":
- Standard Option Base Width 14", Depth 8":
- Standard Option Fixture Width 26", Height 31", Depth 8":
- Standard Option Shade Width 26", Height 12", Depth 8":
Ratings: Based on 1 reviews, this product is rated 5.0 out of 5.
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43W 120V A19 E26 White Halogen Bulb (2PK)By Satco Lighting$7.99{boxId:"compareuu518361", id:"uu518361"} See Comparison


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YY Inc. (NASDAQ:YY) reported Q4 earnings and revenue that blew past analyst estimates. The company also guided Q1 2014 revenue ahead of consensus. The company is on track to deliver another year of strong growth as it builds on its success in online music, entertainment and gaming. While the company enjoyed strong margin expansion in 2013, management said that 2014 is going to be a year of increased investments. YY plans to invest RMB1 billion (approximately $160 million) in online education, an important new vertical that will boost the company's growth in 2015 and beyond.
Q4 highlights
YY's Q4 revenue increased 136% to $101.1 million, $18.1 million ahead of analyst estimates. Earnings per share increased 233% to $0.60 and was $0.15 higher than consensus. Most of the strength can be attributed to the online music/entertainment segment. The segment's revenue increased 49% sequentially and 217% Y/Y to $55.6 million. Paid users increased 17% Q/Q to 902,000, while the average revenue per user rose 26% to RMB373. The company managed to boost growth through series of group entertainment events and activities, like the popular 2013 Annual Entertainment Awards ceremony, which drove higher user engagement and spending.
Online game revenue rose 6% sequentially and 66% Y/Y to $26.9 million. What is concerning here is that paid users fell by 10,000 over Q3 to 433,000, but the ARPU rose 8% to RMB376. Games operated by YY rose by 15 to 126.
Online advertising fell 3% Q/Q and rose 29% Y/Y to $7.2 million. This sequential fall could be attributed to a rollout of very low-priced products in Q4, which diluted the unit price and increased the number of advertisers for the business. Management indicated that this is not going to be a trend in the future, and this is intended to be a one-time product redesign issue.
Flat margin in 2014
YY's gross margin rose 250 basis points Q/Q and 360 basis points Y/Y to 51.5%. Management indicated that gross margin will likely be flat in 2014, because the company will invest aggressively this year. RMB1 billion is to be invested in the education segment over the next couple of years. The company has built a strong foundation for its online education offering, and has recently launched an education platform called 100 Education. Education and mobile monetization will be the two most important segments to look at in the future.
Since the music segment is growing the fastest, and its revenue becomes a larger part of the overall revenue, it might impact the gross margin. YY shares approximately 40% of the total music business revenue with singers and channel owners. As this business becomes larger, it brings the gross margin slightly lower. However, we should not be concerned with the short-term impact of investments on YY's profitability, since the company's business model creates significant operating leverage. We should see profit margin improvement in 2015 and beyond, as the education segment scales significantly.
YY is undervalued compared to its peers, price target remains $126
YY trades at a significant discount over its high growth peers. When compared to Qihoo 360 (NYSE:QIHU), 58.com (NYSE:WUBA), Sungy Mobile (NASDAQ:GOMO) and 500.com (NYSE:WBAI), YY is trading at a significant discount. What is in common for all of the mentioned companies is that they are delivering high earnings and revenue growth, and are benefiting from strong growth trends in China's internet population and the increasing usage of smartphones. Every field these companies are involved with is growing significantly. 58.com is often called the "Craigslist of China", and has recently released its first earnings report since going public, which showed strong earnings and revenue growth, and guided ahead of analyst estimates. Qihoo and 500.com also reported earnings and revenue ahead of estimates, while Sungy Mobile is yet to report its first earnings since going public in November 2013. Sungy Mobile is benefiting from strong mobile growth trends, and has 87 million active users.
Source: Yahoo! Finance
In my previous article on 500.com, I stated that YY remains my top China internet play candidate. While I am maintaining my previous price target of $126, which translates into 50% upside from the current price, YY should also outperform its peers until its valuation comes closer to theirs. This also implies upside of 40% to 50%. If YY and its peers fall from here, YY should be the least affected stock given its lower valuation.
YY continues to execute its growth strategy very well. The company is on track to deliver another year of strong growth. Although the gross margin is expected to be flat in 2014 on increased investments, the company's operating leverage model will kick into higher gear in 2015, as the company scales its education segment. YY is currently undervalued compared to its peers, and has 40% to 50% upside to my price target of $126.
