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Best Times to Visit Serengeti National Park
The best times to visit Serengeti National Park are from December to March or from June to October, although you should plan your trip around the movement of the Migration. For example, winter is the best time to see the herd in Southern Serengeti, while the Western Corridor and Northern Serengeti are the best places to spend the summer and autumn months. Most safari operators will have a good idea of where the Migration is headed and when, and most will adjust their itineraries based on the herd's movement. Temperatures remain relatively constant with daytime highs resting in the 80s. You'll find cooler weather at the Ngorongoro Crater due to its higher elevation. April and May see the most rainfall, and many lodges and camps close for this slower season.
Temperature (°F)
Precipitation (in)
|The winter months are the best time to visit Southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Although most visitors enter the park from the south, this region is widely ignored by tourists due to the lack of wildlife during much of the year. However, the short rains that take place in November draw the herd back to its breeding grounds. During the winter, these vast grasslands teem with wildebeest, zebras, and, of course, predators.
|Springtime ushers in the park's rainy season. Because most visitors are deterred by the wet conditions, you can expect to find lower prices on excursions and lodging. However, you should note that most of the semi-permanent campgrounds and some of the lodges close their doors to tourists during this time, so you will need to plan ahead.
|During the summer and fall, the Migration makes its way north, where the plains are ablaze with colorful flora. Between June and August, you'll most likely find the herd near the Grumeti River in the park's Western Corridor, although you're sure to catch a glimpse of a smaller rogue group in the Lobo Valley. Watching the grazers take on the river's vicious crocodile population can make for the experience of a lifetime. In September and October, the wildebeest and zebras mingle with elephants and giraffes in beautiful Lobo and Bologonja Springs in the park's northern area.
|Short, sporadic rain showers signal the Migration's return to the southern grasslands. Plan to spend most of this month in the Western Corridor along the Grumeti River or at the Mbalageti Serengeti, a permanent campground with sweeping views.


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NOTE: I did not think of this. I am just relaying information from http://www.how2skate.com/index.php?skate=tips&tip=Making%20your%20own%20skateboard%20wax
Step 1: Tools and materials
the tools you will need:
an Altoids tin or metal container
pot or pie dish
muffin tray
cupcake paper thingies (optional, but highly recommended if you intend to use the tin for muffins again)
washing up glove(s)
ice block (optional)
the ingredients you need
candles/wax (see picture for details)
olive oil
Step 2: Melt your wax
This almost happened to me. I started with a full pie tin and it was almost completely empty by the end of making the batch.
stir the wax a bit to help it melt.
Step 3: Add oil
Step 4: Pour into moulds and let set.
i put them in for two hours as soon as their lukewarm
i used a baked bean tin and saucepan for mass production
A phone conversation w/ my dad-
Me: "Yeah Dad, I'm making skate wax in our oven"
Dad: "You're melting candles?"
Me: "Yeah. It's awesome, I'm making a lot so we can wax up the curbs!!"
Dad: "They might have paraffin, make sure you don't get them too hot. They'll catch on fire."
/me looks at oven, no oven light on... yet I see a spot inside... that's kinda lit well...
Me: "GOTTA GO DAD, LOVE YOU!!!"

subset: commoncrawl


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Bulletin Board: July 14
Tournament: Aug. 3-4 in Kingston for 8U, 9U, 10U and 11U. 865-250-1617 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Player: For Diamond Baseball 11U Orange team for fall 2013 and spring 2014 season. 865-300-9677 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tryout: Aug. 3 for Knoxville Stars 9U at 10 a.m. at the Boys and Girls Club on Dry Gap for the fall 2013 and spring 2014 season. 865-805-9572 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Player: For new 13U team. 865-621-1925 or 865-438-5489.
Registration: July 20, July 27 and Aug. 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for fall season at Halls Community Park. 865-992-5504 or email@example.com or hcpark.org.
Tournament: July 19-21 at Halls Community Park for T-ball and 6U coach-pitch and 8U-14U. Open to all. 865-992-5504 or email@example.com.
Tryout: Aug. 6 for Komets 10U for fall and spring season. 865-209-9061.
Tryout: Mondays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. on Field 4 at Powell Levi Park for 9-10 team. 865-282-1100.
Tryout: July 22 for Tennessee Copperheads 12U. firstname.lastname@example.com or 865-318-9174.
Tryout: July 23 for Thunder Baseball 10U at 5 p.m. at Thunder Baseball School, 2510 Solway Road in Knoxville. 865-603-5368.
Tryout: July 18 and July 25, 6 p.m. for 13U Diamond Simcox at St. John Neuman Church field for fall and spring season. 865-680-8500 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tryout: July 16 and July 18 for RBI Blue 12U. 865-389-5998 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
League: "Bring your own Team" for 4U-14U at Halls Community Park. hcpark.org or firstname.lastname@example.com or 865-992-5504.
Tryout: July 14, 6 p.m., for 10U Knoxville Smokies. firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tournament: Aug. 3-4 for eighth annual Kick-Off Classic for ages 6-14. 865-455-0873 or www.battleinrockytop.net.
Tournament: July 19 for Nite Golf at 9:30 p.m. at Beverly Park Golf Course. Fee: $20. 865-689-6445.
Meeting: July 15, 7 p.m. for Tennessee Striped Bass Association at Bass Pro Shops in Kodak. 865-223-9788.
Tournament: July 20 for SEAA men at Maryville. 865-924-0619 or 865-977-9442.
Tryout: July 29, 6 p.m., for Hardin Valley Academy at Hardin Valley softball field for incoming freshman. For incoming girls in grades 6-8 on July 30 at 6 p.m.
The News Sentinel sports department publishes announcements of sports-related meetings, tournaments, speakers and the like in the Bulletin Board as a public service.
Deadline for Sunday items is noon Friday. There is no charge for Bulletin Board items. However, because of space limitations, we can publish items only once and the News Sentinel reserves the right to refuse any submission.
Bulletin Board items must be submitted in writing, either in person, by mail (2332 News Sentinel Drive, Knoxville, TN 37921-5761) by fax (865-342-8633) or by email (firstname.lastname@example.com).
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Mario Ochoa
Mario Ochoa is the co-owner and Chief Strategic Officer for Sammis & Ochoa , a San Antonio-based public relations agency. A lifelong Alamo City resident, Mario specializes in strategic planning, media relations, copywriting and looking at the glass half-full.
Posts filtered on Tag
From the Mailroom to CEO
Running a business takes a lot of dedication and hard work, two virtues my parents instilled in me as a child. I know what a hard day's work is worth and I take pride in everything that I have built with my own hands. I want to run a company as I see fit and also bring some fun to the work environment. [Read More]
Save your life. Get an internship!
Joey Alabbassi interned with Sammis & Ochoa during the Spring 2010 semester. He proved to be quite a skilled writer, and we asked him to share a few parting words on mySA.com. Enjoy! – Mario It's no secret that in this generation and economy, it's almost near to impossible to get your "dream job." Ten […] [Read More]
A for Effort
At MasonPR, we are fortunate to reel in the city's finest young PR talent. Today, one of our prize interns is telling us about her journey to graduation. Enjoy! -Mario After attending the University of Texas at San Antonio for three years, my graduation date is approaching in December of 2009. I am looking forward […] [Read More]


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Recent articles
Fantasy sports
Fantasy Baseball: Draft strategies 101 — Should you 'punt' saves?
Fantasy baseball draft season is in full swing with just two weekends left before Opening Day.In everyone's desperation to win their league titles, a great many strategies are being bandied about as the secret to success.I've always been partial to a straight-forward approach where I am going for balance with an emphasis on power and speed on offense, and strikeouts for pitching.I'll admit there are other ways to take home a league title, so I tried...
Fantasy sports
Fantasy Baseball: L.A. Dodgers' Yasmani Grandal heads list of potential breakout players
A lot goes into winning a fantasy baseball league.First, there is getting the most value out of each and every pick in your draft or auction.Then there is working the waiver wire diligently all season.And there is managing your lineup, knowing how to address weaknesses in your lineup or in certain categories, sometimes by making trades.But the single greatest factor is having as many breakout performances as possible.A year ago in my breakout column, I hit...
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Fantasy baseball: List of overrated players to avoid in your draft
The fantasy baseball landscape is littered with the same three terms this time of year: sleepers, busts and breakouts.It's all aimed at helping fantasy owners who are trying to figure out which players to target or avoid in their upcoming drafts or auctions.While most everyone is focused on being the owner who strikes it rich in the draft with a stream of genius picks that produce a steady supply of breakout performances, there is also the flip side. Nobody wants to be...
MLB baseball
Fantasy baseball: Sleepers to consider for your draft
Anybody can pick from the long list of stars available in the early rounds of fantasy baseball drafts.It's in the later rounds where fantasy leagues are often won or lost.There's a good chance anyone who drafted Corey Kluber or Jose Altuve in the middle rounds or who scored Michael Brantley or Victor Martinez in the late rounds wound up finishing "in the money" last year.Trying to identify where these unexpected stellar performances are going...
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Fantasy baseball: Angels' Trout leads list of top 10 players to pick
Spring training kicks into gear this week with exhibition games beginning in earnest on Tuesday, then the Dodgers open their Cactus League schedule on Wednesday and the Angels start their docket on Thursday.All the game action helps remind fantasy baseball owners that draft time is quickly approaching.It's time to start assembling spreadsheets and draft charts, becoming familiar with all the players who changed teams in the offseason and all the youngsters poised to make...
Fantasy sports
Fantasy Football: Ravens' Justin Forsett emerges in wake of Ray Rice suspension
The fallout from the Ray Rice debacle seems far from finished in the NFL office and in New Jersey courts that each let the Baltimore Ravens running back off too easy the first time.Fantasy owners had prepared for a two-game suspension for Rice that was to provide an opportunity for Bernard Pierce to step up. Then Pierce was benched for fumbling in the opener and Justin Forsett emerged with 70 yards and a touchdown rushing.Now that Rice has been cut by the Ravens and suspended...
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Fantasy Football: Who are the best underrated players?
Every fantasy owner dreams of unearthing a gem in the final rounds of their draft.If you were slick enough last season to believe in Zac Stacey, Knowshon Moreno, Philip Rivers or Keenan Allen, you were rewarded with big seasons at little to no cost.Here are some high-ceiling targets to go after in the late rounds if you still have a draft coming or you could pick up off waivers if they went undrafted:1. ANDRE WILLIAMS, RB, GIANTSThe 2013 Heisman Trophy...
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Fantasy Football: Making draft picks from the middle of the pack
It's that time in draft preparations where most owners are finding out where they're picking and developing a strategy off it.For this exercise, I'm going to reveal the team I would shoot for if picking near the middle of a standard 12-team league using my core strategy of waiting for quarterback and tight end.1. Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers >> Lacy is the last of the first-tier running backs (with Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson and Matt...
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Best strategy for fantasy football draft: Use tiers to map out draft
Most of the talk heading into fantasy football draft season centers on which basic strategy to employ.It all begins with who you take in the first round, leaving you with four main ways to go:• Load up at running back, taking them early and often.• Wide receivers are the new running backs, so load up at receiver instead.• Go safe and take one of the elite quarterbacks first.• Gain a big edge at tight end and grab Jimmy...
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Fantasy football: Draft strategies that work and how NFL rule changes have influenced position stats
The evolution of football has continued to emphasize passing more and more with each decade since the advent of the forward pass.What has accelerated this process over the last decade has been rule changes to protect quarterbacks from taking unnecessary hits and keep defenders' hands off receivers.Since the NFL can't tell defenders to stop hitting running backs plunging into the line, the only way to protect them has been to lighten their workload by spreading...


