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Apparatus and methods are described for isolating in a drillstring a device from acoustic noise by introducing between the device and a source of acoustic vibration an noise isolating apparatus, wherein the noise isolating apparatus has adjacent zones of different acoustic impedance. The zones are preferably created by zones of different thickness and designed such that noise suppression occurs in a predetermined range of acoustic frequencies. In a preferred application the apparatus and method is used in combination with drillstring telemetry.
1. A method for suppressing acoustic noise in a drillstring propagating from a source of acoustic vibration towards a telemetry transmitting unit, said method comprising the step of placing between said telemetry transmitting unit and said source of acoustic vibration a noise suppressing section wherein said noise suppressing section comprises adjacent zones of different acoustic impedance such that noise propagation is suppressed in at least one predetermined frequency band, wherein a plurality of drillstring passbands for energy transmission through the drillstring exits due to a periodic structure of the drillstring, said telemetry transmitting unit transmitting telemetry signals to a telemetry receiver at frequencies within a selected drillstring passband, and said predetermined frequency band includes at least a portion of the selected drillstring passband.
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4. An apparatus for suppressing acoustic noise in a drillstring propagating from a source of acoustic vibration towards a telemetry transmitting unit, said apparatus comprising: a noise suppressing unit adapted to be placed between the source of acoustic vibration and the telemetry transmitting unit, the suppression unit including adjacent zones of different acoustic impedance such that noise propagation is suppressed in at least one predetermined frequency band, wherein a plurality of drillstring passbands for energy transmission through the drillstring exist due to a periodic structure of the drillstring, said telemetry transmitting unit transmitting telemetry signals to a telemetry receiver at frequencies within a selected drillstring passband, and said predetermined frequency had includes at least a portion of the selected drillstring passband.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for reducing noise generated by elastic waves travelling through a tubular placed in a wellbore. More specifically, it relates to such noise reducing apparatus and methods for transmitting signals from a subterranean location to the surface using modulated elastic waves, preferably torsional waves.
2. Description of Related Art
Background of the invention is the drilling of subterranean wells. Wells of the type commonly used for hydrocarbon or geothermal exploration are typically less than 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter and on the order of 2 to 8 km (1.5 to 5 miles) long. These wells are drilled using drillstrings assembled from relatively light sections (either 30 or 45 feet long) of drill pipe that are connected end-to-end by tool joints, additional sections being added to the uphole end as the hole deepens.
In addition to this classical method of drilling wells, attempts are made using a continuous reeled drillstring ("coiled tubing) carrying a downhole motor and a drill bit to perform drilling operation. It remains to be seen whether or not these attempts result in a change of drilling technology in the future.
The downhole end of the drillstring typically includes a drill collar, a weight assembled from sections of collar pipes with increasing diameter having an overall length on the order of 300 meters (1000 feet). A drill bit is attached to the downhole end of the drill collar, the weight of the collar causing the bit to bite into the earth as the drillstring is rotated from the surface. Sometimes, downhole mud motors or turbines are used to turn the bit.
Drilling fluid is pumped from the surface to the drill bit through an axial hole in the drillstring. This fluid removes the cuttings from the hole, provides a hydrostatic head which controls the formation gases, provides a deposit on the wall to seal the formation, and sometimes provides cooling for the bit.
Communication between downhole sensors and the surface has long been desirable. This communication is for example an integral part of methods known as Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) and Logging-While-Drilling (LWD). Various methods that have been tried for this communication include electromagnetic radiation through the ground formation, electrical transmission through an insulated conductor, pressure pulse propagation through the drilling mud, and acoustic wave propagation through the metal drillstring. Each of these methods has disadvantages associated with signal attenuation, ambient noise, high temperatures and compatibility with standard drilling procedures.
The most commercially successful of these methods has been the transmission of information by pressure pulse in the drilling mud. However, attenuation mechanisms in the mud limit the effective transmission rate to less than 10 bits per second, even though higher rates have been achieved in laboratory tests.
This invention is directed towards the acoustical transmission of data through the metal drillstring. The history of such efforts is recorded in columns 2-4 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,936, issued Oct. 6, 1981, of Cox and Chancy. As reported therein, the first efforts were in the late 1940's by Sun Oil Company, which organization concluded there was too much attenuation in the drillstring for the technology at that time.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,225, issued May 24, 1966, of E. Hixon concluded that the length of the drill pipes and joints had an effect on the transmission of energy up the drillstring. Hixon determined that the wavelength of the transmitted data should be greater than twice and preferably four times the length of a section of pipe.
In 1968 Sun Oil tried again, using repeaters spaced along the drillstring and transmitting the best frequency range, one with attenuation of only 10 dB/1000 feet. A paper by Thomas Barnes et al., "Passbands for Acoustic Transmission in an Idealized Drillstring", Journal of Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 51, No. 5, 1972, 15 pages 1606-1608, was consulted for an explanation of the field-test results, which were not totally consistent with the theory. Eventually, Sun went back to random searching for the best frequencies for transmission, an unsuccessful procedure.
The aforementioned Cox and Chancy patent concluded from their interpretation of the measured data obtained from a field test in a petroleum well that the Barnes model must be in error, because the centre of the passbands measured by Cox and Chancy did not agree with the predicted passbands of Barnes et al. The patent uses acoustic repeaters along the drillstring to ensure transmission of a particular frequency for a particular length of drill pipe to the surface.
More recent patents related to the background of the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,365, issued Feb. 2, 1982, This patent discloses a system similar to Hixon for transmitting acoustic frequencies between 290 Hz and 400 Hz down a drillstring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,975, issued Jun. 28, 1983, of E. Shawhan, notes that ringing in the drillstring could cause a binary "zero" to be mistaken as a "one". This patent proposes using a delay to allow the transients to ring down before transmitting subsequent data.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,559, issued Dec. 31, 1985, of H. E. Sharp et al, uncovers the existence of "line structure" within the passbands; e.g., "such fine structure is in the nature of a comb with transmission voids or gaps occurring between teeth representing transmission bands, both within the overall passbands." Sharp attributes this structure to "differences in pipe length, conditions of tool joints, and the like." The patent proposes a complicated phase shifted wave with a broader frequency spectrum to bridge these gaps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,901, issued Jul. 7, 1992, of D. S. Drumheller provides further apparatus and methods for transmitting data along a drillstring by use of a modulated continuous acoustical carrier wave centred within a passband of the drillstring. Noise is reduced by multiplying each frequency component of the signal by a factor which depended on the length of the drill pipe section. To eliminate the fine structure of the passbands, echoes are suppressed at each end of the drillstring employing an arrangement of magneto-strictive ring elements as transducers. The method is described to fail for shorter drillstrings with a length of below 3500 feet (1200 m).
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 1687759 A1, apparently describes means for improving the drilling efficiency. A hollow cylinder of composite material is attached to the outer surface of the drillstring. The cylinder is a stack of rings, which absorb elastic wave energy, cause multiple reflections, and disrupt the wave front of an elastic wave. It should be noted that the patent does not relate to the field of downhole data transmission.
The United Kingdom Patent application GB 2311427 provides a mechanical filter to reduce transmission of longitudinal compressional waves along a drill string. The filter a section of tube having relatively compliant walls to which are attached one or more masses via springs. The masses act on the spring to provide high impedance points at particular frequencies.
In view of the above cited prior art it is an object of the invention to provide improved noise reduction and cancellation apparatus and methods for downhole telemetry systems. The system should be compatible with or independent from the various transmission and encoding methods. It is a particular object of the invention to provide such a system for torsional wave telemetry using the drillstring as medium.
The objects of the invention are achieved by methods and apparatus as set forth in the appended independent claims.
Known analysis of the behaviour of stress waves travelling through a drillstring reveals that, when this stress wave encounters a change of impedance (e.g. a change of cross sectional area, or a change of material properties), some of the wave energy will be transmitted through the impedance contrast, and some will be reflected. The amount of reflected energy depends upon the size of the impedance contrast. The effect of impedance changes on the transmission of stress waves along the drillstring can be quite large. For example, the periodic impedance changes caused by the presence of tool joints in a drillstring leads to passbands in the transmission response, as described in the aforementioned patents.
A basic feature of the present invention is to introduce in the drillstring impedance changes of particular sizes and spacing so as to deliberately create stopbands over particular frequency ranges in order to suppress noise in these frequency ranges.