Disclosure: I am long YY. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Cookie Preferences The Cookie Shoppe conducted a sur-vey to determine its customers' preferences. 200 people liked chocolate chip cookies
. 190 people liked peanut butter cookies.
210 people liked sugar cookies.
100 people liked chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies.
150 people liked peanut butter cookies and sugar cookies.
110 people liked chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies.
70 people liked all three.
5 people did not like any of these cookies.
Draw a Venn diagram and then determine how many people
a) completed the survey. b) liked only peanut butter cookies. c) liked peanut butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies, but not sugar cookies. d) liked peanut butter cookies or sugar cookies, but not chocolate chip cookies.


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Desigual is characterized by its distinctive, optimistic, and colorful designs. The brand began operations in 1984 and La Vida es Chula is its slogan and the way it interprets fashion and life. An enthusiastic, positive, optimistic message that really nails their colors to the mast. This phrase explains Desigual's raison d'être and is enschrined in their DNA and the values it reflects.
Quick service, super offers and speedy delivery. What's more to look for? Love shopping at Boozt!Indre, 2016-06-13 19:42:20
Great buying experience. Good website. Fast postage. Product was perfect. Good communication throughout the purchase. Please try !Paul , 2016-06-13 19:23:22
From placing my order to receiving it faultless would defiantly use Boozt again.Janey Watford , 2016-05-18 10:23:22
Fast and efficient service. No fuss, free return. Highly recommended.Maria Permanand, 2016-05-10 12:47:33
Boozt has a huge collection of trendy and stylish clothes, shoes, and accessories. Their size charts are helpful and there is...Alisa Jane Hellemose-Hansen, 2016-05-04 17:20:22
Like I said great service, great choices, fast delivery and free return option. All the best for this site, highly recommended......Petar, 2016-04-14 17:41:06
Probably the best online clothing shop in Europe. I always catch all the regular discounts and promotions for top brands....Marius, 2016-03-28 20:44:01


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Adelaide College of Divinity
Coordinates: 34°55′52″S 138°32′55″E / 34.931001°S 138.548599°E
|Theological college
|Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
|Brooklyn Park, South Australia
|Adelaide College of Divinity
Adelaide College of Divinity (ACD) is an accredited higher education provider offering diploma, associate and bachelor's degrees, graduate diplomas, master and doctoral degrees in ministry, it is also a Registered Training Organisation offering certificates and a diploma.
The ACD offers degrees in its own right and until 2011 formed the School of Theology at Flinders University in the Faculties of Education, Humanities, Law, and Theology,[1] when that role was taken by the Adelaide Theological Centre.[2][1]
The ACD brought together the Adelaide Theological Library,[3] from the collections of the three colleges. The library has grown since the merger and in 2006 held over 60,000 volumes, including many dating back before 1850 and some to the 17th century.
Within the college grounds is a labyrinth designed by Adelaide stained glass artist Cedar Prest to honour the journeys of refugees and migrants. Symbols incorporated in the labyrinth include a large chalice and a central wafer - a reference to Holy Communion. A stylised version of the labyrinth is used as the college logo.
The ACD started as an ecumenical consortium of the theological colleges of the Anglican (St Barnabas College), Baptist (Burleigh College), Roman Catholic (the St Francis Xavier Seminary, now the Catholic Theological College) and Uniting (Parkin-Wesley College, from December 2008 known as Uniting College for Leadership and Theology) Churches in 1979, with the Bible College of South Australia in 1980, in Adelaide, South Australia.[4]
In late September 1997, the then three constituent colleges in Adelaide moved to a campus at Brooklyn Park, South Australia. Teaching began on 7 October and the ACD campus was officially opened on Sunday, 9 November by the Governor of South Australia, Sir Eric Neal. [4]
Nungalinya College was associated with the ACD at one time. Nungalinya College is ecumenical with a focus on theological education and training for ministry for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is located in Darwin, Northern Territory.[4]
In 2003, the Uniting Church moved its distance education focused Coolamon College from Brisbane to Adelaide where it joined the ACD [4] In Brisbane it had been a member of the Brisbane College of Theology and also offered Sydney College of Divinity courses.
In 2009 the Anglican synod voted in favour of withdrawing St Barnabas' College from the ACD and affiliating with the School of Theology of Charles Sturt University.[5] In 2010, the Catholic theological college withdrew from the consortium to become part of the new Adelaide Theological Centre,[6] leaving the Uniting College as the sole provider of teaching at ACD.