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The Westin Osaka
Westin Guest Experiences
Every aspect of Westin is carefully selected to create an emotional connection with our guests. Our sensory welcome greets you with warm lighting, beautiful botanical arrangements, signature music, and our calming white tea scent. Our Heavenly® Bed and Bath help you awaken refreshed and ready for the day ahead. Our SuperFoodsRx™ breakfast restores with delicious options rich in nutrients and taste. Explore The Westin Difference.
Special Conditions
Currency Fluctuations
For non-US hotels, rates confirmed in USD may be converted to local currency by the hotel at your time of stay, based on the exchange rate used by the hotel and are subject to exchange rate fluctuations. Credit card charges are subject to additional currency conversions by banks or credit card companies, which are not within the hotel's control and may impact the amount charged to your credit card. Please contact the hotel if you have any questions.
Hotel Policies
Early Arrival Policy
We are pleased to offer early check-ins based on availability. In the case of check-in before 10am, 100% of room the room rate will be charged. Check-in between 10am-12pm will result in 50% of the room rate, and check-in between 12pm-2pm will result in a fee equal to 25% of the room rate.
Fitness Center Admittance Policy
Guests must be 18 years or older to enter the Fitness Center and pool areas. However, during Japanese vacation periods, children can enter our pool area if accompanied by an adult. Entrance fees may apply.
Late Checkout Policy
We are happy to accommodate late checkout requests based on availability. In the case of checkout between 12pm-3pm, 25% of the room rate will be charged. Checkouts between 3pm-6pm will be charged 50% of the room rate, and checkouts after 6pm will be charged 100% of the room rate.
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Pets are not allowed at this time.
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A visa is not required for tourist or business travelers for stays up to 90 days. Please contact the Japan Embassy for Visa requirement details.


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Paul Smiths The following area students were named to the Dean's List at Paul Smith's College during the fall 2012 semester. Each earned a semester average of 3.3 or higher to receive this distinction:
•Joshua Pierce of Elizabethtown, majors in fisheries and wildlife sciences. Pierce was also named an Adirondack Scholar, having achieved a cumulative average of at least 3.8.
•Cullen Zukas of Jay, majors in natural resources management and policy. Zukas was also named an Adirondack Scholar, having achieved a cumulative average of at least 3.8.
•Jeffrey Bigelow of Willsboro, majors in parks, recreation and facilities management.
•Christopher Griffin of Keene Valley, majors in culinary arts and service management.
CANTON — The following students have been selected for inclusion on the Dean's List for academic achievement during the fall 2012 semester at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. To be eligible for the Dean's List at St. Lawrence University, a student must have completed at least four semester units and have an academic average of 3.6 (based on a perfect 4.0 scale) for the semester.
Kayla J. Hebert, of Keene Valley and Rebekah M. White, of Westport.
AURORA — Clare Harwood, class of 2016, of Elizabethtown, was named to the Wells College Dean's List for the fall 2012 semester. The Dean's List consists of students who earn at least a 3.5 grade point average for at least 12 hours of coursework in a given semester. Clare graduated from Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School.
POTSDAM — The following students were named Presidential Scholars for the fall 2012 semester at Clarkson University.
Zachary J. Denton, a sophomore majoring in environmental health science and pre-physical therapy, from Elizabethtown
J. Tyler Glanda, a senior majoring in professional studies, from Westport
Shannon M. Hanson, a senior majoring in global supply chain management, from Elizabethtown
Presidential Scholars must achieve a minimum 3.80 grade-point average and carry at least 14 credit hours.
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Honors College Celebrates Class of 2014 Scholars
- 05-27-2014
- By Britten Chase
On Saturday, May 17, 105 members of the Honors College graduating class of 2014 gathered in Ira Allen Chapel to receive their medallions and be formally recognized as Honors College Scholars.
President Tom Sullivan was on hand to congratulate the graduates, and he urged them to building off of the mentoring experiences they had at UVM to give back to society and mentor the next generation to make a positive difference in the world. Outgoing Dean Abu Rizvi gave the ceremony remarks, where he encouraged students to follow the intellectual passions they developed at UVM to a fulfilling life of learning. Mike Wood '14 gave a speech on behalf of the students, and he encouraged his fellow classmates to use their education to make the world a better place.


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Accessing the Collections
Moving Image Research Collections is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The general public as well as students, faculty and staff are invited to come to our 707 Catawba Street facility to view material free of charge.
Onsite access is provided through our reference library. This library consists of over 2,000 hours of material transferred to VHS tapes and DVDs from our film collections. Patrons are encouraged to search our online catalog prior to coming to the library to ensure the desired material is available. Material identified as RC#### or RD#### may be accessed in our reference room.
Access copies for materials not yet transferred can be made upon request, typically within two weeks depending on the volume of requests. Technical and legal constraints may restrict access to certain collections.
Scholars wishing to consult the library for an extended period of time should contact the Director or Curator to make arrangements.
Offsite access to several of the collections, including the Fox Movietone News Collection, is available for a fee. Patrons wishing to have a time-coded screening material customized to their needs and mailed to then should contact the Production Manager to make arrangements.
The fee for customized media is $20 for each story requested.


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1. hurting - noun
· a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder; "the patient developed severe pain and distension"
Synonym(s): pain
Hypernym(s): symptom
2. hurt - verb
· be the source of pain
Hypernym(s): cause_to_be_perceived
3. hurt - verb
· give trouble or pain to; "This exercise will hurt your back"
Hypernym(s): indispose
4. hurt - verb
· cause emotional anguish or make miserable; "It pains me to see my children not being taught well in school"
Hypernym(s): upset, discompose, untune, disconcert, discomfit
5. hurt - verb
· cause damage or affect negatively; "Our business was hurt by the new competition"
Synonym(s): injure
Hypernym(s): damage
6. hurt - verb
· hurt the feelings of; "She hurt me when she did not include me among her guests"; "This remark really bruised my ego"
Synonym(s): wound, injure, bruise, offend, spite
Hypernym(s): arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke
7. hurt - verb
· feel physical pain; "Were you hurting after the accident?"
Hypernym(s): perceive, comprehend
8. hurt - verb
· feel pain or be in pain
Synonym(s): suffer
Hypernym(s): be
The only site you need for word puzzles, home work, anagrams and scrabble games. The best site for two word anagram solutions.
Enter the letters to get anagrams for the word
Definitions, synonyms, antonyms and related words
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Digable eats
"Sausage & Beer Extravaganza." In San Diego—or anywhere else, for that matter—those are the only words needed to sell an event, right? This city's beer and food peddlers know what we want. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, sausage-focused restaurant and bar, Salt & Cleaver, will join forces with Green Flash Brewing Company for a five-course dinner and beer-pairing event at Salt & Cleaver (3805 Fifth Ave. in Hillcrest). S & C's executive chef Carlos Anthony will lead guests through the food courses while Dave Adams, Green Flash's director of beer education (how's that for a dream job?), will school attendees on the finer points of the five expertly paired seasonal beers. Tickets are $50.
Digable chocolate
Ten years is either the tin or aluminum anniversary, at least according to Hallmark. But here's a more palatable alternative: chocolate. And it just so happens that this year marks the 10th anniversary of one of San Diego's sweetest confectioners, Eclipse Chocolate (2145 Fern St., South Park). To mark the occasion, the chocolatier is hosting a month of mouth-watering events. Things kick off from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, with a build-your-own chocolate bar workshop and, at 4 p.m., a Chocolate Threeway (chocolate, cheese and beer pairings). There's a chocolate and wine tasting on Saturday, Sept. 26, and two five-course anniversary dinners on Sept. 26 and 27. Cost per event varies; see the website for the full schedule.
Digable shopping
ACD Gallery (2923 Upas St.) in North Park is celebrating an end and a beginning on Friday, Sept. 5. It's the shop's grand opening, which happens to coincide with the end o' the summer (though, the weather report might disagree). Stop by between 6 and 9 p.m. to check out ACD's curated selection of cool-kid clothing, accessories and art from makers like Lexdray (totes and backpacks), Norse Projects (men's clothing), Medicom Toy (Japanese collectibles) and DSPTCH (camera accessories). ACD is tiny, but it reminds us of the kind of places you'd find walking down a side street in, say, Brooklyn or San Francisco. At 9 p.m., an after-party kicks off at Bluefoot Bar, just across the street, with DJ sets by Addison Groove, Question & Freddie Joachim and Blend*E.
Digable art
Local artist Matt Dunn plays with words, weaving them into his paintings, drawings and sculptures in abstract, interesting ways. Using text is one way, Dunn says, to create an immediate entry point. "People come into my studio—often people who think they don't know how to look at art—and they read my work closely in spite of themselves," he said in a recent Q&A. "I make visual work people want to pronounce." Dunn's work doesn't often form a clear narrative; instead, it helps people recognize words' ability to communicate all sorts of feelings, thoughts, visuals, aesthetics and more. Dunn's solo show of text-based works, Anti-Analogy, opens at The Hill Street County Club Gallery (Artist Alley, 212 North Coast Hwy., Oceanside) from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5.
You just read the Red List, our weekly cultural newsletter on everything from digable dining and shopping to digable events. Click here to share the sign-up link with a friend. Email email@example.com with tips or questions.