A preferred location for introducing the impedance changes is situated between the drill bit and any device which has to be protected from noise in particular frequency ranges. The device could be a sensitive mechanical, hydraulical, or electrical unit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device is a transducer section which generates telemetry signals or a downhole drillstring sensor. With the transducer section operating in at least one of the created stopbands, noise arising from the drilling process is effectively cancelled from the transmitted signals.
The impedance changes are preferably introduced by means of a baffle sub, i.e., a specifically designed part of the drillstring. It is preferred to have introduce moving parts into the drillstring. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the baffle sub has no parts which move relatively to adjacents parts of the sub. Hence no drilling fluid or debris can enter between moving parts of the baffle and cause friction or other undesired effects.
The width, depth and position of the stop band created by the baffle sub depend upon its geometry, and the drillstring it is connected to. In general, to move the stop band to a lower frequency requires the sub to be longer. The depth of the stop band depends upon both the length of the sub and the size of the impedance contrasts. For torsional waves the impedance contrasts depend upon the ratios of the polar moments of inertia of the different sections of the sub, which are proportional to the radii raised to the power 4. For axial waves the impedance contrasts depend upon the ratios of the cross sectional areas of the sub sections, which are proportional to the radii squared. Hence the stop bands that can be achieved for torsional waves are much deeper than those that can be achieved for axial waves.
Since the sub must be rugged enough to withstand the drilling process, there will be constraints on the minimum outside diameter. The constraints on the maximum outside diameter will be dictated by hole size and well geometry.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the impedance changes are generated by introducing a metal sub of essentially cylindrical shape into the drillstring. Whereas preferably the inner diameter of the sub is constant, its outer diameter varies along the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. By filling void zones in the outer surface of the sub with a suitable material, the outer diameter can be rendered uniform again while preserving the impedance changes.
The presence of other acoustic impedance contrasts in the vicinity of the baffle sub, for example because of other BHA components, will have an effect on the response of the system. It may be desirable to consider the drillstring geometry when designing the sub. In this way the performance can be optimized for a particular bottom hole assembly (BHA). Therefore, it may be advantageous to construct the sub from a number of smaller components of the appropriate lengths and diameters. Thus the geometry of the sub can be easily changed when the BHA is changed.
Without dissipating elements or material in the baffle sub, the energy which is unable to pass the baffle sub is reflected back towards the bit.
These and other features of the invention, preferred embodiments and variants thereof, and further advantages of the invention will become appreciated and understood be those skilled in the art from the detailed description and drawings following below.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a drillstring;
FIG. 2 shows the transmission response of a drillstring for torsional waves;
FIG. 3A shows a schematic cross-section through a drillstring including a baffle sub in accordance with an example of the present invention;
FIG. 3B shows an enlarged view of the baffle sub of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4 shows the transmission response of a drillstring for torsional waves without and with (dashed line) the baffle sub of FIG. 3A; and
FIG. 5 shows an alternative arrangement for the baffle sub within a bottom hole assembly (BHA).
The invention is based on based on the known analysis of wave energy travelling through the drillstring as described for example by D. S. Drumheller in: "The Propagation of Sound Waves in drillstrings", J. Acoust. Soc. Am., Vol. 97, pp. 2116-2125. Wave energy can travel along the drillstring as axial or torsional stress waves. As the analysis shows, the periodic structure of the drillstring gives rise to a band structure leaving distinct frequency bands for energy transmission (passbands) while suppressing energy in other frequency ranges (stopbands). The analysis further shows that the passbands have a fine structure which however is of no concern for the present application.
Any signal transmitting or telemetry process using stress waves along the drillstring as a medium is hampered by the noise which is generated in the drillstring by the drilling process itself. Several attempts to overcome this problem are described in the references cited above. However, none of the known solutions provided the necessary robustness and versatility required under the hostile ambient conditions of a wellbore during a drilling operation. The following examples demonstrate how a the drilling noise can be cancelled from the transmission path used for the telemetry signals.
Basis for the following analysis is a typical drillstring as shown in FIG. 1. The drillstring comprises several sections including a 780 m long section of 5 inch 19.5 lb/ft drill pipe 101, followed by 112 m of 5 inch 50 lb/ft heavy wall drill pipe 102, 100 m of 6 inch drill collar 103 and finally a 100 m long section of 8 inch drill collar 104 terminated by the drill bit 105.
The internal structure of the drillstring gives rise to a transmission response as depicted in FIG. 2. Though the analysis is made for torsional waves, a similar response spectrum can be derived for other wave forms (e.g. axial waves). According to the transmission response of the drillstring signal transmission should be possible in the frequency ranges 0 to 120 Hz (first passband), 180 to 260 Hz (second passband) and above 370 Hz (third passband). Further passband are not considered in the present example but could equally be employed for signal transmission.
Referring now to FIG. 3A, a baffle sub 303 in accordance with the invention is shown. In the example the baffle sub 303 is part of the bottom hole assembly (BHA) 30, located near the end of the 8 inch drill collar section between the signal transmission unit 302 and several measurement-while-drilling (MWD) units 304. The BHA further comprises drill collars 305 and the drill bit 306. The location of the baffle sub is chosen such that during drilling operation the transmission unit 302 is, with respect to the passband used for signal transmission, acoustically isolated from noise stemming from drill bit. More specifically, the baffle sub generates a stopband which at least partly overlaps with the passband used for signal transmission.
The baffle design, as the design for all other apparatus in accordance with the present invention, is apparently dominated by four parameters: the size of the impedance contrasts, the ratio of lengths of the sections with high and low impedance (e.g. thick and thin sections), the absolute length of either of these sections, and the total length of the apparatus or baffle sub.
The depth of the stopband thus generated is controlled by the size of the impedance contrast between the thick and thin sections. As the depth of the stopband increases with the impedance contrast, it can be seen as a first design rule to make this contrast as large as possible. When using a modified drill collar as baffle sub, the freedom to increase the impedance contrast is limited by maximal outer diameter of the drill collar, which is controlled by the well dimension, and its minimal inner diameter, which is limited by the required strength. The absolute values of these limits vary in dependence of well parameters and the material or materials (in case of a composite material)of the sub.
The depth of the stopband also increases as the overall length of the sub increases, leading to a second design rule.
However, the width and position of the stopband(s) is best controlled by using either the absolute width(s) of the section(s) with high or low impedance, respectively, or a ratio of the widths of the section(s) or a combination of both methods.
The positions of the stopbands can be calculated for a periodic structure using for example the method taught by T. G. Barnes and B. R. Kirkwood in: Passbands for Acoustic Transmission in an Idealized Drill String, J. Acoustic. Soc. Am. Vol. 51(2), pp. 1606-1608. Following this method, the following expression for the phase of a torsional wave can be obtained:
where c is the wave speed and ω is the frequency (in radians per second). The lengths l1 and l2 denote the lengths of the two section with different impedance, and the radii ri denote inner and outer radius of the two sections, respectively (for details see FIG. 3B).
Stopbands occur when |cos W|<1. In general, the depth of the stopbands increases with the number of repeated units in the periodic structure, and with increasing impedance contrast between the two sections. If lt is the total length of the repeated unit, i.e., lt=l1+l2, then for any given number of r0 to r3 the maximum attenuation in the stopbands occurs when l1=l2.
Referring to FIG. 3B, details of the baffle sub 303 are shown in FIG. 3B. The sub is produced from two eight inch (i.e. r3=20 cm) drill collars. The total length of the sub is 20 m. Four circumferential grooves 307 are cut into the outer surface of the sub. The grooves have a uniform depth of approximately two inches (5 mm). The width, i.e. l1, of the grooves and their mutual distance (l2) is four meters. The inner radii (i.e. r0 and r1) in the given example are equal (4 cm), although in general they might differ as indicated in FIG. 3B. In accordance with the description above, the location of the stopband is controlled by the width of the grooves and the distance between two adjacent grooves. For some applications, it may be advantageous to fill the grooves with an epoxy resin.
After introduction of the baffle sub, the shape of the transmission response alters. This effect is illustrated by FIG. 4, which compares the original response function 40 with the new response function 41. Notably, the second passband is reduced on average by approximately 30 dB.
Even though the above example refers to torsional wave suppression, it is immediately obvious that the apparatus according to the present invention with little adaptation applies to compressional wave suppression and can be advantageously used in other fields which require an acoustic isolation between two or more sections of the drillstring, e.g. look-ahead seismic measurements.