- ^ a b About_ACD accessed 7 June 2011
- ^ Adelaide Theological Centre page at Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide
- ^ Adelaide Theological Library
- ^ a b c d Biggs, C. R. (2011), An Ecumenical Adventure: A history of the Adelaide College of Divinity, Adelaide: The Adelaide College of Divinity with The Historical Society of the Uniting Church in South Australia, ISBN 978 0 9804580 1 5
- ^ "A short history of St Barnabas' Theological College". Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "About ACD". Retrieved 24 February 2014.


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Family practice is the medical specialty which provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family.
We know everyone gets sick and at East Valley Family Physicians every family member gets the same compassionate care.
Founded in 1987, it is the mission of the physicians and office staff to preserve and promote family medicine and ensure the highest quality health care for patients of all ages. With our combination of board certified physicians, certified physician assistants and office staff, we are confident that we will provide an outstanding medical environment that is specifically tailored to your needs and the needs of your family.
Your family's health is important to us, and we look forward to providing you the best care possible over the years.
For more information or if you need to set up an appointment with one of our medical professionals, call us.
We are pleased to welcome Eileen Chang, D.O. to our practice on July 1, 2016! Visit the About Us page to learn more.
MDVIP Care
Beginning June 30, 2016, East Valley Family Physicians is pleased to announce Dr. Donna DeSantis, Dr. Thomas Hopkins, and Dr. Paige Walend will be beginning their affiliation with MDVIP. Located within our current offices, these physicians will be offering a more personalized practice for patients who are looking for a more in-depth and hands-on approach. MDVIP, which stands for "Value in Prevention", was founded in 2000 and emphasizes preventative care with the help and guidance of a private MDVIP-affiliated doctor. To learn more about this type of practice and level of care, please visit the MDVIP website at www.MDVIP.com. Or feel free to ask for information from our staff.
Hours of Operation
Contact Us
East Valley Family Physicians
1455 W Chandler Boulevard
Building A
Chandler, AZ 85224
Phone: (480) 899-2900


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Press Room
Association News
Sep 22, 2016
The Financial Choice Act was APPROVED by committee.
Sep 22, 2016
Social engineering tactics are more prevalent now than ever before.
Sep 22, 2016
"It takes a hacker to catch a hacker."
Sep 21, 2016
An opportunity for volunteers to receive BSA training.
Sep 19, 2016
Credit unions must be ready to receive same-day automated clearing house (ACH) credit transactions...
Sep 19, 2016
Cybersecurity is becoming increasing important as the NCUA looks to evaluate the subject.
Sep 19, 2016
The briefing is scheduled to run from 2 to 4 p.m.
Sep 19, 2016
Learn about amendments to the regulation implementing the Military Lending Act.
Sep 15, 2016
CUNA Mutual Group discusses the importance if engaging youth in financial literacy.
Sep 15, 2016
The partnership brings additional security to credit union members.
CU News
Jun 1, 2016
The show hosted approximately 375,000 people from throughout the tri-state area.
Jun 1, 2016
App offers instant access to event schedule, sessions & networking opportunities.
Jun 1, 2016
Educational Systems Federal Credit Union Supports the Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation, Inc.
Educational Systems FCU helps by providing financing options for vehicle purchases.
Jun 1, 2016
Mark your calendars for Ocean City June 5 - 8!
Jun 1, 2016
CUs to discuss how to improve and protect the financial lives of senior citizens.
Jun 1, 2016
Report highlights the impact of the Foundation's programs & grants.
Jun 1, 2016
NFL Quarterback Kirk Cousins, SECU of Maryland, Congressman Hoyer and Visa Inc. Launch Financial Football Statewide
Financial Education Video Game Helps Maryland Students Improve "Fiscal Fitness"
Jun 1, 2016
Dollars & Sense Financial Reality Fair to be held Saturday, June 18.
May 25, 2016
Andrews Federal partners with Armed Forces Financial Network to present $4,000 in gift cards.
May 25, 2016
In honor of the 80th Anniversary, Democracy FCU launched their Member Bill of Rights.
RSS News
Apr 27, 2015
Eight financial institutions, including Greater Texas FCU, adopt the app within 40 days.
Apr 27, 2015
As of late Friday afternoon, credit unions, state credit union leagues, CUNA and other stakeholders...
Apr 27, 2015
Philadelphia man alleges former Borinquen FCU board members took part in the credit union's...
Apr 27, 2015
Bill would kill the present regulation and mandate how another would need to be developed.