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Pensacola & Tallahassee Buick, Chevrolet & GMC Dealer
Chevrolet Buick GMC of Quincy has served the Pensacola and Tallahassee communities for years. In addition to parts, service, and financing, we offer a full inventory of competitively-priced new and used cars, trucks, and SUVs from three great brands. Our invoices are posted on the windshield, taking all the guess work out of buying your new vehicle, and we always pass the savings on to our customers. After all, our motto is "cars are like eggs, they're cheaper in the country." Because we're so closely connected with the military personnel in the Pensacola Chevrolet Buick community, we proudly offer the GM Military Discount! Come by and ask us about it today!
Your Chevrolet, Buick & GMC Dealer near Tallahassee and Pensacola in Quincy
For many years now, Pensacola and Tallahassee Buick, Chevy, and GMC shoppers have made the drive to our Quincy car dealership and gone home with a great new car. If you've been let down by local Tallahassee and Pensacola Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC dealers, take a look at our map page to get directions to Chevrolet Buick GMC of Quincy. Because we receive so many out-of-town customers, we provide easy driving directions to our location at 2039 W Jefferson St. in Quincy, FL. You can view our entire inventory online, or email our friendly staff to inquire about what's currently available. If you'd rather talk to someone directly, feel free to call us at (866) 561-8635. Once you give our dealership a chance, we're sure you'll see why so many Pensacola and Tallahassee GMC, Buick, and Chevy shoppers make the drive to buy from us!
Your Source for Tallahassee Used and New Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC Models
Chevrolet Buick GMC of Quincy offers the full lineup of new models from three dependable brands! Come in today to find models like the new Buick LaCrosse and Verano, or the new Chevrolet Camaro, Malibu, or Cruze - the Consumers' Digest Best Buy pick for 3 years running. We also have the new Chevy Sonic and Chevy Volt! Looking for a used Buick dealer in Tallahassee? Or would you rather check out some pre-owned Chevy or GMC trucks? Come visit our Quincy used car lot and take advantage of our lowest price guarantee - we'll beat all offers on used vehicles by $500! Whether you're looking for new cars or used ones, we are determined to beat the prices at any nearby Tallahassee or Pensacola Buick, Chevy, or GMC dealership.
Check Out the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra at Your Regional Tallahassee Dealer
Are you looking truck dealership in Tallahassee or Quincy, that offers the powerful Chevy Silverado, GMC Acadia, or the new Sierra? Nearby Tallahassee and Pensacola GMC and Chevy dealers may not have the selection you want, but we've got plenty of rugged trucks to choose from here in Quincy. The new Silverado is as durable and powerful as its predecessors, and you can count on the new Sierra to get any job done. We have a great selection of Chevy and GMC trucks in Quincy, and we would love to schedule a test drive for you. If a new truck isn't in your budget, come take a look at some of our used vehicles - we have one of the largest lots of used trucks in Florida.
Need Tallahassee Car Parts and Service? Come Visit Us in Quincy!
Have you been disappointed by local Pensacola and Tallahassee Chevrolet service centers? Can't find a body shop that will take proper care of your GMC truck? Our Quincy auto repair shop is staffed with skilled technicians who will get your vehicle running in no time! Pensacola and Tallahassee GMC, Buick, and Chevy owners have brought their cars to us again and again because they know we always get the job done right the first time. Whether you need a simple oil change or complex repairs, we are well worth the drive. We even maintain an onsite Quincy car parts store to ensure that your vehicle is serviced with genuine GM parts and accessories. For everything from tire rotations to brake replacements, schedule a Buick, Chevy, or GMC service appointment with our Quincy auto repair center today!
We price our cars, not our customers. You don't need negotiating skills to make your best buy. Our pricing philosophy make car buying fast and easy near Tallahassee. You'll shop the way you do at a department store. Every car has the lowest price on the windshield, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Our customers drive from all over Florida, including Tallahassee, because we have guaranteed lowest price and commitment to 100% customer satisfaction.
We guarantee to beat your best new car deal by $1000 and used car deal by $500! Customer must present a local competitor's legitimate advertised price or written buyer's order of identical vehicle. Must be in stock in comparably equipped. Offer valid date of publication only. Not responsible for typographical errors or photo placement errors. Chevrolet Buick of Quincy is authorized to buy competitors' vehicle at price presented by customer. If unable to do so, competitors' offer will not be deemed "legitimate offer."


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Your just-opened bottle of wine will chill keep at the perfect temperature; that's the technology behind this freezable Wine Chill Stick. Open your bottle, insert the Wine Chill Stick, and pour through the drip-free stainless steel pouring spout. Perfect for celebrations – keep your favorite Riesling or Chardonnay at the perfect temperature during the party. Keep the Wine Chill Stick frozen and ready in your freezer; needs to freeze for at least one hour for optimal chill.
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Item # 200934
Pull it out of your freezer, and place it into your opened bottle of wine for a fast chill, and a perfect pour. The Wine Chill Stick not only keeps your wine chilled, but it makes a tight seal at the bottle opening, and lets you pour through a stainless steel spout – with no drips.
• Keeps wine perfectly chilled
• Drip free pouring
• Stainless steel pouring spout
• Freeze for at least 1 hour before use
Length: 0.5
Width: 0.5
Height: 1.25
Weight: 0.2 Lbs
Our Price: $29.99
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Soaps Boards :: Days of Our Lives Forum :: Please Save Brady!!!
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Quote mama rosa: Thank God Brady thinks he's cursed!! And that's the reason that he can't marry Kristen!...
But the way Kristen is I can see her convincing him to move in together,soon....
After all the third times the "charm"!!...LOL
Please Keep Saving Brady!!
I had to laugh when he said he was cursed sort of!
And it's all since he divorced Chloe....hm, I like him and Chloe, so, LOL, that should tell him that he should be with Chloe as she is the one for him...LOL
It's now so funny him and Kristen... never a dull moment!
Chloe, ditch Dan and go after Brady,uh, I think Kristen would go nuts-
Chloe, save Brady and yourself!!!LOL
Oh my goodness, Brady is going to ask Kristen to marry him? or what? Did you all watch today's show? I think that everyone trashing Kristen is making his knight in shining armour really get buffed up so instead of everyone trashing her they need to just let it go and he would tire of her ? or figure out what she was up to, but now.
mama rosa
Wow now after today's episode,I really think this could happen now!...
Quote Bricole: I am begging the writers to please save Brady! The current version has been turned into a zombie. A very sexy zombie, but still a zombie nevertheless. Remember when Brady was fun and exciting to watch? What happened? Where is my Brady? Eric Martsolf is a great actor. He just needs a better storyline and hanging out with John and Madison just isn't working for me. Has he even shared a scene with anyone else lately? Do you guys want the old Brady back or do you like the current "boring" version? Is Madison the ony problem or does he need to be with Nicole, Vivian or EJ to be interesting again? Thoughts?
I agree with you to please save Brady! However, his acting sucks. I don't know if it's the s/l or what, but it is unbearable to watch. Same with Eileen Davidson ... OMG, please help! She plays Kristen's character horribly. I don't know if she just isn't good at being a villain or what! It's unbearable as well. I loved watching her on Y&R, and now it's like what the heck have you done! It's just awful! I'm ready for this s/l to be over with. I fast-forward through their scenese all the time.
Quote mama rosa: Wow now after today's episode,I really think this could happen now!...
Is It Possible that the two of them set up their verbal disputes and the fight?
Could John be keeping this all from Marlena because she can't keep a secret?
And is leaving as part of the plan to surveil Kristen without her knowing?....
Do you think they could be working together to find out the truth behind Kristen's agenda?....
Or more importantly Stefanos?...
Now I could see them teaming up and John can show him, how warped she is!!...He could probably call her on her moves,before she did them if he was back in-zinc with her....
I agree that the DiMeras never learn to shut up when other people live with them!!..LOL..or close the doors!!LOL
Please Save Brady!!
This one is hard to figure out - so I disagree with Tupster 77 about the acting. What if he does know? I can't believe he didn't hear everything but then he played her so well with the music and the tears. AND then they played us both if that phone call he got was actually John and the met up 'by accident' at HTS. Today they get to stragize more during their 'breakfast meeting' WHO KNOWS??!! They are going to keep us guessing all the way up to the wedding?
So what do you think is he brain damaged?
mama rosa
Quote allmylovingdays: So what do you think is he brain damaged?
I Hope not!,...But most likely John will try to use it to become executor over Brady if he winds up in the hospital,then John could keep Kristen away from Brady ,if they aren't married yet...and if shes pregnant,John better look out!...
There's no need to SAVE Brady because I am convinced that he's not that stupid. He is most definitely up to something and I'm pretty sure that John is involved. Marlena might not be as clued in. This distance btwn her and John is uncharacteristic of either of them. I'm fairly certain that this is all some kind of a plot btwn father and son to expose the enemy.
I don't think he needs to be 'saved' so much in that front but I wondered if he will have a medical crisis now and thus the SAVE BRADY came into play.
Quote allmylovingdays: I don't think he needs to be 'saved' so much in that front but I wondered if he will have a medical crisis now and thus the SAVE BRADY came into play.
The threads on this board --I didn't want to start a new thread because they can be redundant. I can't tell you how many no bashingdannifer threads or am I the only one that likesthem threads appeared and all that is needed is to do go back a few pages and pull up their specific couple topic...this occurs for other topics too. I know I am no help but when a thread starts out with a title that I personally can't even post in because I am not lending my comment-I will start a new one. Thus I called out boringCam as a jerk and drug dealer.
It's ok with me. The only ones that get closed are the ejami ones and still don't undestand why the James Scott appreciation thread got closed. Brady always needs to be save. He is too HOT to allow to dwindle to the backburner!
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We've seen companies arm themselves with as many patents as they possibly can and when one of their competitors violates a patent, you can bet that lawsuits will ensue. Apple is one such company that has taken competitors to task over patent infringements and it was generally believed that as a result of litigation, HTC was required to pay Apple somewhere between $6-$8 for every Android phone they made.
These numbers didn't sound far fetched as Microsoft earns similar fees from their competitors as well. However, according to Chief Executive Officer Peter Chou who was responding to questions from the media, any talk about such payments is "outrageous". The reason why is because it doesn't give the full picture of everything that is involved. Essentially, the case that was settled was for a settlement on a global scale and it also included a licensing agreement for 10-years. Chou refused to comment on "a specific number", but he did say that HTC was "very happy" with the outcome.
HTC is one of the first companies that Apple went after regarding mobile phone patent violations. It was back in August when HTC went on the record to say that they will not settle with the Cupertino company, but this was quickly put to rest because in September, we heard that settlement talks were indeed under way. This was then confirmed through court documents which revealed that settlement talks had taken place, but the two parties were unable to come to any mutual agreement.