In FIG. 5, there is shown an arrangement 50 more suitable for look-ahead seismic measurements. In this arrangement, the baffle sub 503 is located between the drill bit 506 and the MWD section 504 so that acoustic energy reflected from the formation and detected using receivers within the MWD section is not contaminated by acoustic noise travelling along the drillstring
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Maricopa County, Phoenix police aim to close cases
PHOENIX -- Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is announcing a new collaborative effort with the Phoenix Police Department to solve cold homicide cases.
The announcement comes on the heels of a recent first-degree murder indictment in a 30-year-old unsolved crime in the Phoenix area. Twenty-five-year old Karen Casanova was killed in January 1982. DNA tests that weren't available at the time helped track down a suspect who has now been arrested.
Montgomery and Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia say the indictment is the first to come from a new partnership between the two agencies focusing on closing some of the metro area's 2,500 unsolved homicide cases dating back to the 1950s.
Both say the goal is aimed at bringing closure to the victims' families and delivering justice to the criminals.

subset: commoncrawl


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Zimmerman shines in return to third base
By Daniel Popper
WASHINGTON — During the past month, Ryan Zimmerman has more or less said farewell to third base — the position he manned exclusively for his first nine seasons with the Nationals.
The former Gold Glove-winning third baseman started 25 of 26 games in left field after he returned from a fractured right thumb on June 3. The only game Zimmerman didn't start in left field during that span was his first start of the season at first base on June 15 at the Cardinals.
But on Monday against the Rockies, Bryce Harper was reinstated from the disabled list after missing 57 games due to a torn left thumb ligament. And with the 21-year-old slugger reclaiming his spot in left field, Zimmerman returned to third base for the first time since April 12, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in a 7-3 win.
"It's definitely going to take some adjustment," Zimmerman said. "I still have a lot of work to try to get back where I want to be. But it felt okay."
In the top of 7th inning, Zimmerman made a play that illustrated what kind of ability he still possesses at the hot corner.
With pinch-hitter Corey Dickerson on first base and one out, center fielder Corey Dickerson hit a soft line drive off the end of his bat down the third-base line. Zimmerman took one step to his right, slid and caught the ball cleanly just before it hit the dirt. He then quickly jumped to his feet and fired a one-hopper across the diamond to double up Dickerson, ending the inning.
"I would say it was impressive if I hadn't seen it like 500 other times," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "He's a good third baseman. There's no doubt about that."
Ian Desmond punishes intentional walks
By Andrew Simon
WASHINGTON — The Rockies faced a difficult choice in the sixth inning of Monday's game at Nationals Park, as Bryce Harper trode to the plate with runners at second and third and one out in a 2-2 game. They could have right-hander Rob Scahill pitch to Harper, or walk him intentionally to load the bases in order to go after Ian Desmond in hopes of inducing an inning-ending double play.
Colorado manager Walt Weiss picked Option B, setting up Desmond to punish yet another free pass. And when Scahill looped a first-pitch curveball over the plate, Desmond blistered a shot down the left-field line for a go-ahead, bases-clearing double.
The hit made Desmond 11-for-16 (.647) with 16 RBI in his career when the previous batter is walked intentionally, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It's certainly a small sample, but an impressive one nonetheless.
"I just try to do the same thing I do every other time," Desmond said. "And it's just a good situation to hit in — bases loaded, less than two outs — that's what you're looking for."
Indeed, Desmond has feasted in those spots as well.
With the bases full this season, he has gone 6-for-6 with a double, a home run and 14 RBI. In 61 career plate appearances in those situations, he has posted a line of .444/.377/.611, with three doubles, two home runs and 54 RBI, including seven sacrifice flies. Among active players with at least 50 bases-loaded plate appearances, Desmond's batting average ranks first.
Always an aggressive hitter, Desmond certainly has been a free swinger with the bases packed, never drawing a walk. In his six chances this season, he has seen a total of 14 pitches.
But Desmond said that regardless of the situation, he doesn't walk up to the plate with any additional motivation to do damage.
"If you need any extra boost at this level, you're not where you're supposed to be," he said. "None of us are up there hoping for an extra boost or an extra edge or anything like that. I'm trying to do my best when there's nobody on or when the bases loaded, or intentional walk or not."
Follow Andrew Simon on Twitter @AndrewSimonMLB.
Nats' Harper back in lineup
By Bill Ladson
WASHINGTON — The Nationals activated outfielder Bryce Harper from the 15-day disabled list ahead of Monday night's game against the Rockies. He will be in the lineup playing left field and hitting sixth.
"I'm excited. I come in here and I'm able to get back out there for a team that is in contention," Harper said. "It's a lot of fun. I'm excited to be back."
Harper hasn't played a Major League game since April 25, when he tore an ulnar collateral ligament in the left thumb while sliding headfirst into third base against the Padres. A little over two months later, Harper said he is not going to change his running style. He plans to slide into the bases headfirst and feet first.
"Sliding headfirst is what I'm comfortable doing. I'm going to keep doing it," Harper said.
Before he was activated, Harper played five Minor League games this past week and went a combined 9-for-14 [.643] with four home runs and 10 RBIs for Class A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg. His best game was on Saturday, when he hit three home runs for Harrisburg. Harper had the day off Sunday.
"I felt good at the plate," Harper said. "That's the only thing I really cared about. I cared less about being on base or in the outfield or anything like that. It's always a process. With my swing, I felt pretty good. It was where I needed to be. I'm very excited to come back and hopefully help this team win."
With Harper coming back to the Major Leagues, it means that Ryan Zimmerman will go from left field to third base, while third baseman Anthony Rendon will return to second base. Danny Espinosa will return to the bench.
Harper said Zimmerman should stay in left, while Rendon should stay at third.
"Rendon is a great third baseman and should be playing third and we have one of the best [defensive] second baseman in Danny Espinosa," Harper said. "Of course you want the best hitting lineup in there. I think Rendon playing third and Zim playing left is something that would be good for this team."
It will be interesting to see how this new arrangement works out, as Zimmerman, who has won a Gold Glove at third, said recently that he is more comfortable in left field and that Rendon is the best man to play third base. Rendon has been playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at third.
"Going out to left field gave us the best chance to win. It's a good problem to have. Too many good players and not enough spots," Zimmerman said recently. "I'll see what happens. I'm pretty comfortable in left and I think Anthony is a hell of a third baseman. I think there is no doubt right now he is better over there than me. But you have to have your best players in the lineup somehow. Whatever [manager] Matt [Williams] needs me to do, that's what I'll do."
As one source said, "the team needs to get better offensively."
Harper improves a lineup that has been sputtering since he went on the disabled list. During Harper's absence, the Nationals hit .237 with a .304 on-base percentage. The team also went 30-27 during his absence.
Harper is expected to balance a lineup that was mostly right-handed. Harper and Adam LaRoche and Denard Span are expected to be the left-handed hitters in the lineup.
"Just his mere presence in the lineup is going to be huge," an American League scout said about Harper's return. "I think [the Nationals] will become even better because you have to respect Harper's bat. [When] you have Wilson Ramos [behind the plate], the Nationals should be clicking on all cylinders."
One baseball source also said that some of the starting players will rotate on occasion. Not only will Zimmerman play third base, he will continue to see playing time in left field and at first base. Harper could see time in all three outfield spots, while Span and Jayson Werth could get days off.
With Harper back on the team, the Nationals optioned Xavier Cedeno to Triple A Syracuse.
Nats' LaRoche was ready to pitch
MILWAUKEE — After the Nationals defeated the Brewers, 4-2, in a 16-inning marathon Tuesday night at Miller Park, Nationals manager Matt Williams said had the game remained tied going into the bottom of the 16th, first baseman Adam LaRoche would have made his Major League debut as a pitcher.
The last time LaRoche pitched in a professional game was in 2003, when he was with Double-A Greenville, a Braves affiliate.
"I was ready" LaRoche said. "It's about the 10th time I've been like an out or two away from being the next pitcher. Right before that, we scored."
LaRoche was pumped when he received that word late in the game he was going to pitch.
"I have to be little crafty now. I can't blow them away like I used to," he said.
Williams: 'Desmond and Werth need day off'
By Bill Ladson
WASHINGTON – After Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Braves, Nationals manager Matt Williams acknowledged that shortstop Ian Desmond and right fielder Jayson Werth needed a day off during the team's road trip, which starts Monday.