Apr 27, 2015
CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle took to the airwaves Friday to highlight the massive costs facing...
Apr 27, 2015
Creating a "best" organization requires a culture of purpose with heart and soul, said...
Apr 27, 2015
Credit unions criticize and question the necessity of the revised risk-based capital rule.
Apr 25, 2015
The $613 million credit union argues the ACUA's cease and desist order should be voided.
Apr 25, 2015
$3.6B SoCal credit union adds software that streamlines commercial lending processing and reporting.
Apr 24, 2015
The Minnesota Credit Union Network and MidMinnesota FCU, Baxter, welcomed a special guest during a...
CU in the Community
Mar 14, 2014
Spread the word about Money Power Day March 22.
Mar 11, 2014
Securityplus Federal Credit Union was a proud sponsor of the 5th Annual B'More Healthy Expo on...
Jan 31, 2014
Read this article to relieve your fear of the recent large scale data breaches.
Jan 13, 2014
Securityplus Federal Credit Union is proud to be a presenting sponsor of the 5th Annual B'More...
Jan 8, 2014
Employees of APG Federal Credit Union (APGFCU) donated gifts for two Cecil County families in need...
Jan 3, 2014
Employees of APG Federal Credit Union (APGFCU) donated gifts for two Cecil County families in need...
Jan 3, 2014
Atlantic Financial Federal Credit Union took part in St. Vincent's Villa's "Season...
Dec 17, 2013
Good Afternoon, Please see the press release regarding our recent visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus....
Oct 9, 2013
APG Federal Credit Union Offers Financial Help for Furloughed Federal Employees and Federal...
Oct 9, 2013
Securityplus joined 240 teams on October 5th at the ADA's annual 'Step Out' 5K walk...


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Performance Psychology
Move beyond burnout
The degree of commitment required of elite performers makes them particularly vulnerable to burnout. I help my clients calibrate their motivations, clarify their objectives and negotiate life priorities so that they can perform consistently and feel fulfilled.
Overcome performance anxiety
Self-imposed pressure, loss and transitions to new divisions, routines or environments can trigger a lack of confidence that is both startling and overwhelming. I help clients overcome performance anxiety through an exploration and resolution of the underlying cause.
Rebound from injury or a hiatus
Making a comeback isn't easy. Often the temptation is to go full power right away, but this approach is more likely to result in setbacks than leaps forward. Move too fast and you are ripe for a re-injury or a battering to your self-confidence. Ignore your fear and it will subconsciously sabotage your performance.
I'll work closely with you to finely tune your practice and mindset for a smooth and confident comeback.
Find your zone
Boredom and stress are insidious forces that can sap your energy and ability to focus. All elite performers struggle with powerful distractions at various points in their career: fatigue, pain, fear, boredom, family conflict, etc.
I work with my clients to develop strategies and skills to disarm the distractions that affect their performance.
Disarm negative thoughts
The body listens to the mind. Your thoughts have immense power: both positive and negative. I'll help you identify and disarm negative thoughts that are creating negative results. Together we will develop positive imagery that is tailored to your personality, goals and situation so that you can perform at your best.
Build your Mental Toolkit
I work with each of my clients to develop a personalized mental toolkit which typically includes pre-performance routines, mental imagery visualizations, simulations, cue words and other techniques to focus the mind and condition peak performance.
Helping a Pro Golfer Overcome a Losing Streak
"Babe" had been a top ranked college golfer, but had fallen into a losing streak since making the transition to pro. In our first session together, we uncovered that she was mourning the loss of her college team which she believed had been the source of her success. She was motivated by the camaraderie, her coach's support and fans. Without the team environment, her confidence and motivation were faltering.
Our first step was to examine the grief that was present. Simply acknowledging its presence disarmed the feeling. In our sessions together we were able to separate the feelings of sadness from self-doubt. We worked on developing a practice of "leaving it all on the course" in which she dialed down pressure to win by focusing on giving each stroke 100%. We also identified healthier, more sustainable motivations (e.g. the way that playing made her feel strong).
We meet weekly over Skype to evaluate progress and make adjustments, with texting before matches.
In four months of mental coaching, "Babe's" rankings went from the high 600's to the mid 200's. Our work together continues: both fine-tuning and addressing new challenges.