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Jesus Musik
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FREE DL: "Mix the Groove: Interlude Edition" by DJ Sam Smite
One of Christian hip hop's freshest DJ's (with a legit DMC pedigree), Sam Smite, just dropped a supa-nice tape called Mix the Groove: Interlude Edition. I loved his Mixx-n-Match project from a few years ago and this one doesn't disappoint either. Listen for smooth transitions from artists like Lecrae, Viktory (an artist Smite serves as […] [Read More]


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Wen Jiabao
Even Goldman Says China Is Cooking The BooksSubmitted by Tyler Durden on 01/13/2013 15:42 -0400
That China openly manipulates its economic data, especially around key political phase shifts, such as one communist regime taking over for another, is no secret. That China is also the marginal economic power (creating trillions in new loans and deposits each year) in a stagflating world, and as such must be represented by the media as growing at key inflection points (such as Q4 when Europe officially entered a double dip recession, and the US will report its first sub 1% GDP in years) as mysteriously reporting growth even without open monetary stimulus (something we have said the PBOC will not engage in due to fears of importing US, European and now Japanese inflation) is critical for preserving hope and faith in the future of the stock market, is also very well known. Which is why recent market optimism driven by "hope" from Alcoa that China is recovering and will avoid yet another hard landing, and Chinese reports of a surge in Exports last week, are very much suspect. But no longer is it just the blogosphere that is openly taking Chinese data to task - as Bloomberg reports, even the major banks: Goldman, UBS and ANZ - are now openly questioning the validity and credibility of the goalseek function resulting from C:\China\central_planning\economic_model.xls.
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- 21384 reads
Frontrunning: January 10Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/10/2013 08:31 -0400
- Blackrock
- Boeing
- Bond
- Capital Markets
- China
- Chrysler
- CIT Group
- Citigroup
- Credit Suisse
- Daniel Loeb
- Deutsche Bank
- Dreamliner
- Duke Realty
- European Union
- Evercore
- fixed
- Hertz
- Insider Trading
- Japan
- Keefe
- Lazard
- Legg Mason
- Merrill
- Morgan Stanley
- Natural Gas
- News Corp
- Nomura
- Norway
- Obama Administration
- President Obama
- Prudential
- Raymond James
- RBC Capital Markets
- Real estate
- Reuters
- Robert Khuzami
- Third Point
- Turkey
- Wall Street Journal
- Warren Buffett
- Wells Fargo
- Wen Jiabao
- Yen
- Yuan
- Obama Picking Lew for Treasury Fuels Fight on Budget (BBG)
- Deutsche Bank Bank Made Huge Bet, and Profit, on Libor (WSJ)
- Spain Beats Maximum Target in First 2013 Debt Sale (BBG) - In other news, the social security fund is now running on negative?
- "Icahn is also believed to have taken a long position in Herbalife" (NYPost) - HLF +5% premarket
- Lew-for-Geithner Switch Closes Era of Tight Fed-Treasury Ties (BBG)
- Turkey Beating Norway as Biggest Regional Oil Driller (BBG)
- Greek State Firms are Facing Closure (WSJ)
- Draghi Spared as Confidence Swing Quells Rate-Cut Talk (BBG)
- China's Yuan Loans Trail Estimates (BBG)
- SEC enforcement chief steps down (WSJ)
- CFPB releases new mortgage rules in bid to reduce risky lending (WaPo)
- Japan Bond Investors Expect Extra Sales From February (BBG)
- 5 comments
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- 4434 reads
Meet The 'Jim Cramer' Of ChinaSubmitted by Tyler Durden on 12/21/2012 14:15 -0400
26-year-old Hu Bin is China's most popular online market commentator - just four years after starting his blog. As Bloomberg BusinessWeek notes, his success started when Premier Wen Jiabao announced a 4 trillion renminbi rescue plan and as 'Commander in Chief of the Stock Market Army' Hu says "I knew I just needed to be clever and use this chance of high liquidity in the market to make myself famous." The brash, eccentric, and outspoken blogger is among the Top 10 most influential people on the Chinese stock market (though under his alias 'Yerongtian' - though preferring the nickname 'Batman') and notes that "any eccentric behavior would attract people's attention. If you understood this vital point, you could control people's minds." Hu says he is not a financial rabble-rouser adding that "the stock market in the US is managed by regulations; the Chinese market is managed by humans. The 72 million 'retail' Chinese investors aren't as mature as American investors, and I write to meet their immediate needs." While recognizing the irresistible pull of stocks, he understands he's giving advice to people he knows probably shouldn't be in the market but are going to invest anyway. What's Chinese for BooYaa?
- 79 comments
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- 6632 reads
Frontrunning: December 20Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/20/2012 08:40 -0400
- Apple
- Australia
- Bank of England
- Barclays
- Blackrock
- Carl Icahn
- China
- Citigroup
- Crude
- default
- Deutsche Bank
- Evercore
- Fannie Mae
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Fisher
- Freddie Mac
- General Motors
- Greece
- Market Manipulation
- Michigan
- Motorola
- Natural Gas
- New York Stock Exchange
- NYSE Euronext
- Porsche
- Private Equity
- recovery
- Reuters
- Treasury Department
- Vladimir Putin
- Volkswagen
- Wall Street Journal
- Wells Fargo
- Wen Jiabao
- White House
- World Trade
- Yuan
- IMF Demands Partial Default for Cyprus (Spiegel)
- Boehner's 'Plan B' Gets Pushback (WSJ)
- Beijing criticises US 'political checks' (FT)
- White House Said to Tell Business Groups Talks Stall (BBG)
- NYSE tries to get hitched again: IntercontinentalExchange in talks to buy NYSE (Reuters) -> N-Ice coming?
- Greece faces 'make or break' year (FT)
- Fed rejects idea of consensus forecasts, "maybe forever": Fisher (Reuters)
- Rajoy Drives Spanish Revolution With Low-Cost Manufacture (BBG)
- Italian Senate Set for Budget Vote Before Monti Resigns (BBG)
- BOJ Loosens With Pledge to Review Inflation Objectives (BBG)
- Bowing To Abe, BOJ To Review Price Goal (WSJ)
- 5 comments
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- 3900 reads
Frontrunning: December 6Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/06/2012 08:32 -0400
- Apple
- Australian Dollar
- Barack Obama
- Barclays
- Boeing
- Bond
- Boston Properties
- Capital Markets
- China
- Citigroup
- Cohen
- Copper
- default
- Deutsche Bank
- European Central Bank
- Gambling
- Housing Bubble
- Insider Trading
- Iran
- Japan
- Keefe
- Market Share
- Merrill
- Natural Gas
- President Obama
- Quiksilver
- Raj Rajaratnam
- Real estate
- Reuters
- Standard Chartered
- VeRA
- Wall Street Journal
- Weingarten Realty
- Wells Fargo
- Wen Jiabao
- White House
- Yuan
- MSM discovers window dressing: Fund Managers Lift Results With Timely Trading Sprees (WSJ)
- White House Unyielding on Debt Limit (WSJ)
- Obama, Boehner talk; Geithner prepared to go off "cliff" (Reuters)
- Republicans urged to resist tax rises (FT)
- China looms large over Japanese poll (FT)
- As predicted here two months ago, Greek Bond Buyback Leads S&P to Cut to Selective Default (BBG)
- Japan opposition LDP set to win solid election majority – polls (BBG), but...
- Japan Opposition LDP's Main Ally Cautions Abe on BOJ Pressure (BBG)
- U.S. and Europe Tackle Russia Trade (WSJ)
- King Seen Maintaining QE as Osborne Extends Fiscal Squeeze (BBG)
- Syria pound fall suggests currency crisis (FT)
- Irish budget seeks extra €3.5bn (FT)
- U.K. Extends Cuts Due to Poor Outlook (WSJ)
- ECB Seen Refraining From Rate Cuts as Yields Sink on Bond Plan (BBG)
- 5 comments
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- 2564 reads
Frontrunning: November 29Submitted by Tyler Durden on 11/29/2012 08:32 -0400
- Barclays
- China
- Citigroup
- Cohen
- Copper
- Dell
- Deutsche Bank
- Exxon
- Federal Reserve
- Hong Kong
- Insider Trading
- Japan
- JPMorgan Chase
- Mexico
- Morgan Stanley
- Nuclear Power
- Obama Administration
- President Obama
- Reuters
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Securities Fraud
- Swiss Franc
- Treasury Department
- Volkswagen
- Wall Street Journal
- Wells Fargo
- Wells Notice
- Wen Jiabao
- White House
- As this has been priced in since September 13, it should come as no surprise to anyone: Fed Stimulus Likely in 2013 (Hilsenrath)
- Bowles Says Fiscal Cliff Deal Unlikely by End of Year (Bloomberg)
- Argentina debt repayment order frozen (FT)
- Obama Is Flexible on Highest Tax Rates (WSJ)... not really
- Geithner deployed for fiscal cliff talks (FT)
- Audit firms Deloitte and KPMG sued in HP's Autonomy acquisition (Reuters)
- Euro-Zone Budget Proposal Is Unveiled (WSJ)
- EU Nations Clash on Thresholds for Direct ECB Oversight (Bloomberg)
- LDP leader Abe: BOJ must ease until inflation hits 3 percent (Reuters)
- SNB's Jordan Says High Swiss Franc Burdens Many Companies (Bloomberg)
- EU to launch free trade negotiations with Japan: EU officials (Reuters)
- 9 comments
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- 3221 reads
Chinese Goldilocks GDP: Q3 Economy Goalseeked Just As Expected At 7.4%Submitted by Tyler Durden on 10/17/2012 22:07 -0400
Chinese economic data has in general been surprising to the downside in recent weeks - in opposition to the positive (seasonally adjusted awesomeness) of US data. However, for tonight's entertainment we have GDP at 7.4% YoY - perfectly in line with expectations (but the 7th consecutive quarter of slowing growth), Industrial Production beat modestly, Retail Sales beat handsomely (biggest beat in 18 months), and FAI beat...
So, no new stimulus coming anytime soon - leaving Bernanke and Draghi all alone (and the latter is stuck waiting for Rajoy to say 'Si'). AUD lurched violently up and down; US equity futures are unmoved; and Treasury yields rose perhaps 1bps.