Both players are currently in slumps. During the four game series against Atlanta, Desmond went 2-for -16 [.125] with 10 strikeouts. In the last two games combined, Desmond struck out six straight times.
"It's a long road trip, a very tough couple of games against the Astros and all the expectations of this series [against the Braves]. Guys get mentally tired. So to answer your question, [Desmond] needs a day," Williams said.
Werth is 4-for-37 in his last 10 games and has seen his batting average dip to .271. On June 12, Werth was at .296.
"We need to look long and hard about Jayson. We'll spend a couple of hours on the plane talking about that one," Williams said.
Nats' Zimmerman prefers to play left field
By Bill Ladson
WASHINGTON — With Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper expected to be activated from the disabled list by July 1st, manager Matt Williams announced that left fielder Ryan Zimmerman would be moving back to third base, while Anthony Rendon would make the switch from third to second base.
There isn't any talk about trading a player like Denard Span to make room for Zimmerman and Harper. But after Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Braves, Zimmerman sounded like a guy that didn't want to go back to third base. He seems comfortable in left field and he reiterated that Rendon is the best person to play third.
Because of a bad right shoulder, Zimmerman knows he has to play a couple of different places in order to help the team win. Besides third and left field, Zimmerman has also seen time at first base this year. While the team is on the road, Zimmerman will work out at third base. As a third baseman, Zimmerman can no longer throw overhand to first base because of the pain in his shoulder. To avoid pain, he has to throw sidearm.
"Going out to left field, gave us the best chance to win. It's a good problem to have. Too many good players and not enough spots," Zimmerman said. "I'll see what happens. I'm pretty comfortable in left and I think Anthony is a hell of a third baseman. I think there is no doubt right now he is better over there than me. But you have to have your best players in the lineup somehow. Whatever [manager] Matt [Williams] needs me to do, that's what I'll do."
Zimmerman admitted that he has a lot to learn as far as playing the outfield, but he is still having fun out there.
"It's fun out there. It has taken some of the burden off of what I was feeling at third base," Zimmerman said.
Asked if he would be having fun playing third base, Zimmerman said, "If we continue to win, yeah. Winning makes everything fun. The last couple of years have been tough. Unfortunately, it is what it is. I don't know what we can do to make it better. The only way to find out is just to see what happens."
Source: Harper to begin rehab assignment Monday
By Andrew Simon
WASHINGTON — Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper will begin a Minor League rehabilitation assignment at Class A Advanced Potomac on Monday, according to a baseball source. The club has not confirmed that schedule, however, and manager Matt Williams said on Saturday that he wasn't aware that was the plan.
"I heard a vicious rumor going around that he's going out Monday," Williams said. "Is that his plan? I don't know, because nobody's told me. But sometime during the next road trip, he'll go out. He did some early work today — no hitting today. We don't have anything on the field tomorrow as of right now, so he won't get back on the field tomorrow, either. I'm sure he'll hit in the cage tomorrow and then see how he feels and then make a decision."
After finishing their home series against the Braves on Sunday, the Nats will begin a seven-game trip in Milwaukee on Monday. Their next home stand will begin June 30 against the Rockies, with Harper potentially returning from the disabled list during that eight-game block.
Harper hasn't played since April 25, when he suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb. Williams said he likely will play about seven rehab games, starting with five innings in the field and two at-bats. He will see time at all three outfield positions and also serve as a designated hitter at least once.
Follow Andrew Simon on Twitter @AndrewSimonMLB.
Nats bullpen strong again, but eventually snaps
By Andrew Simon
WASHINGTON — Nationals relievers came into Friday with a 2.56 ERA that ranked first in the Majors, and after Drew Storen surrendered a leadoff double to the Braves' Tommy La Stella in the seventh inning, the bullpen set down the next 18 in a row.
That performance set the stage for Washington to rally and send the game into extra innings, but eventually, manager Matt Williams found himself backed into a corner.
When the 13th inning rolled around, Williams already had used Storen, Craig Stammen, Rafael Soriano, Tyler Clippard and Jerry Blevins. His options at that point were to send Blevins out for a second frame, use rookie Aaron Barrett for a fourth consecutive day or turn to Ross Detwiler, who threw 45 pitches on Wednesday and has allowed 16 runs and 35 baserunners in his last 16 2/3 innings. As such, Williams admitted he felt he needed to stick with Blevins.
"You could go to Barrett four days in a row, but that's dangerous," Williams said.
A second inning probably wasn't ideal for Blevins, either. The lefty had allowed a run on three hits in two-thirds of an inning on Thursday, throwing 18 pitches and taking a comebacker off his knee. He then used another 12 pitches during a 1-2-3 12th inning on Friday.
Blevins issued a leadoff walk to B.J. Upton, then gave up two consecutive hits and eventually two runs. Still, he didn't offer any excuses.
"Everybody's tired," he said. "We're in the 13th inning. Their guys have been going the whole time our guys have. Gotta step up, but I didn't get the job done. Gave up a couple runs, didn't get it done."
Looking ahead, the bullpen could be in some trouble for the rest of the series if it needs to soak up significant innings. Blevins and Stammen both have worked on consecutive nights, while Clippard, Soriano and Barrett have pitched in three out of four. That leaves Storen and Detwiler as the freshest arms available, barring a roster move.
Follow Andrew Simon on Twitter @AndrewSimonMLB.
Batted ball hits Blevins in second straight game
By Daniel Popper
For the second time in as many games Friday night against the Braves, a batted ball struck Nationals reliever Jerry Blevins.
On Thursday, Blevins took a line drive off his left knee in the 8th inning on an RBI single from Braves third baseman Chris Johnson. The ball trickled to the outfield past Anthony Rendon, and Blevins ran to the third base line to back up the play with a noticeable limp, but he stayed in the game. After the contest, Blevins appeared in the clubhouse with bandage on his knee and said he iced the injury as a precautionary measure.
Friday's mishap included less pain and an improved outcome when Ramiro Pena slapped a low line drive up the middle in the 12th inning. The ball hit Blevins on the underside of his foot and deflected right to first base, where Adam LaRoche was waiting to scoop it up for the final out of the frame.
"I decided to kick it towards the other side of the infield," Blevins joked. "Luckily, this one got me in the bottom of the foot and ricocheted toward somebody."
Blevins returned for the 13th inning and surrendered two runs in an eventual 6-4 loss for the Nationals.
Nats struggling in extra innings
By Andrew Simon
WASHINGTON — Ever since beating the Mets in 10 innings on Opening Day, extra frames have brought the Nationals nothing but pain this season.
After falling to the Braves in 13 innings on Friday, the Nats have lost their last seven contests that have required extras. That 1-7 mark (a .125 winning percentage) is the worst in the Majors, ahead of the Dodgers (3-8, .273) and Cubs (3-6, .333). Meanwhile, the rest of the teams in the National League East are a combined 19-20 in extras, so Washington's troubles have made a significant difference in the division standings.
"I don't know. I don't have the answer for that," manager Matt Williams said when asked if he had a theory. "I'd be interested to know though how many times we've come back to make it extra innings. … I would imagine the majority of those are come-from-behind tying-the-game situations like we had last night, and there's something to be said for that."
Indeed, the Nats trailed at some point during six of those seven losses, and in four of them, they were the team that knotted the score last to keep the game going. That includes Friday's loss to Atlanta, in which Anthony Rendon hit a two-out, two-run homer off closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth, but the Braves scored two against Jerry Blevins in the 13th.
"The stats are the stats," Williams said. "The fact is we're 1-7. I don't think of it that way. If in fact we've come back in those games and been down four runs and come back and tied it up, then I'm happy about that part of it, not that we didn't end up winning those games. A team can simply say, 'It's not our day,' and give up, but our guys don't do that."
Regardless, the results have been grisly once the ninth inning has passed. Here are the Nats' stats from the 10th forward:
Offense: 6 runs, 12-for-65 (.185), .257 OBP, .292 SLG, 4 2B, HR, 7 BB, 20 K
- .549 OPS ranks 28th in MLB
Pitching: 18 IP, 22 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 11 BB, 20 K, 2 HR, 7.00 ERA
- .831 OPS against ranks 24th in MLB
Follow Andrew Simon on Twitter @AndrewSimonMLB.


text:
Cookie Sale Begins Today!