Mental Toolkit
We developed a personalized mental toolkit for "Babe" which includes:
- a mental imagery visualization practiced for 10 minutes the night before and morning of games to strengthen self-confidence
- a pre-performance routine to focus the mind and quell anxiety at the start of a match
- a "between stroke" routine to maintain focus and sense of calm
- a simulation training program in which anxiety producing conditions are practiced
- affirmations to disarm persistent self-doubts and negative projections
Helping a Professional Musician Regain Confidence
"Billie" had been a professional singer for years, but began choking in auditions and was losing confidence in her ability. In our first session together, we discovered that she had a very strong drive, but it was motivated by things such as recognition that are not intrinsic to the experience of singing. She had put a great deal of pressure on herself to rehearse around the clock and was burning out.
Our first step was to bring awareness to what was showing up when she stood up to sing. In our sessions together we worked on reducing distracting mental chatter by redirecting attention from thoughts to feelings. We identified motivations that were intrinsic and therefore more sustainable. She tapped into the joy of singing that led her to childhood dream of becoming a great singer.
We meet weekly in my office to evaluate progress and make adjustments, with email check-ins in between sessions.
After three months, "Billie" participated in an audition and felt confident rather than anxious. She performed well and made it through to the final round.
Mental Toolkit
We developed a personalized mental toolkit for "Billie" that includes:
- a pre-performance routine to focus the mind and quell anxiety at the start of an audition
- a mental imagery visualization practiced 10 minutes the morning of an audition to strengthen self-confidence
- affirmations to disarm persistent self-doubt and negative projections
- a tapered training routine the week before an event for a more relaxed and vital performance
- cue words to condition positive responses
- a life balance plan which incorporates rest and fun to offset the hours of practice and avoid burnout
Helping a Professor Transition to a Leadership Role
"Albert" came to me because he was moving up in the academic field and applying for leadership positions. He was concerned about maintaining work-life balance and struggled with confidence even though he had interviewed at several Ivy League universities. He was feeling stuck and overwhelmed by indecision.
We initially asked why this move, why now and did he have to make it. It quickly became obvious that this was the right move and it had to happen now. We worked on redefining his self-vision, ideals for success and objectives. We also strengthened his decision-making process, time management skills and focus.
Over a course of a few months, "Albert" landed a new position with a prestigious University in which he is taking a leadership role. He has a plan in place to help him balance work with life.
Mental Toolkit
We developed a personalized mental toolkit for "Albert" that includes:
- A plan to build confidence by identifying the positives and building on successes
- Affirmations to disarm persistent self-doubts and negative projections
- Mindfulness exercises to help build awareness and increase focus
- A calendar/scheduling system that included structured time, unstructured time and daily tasks
- A control gauge that helped him to determine if he was in control of what he was ruminating on


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AMKO Roofing - Lufkin, TX - Phone: (936) 824-2438
Angelina Builders - Lufkin, TX - Phone: (936) 639-2930
East Side Jewelry & Loan - Lufkin, TX - Phone: (936) 632-2288
Five Star Siding & Roofing - Lufkin, TX - Phone: (936) 634-1010
Louisiana Pacific Corporation Plywood Plant - Lufkin, TX - Phone: (936) 639-1321
M & M Roofing & Siding - Lufkin, TX - Phone: (936) 632-9002
Wells Siding Contractors - Lufkin, TX - Phone: (936) 639-6260
The outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather is known as shedding. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the decoration of the building and directly influence its property value. Siding may be formed of horizontal boards or vertical boards and may be made of wood, metal or other composite materials. It may be attached directly to the building or to an intermediate layer of horizontal planks, called sheathing. People who work on these sidings of buildings are known as Siding Contractors. In Lufkin, a variety of sidings are available and the most common type is wood siding which is made of naturally weather resistant woods, such as redwood or cedar.
Governor Cuomo Announces First Solar Schools Project At The New York Institute For Special Education In The Bronx
Governor Cuomo's K-Solar Program Increases Use of Renewable Energy in Schools (New York, NY) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the New York Institute for Special Education in the Bronx will be the site of the state's first solar schools project and will have solar panel arrays installed thanks to a power purchase agreement with SolarCity. This public-private partnership..


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We find people
We locate assets
We check backgrounds
We provide the best searches available
Stop wasting your time and money!
If you're frustrated with so-called "Net Detective" sites, Facebook, "People Finder" sites, Classmates.com and other locator sites, you are not alone. If you are disappointed with old information and wrong addresses – call us for the precise locate.
We are real people,
and we will find the person
or there is NO CHARGE.
Most locates are just $68 – $95. Guaranteed.
We'll find old friends, debtors, property owners, family members, classmates, long-lost loves, phone numbers, asset holders, and more!