- 23 comments
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- 4933 reads
The Three Toughest Questions For China BullsSubmitted by Tyler Durden on 10/07/2012 18:34 -0400
Whether you believe China is an economic miracle - or a government-sponsored fraud; and can ignore the broken growth model or believe that the CCP can bailout the world; Michael Pettis, of China Financial Markets, provides a much-needed dose of reality for bulls and bears when it comes to the future of the global growth engine. After summing up (and laying-waste to) the three mainstays of China bulls' arguments: he asks the three toughest questions any China bull must be able to answer. Analogizing China's position perfectly he cites Mills: "Panics do not destroy capital; they merely reveal the extent to which it has been previously destroyed by its betrayal into hopelessly unproductive works." Simply put, the bull argument cannot ignore the hidden bad debt.
- 66 comments
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- 12349 reads
Frontrunning: September 21Submitted by Tyler Durden on 09/21/2012 07:25 -0400
- Apple
- Bank of England
- Barclays
- Bond
- Budget Deficit
- China
- Citigroup
- Credit Crisis
- Daimler
- Deutsche Bank
- E-Trade
- Evercore
- General Motors
- India
- Japan
- Mercedes-Benz
- Merrill
- Mervyn King
- Mexico
- Porsche
- ratings
- Reuters
- Simon Johnson
- Time Warner
- Unemployment
- Wall Street Journal
- Wells Fargo
- Wen Jiabao
- Europe's crisis will be followed by a more devastating one, likely beginning in Japan. (Simon Johnson)
- Porsche, Daimler Indicate Europe's Car Crisis Spreading (Bloomberg)
- No progress in Catalonia-Madrid talks (FT)
- Hilsenrath speaks: Fed's Kocherlakota Shifts on Unemployment (WSJ) - luckily QEternity made both obsolete
- Lenders Reportedly Consider New Greek Haircut (Spiegel)
- Fed Officials Highlight Benefits of Bond-Buying (WSJ)
- ESM to Launch without Leverage Vehicle Options (WSJ)
- Japanese companies report China delays (FT)
- Borg Says Swedish Taxes Can't Go Into Ill-Managed European Banks (Bloomberg)
- Greek Leaders Struggle With Spending Reductions (Bloomberg)
- Asian Stocks Rise as iPhone 5 Debut Boosts Tech Shares (Bloomberg)
- China government's hand seen in anti-Japan protests (LA Times)
- 9 comments
- Read more
- 3263 reads
Merkel and Clinton Go To China: One Makes Deals, The Other Gets SnubbedSubmitted by testosteronepit on 09/05/2012 21:42 -0400
Where is the bacon, Mrs. Clinton?
- testosteronepit's blog
- 68 comments
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- 9268 reads
Frontrunning: September 3Submitted by Tyler Durden on 09/03/2012 08:05 -0400
- Germans write off Greece, says poll (FT) - Only a quarter of Germans think Greece should stay in the eurozone
- As predicted here two months ago: ECB chief and Spanish PM on collision course (FT)
- Gold Wagers Jump To 5-Month High As Fed Spurs Rally (Bloomberg)
- Euro zone factories faltering as core crumbles (Reuters)
- Those who expected more China easing, beware: PBOC Has No Short Term Intention for Loose Money Policy (Financial Market News)
- French jobless tops three million, minister says (AFP)
- Spain Leads Europe's $25 Billion Gamble Before ECB (Bloomberg)
- US investor is Ireland's biggest creditor (FT)
- Draghi May See Silver Lining In Disappointing Investors (Bloomberg)
- China's steel traders expose banks' bad debts (Reuters)
- NY probes private equity tax strategy (FT)
- 13 comments
- Read more
- 2662 reads
The "China Bails Out Europe" Rumor Is BackSubmitted by Tyler Durden on 08/30/2012 06:00 -0400
It's been a while since the ridiculous "China bails out Europe" rumor made the scene: in fact, the last time we can find with definitive confirmation was back in September of 2011, just before the bottom fell out of Europe, and when the FT, based on "anonymous sources" tripped over itself to report that "[insert European country] is in talks with China to buy bonds, assets." Sure enough, now that Merkel came, and saw, but hardly conquered Beijing, it is the turn of China's Wen Jiabao to add his 10 pips to the EURUSD rumormill: Reuters reports: "China is prepared to buy more EU government bonds amid a worsening European debt crisis that is dragging on the world economy, Premier Wen Jiabao said, in the strongest sign of support for its biggest trading partner in months." Naturally, considering how often this rumor (re)appeared in the past it will be excusable if nobody but the dumbest vacuum tubes fall for it this time, especially considering that the Chinese economy itself is going down in flames faster than the October Iron Ore contract. And lest there be any confusion, China's commitment is about as definitive as a Best Buy LBO "preunderwritten" with a Jefferies highly confident letter: "China is willing, on condition of fully evaluating the risks, to continue to invest in the euro zone sovereign debt market, and strengthen communication and discussion with the European Union, the European Central Bank the IMF and other key countries to support the indebted euro zone countries in overcoming hardships," [Wen] said after meeting Merkel." Ah, conditional aid. The kind that gets Mario Monti to break out the petulant ex-Goldman child act and refuse to leave the Belgian catered dining room until the beggees succumb to his technocratic platitudes. Needless to say, we'll believe China's "continued" investment in Europe when we see it.
- 42 comments
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- 3411 reads
China Stocks Drop To Fresh Post-2009 Lows Following Plunge In Industrial Company ProfitsSubmitted by Tyler Durden on 08/27/2012 04:33 -0400
Today the Chinese stock market did something unthinkable: it plunged to fresh post 2009 lows on news so bad they would have been enough to send the stock markets of such "developed" bizarro economies as the US and Europe limit up. The catalyst, as Bloomberg reports, was that Chinese industrial companies' profits fell in July by the most this year, a government report showed today, adding to evidence the nation's economic slowdown is deepening. Income dropped 5.4 percent last month from a year earlier to 366.8 billion yuan ($57.7 billion), the fourth straight decline, National Bureau of Statistics data today showed. That compares with a 1.7 percent slide in June and a 5.3 percent drop in May. What is disturbing is that the slide persisted even as revenue in the first seven months increased 10.6 percent to 50 trillion yuan, today's report showed. Which means that cost and wage pressures are starting to truly bite Chinese corporations, that the US ability to export inflation to China is much more limited, and that one can forget the PBOC easing monetary conditions any time soon for many of the reasons discussed in the past week. It also means that China is now stuck hoping that Wen Jiabao will at least implement some fiscal stimulus. The reality however, judging by the SHCOMP's reaction, is that the benefit from fiscal programs in China, and everywhere else, is far more limited than monetary policy intervention. End result: SHCOMP down 1.74%,to 2,055, a three year low.
- 50 comments
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Guest Post: Be Optimistic (And Wrong) About The Chinese EconomySubmitted by Tyler Durden on 08/19/2012 22:56 -0400
When China started tightening policy to fight inflation, almost no one thought that it would slow the economy to what China is in right now. When China started imposing ever more aggressive real estate prices curb, some people believed that that it would not make home prices drop (because there are many people in China, and urbanisation, etc), and even less believed that it would slow the economy to what China is in right now. When China started to slow down more than most thought, almost no one thought that it could be a big problem, while some thought that the slowdown was "engineered" to fight inflation. Because it was an intentional slowdown, not many people believed that it could get much worse. Digging deeper, we have not found much good reasoning behind those who insist on the uber-optimistic case, and most bullish arguments can be boiled down: "This is China. China is different. Don't ask, just buy."
- 57 comments
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Guest Post: Is China's Economy Staring Down The Bottomless PitSubmitted by Tyler Durden on 08/11/2012 20:31 -0400
All major macro data from China over the last 2 days have been disappointing. The third quarter started on a surprisingly weak note for China despite all the talks (and hope) on stimulus and monetary policy easing. The macro data pretty much confirm our view that economic growth did not reach a bottom in the second quarter as the consensus used to believe. If anything, the economy seems to be worsening somewhat again. We hope that the consensus is (finally) right and that we are wrong. We hope that we will not be repeating the joke that "the consensus is expecting a recovery in next quarter during every quarter". Unfortunately, we just don't see that, and we doubt if the government has the willingness at this point to do much more, and we doubt whether the government really has the ability as the market thinks. We do not see convincing signs of recovery (except, perhaps, Wen Jiabao making waves every other week), and we even struggle to see signs of stabilisation. If we see anything, we are seeing a bottomless pit.
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GWM Media
Kyeyo Radio - Gospel
Welcome to the official mobile application for KR Gospel(Kyeyo Radio - Gospel). This is part of Kyeyo Radio online station presented by Kyeyo World and reaching out to all Africans in the Diaspora. Our aim is to provide a platform for all Africans abroad that are often not represented by...
Kyeyo World
Welcome to the official mobile app for KyeyoWorld.com, a community website that is dedicated to Africans in the diaspora. Featuring, news, entertainment videos, music, community radios and events.