Where can we sell? Girls should observe council jurisdiction (by zip codes) when selling cookies in person, with exceptions for close family members. Girl Scouts in southern California councils may sell cookies at parent/guardian's immediate workplace even if outside their Council jurisdiction, if permitted by their employer.
Can parent/daughter teams sell cookies? Yes! They can make direct sales door to door, at their work place, knitting circle, Bunco group, etc.
Can my daughter & I set up a cookie stand in front of our house? Yes! Throughout the entire cookie sale, January 25—March 8, Girl Scouts can set-up "lemonade" type stands to sell on the property were the girl currently resides as their city and/or home owners' associations permit.
Can girls sell online? Girls may market their cookie sale to family & friends on the internet through www.ABCSmartCookies.com, providing they sign the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge and follow all Girl Scout safety guidelines. Check with your Troop Cookie Manager or Troop Leader for more details.
Where do I get the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge? It can be found here.
What is a rolling sale? Putting cookies in a wagon and doing direct sales to customers in residential areas. Girls require adult supervision for these efforts. It is not a booth sale because you are not setting up a booth display in one location or at a shopping center requiring permission.


text:
Several years ago, one of Cal Boothby's employees approached a customer for a loan.
Leslie Sauer closed her swimming pool and spa retail store in August 2011 after several years of struggling to compete with Internet giant Amazon.com.
The pool industry has completely changed since the 2008 housing crash.
Starting pool service for a new customer involves liability risks beyond what's normally encountered with an existing customer.
The pool season is in high gear, and it's more important than ever to provide top-notch customer service.
If you've been waiting to create a training manual, don't put it off any longer, says Matt Gohlke, president of Gohlke Custom Pools in Denton, Texas.
To many professionals of a certain age, the road to social media has been slow and tinged with resistance.
For two years, Joe Vassallo wrote a bi-weekly column for the Home and Garden section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Publishing a book isn't easy, says Jenn Smith, project coordinator for Chantilly, Va.-based Lewis Aquatech.
Chris Lee spreads an array of pool toys, floats and games throughout her Lee's Summit, Mo., retail store.
Copyright ©
2015 Hanley Wood Media, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
DHP Club Table with Four Ottomans
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No-one outside of Bristol knew that such a place existed until the mid nineties. That all changed with the release of the stunning debut 'Dummy'. The over all sound is intensely dark and haunting - no-one else can evoke desolation, pain and anguish the way they do. Live Performance is completely focused - they are masters of the mood they have chosen for themselves.
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We went for my dd 9 mth check up today and I told her that my dd goes down for the night without a problem by taking her last bottle of the night. ĀAlso, she wakes up once during the night (around 3) and takes anywhere from 4-6oz. ĀShe was apalled and said that I had to stop both of these bottle immediately. ĀMy dd has EIGHT teeth with two more on their way in. ĀShe said that I am rotting my baby's teeth bc of the sugar in her formula. ĀMy dd is in the 25% for weight and is 17.8lbs so by no means a big baby. ĀThe thought of literally starving her to "train" her to not take her bottle just rips my heart out. ĀBut the thought of rotting her teeth makes me sick too. ĀWhat do I do? Ā
bottle before bed=bad teeth!? BTDT mom's HELP!
That makes no sense, never heard of it, isn't true. Are you supposed to brush her teeth before she goes to bed? I don't! Who does? Her formula is on her teeth regardless of when the last bottle is. I feed my baby his bottle before bed.
My kids old dentist, before we moved, talked to us about this. He said feed your baby at night, just do not let them keep the nipple in their mouth to take a suck now and again. In other words he was saying it is fine to give the bottle, just do not let LO sleep with it. Let them nurse as long as they want, but when they stop or only do a suck every minute or so, that is when you get issues with rotting teeth.
Actually, ┬Āthe whole idea that it's bad for their teeth to go to sleep with milk or juice has been around for at least 30 years, and I don't think it's ever been refuted. ┬ĀIt is definitely bad for their teeth.┬Ā
The trick is you don't want her to go to sleep with any of the liquid pooled in her mouth. You could try to keep her awake while drinking and then put her on your shoulder to fall asleep or something... it depends on her temperment but if there is a way for her to get just conscious enough to swallow so that her mouth is empty her teeth will be better off for it. If after she falls asleep you could just sit her up for a second so she moves a bit before putting her down that would do it. ┬ĀMy kids go back to sleep if I fuss with them lightly.
Dot 4/03, Gabriel 1/09, Charlie 3/11
I was putting LO to sleep with a bottle but switched and gave him a bottle before bed instead. ┬ĀIf you want to transition you could try water but its up to you. ┬Ā
Jenessa and Julian 11-28-09
Issiah 09-08-03 and Jellal 03-14-11 and 05-31-2012 Darnell, I LOVE MY BOYS!!!!
We took are LO to her first pediatric dentist appoinment last friday because are pediatrician reffered us to go due to there was spots in LO front teeth. LO┬Āhas 8 teeth and 2 more coming out on each side of her bottom teeth, the pediatri dentist told me the spots where due to the formula and natural organic juice we give LO so we need to brush her lil teeth with a baby brush and baby tooth paste. I dont think there is problem feeding your baby, I think she is more worried about lil ones teeth not being brush in which it can cause future damage.
Life is not like a box of chocolates it is more like a jar of jalapenos,what you do today might burn your ass tommorow! Mommy,wife to a soldier <3
I'm pretty sure it's the whole 'don't let your baby /sleep/ with the bottle' thing and it wouldn't hurt to maybe brush her teeth before bed and in the morning too.


text: I just went on to CNN news's site. Tonight at 1:00 am there was a fire at disneyland! It destroyed some of Alice in wonderland ride They do not know how it started, but belive it was intentinal! Very sad indeed By the way, if you have any information on it april fools, then call 911, april fools is a fun day.. but sometimes it can scare people


text:
|146 posts found
Advanced Member
Joined: 1/21/07
Originally posted by Interesting
as an eve player on and off (mostly on) since 2007 i can speak with good authority tht there are a ton of ways to pass your time in eve and a bazillion niches for your character to fill. I cannot comment on UO and the difference between them simply because i never played UO.
in eve you can
run PVE missions for a faction
run production on a small or grand scale (production is always needed because in eve your stuff has the nasty habit of blowing up)
run goods in your freighter for others, sometimes through dangerous space (space trucker! i always wanted to do that in eve)
run home defense for a 0.0 corp in nullsec (living off the land in downtime)
run capital ship production which requires coordinating dozens of tradeskillers and collectors as well as amassing a small fortune)
fly capitals for a 0.0 corp
fly small gang PVPin 0.0 or lowsec roams
fly solo pvp as an ebil piwate or goodie 2shooz piwat hunter
fly for your race in faction warfare
research t2 blueprints out of t1
live in a wormhole with a t3 building corp
do large scale mining in high sec or in null sec
go to the tradehub of your choice and run your financial scam of choice
tutor others in eve university or in agony unleashed or in TGRADS
amass loads of cash by buying from one area and traveling it to the other and selling it there at a hgher price
be a spy for your alliance by joining another one and reporting their seekrit strategies back to your acutal one (this one brought to you by my serbian heroes 4life, Circle-of-two)
join a NRDS corp who lives in the 0.0 equivalent of a hippy commune
do exploration for complexes and anomalies to get expensive faction loot
run logistics, blackops, or another specialized pvp role other than just shooting stuff
manage a POS or a group of POS!
literally build a space station that will exist forever in the game (in 0.0, called an outpost and my fondest moment in eve when my alliance at the time put one up!)
and i bet other eve players will add stuff i missed.
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, DFUW
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
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Novice Member
Joined: 2/14/04
Quite a number of games around even (Haven & Hearth, Xsyon, Wurm, StarQuest, Eve, Perpetuum) that come close enough, and I've prolly forgotten some.
Elite Member
Joined: 1/18/06
Some things I didn't see mentioned yet, and then some comments....
Overall, UO was the only game that I have played that was really ALIVE.
Once upon a time....
Novice Member
Joined: 7/29/11
To err is human, but to really f*ck things up you need a computer.
Originally posted by dave6660
How did you "tackle" a ball carrier and steal the can?
Where's the any key?
Novice Member
Joined: 8/21/04
There are worlds that predate UO with comparable numbers of options.
Of course, they're all MUDs, but they fit under the virtual world heading nontheless.
Playing: FFXIV, EVE
Advanced Member
Joined: 9/23/04
Shadowbane was pretty close imo (played both).