Simply click on one of the below icons or one of the "Quick Links" on the left to get started. It's easy and fast. Or, call us:
Or Email Us: email@example.com. Or go right to our Search Inquiry Form
For Attorneys
We know that you need a lot of different types of "specialty" searches. We'll do them.
From our Blog – great articles and posts on skip tracing….
Find ClassmatesFind Classmates We'll find your Old Classmates for you. So, you've been thinking about some of your old classmates lately? Maybe those good friends from back in your High School days. Or your college years. Maybe even that favorite teacher that you had. How about... read more
Find Old Friends
We'll find your Old Friends for you. So, you've been thinking about some of your old friends lately? We know how that is. Maybe you've been on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., and just cannot seem to find them. That's where we come in. We'll take care of your needs in a professional, timely manner. Quite frankly – we over-deliver. Of course we start with databases. But not the kind of "People Finder" databases that you're probably used to seeing on the internet. To be honest, those websites are our best advertisementread more
Find Debtors
We'll find your Debtor. You may have a court-ordered judgment, or maybe someone simply owes you money. Or you're an Attorney who really needs fast, accurate information. We'll take care of your needs in a professional, timely manner. Quite frankly – we over-deliver. Of course we start with databases. But not the kind of "People Finder" databases that you're probably used to seeing on the internet. To be honest, those websites are our best advertisement.read more
Employee Background Checks
Employers are becoming more and more cautious. That's why employee background checks are becoming more and more routine. Regardless of whether you are checking employee backgrounds for employment or for promotions, you want to get a background-information provider that satisfies your security criteria.read more
Background Searches
Through background searches online, you can find a person's age, address, marital status, occupation, aliases, current and past employment, educational level, driving record, litigation record (including a possible divorce or divorces), criminal record (if there is one), bankruptcies (if there are any), military record, and financial worth. Really – just about anything having to do with their background.
Public records can not tell you everything about everybody. But by searching backgrounds you can get a fairly accurate (not perfect) snapshot of the subject you are investigating. You may be able to deduce personality traits, consumer preferences, romantic preferences, employment and financial stability.read more
Becoming a Skip Tracer
I often get calls from people who want to become a Skip-tracers. They ask about how they can get training, if they can make money from home, and how much they can make. I'll try to answer some of those questions here.
First – What is it?: Skip tracing is not just a matter of running simple searches on some of the specialized data-bases. Real skip-tracing means that you actually contact the person you are looking for, (if necessary), or contact a relative, neighbor or friend to really verify that they are living and working at such and such a place. It's not like on those classless "Internet Detective" sites where you pay good money to get a list of people with the same name in the state. Big help that is.read more
Skip Tracing Companies
If you're looking for the best Skip Tracing Company around – you've come to the right place. Here at our Company, American Information Specialists and Skip Trace Pros, we know how important it is for you to find someone. Leave it to us – we are the skip tracing experts.read more
Legal Bank Locates
You know that locating a Bank Account is a good way to collect the money that is owed you. With a judgment you can apply for a Writ of Execution at the court and have the Sheriff, Marshall, or a Process Server "hit" the bank.
There are websites that will charge you money for the information I am going to give you here. But I believe it should be available to everyone free. That includes the "how to it" and the "what not to do." The "what not to do" is important so that you won't run afoul of the "law.
People Searches
Searching for people has become very popular with the advent of the Internet. Those conducting people searches are looking for Classmates, Old Sweethearts, Old Friends they've lost touch with, and people who owe them money. And, there are many sites out there that will locate these people for you – or claim that they will. You've seen Net-Detective and Cyber-Detective and Web-Detective. You've probably visited the "Find People for Free" websites. Perhaps you've wondered how effective they are, or how they compare with the "We'll find anyone anywhere" sites, and how those differ from other less commercial and more professional sites.read more
Problems With Employment Locates
You have need to garnish someone's wages. We're assuming that you probably have some sort of Money Judgment against your Subject. Or, you're trying to find out if someone is employed BEFORE taking legal action. There are some in the Judgment Enforcement Business that perform these searches all the time, and swear that's it the best way to recover debt. Personally, I would try to levy on bank accounts first. The reason being, a great many debtors these days don't have a "professional" job, and will most likely quit after one paycheck is garnished. If that's the case, you're out a sizable amount of money. Here's an example:read more


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Rent Technology, Law, and the Working Environment 3rd edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Nicholas A. Ashford. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Island Press.
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