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The Routledge Concise History of Latino/a Literatureby Aldama; Frederick Luis
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Renting is easy, fast, and cheap! Renting from eCampus.com can save you hundreds of dollars compared to the cost of new or used books each semester. At the end of the semester, simply ship the book back to us with a free UPS shipping label! No need to worry about selling it back.
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Returning books is as easy as possible. As your rental due date approaches, we will email you several courtesy reminders. When you are ready to return, you can print a free UPS shipping label from our website at any time. Then, just return the book to your UPS driver or any staffed UPS location. You can even use the same box we shipped it in!
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This is the 1st edition with a publication date of 1/30/2013.
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The Routledge Concise History of Latino/aLiteraturepresents the first comprehensive overview of the development of Latino/a writing and its influence. The book displays how Latino/a authors use particular devices (narrative, poetic, dramatic) to give particular and unique expression to themes, events, characterization (the narrow focus), as well as how such works exist within historical, social, political, and cultural forms (the wide-angle focus). Tracing a historical path through Latino/a literatures, this enlightening analysis also focuses on: recent themes such as gender and sexuality, feminist and queer voices, migration and border control different literary trends such as the postmodern, avant-garde, noir, and chica-lit language, code-switching and identity within the literature. With student-friendly features such as a glossary, guide to further reading, explanatory text boxes and chapter summaries, this is the ideal book for anyone approaching this broad and complex subject for the first time.


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1958 International Anniversary Model, Very Rare Anniversary Model with Rare Factory Blue instead of the Factory offered Gold. Western dry pickup, Should run. You... More
International 1974 Model 200 flatbed dually, 79,000 miles, 4-speed T18 transmission, 345 V8 motor, spare rebuilt heads, spare brake runs, rotors and calipers, heavy... More


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Well I am seeing my new ob/gyn on Monday. I am scared because of my experience with my last ob/gyn. (Long story, let's just say they treated me very poorly.) I have not had my yearly physical done since my daughter was born two years ago, because of my experience. I am not scared of procedures, just the care I will receive. Any advice? Any questions I should ask? I would like to find a doctor and stick with them through my next pregnancy, whenever that is. I developed pe at 35 weeks last time, and then it took 10 weeks for my bp to go back to normal. So I just need advice on what I should ask/find out. Thank you for your help. ~Amanda
Amanda, SAHM to Megan born at 34 weeks due to pe


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Event Detail: Shabbat Evening Services
Friday, February 1, 6:15 PM
New Trees in Israel for the smallest members of the WRT Community
Tu B'Shevat, the 15th of Shevat on the Jewish calendar, is the day that marks the beginning of a "New Year for Trees." This is the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.
To celebrate Tu B'Shevat, WRT would like to honor all the new babies born between Tu B'Shevat 5772 (February 8, 2012) and Tu B'Shevat 5773 (January 26, 2013) by planting a tree in their name in Israel. These babies will be honored with a blessing on Friday, February 1 during Shabbat Evening Services.
Do you have a new grandchild? Did you have a new addition to your family?
Please e-mail our PJ Library committee at
with the name of the parents, name of the child and birth date by Saturday, January 26, 2013 so that we can include your newest addition in this special evening.
Mazel Tov to all of you and Happy New Year to the Trees of Israel!
Download Event to Calendar
Westchester Reform Temple │ 255 Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale, New York 10583 │ 914.723.7727


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Saturday, August 1, 2015
Alternate title: Oorlogswinter
The spartan world of Martin Koolhoven's sober, well-made World War II melodrama, "Winter in Wartime," is a rustic blue-gray landscape of woods and snow-covered roads through which armed German soldiers roam in trucks. This handsome film, set in a village in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands and shot in Lithuania, is an adaptation of a semiautobiographical 1972 novel by the Dutch author Jan Terlouw, who lived under German occupation for five years. This coming-of-age story, set in 1945, contemplates the fog of war and the mysteries of adult life through the eyes of Michiel (Martijn Lakemeier), the 13-year-old son of the town's stoic mayor, Johan van Beusekom (Raymond Thiry). The screenplay, by Mr. Koolhoven, Paul Jan Nelissen, and Mieke de Jong, evokes the acute yearning for adult experience and validation of a boy on the threshold of adolescence. Michiel has arrived at that impatient moment when he is considered too young to be privy to adult secrets but hates being treated like a child, and he is itching to prove himself a man. Telling a story from such a naïve perspective cuts two ways. The plot isn't as clearly outlined as you might wish, and character development is necessarily limited to a child's-eye view. At the same time the movie immerses you in the consciousness of a restless boy desperate for initiation into the rest of his life. — Stephen Holden