Elite Member
Joined: 1/18/06
Originally posted by Kiljaedenas
In UO some players came up with a game called "Bagball". They took a colored bag (another thing you could do in UO was "dye" many items to a wide range of colors, including regular clothing), and put so much weight in it that a player couldn't put it in their inventory. But you could pick it up "here" and drop it "there" to move it down the field. The object was to move it into the goal, and the basic match involved who could pick it up first to move it in their direction. UO eventually added a new item that looked like a giant socker ball and acted like a containor, and even added a "Bagball Field" stadium to the game.
Once upon a time....
I find this statement factual.
I mean there are a few close ones. Second Life, but it's not really a game. Some of the non-pvp sandboxes like A Tale in the Desert want to live up to UO's example, but there's no PVP and therefore no conquest.
Ryzom sorta close. I think it's been the most inspired by UO newer type game to come along.
I think the closest themepark-ish title was UO. Honestly there was a lot to that game, but it started a lot of the modern themepark features so it's freedom wasn't exactly in the same vein as UO.
We need UO2.
a yo ho ho
Novice Member
Joined: 7/29/11
To err is human, but to really f*ck things up you need a computer.
Originally posted by ahumata
Direct comparisons with Eve listed in green above. So, except for perhaps the last one UO doesn't win out against Eve outright.
Where's the any key?
Novice Member
Joined: 7/20/12
As much as Eve is really a pretty great game in its own right, claiming that it stands comparison with UO in terms of variations in activities, playstyles, and lifestyles within the game is in fact delusional. There mere fact that you're limited to flying a ship for all interactions in the game constrains everything to a rather narrow layout. Can you build your house and decorate it? Can you change clothes and dye your hair to impersonate another guy or an NPC as you walk around town? Can you polymorph into a monster? Can you tame creatures and sell them to other players? The list goes on. Eve falls short. Don't get me wrong I praise Eve, but come on, don't compare an army knife with a swiss tool.
Only game I've played that had anything on UO when it came to that was SWG, and I'm pretty sure that even SWG doesn't fully match.
I wouldn't count 2nd Life in because as interesting as 2nd Life can be, it's more a total sandbox than a sandbox game. You can do a lot of stuff in it, including and especially building things for you or other players to do if they're not there. But it's pretty clear cut that the "game design" aspect didn't really get a lot of attention. In that sense, 2nd Life is in its own genre.
I also don't understand people who talk about bringing back a game like UO today and having it fail because of griefers and PKs. It's been 15 years since UO came out, it's obvious that if a game like that would be to be remade today, it wouldn't be remade 100% true-to-form, a lot would be improved, adapted and modified. May I remind you that UO was the first game of its kind, that there was no template or rules to follow and that a lot of it was just improvisation and adaptation?
What we should be looking forward is not that someone brings UO back in full purity (I doubt even I would manage to play that for long), but rather that someone brings back the same sort of fully immersive, player-driven, lifestyle-based gameplay. It's definitely doable, but that requires to be inventive and to take a few risks... or for the market to wear out the main formulae and evolve towards that.
While something could happen regarding the first option, I wouldn't expect anything regarding the second for a few more years.
Originally posted by ahumata
I'm going to agree with this. Honestly EVE is a massive game in it's own right. I mean it's reputation as a graph paper needed game says a lot about that
There just isn't the variety in EVE of things to do as UO. I mean UO had its limitations, but searching for purple hair dye was a complicated procedure in it's own right. Unless you used eBay.
a yo ho ho
Novice Member
Joined: 7/20/12
Originally posted by Kiljaedenas
Nice attempt, but let me correct the shot. Dont get me wrong, I'm not bashing Eve at all costs, Eve is a great game. Nor am I trying to shut you up or anything such, I hope I wont come across that way. But what made UO most special is that all of those game mechanics supported lifestyles, it was not just "stuff you can do", it was a million different ways you can do a million different things (clearly, my numbers here are a slight bit inflated"). That's why while probably being king in its own land, Eve will never fully cut it to us UO players the way that UO did. Eve is market, politics, crime, war. UO was society.
Lets look at the list
Stealth/Anomaly, can work.
Pets/Drones, doesn't work. Wide variety of pets that you had to go tame in the wild wherever they lived, bring back, train and sell. Bit more complex than a crafting/trade system of drones (and drones in Eve are quite cool).
Fishing/Archaeology, might work
Grow plants/Resource extraction, doesnt work. I would have mentioned mining, skinning, wood chopping and what have you. Plants were a management minigame that could produce goods (decoration) or resources (various uses). There too, it involved getting seeds, making soil, using items and so on to go from an empty pot to a full plant.
Housing/Space stations, doesnt work. Houses you could place, build wall portion by wall portion in many different styles and shapes, wander around in, decorate, sell, fail to refresh and see collapse, burgle, etc. Eve might have something on that when their Walk In Stations system goes anywhere and has a couple of years in existence possibly, but it's not realistic to assume it'll ever go anywhere close to that.
Snoop-Steal/Blow people up, doesn't work. I didn't talk about PK'ing, I talked about stealth mechanics. The entire idea of theft was discretion, stealing stuff and people not even noticing it.
Rare Hunting/Off Mods in Complexes, not sure. Can you do that in Eve without having to fight for one second? I assume not. Correct me if I'm wrong though.
Harvesting, it's not so much about how many methods there are, it's about what gameplay is involved in it. Otherwise I could just bring out UO's list of craft skills and blow up any challenger right there. Eve does have PI though and UO didn't have anything like that. Let's call that one quits for the sake of simplicity although you can guess what I think of it all.
Craft, Well, if you wanna go there, Eve might have 9000 different items in it but they're mostly an icon and some info. UO definitely challenges that number without a sweat, and those items were actually movable, placeable or usable in some way (or several). I'd say Eve has to sit that one out. By far. Want a tree? Have a tree. Want a potion? A fire poker? A glass? A carpet? A sword? A container? A grass patch? Some wool? A bunch of stones? Some gold ore? Some bread? A ship model? A curtain? You name it. Wanna put them all in different places and at different heights in your house? Wanna dye them? Go right ahead.
Sailing vs Flying. Nah. That's missing the point. Flying a ship in Eve isn't a choice, it's not an alternate interaction mechanism, it's default. It's as if I put "walking around" as a highlight in any mmo. And even then, it's as if I came up and said that in UO you could ride a dozen different types of mounts (possibly more) each with different properties. In the end it's still riding stuff. Who cares. You did have variety in travel modes though: foot, magic, rides and ships. Apparently ships have become a much bigger portion of gameplay now too but I wouldnt know about that in detail as I've quit 4 years ago.
Social vs Nullsec. Good luck setting up a tavern in Nullsec. Good luck setting up an auction night or doing all the sorts of crazy stuff people used to socially do in UO. No match here.
Imbuing/Mats/Dyes vs Fitting. Fitting is nice but it's glorified gear-swapping. When you can modify by decision what each item you equip in your fitting window does, such as putting stats, passives, actives, whatever (not to mention customize colors, names and you name it just for fun), then Eve might be a contender on that. Not for now!
Salvage vs Nothing. It might be resource extraction, but it's also a lifestyle possibility, and that's a lot of what the original point was about. Not just what game mechanics let you do, but also how you can choose to interact with that world. Again if it were just about resource extraction I'd just have listed the many variations uo has there, not just the different skills but the different ways too. Wanna be a dungeon miner, a stealth miner, a hidden thief-miner, a monster miner... that's just for mining. Dont let me start boring you with "I combine the shit that I find and end up turning dust into gold" stories that are independent of in-game skills and are just about player knowledge and intelligent combinations.
Rune Library vs Jump Bridge Network. That'd be like botting toons in UO to open permanent moongates. Not the same. Rune libraries include a bit more than just linking people up to transport zones, it's more like giving access to every little square tile in the game to any player that comes about and decides to go there. Go to a rune library, look up the destination of your choice, and be right there within an instant. I dont think a jump bridge network covers it.
Shop vs Marketplace. Are you kidding? Running a shop, that means having a physical location that players can visit, restocking your vendors, leasing vending space to other players and all the interactions that go around that. No match there either.
Scams. Eve has its glory when it comes to that and you can definitely pull grandiose heists. UO offered more variety. I once sold a guy a bucket of white dye by making him believe that it dyed whiter than white, just by showing him some dyed clothes that actually naturally came whiter when you dyed them white. He bought it, I bought myself a new house. Eve has the epic scams, UO has the infinite variations in crookery. Let's say that's a tie to me.
Trapboxes vs Canning. What you're describing here is what used to be called noto pking in UO, that is using pvp flag mechanics to your own ends. Very different. Trapboxes were fucked up, as was locking people out of their own house. Sometime a thief snooped you by trying to open a locked trapped box that you'd placed in your backpack. Next thing you knew, you saw a guy (the thief) poisoned to death try to run away and die a few steps away. Other times, people walked around, saw that box on the ground, tried to open it thinking it was a regular dungeon chest, it blew up in their faces. Canning doesnt cover it.
Bard Skills. No worries, you could hire mercenary guilds and players in UO too. Truth is, again it didnt have the same scale and fully integral dimension Eve offers. But as with all fully player-drive, competitive, political environments, it was definitely doable. UO gets that one too.
Big difference, isnt there? Eve is great, but it's both too "large" and at the same time too focused to match UO on the front of freedom and opportunity. Its inherent game design ensures that it never will. I know that Eve offers a lot of non-game mechanics options, but UO did that too. Secret societies, diplomacy, spies, doppelgangers, you name it. Two great games in their own right, each doing its thing.
Novice Member
Joined: 6/17/10
That was a really lovely post. I've palyed a bit of EVE and i loved it, however i never got to play UO. I now wish that i had :(
Would anyone count Entropia Online as somewhat close to the openworld-ness in UO? I play that quite a bit and i have a great time in it.
Novice Member
Joined: 12/10/08
It's not just a function of game mechanics, it's that spark of imagination and enthusiasm in the community to go out, find the fun and grow playstyles that were unanticipated by the developers implementing the verbs.
How do I compare a auctioneer in UO to a spy in Eve to an cannoneer in Minecraft or a furry of Second Life? I don't want to rank the bredth of one community's imagination over another - it's far too subjective.
Novice Member
Joined: 5/12/10
I played UO for years on and off, it was of course my first MMO.
Things that I remember...
If you got killed someone could take all the stuff you were carrying, unless you got to a healer, and then back to your body in a short time.
I know one player who played a con artist.
He played an attractive female, he would stand at some location and cry someone stole all my stuff. Other players would donate replacements, he would sell them and move on to a new location. Later he would go to the barber shop and change his appearance.
I remember when your armor was damaged you had to go to another player who was a blacksmith and have it fixed.
I remember baiting giants so that they tossed rocks at me and then using them to build a rock garden around my house.
I remember buying stuff to decorate my house.
I remember training my horse and then running around looking for him after being killed and coming back to my body.
I remember getting together with other players at their houses and sitting around talking.
I remember getting every monster in the area to chase me on my horse, and then running into town followed by dozens of bad guys.
I remember that it felt more like a real place then any one I have played since.
If you shoot a mime, do you have to use a silencer?
Hard Core Member
Joined: 1/02/08
Let em put a slave ring thru u're nose u're prob not going to like where they're taking you. Think.
The graphics yuk and I hate games that make you hover way over head. Not sexy. I'm not playing if I can't be sexy.
Best console game: DD Dark Arisen. Best mmo: GW2. Best game series ever: The Sims.
Originally posted by Jemcrystal
Well yeah that's why most of us stopped playing UO. Well I found myself on a pretty empty shard too by fall of 2000. EQ1 was a 3D world and that mattered to gamers.
Just since then the scope of MMORPGs in comparison to UO has narrowed, narrowed, to the point most of the MMORPGs today play like Farmville rather than like the 1st generation of MMORPGs.
a yo ho ho
Advanced Member
Joined: 7/18/10
When it comes to UO there is no comparison , there is nothing close to it . Is there another game where you could gate an actual lich into your house , trap it with furniture and use it as an anti theft device (and cool decoration) ? :P
A friends favorite mo , was laying down a few items (like a cloak , couple bone armor pieces etc ) in a dungeon , making it look like a player died and didnt get his stuff back yet, stealth near by , and when a poor sob tried to loot and open his trapped backpack it blew up in his face ....
There are so many fond memories of that game , I dont think anything will feel like it ever again :)
That and EQ's sense of acomplishment , is what I miss the most . Its all about conformity these days , everyone wearing the same stuff , doing the same stuff , its boring .
EQ2 's housing is nice , but not even close to UO . EQ2 's guild halls I do like .
Overall its the community that changed the most , not the games . There can be only one first love . Us oldtimers chase that feeling all the time , but we can never experience it again I think . But we can hope :)
Elite Member
Joined: 9/05/10
Logic, reason and fact do not supersede human nature. Ignorance reigns without justice.
I would say true.
I have not properly played Eve to say for certain.
SWG was great, but doesn't stand up against UO when the question at hand is phrased as it is.
When faced with strife or discontent, the true nature of a man is brought forth. It is then when we see the character of the individual. It is then we are able to tell if he is mature enough to grin and bare it, or subject his fellow man to his complaints and woes.
Novice Member
Joined: 7/30/06
Honestly, if UO had shipped with EQ style graphics and a UI that was more forgiving, I doubt EQ would ever had been a blip on anyones radar. And what really hurt UO in the end was that EA wasn't willing to let the Origin devs actually try to recreate UO in that 3D world because UO was at least making some money. They didn't to risk alienating that group... and ended up doing so anyway with some really poor decisions later on.


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Originally posted by Byrd
It's sad that no matter how many times it's been debunked, we have to go back and explain things again.
...they lyed about it and, unfortunately, they're still lying
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After Tuesday night's Board of Education work session, Hampton said D-B had 2014 enrolled with other 50 pending, although he added some will transfer out because they've moved away or enrolled at another school.Comments
Crowe is 58. In the 55-59 age category at the June 21-22 Senior Olympics in Franklin, he won gold in the 400 meter run and silvers in the 100 meter and 200 meter competitions.Comments
The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a tornado warning for parts of East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia until 6:15 p.m.Comments
A man accused of fatally shooting his caseworker and grazing his psychiatrist at a suburban Philadelphia hospital complex before the doctor returned fire has been charged with murder.Comments
Dr. Kent Brantly is the medical director for the North Carolina-based group Samaritan's Purse. He had been working with the group in Liberia since October 2013.Comments
Is the Kingsport Aquatic Center going to become a financial burden for the Model City? Does the agreement between the City of Kingsport and the Greater Kingsport Family YMCA need to be revisited?Comments
"It all started about a year and a half ago," said Shannon Ball, one of the founders of the organization. "That's when we found out our daughter lost her hearing."Comments
Take a look back at some of the interesting and important stories you may have missed over the past week.Comments
The prolonged execution of an Arizona death row inmate with a new, two-drug combo has highlighted the patchwork quilt approach that states now take with lethal drugs, with types, combinations and dosages varying widely.Comments
STREAM, which is science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math, had a pilot program at four city elementary schools this past school year for fifth gradersComments


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Replay America: The Ultimate 80s Festival Set for MPAC Tonight
Go back to the future with the best of 80s pop at Replay America: The Ultimate 80s Festival, tonight, July 9, 2014 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $75-$150.
Featured performers include The Go-Go's ("Our Lips Are Sealed," "We Got the Beat"), Martha Davis and The Motels ("Suddenly Last Summer," "Only the Lonely"), Patty Smyth and Scandal ("Goodbye to You," "The Warrior"), Cutting Crew ("I've Been in Love Before," "(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight"), and Naked Eyes with Pete Byrne ("Always Something There to Remind Me," "Promises, Promises").
The Go-Go's were the most popular all-female band to emerge from the punk/new wave explosion of the late '70s and early '80s, becoming one of the first commercially successful female groups that wasn't controlled by male producers or managers. While their hit singles -- "We Got the Beat," "Our Lips Are Sealed," "Vacation," "Head Over Heels" -- were bright, energetic new wave pop, the group was an integral part of the Californian punk scene.
Led by the charismatic Martha Davis, the Motels were one of the most successful and acclaimed bands to emerge from the fertile Los Angeles new wave scene, reaching the Top Ten in 1982 with their biggest hit, "Only the Lonely." Other hits included "Suddenly Last Summer" and "Remember the Nights."
After opening for acts like the Kinks and Hall & Oates, Patty Smyth and Scandal released their debut single, "Goodbye to You," in 1982; their self-titled debut album followed soon afterward. "The Warrior" was released two years later. The title track was a Top Ten hit and the album went platinum.