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C-Learn: the International Climate Change Simulation
Climate Interactive
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Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
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Climate Literacy
About Teaching Climate Literacy
About Teaching Principle 5
Observations, experiments, and theory are used to construct and refine computer models
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About Teaching Principle 6
Increased GHG concentrations in atmosphere will remain high for centuries and affect future climate
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Energy Literacy
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Environmental quality is impacted by energy choices.
7.3 Environmental quality.
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Humans transfer and transform energy from the environment into forms useful for human endeavors.
4.1 Humans transfer and transform energy.
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Human demand for energy is increasing.
6.3 Demand for energy is increasing.
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Greenhouse gases affect energy flow through the Earth system.
2.6 Greenhouse gases affect energy flow.
Benchmarks for Science Literacy
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The earth's climates have changed in the past, are currently changing, and are expected to change in the future, primarily due to changes in the amount of light reaching places on the earth and the composition of the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels in the last century has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which has contributed to Earth's warming.
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Decisions to slow the depletion of energy resources can be made at many levels, from personal to national, and they always involve trade-offs involving economic costs and social values.
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Computer modeling explores the logical consequences of a set of instructions and a set of data. The instructions and data input of a computer model try to represent the real world so the computer can show what would actually happen. In this way, computers assist people in making decisions by simulating the consequences of different possible decisions.
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Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about
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Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- Educators will have to provide students with enough background material to help them create interesting scenarios.
- Encourage them to run a set of scenarios that allows them to compare the results of different policy options.
- Suggest reading the Briefing, Introduction, and FAQ (http://forio.com/simulation/climate-development/htm/faqs2.htm) tabs and decide the concepts you want the learners to emphasize.
- Instructors should spend some time playing with the simulator before using it in class.
- For high-school learners, more scaffolding would be needed.
About the Science
- Students are able to change the fossil fuel emissions of CO2, measured in Gigatons (billions of tons) of CO2 per year, from the three regional country groups (i.e., developed, developing A, developing B ) as a percentage of Reference Year emissions reached by 2050.
- The reference scenario used here is based on the IPCC scenario know as A1FI.
- There is a thorough technical reference (including data sources from IPCC AR4) for C-ROADS at http://climateinteractive.org/simulations/C-ROADS/technical/technical-reference/C-ROADS%20simulation%20reference%20guide%20.
- Comments from expert scientist: The creators of this activity have successfully produced a tool that an intelligent stakeholder could use to make an informed decision.
About the Pedagogy
- One of a suite of visualizations from C-Learn this interactive can help augment research or discussions about the challenges and opportunities relating to reducing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.
- C-Learn allows students to run their own scenarios and examine the results. Although there are only a small number of variables that can be changed in any scenario, the number of permutations provides a wide range of policy options to explore.
- There is an extensive set of instructions at http://forio.com/simulation/climate-development/htm/instructions.htm. There are popups to explain key words and concepts.
- A fuller understanding entails looking at the assumptions and data embedded in the C-ROADS simulator.
- This resource engages students in using scientific data.
See other data-rich activities
Technical Details/Ease of Use
- Easy to use and simple.
- For information on the assumptions in the C-Learn simulation, review the technical information on C-ROADS (of which C-Learn is a derivative – the carbon cycle, forests, and climate sectors are identical).
Related URLs These related sites were noted by our reviewers but have not been reviewed by CLEANClimate Interactive: http://www.climateinteractive.org/
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The fixation of a packer or other borehole device is provided by explosively bonding the device to the borehole casing in the desired location. The explosively set packer is oriented in the borehole casing on a setting tool which preferably includes a casing scraper to clean the interior surface of the borehole casing, a removable packer to trap a gas pocket in the area where the explosive bonding is to occur and a gas transfer apparatus to form a gas pocket below the removable packer after the removable packer has been set.
1. A method of fixing a downhole device within a well casing which comprises the steps of:
positioning a fixation element on a support assembly;
lowering said fixation element and support assembly into a well casing;
arranging an explosive within said fixation element;
arranging said explosive and fixation element respective to the casing such that when the explosive is detonated, the fixation element is explosively welded directly to the casing;
detonating said explosive to thereby explosively bond said fixation element to said well casing;
removing said support assembly from said well casing.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the interior surface of said well casing in the area said fixation element is to be bonded is cleaned prior to bonding of said element therein.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein a casing scraper is attached to said support assembly and said interior surface is cleaned by reciprocation of said support assembly.
4. The method of claim 1 and further including the step of using a packer for supporting the support assembly within the casing; and carrying out the step of detonating the explosive charge by elevating the borehole pressure at a location above said packer.
5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of forming a gas pocket within the borehole and in the area where said fixation element is to be bonded to the well casing.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said fixation element is explosively bonded to said well casing by the explosive sintering of a metal powder material oriented between said fixation element and said well casing, such that metal to metal contact is achieved between the fixation element and said well casing.
7. A method of permanently fixing a downhole device directly to the interior of a well casing which comprises the steps of:
placing a removable packer within the well casing adjacent the location where the device is to be fixed;
using the packer to form a gas pocket in the location where the device is to be fixed to the casing wall;
arranging an explosive within said device such that when the explosive is detonated, the device is permanently expanded into metal to metal contact within the casing through the explosive bonding of the device to the interior surface of the well casing.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the interior surface of said well casing in the area where said device is to be fixed is cleaned prior to setting of the device therein; and, an incompressible fluid is contained between the casing and the device during the step of explosive bonding the device to the casing.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said interior surface is cleaned hydraulically.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein said interior surface is cleaned by a casing scraper oriented between said removable packer and said device activated by reciprocation of said casing scraper.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein said device is fixed within said well casing by the explosive sintering of a powdered material oriented between said device and said well casing.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said powdered material is metallic powder oriented between said device and said well casing, such that the device, powdered material, and casing are made integral respective to one another by said explosive bonding.
13. An explosively fixable downhole device for permanent fixation within a well casing which comprises:
a removable packer comprising expandable slips, a setting apparatus, an expandable sealing means oriented on said packer;
means by which a gas pocket can be formed at a location below said removable packer; and,
an explosively fixable element oriented below said removable packer and within said gas pocket comprising a deformable outer shell and means to explosively fix said outer shell directly to the well casing.
14. The device of claim 13 and further including means supported on said setting apparatus for cleaning the interior surface of the well casing, said means on said setting apparatus being interposed between said packer and said deformable outer shell.
15. The device of claim 14 wherein the means for cleaning the casing comprises hydraulic cleaning means.
16. The device of claim 13 wherein said fixable element is an outer shell which supports a permanent packer, said explosively fixable element includes means responsive to uphole pressure by which said outer shell is explosively welded to the interior of the casing.
17. The device of claim 13 wherein means are provided by which said interior surface of the casing is cleaned by reciprocation of said device.
18. The device of claim 13 and further including a preform of powdered material oriented between the outer shell and the well casing whereby said outer shell is fixed to said well casing by sintering of said preform upon explosive deformation of said outer shell.
19. The device of claim 18 wherein said powdered material is metallic powder.
20. The device of claim 13 wherein said means to deformably fix said deformable outer shell includes a shaped explosive charge supported on the interior of said shell; means responsive to uphole pressure in the wellbore for detonating said explosive charge; and, means for removing the removable packer and setting apparatus after said deformable outer shell has been permanently fixed to the casing wall.
The present invention relates to the placement or setting of borehole apparatus such as packers, casing bore receptacles, bridge plugs, casing patches, and liner hangers within the casing of a well bore through the explosive bonding of such apparatus to the interior of the casing.
In the drilling of boreholes for oil and gas wells, a well casing is typiclly placed in the borehole. The casing is typically fixed by cementing it to the formation. Cementing of the casing fixes the casing to the formation by filling the annulus between the casing and the formation. Casing cement also provides a seal between the casing and formation which prevents fluid migration along the exterior of the casing. The casing and cement are perforated to allow production of the oil or gas from the formation.
Casing packers are often employed during well completion operations as well as during production. Such packers often include provision to allow removable tubing to extend through the packer for production or completion operations. The packers provide a seal between the casing and tubing. In well workover operations or recovery enhancement operations, often materials such as steam or fracturing fluids are employed. Such materials are preferably placed within a specified zone in the formation. Typically packers or other casing sealing devices are employed to separate the casing into distinct zones to allow the materials to be pumped into the desired zone of the formation. Typically an expandable packer including radially expandable slips and a resilient packing element is placed in the desired position between the casing and a tubing string by expanding the slips and packing element to fix the packer between the casing and the tubing. As an alternative, a permanent "packer" can be constructed within the casing by placing cement within the casing in a position to seal the annular space between the casing and the injection or production tubing running inside the casing.
The seals of expandable packers are subject to deterioration and possible failure from high temperatures, high treatment pressures, high formation pressures, as well as the corrosive or caustic nature of treatment, borehole fluids or production fluid. Permanent cement packers are more resistant to high temperature and pressures than expandable resilient seal packers. However, such cement packers are often susceptible to deterioration from treatment or downhole fluids and require unique placement or setting techniques.
The present invention provides for the fixation of a packer or other borehole device by explosively bonding the device to the well casing in a desired location. Such fixation is highly resistant to high temperatures and high pressures as well as borehole fluids. The explosive bonding process results in a weld-like fixation which does not appreciably affect the physical properties of the casing as would the high temperatures encountered in conventional gas or electric arc welding. The explosive bonding of a packer to a casing does not require a setting or placement technique appreciably different from those currently employed to set known expandable seal packers. The explosive setting or placement technique further provides for the setting of packer or other downhole device in the same operation as sealing of the packer or other downhole device to the casing.
Explosive welding or bonding of metal has been practiced for more than two decades on an industrial scale. Typically, clad metal combinations are produced mainly for chemical vessel fabrication, for use in the electrochemical industry, ship building and the repair of heat exchanger tubes. Explosive welding or bonding is essentially a cold bonding process which can produce clad metals with excellent bond strength and formability in metal systems that are considered incompatible by conventional techniques.
Explosive welding or bonding is basically a solid phase bonding process in which high explosives are employed to produce a high pressure and shock wave which causes a collision between the materials to be joined. A jet of metal at the apex of the collision is created. The jet breaks and cleans the surface layers of the two components to be joined and the high pressure forces the cleaned metal surfaces into intimate contact. Since little melting is associated with the explosive bonding operation, it is believed little undesired structural changes occur in such joining processes. Further, an explosive bonding process has the ability to join pairs of metals and alloys including otherwise incompatible metals.
FIGS. 1A-C are segmented cross-sectional side views of the right hand half of an explosively settable packer and setting tool of the present invention, with FIG. 1A being the top segment, FIG. 1B being the middle segment, and FIG. 1C the bottom segment.
FIG. 1D is a view along line D--D of FIG. 1A.
FIGS. 2A-B are segmented cross-sectional views of the right hand of an explosively settable packer and setting tool of the present invention, with FIG. 2A being the top segment, and FIG. 2B the middle segment.
FIGS. 3A-C are segmented cross-sectional side views of an explosively set packer and setting tool of the present invention, with FIG. 3A being the top segment, FIG. 3B being the middle segment, and FIG. 3C being the bottom segment.
The explosively set downhole tool of the present invention is described as a packer P having a retrievable or expendable plug R located with a setting tool T which includes an auxiliary packer X, a casing scraper S, pressure activated-firing means F, and a gas pocket forming means G.
The explosive welding or bonding of metal typically requires relatively clean surfaces and preferably occurs in a gas atmosphere. For these reasons, the exemplary embodiment of the setting tool T to be used in setting packer P in the present invention includes the casing scraper S and gas pocket creating means G.
The packer P includes an annular fixation element 10 of an outer diameter slightly smaller than the casing inner diameter such that it can be lowered into the casing. The fixation element 10 is threadedly attached at its upper end 10a to a base plug 12 of the setting tool T. Fixation element 10 is shown as having a smooth outer surface. As an alternative, fixation element 10 could include circumferential projections (not shown) as aids to fixation. Base plug 12 is attached to setting tool body 14, with the scraper S and packer X positioned therebetween, as more fully described below. Base plug 12 serves as an upper seal to maintain an air chamber 32 and as an upper containment for the setting pressure created by the detonation of the explosive charge 16 (FIG. 1C) more fully described below.
Base plug 12 is a relatively heavy cylindrical plug which includes a central bore 17 for receiving explosive initiator 18, usually lead azide and a booster cap or a deflagration detonation device, and primer cord 19. Extending upward from base plug 12 is a pressure activated firing means comprising a support ring 22 and firing pin 24. Firing pin 24 is retained in support ring 22 by a shear pin 23. Upon application of a predetermined fluid pressure within setting tool body 14, shear pin 23 is sheared and firing pin 24 is driven downwardly through atmospheric air pressure chamber 27. Firing pin 24 detonates initiator 18 to detonate primer cord 19, and booster cap 20, which detonates the explosive charge 16. A suitable seal such as O-ring 26 is provided between firing pin 24 and support ring 22 so that an atmospheric pocket 27 is created to prevent contamination of initiator 18, primer cord 29, booster cap 20 or explosive charge 16 by fluids within the casing. Atmospheric air pressure chamber 27 also provides the necessary pressure differential across firing pin 24 to shear shear pin 23 when pressure within setting tool body 14 is increased to a predetermine level above hydrostatic pressure.
Fixation element 10 extends from threaded attachment to base plug 12 which includes a suitable O-ring 11 downward to a retrievable plug R. Retrievable plug R includes a seal means 30 adjacent lower portion of dogs 34 which provides for containment of an atmospheric air chamber 32 around explosive charge 16. Retrievable plug R includes a fishing neck 35 and dogs 34 with releasable slip ring locks 36 such that retrievable plug R will resist an upward movement so as to resist upward hydrostatic pressure and to provide a lower seal for air chamber 32 yet can be removed by an upward pull on fishing neck 33 in a manner as would be well known in the art. As an alternative retrievable plug R could be loosely attached to base 12 such as by a cable (not shown) whereby retrievable plug R would be removed in the same operation as retrieving setting tool T, more fully described below.
Retrievable plug R includes a split snap ring 31 adjacent ring locks 36. When retrievable plug R is pulled upward, snap ring 31 expands into groove 34c in the upper portion 34a of dogs 34. Ring locks 36 then move into the reduced diameter portion 35a of plug body 35 as retrievable plug R is pulled upward, releasing dogs 34 from engagement with fixation element 10.
Upon detonation of explosive charge 16, the radial shock wave created drives fixation element 10 radially outwardly (FIG. 3C) into the casing C creating an explosive weld or bond therebetween. Explosive charge 16 is shaped in a manner as would be well known in the art so as to provide a substantially radial shock wave. The explosive expansion of fixation element 10 further releases the threaded attachment to base plug 12 (FIG. 3C) allowing removal of setting tool T from element 10 so as to leave element 10 in the casing C when the tool T is pulled upwardly out of the casing C. Fixation element 10 is described as a hanger for a retrievable plug R. However, fixation element 10 can include another bore hole tool (not shown) oriented below retrievable plug R or retrievable plug R can be replaced with any other bore hole tool oriented by attachment to fixation element 10.
As an alternative to explosive welding or bonding of fixation element 10 directly to casing C, the explosive radial expansion of fixation element 10 may be employed to provide the high energy rate compaction of powdered material. A preform of partially compressed powder, either metal or polymer, could be located between fixation element 10 and casing C. Upon the explosive radial expansion of fixation element 10, the powder material would become compacted into a rigid fixation means between element 10 and the casing C.
In explosive welding or bonding, a clean surface, and a gas atmosphere are preferable. Setting tool T includes an integral casing scraper S to allow the cleaning of the interior surface of casing C prior to the explosive setting of packer P. Casing scraper S comprises cutter blades 40 oriented in longitudinally extending circumferential recesses 42 in setting tool body 14. The cutter blades 40 are biased radially outwardly by springs 44 and are retained by retention collars 46. If the casing is relatively new or a separate casing cleaning operation is to be employed, casing scraper S may be deleted from setting tool T. The action of the cutter blades 40 of casing scraper S further provides for centering of the device in the casing. If a separate casing scraper is to be employed, a centralizing tool (not shown) may be employed in order that fixation element be centered in the casing.
Oriented above casing scraper S on setting tool body 14 is an auxiliary packer X. Auxiliary packer X is set in the casing C above the desired location of fixation element 10 to contain a gas pocket in the annular region between the casing C and setting tool body 14. The gas pocket provides a gaseous atmosphere between fixation element 10 and casing C where the explosive welding or bonding is to occur.
Auxiliary packer X is oriented on setting tool body 14 above gas injection port 50 (FIG. 1B). Auxiliary packer X is a pressure activated retrievable packer which is set by fluid or gas pressure within the interior of setting tool body 14. Oriented circumferentially around setting tool body 14 is auxiliary packer support 52. Support 52 has a lower wedge 54 mounted on lower end thereof with a shear screw 55 (FIG. 1B). An upper wedge 56 is mounted on support 52 by a shear screw 57. Oriented around support 52 between upper wedge 56 and lower wedge 54 are packer slips 60. The shear screws 57 and 54 hold upper wedge 56 and lower wedge 55 in a release position (FIG. 1B). The strength of shear screw 57 is less than that of shear screw 55 as will be more fully described below. Auxiliary packer X further includes a polymeric packing element 62 positioned around support 52 above upper wedge 56 retained by a ratcheting lock ring 64. Ratcheting lock ring 64 is activated by setting element 66 to compress polymeric packing element 62. Extending through setting tool body 14 is an injection port 68 and extending through the upper end of support 52 into setting chamber 67 is an injection slot 68a (FIG. 1A). Injection port 68 and injection slot 68a provides access to setting chamber 67 which is defined by suitable O-rings 69. Upon the pressurization of the interior of setting tool body 14 and setting chamber 67 through port 68 and slot 68a to a predetermine pressure, support 52 is forced upwardly. The action of setting element 66 upon rubber packing element 62 and upper wedge 56 as support 52 is forced upwardly shears shear pin 57 driving upper wedge 56 downwardly, forcing the slips 60 outwardly into contact with the casing C. Further pressure forces ratcheting lock ring 64 downwardly. The downward action of lock ring 64 deforms rubber packing element 62 which expands radially to contact casing C (FIG. 2B). The ratcheting action of ratchet lock ring 64 maintains auxiliary packer X in a set position. The lower shear pin 55 allows the release of auxiliary packer after explosive packer P has been set by pulling upward on setting tool body 14. Setting tool body 14 includes a shoulder 13 to contact support 52. An upward pull on setting tool body 14 will force shoulder 13 into contact with support 52 and further pulling will shear shear pin 55 which allows lower wedge 54 to drop releasing slips 60 and rubber packing element 62.
Setting element 66 extends upward from the auxiliary packer X in the annulus between setting tool body 14 and casing C to a pin ring 70. Pin ring 70 is an annular ring about setting tool body 14 which includes a pin 72 extending into a "J" slot 74 on setting tool body 14 (FIG. 1D). When the pin 72 is in the foot 101 of the "J" slot auxiliary packer X is supported above scraper tool S with injection port 68 aligned with injection slot 68a. After auxiliary packer X is set, setting tool body 14 is raised and rotated to move pin 72 into the leg 103 of "J" slot. With the pin 72 in the leg of the "J" slot, setting tool body 14 can be raised and lowered to provide the action necessary for scraper tool S to clean the interior of the casing.
After scraper tool S has cleaned the interior of the casing, setting tool body 14 is raised to orient fixation element 10 within the casing adjacent the cleaned area. Fluid pressure is applied to the annulus between the tool T and casing C. Pressurized fluid enters port 80 shears shear pin 83 and drives piston 82 downwardly through gas chamber 84. Gas chamber 84 is created by upper annular container 86 which extends from a pin ring 70 upwardly and concentrically with setting tool body 14 (FIG. 2A). Piston 82 is held in place by shear pin 83 which releases when the annular pressure exceeds a predetermined amount. Gas chamber 84 is maintained by suitable O-rings 81 between annular container 86, setting tool body 14, and piston 82.
The movement of piston 82 downwardly in gas chamber 86 forces the gas therein through transfer tube 88, through a check valve 89 and through port 50 to create a gas pocket below the auxiliary packer X in the area where the explosive packer P is to be set. Transfer tube 88 extends from piston 90 to port 50 and includes expansion joint 91. Piston 90 retained on tool body 14 by shear pin 91 includes an atmospheric air pressure chamber 92 maintained by O-rings 94 between piston 90 and setting tool body 14. As the pressure within setting tool body 14 is increased, the pressure differential between the interior of body 14 and air chamber 92 will force piston 90 downward shearing shear pin 91 so that transfer tube 88 will align with opening 93 in tool body 14 to allow the transfer of gas through transfer tube 88. The formation of a gas pocket below auxiliary packer X allows for the explosive welding of the fixation element 10 to occur in a gas atmosphere. As an alternative to the transfer of gas from a chamber, a chemical reaction could be employed to create the desirable gas pocket below auxiliary packer X.
In practice, the apparatus of the present invention is run into a well casing on a pipe string (not shown). Upon orientation in the zone where the permanent packer P is desired, pressure is applied within the setting tool body 14. The fluid pressure within the setting tool body 14 drives support 52 of the auxiliary packer X upwardly concentric with setting tool body 14 shearing shear pin 57. The movement of support 52 upwardly wedges slips 60 radially outwardly into the casing C and deforms rubber packing element 62 so as to set auxiliary packer X. The one-way ratcheting action of ratchet ring assembly 64 locks auxiliary packer X in the set position (FIG. 2B).
The setting tool body 14 is then raised slightly and rotated to move pin 72 from the foot 101 of the "J" slot into the leg 103 of the "J" slot (FIG. 2B). This allows the setting tool body 14 to be reciprocated to provide the action necessary for casing scraper S to clean the interior surface of the casing C. Thereafter setting tool body 14 is raised so that explosive packer P is oriented in the "clean" area of the casing C which will place shoulder 13 near to or in contact with auxiliary packer support 52 (FIG. 3B).
Fluid pressure within tool body 14 is raised by pump pressure applied at the surface to shear shear pin 91 and is maintained at a level to force piston 90 downwardly to align opening 93 in body 14 with the upper open end transfer tube 88 (FIG. 3A). Annular fluid pressure is then applied between casing C and support body 14 which shears shear pin 83 and forces piston 82 downwardly, driving the gas within gas chamber 84 through transfer tube 88 and check valve 89 through port 50 to create a gas pocket below auxiliary packer X. In addition to creating a gas pocket below auxiliary packer X, the gas in creating a gas pocket and driving fluid out of the area washes away the debris created by the action of scraper S.
When piston 82 has bottomed against shoulder 87 (as indicated by a sharp increase in the annular pressure), annular pressure is maintained while the pressure within the interior of setting tool body 14 is again increased by pump pressure applied at the surface to the point where shear pin 23 fails, releasing firing pin 24, and activating the explosive charge 16. The explosion of explosive charge 16 drives fixation element 10 radially outwardly welding or bonding it to the casing C. The explosive expansion releases the threaded attachment between lower plug 12 and fixation element 10 which allows the removal of setting tool T (FIG. 3C). Pulling on setting tool body 14 will release auxiliary packer X by shearing shear pin 55 which allows lower wedge 54 to fall into contact with scraper tool S. Setting tool T can then be removed to be reused after the shear pins 23, 55 and 57 are replaced.
Thus a packer is set in a casing by explosive welding or bonding such that it is highly resistant to heat or fluid pressures yet the explosive welding does not materially affect the strength of the casing C.
It should be understood that the foregoing description and drawings of the invention are not intended to be limiting, but are only exemplary of the inventive features which are defined by the claims.
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