The pop/rock group Cutting Crew formed in England in 1985, just one year before "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" made them stars at home and across the Atlantic. Founding members Kevin Scott MacMichael (guitar) and Nick Van Eede (vocals) met in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while both musicians were on tour with their respective bands.
A key presence in the synth pop movement of the early '80s, Naked Eyes formed in Britain in 1981. Comprised of former schoolmates Pete Byrne (vocals) and Rob Fisher (keyboards), the duo debuted in March 1983 with the LP Burning Bridges, reissued in the U.S. a month later (minus several tracks) as a self-titled effort. The lead single, a majestic cover of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David perennial "Always Something There to Remind Me," emerged as a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching the U.S. Top Ten on the strength of its video, which received heavy airplay on the fledgling MTV network. The American follow-up, "Promises, Promises", was also a major hit.
About Author
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Bio: DICK ADLER has been an editor and writer for newspapers and magazines in New York, London and--for the last 28 years--in Los Angeles. He has
co-authored two non-fiction books, one with the late California Governor Edmund G. (Pat) Brown, and has also written for television. He presently reviews mysteries and thrillers for Amazon.com, the Chicago Tribune, Publishers Weekly and his own Crime Watch web site:(http://www.angelfire.com/biz/MysteriesFromDick)Adler lives in Venice with his wife, the historian and archivist Jane Wilson. They visit their two grown children in the San Francisco area as often as possible.


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Obituary & Guest Book Preview for Grace E. Laubach
Grace E. Laubach Obituary
Published on Pennlive.com and in The Patriot-News on July 23, 2013
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: Grace E. Laubach, 83, of the Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, passed away Sunday, July 21, 2013. Born June 8, 1930 in Catasauqua, she was a daughter...
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Connacht v Scarlets: Teams
At the Sportsground, Saturday September 15, kick-off 3.00pm
Last Updated: 14/09/12 2:16pm
Jonathan Davies: Will captain the Scarlets
Connacht will be hoping to halt Scarlets' blistering start to the new RaboDirect PRO12 season at the Sportsground.
The Welshmen have won their opening two fixtures and lead the way while Connacht gained a first win against Zebre last Friday.
The Scarlets have made eight changes to their starting XV for Saturday's PRO12 clash in Galway. Scarlets head coach Simon Easterby brings in a few new faces to his matchday squad and mixes up experience and youth with a number of player rotations for the contest.
Young Scarlets talent Jordan Williams gets his senior Scarlets debut at full-back where he replaces his namesake Liam Williams while new signing Australian Welsh-qualified second row Jake Ball is on the bench and gets his first opportunity to appear in his regional colours.
Wales international centre Jon Davies takes the captain's armband for the first time in his Scarlets rugby career.
Other changes to the back-line from last weekend's run-on side against Glasgow sees Gareth Davies replacing Tavis Knoyle at scrum-half, while Nick Reynolds comes in for Andy Fenby on the wing.
Amongst the forwards, Samson Lee starts at tight-head in his first competitive start and Phil John at loose-head prop, Sione Timani joins Richard Kelly in the second row. Lee takes over from Fiji international Deacon Manu while John and Timani come in for Rhodri Jones and George Earle respectively.
In the back row, Kieran Murphy starts at number eight with Scarlets skipper Rob McCusker on the bench and Josh Turnbull replaces Aaron Shingler on the flank.
Tough assignment
Scarlets attack coach Mark Jones expects a tough assignment, commenting: "We haven't had a great record at the Sportsground and have tripped up on our last two visits with narrow losses, so we don't put ourselves in a position where we are fighting a tight margin at the end of the game.
"We will need to be ruthless and get ahead and then protect that lead. There is certainly no complacency in this side and absolutely no expectation on winning."
Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made six changes to his run-on side for the encounter. Injury has forced an entire new back row and sees Andrew Browne named as blindside flanker.
This is Browne's first game back since he was injured during the 2011 pre-season. Willie Faloon and Eoin McKeon complete the all new back row and replace Johnny O'Connor and George Naopu respectively.
Brett Wilkinson will start in the loosehead prop position while new signing Nathan White gets his first start as tighthead prop. In the backs, Dave McSharry has been promoted to a starting berth, replacing Mata Fifita in the centre.
Elwood was very pleased with his team's performance in their 30-17 win over Zebre in Parma last week but knows there is a lot of work to do this weekend.
"We played well in Zebre scoring three tries away from home and securing our first win of the season," said Elwood. "The lads showed huge character in Italy, especially when we were forced into making so many changes in the second half.
"Tomorrow poses another challenge as Scarlets are top of the league and are playing very well. They've had a great start to the season, scoring 10 tries in the process."
Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy (c), 14 Tiernan O'Halloran, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Fetu'u Vainikolo, 10 Miah Nikora, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Willie Faloon, 6 Andrew Browne, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Michael Swift, 3 Nathan White, 2 Ethienne Reynecke, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Adrian Flavin, 17 Dennis Buckley, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 David Gannon, 20 Johnny O'Connor, 21 Dave Moore, 22 Matthew Jarvis, 23 Robbie Henshaw.
Scarlets: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies (c), 12 Scott Williams, 11 Nick Reynolds 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Kieran Murphy. 7 Johnathan Edwards, 6 Josh Turnbull, 5 Richard Kelly, 4 Sione Timani, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Phil John.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Peter Edwards, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Rob McCusker, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Gareth Maule.


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The 50 greatest cars of the past 20 years
To celebrate our mag's 20th birthday, here they are (with help from you all)
Posted: 04 Oct 2013
43. 2005 Mazda MX-5
What we said then:
"The art is in the travelling, the science in the getting there. Only the MX-5 seems to understand that."
For the full rundown, plus many more highlights from the last 20 years of the world's favourite car magazine, you need the massive collector's edition of TopGear, out now.


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- Diane Keaton, Martin Short sing to AFI honoree Steve Martin Updated: Jun-05-15 6:06 am
LOS ANGELES - Tina Fey called him a genius. Sarah Silverman said he was her inspiration. Carl Reiner described him as "the most versatile human being there is on our planet as far as show business and making people laugh."


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Fork Union, VA 23055-0230
School Overview
|School Membership(s)School Assoc.
|Association of Military Colleges and Schools
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
State or regional independent school association
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
|Religious Affiliation
|Grades Offered
|Grades 6 - 12
|Offers Post-Graduate Year
|Learning Difference Programs
|Learning Programs Supported
|Mild learning differences with limited resource assistance
|Year Founded
Student Body
|Total Students
|427 students
|Student Body Type
|% Students of Color
State avg.: 26%
|Students by Grade
Academics and Faculty
|Total Classroom Teachers
|43 teachers
|Student : Teacher Ratio
National avg.: 13:1
|Average Class Size
|15 students
|Number of AP Courses
|12 courses
|List of Courses Offered
|Link to List of Courses
|Advanced Courses
|Anatomy and Physiology (4 credits) - Dual Enrollment, AP Biology, AP Calculus (AB), AP Calculus (BC), AP English IV, AP Government, AP U.S. History, Calculus (5 credits) - Dual Enrollment, English Composition (6 credits) - Dual Enrollment, International Relations (6 credits) - Dual Enrollment, Political Science (6 credits) - Dual Enrollment, Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry (5 credits) - Dual Enrollment,
Finances and Admission
|Admission Deadline
|None / Rolling
|Yearly Tuition Cost
|Tuition Notes
|Tuition, room/board and uniforms
|% on Financial Aid
|Average Financial Aid Grant
|Acceptance Rate
National avg.: 85%
|Admissions Director
|Steve Macek
|Admissions Associate
|Tripp Billingsley
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PO Box 105
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(757)357-38660 mi | 680 students | Gr. PK-12
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Po Box 1160
Dillwyn, VA 23936
(434)983-561610.1 mi | 76 students | Gr. 6-12
All-boys | Alternative School
BuckinghamIntegral Yoga School
108 Yogaville Way
Buckingham, VA 23921
(434)969-438313.5 mi | 9 students | Gr. UG
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31139 N James Madison Hwy
New Canton, VA 23123
(434)581-3874(Baptist)13.9 mi | 43 students | Gr. KG-12
CharlottesvilleFaith Christian Academy
Po Box 2306
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434)979-1704Alternative School (Christian)14.5 mi | 9 students | Gr. K-1